Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr, 1887
Complete Left, 9th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 10th Feb., 1888
1, JAMES GEORGE KILLEY of No. 51 Arabin Road, Brockley, S.E. Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of apparatus for
regulating the discharge of rainwater from roofs and other surfaces in such a manner
that they can be thoroughly cleansed before the rainwater passes to storage tank or
well.
For this purpose I construct or form a receptacle, and I divide it into two parts,
one part being used as a passage for rainwater from the roof to a storage tank or to a
drain, the other part being made to form a cistern to receive a portion of the
rainwater. In that part of the receptacle used as a passage for rainwater from the
roof I fix a valve which is perforated with one or more small holes and is opened or
closed by the action of a float rising or falling with the water in the cistern before
mentioned; In the same passage I fix a weir or gauge in such a position that it will
measure the water falling from the roof; and I make a small hole or tube in the
partition between the cistern and the passage by which I can regulate the flow of
water required to work the float in the cistern; and I make another hole or tube in
the bottom of the cistern, smaller than the hole before mentioned, to regulate the
discharge from same so that the water may enter at a slightly greater rate than it
leaves the cistern. In the passage already referred to there are two openings or
outlets one above the other; the upper one is the outlet for pure rainwater, and it is
placed high enough above the valve to ensure a certain weight of water resting on
the valve when closed; the lower one is the outlet for foul rainwater. Two movable
strainers are placed in the top part of the passage for rainwater from the roof, one
above the other, the upper one is to intercept the larger particles of dirt, and the
lower one to intercept the smaller particles of dirt falling from the roof." Covers
or doors are provided so that the apparatus can be inspected and cleansed when
required.

page_text: The apparatus acts in the following manner; The cistern being empty the weight
of the float keeps the valve open; during the first part of a rainfall the water flows
down the passage, past the valve, and over the weir or gauge into the outlet for foul
rainwater j at the same time a portion of the water flows into the cistern through the
small hole or tube connecting the passage with the cistern. As soon as a sufficient
quantity of water to cleanse the roof has passed over the weir, the float in the cistern
rises and shuts the valve, thereby stopping the flow of water to foulwater outlet and
to the cistern, and causing the water from the roof to rise in the passage to the level
When the rain ceases the
of outlet for pure water and thence into storage tank.
water resting on the valve slowly percolates through the small holes in the valve,
whereby it remains closed for a considerable time, so that should it rain again before
the valve opens the water from the roof will still pass to storage tank.
As soon as the valve is relieved of the weight of water it opens, and the apparatus
resumes its original position.
T AT L If Amil 1987

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Discharge of
Rainwater from Roofs.
I JAMES GEORGE KILLEY of 51 Arabin Road Brockley, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of apparatus for regu-
lating the discharge of rainwater from roofs or other surfaces in such a manner that
they can be thoroughly cleansed before the rainwater passes to storage tank or well.
For this purpose I construct or form a receptacle, and I divide it into two parts, one
part being used as a passage for rainwater from the roof to a storage tank or to a
drain, the other part being made to form a cistern to receive a portion of the rain-
water. In that part of the receptacle used as a passage for rainwater from the roof,
I fix a valve which is perforated with one or more small holes and is opened or closed
by the action of a float rising or falling with the water in the cistern before
mentioned; In the same passage I fix a weir or gauge in such a position that it will
measure the water falling from the roof, and I make a small hole or tube in the
partition between the cistern and the passage, by which I can regulate the flow of
water required to work the float in the cistern, and I make another hole or tube in
the bottom of the cistern, smaller than the hole before mentioned, to regulate the
discharge from same so that the water may enter at a slightly greater rate than
it leaves the cistern. In the passage already referred to there are two openings or
outlets one above the other, the upper one is the outlet for pure rainwater, and it is
placed high enough above the valve to ensure a certain weight of water resting on the
valve when closed; the lower one is the outlet for foul rainwater. Two movable
strainers are placed in the top part of the passage for rainwater from the roof, one above
the other, the upper one is to intercept the larger particles of dirt, and the lower one
to intercept the smaller particles of dirt falling from the roof. Covers or doors are
provided so that the apparatus can be inspected and cleansed when required.
The apparatus.acts in the following manner: the cistern being empty the weight
of the float keeps the valve open; during the first part of a rainfall the water flows
down the passage, past the valve, and over the weir or gauge into the outlet for foul
rainwater, at the same time a portion of the water flows into the cistern through the
small hole or tube connecting the passage with the cistern. As soon as a sufficient
quantity of water to cleanse the roof has passed over the weir, the float in the cistern
rises and shuts the valve, thereby stopping the flow of water to foul water outlet and
to the cistern, and causing the water from the roof to rise in the passage to the level
of outlet for pure water and thence into storage tank. When the rain ceases the
water resting on the valve slowly percolates through the small holes in the valve,
whereby it remains closed for a considerable time, so that should it rain again before

page_text: the valve opens the water from the roof will still pass to storage tank. As soon as the
valve is relieved of the weight of water it opens, and the apparatus resumes its
original position.
In a modification of the form of the apparatus, I use a valve that is not perforated,
and I place the weir or gauge, and the small hole or tube connecting the passage with
the cistern, above the valve for the purpose of keeping the cistern filled during the
rainfall when the rain ceases the cistern is emptied through the small hole or tube
at the bottom of same, causing the float to descend and open the valve for the next
rainfall. I also construct the passage for rainwater from the roof in such a manner as
to form a lid or cover by means of which access is obtained to the interior of the
apparatus.
In order that my invention may be most fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus adapted to suit intermittent rainfalls
of moderate intervals. Figure 2 is a cross section on the line a. b of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a modified form of the apparatus ; and Figure 4 is
a cross section on the line c. d of Figure 3. Similar reference letters are used in
these figures to denote corresponding parts. A is a cistern; when the cistern is empty
the float raises the valve C. The rainwater enters the apparatus through the pipe M,
passes through the strainers N. N., along the passage D, and over a movable weir
or gauge E which can be made various sizes according to the quantity of water
flowing from the roof; F is the foul water pipe; G is a small hole or tube so made
that it can be removed and larger or smaller holes or tubes substituted for it; H is a
hole or tube in the bottom of cistern for emptying same; J and K are doors to give
access to the interior of the apparatus; L is the pure water pipe.
In the modified form of the apparatus the passage D is constructed to form a
movable lid or cover to give access to the interior of the apparatus. In this form of
the apparatus the rainwater enters through the pipe M, passes through the strainers
N. N., along the passage D, and over the weir or gauge E to the foul water pipe F ;
at the same time a portion of the water enters the cistern A through the small hole or
tube G, discharging at a lesser rate through the small hole or tube H; the float B
rises with the water in the cistern and closes the valve C; when the rain ceases the
cistern is emptied through the hole or tube H and the valve opens for the next rainfall.
The pipe M, the strainers N. N., and the passage I), are shewn to suit vertical rain
water pipes, but it will be understood that these arrangements can be modified to suit
horizontal rainwater pipes as shewn by dotted lines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The construction of apparatus for regulating the discharge of rainwater, herein
described, and shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
2. The modified construction of apparatus for regulating the discharge of rainwater,
herein described, and shewn in Figures 3 and 4.
Deted this 0th day of January 1888