IMPROVEMENTS IN COLLECTING AND PURIFYING SEWAGE, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THERE- FOR
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Turnbull, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COLLECTING AND
PURIFYING SEWAGE, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THERE-
FOR,"
Sealed the 6th July 1877, and dated the 1st March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Turnbull at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1877.
ROBERT TURNBULL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN COLLECTING AND PURIFYING SEWAGE, AND IN THE APPARATUS
OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in collecting and purifying sewage
has for its object to separate the solid impure matter from the liquid or fluid matter
of which sewage is constituted, so as on the one hand to discharge the liquid or
fluid portion in as pure a state as possible into the sewers, and on the other hand
to collect the solid portions for being utilised as manure or otherwise.
The apparatus constituting the Invention consists of a tank with several trans-
verse divisions therein. These divisions are each one in succession lower than that
which precedes it. Into the first or highest division in the vessel the sewage as it
is discharged from houses, stables, or other buildings enters, and this first division
of the tank is provided with a transverse tongue projecting some distance down
into it. When this first division of the vessel is full of sewage it begins to over-
flow into the next vessel, and any floating solid matter is prevented from being
carried over into the next vessel by a grating placed across the top of the first
division, and which intercepts such floating solid matter. By this means the larger
portions and quantity of solid matter are retained in the first division of the tank.
Smaller portions of solid matter which are carried over with the liquid into the
second tank are deposited therein, and so on in succession throughout the several
divisions of the tank, according to their number, until arriving at the last division,
when the liquid will have little or no solid matter in it; that liquid passes through
filtering material contained in this last division, and by the filtering action thereof
is finally purified. The purified liquid is discharged into a box in connection with
a pump, by means of which the sanitary officer or other person can at any time

page_text: draw off some of the liquid so as to ascertain the degree of purity or impurity.
From this testing box a pipe conveys the liquid to the sewers.
The drains by which the sewage is conveyed to the separating and purifying
tank, herein-before described, may be provided with one or more pipes, leading into
the chimney of the kitchen or other fires, being thence carried to the outside of the
building, and to a height which is above any opening into the building. The heat
of the fire acting on the pipe of the chimney expands the air or gas therein, and so
producing a current effectually ventilates the drains. The tank itself may also be
connected in a similar manner to a chimney. The tank is further provided with
one or more sluices for discharging the. solid matter through from time to time as
required; and it may be provided with one or more man-holes and doors for
opening and closing the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Turnbull in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th August
1877.
ROBERT TURNBULL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain. "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN COLLECTING AND PURIFYING SEWAGE, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR
MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR="
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My said Invention, which relates to improvements in collecting and purifying
sewage, and in the apparatus or means employed therefor, has for its object_to
separate the solid impure matter from the liquid or fluid matter of which sewage is
constituted, so as to discharge the liquid or fluid portion in a pure, or comparatively
pure condition, into the sewers, and to retain or to collect the solid portion for
utilization.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a side elevation of the apparatus constituting my
said Invention; Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the lines a, b, Figure 1; Figure 3
is a longitudinal section on the line c, d, Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a transverse
section on the line e, f, Figure 2.
The apparatus consists of a rectangular tank A divided into a number of tanks
or compartments B, C, D, E, by transverse divisions b, c, d, each one of which is in
succession lower than that which precedes it. The sewage as it is discharged from
dwelling houses, stables, or other buildings passes by the pipe G into the first or
highest tank or compartment B. The tank or compartment B is provided with a
transverse tongue F, which projects downwards into it. This tongue breaks the
flow of sewage, and facilitates the settling of solid or semi-solid matter to the
bottom of the tank or compartment B, preventing such matters clogging the
grating H, herein-after referred to, and forming a trap against gases passing from
the apparatus through the inlet pipe G to the house or building. The sewage
having deposited its heavier and grosser impurities in the tank or compartment B
the more liquid portion overflows the partition 6 and enters the tanks or com-
partments C, D, light floating matter being intercepted by the grating H, fixed
across the top of the tank or compartment B.
In the tanks or compartments C, D, solid or semi-solid matter. which may have
passed through the grating H is precipitated and retained. In the division c
dividing the tanks or chambers C, D, is an opening c¹, through which the sewage
water from the tank or compartment C passes upwards through the filter of coarse
sandstone D' in the tank or compartment D.

page_text: After passing through the tanks or compartments C, D, and the filter D¹, most of
the solid and semi-solid matters have been separated from the fluid, and the sewage
water overflows the partition d, and enters the tank or compartment E, which has
at its lower part a grating E¹, sustaining another filter consisting of layers of
filtering and purifying material, the said layers being preferably of freestone, coarse
and fine gravel, sand, and charcoal, arranged in layers in the order shewn at
Figure 3. Above this filter is an inclined tray E³, having an opening in its centre,
through which opening the sewage water passes over the fluted spreader or
distributor I on to the layers of filtering materials, and through them to the
grating E, and thence in a purified condition, passing through a pipe J into the
testing tank or receptacle K, and thence through the pipe N to the sewer.
A pipe L leads from the test tank K to a small test pump (not shewn in the
Drawings), placed in a suitable position above ground. By this pump the sanitary
officer or other person can ascertain the condition of the water being discharged
through the apparatus. Two partitions or tongues M, M, dip into the water in the
test tank K and form a trap for preventing gases from passing from the sewer by
the pipe N into the pipe J. The tank or compartment B is provided with a water-
tight sliding door O, opened and closed by the handle P. Through the opening
closed by this door the sediment can be removed from the said tank or compartment
at intervals as required. The tanks or compartments C and D may be furnished
with similar doors if desired.
The drains by which the sewage is conveyed to the separating and purifying
tank A, herein-before described, may be provided with one or more pipes X, as
shewn in plan at Figure 5, and in vertical section of a fire-place at Figure 6, on
Sheet 2 of the Drawings, leading into the chimney of the kitchen or other fires,
being thence carried to the outside of the building, and to a height which is above
any opening into the building. The heat of the fire acting on the pipe in the
chimney expands the air or gas therein, and so producing a current effectually
ventilates the drains. The tank itself may also be connected in a similar manner
to a chimney.
In place of using filtering materials of the kind and in the order herein-before
described other suitable filtering materials, and in any convenient order, may be
substituted.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, inode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The apparatus for collecting the solid and semi-solid matters from sewage,
and discharging the liquid portion into the sewers in a purified condition, consisting
of a vessel composed of a series of tanks and filters, essentially as herein-before
described and illustrated.
Second. The perforated plate H, or its equivalent, for retaining the solid or semi-
solid matters in the first division of the tank.
Third. The combination with the said apparatus of a test box, and pump in com-
munication therewith, as herein-before described and illustrated, by which the
condition of the sewage water passing to the sewer may be tested, the test box
being provided with diaphragms M for trapping the sewer gases, substantially as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Turnbull, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
ROBERT TURNBULL.
ANBULL. (L.S.)