A NEW METHOD OF REMOVING AND NEUTRALIZING NOXIOUS SMELLS IN DWELLING-HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS ARISING FROM WATERCLOSets, Drains, DeaD WELLS, SEWERS, AND SINKS, BY ASSISTING THE SEWER GASES THEREIN TO ESCAPE OUTSIDE THE BUILDINGS, AND FACILITATING THE INGRESS OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR INTO, AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF VENTILATING THE SEWER PIPES AND THEIR SEVERAL CONNECTIONS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James John Myers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th March 1873.
I, JAMES JOHN MYERS, of Orchard Street, in the Town and County
of the Town of Southampton, Engineer and Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW METHOD OF REMOVING AND
NEUTRALIZING NOXIOUS SMELLS IN DWELLING-HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS ARISING
FROM WATERCLOSets, Drains, DeaD WELLS, SEWERS, AND SINKS, BY ASSISTING THE
SEWER GASES THEREIN TO ESCAPE OUTSIDE THE BUILDINGS, AND FACILITATING THE
INGRESS OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR INTO, AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF VENTILATING THE
SEWER PIPES AND THEIR SEVERAL CONNECTIONS," to be as follows:-
:―
1. The mechanism of waterclosets now in use being very defective
because the escape of sewer gases is permitted (through the fittings under
the seat of the closet and by its valve when opened) into the buildings,
where the pent-up noxious smells are released and permeate to the
injury of the health of the occupants; to prevent this I use connected
with and cemented to the ordinary watercloset pan an outside case
closed at its ends and constructed with an internal cylinder (conical or
otherwise) of metal or other suitable air-tight material, with openings

page_text: therefrom communicating with the pan on the top side, the down dis-
charge pipe on the bottom side to the sewer or dead well, and by
means of a pipe or pipes and other connections with the outside of the
building.
2. The internal cylinder mentioned in paragraph 1 is fitted part of 5
its length with a plug of metal or other air and water tight material of
a suitable size and shape properly ground and seated thereto, so as to be
water-tight, yet moveable inside the cylinder, and prevent any leakage
or escape of gas or water, the part not occupied by the plug forming a
reservoir or chamber between the ends of the plug and the outside case 1
in paragraph 1.
3. Transversely and though the aforesaid plug I construct and use
a water way or vent hole, which being placed perpendicular forms
a through communication from the watercloset pan to the sewer pipe
and allows the sewerage to descend down the pipe to the sewer or 1
dead well.
4. When the water way or vent hole in the plug is placed horizontally
in its corresponding cylinder all communication is shut off between the
sewer pipe, the sewer, and the watercloset pan and the building.
5. The plug aforesaid I cause to be constructed on the bottom side 2
thereof to form internally a cavity or cell, with which I establish com-
munication by means of one or more holes made in and through the
outer circle of the bottom side of the said plug to enable the sewer gases
beneath to pass up into the cavity or cell, and thence into the reservoir
or chamber between the ends of the plug and cylinder case referred to
-in paragraph 2.
6. The gases in the sewer pipe, cavity, or cell, and the reservoir
or chamber referred to in paragraphs 2 and 5, I enable to escape
by means of a pipe or pipes fitted to and communicating with the
inside of the reservoir or chamber at and through its end or sides
or both, which form part of the cylinder case, which pipe or pipes
I cause to terminate outside the buiding, either by themselves or their
connections.
7. I also construct and use a passage or channel leading from the
bottom side of the inside cylinder referred to in paragraph 1, to enable
the sewer gases to ascend into the waterway or vent hole of the plug
referred to, which in itself forms a chamber when placed horizontally

page_text: in its corresponding cylinder, and I enable the sewer gases to escape
therefrom by means of a pipe or pipes affixed to and communicating
with the outside case and the interior of the cylinder therein contiguous
to the waterway or vent hole of the plug, which pipe or pipes I cause to
terminate outside the building directly or indirectly.
8. To remove and neutralize smells from drains and sinks I use a
similar arrangement as that for waterclosets, the plug being moved at
the will of the operator by a lever attached thereto, and reclosed by
means of a self-acting weighted lever with or without a spring.
9. I also use the same pipe or pipes that allow the sewer gases to
escape outside the building as a channel or channels to permit the
ingress of atmospheric air, thereby affording a means of ventilating the
watercloset discharge pipe, sewer, dead well, and the several connections
thereto.
10. To move the waterway or vent hole in the plug referred to in
paragraph 2 cither horizontally or perpendicularly, I use a spindle or axle
of metal or other suitable material cast or fitted on the plug, which
spindle or axle I cause to work through a gland with a nut and air-
tight stuffing-box on a cover bolted on to the outside case mentioned in
|paragraph 1, and one of its ends; and I also use in connection with the
spindle or axle and the plug adjusting screws and nuts, with or without
a spring or springs; on this spindle or axle I fasten a lever weighted,
or a quadrant with or without a toothed pinion wheel moveable by con-
nexion with a toothed rack or a mitre tooth wheel geared into and
working with another similar wheel to be moved at the will of the
operator by a rod, shaft, chain, band, or other known mechanical
arrangement connected with a handle on and through the top side of
the watercloset seat. Each and every mechanical movement so employed
I cause to communicate with a pipe and its connections, whereby a
supply of water can be obtained to the pan of the watercloset when
desired from the cistern or tank now commonly used for such purpose.