Improvements in and relating to the Discharge of Sewage and Flood Waters into Tidal Waters and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Discharge of Sewage and Flood
Waters into Tidal Waters and Apparatus therefor..
I, JOHN DAYE, of 9, Angus Street, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved means for the disposal and discharge of
sewage and floods into tidal waters in such a manner as to avoid the various
inconveniences to which the existing systems are more or less liable. By utilising
the rise and fall of the tide and obtaining thereby a head of tidal or sea water, I
effectively dilute the said sewage in appropriate receptacles as hereinafter
described, and discharge the same into the sea or tidal water at the most suitable
spot and period in order to remove the same effectively from the town and fore-
shores whilst at the same time providing a constant outlet at the sewer outfall.
By means of my invention the checking of the flow from the sewer by the same
becoming tide-locked at the outfall is avoided and a continuous flow of sewage or
flood water can take place from the sewers at any stage of the tide, whilst the
discharge into the sea is much sooner effected only at the most favourable avail-
able spots and time as aforesaid, consequently all back watering and flooding of
the sewers and their connections is done away with to the great advantage of the
health of the towns concerned. Moreover, I discharge the sewage into the sea or
tidal water so forcibly and effectively that it is carried to a much greater distance
away from such places and foreshores, and can therefore be effectively oxidised
and dispersed without accumulating or returning on the foreshores and I effect
this result without any engines screws turbines or pumping machinery and in
most cases without any expense for filtering and purification or treating of
sludge.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide two storage reservoirs or tanks
each of sufficient capacity to contain more than twelve hours flow of the sewage,
these storage reservoirs are preferably arranged close together and may be open
or covered by a roof and otherwise enclosed as desired. The town sewer outfall is
connected by a separate pipe into each reservoir in such a manner that the flow
therefrom can be directed at will into either of the reservoirs. At the other end
of the reservoirs which are preferably situated as close as possible to the fore-
shores or tidal waters I provide an outlet or outlets which may communicate
directly from each reservoir to the sea outfall or tidal water or preferably may
connect these at a central manhole whence the main outfall into the sea proceeds.
Means are provided for opening and closing the respective inlets and outlet: at
will either automatically or by hand. The level of the storage tanks is so
arranged that they are within the effective ranges of the tidal ebb and flood and
the bottoms are sufficiently below the level of the outfall sewer that the whole of
the sewage which will be required to be stored in either reservoir at one time can
accumulate therein without reaching much above the level of the bottom of the

page_text: sewer, whilst the outlets from the sewers and reservoirs are sufficiently low to
effectively drain and cleanse the same completely. The operation of the apparatus
is as follows:-
The, sewage is directed by means of a valve from the sewer outfall into one of
the said tanks, the outlet therefrom being closed.. When the tank has received
the full charge, or the rising of the tide renders it advisable, the valve from the
sewer outfall is closed and the flow from the sewer directed into the other tank.
The valve communicating with the pipe or pipes leading to the sea outfall is then
opened in order to allow the rising tide to rush into the lower part and effectively
mix with and stir up the sewage in the tank, and this valve is then closed. As
the tide rises further the tank is gradually filled up to the highest level of every
tide over the sewage the reservoir being in such a position as to take full advantage
of the full difference in level caused by every tide, and at the same time placed
with due regard to the varying conditions of spring, neap and equinoctial tides,
and the special circumstances of each case. At the top of each tide when the
reservoir is filled to its fullest extent the tidal valve is closed and the contents
retained until the most suitable time during the ebb when the discharge into the
sea can be effected with the greatest advantage and the maximum force, in the
best ebbing currents available; thus taking full advantage of the height of
the diluted sewage above the variable ebb level of the sea. Whilst the first tank is
thus operated, the second tank is receiving all the sewage ready for the succeeding
tide and the process is thus worked alternately and automatically without inter-
fering with the discharge from any district or town outfall sewers.
It is obvious that the principle of my invention is capable of being carried into
effect in various ways, for instance in certain situations it may be necessary to
have more than a single range of tanks and utilise the rise of the tide in the
manner described to effect the flushing and conveying or forcing of the upper
tanks contents into the lower tanks and progressively on until the distant outfall
into the sea is reached. I may thus also store discharge and convey away either
sewage or flood waters, so as to prevent flooding at such places, or may combine
any system of filtration, percolation, precipitation, disinfection, cleansing or
mixing of the sewage with my above described method of forcible discharge so as
to avoid also present costly dealings with or carrying off of sludge and the like
at and from adequate tidal places.
Dated this 29th day of October 1806
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to the Discharge of Sewage and Flood
Waters into Tidal Waters and Apparatus therefor.
I, JOHN DAVE, of. 9, Angus Street, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what 'männer
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved means for the disposal and discharge of
sewage and floods into tidal waters in such a manner as to avoid the various
inconveniences to which the existing systems are more or less liable. By utilising
the rise and fall of the tide and obtaining thereby a head of tidal or sea water, I
effectively dilute the said sewage in appropriate receptacles as hereinafter
described, and discharge the same into the sea or tidal water at the most suitable

page_text: spot and period in order to remove the same effectively from the town and fore-
shores whilst at the same time providing a constant outlet at the sewer outfall.
By means of my invention the checking of the flow from the sewer by the same
becoming tide-locked at the outfall is avoided and a continuous flow of sewage or
flood water can take place from the sewers at any stage of the tide, whilst the
discharge into the sea is much sooner effected only at the most favourable avail-
able spots and time as aforesaid, consequently all back watering and flooding of
the sewers and their connections is done away with to the great advantage of the
health of the towns concerned. Moreover, I discharge the sewage into the sea or
tidal water so forcibly and effectively that it is carried to a much greater distance
away from such places and foreshores, and can therefore he effectively oxidised
and dispersed without acoumulating or returning on the foreshores and I effect
this result without any engines screws turbines or pumping machinery and in
most cases without any expense for filtering and purification or treating of
sludge.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide two storage reservoirs or tanks
each of sufficient capacity to contain more than twelve hours flow of the sewage,
these storage reservoirs are preferably arranged close together and may be open
or covered by a roof and otherwise enclosed as desired. The town sewer outfall is
connected by a separate pipe into each reservoir in such a manner that the flow
therefrom can be directed at will into either of the reservoirs. At the other end
of the reservoirs which are preferably situated as close as possible to the fore-
shores or tidal waters I provide an outlet or outlets which may communicate
directly from each reservoir to the sea outfall or tidal water or preferably may
connect these at a central manhole whence the main outfall into the sea proceeds.
Means are provided for opening and closing the respective inlets and outlets at
will either automatically or by hand. The level of the storage tanks is so
arranged that they are within the effective ranges of the tidal ebb and flood and
the bottoms are sufficiently below the level of the outfall sewer that the whole of
the sewage which will be required to be stored in either reservoir at one time can
accumulate therein without reaching much above the level of the bottom of the
sewer, whilst the outlets from the sewers and reservoirs are sufficiently low to
effectively drain and cleanse the same completely.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
The sewage is directed by means of a valve from the sewer outfal! into one of
the said tanks, the outlets therefrom being closed. When the tank has received
the full charge, or the rising of the tide renders it advisable, the valve from the
sewer outfall is closed and the flow from the sewer directed into the other tank.
The valve communicating with the pipe or pipes leading to the sea outfall is then
opened in order to allow the rising tide to rush into the lower part and effectively
mix with and stir up the sewage in the tank, and this valve is then closed. As
the tide rises further the tank is gradually filled up to the highest level of every
tide over the sewage the reservoir being in such a position as to take full advantage
of the difference in level caused by every tide, and at the same time placed
with due regard to the varying conditions of spring, neap and equinoctial tides,
and the special circumstances of each case. At the top of each tide when the
reservoir is filled to its fullest extent the tidal valve is closed and the contents
retained until the most suitable time during the ebb when the discharge into the
sea can be effected with the greatest advantage and the maximum force, in the
best ebbing currents available; thus taking full advantage of the height of
the diluted sewage above the variable ebb level of the sea. Whilst the first tank is
thus operated, the second tank is receiving all the sewage ready for the succeeding
tide and the process is thus worked alternately and automatically without inter-
fering with the discharge from any district or town outfall sewers.
It is obvious that the principle of my invention is capable of being carried into
effect in various ways, for instance in certain situations it may be necessary to
have more than a single range of tanks and utilise the rise of the tide in the

page_text: manner described to effect the flushing and conveying or forcing of the upper
tanks contents into the lower tanks and progressively on until the distant outfall
into the sea is reached. I may thus also store discharge and convey away either
sewage or flood waters, so as to prevent flooding at such places, or may combine
any system of filtration, percolation, precipitation, disinfection, cleansing or
mixing of the sewage with my above described method of forcible discharge so as
to avoid also present costly dealings with or carrying off of sludge and the like
at and from adequate tidal places.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a plan of duplicate adjoining walled and roofed tanks or reser-
voirs CD suitably lighted and ventilated.
At the end of the outfall sewer A is a manhole B or an inlet bay (or both)
having a storm overflow barranged as shown in dotted lines to convey flood water
into the side river or sea instead of into the reservoir in case of need. E and F
indicate the respective outfalls of the reservoirs discharging into a common sea
outfall G with alternative side discharge outlet M. The outfall discharges into
the deepest and fastest ebbing tidal or sea currents available for each case or
place; connected as shewn or circumstances may variously require by any ade-
quate hydraulic pipes or submerged channels, over on or in the natural bed of the
sea river or foreshore with each reservoir tank outlet and inlet.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the reservoirs or tanks when
tidally filled, and where flat beds neither curved nor cross sloping sides are desired.
The top water line X indicates high water at Spring equinoctial and extraordinary
tides, the lower water line Y indicates high water during similar Neap tides and
the water level Z above each reservoir bed is top sewage level as respectively also
shewn on along the foreshores to the tidal river or sea outfall.
The tightly covered manhole H (shewn dotted as when open) on the foreshore
can be opened and closed at will by the attendants on the reservoir platform, by
means of a chain, signal lever or any usual tidal or automatic arrangement.
These outlet pipes can be scraped in situ by any inside scraper driven by the
tidal flow and they may be made of any kind of efficient hydraulic syphon pipe
channel or track.
It is also desirable in practice to provide mechanism for scraping and cleansing
the interior of the tanks. Such an apparatus is indicated diagrammatically and
by way of example in Figure 2 marked J. It is arranged to travel to and fro
and cleanse the bottom of the reservoir by means of the mechanism R R Any
other suitable mechanism may however be employed which will efficiently scrape,
mix brush up and so repeatedly cleanse all such reservoir beds, or the faces of
any filtering material when required and laid over large usual pipes above such
reservoir beds; which cleansers and beds may be formed to any desired suitable
shapes, and made to regularly force all precipitated sewage and solid or settled
matters during the first hour of every ebb tide from each reservoir to and with the
outflowing currents through its outlet, thereby either forcibly discharging and
clearing all such reservoir beds, or renovating and clearing the face of all filtering
materials that may also be used in them from all sediment and freely sending all
such out to sea at adequate tidal places in and with the first and fastest available
ebbing tidal currents. This travelling cleanser may be driven by any desired
available tidal, water, hydraulic, electric, steam, gas air or oil motors, or by the
tides.
Figure 3 is a diagram showing the hourly range for six hours of the Spring tide
indicated in Figure 2 between these reservoirs and their sea outfall.
Dead low water on this tidal diagram is shown by the dotted horizontal line.
Figure 4 shows the similar hourly tidal ranges during Neap tides.
The tidal ranges and the size of such reservoirs and details varying according
to the needs and circumstances of each particular place renders scales to these
figures unnecessary.
My tanks may be of any required size, shape or materials and be divided into

page_text: compartments and be all on the same level or on different levels as may be locally
requisite. They are not necessarily placed close together as shown and in some
cases instead of each tank discharging directly into the outfall the contents may
be discharged into a second tank and from that to a third or a fourth if necessary,
whether near or far apart, and forced or discharged by the same or ensuing tides.
The discharge channels may if required te in duplicate or otherwise and may be
provided with suitable flaps, syphons, weirs, valves or penstocks or other fixed or
duly rising or falling fittings as required.
The working of my invention may be combined with precipitation, settling,
clarification or other purifying or disinfecting systems as may be found requisite.
For instance they may be combined with filtration processes placed in the reser-
voir beds or elsewhere. In the case of filters in the reservoirs or between the
same and the tidal flow the incoming tide might be allowed to pass up the pipes
or in at the sides and rise through the filtering material thus freely purifying and
aerating the same at and between the intervals of every tide. I find that the
application of sea water to this purpose is of especial value in clarifying and
destroying sewage by micro-organisms.
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 improved direct tidal forcing and discharging discharge system for
sewage and flood waters substantially as described.
2. In a sewage system one or more reservoirs in immediate or indirect connec-
tion with the sewerage or flood system provided with an outlet below the level of
the lowest tidal level regularly delivering the flood water or settled purified or
clarified sewage below the surface of the tidal water and at a considerable distance
from the foreshore, substantially as described.
3. In a sewage disposal system for tidal waters the arrangement of one or more
reservoirs capable of receiving the inflowing tidal water through the outfall sewer
for the purpose of purifying and diluting the sewage discharge into the same, and
of subsequently forcibly discharging the crude or purified diluted sewage through
the outfall sewers to a considerable distance beyond the foreshore and beneath
the surface of the tidal water substantially as described.
4. The combination of parts forming the improved sewage system for tidal
waters consisting of sewage inlet A reservoirs C and D, valve controlled outlets E
and F discharge pipe G and valve controlled overflow or pure effluent discharge
pipe M substantially as and for the purposes described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.