Year: 1886

page_text: I, ROBERT CRANE of 112 South 4th Street, Philadelphia in the County of Phila-
delphia, and State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America, Insurance
Agent and Broker, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improvement in water supply systems.
Hitherto it has been customary to locate a supply reservoir on a hill, or at an
elevation above the place to be supplied, and to force the water in its crude state from
the river or other natural supply into the reservoir. The water in the supply reservoir
has been liable to become foul because of foreign substances suspended therein, and
has been subject to a continual waste through the bottom of the reservoir. Moreover,
the utility of filters has been materially impaired on account of the clogging of the
filtering material by the small bits of foreign substance which have lodged therein,
and the cleansing of said material has been a difficult and expensive operation.
The object of my present invention is to provide a water supply system in which the
supply reservoir shall be constantly supplied with filtered water, and in which the said
supply reservoir and filters may be washed out and cleansed in a simple and effective
manner.
With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction
and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the system. Fig. 2 is a
vertical section through line of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section through
line Y Y of Fig. 1.
A represents the river or other natural supply, across which a dam, B, is placed, as
is usual, to increase the depth and quantity.
At the side of the pool of the dam is formed an artificial basin, C, of sufficient
extent to hold the amount of water required for service, and, as is customary in a
supply reservoir, a reserve quantity sufficient for any emergency which is likely to
occur. The bottom of the basin C is three feet (more or less) below the bottom of the
natural supply at the pool of the dam. The basin C is separated from the natural
supply by a stone wall, D, and gravel bank d, the stone wall being preferably built on
both sides of the gravel bank d, and the stones laid without mortar, so as to allow the
water from the natural supply to filter through the bank into the reservoir.

page_text: A series of filter chambers, E EE, &c., are located between the natural supply at
the pool of the dam and the supply reservoir or basin C, the upper surfaces of the filter
chambers being about on a level with or slightly above the bottom of the basin or
supply reservoir C, and the lower surfaces of the said filter chambers being a sufficient
distance above the bottom of the channel F, in which the filter chambers are located,
to admit quite a large stream of water beneath them. A series of inlet pipes or
conduits, GG G2, &c., lead from the natural supply at the pool of the dam into the
channel F beneath the filtering chambers.
The openings into the pipes G G¹ from the river are preferably three feet or more
below the lowest mark which the water in the natural supply is likely to reach.
The pipes or conduits G G¹, &c., pass through brick or stone masonry work laid in
cement, and are provided with cut off valves g g', &c., adapted to be operated from the
floor of the building W, which latter rests on the masonry work.
The filter chambers E are separated from each other by vertical walls H, in which
are set the cut off valves h 2 at points below the lower surfaces of the filter
chambers proper. The upper and lower walls of the filter chambers are formed of
heavy wire gauze or its equivalent, either alone or strengthened by slats, the meshes
of the gauze being of such diameter that the filtering material will not escape through
them, and yet large enough to allow the water to pass through freely.
In the partition wall between the channel F and the basin C, above the filtering
chambers, are located the valves f, which, as well as the valves h h' &c., are adapted
to be operated from the room above. From the supply reservoir or basin C the water
is admitted through cut off valves or gates e into the service chamber I, or washout
chamber K, as desired. The service chamber I is also adapted to communicate with
the washout chamber K through the valves k. The service pipe L leads from the
chamber I to such places as can be supplied by gravity, while a pump forces the water
from the said service chamber to such places, or for such purposes as gravity will not
suffice to provide for.
The bottom of the supply reservoir or basin gradually declines toward the service
and washout chambers, particularly towards the latter, and from the bottom of the
washout chamber, a washout pipe or conduit, M, leads to the river below the damı.
Both service pipe and washout conduit are supplied with cut off valves and m,
respectively, which, together with the valves e and k, are adapted to be operated from
the room above.
The supply reservoir or basin (may be extended along the bank of the natural
supply for any desired distance.
A screen, N, is located a short distance from the mouths of the pipes G G¹, &c.,
extending from the dam to the ice breaker O.
A collector, P, is located diagonally across the washout chamber K.
The operation of the system is as follows:-The water from the river or natural
supply flows into the supply reservoir or basin through the pipes G G¹ G², &c., into
the channel F beneath the filter chambers, up through the said filter chambers into
the channel above, and thence through the valves fflf, &c. The supply reservoir or
.basin C is also supplied to a greater or lesser degree by water which percolates through
the gravel bank, separating the natural from the artificial supply.
From the reservoir C the water is admitted through the valves e into the service
chamber I, and from thence conducted, by suitable pipes, to such places as it is desired
for use.
The gradual decline in the bottom of the basin or reservoir C causes the sediment
-such as may have escaped through the filter-together at the end where the service
and washout chambers are located.
Such sediment may be readily washed out into the river below by opening the
valves c, leading from the basin Cinto the washout chamber K, and at the same time
opening the valve in the washout pipe M. In like manner the service chamber I may
be cleansed by opening the valves k in the washout chamber.
The filters are cleaned as follows:-The water in the natural supply being only
an inch, or thereabout, higher than that in the reservoir or basin, the valve h is opened

page_text: and the valves g g² g² and f¹f closed. The result is that the water from the reservoir
or basin C will set backwardly, rushing down through the filter chamber E into the
channel F below, carrying with it the foreign material which has clogged the filter,
and forcing the same out through the valve into the washout pipe M. When the
filter E has been thus cleansed, the valve fis closed and the valves and opened.
The water from the reservoir C will now set back down through the chamber E¹, and
through the valves and into the washout pipe M. In the same manner, by closing
the valve f¹ and opening the valves and h², the chamber E² may be cleansed, and
so on for any number of chambers which may be employed. When all are cleansed,
the valves h¹², &c., may be closed and the valves fƒ ƒ and g g' g² opened, and the
supply of filtered water will again be furnished. One person may readily manage the
whole, and a constant supply of pure water may be furnished at the most reasonable
cost.
The artificial reservoir or basin may be either covered or partially covered, or may
be entirely exposed, as may be found most.expedient in different places. It is evident,
also, that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the
several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do
not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,
Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by
Letters Patent, is
1st. In a water supply system, the combination, with the natural water supply, of
an artificial reservoir or basin having its bottom located below the bottom of the
natural supply, and formed on a gradual decline, and discharge pipe and washout
chamber located at the lower end of the reservoir, for the purpose substantially as set
forth.
2nd. In a water supply system, the combination, with the artificial reservoir or
basin fed by gravity from the natural supply, the bottom of said artificial reservoir
being formed on a gradual decline, of the service chamber and washout chamber
located at the lower end of the reservoir, and separated from said reservoir or basin
by valves, substantially as set forth.
3rd. In a water supply system, the combination with the reservoir or basin fed by
gravity from the natural supply through filtering material, the bottom of said reservoir
or basin being formed on a gradual decline, of the collector and washout chamber
located at the lower end of the reservoir or basin, and having a valve opening into the
reservoir, and a washout pipe leading from the collector or washout chamber to the
river below the reservoir, substantially as set forth.
4th. In a water supply system, the combination, with the natural supply, the
artificial supply separated from the natural supply by filtering material, and the
service and collector or washout chambers, arranged substantially as described, of
valves for opening and closing communication between the natural supply and filters,
ind between the filters and artificial reservoir, valves for connecting the filters, service
pipes leading from the service chamber, and washout pipes leading from the filters and
from the collector or washout chambers, the several valves being adapted to be operated
from a floor above, substantially as set forth.
5th. In a water supply system, the combination, with a supply reservoir, of a series
of filtering chambers, service and collector or washout chambers, and pipes connecting
he filtering chambers and reservoir, and arranged substantially as described, valves
or opening and closing communication between the supply reservoir and chambers,
nd a washout pipe or conduit leading from the collector or washout chamber to a
vaste conduit, substantially as set forth.
HORN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.