Improvements in Back-pressure and Tidal-valves for Drains and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Back-pressure and Tidal-valves for Drains and
the like.
I, WILLIAM SHOOSMITH, of 15 Ivory Place, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Drainage Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object the prevention of the back flow of sewage or
the ingress of sea or other tidal waters into drains or the egress therefrom and
thereby to avoid the flooding of basements of dwellings and other low-lying
premises.
My invention is adapted for use in various places such, for example, as between
the outlets from soil drains and their connection to the public or main sewer; or
between water-closets, gullies, or the like and their connection to the soil drains ;
or at the point where a main drain discharges into tidal waters.
According to my invention the outlet froin the trap is bell-mouthed so that it is
adapted to form a seating for a suitable ball-valve, and between this bell-mouthed
outlet and the outfall I provide a short length of pipe or a valve-box wherein is
arranged the said ball-valve which consists of a hollow indiarubber ball or a similar
buoyant spherical body.
In order to admit of ready access being had to the said ball-valve for cleansing,
renewal and other purposes a suitable access hole or aperture is provided in this
pipe or valve-box over which a door or cover (which may have its inner surface
concave for the purpose of providing more room for the action of the ball as will be
bereinafter seen) fits in a gas-tight manner so as to prevent the escape of any sewer
gas or water from the drains.
The said ball is maintained captive and according to one method of carrying my
invention into practice it is attached to one extremity of a copper wire or the like,
the other extremity of which wire may be passed up through the grating, in the
case of a gully trap, or through a hole above the water seal in a water closet trap
or similarly brought out, and is secured by a. knob or otherwise. This wire or its
equivalent is of such a length as to admit of the ball resting normally at a suitable
distance from the above mentioned bell-mouthed seating, and the pipe or valve-
box is of such dimensions that upon a flush passing through it the said ball will
immediately rise or float and allow a sufficient or ample space or clearance beneath
for the passage of the sewage or other liquid through the trap or valve-box to the
diain. Should however any back pressure of sewage or water occur, the ball will
be instantly floated back against the hereinbefore mentioned conical seating and
form a tight joint therewith so long as such back pressure exists and thus render
the passage of any sewage or water up the main or soil drain to the dwelling or
elsewhere impossible.
It will be seen moreover that should it at any time be found desirable to close
the said valve by hand, or should the valve through any cause fail to act
automatically, the closing thereof can be instantly effected by pulling up the knob
or handle until the ball is brought tightly against its seating. I sometimes also
provide a second or other access hole or opening and inspection cover on the inner
or water trap side of the valve seating.
According to another method of carrying my said invention into practice
1, either in addition to or in substitution for the copper wire or other attachment

page_text: for limiting the movement of the ball, confine or imprison the latter within the
herein before mentioned pipe or valve box. To effect this purpose I construct the
said pipe or valve box, or such portion thereof as extends from the end of the bell
to the spigot end, and forms the lower part or invert, inclined towards the centre
or egg-shaped. The internal surfaces of the pipe or valve box moreover are so
arranged that upon a flush entering the said pipe or valve box from the house or
equivalent side, the hereinbefore mentioned buoyant ball will be floated upwards
and roll into a position within the internal concave portion of the dome shaped
cover or door, and remain there during the passage of the flush, thus leaving the
outgo from the above mentioned pipe or valve box or chamber perfectly free.
Upon the termination of the said flush the ball or valve again falls to the bottom
of the pipe or valve box or chamber.
The socket for receiving the door or cover of the access hole or aperture is
preferably formed of ample depth to ensure the provision of a perfectly gas tight
joint, which latter may be made with cement, or sand, or be of the screw down
type, with an india-rubber or other insertion, or it may be of any other well known
kind commonly employed for joints of this description. In order to ensure
the formation of a more secure gas-tight joint I prefer to provide moreover three
or other suitable number of grooves in the socket, or in the portion of the cover
coming in contact therewith or in both.
Upon the slightest indication of a back flow into the valve box or chamber the
buoyant ball or valve will be immediately carried back to, and pressed against, its
conical seating so as to form a tight joint as before.
My invention is obviously applicable to any ordinary form of intercepting or
disconnecting trap, or to a gully, grease, or closet trap of either the S or P patteru
but I prefer to employ it in conjunction with the improved gully and closet traps
which form the subject of previous Letters Patent granted to me numbered 2822
dated February 8th 1895, and 19867 dated October 21st 1893.
Dated this 28th day of December 1805
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Back-pressure and Tidal-valves for Drains and
the like.
1, WILLIAM SHOOSMITH, of 15 Ivory Place, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Drainage Inspector, 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 has for its object the prevention of the back-flow of sewage or the
ingress of sea or other waters into drains, or the egress or back-flow of sewage,
water, or foul gases therefrom and can be advantageously employed as a back-flow
or pressure valve to avoid the flooding of the basements of dwellings and other
low-lying premises, or as a fresh air inlet valve for use on ventilating pipes in
connection with drains, sewers, manholes, intercepting chambers, and the like.
My improved back-flow valve when employed for the first purpose can be
advantageously used in various places such, for example, as between the outlets
from soil drains and their connection to the public or main sewer; or between
water-closets, gullies, or the like and their connection to the soil-draius; or at the
point where a main drain discharges into tidal waters.
My improved back-flow valve is also advantageously applicable to ships water-
closets, urinals and the like.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical central section showing an application of my improved
back-flow valve to a yard gulley trap;
Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing an application thereof to a water-
àloset trap.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figures 1 and 2 showing a slight modification
hereinafter described; and
Figure 4 is also a similar view to Figures 1, 2 and 3 drawn to an enlarged scale
showing an arrangement thereof for arresting the egress or back-flow of foul air or
gases from drains or the like, whilst admitting fresh air by silent action thereto for
ventilating purposes.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is a gully, closet, or other trap; B is a valve-box or casing containing my
improved back-flow valve; and C is a buoyant spherical, or ball-valve, which may
consist of a hollow indiarubber, or of a light metal, ball, or of a similar buoyant
spherical body..
In order to admit of ready access being had to the said ball-valve for cleansing,
renewal, and other purposes, a suitable access hole or aperture B' is provided in
the valve-box or casing B over which a door or cover B' (which may have its inner
surface formed concave, as shown in Figure 2, or of other suitable shape, for the
purpose of providing more room for the action of the ball-valve C) fits and a
gas-tight joint between which and the valve-box, is formed with sand, cement,
or otherwise, so as to prevent the escape of any sewer gas or water from the
drains.
The spherical or ball-valve C is maintained captive by means of a copper wire D
or the like, one end of which wire is secured to the said sphere or ball, and the
other extremity of which is passed up through the grating and is retained in
place by a knob D¹ or otherwise. This wire or its equivalent is of such a length
as to admit of the ball resting normally at a suitable distance, as shown in full
lines in Figure 1, from the bell-mouthed or other seating A', and the valve-box B
is of such dimensions that, upon a flush passing through it, the said spherical or
ball-valve will immediately rise or float thereon and allow a sufficient or ample
space or clearance beneath for the passage of the sewage or other liquid through
the trap A and valve-box B to the drain. Should, however, any back pressure of
sewage or water occur, the spherical or ball-valve C will be instantly floated back,
as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1, against the herein before mentioned
conical or bell-mouthed or other seating A' and will form a tight joint therewith so
long as such back pressure exists and thus render the egress of any sewage or
water impossible.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 2 the spherical or ball-valve C is
shown in the closed position in full lines and in the open position in dotted lines.
It is obvious that should it at any time be found desirable to close the said spherical
or ball-valve as shown in Figure 2, by reason of the said valve C through any
cause failing to act automatically, or otherwise, the closing thereof can be instantly
effected by pulling up the knob or handle D¹ into the position shown in the
said figure until the spherical or ball-valve C is brought tightly against its
seating A¹.
In the modification of my improved back-flow valve shown in Figure 3, either
in addition to, or in substitution for, the copper wire, or other attachment for
limiting the movement of the spherical or ball-valve C, I confine or imprison the
latter within the valve-box or casing B. To effect this purpose I provide in the
valve-box or casing B or such portion thereof as extends from the end of the bell-
mouthed couical or other valve seating to the spigot end, and forms the lower
part or invert, inclined strips or ribs B* so that there will be an inclination towards
the centre. The internal surfaces of the valve box B, moreover, are in this case
so arranged that upon a flush entering the said pipe or valve-box from the house
or equivalent side, the hereinbefore mentioned buoyant spherical or ball-valve C

page_text: will be floated upwards and roll into such a position within the internal concave
portion of the casing B or of the dome-shaped or other cover or door B³, as to
leave the outgo from the above mentioned valve-box perfectly free, and will remain
there during the passage of the flush. Upon the termination of the said flush the
said spherical or ball-valve will again fall to its normal position in the bottom of
the valve-box or casing B.
The socket for receiving the door or cover of the access hole or aperture is
preferably formed of ample depth to ensure the provision of a perfectly gas-tight
joint which latter may be made with cement, or sand, as shown in Figures 12
and 3 or be of the screw-down type, with an india-rubber or other insertion, or it
may be of any other well-known kind commonly employed for joints of this
description. In order to ensure the formation of a more secure gas-tight joint
I prefer to provide, moreover, three or other suitable number of grooves in the
socket, or in that portion of the cover coming in contact therewith, or in both.
Upon the slightest indication of a back flow of water or sewage into the valve-
box B, the buoyant spherical or ball-valve C will be immediately carried back to,
and pressed against, its conical seating so as to form a tight joint as has been
already described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
In the further modification shown in Figure 4, which is intended for use as a
fresh air inlet ventilator for drains, sewers and the like, the valve-box or casing B
is provided with an outwardly inclined grating B³ upon which the spherical or
ball-valve normally rests, as shown in full lines in the drawing, when the valve
is open. Upon any back-flow of foul air or sewer gas taking place, however, the
said spherical or ball-valve C will be instantly driven outwardly against the conical
seating B, formed at the aperture B', and will, as shown in dotted lines in the
drawing,, tightly close the said aperture and prevent the egress of any foul air or
gases from the drains or sewers. B is a grating for protecting the aperture B³
and preventing interference with the spherical or ball-valve C.
My improved fresh air inlet ventilator can be arranged either to fix on a vertical
air shaft or inlet pipe, as shown, or upon a horizontal or other inlet.
For convenience of inserting, the spherical or ball-valve C into, or removing it
from, the box or casing B, a door is provided at either side, or in the rear thereof;
or the front part or portion of the said box or casing B may be made removable
for the like purpose.
My improved back-flow valve is obviously applicable to any ordinary form of
intercepting or disconnecting trap, or to a gully, grease, or closet trap of either
the S or P pattern but I prefer to employ it in conjunction with the improved
gully and closet traps which form the subject of previous Letters Patent granted
to me, viz., No. 2822 dated February 8th 1895, and No. 19867, dated October 21st
1893.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
An improved back-flow valve constructed substantially as described with reference
to either of the forms or modifications hereinbefore specified.
Dated this 15th day of Sentember 1896
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.