IMPROVEMENTS IN CATTLE DRINKING TROUGHS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ROBERT PRINGLE of 2 Aberdeen Terrace Blackheath S.E. Doctor of Medicine
(Edinburgh University) and Surgeon Major H.M's Bengal Army, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CATTLE DRINKING
TROUGHS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to drinking troughs for animals, and it has for its principal
object to prevent the communication of disease by ensuring a constantly fresh
supply of water, and the removal of impure and it may be infectious matters left
on the surface of the water by diseased animals.
In drinking troughs for horses or cattle as at present constructed, no adequate
provision is made for the removal of the scum or froth, or (in the case of a horse
suffering from glanders or any infectious inflammation of the mucous membrane or
cattle suffering from foot and mouth disease or other infectious or contagious
disorder) of the matter discharged by the animals in drinking, or left on the surface
of the water after having drunk, the consequence being that the use of public or
private drinking troughs often serves to propagate disease in an apparently
unaccountable manner. Moreover no arrangement is made whereby the various
impurities which find their way into the trough and are too heavy to float on the
surface of the water, can remain on what is termed a "tranquil bed" at the bottom
of the trough and be thus free from the possibility of again mixing with the water
when the sediment is disturbed by the rush of the incoming water.
"
In order to avoid these objections I provide the trough (which may be of the
ordinary rectangular form) with a supply pipe which terminates at one end of the
trough at from two to three inches above the bottom and has its discharge orifice'
directed upwards, and allow the water to overflow or run to waste at the opposite'
end of the trough. By admitting the water in this manner the floor of the trough
is converted into a "tranquil bed," while the upward pressure of the incoming
water, not only prevents stagnation but also prevents the disturbance of the
deposit.
The trough would preferably be placed at an inclination or slightly lower at the
overflow than at its supply end and in order to thoroughly clean the trough and
effectually remove the sediment resting on the tranquil bed," the bottom converges'
from both ends to the centre, where there is a transverse channel or groove leading
to an orifice, protected by a perforated cover, the object being to secure the
thorough cleansing of the trough by the withdrawing action of the water when
escaping through the outlet.
Dated thin 4th day of Tune 1001

page_text: +
I ROBERT PRINGLE of 2 Aberdeen Terrace, Blackheath S.E. Doctor of Medicine
(Edinburgh University) and Surgeon Major H.Ms. Bengal Army, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CATTLE DRINKING
TROUGHS 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 drinking troughs for animals, and it has for its principal
object to prevent the communication of disease by ensuring a constantly fresh
supply of water, and the removal of impure and it may be infectious matters either
left on the surface of the water by diseased animals, or blown on to it.
In drinking troughs for horses or cattle as at present constructed, no adequate
provision is made for the removal of the scum or froth, or (in the case of a horse
suffering from glanders or any infectious inflammation of the mucous membrane or
cattle suffering from foot and mouth disease or other infectious or contagious
disorder) of the matter discharged by the animals in drinking or left on the surface
of the water after having drunk, the consequence being that the use of public or
private drinking troughs often serves to propagate disease in an apparently
unaccountable manner. Moreover no arrangement is made whereby the various
impurities which find their way into the trough and are too heavy to float on the
surface of the water, can remain on what is termed a "tranquil bed" at the bottom
of the trough and be thus free from the possibility of again mixing with the water
when the sediment is disturbed by the rush of the incoming water.
In order to avoid these objections I provide the trough (which may be of the
ordinary rectangular form) with a supply pipe which terminates at one end of the
trough at from two to three inches above the bottom and has its discharge orifice
directed upwards and allow the water to overflow or run to waste at the opposite
end of the trough. The supply pipe is preferably provided with a shield placed
about six inches above the orifice and presenting its convexity to the inflow to
diffuse the water upwards: By admitting the water in this manner the floor of the
trough is converted into a "tranquil bed," while the upward pressure of the
incoming water, not only prevents stagnation but also prevents the disturbance of
the deposit.
The trough would preferably be placed at an inclination or slightly lower at the
overflow than at its supply end aud in order to thoroughly clean the trough and
effectually remove the sediment resting on the "tranquil bed," the bottom converges
from both ends to the centre, where there is a transverse channel or groove leading
to an orifice protected by a perforated cover, the object being to secure the more
thorough cleansing of the trough by the inductive and scouring action of the water
when escaping through the outlet.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification which represents a perspective view of a drinking trough provided
with my improvements part of the near side of the trough being supposed broken
away to show the interior. The trough may be constructed of wood, stone, or
metal in any usual way.

page_text: a is the inlet pipe from the main, its orifice being directed upwards and protected
by the shield.al above referred to, and terminating below the level of the water
at the higher end, the supply. being controlled by the usual ball cock provided with
a regulating weight. The ballcock is contained in a separate compartment of the
trough, said compartment being formed by a dipping curtain b which terminates
a few inches above the bottom and this compartment may be closed at the top by
a lid to protect the ballcock from injury.
The supply pipe a passes under or through the curtain and discharges into the
main body of the trough. At the other end of the trough is an overflow funnel-
shaped waste-pipe head c extending across the end of the trough at which the
surface water overflows, this end being made slightly lower than the sides. The
head c leads into a waste-pipe d connected with the drain. The bottom of the
trough is concaved towards the centre or other point at which is connected a
cleaning out pipe e and mud-cock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st In a drinking trough for animals the combination and arrangement of an
upwardly directed water inlet below the water level at one end with an overflow
pipe at the opposite end whereby a surface flow of water is obtained over a
"tranquil bed" substantially as specified.
2nd The herein described drinking trough for animals provided with an upwardly
directed water inlet below the water level furnished with a shield or spreader and
controlled by a ballcock contained in a chamber separated from the rest of the
trough by a dipping curtain, and provided also with a surface overflow at the
opposite end, and with a cleaning out pipe, all constructed combined and arranged
substantially as shown and described for the purposes specified.