IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE UTILIZATION OF SEWAGE MATTERS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO RAISING AND FORCING OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Walker at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
May 1864.
I, THOMAS WALKER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE UTILIZATION OF SEWAGE MATTERS, PART OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO RAISING AND FORCING OTHER FLUIDS," to
be as follows
The improvements apply particularly to when the sewage matters are
collected in reservoirs in order that the more fluid portions thereof may be
separated from the more solid by subsidence; and the object of the first part
of the Invention is, first, to separate the heavier solid matters and the loose,
fibrous matters by,,causing the sewage matters in passing into the subsiding
reservoir to pass through a trough provided on its outlet side with a low wall
surmounted by a grating in order that the heavier solid matters, such as
stones, may be checked by the wall, whilst the lighter fibrous matters, may be
stopped by the grating. This trough is formed with inclined ends, and it has,
a tram or railway through it, upon which may run carriages or receivers f
the matters collected in it, or scrapers or cleansers for, clearing it of them. The
pipe for drawing off the more solid matters from the subsiding reservoir
is at its connection with; that reservoir provided with a ball or other. suitable
valve by which that passage, may be closed when desired. This valve is
capable of being acted upon from a bridge or jetty, or a boat or raft floating, on
.
for

page_text: the surface of the water in the reservoir. The other end of this pipe opens
into a well, from which the matters may be drawn by pumping apparatus,
such as that described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me,
bearing date the 21st of November 1862, No. 3132, or by other suitable
means. I apply in this well, above the passage to the pumping apparatus
employed, a moveable openwork basket or grating to receive any more solid
matters, and which may then be drawn out of the well by raising the basket
or grating. The more fluid portions of the matters passing from the surface
of the subsiding reservoir I collect in another reservoir, and thence by
pumping apparatus 1 raise or force it into other elevated reservoirs or
feeders, from which by suitable conduits it may be conveyed for irrigating.
purposes to the districts desired. As the pipes for conducting these matters
are liable to become clogged, I cause them to be cleansed by stopping off
the passage thereto for the flow of the sewage matters, and then causing clear
water to be forced through them until the desired cleansing is effected.
The improvements relate, secondly, to pumping apparatus of the character of
that described in my said former Specification as particularly adapted to the
pumping of sewage matters, in which in place of the sewage matters acted upon,
coming in contact with the piston, there is a diaphragm of flexible material to
act on the sewage matters and water or other suitable fluid intervening between
the diaphragm and the piston. I have found when employing material for the
diaphragm which resists the passage through it of liquid matters, that such
diaphragm is liable to become injured either when there is too little or too
much water or other fluid between such diaphragm and the piston, and an
object of this part of the improvements is to govern the quantity of water or
other fluid so applied. For this purpose I apply, in connection with the
chamber between the diaphragm and the piston, two taps or valves, one of
which is acted upon by the diaphragm when there is an excess of fluid
between such diaphragm and the piston to admit of an escape of a portion
thereof, and the other is acted upon by the diaphragm when there is too little
fluid between it and the piston to admit of a further supply thereto from a
suitable reservoir. These taps or valves may be weighted to facilitate their
closing again after being opened.
The improvements also relate to means of applying diaphragms to such
pumps in order to their ready removal or replacement when required. For
this purpose I apply the material of which the diaphragm is composed to a
metallic rim or frame formed in parts connected by hinge joints to admit of
it's being readily reduced in size, and thereby to facilitate its ready introduction
to or removal from the pump, and I apply an edging to it of india-rubber or

page_text: other suitable material to effect a close packing, and I form the part of the
pump with grooves to receive the diaphragm, and an opening for its admission
closed by a cover.
The diaphragm may be of the form of a bottle or other hollow vessel com-
posed of india-rubber or other suitable flexible material capable of expansion
and contraction, or opening and closing.
In cases where from the position of the diaphragm air might accumulate
on the under side of it, I form small passages from under the diaphragm to
the under side of the delivery valve.
Pumping apparatus thus arranged is applicable to raising and forcing other
fluids.