IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CESS-POOLS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
"
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CESS-POOLS." A communication from
abroad by Louis Mouras, of Vesoul, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th December 1881.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING
TO CESS-POOLS." [A communication from abroad by Louis Mouras of Vesoul,
France.]
Three different methods of arranging cess-pools have been heretofore adopted, in
each of which the removal of the contents has to be effected in a different manner.
According to one of these methods the cess-pool is simply a fixed receptacle or pit
which is very objectionable by reason of the emanations proceeding therefrom and
because the emptying thereof must take place frequently, this being expensive and
disagreeable. According to another method the cess-pool is made portable but in
this case the management or maintenance thereof is troublesome. According to a
third method the arrangement is such that the contents of the cess-pool are
discharged into the sewers, a strong flow of water in the latter being depended
upon to cleanse the same and to carry all the solid matter to a river or stream.
All those methods are accompanied by inconveniences which are entirely obviated
by the use of a cess-pool made and arranged according to the present Invention,
which cess-pool is closed hermetically, and both the supply pipe, and the discharge
pipe dip into the liquid within the cess-pool; thus the escape of gases is prevented.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a receptacle of any
suitable form and size which is made of the usual materials and is rendered water-
tight by means of concrete, cement, or the like. The pipe through which the night-
soil or other matter enters this receptacle or cess-pool leads into the upper part of
the latter and is preferably arranged vertically, and there is a bent pipe at the other
וו...מ

page_text: end of the receptacle through which the contents are discharged. This discharge
pipe is preferably arranged opposite to the supply pipe. This cess-pool does not
begin to operate until it is completely full of water, and when it is full, if a certain
quantity of matter falls through the supply pipe, the same volume of water is
expelled through the aforesaid discharge-pipe, but that which is so discharged from
this cess-pool is always liquid, holding in solution a certain quantity of substances
proceeding from the decomposition and disaggregation of the fecal and other
matters which are at the bottom of the cess-pool or receptacle. It is desirable to
cause as great a quantity as possible of rain and waste water to flow through the
latter.
With this system there is no necessity for the usual removal of the solid matters,
the decomposition thereof goes on constantly and there can be no liberation of
gas; all the liquid flows away with the decomposed substances held in suspension,
through the discharge pipe, and through a channel connected therewith, into a pipe
which leads into the sewer; this last named pipe dips slightly below the lowest
water-mark in the sewer so that the contents of the cess-pool are at all times
protected from the air until they are discharged into the water in the sewer.
If hard substances, such as bones, broken crockery, or the like, should get into the
cess-pool through the supply pipe, they fall into a frame or box at the bottom of
the-cess-pool-immediately below the said pipe; this frame or box will also arrest
the sand or gravel carried in by the rain. It is suspended by four rigid rods fixed-
at one end to the four corners of the box and at the other end to the vault of the
cess-pool by means of rings or buckles which allow the said rods to move with
facility. A chain attached to the box, passes upward through the cess-pool and is
secured to a hook near an inspection opening closed by a plug in the vault or
upper part of the cess-pool, so that when this chain is pulled the box can be
lifted to the surface of the cess-pool below the plug, and the materials in the said
box can be removed therefrom. This cess-pool rests upon a foundation of concrete,
having brick or stone work at the sides. The vault is formed of flag-stones, in one
of which the aforesaid plug is securely sealed. The said plug and another one
which fits into an aperture through which the flow of the liquid from the cess-pool
can be observed, are secured hermetically. The flag-stones are united by cement.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th June 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING
TO CESSPOOLS." A communication from abroad by Louis Mouras, of Vesoul,
France.
Three different methods of arranging cesspools have been heretofore adopted, in
cach of which the removal of the contents has to be effected in a different inanner.
According to one of these methods the cesspool is simply a fixed receptacle or pit
which is very objectionable by reason of the emanations proceeding therefrom and
because the emptying thereof must take place frequently and this being expensive
and disagreeable. According to another method the cesspool is made portable, but
in this case the management or maintenance thereof is troublesome. According to
a third method the arrangement is such that the contents of the cesspool are
discharged into the sewers a strong flow of water in the latter being depended
upon to cleanse the same and to carry all the solid matter to a river or stream.
All these methods are accompanied by inconveniences which are entirely obviated
by the use of a cesspool made and arranged according to the present Invention
which cesspool is closed hermetically and both the supply-pipe and the discharge-
pipe dip into the liquid within the cesspool, thus the escape of gases is prevented.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a cesspool constructed and arranged
according to the said Invention.
and
Figure 2 represents a plan of the same.
Figure 3 represents a section of the bent pipe C drawn to an enlarged scale
Figure 4 represents a modified arrangement and construction of the cesspool,
Figure 5 represents a section of a substitute for the bent pipe drawn to an
enlarged scale
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a receptacle A of suitable
form and size which is made of the usual materials and is rendered watertight
by means of concrete, cement, or the like. The pipe B through which the night-
soil or other matter enters this receptacle or cesspool leads into the upper part of
the latter and is preferably arranged vertically, and a bent pipe C is provided at
the other end of the receptacle through which the contents are discharged, and
which is preferably arranged opposite to the supply-pipe. This cesspool does not
begin to operate until it is full or nearly full of water, when, if a certain quantity
of matter falls through the supply pipe the same volume of water is expelled
through the discharge-pipe C, but that which is so discharged from this cesspool
is always liquid, holding in solution a certain quantity of substances proceeding
from the decomposition and segregation of the fecal and other matters which are
deposited at the bottom of the cesspool or receptacle. It is desirable to cause
as great a quantity as possible of rain and waste water to flow through the
cesspool.
With this system there is no necessity for the usual removal of the solid matters;
the decomposition thereof goes on constantly and there can be no liberation of gas;
all the liquid flows away, with the decomposed substances held in suspension,
through the discharge pipe C and through the channel J or K connected therewith,
into the pipe P which leads into the sewer O; this last named pipe may dip slightly
:

page_text: below the lowest water mark in the sewer so that the contents of the cesspool
are at all times protected from the air until they are discharged into the water in
the sewer.
The pipe leading into the sewer may discharge the liquid above the level of the
water therein, as shewn in Figure 1 or below the level of the water as shewn in
Figure 4. But in the latter case if the bend of the pipe C were closed it would, in
conjunction with the pipe J, act as a siphon and lower the level of the water in the
cesspool, and the supply pipe B would be uncovered. To obviate this defect the
pipe C is provided with an extension c open at the top as shewn in Figure 5.
If hard substances such as bones, broken crockery, or the like, should get into the
cesspool through the supply pipe B they fall into the frame or box M; this frame
or box will also arrest the sand or gravel carried in by the rain-water. It is
suspended a little above the bottom of the cesspool by four rigid rods N fixed at
one end to the four corners of the box and at the other end to the top or roof of
the cesspool by means of rings or shackles which allow the said rods to move with
facility. A chain N' attached to the box passes upward through the cesspool and
is secured to a hook near the inspection opening H closed by a plug in the roof or
upper part of the cesspool so that when this chain is pulled the box can be lifted
to the surface of the cesspool below the said opening and the materials in the
-said-box_can_be_removed therefrom. This cesspool rests upon a foundation of
concrete D having brick or stonework at the sides E. The roof-is-formed-of-flag-
stones G in one of which the supply-pipe B is securely sealed. The opening H and
another one through which the flow of the liquid from the cesspool can be observed,
are closed hermetically The flag-stones are jointed at L by cement.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim-
First. A self-emptying cesspool in which the supply-pipe and the discharge-pipe
dip into the liquid, so that one end of each of the said pipes is hermetically closed
and the escape of gas is prevented, substantially as set forth.
Second. A cesspool which is arranged to be always full, or nearly full, of liquid,
and from which there is only a discharge of liquid holding in suspension, or in
solution, the substances proceeding from the decomposition, at the bottom of the
cesspool, of fecal and other matters, the said discharge taking place through a pipe
leading into a sewer above or below the level of the water therein, the pipe, in the
latter case, being provided with an open vertical branch-pipe within the cesspool,
all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. In a cesspool substantially as herein described, a skeleton frame or box
placed below the supply-pipe, into which frame or box any heavy substances will
fall, the said box being suspended and capable of being lifted by means of a chain
up to an inspection opening formed in the roof or top of the cesspool, substantially
as, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Eighth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.