IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF FOUL AIR AND GAS FROM DRAIN PIPES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE
ESCAPE OF FOUL AIR AND GAS FROM DRAIN PIPES."-A communication
from abroad by Joseph Daniels, of Washington, District of Columbia,
United States of America, Attorney-at-Law.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 16th May 1872, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.

page_text: these are matters of the highest importance, the utility of the Invention
must be apparent.
The accompanying Drawing represents my Invention as applied to a
wash basin and waste pipe of a house, but it is obvious that the device
may be applied to any pipe or passage having connection with a sewer.
The Drawing also shows several modifications of my Invention.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of my automatic sealing device,
the valve being shown as open; Figure 2 represents a similar section,
the valve being shown as closed; Figure 3 represents a vertical section
of the same at the line x, x, of Figure 2; Figure 4 represents a form of
valve having an upper concave sealing surface; and Figure 5 is a view
showing the valve seat formed by a conical thickening of the valve
pipe.
Figures 1 to 5 relate to the construction of a pivoted weighted valve,
which I have found best adapted for the purpose; but a hinged or
vertically moving valve automatically closed by a spring, such as is shown
in sectional views at Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, may be used for the purpose.
The automatic sealing pipe valve D, D¹, is arranged within a short section
of pipe or tube B¹ cast in two parts to allow the valve to be fitted therein
and secured together by flanges, or in any suitable way to render its
joints air and water tight; or it may be cast in one piece, and the valve
inserted from the bottom. This valve section B¹ is manufactured
complete in itself with its ends made so as to be coupled or otherwise
attached to the waste pipe B, or within the sewer trap, or it may be
applied directly to the wash basin or watercloset, but being an entirety
of itself, it can be made and sold for application wherever required.
This pipe section B¹ may also be of different diameters and lengths
as may be found best suited for general adoption. It is provided with a
seat c, against which the valve D closes and forms a sealed joint. The
valve D is a disc arranged upon a stem or axis d in the line of the side of
the section B¹, and within an opening F therein which communicates
with a chamber C¹ which is formed by enlarging or bulging the sections
B¹ at one side. A weighted arm D¹ is formed on the pivoted end of the
valve, the pendent position of which constantly tends to keep the valve
closed upon its seat c, and which vibrates within the opening F and
chamber C¹ when the valve is opened and closed. This chamber C' also
forms an outlet for the escape of the foul gases by means of an escape
pipe E, which leads therefrom away to the chimney or foul air flue E'.

page_text: This chamber therefore must always be below the valve and between
the sewer and the foul air escape flue.
The valve when closed should be in a horizontal position, and the
weight only just sufficient to maintain its sealed position, and to readily
open by the fall of water or deposit thereon, the gravity of which will
overcome the resistance of the weight and keep it open so long as the
water falls upon it, but the moment the water ceases to run the valve
will instantly close upon its seat and act as a barrier to the passage of
foul air or gas from the sewer into the apartment, and compel its escape
into the open air by the perpetually open escape pipe E'. The valve
seat c may be formed of hard rubber or of any suitable material by a
separate cylinder C fitted within the section B' by a conical thickening
of the interior of the section B', or by an external enlargement of the
section as may be deemed most convenient. By the perpetually open
foul air escape the valve D is relieved of all pressure from the upward
flow of the gases from the sewer. The axis or stem d of the valve is
provided with a button & outside of the section B', which is useful
in case the valve should become choked, or for any other reason become
inoperative in clearing it. A few quick turns of the button will readily
remove any obstruction from the valve. The valve may be made concave
so as to hold a sufficient quantity of water to seal its joint with the
seat.
In applying my Invention as a foul air seal for sewers the escape pipe
may be conducted through the sewer itself, or underground to a foul air
flue located in any convenient position to carry the malarial gases and
discharge them into the air above the tops of the houses. The operation
of the valve is self-evident, and the only exactness required in its con-
struction is to see that the force to be overcome to open it must be only
just enough to hold the valve closely upon its seat.
In the modifications shewn in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, the valve is
arranged to be automatically closed by the tension of a spring, and it
be either hinged or open, and close upon a vertical stem ², but the
tension of the spring must be such as to be overcome by the gravity of
the water passing through the pipe.
may
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,—

page_text: First. The section B¹ with its valve seat c and weighted automatically
operating valve D, D¹, constructed and operating to seal the waste or
soil pipe B or sewer trap as described.
Second. For foul air traps and escapes for waste or soil pipes, the valved
section B¹ in combination with the foul air escape pipe E, arranged to
have perpetual communication with the sewer beneath the sealing valve
as described.
Third. The sealing valve of a waste pipe having a button or handle d'
by which to free said valve of obstructions when necessary as described.
Fourth. The concave sealing valve as shewn and described, and used
in connection with house escape pipes or sewer traps.
Fifth. In sealing valves for waste pipes arranged to operate in
connection with a foul air escape, automatically closing said valve by
means of a spring as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Sixteenth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
0 Witness,
CHAS. J. GOOCH.
Wч. ROBT. LAKE. (1.8.)