Improvements in Cesspools and other Tanks for Liquid or Semi- liquid Materials, and in the Method and Apparatus for Emptying such Cesspools and Tanks
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements in Cesspools and other Tanks for Liquid or Semi-
liquid Materials, and in the Method and Apparatus for Emptying
such Cesspools and Tanks."
I, EDWARD PRATT, of the Albert Iron Works, Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to cesspools, and tanks of the like kind, for holding
manure or other such materials more or less liquid, and it has for its object novel
methods of construction of the cesspool or tank and of the parts connected with it,
or to be used in combination with it, by which the contents of the cesspool or tank
can be easily and quickly removed into a cart or other reservoir, by the use of
compressed air, the operation being simply and easily effected, without inconvenience
and at little cost.
I am aware that it has been proposed to effect the emptying of such cesspools or
tanks by means of a partial vacuum formed in a portable or other reservoir into which
the contents are to be discharged, a communication being made when required
between such reservoir and the cesspool or tank. In many cases, however, it would
be more economical and easy to effect the removal by means of compressed air
instead of by a vacuum, and my present invention relates to improved apparatus
and methods of working for the purpose of utilizing compressed air in the manner
described.
Assuming the invention to be applied to a cesspool, I construct such cesspool in
the form of an airtight tank of cast iron or other suitable material, and of convenient
size and shape. This tank may be buried in the ground (so as to take the place of
brick cesspools), or fixed in any convenient position, and the sewage matter or other
material is supplied to it through a pipe in or near the top of the tank, the pipe
being provided with a cock or valve by which the passage through it can be opened
or closed as desired.
At, or near, the bottom of the tank, I arrange a delivery pipe, also provided with
a cock or valve, which pipe can be readily connected when desired with a tank or
reservoir carried by a cart, or with any other suitable receptacle, into which the
sewage or other matter is to be delivered.
The tank or cesspool is also provided at or near the top with another pipe through
which compressed air can be admitted into the tank, this pipe also having a cock or
valve.
The compressed air is supplied from a suitable reservoir or chamber carried by the
cart in which the sewage or other material is conveyed away, or in a separate cart.
The air is compressed by one or more suitable compressing pumps arranged in the
cart which carries the compressed air chamber, and set in operation by means of
suitable toothed gear, cranks, and piston or plunger, of the usual well-known kind,
A clutch or equivalent
set in motion by the revolution of the wheels of the cart.
device is provided by which the action of the pump can be stopped when desired, and

page_text: a cock or valve is also provided in the air delivery pipe between the pump and the
compressed air chamber.
It will be seen therefore that during the journey of the cart to the cesspool which
is to be emptied, air is automatically compressed into the chamber.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The cart fitted with the compressed air
tank having been brought to the cesspool which is to be emptied, the cock or valve
in the pipe by which it has been filled is closed, whilst the one in the delivery pipe
from the bottom of the cesspool is opened. The air pipe at the top of the cesspool is
then connected or coupled with the compressed air chamber, and the cock or valve in
it is opened. The compressed air entering the cesspool forces the contents of the
latter through the delivery pipe into the reservoir or tank into which they are to be
delivered, simply and easily and without annoyance. When empty, the compressed
air pipe is uncoupled, and the cock or valve in it opened, that in the delivery pipe is
closed, and that in the supply pipe opened, until the cesspool again requires
emptying.
The compressed air chamber may be provided with a pressure guage.
I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction, arrangement, and
method of working. For instance, in some cases it may be found advisable to com-
press air into the chamber carried by the cart, by means of pumps arranged in any
fixed position and worked by any suitable power, instead of by pumps carried by the
cart and operated by the movement of the latter itself.
Dated this 9th day of January 1897.
EDWARDS AND Co.
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
66 Improvements in Cesspools and other Tanks for Liquid or Semi-
liquid Materials, and in the Method and Apparatus for Emptying
such Cesspools and Tanks."
I, EDWARD PRATT, of the Albert Iron Works, Uxbridge, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, 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 specification, and accompanying drawing, that is
to say :-
My present invention relates to cesspools, and tanks of the like kind, for holding
manure or other such materials more or less liquid, and it has for it object novel
methods of construction of the cesspool or tank and of the parts connected with it,
or to be used in combination with it, by which the contents of the cesspool or tank
can be easily and quickly removed into a cart or other reservoir, by the use of com-
pressed air, the operation being simply and easily effected, without inconvenience
and at little cost.
I am aware that it has been proposed to effect the emptying of such cesspools or tanks
by means of a partial vacuum formed in a portable or other reservoir into which the
contents are to be discharged, a communication being made, as and when required,
between such reservoir and the cess-pool or tank. In many cases, however, it would
be more economical and easy to effect the removal by means of compressed air instead
of by a vacuum, and my present invention relates to improved apparatus and methods
of working for the purpose of utilizing compressed air in the manner and for the
purpose described.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention. Figure 1 shows a

page_text: general side view of a tank or cesspool, and the parts connected with it. Figure 2
shows a side view of a cart carrying a tank in which the matter withdrawn from the
cesspool is to be carried away, and also provided with a reservoir for compressed
air.
Assuming the invention to be applied to a cesspool, the contents of which have to
be removed from time to time, I construct such cesspool in the form (as illustrated
in figure 1) of an airtight tank a of cast iron or other suitable material, and of con-
venient size and shape. This tank may be buried in the ground (so as to take the
place of brick cesspools, as sometimes used), or it may be fixed in any convenient
position, and the sewage matter or other material is supplied to it through a pipe b
at or near the top of the tank a, the pipe b being provided with a cock or valve c by
which the passage through it can be opened or closed as desired.
At, or near, the bottoin of the tank a, I arrange a delivery pipe d, also provided in
any convenient part with a cock or valve e, which pipe can be readily connected
when desired by means of a flexible or other pipe, and connecting joints, with a tank
or reservoir f (figure 2)-carried by a cart n; or with any other suitable receptacle,
into which the sewage or other matter is to be delivered.
The tank or cesspool a is also provided at or near the top with another pipe h
through which compressed air can be admitted into the tank a, this pipe also having
a cock or valve i.
The compressed air is supplied from a suitable reservoir or chamber k carried by
the cart n in which the sewage or other material is conveyed away, or in a separate
cart. The air is compressed by one or more suitable compressing pumps arranged
on the cart n which carries the compressed air chamber k, and set in operation by
means of suitable toothed gear, cranks, and apparatus m, of the usual well-known
A clutch or
kind, set in motion by the revolution of the wheels g of the cart.
equivalent device o is provided by which the action of the pump can be stopped when
desired, and a cock or valve p may be also provided in the air pipe between the
delivery valve at r of the pump and the compressed air chamber k.
It will be seen therefore that during the journey of the cart to the cesspool which
is to be emptied, air is automatically compressed by the pump or pumps into the
chamber k.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The cart fitted with the compressed air tank k
having been brought to the cesspool a which is to be emptied, the cock or valve c
in the pipe b by which the latter has been filled is closed, whilst the cock e in the
delivery piped from the bottom of the cesspool a is opened. The air pipe / at the
top of the cesspool a is then connected or coupled with the cock 8 on the com-
pressed air chamber k, and the cocks or valves and 8 are opened. The compressed
air entering the cesspool a forces the contents of the latter through the delivery
pipe d into the reservoir or tank finto which they are to be delivered, simply and
easily and without annoyance (either through a valve t, or through an opening which
may be closed by a cover). When empty, the compressed air pipe h is uncoupled,
and the cock or valve i in it opened, that e in the delivery pipe is closed, and that c
in the supply pipe b opened, until the cesspool a again requires emptying. The
tank can be emptied by the cock u.
The compressed air chamber k may be provided with a pressure guage.
I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction, arrangement, and
method of working, the drawings being only in illustration. For instance, in some
cases it may be found advisable to compress air into the chamber carried by the cart,
by means of pumps arranged in any fixed position and worked by any suitable power,
instead of by pumps carried by the cart and operated by the movement of the latter
itself.
By my present invention, the power required to compress the air which is used to
withdraw the contents of the cesspool or chamber is obtained by the movement of the
cart when no load is being drawn; little or no time is lost in the process of emptying
the cesspool, which causes little or no inconvenience or annoyance; and the apparatus
is simple and inexpensive and not likely to get out of order.

page_text: 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
1. The improved method of withdrawing liquid manure, or other liquids, from air-
tight cesspools or other receptacles, into a tank carried by a cart by means of one or
more air pumps fixed upon the cart and operated by the wheels of the latter when
in motion, such pump or pumps compressing the air into an air-vessel upon the cart,
so that when the air-vessel is connected by a pipe with the cesspool, the liquid is
forced from the latter through a pipe into the tank upon the cart, from which it can
subsequently be discharged through a cock or valve, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a cart, of a tank f, air-compressing apparatus l, gear m,
disengaging device o, air-tank k, air-tight cesspool or tank t, and adjustable con-
necting pipes b, d, h, and cocks or valves upon the said pipes, arranged and operating
substantially in the manner and for the purposes described and illustrated.
3. The combination of a cart carrying a tank and a compressed air chamber, with
an air-tight cesspool or tank, adjustable connecting pipes and cocks or valves, and
fixed air-compressing apparatus, driven by a suitable power, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
Dated this 0th day of October 1807
EDWARDS AND CO.
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.