Improvements in the Ventilation of Sewers.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1887
Complete Left, 24th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 25th May. 1888
Improvements in the Ventilation of Sewers.
I, JOHN PHILLIPS, of Dorney House, Disraeli Road, Putney, in the County of
Surrey, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a method of Ventilating Sewers, first, by dividing the
sewers into separate sections, so as to prevent the air-currents in them from travelling
into adjoining sections; Secondly, by taking copious streams of fresh air from the
streets down the manhole shafts into the separate sections at their lower ends; and
thirdly, by discharging the air-currents in the separate sections from their upper
ends into the atmosphere above the houses or elsewhere. For accomplishing these
purposes I provide as follows:-First, I place suitable syphon-traps, with moveable
air-tight covers upon their outlet parts, in the bottoms of all the manhole shafts at
the junctions, and elsewhere on the lines, of the main and branch sewers. By means
of these syphon-traps, the sewers are divided for ventilation into separate sections
between the manhole shafts, and the air-currents in the separate sections are prevented
from travelling into adjoining sections; and by means of the moveable covers upon
the outlet parts of these traps the upper parts of the separate sewer sections are
readily accessible, and may be examined and cleansed, at any time. Secondly, I place
moveable covers in frames, with open gratings in and round perforated box frames
outside the cover frames, upon the manhole shafts level with the streets. By means
of these moveable covers, ready access is obtained to the syphon-traps, and also to the
lower and upper parts of the separate sewer sections, for examining and cleansing
them; and by means of the open gratings outside the frames of the covers, streams
of fresh air continually flow through the openings down the manhole shafts into and
up the separate sewer sections, keeping them perfectly clear of sewage gas. Thirdly,
I carry suitable pipes with air-tight joints from the upper ends of the sewer sections
direct to the tops of the houses or elsewhere. By means of these pipes, the air-
currents in the several sewer sections, with any sewage gas engendered there,
continually discharge into the atmosphere above the houses. When sewers are
ventilated in accordance with the simple and efficient arrangements and appliances

page_text: as above described, the air-currents in them will not discharge, as they do now,
through the manhole and other gratings into the streets, and thus pollute the atmo-
sphere there; neither will they travel, as they do now, along the sewers from one end
to the other, and from one sewer into another, carrying the sewage gas up to the
traps in the gully and house drains, through which traps, by pressure, the sewage
gas often escapes into the streets and houses.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Ventilation of Sewers.
I, JOHN PHILLIPS, of Dorney House, Disraeli Road, Putney, in the County of
Surrey, Civil 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 statement :-
This Invention relates to a method of ventilating sewers, first, by dividing the
sewers into separate sections, in order to prevent the air-currents in the separate
sections from travelling into adjoining sections; secondly, by causing copious streams
of fresh air to flow from the streets down the manhole shafts into the separate
sections at their lower ends; and thirdly, by causing the air-currents in the separate
sections to flow in pipes leading from or near the upper ends of the separate sections
to altitudes above the houses, and there discharge into the atmosphere.
For accomplishing these purposes I provide in connection with the sewers the
following arrangements and appliances :-
--
First, I place syphon-traps of cast iron fire-clay or other material, with movable
air-tight cast iron covers upon their outlet divisions, in the bottom of all manhole
shafts, which I form at the junctions, and at other places, in or along the main and
branch sewers.
By means of these syphon-traps, the sewer lengths between the
manhole shafts are divided, for ventilation, into separate sections; and the air-currents
in the separate sections are prevented from travelling into adjoining sections. And
by means of the movable covers upon the outlet divisions of the syphon-traps, the
ends and upper portions of the separate sections are always accessible for examining
or cleansing the same.
Secondly, upon the manhole shafts level with the streets I place movable covers in
the top of immovable framed dirt boxes, with gratings round the top, perforations

page_text: in the bottom, and partitioned openings round the upper inner part of the dirt boxes,
all of which I make of cast iron. By the removal of these covers ready access is
obtained to the syphon-traps and the movable covers thereon at the bottom of the
manhole shafts, and to the lower and upper ends and portions of the separate, sewer
sections, for examining or cleansing the same. And by means of the gratings round
the top of the dirt boxes outside the movable manhole covers, and the partitioned
openings round the upper inner part of the dirt boxes, copious streams of fresh-air
continually flow through the said gratings and openings down the manhole shafts
into the lower ends of the separate sewer sections; and as the fresh-air passes up the
separate sewer sections, it carries away the noxious vapours and gases which emanate
from the sewage therein.
Thirdly, I take ventilating pipes of stoneware, cast iron, or other material, with
tight joints, from or near the upper ends of the separate sewer sections to altitudes
above the roofs of the houses, where, by means of these ventilating pipes, the air-
currents flowing up the separate sewer sections, and the vapours and gases engendered
therein, are carried and discharged into the atmosphere.
When sewers are ventilated in accordance with the foregoing simple and efficient
arrangements and appliances, the atmosphere of the streets will not be polluted as it
is now with noxious vapours and gases escaping from the sewers through the manhole
and gully gratings; nor will such vapours or gases travel as they do now from
one sewer up into other sewers; nor be pressed as they are now through the
syphon-traps in the gully and house drains into the streets and houses.
I now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing in what
manner this Invention is to be performed.
Fig. 1 represents in plan, and Fig. 2 in section, part of a main street, and short
lengths of side streets leading into it. Fig. 1 also represents in plan, and Fig. 2 in
section, a main sewer A, B, D, D, A, under the main street; manhole shafts C
leading from the main street down to the main sewer opposite the side streets; and
side sewers B, B, leading from under the side streets into the main sewer at the
bottom of the manhole shafts C.
In the bottom of the manhole shafts CI place, as represented by plan Fig. 5, and by
sections Figs. 6 and 7, syphon-traps having a dip partition L forming the same into
an open inlet division I, and an outlet division K, with movable air-tight cover thereon M,
all of cast iron or other materials. These syphon-traps freely receive and discharge
the drainage passing down the main sewer A, D, D. D, A, and that passing down the
side sewers B, B, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2. They also divide the sewer lengths
between the several manhole shafts Cinto separate sections D, D, D, for readily and
effectually ventilating the same; and they also prevent the air-currents in the separate
sections D, D, D, from travelling up into each other, and from each other up into
the side sewers B, B.
Upon the manhole shafts C level with the streets I place, as represented in plan
Fig. 3, and in section Fig. 4, movable covers H in the top of immovable framed
dirt boxes G, with gratings F´round the top, perforations in the bottom, and parti-
tioned openings round the upper inner part of the dirt boxes G. The removal of the
manhole covers H afford ready access to the syphon traps and the movable covers on
their outlet divisions, and to the lower and upper ends and portions of the separate
sections D, D, D, of the main sewer, and the side sewers B, B, for examining or
cleansing the same.
The gratings F, and the openings round the upper inner part of the dirt boxes G,
also readily admit copious streams of fresh-air to be always flowing from the streets
down the manhole shafts C into and up the separate sections D, D, D, of the main
sewer, and into and up the side sewers B, B.
From or near the upper ends of the separate sections D, D, D, tight jointed
ventilating pipes E, as represented in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6, discharge into the
atmosphere, at altitudes above the roofs of the houses, the air-currents flowing up the
separate sewer sections D, D, D.
The simple and efficient method of ventilating the main sewer A, D, D, D, A, by

page_text: dividing it into separate sections D, D, D, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, is applicable to
any and every sewer in a town; and by adopting this method of ventilating sewers
the atmosphere of the streets would never be polluted with noxious vapours and gases
emanating from the sewage in the sewers.
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. A syphon-trap placed in the bottom of all manhole shafts at the junctions, and at
other places, in or along main and branch sewers, for dividing the sewer lengths
between the manhole shafts into separate sections for ventilating the same; and for
preventing the air-currents in the separate sections from travelling into adjoining
sections.
2. A movable cover in the top of an immovable framed grating and dirt box placed
upon the manhole shafts level with the streets, with perforations in the bottom, and
partitioned openings round the upper inner part of the dirt box-the movable cover
giving read access to the syphon-traps in the bottom of the manhole shafts, and to
the lower and upper ends and portions of the separate sewer sections, for examining
or cleansing the same; and the gratings leading into, and the partitioned openings
leading out of the dirt boxes, freely admitting copious streams of fresh-air to flow
from the streets down the manhole shafts into and up the lower ends of the separate
sewer sections for ventilating the same.
3. A ventilating pipe with tight joints leading from or near the upper ends of the
separate sewer sections to altitudes above the houses, for the air-currents in the
separate sewer sections to discharge into the atmosphere above the houses.
Dated this 24th day of April 1888.
Declared at No. 1, Quality Court, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, this
24th day of April, 1888, before me,
HENRY MOSSOP,
A Commissioner to Administer Oaths
in the Supreme Court of Judicature
JOHN PHILLIPS.