Improvements in or relating to the Disinfection of House and other Refuse, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1894-Accepted; 12th May, 1894.
I
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Disinfection of House and other
Refuse, and Apparatus therefor.
A communication from FREDERICK SIGISMUND SALBERG, of 102, Boulevard
de Waterloo, Brussels, and MAURICE NEUMANN, of Vienna.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the automatic
disinfection and avoidance of dust arising from the collection and removal of
sweepings, and other town refuse and offal of all kinds from streets, dwellings,
and other premises, including waste and refuse from factories and industrial
processes, focal and excrementitious matter from urinals, lavatories, water-closets
and like places of whatever kind, for the purpose of entirely preventing or greatly
diminishing the propagation of the germs of disease and the spread of epidemics
and infectious or contagious diseases.
The accompanying drawings (Figures 1 to 27) illustrate various methods of
carrying out the fundamental idea of this invention and by reference to these the
distinguishing features will hereinafter be more fully set forth and described.
That fundamental idea consists in the utilisation of the force communicated or
developed, for instance, by the discharge into a scavenger's cart of refuse from a
box or bin, to or in the refuse itself or its receptacle for working an apparatus
intercepting the dust, on the one hand, and on the other hand, distributing a
disinfectant. As apparatus for the interception of the dust, wings, vanes, or
their equivalent may be employed; while, as disinfectants, dry or liquid products
of the most diverse composition and properties are available.
The fundamental idea of this invention as just described having for its primary
object the disinfection and avoidance of dust and refuse, during the loading of
dust-carts and scavengers' wagons is applied by the inventors to the dustbins of
dwellings and other buildings, the waste-receptacles of factories and trades as well
as for the disinfection of privies and all other similar places.
As a characteristic example of such application and use, there is represented in
Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, an apparatus particularly suitable as a hopper for
scavengers' carts for the disinfection and avoidance of dust, an apparatus equally
suitable for use in all trade and industrial premises and in fact for any other such
purpose.
Figure 1 shows in longitudinal vertical section a hopper-receptacle of the kind.
previously described, for use with a liquid disinfectant;
Figure 2 being a transverse section thereof.
L is an outer casing enclosing the apparatus, within which case are arrangel a
drum or shaft B with vanes A and above this a movable drum F, rotating on
trunnions H and containing the liquid disinfectant.
It is supposed that beneath the case L there is a receptacle or collecting box or
pit (dust or refuse-bin) wherein are accumulated foul-smelling refuse matters
which require to be disposed of..
In any desired place on the right and left-hand side or on one side only, as may
be convenient suitable discharge apertures are provided in the sides of the box or
bin through which the refuse is removed and deposited in the hupper, where it
falls directly on the vanes A of the drum or shaft. B-which is caused to rotate on

page_text: its axis, and thus the vanes encounter the projecting arms K of the movable
disinfecting drum F which is thereby also caused to rotate. The movable drum F
is enclosed in a fixed cylinder C provided with a slot E' at the top and another
slot E at the bottom (Figs. 1 & 2) while the drum F has only a single slot G. In
the position of these slots (shown in the drawings) the liquid disinfectant issuing
from the reservoir R by the cock M enters and fills the drum F between which
and the fixed cylinder C is space F1 sufficiently large to allow of the disinfecting
medium passing from the drum F through the slot G before F completes half a
revolution or after it has completed the half and before it has completed the full
revolution.
°
At each rotation of the drum F a certain quantity of the liquid disinfectant,
proportionate to the size of the slot G, flows through the slot E in the fixed
cylinder C and is distributed over the layer of refuse emptied into the hopper. Or
when the drum F is sufficiently full it need only oscillate (and not rotate) to cause
the disinfecting medium to pass through the slot G whence through the space F
and slot E it is discharged on to the refuse. The rotation or oscillation of the
disinfecting drum F may be effected in various ways; either, as shown in Figure 2
by means of the vanes A encountering a single arm K Fig. 2, or, as shown in
Fig. 3, by means of a toothed segment and wheel K and K on the drums, or by
several arms K on the shaft or trunnions H of the drum F as in Fig. 4. In
place of the drum which distributes the liquid disinfectant, a single distributing
cock M may be provided under the reservoir R, which as shown in Figs. 5 and 6,
is operated by the vanes A. Upon the spindle M' of cock-plug, are arranged
suitable arms K in such manner that the openings or ports E' and G' of the body
of the cock may be put in communication with the apertures m of the cock-plug
conformably with the position of the vanes A. Below the outlet opening G³ is
arranged a suitable distributing pipe plate or equivalent c'.
. Instead of three vanes A, as shown in the drawings, more or less may be
arranged on the shaft B; and similarly, for certain purposes, only one vane,
working like a flap or clack need be used.
Further also, in lieu of arranging beneath the reservoir R, a distributing drum F
(Figs. 1 and 2) or a distributing cock M (Figs. 5 and 6) the distributing apparatus
may be provided on or in the shaft B as shown in Figs. 7, 74, 78 and 7º, by way of
example.
The liquid disinfectant passes from the reservoir R Fig. 7 by p¹p to M, and
penetrates, according to the respective positions of the openings E' (Fig 7B) and m
(Figs. 7 and 7B) into the hollow shaft B which is perforated with an adequate
number of holes to distribute the liquid. In Figs. 7 and 7 the apparatus is shown
provided with three vanes; while in 7B and 7° it has only one vane.
In Figs. 8 and 9, the apparatus is arranged for disinfection by means of a powder
instead of a liquid disinfectant; for that purpose a receptacle R is employed, fitted
with guides r, and moveable on rails . Below this is placed a solid roller J with
grooves or channels i, its shaft H having a squared portion on which a spring S
presses...
Whenever, by the introduction, of refuse, etc., the vanes A are caused to rotate,
they encounter the arms K and turn the roller J in the opposite direction, so that
the disinfecting powder drops through, the lower slot E' of the feed-receptacle R
and fills the next groove or channel of the cylinder J, whereby, through the
continued rotation of J, the disinfectant is spread over all the refuse matter which
has been thrown in.
. In Figs. 10 to 16 various apparatus are shown, adapted for disinfection and the
avoidance of the rising or flotation of dust, such as are suitable for dust collecting
bins and receptacles of all kinds, and especially for sweepings ;" and wherein a flap
or other closure may be provided.
Figs. 10 and 11 represent a vane or flap A! pivotted on a shaft or equivalent B',
and arranged to close automatically by a counter-weight, which also acts as a
receiver for a suitable disinfectant. P indicates a moveable lid, and V suitable

page_text: wall stiffening or strengthening appliances. In Fig. 10 the disinfectant Qis
supposed to be in the powdered state, and at every movement of the flap or vane
any desired quantity thereof falls downward through the perforated bottom U.
In Fig. 11, on the contrary, the disinfectant Q'assumes the form of a solid block,
sliding to and fro over a kind of rasp or grater, at each oscillation of the vane or
flap, whereby small particles of disinfectant are continually being detached, and
then drop through the perforated bottom U¹.
Figs. 12 and 16 show various kinds of collecting boxes and bins for refuse, dust,
decayed matter and the like, fitted with an appliance such as shown in Figs. 10
and 11.
Fig. 12 shows a small dust-box with flaps opening upwards.
Fig. 13 the same reversed, or turned upside down;
Fig. 14 is a plan of the box shown in Fig. 12, with the flaps closed, and
Fig. 15 represents a modification, having top-flaps opening inwards and
downwards.
Herein, a a Figs. 12 and 13 are the counterpoise weights, containing the
disinfecting medium, in the case of flaps opening outwards; b b the studs or shafts
on which the flaps pivot c c Figs. 15 and 16 are the counterpoise weights with
disinfection-device, where the flaps open inwards and downwards; d d the stops for
the automatic closure of the flaps; ee the flaps themselves.
Fig. 16 represents a modification adapted for collecting boxes or dust-bins of a
larger size, wherein the contents remain for say a week without removal, and
which are emptied without being themselves removed.
In the cover as will be seen, there is the same arrangement as before, of flaps
with a disinfecting device, while at the bottom there is a door, which may open in
any direction.
The boxes shown in Figs. 12 to 16, which, instead of being formed square in
cross section, may be of round, oval or other appropriate form, serve for the special
object of destroying miasms and germs of disease (which are generated in all
retuse, sweepings and other waste matter, etc.) by means of the disinfectant used.
By this automatic disinfection all negligence in manipulation is included or
counteracted, and thus at each and every fresh introduction of decaying or rotting
matter, the gases given off, or the offensive compounds and foul smells of miasms,
and disease germs, injurious to health are destroyed in embryo.
It is necessary to dwell upon the prompt and continuous destruction of miasms
and everything insanitary and dangerous, as this is the most important and essential
factor in rational hygiene in large towns; and because such immediate remedial
action is infinitely more valuable and efficacious than the mode of subsequently
disinfecting air which has already become charged with obnoxious miasms.
Fig. 17 represents a combination of the hygienic appliances herein before
described, with a view to the industrial and general use thereof in trades and
manufactures of all kinds. The decomposing matter is raised by an elevator R",
and discharged into a receptacle L', where it falls upon the vanes A which prevents
the rising of dust and creates the flow or escape of a disinfectant in adequate
quantity.
There is also a further provision for hermetically sealing the flapse; moreover
the counterpoise weights c are likewise constructed to contain a disinfectant.
Instead of vanes pivotting on an axis, or of flaps swinging or oscillating to and
fro, there may also be made use of sliding covers, guided on rails or rollers, and
balanced by counterpoise weights by means of rollers or pulleys with chains or
cords.
Figs. 18 to 21 represent a sliding cover with guide rollers, is the sliding cover
or door; g the guide rails beneath or behind the covers; the rollers secured
to the rails g h', similar rollers arranged in ribs on the covers f; g' are guide-
rails secured to the covers f. Iron bars square flat or round may also be employed
for this purpose.
Figure 22 illustrates an arrangement with flaps applied to the collector-

page_text: :
receptacle, of importance and value in cases where the removal of sweepings and
refuse, droppings etc. by emptying for instance portable boxes into the principal
collector-receptacles. In order to facilitate the work of the scavenger or street-
orderly in emptying such boxes, the height of the upper edge of the principal
collector-receptacle is limited.
For such cases it is advantageous to place upon the principal collector receptacle R,
which is limited to the outline indicated by (Figure 22) and which has to
be entirely filled, a smaller annex whereof the limits are indicated by 1 got got got
In the lateral walls, and are arranged in this case flaps j and j¹ in such
manner that under the pressure of the box that is to be emptied into the collector R
the said flaps open inwards which is advantageously effected by their swinging on
their upper edges and . In this case also the flaps may be provided with
disinfecting apparatus, such as shown on the left of Figure 22 where j is the solid.
flap itself; Va double casing, and D the perforated bottom, which may also be
-arranged as a rasp or grater.
The various hygienic apparatus previously described relate, generally to the
collection and removal of refuse, waste and other residual matter, etc., which as
such become injurious and dangerous to health in towns factories and industrial
works and for which practically nothing has hitherto been done, and indeed to
which most incomprehensibly in most cases little or no attention has actually.
>been paid.
On the other hand particular attention has already been directed to the
disinfection of water-closets, privies, urinals etc., so that there may be seen at the
present time in private dwellings, hotels, buildings and public institutions, a great
variety of systeins, more or less successfully accomplishing their purpose. None
of these however are automatic in their action to destroy all miasins in the germ,
which is as already stated, the chief object of a rational technical system of
-disinfectiou.
Figure 23 represents an English w.c. or closet-pan which may be arranged with
or without a flush of water, and to which this invention is applied.
In either case there is a handle e and rod e' to operate the valve below the pan
which closes the latter by the water-seal, and is opened (by the handle) to discharge
the contents of the pan into the soil-pipe; a counterpoisef exercises the opposite
action on the valve to keep it closed. A receptacle a filled with a disinfectant
(either liquid or in a powdered state) may be placed in any favourable position in
such manner that the lower or discharge orifice is closed by a cock which may be
operated by a ratchet wheel engaging with a pawl-lever d so arranged that as
often as the handle is pulled upwards to empty the closet-pan a certain quantity of
the disinfectant is simultaneously discharged by the shoot e into said pan. The
construction and action of this device may be arranged in any convenient and
suitable manner..
Figures 24, 26 and 27 illustrate a similar disinfecting apparatus arranged for use
with those kinds of closet pans which are not provided with a water-seal or Hush of
water (privies or dry closets) and where consequently the working of the
distributing mechanism cannot be effected by the handle and rod etc. of the
ordinary w.c.
In these cases the weight of the flap of the seat or cover of the pan or of the person
making use of the same is employed for working the distributing device. Here,
g is the receptacle containing the disinfectant; is the distributing device; the
spindle actuating the valve thereof a lever with counterpoise arranged in a
lateral direction against the rim of the pan, where there is a button / to act upon
the lever; m is the lid or cover, and n the pan.
In Figure 24 the cover is supposed to be in its place over the pan, and the
distributing device is therefore in the closed position; whereas in Figure 26 the
cover is removed and the distributing device in the open position, so that the disin-
fectant whether it be in the solid or in the pulverulent state finds an outlet there
.and falls into the pan.

page_text: In Figure 27 a ring o is shown in substitution for the button 1, when the seat is
occupied the distributing device is closed, but in the reverse case, the ring on the
removal of the weight, is easily raised by the action of the counterpoise so as to
open the distributor and permit the disinfectant to drop into the pan, the same
effect 'taking place by the simple lifting of the lid or cover as before described.
The inventors particularly insist upon the fact that the mode of construction
arrangement and mounting of the distributing device varies in each case, according
to the nature of the disinfectant employed and other conditions of use, wherefore it
is to be understood that valves and mechanism, as figured in the various drawings,
serve only as examples of the many possible modes of carrying out the principle of
the invention.
In Figure 25 is shown another modification applied to w.c. cisterns and flushing
apparatus effecting the flow of water from an overhead reservoir by means of a
float. In this case gas before is the supplementary reservoir containing the
disinfectant, the distributing device, the spindle actuating the valve thereof, j the
pivot of the lever carrying at one end the ball or float k. The mechanism therefore
acts automatically, and simultaneously with the flush of water as a disinfecting
agent by the admixture of the disinfectant with the water discharged into the pan.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In a dustbin or receptacle for refuse and like matter an apparatus for the
retention of dust and for automatic disinfection comprising vanes or flaps which act
as valves to close the receptacle and above which is arranged a reservoir containing
the disinfectant and between the two appliances a distributing device interposed in
such a manner that this latter is only charged at intervals from the reservoir while
it in its turn supplies at each movement of the vane or flap a definite quantity of
disinfectant which it distributes over the matter thrown into the said receptacle
substantially as described.
2. The combination with apparatus such as described of a distributing device for
liquid disinfectants such as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprising a fixed drum such
as C provided with upper and lower slots E' E within which is arranged a movable
or rotating drum such as F having only one slot G such that at every movement of
a vane or flap such as A a quantity of the liquid disinfectant is allowed to flow
through the slot G into the external or fixed drum C, whence it flows through the
slot E on to the refuse substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The combination with apparatus such as described of a distributing device for
fluid disinfectants, such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, comprising a cock, and having
openings at the top and bottom, and cock-plug provided with openings, grooves,
channels, or equivalent, rotating under the action of vanes or flaps set in motion by
the charging of refuse into the apparatus whereby at every such movement a definite
quantity of the liquid disinfectant flows from the cock and is distributed, by a rose
or equivalent over the refuse substantially as described.
4. In apparatus such as described a modification of the distributing device
specified in Claim 3 such as shown in Figs. 7 to 7° inclusive, wherein the shaft of
the vanes or blades which close the collector-receptacle in the manner of valves is
formed hollow and perforated substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In apparatus such as described the construction of the perforated bottom U
in the form of a rasp or grater whereon the disinfectant (which is solid) in slipping
to and fro is disintegrated substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 11 of
the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination with apparatus such as specified in either of the preceding
Claims 1 to 8 for the retention of dust and for prompt automatic disinfection thereof
of automatic apparatus or mechanical means of transport such as bucket elevator
such as shown by way of example in Fig. 17 substantially as described.

page_text: 7. In apparatus such as described the use of devices and arrangements such as
specified in Claims 6 and 7 for the distribution agent, in combination with sliding
covers of the kind shown in Figs. 18 to 21 inclusive, or with flaps made in
accordance with Fig. 22 substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of February 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.