Improvements in Recording the Levels of Liquids in Sewers, Drains, Reservoirs, at Outfalls, and the like, and in Recording Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Recording the Levels of Liquids in Sewers,
Drains, Reservoirs, at Outfalls, and the like, and in Recording
Apparatus.
I, GEORGE BRUCE TOMES, of 12, Grove Road, Eastbourne, in the County of
Sussex, Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: -
This invention has mainly for its object to provide improvements by which in
sewerage systems, the levels and rise and fall of sewage at the point or place of
discharge in a sewer, tank, chamber, at outfalls, or in other conduits or vessels
connected therewith, and also the level of liquid in the outlet or receptacle of
discharge, whatever that may be, are recorded or registered. By this invention these
two levels are marked automatically upon a diagram operated after the manner
herein described, and the relative levels of the two are graphically registered and
recorded upon such diagram, from which the level and rise and fall of the sewage to
be discharged, as well as the level of the water or sewage into which the discharge
is made, can be, and is, ascertained for each moment of time throughout the day.
The means according to my invention, and which I have found suitable for carrying
out my improvements, consist of a recording apparatus comprising floaters; means
or devices for reducing the rise and fall of the liquids to a convenient scale for
registering on a diagram; means or clockwork to move a diagram paper or chart;
and means for markers for marking on the diagram the fluctuations in the level
and flow of the liquid.
The floaters float, and rise and fall, with the liquids to be gauged and recorded
and are attached to a cord, wire, or their equivalent, said cord working over and
on a pulley or the like: there may be provided with the floaters, weights, to
partially counter-balance them. On or connected to said pulley there is provided
a smaller pulley to work the diagram marker, the diameter of the two pulleys
being so proportioned to each other, that the rise or fall of the floaters give only
the requisite reduced movement to the markers.
The marker carriages may consist of a tube or tubes fixed in slides or crossheads
and adapted to be moved up and down on guides, vertically, by the float actuated
cords or mechanisms.. The tubes are provided with a suitable pen or pencil, or
pens or pencils, which are kept pressed up against the diagram paper by a weight
or its equivalent. By placing the tubes at an angle of about 60 degrees to the
paper, two diagrams may be made on one paper and shew the levels of the two
different liquids to be recorded.
As an example of the utility and application of my invention, it may be used
with great advantage to register the level of sewage on the invert of a main outfall
sewer (the discharge outlet of which is in, or connected with, a tidal water). when
the sewer is not, and when it is, tide-locked, and at the same time to record the
height of the tide on the seaside of the penstock, or other valve or door, placed
near the outfall. Then the relative levels of the two waters or liquids for each
moment of time are recorded graphically upon the diagram.
The instrument acts automatically and the diagram affords evidence of the
relative fluctuations which take place in the level and flow of the sewage and the
rise and fall of the tides at all times.
In cases where a system, such as the "Shone Hydro-pneumatic Sewerage
System," is employed or exists, wherein means such as ejectors or pumps are used
to discharge the sewage, the diagram obtained by the instrument constitutes. an
indisputable record and evidence as to whether or not the man in charge of the

page_text: ejecting, forcing, or pumping arrangements, has done or is doing his duty or not, and
so acts as a tell-tale.
The diagram shows the heights or levels to which the ejectors have to lift the
liquid, and it also shews the rate at which rainfall proceeds from the town or
And moreover
district, to the point in the sewer in which the instrument is fixed.
by it can be ascertained how a given rainfall affects the volume of sewage carried
by the sewer, since, the inclination of the sewer being known, by measuring or
obtaining the depth of the sewage flowing on the invert of the sewer, from the
diagram, there can be ascertained approximately the exact quantity of sewage which
was at any time flowing down the sewer.
The beforegoing description shews how, under my invention, the levels and rise
and fall and flow of sewage or liquid in sewers, outfalls, etcetera, are recorded and
some of the advantages gained thereby; and it also shews the instrument under my
invention which I employ, but I would have it understood that the apparatus may
be modified in form and arrangement without departing from this invention, and
that the application is in no way limited to the recording of rise and fall of
sewage and other liquids under the conditions particularly specified.
Dated this 24th day of March 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Recording the Levels of Liquids in Sewers,
Drains, Reservoirs, at Outfalls and the like, and in Recording
Apparatus.
I, GEORGE BRUCE TOMES, of 12, Grove Road, Eastbourne, in the County of
Sussex, Surveyor, 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 has mainly for its object to provide improvements by which in
sewerage systems, the levels and rise and fall of sewage at the point or place of
discharge in a sewer, tank, chamber, at outfalls, or in other conduits or vessels
connected therewith, and also the level of liquid in the outlet or receptacle of
discharge, whatever that may be, are recorded or registered. By this invention
these two levels are marked automatically upon a diagram operated after the
manner herein described and the relative levels of the two are graphically registered
and recorded upon such diagram, from which the level and rise and fall of the
sewage to be discharged, as well as the level of water or sewage into which the
discharge is made, can be, and is, ascertained for each moment of time throughout
the day.
The means according to my invention, and which I have found suitable for
carrying out my improvements, consist of a recording apparatus comprising floaters,
means or devices for reducing the rise and fall of the liquids to a convenient
scale for registering on a diagram; means or clockwork to move a diagram paper
or chart; and means or markers for marking on the diagram the fluctuations in the
level and flow of the liquid.
The floaters float, and rise and fall, with the liquids to be gauged and recorded
and are attached to a cord, wire, or their equivalent, said cord working over and
on a pulley or the like: there may be provided with the floaters, weights, to
partially counter-balance them. On or connected to said pulley there is provided
a smaller pulley to work the diagram marker, the diameter of the two pulleys being
so proportioned to each other, that the rise or fall of the floaters give only the
requisite reduced movement to the markers.
-The marker carriage may consist of a tube or tubes fixed in slides or crossheads
and adapted to be moved up and down on guides, vertically, by the float actuated

page_text: cords or mechanisms. The tubes are provided with a suitable pen or pencil, or pens
or pencils, which are kept pressed up against the diagram paper by a weight or its
equivalent. By placing the tubes at an angle of about 60 degrees to the paper, two
diagrams may be made on one paper and shew the levels of the two different liquids
to be recorded.
As an example of the utility and application of my invention, it may be used with
great advantage to register the level of sewage on the invert of a main outfall
sewer (the discharge outlet of which is in, or connected with, a tidal water) when
the sewer is not, and when it is, tide-locked, and at the same time to record the
height of the tide on the seaside of the penstock, or other valve or door, placed
near the outfall. Then the relative levels of the two waters or liquids for each
moment of time are recorded graphically upon the diagram.
The instrument acts automatically and the diagram affords evidence of the relative
fluctuations which take place in the level and flow of the sewage and the rise and
fall of the tides at all times.
In cases where a system, such as the "Shone Hydro-pneumatic Sewerage
System," is employed or exists, wherein means such as ejectors or pumps are used
to discharge the sewage, the diagram obtained by the instrument constitutes an
indisputable record and evidence as to whether or not the man in charge of the
ejecting, forcing, or pumping arrangements, has done, or is doing his duty or not,
and so acts as a tell-tale.
The diagram shews the heights or levels to which the ejectors have to lift the
liquid, and it also shews the rate at which rainfall proceeds from the town or
district to the point in the sewer in which the instrument is fixed. And moreover
by it can be ascertained how a given rainfall affects the volume of sewage carried
by the sewer, since, the inclination of the sewer being known, by measuring or
obtaining the depth of the sewage flowing on the invert of the sewer, from the
diagram, there can be ascertained approximately the exact quantity of sewage
which was at any time flowing down the sewer.
Having thus generally described the object, nature, and effects of this invention,
I will now proceed to describe it with reference to the sheets of accompanying
drawings. The example of apparatus which I have illustrated is an arrangement,
and construction of parts according to this invention applied to register the rise and
fall of sewage on both sides of a penstock. In the various figures the same or
corresponding parts are designated by the same letters and they correspond with
those used in the following explanation of the example.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation shewing an apparatus according to my invention
and the manner in which it may be applied.
Figure 2 is a front elevation to a larger scale of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is a plan of the apparatus shewing the methods of reducing the rise and
fall of the liquid to a convenient compass and also the device for marking the
diagram.
The apparatus may be said to consist of two parts; one part for reducing the
rise and fall of the liquid to within a convenient compass, and the other part for
recording the rise and fall on a paper diagram.
With reference to the drawings, A designates a main outfall sewer, B is a
manhole divided into two chambers B' and B2 by a diaphragm wall C provided
with a penstock D which cuts off the sewer A from the outlet E.
In the drawings I have shewn two ways of reducing the rise and fall of the liquid
to a convenient compass.
With reference to the plan shewn on the right hand side,
it comprises a pulley a of a certain diameter which is carried by the brackets a' in
the manhole B over the chamber B'. This pulley has a V shaped groove on its
periphery over which a cord b is placed and runs. One end of this cord b carries a
floater c, and on the other end there is a weight d which partly counterbalances the
floater c. The floater c works, rises, and falls, in a pipe e set in the chamber B¹.
The pulley a is supported by a spindle working in bearings in the brackets a'.
The spindle forms a small pulley and has a cord g wound round it, one end of the

page_text: cord being fixed to the pulley and the other end to the pen carrier of the recorder.
The diameters of the pulleys a and fare so proportioned to each other that the
rise or fall of the floater gives only the requisite reduced movement to the marker
hereafter described.
Instead of the V. grooved pulley and gear just above described, the apparatus
shewn on the left hand side of the drawings may be used. In this case the chain b
is attached at one end to the periphery of the large pulley a and the floater c is
attached to the other end of the chain . On the spindle of the pulley a there is
fixed a spring a² which is so arranged that when the floater is raised, the chain b.
is slacked and the spring a² causes the pulley to revolve and wind the chain upon it,
the small pulley or spindle by means of the cord working the marker.
"
The recording apparatus comprises a clockwork which is connected to and
moves a drum on which is fixed a paper diagram k, once round in twenty-four
hours. The diagram is divided into hours vertically and feet, horizontally drawn to
a certain scale to correspond with the relative diameters of the pulleys above
mentioned. The diagram marker consists of a frame / having wire guides mand a
carrier a with a glass pen p supported by and adapted to slide in a sleeve n¹ thereon, the
carrier and pen being made to work up and down vertically on the guides m. The
pen.pis pressed against the diagram by means of the bent levers, fulcrummed to
the sleeve nat s, on one end of which there is a weight s whilst the other end
is connected onto a ring t on the glass pen. The weight 2 therefore causes the
pen.p to be kept up to and pressed upon the diagram . The cord g. is led from
the pulley over the guiding pulley and is attached to the pen carrier n.
C
In the example shewn in the drawings, one floater e works, rises, and falls in the
chamber B' on the seaside of the penstock D and the other floater c_ works, rises
and falls in the chamber B2 on the sewer side of the penstock D. The cords g
from the respective floaters c work by means of the apparatus above described, the
carrier and pens, and thereby mark the diagram. The action of the apparatus is as
follows: As the sewage or other liquid rises in the chamber B', the floater c in the
pipe e, rises and the counterbalance d sinks down keeping the cord b tight, and
causing it to turn the pulley a, and thereby through the cord g move the pen carrier n
and mark the diagram. In like manner, as the sewage or other liquid rises in the
chamber B2, the floater c in the pipe e in that chamber rises and the chain allows
the pulley a to be turned by the spring a², and thereby, through the cord g, move
the pen carrier and mark the diagram. Thus the rise and fall of sewage or other
liquid on both sides of the penstock, wier or valve are simultaneously recorded on
the same diagram and shew the difference in level, at any moment.
The beforegoing description shews how, under my invention, the levels and risc
and fall and flow of sewage or liquid in sewers, outfalls, etcetera, arc recorded and
some of the advantages gained thereby ; and it also shews the instrument under my
invention which I employ, but I would have it understood that the apparatus may
be modified in form and arrangement without departing from this invention, and
that the application is in no way limited to the recording of rise and fall of. sewage
and other liquids under the conditions particularly specified, but may by the omission
of one marker and floater as shown in Figure 1 be used for recording the
varying level of liquids generally.
Having now particularly described and
tion and in what manner the same is to
claim is :-
ascertained the nature of this inven-
be performed, I declare that what I
1. Effecting the recording at sewer and other outfalls, and the like, such as
specified, by the employment of floaters in connection with the opposite sides of
a valve, sluice, or other partition, and a recording chart, a time-keeping motor, and
a marker, adapted to record the level of liquids on the different sides of, said valve,
sluice, or other partition, ou said chart; substantially in the manner herein set
forth.
2. Apparatus for recording the difference of level of liquids on the opposite side

page_text: of the valve, door, or other provision, at sewage and other like outfalls, comprising
two or more floaters, two or more pens or marking devices, a diagram or chart
adapted to be marked by said marker, and a time-keeping operating mechanism by
which said diagram is moved past said markers; arranged and adapted to operate
substantially as set forth.
3. The particular arrangement or disposition of parts of sewage or other liquid
outfall recording apparatus, set forth with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings.
4. In sewage or other liquid outfall recording apparatus, the combination of
duplex pens or markers operated by floaters arranged and adapted to mark a
moving recording chart or diagram in the manner herein set forth with reference to
the drawings.
A
31" 30
1
11001
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.