IMPROVEMENTS IN CLARIFYING LIQUIDS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Heinrich Roeckner of Newcastle on Tyne, in the
County of Northumberland, Paper Mill Contractor for an Invention of
TY CLADIRVING Lions »
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Heinrich Roeckner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December 1881.
CARL HEINRICH ROECKNER of Newcastle on Tyne in the County of
Northumberland, Paper Mill Contractor, "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLARIFYING
LIQUIDS"
These improvements consist in gradually forcing liquids (such as sewage, mill
refuse, or any liquid requiring clarification in large quantities) upwards in a vessel
of large area to such heights, that sufficient time is allowed for the sediments to fall
down before the liquids are discharged.
To carry this out I construct syphons of such area that the liquid rises steadily
and slowly without disturbing the falling sediment, thus while the muddy liquid
Or instead of
rises in one end of the syphon it flows out clarified at the other.
atmospheric pressure, acting by syphons, the muddy liquid may be forced into
reservoirs by means of pumps or otherwise, rising gradually and flowing off clarified
as before. Instead of using the atmospheric pressure or pumps, I obtain the same
object by gravitation by allowing the muddy substance to fall through a small
pipe or channel into a cylindrical or other reservoir (which may be in a well or pit)
of sufficient area to admit a steady rise of the liquids so that, while rising, the
sediments have time to precipitate.
The sediments may occasionally be drawn off and (when required) forced through
a "Polypus" or other press, and should the outflowing liquid not obtain sufficient
clearness by precipitation it may be passed through a "Polypus" or other filter.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Carl Heinrich Roeckner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th June 1882.
CARL HEINRICH ROECKNER of Newcastle on Tyne in the County of
Northumberland, Paper Mill Contractor "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLARIFYING
LIQUIDS"
These improvements consist in gradually forcing liquids (such as sewage, mill
refuse, or any liquid requiring clarification in large quantities) upwards in a
vessel of large area to such heights, that sufficient time is allowed for the sediments
to fall down before the liquids are discharged.
To carry this out I construct syphons of such arca that the liquid rises steadily
and slowly without disturbing the falling sediment, thus while the muddy liquid
rises in one end of the syphon it flows out clarified at the other. Or instead of
atmospheric pressure, acting by syphons, the muddy liquid may be forced into
reservoirs by means of pumps or otherwise rising gradually and flowing off clarified
as before. Instead of using the atmospheric pressure or pumps, I obtain the same
object by gravitation by allowing the muddy substance to fall through a small pipe
or channel into a cylindrical or other reservoir (which may be in a well or pit) of
sufficient area to admit a steady rise of the liquids so that, while rising, the
sediments have time to precipitate.
The sediments may occasionally be drawn off and (when required) forced through
a"Polypus" or other press and should the outflowing liquid not obtain sufficient
clearness by precipitation it may be passed through a "Polvans" or other filter
On the accompanying Sheets of Drawings I illustrate two different methods in
which my Invention may be carried into practical operation but I do not confine
myself to the details which may be varied to produce the same results.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, shews my Invention applied to a cistern or reservoir A into
which the liquid to be clarified flows through the pipe C which is closed by a self
acting valve C operated by a floating ball N when the cistern is full. B is the
clarifier consisting of a vessel open at its lower end and closed at top having its
lower end immersed in the liquid in cistern A. The syphon pipe D rising to near
the top of clarifier has an open top which can be closed by the self-acting valve D'
while the other end joins a cock E.-Another pipe G also rises to the top of clarifier
having its top end open and its lower end joined to a cock or valve H in connection
with an ejector F.
The pipe I and cock K are for the purpose of running out the sediment collected
in cistern A or in some cases the accumulated sediment may require to be taken
out at the open top of cistern. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The cistern A being filled with liquid up to the line L when the valve C¹ closes:
the cock or valve H is opened and by means of the ejector F, the air is exhausted
from the clarifier B into which the liquid rises from the cistern A. (being followed
by fresh liquid flowing in at the pipe C) till it fills the clarifier to the top and
above the level of open end of syphon pipe D., when the cock or valve H is closed
and the cock E opened. The outflow of the cock E. being below the water level L
in cistern A. will, by the action of the syphon, draw the liquid from the upper part
of B.; fresh liquid being supplied through pipe C. the flow of the liquid will be

page_text: continuous so long as the cistern A. is supplied and kept full up to water level L.
The self acting float valve D' is for the purpose of closing the mouth of syphon
pipe D in case air should have collected in the top of B., thus when D¹ closes the
action will be stopped until the air is again taken out by pipe G. as before described,
and the selfacting float D¹¹ will close the outflow of pipe D in case the liquid in A
falls belows the level L, through insufficient supply from pipe C.-The difference of
areas between the clarifier B. and the outflow from cock E. causes the column of
liquid to ascend very slowly in B. and gives time for the impurities or sediments to
be precipitated while the liquid which reaches the mouth of the syphon pipe D. is
clarified. The clarifier B. should always be of such capacity as to hold a larger
quantity of the liquid than is required to be clarified in a certain fixed time, for
instance, if a liquid requires one hour to settle and 1000 gallons are required per
hour, then B should contain more than 1000 gallons. The size of the clarifier will
also depend upon the consistency of the liquid and the time allowed for the
process.
The
Figure 2, Sheet 2, shews my Invention applied to draw clear water from a
muddy river canal or other service. The clarifier B. is placed with its lower open
end immersed in the river or canal so as to be always below the water line.
syphon pipe D. discharges the clarified liquid into a cistern P. which is placed below
the lowest water level of the river. The clarified liquid is drawn away from the
cistern P, by a pump or other means, through the suction pipe Q. The action of
the other parts as the cock E. in syphon pipe D. the exhausting pipe G. cock or
valve H. and ejector F. are the same as in Figure 1. The muddy liquid as it rises
slowly in the clarifier B. precipitates its impurities or sediments and reaches the
mouth of the syphon pipe D. clarified. The proportions named in describing
Figure 1. apply equally in this case.
I have not thought it necessary to illustrate the manner in which the action of
pumps may be applied as this is sufficiently obvious and may be convenient in
some cases, but I prefer the syphon arrangement.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and illustrated different
methods in which it may be practically applied I claim as novel and secured to me
by Letters Patent
First. For the purpose of clarifying liquids the use or application of syphons of
such proportions that the liquid in passing shall have time to precipitate its
impurities or sediments and flow out clarified.
Second. For the purpose of clarifying liquids the use or application of pumps by
means of which the liquid may be caused to rise slowly in the clarifier and
precipitate its impurities or sediments flowing out at top clarified.
Third. Clarifying liquids as and by the means hereinabove described and shewn
respectively in Sheet 1 and Sheet 2 of the Drawings.
In witness of which I the said Carl Heinrich Roeckner have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twentieth day of June in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
C. H. ROECKNER. (L.S.)