IMPROVEMENTS IN GULLIES FOR STREET SEWERS AND DRAINS GENERALLY
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Alexander, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Sewerage Inspector, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GULLIES FOR STREET SEWERS AND DRAINS GENERALLY."
י
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Alexander at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd November 1873.
I, DAVID ALEXANDER, of Leeds, in the County of York, Sewerage
Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GULLIES FOR STREET SEWERS AND DRAINS GENERALLY," to be
as follows:-
The body of the gully consists of a chamber or reservoir (in either one
or two pieces), and may be made either cylindrical, square, or otherwise,
having an outlet at the side near the top communicating with the drain
or sewer by means of an external discharge pipe extending downwards,
the position of which determines the water level of the trap. The upper
part of the aforesaid chamber or reservoir is divided by a removable

page_text: partition made of galvanized sheet iron or other non-corroding material,
on one side of which the chamber is covered or enclosed on the top, and
on the other is left open.
The partition is carried a sufficient depth below the water level or
lower edge of the outlet before described, to prevent the passage of gas,
vapour, or mud, such outlet or discharge being on the enclosed side of
the partition, whilst the top of the chamber (or other side of the partition)
is open to the entrance of the drainage water or sewage. The chamber
or reservoir of the gulley intercepts the mud or other matter, and
prevents it passing through the outlet or discharge pipe into the drain
or sewer, and when filled with water or sewage the removable partition
before mentioned prevents the escape of gas, vapour, or mud through
the said outlet from the drain or sewer into the atmosphere.
If the drain or sewer is required to be ventilated I make the aforesaid
partition with an orifice or perforation near the top of the partition,
which will enable the gas or vapour to pass through and escape out of
the gulley into the atmosphere.
The gulley may be fixed in any suitable manner on a firm foundation.
Upon the top of the gully I build one or more courses of brickwork, and
fix thereon a wooden frame with an ordinary iron frame and hinged 2
grating over.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID 2
ALEXANDER, of Leeds, in the County of York, Sewage Inspector, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty- 3
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said David Alexander, Her special license
that I, the said David Alexander, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said David Alexander, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no 8

page_text: others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GULLIES FOR STREET SEWERS AND DRAINS GENERALLY," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said David Alexander, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Alexander, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to.
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by:
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto,
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
This Invention relates to the fitting of gullies with a plate or partition
which will serve to trap the sewer gas (when desired), and prevent mud
and solid refuse matter entering the gully from passing thence to the
drain pipe or sewer, and yet will allow of the gully being cleaned out
with facility.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in vertical section a street
gully fitted according to my Invention with its grating in place; Fig. 2
is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan view
of the same.
The body of the gully consists of a chamber or revervoir A, which
may be made either of one or two pieces, and of a cylindrical, square, or
other form, as found desirable. The Drawing however shows a cylindrical
gully with a cup-shaped bottom. It is provided with an outlet at the
side near the top communicating with the drain or sewer by means of a
short external discharge pipe B cast with the gully, and extending
downwards. The height of this outlet determines the water level of the
trap. The upper part of the chamber or reservoir A is divided by a :
loose detachable partition O placed in front of the outlet, and made of
galvanized sheet iron or other non-corroding material. This partition C.
,

page_text: drops into vertical grooves formed in the walls of the upper part of the
chamber. On one side of this partition O the chamber is covered or
closed at top, and on the other side it is left open.
The partition is carried a sufficient depth below the water level or
lower edge of the outlet before described to prevent the passage
of gas,
vapour, or mud under the lower edge thereof. The top of the chamber
is fitted with a hinged or other grating D as usual, and it forms an
entrance for the drainage water or sewage to the chamber. This
chamber or reservoir serves to intercept the mud and solid matters
carried down by the surface water of the streets, and prevents the same
from passing through the outlet or discharge pipe B into the drain or
Bower. When the chamber is charged with drainage water, the
partition C will serve to prevent the escape of sewer gas or vapour from
the gully into the atmosphere (unless pierced as shewn in the Drawing),
and it will also effectually prevent the mud and other solid refuse
collecting in the gully from passing into the drain or sewer.
If the drain or sewer is required to be ventilated I make the
partition C with an orifice or perforation near the top of the partition,
which will enable the gas or vapour to pass through and escape out of
the gully into the atmosphere.
Fig. 4 shews in vertical section a gully for private courts, yards, or
alleys with my Invention applied thereto; Fig. 5 is a vertical section
at right angles to Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same. The
construction of this gully is substantially the same as that above
described, with the exception that the plate C is made solid to prevent
the escape of the sewer gas. This gully is fitted with a concave
grating D, shewn in plan at Fig. 7.
When it is desired to clear the chamber A of an accumulation of mud
and refuse matters, the grating D is raised or removed, and the
partition C is withdrawn from its supporting grooves. The operation
may then be effected with great facility, and the parts replaced in their
former positions.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements
in Gullies for Street Sewers and Drains generally," and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the application to

page_text: gullies of a detachable trap, plate, or partition in the manner and for
the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Alexander, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-four.
DAVID ALEXANDER. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said David Alexander, in
the presence of
EDWARD WHITELEY,
Clerk to Mr. Thos. Turner,
Solicitor,
Leeds.