Improved Apparatus applicable to the Cleansing or Filtration of Sewage and other Liquids.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus applicable to the Cleansing or Filtration of
Sewage and other Liquids.
I WILLIAM BIRCH of Milton Street Iron Works Lower Broughton
Manchester in the County of Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to the construction of apparatus for separating from
sewage or other liquids such solid matters as are capable of direct precipitation,
and it may be used either by itself for partially cleansing the liquid or in connection
with any known filtering apparatus for subsequently removing floating or other
matters which will not readily precipitate, the object being to remove from the
sewage or other liquid all heavy precipitable matter before it passes onto or into
the filtering apparatus so as to prevent the filtering medium employed from becoming
rapidly silted up by heavy precipitable matter.
For the purposes of my invention I arrange a series of tanks on the same level
or I construct a long open sluice divided into several compartments or tanks by
below the sides of the
transverse walls or divisions of which the top edge
sluice, so that the sewage or other liquid being poured into the first compartment
or tank, will fill it to the level of the wall or division and then run over the
latter into the second compartment or tank, and so on until all the compartments
are full.
It will then run in a level stream over the top of all the transverse divisions or
walls and escape over the top of the last one.
The sewage or fluid in the tanks being comparatively stagnant the heavy
precipitable matter or sludge will be left or deposited therein, whilst the lighter
and partially cleansed fluid (with only floating impurities) will pass over the top
gradually depositing its heavier particles as it flows on.
Each compartment is provided with a false bottom which is supported on feet
or otherwise at a convenient distance above the bottom of the sluice, and at
one or more sides, or all round the same space is left between it and the walls
of the sluice.
The false bottom may be either flat convex, or slightly conical or pyramidal and
from the space below the same a flushing pipe is carried out through the side of
the sluice and provided with a stop tap. The false bottom prevents the orifice of
this flushing pipe from becoming silted up, and at any time when a large quantity
of sludge or precipitate has accumulated the same may be flushed out by opening
the stop taps.
I prefer that the flushing pipe should be carried through the highest point of the
false bottom, above which it is bent into an elbow and carried out sideways through
one of the walls of the sluice.
A
oof Anil 1901

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus applicable to the Cleansing or Filtration of
Sewage and other Liquids.
I WILLIAM BIRCH of Milton Street Iron Works Lower Broughton
Manchester in the County of Lancaster 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 the construction of apparatus for separating from
sewage or other liquids such solid matters as are capable of direct precipitation,
and it may be used either by itself for partially cleansing the liquid, or in con-
nection with any known filtering apparatus for subsequently removing floating or
other light matters which will not readily precipitate, the object being to remove
from the sewage or other liquid all heavy precipitable matter before it passes into
or onto the filtering apparatus so as to prevent the filtering medium employed from
becoming rapidly "silted up" by the heavy precipitable matter, and thus obviate
the necessity for so frequently cleansing and removing the filtering medium.
The nature of my invention and the manner in which it is to be performed or
carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to the sheet of
drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawing is a vertical longitudinal section through my improved
apparatus and
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same.
For the purposes of my invention I arrange a series of tanks on the same level or
I construct a long open sluice divided into several compartments or tanks a, a', a' &c.
by transverse walls or partitions b of which the top edge is below the sides and
front end of the sluice, so that the sewage or other liquid to be cleansed being
pumped or otherwise poured into the first compartment or tank a will fill it to the
level of the wall or partition b and then run over the latter into the second com-
partment or tank a¹ and so on until all the compartments or tanks are full.
It will then run in a level stream over the top of all the transverse partitions
and finally escape through perforations b* near the top of the last or end one 6
which is of about the same height as the sides of the tank.
By preference I make the first wall or partition higher than the others as shown
at Fig. I as there is more agitation in the first tank than in the others and the
great body of the sewage or fluid in these tanks being comparatively stagnant and
only the supernatant water above the partitions being in motion the heavy precipi-
table matter or sludge will be left or deposited in the tanks, whilst the lighter
and partially cleansed fluid (with only floating impurities) will pass over the top
of the partitions gradually depositing its heavier precipitable particles as it
flows on.
The number of tanks required will depend upon the speed at which the precipi-
tation takes place and this in turn will be dependent upon the treatment (chemical,
electrical or otherwise) to which the sewage or other fluid may have been submitted
to separate the organic and other matters in a solid form and accelerate their
precipitation.
If no previous treatment of this kind has been employed the precipitation
will be much more gradual and a considerably longer sluice will be required.
Each compartment or tank a, a¹, a², &c. is provided with a false bottom c (which
may be fixed to the sides of the sluice suitably supported at a convenient distance
from the bottom of the sluice) and at one or more sides or all round the same, a
space d is left between it and the walls of the sluice.
The false bottom c is preferably made with two flat surfaces inclined towards
each other at the centre (as shown) or it may be convex, or conical, or pyramidal,
with a narrow opening e at the apex, and in the space beneath this false bottom is

page_text: a flushing pipe f carried out through the side of the sluice and provided with a
stop tap or valve g.
As the precipitate falls down it gravitates towards the sides and passing through
the openings d into the space below the false bottom c the clearer water or liquid
being thereby forced upwards out of this space through the narrow openings e.
By opening the sludge cocks or valves g when required the precipitated sludge
will be forced out by the superincumbent weight of the water above, and as soon aз
clearer water begins to flow the sludge cocks may be closed.
To prevent the escape of clear water through the narrow openings e I sometimes
hinge the two inclines of the false bottom c at their lower edges, or one of them,
as shown in the division a³; or I make both inclines stationary and I provide one of
them with a flap as shown in the division at or I provide the opening e with a
cover and a suitable flap as shewn at e¹ in the division a' so that the clear water
can flow upwards, but if when the sludge cocks or valves are opened the clear
water attempts to descend and escape the downward pressure will close the
openings e and the only way of escape for the sludge will be by the spaces d.
I prefer to make the openings into the flushing pipe f on its under surface and
with holes or slots as shewn.
In some cases the opening e may be closed, the pipe f may be dispensed with
and instead of leaving the spaces d as shown, the bottoms c may touch the
partitions and be notched or perforated at their lower edges for the escape of
the sludge; in this case the total area of the perforations or notches should be less
than that of the exit opening or valve so as to ensure the clearance of the sludge
from all parts of the compartments or tanks.
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 :-
The combination of a series of settling tanks (or a long sluice with transverse
partitions) in juxtaposition on the same level, the partition walls being lower than
the sides, each tank or division being provided with a false bottom and a flushing
pipe and sludge cock or valve, so that as the sewage or other fluid passes in a
continuous stream over or through the same it will deposit the heavy precipitable
matter in the tanks or divisions substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 29th day of January 1892.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.