PURIFYING SEWER GASES, AND MEPHITIC VAPORS
Year: 1884

page_text: SAMUEL CHAPMAN DEAN Agent 39 Bramber Road Fulham London S.W. do
hereby declare the nature of iny invention for PURIFYING SEWER GASES, AND
MEPHITIC VAPORS, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved means of purifying mephitic vapors, venti-
lating Sewers, works, public buildings, &c., by cremating the air destroying
infection, passing only carbonic acid into the atmosphere. Sewer gases are
acknowledged by Science to be the parent of, and to spread Typhus Typhoid,
Scarletina and Diptheria.-The age to which these subtle germs retain their
vitality is unknown.-Generated in quantity in the Sewers, under certain atmos-
pheric influences, they rush into the wide world to seek their living This Invention
purposes to mitigate economically the evils arising therefrom.
The ventilator I make in the form of a drum or cylinder about three diameters
long, fitted with a grid about a diameter from the bottom, with a gauze wire, or
asbestos cloth cap, at the top, the cylinder nearly filled with asbestos or other
refracttory material, and fitted with gas near the bottom with an argand, any, or
no burner, the gas to be regulated until only a blue flame is seen playing anong
the asbestos and at the gauze cap. Care must be taken that the gas is not alight
at the burner, only at the top by the gauze wire cap, and the upper portion of the
asbestos. Heat will be raised, a draught will be created, and nothing but carbonic
acid will pass through the heated gauze wire into the atmosphere,-all contageous
and mephitic germs being cremated.
When used as a Sewer ventilator a gauze wire cap at the bottom of the drum
or cylinder also necessary to prevent the firing of any gases accumulated in the
Sewers, and a door or opening provided in the drum to light the gas.
The metal used in the making of the drums, caps, and gauze wire to be able to
withstand the effects of sulphuretted hydrogen. The caps to fit correctly and
easily, to be luted on, and removed easy for convenience of cleaning The cylinders
can be made small and adapted to the household.
The ventilators to be erected on the highest level of the System of Sewers, or
where the Sewer gases most congregate.
When fitted to the Sewers the gas not always required to be alight only when
the barometrical pressure, or the alfractory senses denote the necessity, and the
rise of the Sewer gases into the atmosphere demand their combustion.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 4 shews ventilator fitted in roof of building or shed, A gauze wire cap
at top. B grid C drum or cylinder, D gas. Figure 5 shews Sewer gas venti-
lator fitted to Street Lamp. A gauze wire cap at top B grid E pipe to main
Sewer. H Hollow column for exit K gauze wire cap at bottom Figure 6 shews
drum or cylinder in detail F the door or opening to light the gas, other letters
denote the same parts as in figures 4 and 5.
SAMUEL CHAPMAN DEAN,
39, Bramber Road, Fulham, S.W.

page_text: I, SAMUEL CHAPMAN DEAN 39 Bramber Road Fulham London S.W. Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for PURIFYING SEWER GAS AND
MEPHITIC VAPOURS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention consists of improved means of purifying Sewer air, infected, and
Mephitic Vapors, Ventilating Sewers, Hospitals, mines works, cess-pools, Soil
pipes, &c by cremating the vitiated air, and destroying infectious exhalations.
Every gallon of town Sewage gives off over one square inch of Sewer gas per
hour; it is found to consist of by average analysis 73 parts hydrogen 77 parts
nitrogen, and 10 parts carbonic acid, and is invariably accompanied by a mephitic
fume that carries atoms of disease with it.
Sewer gas is a known and well proved poison permitted by the present system
of sewer ventilation to mingle with, and to pollute the air we breathe; the
sewage and the Sewer air is carefully trapped out at the back of the houses
and let in again at the front windows from the Sewer ventilators on the street
level at all times, and from the ventilators carried to the top. of the buildings
when there is a downward current of air.
The cremating ventilators I make in the form of a cylinder, or drum, a trun-
cated cone, or, of any form and shape to fit, and suit where required, the
cylinder to be about three diameters long, to be fitted with gas near the top,
also, near the bottom; the cylinder to be provided with an asbestos or gauze wire
cap, at the top and fitted with a grid or perforated cone, a few inches below the
asbestos or wire, the space above the grid to be loosely filled with asbestos, or
other refractory material, the cylinder to be provided with a door or opening to
light the upper gas under the asbestos and wire at the top. The gas in the lower
part of the cylinder never required to alight.
.
When working the cremators,-light the upper gas close the opening, turn on
the lower gas (unlighted) the gas from the lower orifice mixes with the vitiated
and infected air from the sewers &c and is carbonised by the heated asbestos and
wire. A temperature of 400 degrees Fah. will be found ample to destroy all all
germs and virus, and to disinfect exhalations from sewage, diseased bodies &c-
The cremator can be made red hot, and the draught increased at will, by turning
on both the upper and the lower gas taps to the full, when necessary to cleanse and
clear the asbestos and wire, or, to increase the draught, when the asbestos &c is
thoroughly cleansed regulate to the required temperature.
Thus, heat will be raised economically by consuming the gas under the asbestos
&c. a draught will be created, gentle or strong at will according to the amount of
gas consumed, and the infected and impure air is perfectly disinfected and deodorised
all pestilential and mephitic atoms being cremated and rendered innoxious to
health by passing thro the heated asbestos &c before mingling with the atmosphere.
When used as a sewer air cremator a gauze wire at the bottom of the cylinder
is also necessary, to prevent the firing of any gas accumulated in the sewers by.
leakage from the gas mains, or any other source. The cremators to be made of
fire clay or any refractory material, when of metal it must be prepared to with-
stand the effects of sulphuretted hydrogen &c. and provided with easy means of
renewing the asbestos, wire &c. when required.
In ventilating sewers the cremators to be placed in man-holes, the present
ventilating shafts, the base of street lamps, or in any position convenient, or desired
preferably the cremators to be fixed in the highest parts of the levels of the system

page_text: of sewers, the downdraughts may be provided, if considered necessary, with a
receptacle loosely filled with coke kept saturated with sulphuric acid, or any known
oxydising agent. In destroying the germs of disease by carbonisation, another
insiduous and unseen constituent of sewer air is increased This I negative in
densely populated districts when required by passing the air from the cremators
through a vessel or receptacle of any form very loosely filled with porous coke, or,
fitted with discs of coarse gauze wire, kept thoroughly wetted with lime water,
caustic potash, or, other inexpensive absorbent of carbonic acid.
In Ventilating Hospitals for infectious diseases, I prefer to place the cremators
in a position to carry off, and consume the light infected air from the upper part,
and the heavy infected air from the lower part of the apartment, the induced
currents of air to be so arranged as to reduce the danger to the attendants to a
minimum, and the cremators to be so placed as to be easily attended to from the
inside or the outside of the building, or, the cremators can be adapted, and fitted to
any existing system in use in ventilating buildings.
Small cremators for soil pipes and cess-pools &c to be fitted either for gas, or
where gas is not attainable with a lamp to burn paraffin or any oil, the lamp to be
fitted with a metal, tale or mica chimney, the case to be made with a long well
fitting door, to admit the lamp, and fitted with a grid to be so placed, that the
lamp will stand upon it, the top of the chimney of the lamp to be half an inch
below the gauze wire at the top of the case, or to be so placed as to produce a
temperature of from 300 to 400 degrees Fah. in the gauze wire.
In ventilating mines and tunnels requiring large quantities of air, I prefer to
honeycomb together the required number of cremators 8 or 9 inches in diameter,
as, they are then under easy control.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig 1 A the cremator. panels to open, ✗ space for cremator.-The induced
currents are marked by arrows Fig 2 Ventilation of Sewers, A the cremator
B the sewer, C the gas main Fig 3 Section of man-hole X space for cremator
D well fitting trap door, The induced currents marked by arrows Fig 4 A the
cremator D door to light gas C gas fitting Fig 5 square cremator Fig 6
Section of Cremator A the cremator B the upper gas, C the lower gas supply,
D, upper asbestos cloth or gauze wire E lower gauze wire Fig 7. Receptacle for
neutralizing excess of Carbonic acid-B vessel to be filled with porous coke,
C vessel filled with lime water or caustic potash to percolate slowly into the
porous coke, E E exit for for purified air. Fig 8 Cremator to work with paraffin
or other oil lamp for Soil pipes and cess-pools &c. 00 Metal grid for lamp L to
rest upon
C metal or refractory chimney B gauze wire, Fig 9 Soil pipe and
cess pool ventilator with gas, A the cremator B door to light gas. C gas.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I claim is "disinfecting
and deodorising Sewer air, infected air from Hospitals, and mephitic vapors by
means of caloric in the hereinbefore described Ventilating Cremators shewn and
described, as, and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 30th day of September 1884.