IMPROVEMENTS IN SYPHONS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR FLUSHING SEWERS
Year: 1885

page_text: *
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SYPHONS AND APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR FLUSHING SEWERS" 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 that class of siphons designed to accumulate a head or
pressure of water or other fluid in a pipe or reservoir practically impermeable for
the escape of such water or other fluid, except through the siphon, and to retain
the said fluid so that it cannot enter the siphon until it has accuinulated in sufficient
quantity and force to fill the siphon, drive the air out of it, and effect complete
sipbonage when released.
The improved siphonage apparatus is applicable in all cases where it is desirable
to collect slowly and to discharge rapidly, with flushing action, water or other
liquids in variable quantities. It is also applicable where it may be deemed
desirable to employ any valve or gate which will open and afford a free or un-
obstructed passage to fluids under a set or predetermined hydrostatic pressure, in
one of two diametrically opposite directions, and which will nevertheless thereafter
continue to afford an equally free passage to said fluids under lesser pressure, but
which, after the cessation of pressure thereon by said flowing fluids, will auto-
matically firmly close, and will, until again opened by said predetermined pressure,
oppose the rearward passage of animal life, liquids or solid matter, air, gas or
steam.
Whether clean water or sewage containing solid matters be relied upon for
flushing the siphon and its pipes are made of ample internal dimensions, and so
organized that the liquid supply reserved for flushing, can be accumulated in large
or small quantities as slowly or rapidly, or as regularly or irregularly, as may be
desired or convenient in each case, and also so that the liquids may be caused to

page_text: rise to any desired height (after passing the line at which ordinary siphonage
would be effected) for enabling said liquid supply to acquire the pressure requisite
for causing the siphon to be opened and the flushing operation to begin.
It is obvious that all this can best be accomplished in a siphon which approaches
as nearly as possible the primary form of a bent tube, whose capacity throughout,
being made equal for the work intended, shall be limited as little as possible by
the means employed to prevent entrance into it of the water or other fluid to be
used, until such time as the desired reserve has accumulated after such entrance has
been made and siphonage has begun.
In the developement of this invention I have sought such simplicity that the
manufacture and maintenance of the apparatus will be comparatively cheap and its
operation effective and economical.
In the accomplishment of these and other ends I employ a siphon and ball in
an entirely novel manner, so that for the first time, as I believe, a ball operating
within the short leg of a siphon, serves as a valve for resisting the entrance of
liquid to the siphon, until a requisite head or pressure to insure siphonage is
obtained, whereupon said ball when released is lifted and carried to a point in the
siphon at which it cannot operate obstructively to the passage of liquids and other
matters suspended therein or carried thereby; nor can it drop into the long leg of
the siphon and pass away, but after siphonage ceases, the said ball rolls and drops
to 'its normal position and operates, not only as a water-tight valve capable of the
required resistance; but also as a gas-tight valve for preventing sewer gas from
passing through the siphon after each flushing operation, and before the air, gas or
vapor driven out of the outlet to said siphon by the outgoing flush can possibly pass
back into or through it.
The invention comprises various novel combinations and features of construction,
which will be hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a vertical sewer shaft, or cesspool, and a
siphon embodying this invention.
Figure 2 is a top view of the lower portion of said shaft below the line x, x,
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section of a closet flush tank with the siphon
attached, as for use in buildings.
Figure 4 is a vertical central section of the siphon as applied to the soil pipe of a
building.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross section on the line y Figure 1 of the lower portion of
the shaft.
Figure 6 is a vertical central section drawn to an enlarged scale of the mouth of
the siphon, and
Figure is a view also drawn to an enlarged scale of a sliding rod and its bearing
located beneath the short leg of the siphon.
Figures 8 and 9 illustrate on an enlarged scale, in top view and section, an
annular plate surmounting the basin in which the mouth of the siphon is located.
Figures 10 to 15 inclusive are various sectional views of the siphon and portions
thereof.
Referring to Figure 1, it is to be understood that the shaft or reservoir A may be
supplied wholly with water from adjacent water pipes from time to time, or,
whether it be supplied with water pipes or not, it may be entered by one or more
sewer pipes, or by numerous local house drains or both. Such reservoirs may be
at the heads of lines of sewers, or be located in series in a main line of sewers at
successively lower levels, so that the contents of the reservoirs will be successively
discharged into others after traversing a line of sewer, or so that each shaft or
reservoir will only receive from local sources and discharge into an adjacent sewer
or cesspool. One or more similar smaller reservoirs may be employed between the
foot of a house drain and a sewer or cesspool when sufficient fall therefor is
afforded.

page_text: It will readily be seen that in the use of a siphon so constructed and applied,
when the ball is wedged, a slow or rapid accumulation of water or other fluid so
confined as to rise above the level of the highest portion of the siphon, and in
contact with the lower surface of the ball, will exert in proportion to its height, a
hydrostatic pressure upward upon the ball.
When, at length, the upward pressure upon the ball overcomes the compression
force and friction with which it has been held, the ball starts. It is then carried
rapidly to the top of the siphon where the water or other fluid passing rapidly
through the siphon easily holds it, at the same time washing and turning it about,
thereby preventing the attachment to it, or the lodgement above it, of foreign
matters. Upon the cessation of all flow, and the breaking of the seal of the siphon
whereby its contents fall rapidly away, no obstacle remaining to the passage of the
ball, it rolls and drops freely into the shorter leg and wedges.
In the reservoir or cesspool as shewn in Figure 1, or in a privy vault, where
grease, foecal matter, paper, rags, parings, etc, may be expected, I provide a bottom
to the shaft or reservoir, (Figure 1,) inclined so that the fluid contents drain readily
to the mouth of the circular basin a. At and below the bottom of the shaft, the
sides and bottom of the basin are curved so as to form a central cone extending up
a short distance within the mouth of the siphon B, which mouth is flared
outwardly and is located within said basin below an annular plate c, which serves
as the top of the basin and inclines downwardly toward the cone and serves as a
partial cover for said basin.
The outgoing matter passing over and then under the annular plate c, and thence
into the cone-centred basin a, is drawn from it into the siphon.
The circuitous route of the fluid so described serves to thoroughly break up into
small pieces, what otherwise should not pass into the sewer pipe e beyond. It will
not however under the tremendous force of the siphon, whose long leg will at times
be many feet in length, oppose the passage of anything not entirely foreign to the
use and capacity of the sewer e, Figure 1, but it will serve to arrest, conveniently
for removal, the passage of anything unfit for disposal through such pipe or sewer.
Perforations in the annular plate c serve to prevent any confinement of air under
its highest interior points. The annular perforated plate c, serves to arrest and
retain any floating substance brought by the subsidence of one discharge to the
level of the mouth of the siphon until the next siphonage shall take it away in the
early part of the flush, and follow it by an abundant rush of water.
The concentration of the subsiding matter about the mouth of the siphon by the
inclination of the sides and bottom of the supply reservoir, and the effect of the
conical rise of the basin a Figure 1, into the mouth b, of the siphon B, serves to
effect such a complete siphonage that almost all of the matter will be forcibly
drawn up, and, in any event, only a small quantity can be left.
This cone-centred basin a thus constructed in combination with the perforated
annular piate c, and a siphon, constitutes a valuable feature of my invention.
The siphon B embodies several novel features of construction, the most important
of which is the inwardly tapered valve seat g, at the bottom of the short leg, for
the ball C, whereby when the latter is dropped, it wedges itself therein and operates
in closing the siphon as a valve which can only be raised (or opened) when the
lifting pressure of the liquid within the tank can overcome the frictional adhesion
of the ball to its seat.
The degree of said frictional adhesion will vary in proportion to the size of the
ball, its weight, the height from which it is dropped, the pitch of the conical valve-
seat, and the character of the materials of which the ball and the valve seat are
composed.
In some cases it is desirable to employ a valve seat composed of flexible material,
such as vulcanized india-rubber, and such a seat may be a mere lining; but for
obtaining the best results it is, as shewn in Figure 6, secured at the upper and
lower edges to a metallic shell, and has an annular recess g' at its rear, and
apertures or ports g² near its lower edge, so that when the ball is seated, water

page_text: under pressure will enter the apertures, occupy the recess, compress the lining
about the ball and even above its centre in proportion to the hydrostatic head
accumulated and cause the seat to closely engage with the ball, with a much greater
area of contact therewith than would be possible, if the valve-seat g were a mere
flexible or yielding lining, and this peculiar construction of ball-valve-seat con-
stitutes in the combination shown, another feature of my invention.
The ball C may be flotative or non flotative, and it may be variably constructed.
I have obtained good results with a wooden ball, when the latter was first turned
dry, then well soaked in water, then turned up again, and so on until, when
finally turned, it was fully soaked and was the less liable thereafter, if kept wet, to
depart from a spheroidal form, than if turned dry and then wetted, in which case
the wood would swell unequally.
I have also obtained good results with wooden balls enclosed in india rubber.
Balls composed in whole or in part of metal, glass, or a composition can also be
relied upon for good results, care being taken to provide valve-seats with which
such balls can properly engage for securing the desired degree of frictional or
adhesive contact and a water-tight joint.
Hollow balls containing slightly smaller solid balls in a manner well known can
also be used to advantage, whether the hollow balls be composed of flexible or of
non flexible material. In lieu of the solid interior ball a quantity of shot will
serve a good purpose, but I do not confine myself to any specific construction of
the ball.
Approximate results may perhaps be secured by the use of an oblate spheroid
and a siphon of corresponding interior outline, but I prefer the use of a ball. As
before stated, the ball C may be flotative or not, inasmuch as the pressure of the
liquid after the release of the ball from its seat, may safely be relied upon for
lifting the ball out of the short leg, and into the raceway above the long leg of
the siphon, where, if properly proportioned for the work to be done, it will roll and
tumble until siphonage ceases, whereupon it will fall to its seat and resume its
function as a valve cover.
The degree of adhesion of the ball to its seat may not be always uniform, and
therefore when hydrostatic pressure is alone relied upon for its release, provision
should be made for safely affording the highest possible head or pressure that may
be required.
In general the specific gravities of the balls used should increase as their
diameters diminish.
The valve seat g is a hollow inverted frustum of a cone and the inclination of
its working surface, will be varied according to circumstances. For obtaining the
best results said surface should be practically non-corrosive and truly circular.
The interior portion of the siphon which is traversed by the ball should be
smooth, and as a rule coated with, or composed of, some material which will not
unduly roughen by corrosion, as, for instance, it may be enamelled, galvanized, or
lined with zinc, lead or bronze; or it may be lined with, or composed of, glazed
earthenware or glass.
Instead of being constructed in several flanged sections as shown, the siphon
above the section containing the valve, can be formed in two sections, having a
longitudinal flanged joint, and this form is especially desirable when earthenware
or glass is employed, because of the attendant convenience in moulding. The
long leg of the siphon should, as a rule, be slightly less in diameter than the
short leg.
The concave portion of the raceway, as shown, designed to receive the ball
during siphonage, effects also, by its closely fitting shape, an abrading surface,
available for the scraping of the ball as it turns and revolves during siphonage, and
also affords upon the first violent rise and concussion of the ball, a valuable air and
water cushion to resist the shock, while it nowhere affords surplus space from
which the air cannot be driven out and effective siphonage secured.

page_text: The raceway n, constructed as shown, enables the ball to roll and tumble freely,
but will not allow it to pass away, and after siphonage ceases it will roll to, and
freely fall into the short leg and resume its frictional contact with its seat.
It will be observed that although the longitudinal line of the raceway n inclines
in two directions, its bearing points diverge from rear to front, as seen in Figure 10,
so that the ball descends as it rolls, and as it advances toward the short leg of the
siphon, its bearing contacts are varied from points below and closely adjacent to
the vertical centre of the ball as seen in Figure 12, to points only a little below
The horizontal centre as seen in Figure 15, the intermediate bearing contacts being
illustrated in Figures 13 and 14. This peculiar construction of the raceway
inclined longitudinally and laterally constitutes one feature of my invention, and
has special value in a siphon because the ball has a peculiar rolling and shearing
action thereon, by which the surface of the ball is kept free from accretions of
solid matters, and also because said raceway affords a free passage to the long leg
of the siphon and presents no surfaces by which obstructive solid matter can be
retained, and this feature is of value whether the ball operates as a flush valve, or,
as heretofore, as a mere seal for resting in a cup at the top of the short leg of a
siphon.
As seen in Figure 4, the ball is arranged to be operated solely by hydrostatic
pressure, as, for instance, when located at the foot of a house soil pipe, or at one
or more points in a pipe between the foot of such a soil pipe and a street sewer.
When it is necessary or desirable to regulate and gauge flushes either as to
quantity, or as to time, or both, mechanism for giving the ball its initial movement
should be relied upon. As, for instance, in Figure 3, a house water closet flush
tank is shown, having the usual supply cock an! float for controlling said cock.
The siphon B and ball C here shown are as before described, but the ball is set not
to start until initially lifted by means of a vertical sliding spindle h, operated by a
horizontal lever i, accessible by means of a chain or rod attached to the outer end
thereof.
To regulate the operation of flushing, or discharging any accumulated supply
and ensure siphonage from any desired level, a float D is employed, as illustrated
in Figure 1, in which case the lifting spindle slides vertically through the conical
centre of the basin a. In order that it can be accurately adjusted to properly
operate against the ball, it is constructed in two sections and ', Figure 7, one
part being tapped into the other, so that by rotating the upper section h, the
spindle may be elongated or shortened as may be required-A horizontal lever i,
is pivoted by a hook and staple at one end below the basin, and is pivotally
connected to the lower end of the spindle h, h¹, and at its outer end it is connected
by a chain to a vertically sliding rod k, having a float D at its upper end. For
protecting this lever i from obstructive masses of solid matter, it is located within
a casing m, which is wholly below the surface of the bottom of the shaft as seen in
Figures 1 and 5. The float rod k is housed within a vertical pipe k, and has a
hood 2, which prevents the undue collection of floatative solid matter around said
rod above the top of the pipe k.
The float D is vertically adjustable on its rod, whereby the flushing level can be
varied.
It will be seen that the lifting spindle in no manner obstructs the mouth of the
siphon, and that however firmly the ball may be lodged in its seat it will require
only the slightest initial movement of it to effect its entire release, and that
promptly thereafter the spindle will drop to its lowest position. To ensure
freedom of movement by the lifting spindle, it and its guide bearing in the cone of
the basin should be composed of practically non corrosive metal.
The combination of a valve of any kind in a sewer flushing apparatus, of an
encased lever, and a float connected thereto for operating the valve tripping
mechanism, constitutes another feature of my inveution of considerable value, it
being obvious that the float will be uniformly able to lift the lever, because the
latter is never liable to become obstructed or weighted by solid matters.

page_text: With the ball and its valve seat carefully constructed and proportioned with
reference to each other, and a sufficient drop for the ball being provided, it will
seldom fail to enable such a head of water to be accumulated as will ensure the
proper operation of the siphon, but should the ball fail at any time to properly seat
itself it can be forced downward by means of a rod inserted through a hole in the
cap of the siphon, on removing from said hole a tightly fitting screw plugo, as
illustrated in Figure 11.
It will be seen that even if the ball should fail to be properly seated, there
will still be a gradual discharge of water through the siphon equal to the supply
and where this carries solids such as sewage, the ball by resisting the free passage
of ordinary solid matters, such as paper &, will soon cause a temporary clogging,
which when suddenly overcome by pressure of liquid in the tank or pipe will
result in the complete lifting of the ball to the raceway, as if it had been forced
directly from its valve seat, and after siphonage ceases the ball will be free to fall
and to have a fresh oppurtunity of properly seating itself.
In sewer shafts I deem it usually advisable to provide a direct outlet at or near
the bottom of the shaft, guarded by a suitable valve or gate, and communicating
with the sewer, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, whereby should occasion
demand it, the shaft can be emptied independently of the siphon by the use of a
rod and hook, for opening the gate.
In the construction of a shaft or reservoir with this improved siphon, in the line
of any sewer or drain pipe for the purpose of periodically flushing, by retention and
discharge of the sewage itself, it may be very easily so arranged, that the sewage
flow may be diverted without hindrance around the siphon on the regular grade of
the sewer, when for any reason it may be desired to do so for inspection of the
siphon or any other purpose.
Or the flushing shaft may be set just to one side of the sewer and the flow
admitted for flushing purposes, or turned off by any simple device, at pleasure.
The best gate or valve that I know of for effecting this purpose, would be a ball or
conical plug wedged from the down stream side, against the sewage, in a conical
section of the sewer or pipe placed on the regular grade of the sewer. It could be
chained to the shaft and securely wedged to prevent admission of the sewage flow
to the flushing tank by hand, or could by the use of the chain be withdrawn and
hung to one side at will.
The economy and value of such a flush, to any sewer system, whereby at no extra
expense for water, the actual sewage contents may at successive intervals be auto-
matically caught and rapidly released, is apparent.
It is obvious that by the use of this siphon, the sewage reserve may be accumu-
lated in the sewer itself, filling its entire capacity for a long distance.
The efficiency of the flush secured by the sudden release of a quantity of sewage
which completely fills the sewer for a considerable distance, over any system which
relies upon the collection of water in tanks of any practicable size, and located at
termini only, is obvious.
It is particularly advantageous that in soil pipes (where it will generally be
desired to rely wholly upon hydrostatic pressure to start the ball) the supply is
usually and frequently delivered behind the ball in a rush or sudden impact, by
which its momentum adds to its weight, and consequently, its force, as in the
sudden emptyings into house drains of the contents of baths, tubs, vats, sinks,
basins and the like which contents when released rush violently away.
It is obvious that this siphon can be readily applied to the vaults of outlying
privies, not provided with heating appliances, where seat flushing closets cannot be
used in cold climates, by retaining and periodically releasing the vault contents to
a sewer or cesspool, at a lower level, and that it can be used at the mouth of tide
locked sewers and prevent the tide entrance or the sewage escape until a proper time.
To allow the ball to fall freely after siphonage it is necessary to promptly restore
the atmospheric equilibrium within the siphon, even if necessary to provide the
air duct shown in Figure 1,

page_text: While I prefer the simple form of siphon shown, it is to be understood that
I do not preclude myself from employing that other well known form of siphon
which is composed of an inner and an outer pipe, affording an annular space
between them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination with a siphon, of a tapering valve seat within the short
leg of the siphon, a valve ball capable of wedging itself into said valve seat, and an
inclined raceway for said ball extending from the top of the short leg across the top
of the long leg of the siphon, substantially as described, whereby said ball, operating
as a valve, is enabled to resist the passage of liquid through the siphon until a
sufficient pressure is obtained to force said ball from its seat, and lift it to and roll
it upon said raceway, and after siphonage ceases, enabling said ball to roll down-
ward on its raceway, fall into the short leg of the siphon and again wedge itself
into its valve seat, as set forth.
Second. The combination with the short leg of a siphon, of a flexible tapered
valve seat, a recess or chamber at the rear of said valve seat accessible to liquids,
and a ball capable of wedging itself in said valve seat, substantially as described.
Third. The combination with a siphon and a ball, of a raceway for said ball
which extends from the top of the short leg, across the top of the long leg of the
siphon, and is inclined longitudinally and laterally, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of a ball, a tapered valve seat capable of receiving and
frictionally retaining said ball, and a lifting spindle for releasing said ball from said
seat, substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination of a tank or shaft, a ball, a tapered valve seat capable of
receiving and frictionally retaining said ball, a lifting spindle for said ball, and a
float for automatically controlling the spindle, substantially as described.
Sixth. In combination with a sewer tank or shaft, a siphon, and a cone centred
basin located below the surface of the bottom of the shaft and containing the mouth
of the short leg of the siphon, whereby siphonage can continue until the contents
of the tank are practically discharged, and a water seal is afforded to the mouth of
the siphon.
Seventh. In combination with a tank or shaft, a siphon, and a cone centred basin
located below the bottom of the shaft, containing the mouth of the siphon, and
having an overhanging annular edge, substantially as described.
Eighth. The combination with a sewer flushing valve, of a lever for tripping said
valve, a casing for enclosing said lever and protecting it from solid matters, and a
float for lifting said lover and tripping said valve, substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of January 1885
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.