IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH TRAPS, AND IN THE CESSPOOLS OR PITS OF SEWERS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Shaw, of Wellington, in the County of
Salop, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH TRAPS,
AND IN THE CESSPOOLS OR PITS OF SEWERS."
Sealed the 31st July 1860, and dated the 1st February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Shaw at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
February 1860.
I, BENJAMIN SHAW, of Wellington, in the County of Salop, Builder, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH
TRAPS, AND IN THE CESSPOOLS OR PITS OF SEWERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in stench traps consists in making them
portable or removable from their sockets or beds, so as to enable the said traps
to be emptied of the mud or other matter with which they may be filled. I.
make the said traps of a slightly taper figure with a flat bottom, and having a
handle immediately under the grating to lift it out by. The mouth of the
trap is provided with a flange, on which the grating of the trap fits, as in
ordinary traps. An outlet is made at the side of the trap through which the
water passing through the trap escapes to the drain; opposite the said outlet
and inside the trap is a plate, by which the mud in the trap is prevented from
passing to the drain. The top edge of the trap is provided with a flange, the

page_text: under side of which has a wedge shape which fits in a groove of a correspond-
ing shape in a fixed socket or bed in the floor where the trap is used. The
said groove in the fixed socket is filled with water, so as to form a water joint
for the purpose of preventing the effluvia escaping from the drain; or in
addition to, or in place of water in the groove, sand or some fibrous substance
may be used.
My Invention consists further in applying a portable vessel or cistern to the
cesspools or pits of sewers for holding the mud or other solid matters which
pass into the said cesspools. I make the said vessel of metal, the said vessel
having a cylindrical or other figure to suit the cesspool with which it is used.
The diameter of the said vessel is slightly less than that of the cesspool. The
vessel is supported in its place by a flange at its top edge resting upon projecting
brick work immediately below the level of the sewer. When the vessel is filled
with mud or other matter it is raised through the shaft of the sewer by a chain
or rope fixed to a handle at the top of the vessel. The bottom of the vessel
is provided with a plug or valve opening towards the interior of the vessel, so
that when the empty vessel is lowered into the cesspool the said plug or valve
is opened, and the water enters the said vessel and facilitates its sinking. By
the use of this part of my Invention the mud accumulating in the cesspools
can be readily and economically removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Shaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
SHAW, of Wellington, in the County of Salop, Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Benjamin Shaw, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin Shaw,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said
Benjamin Shaw, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-

page_text: MENTS IN STENCH TRAPS, AND IN THE CESSPOOLS OR PITS OF SEWERS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Shaw, 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 Benjamin Shaw, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and
to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say) :—
My Invention of improvements in stench straps consists in making then
portable or removable from their sockets or beds so as to enable the said
traps to be emptied of the mud or other matter with which they may be filled..
I make the said traps of a slightly taper figure with a flat bottom and having:
a handle immediately under the grating to lift it out by. The mouth of the
trap is provided with a flange on which the grating of the trap fits as in
ordinary traps. An outlet is made at the side of the trap through which the
water passing through the trap escapes to the drain, opposite the said outlet.
and inside the trap is a plate by which the mud is prevented from passing to the
drain. The top edge of the trap is provided with a flange the under side of
which has a wedge shape which fits in a groove of corresponding shape in a
fixed socket or bed in the floor where the trap is used. The said groove in
the fixed socket is filled with water so as to form a water joint for the purpose
of preventing the effluvia escaping from the drain, or, in addition to, or in..
place of water in the groove, sand or some fibrous substance may be used...
My Invention consists further in- applying a portable vessel or cistern to ther
cesspools or pits of sewers for holding the mud or other solid matters which
pass into the said cesspools. I make the said vessel of metal, the said vessels
having a cylindrical or other figure to suit the cesspool with which it is used...
The diameter of the said vessel is slightly less than that of the cesspool;. the-
vessel is supported in its place by flange at its top edge resting upon pro-
jecting brickwork immediately below the level of the sewer... When the
vessel is filled with mud or other matter it is raised through the shaft of the
sewer by a chain or rope fixed to a handle at the top of the vessel. Tho
bottom of the vessel is provided with a plug or valve opening towards the
interior of the vessel, so that when the empty vessel is lowered into the cesspool,
a

page_text: the said plug or valve is opened, and the water enters the vessel and facilitates
its sinking. Portable vessels or cisterns as above described may also be
placed in rows or nests by the side of a main sewer in any suitable and con-
venient locality, the top of the said vessels being placed on a level with the
bottom of the sewer, and in order to cut off the flow of sewerage during the
emptying and replacing of the said cisterns each row of cisterns is furnished
with shutters to be used for that purpose. By using my portable vessels or
cisterns as above mentioned the accumulated mud can be readily and economi-
cally removed.
In order that my said intention may be fully understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached two Sheets of Drawings, illustrative of the
same, and having the same letters of reference marked on corresponding parts
throughout all the Figures.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a stink or stench trap
made according to my Invention, and Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;
(a) is the grating; (b) is the box or trap; (c) is the frame or bed provided with
a groove (d), so as to form a hydraulic joint in which the trap fits, but in
places where the trap would be exposed to the action of the sun's rays the
groove should be filled with sand or any kind of dust before placing the box
into the frame; (e) is the handle and (f) the outlet. By taking the grate
off, access is given for the handle by which the box may be lifted from the
frame when the accumulated mud may be removed. Before replacing the box
it should be filled with clean water. Figure 3, is a longitudiual section, and
Figure 4, a plan view of a fixed trap to be set in the mouth of drain, and is
suitable for vaults and other places where the drain is on a level with the
floor in which the trap is set; (g) is the grating; (h) is the box or trap, and
(i) the outlet, the dotted line shews the face of wall. When this trap requires
cleaning the grate must be taken off, when the mud can be scraped out up the
curved front, after which the box should be filled with clean water and the
grating be replaced.
In Sheet 2, Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of a cesspool and portable
cistern or vessel, placed in connection with a street sewer to collect such
solid matters as would otherwise choke the sewer, the cisterns to be used in
each district I purpose to make of one uniform size and shape, so that when
one cistern is full an empty one can be taken indiscriminately from the stock
to replace it; (j) is a portable vessel; (k) is a bow or handle by which the
vessel is hoisted and (7) is a plug or valve opening towards the interior of the
vessel, so that when it is lowered into the cesspool the said valve is opened and
the water enters the vessel and facilitates its sinking; (m) is a circular cover

page_text: placed ever the entrance to the pit, and (n) a frame in which it rests, grooved
so as to form a hydraulic joint. The vessels or cisterns when filled with mud
are hoisted and removed by means of a suitable carriage provided with two
windlasses, one being placed at the hind part of the carriage for lowering the
empty vessel, and the other near the centre for hoisting the full one; on
removal of the cover the carriage is to be backed over the mouth of the cess-
pool, and the full vessel hoisted by means of the proper windlass, the carriage
is then to be drawn forward and the empty vessel to be lowered into its its
place, the cover is next to be replaced over the cesspool and the vessel carried
to the place of deposit to be emptied.
Figure 6, is a longitudinal section of a stench trap grate and frame for use
in streets and such like places; this trap is generally placed in a channel
against the kerb and leads into the sewer. It may be worked in the same
manner as the portable vessel last described; (o) is the grating; (p) the box
or vessel, and (2) the outlet leading to the sewer.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of Figure 8 a traverse section; and
Figure 9 a plan view of a number of portable vessels or cisterns (constructed
as above described) arranged in rows and nests in any suitable locality by the
side of a main sewer. The tops of the vessels are placed on a level with the
bottom of the main sewer, but the inlet to each row of vessels can be closed
by means of shutters arranged to slide between columns as shown at Figure
8 in the Drawings, so as to shut off the flow of sewerage through the row of
vessels that are being emptied; (7) are the portable vessels arranged in rows;
(s) are the shutters at the entrance of each row of vessels; (t) are gratings
placed across each row, and (u) is the outfall from the main sewer. My mode
of working this apparatus on a large scale is by means of a locomotive engine
traversing above the nest of vessels, each vessel is hoisted up on to the engine
by a windlass, and carried by the engine over the top of a mud wagon suitably
placed, into which the contents of the vessel is emptied, the vessel is then
returned to its place, and so on in succession with each vessel in the nest.
Having thus set forth the nature of the said Invention for "Improvements
in Stench Traps and in the Cesspools or Pits of Sewers," and also the manner
of varying the same into practical effect, I hereby wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
Firstly, the use of stench traps which are removable from their sockets or
frames in the manner and for the purpose as herein set forth and described.
Secondly, the use of a fixed stench trap with a moveable grating applicable
to places where the drain is on a level with the floor as herein set forth
and described.

page_text: Thirdly, the use of portable vessels or cisterns in connection with the cess-
pools or pits of sewers either applied singly or in nests in the manner or for
the purposes herein set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Shaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
BENJAMIN SHAW. (L.S.)