Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Sewage or other Liquids.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Sewage or
other Liquids.
We, DONALD CAMERON, of No. 1, Sylvan Road, Pennsylvania, Exeter, Civil
Engineer, FREDERICK JAMES COMMIN, of No. 7, Bedford Circus, Exeter, Fellow
of the Institute of Surveyors, and ARTHUR JOHN MARTIN, of Bradninch House,
Exeter, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:―
This invention relates to apparatus for the delivery of liquid to two or more
chambers or receptacles in a desired order and its discharge therefrom also in
a desired order, and is applicable to various processes and operations where such
delivery and discharge are desirable. Such apparatus has however been spécially
designed for the delivery of sewage to and its discharge from filters, in con-
nection with which it will be hereinafter described.
The present invention embodies improvements in the apparatus described in
the Specification of Letters Patent No. 3003, granted to two of the present
applicants Donald Cameron and Frederick James Commin, and dated 10th February
1896, and in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 23042, granted to the three
present applicants Donald Cameron, Frederick James Commin and Arthur John
Martin, and dated 17th October 1896.
The object of this invention is to render the period during which sewage remains
in a filter variable at will, and independent of the time occupied in filling another
filter. It also facilitates the operations of cutting a filter out of the working set,
and of again throwing it into work as desired.
In order that each filter may be filled and emptied independently, the valves
controlling the supply to each filter and the discharge therefrom are actuated
by an independent pair of actuating buckets. The bucket whose descent causes
the filter to be filled is filled by the overflow of another filter which has already
been filled; and the other bucket, the descent of which causes the filter to be dis-
charged, is filled by the overflow of the same filter which it discharges.
The time which elapses between the filling of a filter and its discharge is
governed by the rate of filling of the actuating bucket, and may be varied at will
by means of a regulating cock on the pipe supplying the bucket, or by a removable
nozzle having an aperture of the requisite size. It is essential that the flow of liquid
be diverted to another filter before the filter which was last filled is discharged.
Since both operations are effected by the overflow from one filter, the pipe conveying
such overflow must be branched, one branch supplying the actuating bucket of
the filter to be filled, and the other supplying the bucket discharging the filter
from which the overflow is derived. The former branch should be of ample size
and may discharge at a somewhat lower level than the latter, so as to ensure
its coming into operation first. It will be advisable to place a valve on this
branch, which will close when the bucket which it supplies falls. The overflow

page_text: will then pass along the other branch, and will in due course discharge the full
filter.
In order that any filter may be cut out of and thrown into the working set
at will, all those branches of the overflow pipes which convey liquid for causing
the filters to be filled are connected into a continuous ring, having branches
discharging over the several buckets to be supplied therefrom. A three-way
cock is placed at the junction of each branch with the main ring, by means of which
the flow in the ring to this point may be sent either into the branch or further along
the ring, according as the filter into whose bucket the branch discharges is in
use or not. The cutting out and throwing in of the filter will be completely
effected by turning this cock.
One of the objects of the present invention is to enable a filter to be cut out
or thrown into work at any time, instead of waiting for a particular stage in the
cycle of operations. To this end it is necessary that if the filter to be cut out is
being filled at the time, the cutting out shall not prevent the diversion of the
liquid into the next filter or the discharge of the filter cut out, but shall prevent
any subsequent filling of the latter. Therefore while the connection from the main
ring to the actuating bucket of this filter is absolutely closed by means of the
three-way cock, the branch overflow pipe from the filter to the ring is left open,
so that the filter when full may overflow into the ring; but the return of liquid
from the ring to the filter (or its discharge well) is prevented by a check valve on
the branch overflow pipe.
Dated this fith day of October 1897
Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Sewage or
other Liquids.
We, DONALD CAMERON, of No. 1, Sylvan Road, Pennsylvania, Exeter, Civil
Engineer, FREDERICK JAMES COMMIN, of No. 7, Bedford Circus, Exeter, Fellow
of the Institute of Surveyors, and ARTHUR JOHN MARTIN, of Bradninch House,
Exeter, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for the delivery of liquid to
chambers or receptacles in a desired order and its discharge therefrom also in
a desired order, and is applicable to various processes and operations where such
delivery and discharge are desirable. Such apparatus has however been specially
designed for the delivery of sewage to and its discharge from filters, in con-
nection with which it will be hereinafter described.
panying drawings, in which
We will now proceed to describe our invention in connection with the accom-
Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating an arrangement which we may employ for
the purpose of rendering the period during which sewage remains in a filter
variable at will, and independent of the time occupied in filling another filter.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the cocks and connections of two of the
filters used in this arrangement.
i
The object of the arrangement of apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings is to render the period during which sewage remains in
a filter variable at will, and independent of the time occupied in filling another

page_text: filter. It also facilitates the operations of cutting a filter out of the working set,
and of again throwing it into work as desired.
In Fig. 1 it will be seen that four filters 1, 2, 3, 4, are employed in the set,
each being connected by conduits 1, 2, 3, and 4, with the main supply 5
leading from a septic tank or other source from which the liquid to be filtered
is delivered, valves 1, 2, 3b and 4b being provided by which a passage may be
opened through such conduits to the filters 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The filters
are also connected by conduits 1º, 2º, 3º, and 4° with discharge wells 1d, 2d, 3d
and 4d, from which the liquid escapes when the valves 1º, 2º, 3º and 4° are opened.
The supply and discharge valves for each filter are carried by levers mounted on
a shaft 6, and in order that each filter may be filled and emptied independently,
the valves controlling the supply to each filter and the discharge therefrom are
actuated by an independent pair of actuating buckets 7 and 8, also carried by
such shaft 6. The bucket 8 whose descent causes the filter to be filled is filled
by the overflow of another filter which has already been filled; and the other
bucket 7, the descent of which causes the filter to be discharged, is filled by the
overflow of the same filter which it discharges.
The time which elapses between the filling of a filter and its discharge is
governed by the rate of filling of the actuating bucket 7, and may be varied at
will by means of a regulating cock on the pipe 9 supplying the bucket, as shown
at 10 in Fig. 2; or by a removable nozzle having an aperture of the requisite size
as shown at 11 in Fig. 2.
It is essential that the flow of liquid be diverted to another filter before the
filter which was last filled is discharged. Since both operations are effected by
the overflow from one filter, the pipe 9 conveying such overflow must be branched
as shown in Fig. 2, one branch 9b supplying the actuating bucket 8 of the filter
to be filled, and the other branch 9ª supplying the bucket 7 discharging the filter
from which the overflow is derived. The former branch 9b should be of ample
size and may discharge at a somewhat lower level than the branch 9*, so as to
ensure its coming into operation first. It will be advisable to place a valve 12
on this branch 9b, such valve 12 being if desired of the form of a pivotted disc,
normally closing the end of the pipe and provided with a tail 13 (see Fig. 2)
with which the bar or rod 14 on bucket 8 will come in contact on such bucket
being raised, thereby opening a passage for the liquid through the branch 9b
to the bucket. As soon as the bucket is filled it will descend and the valve will
then close by its own weight, and the overflow will then pass along the branch 9*
and in due course fill the bucket 7 which will then fall and so discharge the filter
from which the overflow proceeds.
In order that any filter may be cut out of and thrown into the working set
at will, all these branches 9b of the overflow pipes which convey liquid for causing
the filters to be filled are connected into a continuous ring, having branches
discharging over the buckets 8 to be supplied therefrom. A three-way cock 15
is placed at the junction of each branch with the main ring, by means of which
the flow in the ring to this point may be sent either into the branch or further along
the ring, according as the filter into whose bucket the branch discharges is in
use or not. The cutting out and throwing in of the filter will be completely
effected by turning this cock.
One of the objects of this part of the invention is to enable a filter to be cut out
or thrown into work at any time, instead of waiting for a particular stage in the
cycle of operations. To this end it is necessary that if the filter to be cut out is
being filled at the time, the cutting out shall not prevent the diversion of the
liquid into the next filter or the discharge of the filter cut out, but shall prevent
any subsequent filling of the latter. Therefore while the connection from the main
ring to the actuating bucket of this filter is absolutely closed by means of the
three-way cock 15, the branch overflow pipe from the filter to the ring is left open,
so that the filter when full may overflow into the ring; but the return of the

page_text: liquid from the ring to the filter (or its discharge well) is prevented by a check
valve 16 on the branch overflow pipe.
It will thus be seen that (referring to Fig. 1) assuming filter 1 to be just filled
and ready to discharge, and filter 4 being cut out of the working set, the overflow
from the well 1ª of filter 1 will pass along the branch 9b of the overflow pipe 9,
and the three-way cock 15 of filter 4 being turned to carry such overflow past
the filling bucket 8 of filter 4, such overflow will pass on to the cock 15 of filter 3,
through which it will pass into the bucket 8 until the latter falls, thus opening
the valve 3b so that liquid may pass to filter 3 through conduit 3ª, the discharge
valve 3 of such filter 3 being at the same time closed. As soon as the overflow
from filter 1 is prevented from passing to bucket 8 of filter 3 by the closing of
valve 12 when the bucket 8 falls, it will pass along the branch 9 to the bucket 7
of filter 1, and filling such bucket the latter will be depressed, thereby closing
the supply valve 1b of filter 1 and opening the discharge valve 1°, so that such
filter will at once begin to discharge.
Similarly when filter 3 is filled its overflow will pass along branch 9b to the
bucket 8 of filter 2, which will be depressed and so open the supply valve and
close the discharge valve of such filter 2, and as soon as this has been effected the
overflow by passing along branch 9" will depress bucket 7 of filter 3 and so dis-
charge the latter. If it should be desired to cut out a filter from the working set
when it is filling, its three-way cock 15 will be turned, and this will not prevent its
being discharged in the usual way by its own overflow, or the passage of part of
such overflow to the filling bucket of the next filter in the series, but any flow
from the ring formed by the branches 9b of the overflow pipes will be prevented
by the check valve 16.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;
-
In apparatus for the treatment of sewage or other liquids:
1. The combination with two or more receptacles of a pair of valves for controll-
ing the supply and discharge to each receptacle, each pair of valves being actuated
by an independent pair of buckets, the bucket whose descent controls the supply
receiving the overflow from another receptacle, and the other bucket which controls
the discharge being filled by the overflow from the same receptacle which it dis-
charges, substantially as specified.
2. The combination with a receptacle which is alternately filled and discharged
of a bucket or buckets receiving liquid for the purpose of effecting such discharge,
and an aperture for regulating the flow into such bucket, so that the filling of the
same may occupy a certain desired time, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with a receptacle which is alternately filled and discharged
of a bucket or buckets receiving liquid for the purpose of effecting such discharge,
an aperture for regulating the flow into such bucket or buckets, so that the
filling of the same may occupy a certain desired time, and means for varying such
aperture either by means of a cock or a detachable nozzle, substantially as specified.
4. A regulating cock or nozzle on the pipe supplying the bucket which controls
the discharge of a receptacle, so as to enable the period between the filling and the
discharge of the latter to be varied, substantially as specified.
5. The combination with a number of receptacles, each having separate apparatus
for effecting the supply thereto and the discharge therefrom, of a series of overflow
pipes each fed from one receptacle and conveying liquid for operating the apparatus
whereby the supply to another receptacle is effected, so that several such receptacles
are filled and discharged in rotation, substantially as specified.
6. Overflow pipes proceeding from the whole of a set of receptacles to be filled
and discharged, and connected in a continuous ring, such pipes having branches
through each of which a passage to a bucket for regulating the filling of a recep-
tacle is opened or closed by a three-way cock, which may be turned to divert the

page_text: overflow from the bucket which it would otherwise supply, and thereby cutting
out the receptacle whose filling or discharge is controlled by such bucket from
the set, substantially as specified.
7. The combination with a number of receptacles each having separate apparatus
for effecting the supply thereto and the discharge therefrom, of a series of over-
flow pipes for conveying liquid for operating such annaratus, valves or cocks
whereby the overflow to one or more sets of apparatus may be prevented, thereby
cutting the receptacles to which such apparatus belongs out of the working set,
and valves or cocks whereby such overflow may be sent past the receptacle or
receptacles so cut out and to operate the apparatus of another receptacle or other
receptacles, substantially as specified.
8. The combination with the branches leading from a set of receptacles to be
filled and discharged to the continuous ring of overflow pipes, of a check valve
to prevent liquid passing back from the ring into the receptacle which has been
cut out, substantially as specified.
9. The combination with a number of receptacles each having separate apparatus
for effecting the supply thereto and the discharge therefrom, of a series of over-
flow pipes for conveying liquid for operating. such apparatus, and valves or cocks
for cutting out a receptacle or receptacles, a check valve or check valves on the
overflow pipe or pipes of the receptacle or receptacles so cut out, whereby the passage
of overflowing liquid back into such receptacle or receptacles is prevented without
interfering with the overflow therefrom, substantially as specified.
n: ond of TL 1808