IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF GAS AND NOXIOUS VAPOURS FROM SEWERS, DRAINS, PIPES, CLOSET PANS, AND SUCH LIKE PLACES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haldan, of the Firm of Herbert and Com-"
:
pany, Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE
OF GAS AND NOXIOUS VAPOURS FROM SEWERS, DRAINS, PIPES, CLOSET PANS,
AND SUCH LIKE PLACES." A communication from abroad by Buckland Palmer
Bower and John Joseph McEvoy, both of Cleveland, State of Ohio, United
States of America.
T
:
Sealed the 13th November 1877, and dated the 24th May 1877.
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1877.
HERBERT JOHN Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, 'Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAPS FOR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF GAS-AND NOXIOUS VAPOURS FROM SEWERS,
DRAINS, PIPES, CLOSET PANS, AND SUCH LIKE PLACES." A communication from
abroad by Buckland Palmer Bower and John Joseph McEvoy, both of Cleveland,
State of Ohio, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in traps for sewers, drains, pipes, closet
pans, and such like, and consists in providing the same with a floating valve, which
shall act by its floating pressure, whereby the escape of sewer gas into houses, or
places from whence it is desirable to exclude it, is effectually prevented.
The improved trap is to be constructed in or of a chamber furnished with an
eduction pipe leading therefrom, and an induction pipe extending downwards below
the line of standing water in said chamber, the lower end of said pipe constituting
a valve seat, which is closed by the floating valve acting by its floating pressure
against the seat of the valve.
The various parts may be of metal or earthenware, or other convenient material;
and the floating valve or valve stop of any material that will float in water, and
prevent gas passing through its substance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
November 1877.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAPS FOR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF GAS AND NOXIOUS VAPOURS FROM SEWERS,
DRAINS, PIPES, CLOSET PANS, AND SUCH LIKE PLACES." A communication from
abroad by Buckland Palmer Bower and John Joseph McEvoy, both of Cleveland,
State of Ohio, United States of America.
The Invention relates to improvements in sewer, stench, and gas traps, and is
divided into two main parts; the first part consists in providing a trap with a
floating valve, which acts by its floating pressure, whereby the escape. of sewer gas
into apartments, or places where it is desirable to exclude it, is prevented.
The second part of the Invention consists in making the depending or water-
holding portion of the trap removable, and also in forming the said removable
portion of glass or of metal.
The Drawings represent the Invention as follows:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a trap showing the first part of the
Invention.
Fig. 2 is a modification of the floating valve.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section of a trap, showing the second part of the
Invention.
Fig. 4 shows a trap as applied to a water closet bowl.
Referring to the first part of the Invention, the inlet pipe B, as shown in the
Drawing, extends down into the chamber E, which is of somewhat larger dimension
than said pipe B. Instead of the particular construction, however, the dimensions,
or rather diameter, of chamber E and pipe B may be alike, in which case the former
would merely constitute the continuation of the latter, and in order to permit the
floating valve to be applied successfully to such a construction, it would be only
necessary to secure to the interior an annular ring or projection to arrest the
upward tendency of the floating valve to seek its level. I prefer, however, to adopt
the construction shown and described. C is the outlet pipe with its discharge
opening placed at such a position with relation to the floating valve D and the
mouth of pipe B that the level of the water in chamber E will always be a sufficient
distance above the mouth of pipe B to secure the required floating pressure exercised
by the valve to efficiently guard against any upward escape of deleterious gases.
This construction may likewise be changed by making the outlet pipe merely a
continuation of the inlet pipe and chamber described; but in this case, the whole
device would be bent in the form usually employed, and a stop or projection would
be required on the outlet side of the valve to prevent its discharge or removal from
its operative position. G is a cap which screws on to, or is attached in any suitable
manner to the lower end of the chamber E, which is removed when it is desired to
clean the trap, or to remove or introduce the floating valve. D is the valve, which
may be constructed of metal, rubber, or any other suitable material, and may be of
any shape effectual for the purpose to be accomplished. If constructed of metal,
it would, of course, be hollow, and is also preferably made hollow when rubber is
employed.
When the nature of the material selected does not require a hollow construction,
a solid valve may be employed. I prefer to construct the floating valve of rubber,
in the shape of a hollow ball; but a cylindrically-shaped valve with a flat top,
which abuts against the lower end of the inlet pipe, also accomplishes the purpose
designed.
In the place of a ball, an egg-shaped valve might be employed. I prefer to con-
struct the lower end of pipe B with a flaring mouth, by which a greater amount of

page_text: surface is brought in contact between said floating valve and the sides of the flaring.
mouth, but this construction is not an essential element of my Invention.
The operation of the device is as follows:-The discharge through pipe B will, in
the first instance, fill the receptacle E with the fluid to a height corresponding with
the position of the outlet pipe C. This will bring the level of the fluid in the
chamber E in a plane a considerable distance above that in which the mouth of the
pipe B lies.
It will readily be seen that the higher up the outlet pipe C is located with
reference to the mouth of pipe B, the higher the fluid will rise in the chamber E,
and therefore the greater will be the pressure exercised by the floating valve against
the mouth of pipe B in its effort to reach the surface of the fluid. Now when a
column of fluid descends through pipe B, it pushes downward and away from the
mouth of pipe B the floating valve D, by reason of the greater pressure of the
column of descending fluid, and allows the same to pass beyond and discharge
through the outlet pipe C. When this pressure has been removed, or when the
pressure exercised by the upward tendency of the valve is greater than that of the
descending column of water, the floating valve ascends to its place, and closes securely
the mouth of pipe B, and thus effectually prevents any escape of any sewer gases
into said pipe B.
This principle of closing said mouth by means of the floating pressure of a valve
is found in practice much more efficient and reliable to accomplish the result
sought than what can be secured by any device which acts only on the principle of
generation, and where the body of the valve is not immersed, as in my Invention,
entirely in the fluid.
The distance to which the ball enters the mouth of pipe B is so regulated that in
case the surface of the water descends. below the mouth of said pipe for a short
distance, the ball will still be in contact with said mouth, and even then prevent
any gases from entering said pipes.
Referring to the second part of the Invention, shown in Fig. 3 of the Drawings,
it should be understood that the particular form of trap forms no essential part of
this Invention; the latter being equally applicable to all traps wherein there is
a depending portion or basin that retains the water or catches the sediment. A¹, in
the instance shown, is the inlet pipe; B¹, the outlet pipe; C, the basin or depend-
ing portion that holds the water, or wherein sediment and dirt may collect; D¹
is a basin, or cup-shaped removable section. This removable section may be formed
of metal, or it may be formed of glass, or any other suitable material, and it may
be attached either by screwing one section to the other, or the two sections may be
fastened together by bolts, screws, or in any other suitable manner, the particular
manner of fastening them not being an essential part of this Invention.
The advantages of this- construction will he apparent upon examination, the
following being some of the advantages:-Suppose that sediment or dirt should
collect in the chamber C₁, so as to impede or stop the action of the trap, or to block
up the passage-way, this matter would naturally collect in the basin or cup D¹.
This cup may then be readily removed, and the offal carried in the cup to any
suitable place of deposit, whereas in the old style of trap, with simply a screw stopper
at the bottom, this offal would have to drop away into another receptacle, or upon
the floor of the apartment.
Another advantage is, that the basin or cup will usually be that portion of the
trap which is most liable to burst on freezing. This removable portion, under such
circumstances, could be easily taken off and renewed by any person, without the
employment of a plumber, and at little expense. When the trap is of the nature
substantially as shown in the Drawing, wherein there is valve mechanism of any
description, such as a ball, or a float, etc., the cup D¹ may be made of glass, so that
a person may, by looking through the glass, see whether the valve is in proper
working order, and may also see whether there is necessity for cleaning the trap.
It also furnishes a ready means, when the drain pipe is stopped up, to ascertain

page_text: whether the difficulty is-in-the trap itself, or within the pipe, by simply looking
through the glass.
.G
:
The removable section. D' may or may not be provided with a lug d, for facilitating
the attachment or removal of the section, or instead of the lug, it may be provided
with a wrench seat for the same purpose, or it may be plain. E' is a gasket of
rubber, or other suitable packing, which may be employed, if necessary.
The section D' may be rounded at its bottom, as shown in the Drawings, or it
may be made flat at its bottom in the nature of a tumbler, so that when removed
it will stand upon its own bottom until its contents may be emptied. This device
is equally applicable for water pipes, sewer or drain pipes, etc., wherever traps are
employed to catch sediment or foreign matters within the pipe.
When I form the section D' of glass, I do not limit myself to make the section
removable, as a trap of that nature would possess advantages of exposing the interior
to view, whether that section be or be not made removable, but I prefer to make it
femovable. It is apparent that the glass section cannot be forced to a perfect
bearing with the metallic. section of the trap; therefore I prefer generally to
interpose a gasket of rubber, or other equivalent material, between the metal
and the glass for the purpose of receiving the strains that would otherwise
come upon the glass, and to insure a tight joint for any great strain upon the
glass.
2
Fig. 4 shows a trap as applied to an ordinary water closet bowl, in which the
upper side opening A² will permit any overflow to pass through the same, down
and out through the trap.
Having fully described my Invention, what I claim as new, and désire to secure
by Letters Patent is,
1st. A sewer gas. trap consisting in a chamber having an eduction pipè
leading therefrom, and an induction pipe extending downwardly, below the line of
standing water in said chamber, the lower end of said pipe constituting a valve
seat, which latter is closed by a valve, that acts by its floating pressure to close the
valve seat substantially as and for the purposes described.
"
2nd. In a trap a removable glass section, formed at the bottom so as to stand
erect without support when removed from the trap, substantially as described.
3rd. In a trap, a glass section screw, cut at the top, for attachment to the
adjacent portion of the trap, substantially as described.
1
4th. In a trap provided with a glass section D¹, the combination with said trap
and glass section of the interposed gasket of rubber, or equivalent material, sub-
stantially as 'described.
5th. In a sewer trap a sediment chamber formed of glass, substantially as
described.
: 6th. In combination with a trap embracing valve mechanism, a removable section
D' of glass, located with respect to the said valve mechanism so as to expose the
same to view, substantially as and for the purposes described.
7th The combination with a water closed bowl, of the trap, having upper side
connection' therewith, whereby any overflow of the said bowl will be discharged
through the trap, substantially as described.
8th. In a trap a removble section formed of glass, metal, or other suitable material,
substantially as described..
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John. Haddan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.