Improvements in and connected with Manhole Covers for Drains and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1333-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Manhole Covers for Drains and
the like.
I, FREDERICK TEMPLAR FARRER, of 17, Flood Street, Chelsea, in the County of
London, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction or arrangement of
manhole covers or similar covers for drains and the like in which the products
of condensation are utilized for the purpose of sealing or luting such covers,
and has for its object to provide means whereby the vapours arising from the
drains are brought into closer proximity to the cooling effects of the outward air,
rain, etc. than by the means hitherto employed.
For this purpose I provide, in conjunction with the cover, a condensing box
or chamber having an inlet or inlets through which the vapours from the drain
or sewer may enter, and an outlet or outlets through which the water of condensa-
tion formed in such box or chamber may be discharged into the trough or channel
hereinafter described.
In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a frame having a channel or
channels preferably around the exterior thereof, and a similar channel at or
near the bottom of, and within, the said frame. To this frame I fit a cover
which I furnish with one or more dependent flanges adapted to enter into or
engage with the outer channel or channels of the said frame, and an inner
and deeper dependent flange adapted to enter the said interior channel; these
flanges being so arranged that they form vapour tight seals or lutes when
the channels are charged with liquid.
At a convenient distance below the cover I fit or affix a plate (preferably in-
clined towards one end) in such a manner that the said plate shall form with the
cover and the sides of the deep dependent flange a rectangular or other suitably
shaped box or chamber. I provide this plate with an opening or openings, having
a raised rim or bead cast or otherwise affixed around it, or them, which shall
permit the upward passage of vapours to the condensing chamber but prevent
the return therefrom of condensed liquid. I may affix above the said opening or
openings a hood or hoods or other suitable contrivance in order that no liquid
may drop from the underside of the cover through such opening or openings.
I provide the lower end of this chamber with an outlet or outlets so arranged
that the liquid therefrom shall run into the lower channel and thus seal the
lower part of the dependent flange.
In lieu of separate openings for the admission of vapours to the condensing
chamber and discharge therefrom of liquid of condensation I may provide the
said plate with an opening at its lower end of sufficient area to serve both pur-
poses in this case I preferably cast upon the underside of the said plate a narrow
dependent flange in order to direct the liquid into the channel beneath which
at this point I may make of greater width so that the said flange may slightly

page_text: overlap the said channel, or I may leave a clear space around the entire plate
and support the same at the desired height by any suitable contrivance.
In some cases I subdivide the condensing chamber by means of one or more
partitions or diaphragms or I charge the said chamber with coke or other suitable
material so that the vapours may take a more indirect course to the manhole
cover or other cover and thus afford greater facilities for condensation.
In conjunction with the condensing chamber I preferably employ a receptacle
adapted to contain a disinfectant and so arranged that the vapours condensing
upon such disinfectant shall gradually dissolve or dilute the same and thus fur-
nish a constant supply to the drain or sewer. For the convenience of intro-
ducing the disinfectant I provide the said chamber with a suitable opening and
air tight cover.
I may hinge or otherwise secure the manhole or other cover to the frame by
any suitable means.
Dated this Eleventh day of October 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Manhole Covers for Drains and
the like.
I, FREDERICK TEMPLAR FARRER, of 17, Flood Street, Chelsea, in the County of
London, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction or arrangement of
manhole covers or similar covers for drains or the like in which the products
of condensation are utilized for the purpose of sealing or luting such covers,
and has for its object to provide means whereby the vapours arising from drains
or sewers are brought into closer proximity to the cooling effects of the outward
air, rain, &c. than by the means hitherto employed.
For this purpose I provide, in conjunction with the cover, a condensing box
or chamber having an inlet or inlets through which the vapours from the drain
or sewer may enter, and an outlet or outlets through which the water of condensa-
tion formed in such box or chamber may be discharged into the trough or channel
hereinafter described.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same by aid of the accompanying draw-
ings in which:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a manhole frame and cover provided with my
improvements, the small cover k and hood f being shewn in elevation.
Figures 2, 3 and 4 are views illustrating modifications of my invention and
hereinafter described and
Figure 5 illustrates a portion of the frame in plan with the cover removed.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide a frame A having an exterior
channel a around the upper part thereof and an interior channel at or near
the bottom of the said frame. To this frame I fit a cover B having the dependent
flange adapted to enter or engage with the channel a and a deeper dependent
flange adapted to enter the channel a¹ these flanges being so arranged that
they form vapour tight seals or lutes when the said channels are charged with
liquid. In the cover B I provide an opening c for the purposes hereinafter de-

page_text: scribed and to give additional strength I cast around the said opening a circular
flange d. I may also provide two or more strengthening webs such as d', d.
At a convenient distance below the cover B, I fit or affix the plate C, preferably
inclined towards one end, in such a manner that it shall form with the deep
dependent Hange b' and the said cover, a rectangular or other suitably shaped box
or condensing chamber D. I provide this plate with one or more openings such
as e having a raised rim or bead el cast or otherwise affixed around it or them
which shall permit the passage of vapours to the condensing chamber but
prevent the direct return of condensed liquid to the drain or sewer.
I may
affix above the said opening or openings one or more hoods such as f in order to
prevent any liquid, that may condense on the part of the cover B immediately
above such opening, passing therethrough. I provide the lower end of the con-
densing chamber with one or more outlets such as g so arranged that the. liquid
therefrom shall run into the channel a¹ and thus automatically seal the dependent
flange b¹.
As the liquid resulting from the condensation of sewer vapours and gases
must of necessity be charged with deleterious and offensive matter, (which even
the provision of a second lute will not entirely prevent escaping into the outer
air) I employ in conjunction with the condensing-chamber a receptacle E
adapted to receive a disinfectant which may be introduced from time to time
through the opening c. I arrange this receptacle in such a manner that the
supply of disinfectant to the condensing chamber shall be automatic and pro-
portionate to the quantity of noxious liquid condensed.
perforated at its lower
I preferably provide the receptacle with a partition
part so that when a solid disinfectant is employed that portion of the condensed
liquid which is caused to enter the receptacle shall pass through the disinfectant
and carry a certain portion in the state of solution to the outlet i which I place
at or near the top of the receptacle E. For the purpose of discharging the
contents of the said receptacle, when the same have become exhausted or too
diluted to be effective, I provide an outlet normally closed by the plug j. To
the opening. I fit an air tight cover k which may be secured by a bayonet joint
or in some other suitable manner and I provide the underside of this cover with
a series of studs such as so that any liquid condensing thereon or on the small
cover shall be conveyed into the receptacle E for the purpose of dissolving or
diluting the disinfectant.
For the more efficient disinfection of the liquid gathering in the channel a
I arrange that the said liquid, in contact with the disinfectant, shall flow towards
the outlet m which I form by cutting out a portion of the lip of the channel a'.
As a means of conveniently raising the cover B when, as is often the case, it
has become set I cast upon or affix to one or both ends of the frame A a short box
or casing G in which I fit a wheel n having a cam o arranged in such a manner
that by partly rotating the said wheel by means of a crow-bar or other suitable
instrument the cover B can be raised to the position illustrated in Figure 4.
In lieu of separate openings for the admission of vapours to the condensing
chamber and discharge therefrom of condensed liquid I may provide the plate C
with an opening p, Figure 2, of sufficient area to serve both purposes; in this
case I raise the plate a short distance from the channel a' by means of lugs 4, g, y
so as to form an opening r for the passage of vapours and I preferably cast on
the underside of the said plate a narrow flange or bead 6 in order to direct the
liquid, into the channel beneath which at this end I make of greater width so that
the said bead may slightly overlap the said channel.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 3 the plate C is shewn having raised
perforated flanges s thus forming a tray in which coke or other suitable material
may be placed to act as nuclei for condensation. In this case a vapour space t
is left around the entire plate, an outlet g being provided at one end for the
condensed liquid and a narrow bead 62 around the underside of the said plate.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 4, in lieu of furnishing a space

page_text: around the plate for the passage of vapours, I provide the same with openings e, e
having inclined plates f¹, f2 fitted above them to prevent the passage of con-
densed liquid or coke through such openings.
I am aware of the existence of a patent having for its object the automatic
luting of a supplementary dome-shaped cover by the products of condensation
formed on the underside of such cover, but in this case the condensing surface
is separated from the upper cover by a stratum of air which is a bad conductor
of cold and the said supplementary cover being sealed, access of the vapours to
the said upper cover, by far the superior condensing medium, is cut off. I
therefore wish it to be understood that I disclaim the use of condensed liquid,, for
the purpose of luting a manhole or other cover, formed in the manner and by
the means described in the patent referred to.
.1
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:-
1. A self sealing manhole for drains and the like, consisting of a frame having
an internal and an external channel, a plate or tray having an opening or open-
ings therein and a cover having dependent flanges, the inner flange being of
sufficient depth to engage with the said interior channel, arranged and operating
substantially as described.
2. The combination with a manhole such as referred to in the preceding claim,
of the arrangement for securing a constant supply of a disinfectant to, and by
means of, the condensed liquid and in proportion thereto, substantially as de-
scribed.
3. The several arrangements of my improved self sealing manhole, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings
for the purposes herein set forth.