THE IMPROVEMENT OF SEWER AND DRAIN PIPES LAMP HOLE AND CLEARING SHAFTS TO SAME. AND GULLEY & DRAIN PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lovegrove, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., of 18, Urswick
Road, Lower Clapton, in the Parish of St. John at Hackney, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "THE IMPROVEMENT OF SEWER AND DRAIN
PIPES LAMP HOLE AND CLEARING SHAFTS TO SAME. AND GULLEY & DRAIN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lovegrove at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1880.
JAMES LOVEGROVE, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., of 18, Urswick Road, Lower Clapton,
THE
in the Parish of St. John at Hackney, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENT OF SEWER AND DRAIN PIPES, LAMP HOLE AND CLEARING SHAFTS
TO SAME, AND GULLEY & DRAIN TRAPS."
I provide an escape or overflow tube passage or way along the top of the
pipes, forming part thereof, and being in connection therewith; the top of the drain
forms the bottom of the overflow tube, and is perforated or has provided small slits,
circular or other shaped openings; the top of this tube is continuous in cross section
with the outside of the remaining portion of the pipe, so as to fit pipe by pipe,
either with butt joint, butt joint & collar, or spigot & socket joint, or may be
made so as to fit any form of joint. In the event of an obstruction taking place in
the pipe, the water in the surcharged portion will escape upwards through the
perforations into the overflow tube or way & flow over the obstruction, & after
passing the same will then flow downwards through the perforations on the outlet
side of the obstruction into the pipes & pass away. Junction pipes may be
formed so as to continue the same principle at pleasure along the course of the
branch drains or sewers.
To facilitate the removal of obstructions I fix in convenient positions along the
sewer or drain, lamphole & clearing shafts combined, partly vertical & partly
curved, formed in stoneware, iron, or other suitable material. The shaft is divided
vertically by two divisions into three spaces, the two dividing stops form a guide
for the bamboo cane rods as they are passed down into the sewer or drain, being
connected at the lower end with the pipes by means of a curved pipe & junction,

page_text: through which the rods will easily bend into and along the drain or sewer, either
down the stream or against the stream, as may be needful, and worked until the
obstruction is removed. The centre space of the shaft is provided to see the
condition of the pipes; it is vertical, and so formed that a light may be lowered if
necessary for closer examination, or a rod passed down for clearing the central
portion of the drain between the points of connection of the curved shafts on either
side. For road surfaces or places of heavy traffic, a strong iron cover box is used;
lighter covers may be used for less important surfaces.
To prevent the escape of sewer air through drain inlets, I place a syphon trap
under the grating having a dip of some inches; then between the bottom of the
syphon dip & the water level on the outlet side of the dip I place a valve with
smooth seatings, so as to work freely when pressed by the outflowing water on the
underside; and in order to utilize the buoyancy of the water to keep the valve
clear, I place the valve so as to be wholly covered with water, and to work and to
be set in motion only in and under the water contained in the trap. By this
arrangement, pieces of straw, stick, and matters in suspension entering with the
inflowing water will with much greater facility during the opening of the valve
pass through in rising to the top of the water, and be carried away and not remain
on the valve seating. The valve in this position will be more freely worked and
less liable to obstruction than as ordinarily placed above or on the surface of the
water, the escape or overflow is formed on the top of the trap over the valve.
Overflow chambers are also provided which discharge under the valve just above the
lowest part of the syphon dip; the inlets to the overflow chambers are close to the
underside of the grating, and are so arranged as not to reduce the trapping power
of the syphon dip. Necessary provision is made for the rods to be passed down
the drain in the event of an obstruction being formed therein, without removing
the trap or breaking the surface round the sink trap. I accomplish this by placing
an inspection hole over the valve and outlet chamber with a double cap or cover,
the top one being of iron, wood, stone, or other material, & the under one of glass.
On the removal of the top cover the valve can be examined through the glass; and
on the removal of the glass cover the drain rods can be worked down the drain,
& so clear away or remove any obstruction that may have formed within. The
space between the covers may be filled in with dry sand, lime, sawdust, or other
dry stopping material which can easily be removed from the glass.
The principles of this trap will be applied to the various forms required for the
drainage of any areas, cellars, basements, stables, baths, or housefittings, & also
for road gullies, or any drain inlet where it is necessary to stop the escape of sewer
or drain air.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Lovegrove in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th May
1881.
JAMES LOVEGROVE, Assoc. Memb. Inst. C.E., of 18, Urswick Road, Lower
Clapton, in the Parish of St. John at Hackney, in the County of Middlesex..
"THE IMPROVEMENT OF SEWER AND DRAIN PIPES, LAMP HOLE AND CLEARING
SHAFTS TO SAME, AND GULLEY AND DRAIN TRAPS."
I provide an escape or overflow tube, passage, or way along the top or within
the pipes forming part thereof; and being in connection therewith. The top of the
drain channel, forins the bottom of the overflow. tube, and is perforated or has
provided small slit, circular, or other shaped openings, the top of this tube is con-
tinuous in cross section with the outside of the remaining portion of the pipes, so
as to fit pipe by pipe either with butt joint, or butt joint and collar, or spigot and
socket joint; or may be made to fit any form of joint. Figs. 1, 2, 3, shew the
arrangement of the overflow way for a circular shape; Fig. 1 is a cross section on
line 3, 4; Fig. 2 is a part elevation and part longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a
sectional plan on line 1, 2; Fig. 4 shews the cross section for another form.
Figure a is the overflow tube; b, the channel through which the sewage ordinarily
flows; c, the inlet to the overflow channels. In the circular form a continuous line
or band is fixed along the top and bottom of the pipes, as shewn at d in Figs. 1
and 2, so as to ensure a correct placing of the pipes and a continuous line of
overflow channel; "these bands or lines will not be necessary in the other forms.
In each
In the event of an obstruction taking place in the pipe the water in the sur-
charged portion will escape upwards through the perforations at c into the overflow
tube, or way, and flow over the obstruction, and after passing same will flow down-
wards into the pipes and pass away, and so continue until the obstruction is
removed. Junction pipes may be formed so as to continue the same principle at
pleasure along the course of the branch sewers, drains, or gulley drains, up to or
near the inlet.
This principle is also applied to small brick sewers by fixing a course of hollow
stoneware blocks along the crown of the sewers for the overflow of the sewage
from the sewer, in the event of a stoppage through slits at the joints or perforations
into and through the overflow channels formed with the block course. Fig. 5
represents this, a being the hollow stoneware block or overflow channel, and 6 the
sewer.
To facilitate the removal of obstructions in the drain or sewer pipes, I fix in
positions convenient for access in the line of sewer or drain lamp hole and clearing
shafts combined (see Fig. 16 to 24 inclusive), partly vertical and partly curved,
formed in stoneware, iron, or other suitable material. The shaft is divided
vertically by two divisions into three spaces a, b, a, the dividing stops c, c, form a
guide for the bamboo cane rods as they are screwed together in short lengths and
passed down the shaft, first one side and then the other, into the sewer or drain
at e. The outside vertical portions of the shaft being connected at the lower end
with the pipes by means of a curved pipe and junction, as shewn at d; through
which the rods will easily bend into and along the drain or sewer either down the
stream or against the stream for a distance of two hundred feet, more or less, as
may be needful, and worked until the obstruction is removed. The centre space
of the shaft is provided to shew the condition of the pipes; it is vertical, and so
formed that a light may be lowered if necessary for closer examination, or a rod
passed down for clearing the central portion of the drain between the points of
connection of the curved shafts on either side.
b

page_text: For road surfaces or places of heavy traffic a strong iron cover box is used,
lighter covers may be used for less important surfaces. The central chamber may
also be used for a sluice or penstock, as shewn in Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19; Fig. 16 is
a longitudinal section taken on the line of sewer; Fig. 17 is a vertical section on
line 9, 10; Fig. 18 is a sectional plan on line 5, 6; Fig. 19 is a sectional plan on
line 7, 8; Fig. 20 is a longitudinal section of the shaft when used in connection
with house drains, and has a syphon dip at the bottom; Fig. 21 is a sectional plan
of same taken on line 11, 12; Figs. 22 to 25 shews the lamp hole and clearing
shafts without the penstock, the upper portion of the shaft would be similar to
Figs. 16 and 17; Fig. 22 is a longitudinal section; Fig. 23 is a sectional plan
taken on line 13, 14; Fig. 24, a vertical section on line 17, 18; Fig. 25, a sectional
plan on line 15, 16.
To prevent the escape of sewer air through drain inlets, I place a syphon trap
(see Figs. 6 to 14) inclusive under a grating, having a good dip of some inches,
then between the bottom at a and the water level 6; on the outlet side of the dip I
place a valve with smooth seatings, so as to work very freely when pressed by the
outflowing water on the underside; and in order to utilize the buoyancy of the
water to keep the valve clear, I place the valve, as shewn at C, so as to be wholly
covered with water, and to work and to be set in motion only in and under the
water contained in the trap; by this arrangement pieces of straw, stick, and
matters in suspension entering with the inflowing water will, with much greater
facility during the opening of the valve, pass through in rising to the top of the
water, and be carried away through the outlet marked k, and not remain on the
valve seating; the valve in this position will be more freely worked, and less
liable to obstruction than as ordinarily placed above or on the surface of the
water.
.
Overflow chambers are also provided, as marked at d, which discharge under the
valve, as shewn at e, just above the lowest part of the syphon dip, the inlets to
the overflow chambers are close to the underside of the grating (the grating being
shewn at 7), and the position of the inlets to overflow chamber, shewn by the dotted
lines at f, and so arranged as not to materially reduce the trapping power of the
syphon dip.
Necessary provision is made for the rods to be passed down the drain in the
event of an obstruction being formed therein, without removing the trap or
breaking the surface around the sink trap. I accomplish this by placing an
inspection hole over the valve and outlet chamber with a double cap or cover, the
top one, marked g, being of iron, wood, stone, or other material, and the under one,
marked h, being of glass, or other material. On removal of the top cover the valve
can be examined through the glass, so as to prevent the escape of sewer air; and
should the drain outlet be found to be obstructed on the removal of the glass cover,
the drain rods can be worked down the drain and so clear away or remove any
obstruction that may have formed within. The space between the covers may be
filled in with dry sand, lime, sawdust, or other dry stopping material which can be
easily removed from the glass for observation.
The principles of this trap will be applied in the various forms required for the
drainage of any areas, cellars, basements, stables, baths, housefittings, and also for
road gullies, or for any drain inlet where it is necessary to stop the escape of sewer
or drain air.
Figs. 6, 7, 8, shew the arrangement for a garden sink; Fig. 6 is a vertical section
on line 21, 22; Fig. 7 is a top plan, shewing the grating and inspection cover;
Fig. 8 is a sectional plan taken on the line 19, 20; Figs. 9 and 10 are for a stable
sink, Fig. 9 being a vertical section on line 25, 26, and Fig. 10 a sectional plan on
line 23, 24; Figs. 11 and 12 shew the form of trap for a brick gulley receiver, the
inlet being shewn at m, Fig. 11 being the vertical section on line 29, 30, and
Fig. 12 a sectional plan on line 27, 28; Figs. 13, 14, are for a small area sink,
Fig. 13 being a vertical section on line 33, 34, and Fig. 14 a sectional plan taken

page_text: on line 31, 32. Throughout the Figures 6 to 14, the letters of reference apply
to the same parts.
Having thus described my Invention, I would have it understood that I do not
mean to limit the precise size & forms of apparatus or any part thereof to those as
shewn and described, and I claim to have secured to me by the above Letters
Patent,―
1st. The principle of providing a means for and forming an overflow or way of
escape or discharge for the drainage within a drain or sewer through the whole or
any part of its course in the event of stoppage.
2nd. The combination of a lamphole and two clearing shafts for passing canes or
rods from the surface down stream, and also up stream, the shaft being formed in
short lengths or sections in one piece of stoneware or other material as shewn.
3rd. The trapping of drain inlets on the principle of a valve to work entirely
under water in a syphon dip, and in the providing for inspecting the valve through
a glass cover or cap, and for clearing the valve and outlet drain through the access
opening.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lovegrove, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this
day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
JAMES (L.S.) LOVEGROVE,