Improvements in Sewers and in Draïn Pipes for use therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 28th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewers and in Draïn Pipes for use therewith.
I, STEPHEN ELDRIDGE BABCOCK of Little Falls, Herkims Co. State of New
York, United States of America, Civil Hydraulic and 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 a system of sewerage by which the subsoil or ground
water may be safely and efficiently removed in conjunction with the ordinary
sewage, and by the same set of pipes, or by an improved drain tile or hollow
brick built into the walls of the main sewer or laid independent of said sewer.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a drain pipe with one form of my invention
attached, section being on line 2-2 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same on line 1-1 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of a bricked up sewer with one form of my invention
attached.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of a portion of a brick sewer, with a second form of my
invention applied to it.
Fig. 5, is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a tile or hollow brick turned upside down.
Fig. 7 is a cross section of a double tile.
It is a recognised fact that the presence of standing water in the ground or
subsoil, has a marked influence on the generation and dissemination of certain
forms of disease. It is therefore highly desirable that the water in the subsoil
should be kept below a certain permissible water line or level at those places
where it tends to collect. This has heretofore been done in some cases by
laying a special system of drains, but as this is costly, efforts have been made
to have the system of covered sewers, which remove the ordinary sewage, carry
off the water drainage also, either mingled with said sewage or separate therefrom.
To accomplish this first plan, the bricks forming the bottom of the sewer have been
laid without mortar, so that the drainage water could soak in. When a sewer pipe
has been used, the sections have been left with open joints etc. etc.
The disadvantages of these expedients are evident. If water can soak in, sewage
can soak out, and the ground become tainted all along the line of the sewer. Then,
too, the openings soon become clogged, and the system fails altogether.
The second form of my invention is designed to solve the problem of carrying
off the excess of ground water in any particular district either alone or preferably
in connection with, but separate from, the sewage from the same district. The
present method of doing this in connection with the ordinary system of sewers is to
build into the bottom of a brick sewer a series of hollow bricks or tiles, whose joints
are left open so that the ground water can percolate into the hollow brick. The
bottom of the main sewer is then made tight by putting a layer of cement over the
line of hollow brick. The disadvantages of this arrangement are :-First, that the
lining of cement is liable to be broken, through the action of natural causes and
the sewage then leaks out: Second, the spaces between the abutting ends of the
hollow bricks or tiles are filled up by dirt or sewage working into them, or perhaps
this stuff accumulates in the interior of the bricks and entirely clogs up the passage
way; Third, the open joints which allow water to percolate in, also allow it to ooze
out and the ground water collected at one portion of the sewer system will be
allowed to run out into the ground at another and drier locality, instead of being
carried away through such dry locality to the mouth of the sewer. To avoid these
ro 077

page_text: and other difficulties I have made the invention illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which
1 (Fig. 4) represents a portion of a brick wall of an ordinary sewer of oval or
other cross section. 3. is niy preferred form of hollow tile in place so as to form a
portion of the bottom of the sewer and at the same time serving as a water tight
conduit to carry off the ground water, 4, 4, are ordinary hollow tiles serving as
foundations for the sewer walls. These tiles 4, might evidently be made like
the tile 3, and assist in carrying off the water, if a greater capacity were
needed.
The construction of the hollow drain tile 3, is best shown in Fig. 6. It has a
longitudinal partition or septum 7, which extends up from the bottom wall 14, of
the tile almost to the top wall 12, a space 9, is left however, so that the interior of
the hollow tile is divided into two longitudinal compartments 10, and 11, con-
nected at the top. Facility of manufacture would render it desirable that the
partition 7 should be in the centre of the tile but it might be located to one
side of the centre without effecting the operativeness of the invention.
In the bottom wall 14, of each tile is an opening, preferably in the form of a
longitudinal slit 8, which connects with one of the compartments 11, but not with
the other 10.
Each tile is provided with a projecting portion 5, at one end and a corresponding
recess 6, at the other end, so that the tiles will match when placed end to end and
can, by means of cement, be made to form permanent water tight joints.
The
The double tile shown in Fig. 4, would be used in extra large sewers.
operation of this form of my invention is as follows:-A line of tiles having been
put down through the ground to be drained, either by themselves, or in conjunction
with a regular sewer as shown in Fig. 4, the ground water accumulates until it
rises through the opening 8 and flows over the partition 7, into the compartment 10,
which affords it a free and water tight conduit to conduct it to the mouth of
the sewer.
The dirt may work up into the compartment 11, and nearly fill the
same at certain points so that there can be no flow of water along said com-
partment, but the compartment 10, will always be open because nothing but
water gets into it.
When these tiles form the bottom of a sewer, they form a rigid and permanent
one, on account of the strength of the joints 5, and 6.
.
It is evident that the slit 8, might be replaced by a series of holes, and that the
partition 7 might be carried all the way up to the upper wall 12, of the tile, if only
the requisite perforations through said partition were made to allow water to flow
into the compartment 10. Various other changes of form might be made without
departing from the spirit of my invention.
Of course the openings 8, must connect with the corresponding compartment of
each tile, so as to leave the other and water tight compartments in line when the
tiles are laid in position.
The form of my invention first referred to above, may be described as
follows:-
15 is a section of sewer or drain pipe, and 16 is an inlet pipe connecting with the
interior of the sewer at a point 17, below the sewage level. 18, is the outer end of
the inlet pipe; 19 is a valve of any convenient form resting on the seat 20, and
opening inward, so that the water may flow in through the inlet pipe, but no sewage
can flow out, no matter how much the sewer is overcharged.
In Fig. 3, the bricked up sewer 2, is provided with the syphon shaped inlet
pipe 22, which has the inlet 23, to the sewer below the sewage level; and the
inwardly opening valve 25, resting on the valve seat 24.
I prefer that the inlet should be syphon shaped as shown because its outer
opening is then less likely to be clogged and the valve is protected, but the inlet
might be of any other shape.
I also prefer the inwardly opening valve as described, but in cases where the
sewage rarely fills the sewer, this valve might be dispensed with.

page_text: By wrapping the inlet pipe about the sewer pipe, as shown in Fig. 2, the
danger of breaking it is reduced, and a wide trench does not need to be dug.
The method of operation of this portion of my invention is evident. Alternate
sections of the sewer have their inlet pipes opening to the left and right so as to
drain the ground on either side.
During the dry season the sewage flows along the bottom of the sewer, as
indicated, and the fact that inlet pipe opening is below the sewage level, forms
a water seal that prevents escape of sewer gas. If by any chance the sewer is
overcharged, by flushing or otherwise, the valve 19 or 25, closes, and prevents
the escape of any sewage. When the wet season comes, the water in the subsoil
rises to the permissible water line 26 or 27 which is the permissible level of
the soil water, and then begins to flow into the sewer. Not only is the further
accumulation of water prevented, but, owing to the familiar action of the syphon
pipe, the exterior water is lowered until it is below the outer end of the inlet pipe,
or has reached the level maintained in the sewer.
Among the advantages of this system are its small first cost, its healthfulness, its
non-liability to get out of order, and its effectiveness.
While the arrangement illustrated, in which the inner end of the inlet is below
the sewage level, is the preferred construction, yet, in the case of deep sewers, this
might be dispensed with and the connection made to any part of the sewer. In all
cases however I have preferred to have the outer end of the inlet pipe face
downward, as shewn, so as to prevent the intrusion of dirt.
In ordinary cases, the inwardly opening valve is a necessity to prevent a back
action of the syphon, but in cases where the sewage level rarely if ever rises
to the top of the sewer the form of pipe without the valve may safely be used,
care being taken to have the outer end of the pipe above the highest probable
sewage level.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A. hollow drain tile which has a longitudinal septum or partition which is
cut away at the upper portion, thereby dividing the interior of said tile into two
longitudinal compartments connected at the top, and which has an opening or
openings through its bottom wall connecting with one of said compartments only,
substantially as described.
2. A hollow drain tile which has an interior longitudinal septum or partition
which extends from the bottom wall nearly to the top wall, thereby dividing the
interior of said tile into two longitudinal compartments connected at the top, and
which has a longitudinal slit in the bottom of one of said compartments, the bottom
wall of the other compartment being water tight, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a series of hollow drain tiles, whose ends are matched to
form male and female joints, each of which tiles has a central longitudinal septum
or partition which is cut away at the upper portion, thereby dividing the interior
of said tile into two longitudinal compartments connected at the top, and each of
which tiles has an opening or openings in the bottom wall connecting with one of
said compartments only, said openings connecting with corresponding compartments
of the several tiles, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the walls of a sewer, of a series of hollow tiles which
fit into and form the bottom of said sewer, the ends of which are attached to form
water tight male and female joints and each of which tiles has a central longitudinal
septum or partition which is cut away at the upper portion, thereby dividing the
interior of said tile into two longitudinal compartments connected with the top,
and each of which has an opening or openings in the bottom wall connecting with
one of said compartments only, said openings connecting with corresponding
compartments of the several tiles, substantially as described.
5. A covered or pipe sewer provided with a series of auxiliary inlet pipes

page_text: entering the sewer at the side near the bottom thereof, the mouths of which are
located outside of the sewer, above the contemplated sewage level, and face
downward substantially as described and shewn.
6. A covered or pipe sewer provided with auxiliary inlet pipes opening into the
sewer at the side near the bottom thereof, the mouths of which are located outside
of the sewer above the contemplated sewage level, face downward, and are furnished
with valves opening inward, substantially as shewn and described.
7. A pipe sewer having auxiliary inlet pipes disposed closely around the same,
opening thereinto near the bottom thereof, the outer ends of which are higher
than the contemplated sewage level and face downward, substantially as shewn and
described.
8. The combination with a drain pipe, of a syphon inlet, the connection of the
inlet pipe with the drain pipe being below the sewage level, and the highest part of
the inlet pipe being at the permissible level of the soil water and its outboard and
being in the surrounding earth, substantially as shewn and described.
9. The combination with the drain pipe, of a syphon inlet, the highest part of the
inlet pipe being at the permissible level of the soil water and its outboard end
being in the surrounding earth, together with a valve in said inlet pipe which opens
inward, substantially as shewn and described.
L: 01 A1 1000
S. E. BABCOCK,
By L. W., per F. B.