Year: 1888

page_text: I, WILLIAM DUNDAS SCOTT MONORIEFF, Engineer, of 86, Newman Street, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to manhole
chambers, and has as principal objects the improved construction of manhole
chambers principally applicable for sanitary purposes, and of covers applicable
thereto and to manhole openings generally.
It has formerly been usual to construct manhole chambers of the kind to which
the Invention relates, in brickwork with earthenware half channel pipes leading through
them and forming the bottom portion thereof, but this is attended by many well
known disadvantages which it is the object of the present Invention to obviate, and
to this end or for such purpose I construct the manhole chamber in the following
improved manner, making it of the required or of sufficient dimensions for its
intended use, as regards length, breadth and height. I construct the bottom portion
of the manhole chamber of metal, in an advantageous modification forming it entire
or in one piece of cast or wrought iron with flanges and webs or equivalent parts
for connection to the top portion of the chamber by rivetting or otherwise and with
all necessary sockets or other means of connection, the whole constituting a self
contained junction box or chamber.
The said junction box or chamber may also be made or formed with or so that it
may be adapted with an S or other suitable form of sealed outlet or trap, to which
it is preferably bolted, the adjacent parts being flanged for that purpose. The top
part of the chamber, which may be made in one piece with or separate from the said
herein before referred to junction box, is made with a through opening to permit of
access to the interior of the chamber into and through which the drainage is led by
suitable inlets and channels passing through the sides and ends thereof.
The cover or means of closing the manhole chamber, to which reference will
hereinafter firstly be made, is made of an arched formation with upper and under

page_text: strengthening ribs and with a bottom rim or flange adapted to rest on the top of the
said top part of the chamber around the said through opening therein. The cover is
connected to a lever one end of which is mounted on a cam shaft supported by a lug rising
from the said top of the chamber and the other end the of lever is adapted to enter a
movable link centred to and rising from the opposite side of the said top part of the
chamber the cam shaft being adapted with a band lever. By such means the cover
is rendered capable of direct and immediate application to the said manhole chamber
or opening, so as to effectually seal the opening thereof, and of being immediately
secured in and released from position.
According to another modification the cover and the means of securing it in
position are formed independently of each other, the former being made with an inner
depending flange fitting within the said opening it is intended to close, and being
adapted with a surrounding elastic washer resting upon a raised rim surrounding the
said opening, and the said means of securing the said cover in position being made
with opposite extensions the outer extremities of which are adapted to fit in recesses
in lugs rising from the top part of the said junction box, the centre part of the
fastening device being also adapted with a'centred cam and lever by operating which
latter the cover can be instantly fixed in position or released from pressure so that
it can be instantly removed, it being provided with a handle or analogous means
for that purpose.
Dated this 17th day of February 1888.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: 1, WILLIAM DUNDAS SCOTT-MONCRIEFF, Engineer, of 86, Newman Street, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to manhole
chambers, and has as principal objects the improved construction of manhole chambers
principally applicable for sanitary purposes, and of covers applicable thereto and to
manhole openings generally.
It has formerly been usual to construct manhole chambers of the kind to which
the Invention relates, in brickwork with earthenware half channel pipes leading
through them and forming the bottom portion thereof, but this is attended by many
well-known disadvantages which it is the object of the present Invention to obviate,
and to this end or for such purpose, I construct and adapt the manhole chamber as
hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, making it of the
required or of sufficient dimensions for its intended use, as regards length, breadth
and height.
A manhole chamber constructed in accordance with the hereindescribed Invention
is illustrated on the accompanying drawings in plan view in Fig. 1; in plan view
with the cover and lid removed in Fig. 2; and in side elevation partly in section in
Fig. 3.
In accordance with the present improvements, I construct the manhole chamber, 4,
of metal forming it entire or in one piece of cast or wrought iron with flanges, webs or
equivalent parts, 5, for connection to the cover, 6, of the chamber, and with all
necessary sockets, 7, or other means of connection, the whole constituting a self-
contained junction-box into which the several inlets, 8, 9, 10, all open formning a
common channel leading into a common outlet, 11.
The said junction-box or chamber, 4, is also formed entire with a flange, 12, or
any equivalent means by which it can be connected with an S or other suitable form
of sealed outlet or trap, 13, to which it is preferably bolted as at, 14.
The top part or cover, 6, of the chamber, 4, may be made in one piece with the
said hereinbefore described junction-box, but it is preferably made separately there-
from as represented on the accompanying drawings and bolted thereto as at, 15. It
is made with a through opening, 16, to permit of access to the interior of the
chamber, (into and through which the drainage is led by the hereinbefore mentioned
channelled inlets, 8, 9, 10, passing through the sides and ends of the chamber, 4,) the
cover being formed integral with a raised rim, 17, surrounding the opening, 16.
The said opening, 16, is closed by a removable lid, 18, which is formed (indepen-
dently of the means of securing it in position) with a depending rim or flange, 19,
adapted to fit within the said opening, 16, and with an outer depending rim or
flange, 20, adapted to fit around the outer periphery of the said rim, 17, the lid
=

page_text: also being adapted with an annular elastic washer, 21, of india-rubber, asbestos or
other suitable material fitting between the said rims, 19, and, 20, and adapted to rest
on the said rim, 17, and being also formed with a raised centre part, 22, the purpose
of utility of which will hereinafter appear.
The means of securing the said lid so as to effect an air-tight closure of the said
opening, 16, are carried by the said cover, 6, the supporting bearings, 23, 24, being
formed integral with the cover. Such means consist of a lever, 25, pivotted in the
bearings, 23, and formed with a slot, 26, in which is pivotted a lever, 27, formed
with an eccentric part, 28, the purpose of utility of which will also hereinafter appear.
The free end of the lever, 25, is adapted to fall over the bearings, 24, in which is
pivotted a lever, 29, slotted at, 30, the slot being so situated as to cause the said free
end of the lever, 25, to enter thereinto when resting on the said bearings, 24, and
when the lever, 29, is moved from the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.
to that indicated in full lines. The said lid is then secured in position by such means,
by moving the lever, 27, from the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. to that
indicated in full lines upon which being effected the said excentric part; 28, of the
lever, 27, is operative upon the said raised centre-part of the lid, 18, in gradually
depressing the same, exerting gradually increasing force as the movement of the
lever, 27, proceeds until it assumes the self-locking position shown in full lines in
Fig. 3, when the said lid is effectually secured in manner as aforesaid.
Figs. 4, 5, and, 6, respectively represent a plan view, sectional elevation and
section of a circular manhole chamber constructed in accordance with the present
Invention, and wherein the cover, 6, is dispensed with, the lid, 18, fitting directly
onto the rim, 17, which forms the boundary of the chamber and of the manhole
opening, and the said lugs, 23, and 24, being cast integral with the chamber.
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. The construction of manhole chambers in the improved manner bereinbefore
described.
2. The herein before described improved means of closing the manhole openings
of manhole chambers, and the application of such means to manhole openings
generally.
3. The use in combination of manhole chambers and means of closing the manhole
openings thereof respectively constructed and adapted substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 15th day of November 1888
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.