AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR VENTILATING HOUSE DRAINS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to George Edward Mineard, of Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex, and Thomas Crapper, of Chelsea, in the same County, for an
Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR VENTILATING HOUSE
DRAINS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Mineard
and Thomas Crapper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
13th April 1881.
GEORGE EDWARD MINEARD, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, and
THOMAS CRAPPER, of Chelsea, in the same County. "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
AND MEANS FOR VENTILATING HOUSE DRAINS."
The object of this Invention is to effect the proper ventilation of house drains by
ensuring at all times a continuous draught downwards through the soil pipe, the
gases being carried off by a suitably placed upcast ventilating shaft.
In carrying out our Invention we adopt an arrangement of soil pipe and
ventilating shaft which has been found under some circumstances to answer its
purpose well.
We carry the soil pipe up above the eaves of the house, and connect
the gutters thereto. Every shower of rain will therefore, as also every use of the
closet, serve to clean out the soil pipe, and will tend to set up a current of air
therein. This pipe is connected at bottom to the house drain in the usual way.
The drain runs into a suitably placed inspection chamber, and it is connected
with the trap of the main drain by a half pipe, which will permit of the sewer
gases escaping into the inspection chamber, which will be hermetically closed in
any suitable manner. In connection with this chamber is the upcast ventilating
shaft by which all the gases are carried off. Hitherto the draught through the house
drains has been caused by the use of cowls of various forms placed on the upcast
shaft, and which, so long as the air is clear and there is sufficient wind, answer
their purpose, but they fail to effect their object at a time when it is most essential
that they should, namely, when the air is heavy or foggy.
The manner in which we now propose to create and keep up a thorough draught
through the house drains is to take advantage of the well known property of

page_text: heated air to ascend, and we therefore place in any convenient part of the upcast
shaft (by preference as near the inspection chamber before referred to as possible)
a heating apparatus, whereby the air in the upcast will be heated, and by its
tendency to rise will draw in fresh air down the soil pipe and through the house
drain into the inspection chamber, and with it any sewer gases that may be in the
drains.
The heating of the upcast shaft may be effected in various ways, but where the
upcast is of iron pipe we prefer to employ the following, viz. :-We form a
cylindrical chamber open at both ends, and towards the lower end of this chamber
we provide a sight hole, which may be closed by a screw cap or in any other con-
venient manner.
The chamber we line with fireclay, plumbago, or ganister, and we place therein
an atmospheric gas burner, which is secured in the chamber in any suitable
manner.
The heating chamber thus formed is inserted between two lengths of the upcast
shaft, the said lengths being screwed into the chamber, for which purpose it is
threaded internally.
.
By this arrangement of heating chamber the gases will be caused to pass through
it and in contact with the plane, by which their noxious properties will be rendered
harmless before passing to the external air.
Or the heating chamber may be placed by the side of the kitchen fire, and
connected with the upcast shaft and inspection chamber in any convenient
manner.
Or again, the heating may be effected by means of a hot water coil placed in
the upcast shaft, and connected with the boiler or hot water cistern."
We thus ensure a thorough and complete draught downwards through the soil
pipe, and are thereby enabled to dispense with traps under the water closets.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Edward Mineard and Thomas Crapper in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th October 1881.
GEORGE EDWARD MINEARD, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, and
THOMAS CRAPPER, of Chelsea, in the same County. "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
AND MEANS FOR VENTILATING HOUSE DRAINS."
The object of this Invention is to effect the proper ventilation of house drains
by ensuring at all times a continuous draught downwards through the soil pipe,
the sewer gases being carried off by a suitably placed upcast ventilating shaft.
In the systems at present in use for ventilating house drains the soil of the pipe
is extended upwards above the eaves of the house and is surmounted by a cowl, so
arranged that the action of the wind shall cause a suction in the soil-pipe and
house drain and draw up the sewer gases that are collected therein. To assist in
this ventilation and with a view to ensure a thorough draught through the drains
and soil pipe, a short pipe connected with the drain and open to the atmosphere
has been placed, say, in the front area, the intention being that the suction created
in the soil pipe shall draw in the fresh air through this pipe, and so carry off the
sewer gases and ventilate the drain.
These plans although they act fairly well when there is sufficient wind to cause
the cowl to act properly have failed when most needed, that is to say, when the
air is heavy and foggy.
Sewer gas being heavier than air has rather a tendency to descend than rise,
and this combined' with the flushing of the closet has been found at times to cause
the current of air to pass in the contrary direction, and so force out the sewer gases
through the short pipe into the front area to the great annoyance of the occupants
of the front rooms of the house.
Attempts have been made by the use of traps and valves, which act only in one
way, to prevent this downward current of sewer gas, but this instead of improving
matters has had a contrary effect, inasmuch as the accumulated sewer gases having
no other outlet have when the flushing is taking place forced their way through
syphons or traps into the waterclosets, and thus into the house.
Now in carrying out our Invention we adopt the prolonged soil pipe, and we
connect the gutters thereto, but instead of the short ventilating pipe we use an
upcast ventilating shaft in connection with the house drain. This shaft is placed,
say, in the front of the house (the soil pipe being at the back) and we carry it
some distance above the roof.
The soil pipe is connected with the house drain in the usual manner.
The house drain runs into an hermetically closed inspection chamber, and is
connected with a Weaver's trap also open to the inspection chamber, or other trap
of the main drain by a half pipe or trough, which will allow of any sewer gases
in the house drain escaping into the inspection chamber, from which they will be
carried off by the ventilating shaft.
In this arrangement the draught instead of being upwards through the soil pipe
will be downwards, the sewer gases by their weight, as mentioned above, assisting
in the downward current.
Every time the flushing of the closet takes place it will tend to set up the
downward current, the descending water acting the part of a piston or plunger to
force the sewer gas below it up the ventilating shaft.
In order to ensure and keep up a thorough draught through the house drain, we
place in any convenient part of the upcast shaft (by preference as near the
inspection chamber before referred to as possible) a heating apparatus, whereby
the air in the upcast will be heated, and by its rising will create a suction in the
pipes and draw in fresh air down the soil pipe and through the house drain into
the inspection chamber, and with it any sewer gases that may be in the house

page_text: drains. Any gases that may get past the Weaver's trap from the main sewer
would also be carried off by the ventilating shaft.
The heating apparatus where the upcast is of iron pipe may consist of a
cylindrical, square, or other suitably shaped casing open at both ends, and provided
towards its lower end with a sight hole which may be closed by a screw cap or in
any other convenient manner.
This casing may, if desired, be lined with fireclay, plumbago, or gannister, and
we secure therein in any convenient manner a gas burner.
The heating chamber thus formed is inserted between two lengths of the upcast
shaft, the said lengths being screwed into the chamber, for which purpose it should
be threaded internally or otherwise fixed thereto. The rushing in down the soil
pipe of the air to support the combustion of the flame will act as an additional
means to increase the draught through the house drain.
The gases with the air to support combustion will thus be drawn into the
heating chamber where they will come into contact with the flame, the noxious
properties of the gases being thereby rendered harmless before passing to the
external air.
In the accompanying Drawings, we have shewn in Sheet I. a sectional elevation
and a plan view of a house fitted according to our Invention, and in Sheet II. the
details of the heating apparatus are shewn."
A is the soil pipe which is connected to the house drain B in any convenient
manner; C is the hermetically closed inspection chamber; D, the Weaver's trap
for trapping the main sewer; a is the half pipe or trough connecting the house
drain B with the Weaver's trap D; E is the ventilating shaft which projects some
distance above the roof; and F is the heating chamber. The water closets are
connected direct with the soil pipe without any intervening trap. The arrows
denote the direction of the draught through the house drains.
-
In Sheet II., Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation; and Fig. 3,
a sectional plan view of a heating chamber for gas.
bis the casing which may be lined with fireclay, plumbago, or gannister, if
desired; c is the sight hole which may be closed with a glazed or other cap c¹,
and d is the gas burner; E is the ventilating shaft, between two lengths of which
the heating chamber F is placed. The current of air and sewer gas will pass
through the gas flame in the direction shewn by the arrows.
Having now described the nature of our Invention of "An Improved Mode of
and Means for Ventilating House Drains," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent we claim,-
First. Ventilating house drains by setting up a downward current of air through
the soil pipe and house drain by means of a gas or other burner placed in a heating
chamber arranged to form part of an upcast ventilating shaft in connection with
the drain, such stream of air carrying with it any sewer or other gases collected
in the drain, and which by coming into contact with the flame of the burner are
destroyed or rendered innocuous before passing to the atmosphere, substantially as
herein shewn and described.
Secondly. The heating apparatus, constructed substantially as herein shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Mineard, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand sight bundred and eighty one.
GEORGE EDWARD MINEARD. (L.S.)