IMPROVEMENTS IN SEAL TRAPS FOR WASH BASINS, WATER CLOSETS, AND LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Phillips Thompson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1883. A communi-
cation from Abraham Edwards a person resident at Asbury Park, in the
County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, one of the United States of
America.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, G Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEAL TRAPS FOR WASH BASINS, WATER CLOSETS,
AND LIKE PURPOSES." a communication from Abraham Edwards a person resident
at Asbury Park, in the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, one of the
United States of America.
This invention relates to improvements in that class of traps, which are adapted
for wash basins, water-closets, baths, urinals, and like purposes, and where a
Mercury seal is used to prevent the passage of sewer or other noxious gases, or
odours through said traps by back pressure, and where such mercury seal is
displaced to allow the necessary eduction, by hydrostatic pressure.
The invention consists in certain novel features and arrangements whereby
simplicity of construction is combined with economy, and efficiency in operation.
Its object firstly, is to prevent the escape of gases and obnoxious odours, and,
secondly to destroy all vegetable organism finding its way into, or originating in
the trap.
That there is in all soil pipes a growth of low vegetable organism, is a well
known fact. It is apt to creep along the inner walls of the trap, until it penetrates
within the seal and pipes, and then passes off and floats in the air of the apartment,
in which the sink or other fixture is located, thus becoming germs, from which
various diseases, such as Diphtheria, Typhoid Fever et-cetera, emanate.
It is necessary therefore, to construct the seals for wash stands, and other fixtures,
in such a manner, as to prevent the movement of such growth, and also effectually
destroy the fungi, before they pass through the traps.
Recent investigations show that compounds, similar to Oxide or bi-chloride of
mercury, are the most powerful agents, at our command, for preventing or destroying
the growth described, of the class of vegetable organism, to which the disease germs
belong.

page_text: It having been discovered that mercury placed in an iron trap, has a tendency to
oxidize or be changed to Oxide of Mercury, this chemical is used and located in or
automatically supplied to the traps in such manner, that in a short space of time,
it accumulates on the walls, both above and below the seal, forming a coating or
film, which is poisonous to vegetable life. The larger the area of the inner
surfaces of the trap, the greater will be the amount of poisonous matter which will
accumulate thereon, and the better the protection against disease germs.
gradual absorption of the mercury to form the oxide, necessitates its replenishment,
possibly every five years or perhaps oftener, when the traps are used in a hot
climate. It is essential therefore, that the traps be constructed in such a manner,
that the Mercury chamber may be easily and at the same time quickly removed or
reached, without uncoupling the trap from its connections.
The
The invention also provides for the coating of the interior of the induction and
seal pipes, or either of them, with porcelain or other non-amalgamable substance,
or otherwise smoothly finish the saine, so that particles, descending with the water,
will not adhere thereto, so as to clog the pipes, or, remain above the seal to
decompose. In all cases the trap is constructed so as to afford a ready access to
the interior for cleaning and replenishing the mercury seal.
The traps are provided with a movable bottom which forms a cup or chamber for
the mercury seal. This mercury chamber is of less area than the trap body, and
has by preference a nut cast thercon, or provided with other suitable means
whereby the cup or chamber may be readily screwed on, and unscrewed from the
main body.
This cup or mercury chamber may be screwed either outside or inside the trap
or it may be attached in any other suitable manner, or it may be cast or formed in
one piece with the walls of the trap but it is preferable to have it removable.
When found desirable an opening may be formed in the side of the trap, just
above the mercury seal or in the mercury chamber, or this opening may be arranged
at a point near the upper side of the trap, in the former cases, a common screwed
plug being used to close the aperture, and in the latter a special closing device
consisting of a lid or cover fitting inside a lip or flange formed on the trap body,
said cover having a screwed stud passing through its centre and a nut being
arranged to screw on the said stud, and bear upon the exterior of the trap body.
This opening is for the purpose of inspecting, or cleaning out the interior of the
trap or its seal, but it will be chiefly used in the larger sized traps, where it is not
advisable to remove the Mercury Chamber, or where the removable chamber does
not exist.
The sealing or trap pipe is arranged centrally and vertically in the interior of the
trap; and its lower end dips into the mercury seal a short distance, preferably
about one eighth of an inch, and so as to come within about one quarter inch from
the bottom of the mercury cup.
This sealing pipe is either cast in one with the trap, or the trap may be provided
with a screwed cap having formed thereon a boss or upwardly turned flange, into
which on the underside is screwed the sealing pipe, and the induction pipe being
screwed to its upper side in alignment with the sealing pipe or any arrangement,
which will effect the same result may be adopted.
The eduction pipe is preferably cast in one with the trap, but of course, it may
be tapped into, or otherwise attached to the body of the trap at any suitable
point.
If desired a ventilating pipe may be connected with the eduction pipe at its
upper bend, in which case the ventilating pipe may be carried up through the roof
of the building. The end of that part of the induction pipe which is made in one
with the iron trap body and sealing pipe, will be by preference turned so as to
facilitate the joining by solder, by the lead water pipe, and if desired the end of
the educting pipe is treated in like manner-and similarly connected with a pipe
leading to a sewer or other outlet or receptacle, as will be readily understood by
plumbers.

page_text: The sealing tube and interior of the trap body or either of them, may be coated
with porcelain or other non-amalgamable substance to prevent the adherence of
particles accompanying the waste water for some purposes; but in the majority of
cases, the interior of the trap and the sealing pipe, (which as before mentioned, are
5 of iron) will be left unglazed, so that the mercury gradually oxidizes, or is changed
to Oxide of Mercury, and coats the walls of the trap, or accumulates thereon, both
above and below the seal, and in this manner forms a poisonous barrier to all forms
of the plant life, which are known to creep along such walls.