IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH TRAPS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Cardwell, of Broadheath, in the County of Chester,
Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH TRAPS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Cardwell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th January 1877.
ROBERT CARDWELL, of Broadheath, in the County of Chester, Ironfounder.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH TRAPS."
My Invention relates to the stench traps employed in connection with gully
gratings or grids and otherwise employed to prevent the escape of gases from sewers,
and has for its principal object to render the said traps more efficient as means for
preventing the passage of gases.
When constructing a gully trap in accordance with my Invention I form a box
or receptacle, divided by means of a partition extending upwards from the bottom.
The compartment on one side of this partition receives the water and matters as
they pass through the grating. The said grating is formed or provided with a
diaphragm or fin, which projects downwards into or towards the water contained
in the said compartment when the grid is in position. The said diaphragm is by
preference inclined or curved towards the side or end of the box and away from
the said partition, and extended downwards below the surface of the water.
The grating is hinged to the upper part of the box, or is otherwise arranged to be
capable of being readily opened when the receptacle is to be cleansed; I may
provide the said compartment with or form it as a loose receptacle or sludge box
which can be lifted out and emptied at intervals. The second compartment on the
other side of the partition communicates by means of a syphon pipe or passage
with the pipe which conveys the water to the sewer, that is to say, the lower part
of the said space communicates with a passage which rises or is curved or inclined
upwards to the point of connection with the drain pipe so as to obtain a sealing of
the receptacle. The water and matters fall first into the first compartment and
flow over the partition into the second compartment, whence they flow through the
aforesaid passage into the drain pipe. Stones and heavy matters accumulate in the

page_text: first compartiment or in the removable sludge box, whence they may be removed at
intervals when the grid or grating is opened. The second compartment will
usually require cleansing at longer intervals. Access to both compartments is had
when the grating is raised. An important feature in this trap is that the first
compartment may be entirely emptied without unsealing the trap.
The arrangement also forms to some extent a double trap, for the reason that
large quantities of gases cannot escape if the first compartment is full, although the
second compartment may be empty
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Robert Cardwell in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th July 1877.
_ ROBERT CARDWELL, of Broadheath, in the County of Chester, Ironfounder.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH TRAPS."
My Invention relates to the stench traps employed in connection with gully
gratings or grids and otherwise employed to prevent the escape of gases from sewers,
and has for its principal object to render the said traps more efficient as means for
preventing the passage of gases.
When constructing a gully trap in accordance with my Invention I form a box
or receptacle, divided by means of a partition extending upwards from the bottom.
The compartment on one side of this partition receives the water and matters as
they pass through the grating. The said grating is preferably formed or provided
with a diaphragm or fin, which projects downwards into or towards the water
contained in the said compartment when the grid is in position. The said
diaphragm is by preference inclined or curved towards the side or end of the box
and away from the said partition, and extended downwards below the surface of
the water.
The grating is hinged to the upper part of the box, or is otherwise arranged to
be capable of being readily opened when the receptacle is to be cleansed. I may
provide the said compartment with or form it as a loose receptacle or sludge box
which can be lifted out and emptied at intervals. The second compartment on the
other side of the partition communicates by means of a syphon pipe or passage with
the pipe which conveys the water to the sewer. The water and matters fall first
into the first compartment and flow over the partition into the second compartment,
whence they flow through the aforesaid passage into the drain pipe.
And in order that my Invention may be readily described and understood I have
appended hereunto a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference, to which
Drawings I will now refer.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of a stench trap or gully constructed in
accordance with my Invention. The said Figure is drawn about half the full
linear dimensions of the example selected, but it will be understood that the
dimensions and proportions vary according to the requirements; the example
represents a medium sized gully.
Fig. 2 represents a plan of the gully; in Fig. 1, a, a, are the walls of a metal
box or chamber; b is the grid; and c is the syphon. The said box is divided into
two compartments A and B by means of a vertical partition d. The said partition
does not extend to the top of the box, and as a consequence the upper parts of the
two compartments are united. The grid b is hinged at e to the upper part of the
box and is formed with slots for the passage of fluid, as seen in Fig. 2. On the
under side of the said grid is fixed or formed a diaphragm f, which extends in a
slanting direction from the grid into and below the surface of the water. A second
diaphragm g extends from the grid towards the surface of the water. In practice

page_text: I form these diaphragms separately by casting, and subsequently fix them in position
by the operation of casting the grid, but I only mention this method for guidance
and do not confine myself thereto. The compartment A is fitted with an inner metal
receptacle or sludge box h; the said receptacle in the example is formed of strong
sheet iron and is galvanized or coated with zinc. The receptacle is strengthened
at the top by means of a wrought-iron rim and is provided with a handle i, by
means of which it can be lifted out of the said compartment. The side of the
receptacle which is to the right hand in the Drawing terminates at i, at which
point the said side is turned outwards so as to form a lip which extends over the
top of the partition d. The said receptacle may be made of cast iron or other
suitable material, as preferred or considered to be most advantageous. The syphon C
is or may be of the usual form, and connects the bottom part of the compartment B
with the drain pipes, the connection being effected in the usual or in a suitable
manner. When the gully is in use, the water flowing through the grid falls into
the receptacle h, the diaphragm f preventing the water or any but a small portion
of the water from falling directly into the compartment B. From the said recep-
tacle the water flows over the lip k into the last-named compartment, whence it
flows through the syphon into the drain. Stones and other matters collect in the
receptacle h. At suitable intervals the grid is raised in the usual manner, and the
said receptacle is lifted out of its compartment by means of the handle i. The said
receptacle may then be quickly emptied directly into a cart by simple inversion,
and may be replaced either with or without being washed or thoroughly cleansed.
Access to both compartments is had when the grid is raised. The compartment B
and the syphon c will require cleansing at longer intervals than the said receptacle.
It will be seen that the periodical emptying of the said receptacle can be effected
without removing the liquid in the compartment B and therefore without unsealing
the trap, and this I consider to be an important feature of my Invention. It will
also be seen that the diaphragm f by dipping into the water forms a double trap to
some extent. The principal use of the diaphragm g is to check the access of light
to the contents of the receptacle and thereby to check the putrifaction of the said
contents, but the said diaphragm may be dispensed with if not considered to be
necessary; also the removable receptacle may be dispensed with, although I prefer
to use it. If not used the stones and sludge collect in the compartment A, and are
removed at intervals in the usual manner without necessarily unsealing the water
trap in the syphon. In some cases I connect the upper part of the syphon with a
pipe which conveys any gases collecting in the upper bend of the syphon to a point
where they may be discharged without creating a nuisance.
Fig. 3 represents a syphon formed with a branch / for connection with such an
air pipe.
Fig. 4 illustrates one of the modifications, which may be made in the form of
the grid. In this example the said grid is made of a dish shape with the grating
at the bottom of the dish, as is the case in some descriptions of gullys; I do not
claim this as a novelty but merely illustrate it to indicate that changes may be
made in the form of the grid without departing from the nature and intent of my
Invention.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my Invention and means
whereby the same may be carried into effect, I would have it to be understood
that I claim,-
First. The stench traps or gullys formed, fitted, and arranged substantially as set
forth and indicated herein-before and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Dividing the box part of a gully or stench trap into two compartments,
and causing the stones, mud, and matters to fall or be directed into one compart-
ment, which can be emptied without unsealing the water trap, substantially as set
forth and indicated.
Thirdly. The diaphragm ƒ, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
indicated.

page_text: And, lastly. The removable receptacle or sludge box, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Cardwell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed and sealed by the
said Robert Cardwell in
the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent to the Patentee,
3, Princess Street,
Manchester.
ROBERT CARDWELL. (L.S.)