Improvements in Drains for Buildings and in Devices for Preventing Deleterious or Offensive Vapours or Gases Entering such Buildings from the Sewers.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drains for Buildings and in Devices for Preventing
Deleterious or Offensive Vapours or Gases Entering such Buildings
from the Sewers.
A communication from abroad by JAMES L. CRITTENDEN, of Oakland, in the
County of Alameda, and State of California, United States of America.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool & 6 Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil 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 :—
This invention has for its object to furnish a free outlet for all sewerage and
waste liquids from water-closets, sinks and other vessels in buildings; to dispense
with any traps, and to provide against the possibility of any deleterious or offensive
vapours or gases entering such buildings from the sewers or drains.
These objects are accomplished, first, by using a short unobstructed connecting
pipe (without a trap) to conduct fluids from the water closet, sink and other
vessels to a point over and near, but entirely disconnected from, a funnel shaped
hopper in the open air on the outside of such building; and by making the end of
such hopper connected with the waste pipe much smaller than such waste-pipe, but
held in place by suitable means, so as to leave an open space between the inside of
said waste-pipe and the outside of said hopper for the free circulation of air or
escape of gases, and secondly by disconnecting the pipe (into the end or branch of
which said hopper is placed) from the pipe leading from the sink or other vessel
and also from the sewer pipe in the ground, but extending it to a large hopper
which is connected with and empties into the sewer in the ground.
This last hopper (at the ground) might be dispensed with.
2
A second independent unobstructed pipe is also employed connected to the top
of the water-closet or other vessel leading into the open air and discharging above
and into the said hopper, or a similar hopper, placed in the end or branch of the
disconnected pipe C, or in a separate disconnected pipe for carrying off any
overflow. All basins, bowls, sinks, etcetera, are so constructed that they shall have
a gradual and continuous declination to the point of outlet and so that the outlet
therefrom shall be at the lowest point and at the side or end thereof nearest to the
waste pipe on the outside of the building.
There may be, if desired, a ventilating pipe connected with the waste-pipe at or
near the point where the hopper is placed.
Traps and curves are dispensed with in the outlet pipes, thereby avoiding all
danger and opportunity for the collection of impurities and the deleterious
substances in such pipes, and the danger of stoppage and clogging of said pipes.
By having short, straight and disconnected outlet pipes the same may be easily
and thoroughly cleaned without the delay and expense of employing a practical
plumber, while the free circulation of air tends to keep said ontlet pipes clean and
sweet. By discharging the sewerage water and other liquids on the outside of the
house into an open hopper situated just below the outlet pipes all possibility of
gases or noxious vapours or odours entering the building by means of the waste
pipes is absolutely avoided, and by having said open hopper set into the waste pipe
with a ventilating space around its sides, additional means are provided for
preventing sewer-gases and other noxious vapours or odours entering the outlet or
discharge pipes of the building. By having the pipe on the outside of the building,
in the top or branch of which the open hopper is placed, wholly disconnected both

page_text: from the sewer and from the outlet waste and over-flow pipes, additional means are
provided for preventing sewer gases and other noxious vapours entering the
building.
"
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention,
Figure 1 is a view of the outside of the building showing the arrangement of
drain pipes.
Figure 2 shows a bath tub fitted with the invention.
Figure 3 is a wash bowl;
Figure 4 a sink; and
Figure 5a wash tub, all fitted with the invention.
Figure 6 shows the hopper connection on the outside of the building without
the ventilating pipe attached.
In these drawings-
A is the hopper, B is the open space between the bottom of hopper and the pipe
into which it discharges; C is the waste and ventilating pipe; D is a large
hopper at the ground connecting with the sewer pipe; E is the sewer pipe in the
ground is the outlet pipe from the basin, sink, washtub or other vessel; and G
is the over-flow pipe from the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of a vertical drain and ventilating pipe arranged exteriorly
to the building and emptying into the sewer-pipe, branches leading into said pipe,
and the outlet or waste pipes leading from the sinks etcetera in the building above
said branches with the hoppers arranged exteriorly of the building and interposed
between the waste-pipes and branches to receive from the former and empty into
the latter, and having their delivery ends smaller than the open mouth of the
branches, and their receiving ends larger than the waste pipes, whereby any
gases rising through the branches will be deflected outward exteriorly of the
hopper and waste pipe, and free air spaces be left between the waste-pipes and
hoppers above the branches, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the sewer-pipe, a hopper suspended above and emptying
into said sewer pipe but allowing gases to escape exteriorly to and around the
hopper, a drain pipe suspended above said hopper and emptying therein but
allowing free escape of gases and passage of air between the mouth of the hopper
and the end of drain pipe and having a receiving branch, all said parts being
exterior to the building with the outlet or waste-pipe leading from the sink in the
building, and a hopper arranged exteriorly to the building and interposed between
the end of said waste pipe and mouth of branch so as to leave spaces for passage
of air or gas between the branch and hopper and between the hopper and waste
pipe, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of May 1891
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.