Scientific American Supplement, No. 484, April 11, 1885Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 484, April 11, 1885
Various
Science -- Periodicals
I have never met two sanitarians who agreed upon the same water-closets,
bowls, faucets, traps, etc.
Of course, the soil pipe will be carried, of full size, through the roof,
and sufficiently high to clear all windows.
Avoid multiplicity of fixtures or pipes; cut off all fixtures not used at
least twice a week, lest their traps dry out; have all plumbing as simple
as possible, and try and get it all located so that outside air can be got
directly into all closets and bath-rooms. As far as possible, set your
fixtures in glass rather than tiles or wood. Carry the lower end of the
main drain at least five feet beyond the cellar walls of the building, of
cast iron.
Let us now look at the outside work. The main drain (carrying everything
except the kitchen and pantry sinks) goes through a ventilated running
trap. An indirect fresh air inlet is provided on the house side of the
trap (example), to prevent annoyance from puffing or pumping, or, better
still, a pipe corresponding to the soil pipe is carried up on the outside
of the house.
The running trap ventilator should be of the same diameter as the main
drain (4 inch), and serve as a main drain vent also. Carry this pipe on
the outside of the house as high as the top of the chimney.
A grease-trap should be provided for the kitchen and pantry sinks.
Formerly my custom was to put in brick receptacles; it is now to put in
Portland cement traps (Henderson pattern), though perhaps I may succeed in
devising a cast-iron one that will answer better. The brick ones were
occasionally heaved by the frost, and cracked; the Portland cement ones
answer better, and when thoroughly painted with red lead do not soak an
appreciable quantity of sewage to be offensive, but are too high priced
($28 each). I have made one or two patterns for cast-iron ones, but none
as yet that I feel satisfied with.
Beyond the running trap an Akron pipe should convey the sewage to a tank
or cesspool.
Our supposable case is the second most difficult to take care of. The
worst would be ledge. We have to contend with, however, hard, wet,
impervious clay.
The best way undoubtedly is to underdrain the land, and then to distribute
the sewage on the principle of intermittent downward filtration. This is
rather expensive, and a customer is rarely willing to pay the bills for
the same. I should always advise it as the best; but where not allowed to
do so, I have had fair success with shallow French drains connecting with
the tank or cesspool.
Siphon tanks, such as are advised by many sanitarians, that were used
first in this country, I believe, by Mr. Waring, I have not been very
successful with. Obstructions get into the siphon and stop it up, or it
gets choked with grease. I prefer a tight tank, provided with a tell-tale,
and that is to be opened either by a valve operated by hand, or that is
arranged with a standing overflow like a bath tub, and that can be raised
and secured by a hook.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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