Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/373

 May 3, 1872. THE BUILDING NEWS. 351 but itis pleasant to think that if the shade of | the one advocated so recently by all the lead- “Tl Cronaca” could revisit his beloved Florence, great as are the changes which have of late years, especially, been effected there, he would still find standing, strong and unin- jured, theStrozzi Palace, with his fine cornice still lending it majesty, the columned loggia which erewhile echoed with his steps, and those beautiful iron lamps and rings of the eunning and humorous smith, Nicholas “¢ Caparra,” whose eccentricity and sturdy in- dependence made him one of the ‘ cha- yacters” of his day. Cronaca, who was an enthusiastic follower of the great reformer, Savonarola, died in 1509, and received honour- able sepulture in his own city, ‘ L’alma mia Flora.” Beat igs 2 HOW TO BUILD SCIENTIFICALLY WITH THE AID OF MODERN IN- VENTIONS.—NXII. SANITARY. RAPS.—Dr. Gairdner, in his communica- tion to the Glasgow Health Committee, says :—‘ That no system of trapping hitherto devised is an adequate security against the occasional escape of these gases into the houses communicating with such sewers.” His observations are so good and the deduc- tions so sound that I cannot do better than quote :— It has been conclusively shown that houses pre- Sumed to be beyond suspicion of any possible danger to health from this cause—houses in which the most skilful engineers and architects had, as they believed, exhausted the resources of modern sanitary science— have, nevertheless, been exposed in a high degree to the diseases arising from air in contact with the pro- ducts of decomposition in the sewers. And this for a very obvious reason. Such houses are usually built on high levels, where the drains have a very rapid fall. This cireumstance of itself determines the presence of sewer gases in the neighbourhood, as these gases, being light, if not allowed free es- cape, always tend to accumulate at the higher levels ; and, further, eyery such house, being full of warmed (and therefore attenuated) air, exercises a consider- able suction power upon all the openings by which the interior communicates directly with the colder air of the drains; so that it only requires a momen- tary failure of the sewer traps, from time to time, to impregnate cyery part of such a house with gases which may, under certain circumstances, become dangerous to life. Further, let me quote another good au- thority on drainage, Mr. Hawksley, who says :— In many cases, the so-called “ ventilation” of the sewers is much neglected, and invariably with the natural result that the pent-up sewage gases make their escape at the place of greatest pressure or least resistance, and commonly into some house towards which the sewer ascends. Mr. Rawlinson, again, says :—‘‘ The only effect of traps is to concentrate, and so render more injurious, the sewer and cesspool gases.” It would, then, appear that the more perfect the trap the more danger to the household. On this account I have recommended recently the Mansergh trap. This is an old invention, but none the worse on that account. It is a good trap. Supposing that which often hap- pens, the gas from the sewers passes through the first trap, instead of passing straight into the house, it enters a second chamber from which the gas cannot escape into the house without passing another trap. Now, this is not likely to occur, because there is no pres- sure to force it onward, but the direct incli- nation of the gas to rise would induce it to go into the air, and so the gas, in diluted form, is ready to be breathed again. A bell-shaped cover might be placed in area over this chamber, with a tube running up the house, and discharging this gas high in air. (Note. —Mr. Edwin Chadwick, speaking of this method, says: ‘‘ Where this has been done, the gas has been diffused with fatal effects amongst the occupants of the attics.”) Or (I make another suggestion) the bell-shaped cover might be filled with charcoal, and so absorb the gas. It must be borne in mind that at present the only remedy for getting rid of sewer poison is dilution. At least, it is the smaller cylinder. + supply valve, on iron frame ready to attach to closet, is 15s. ing journals and scientific men of the day. There are many ingenious traps, but for external positions I think the Mansergh the best. With regard to traps for inside work, I have lately had submitted to me the ordi- nary bell trap, but with the grating detached from the bell so as to leave room for two compartments. The first was closed by the pressure of the spiral spring acting against a dise covered with indiarubber. This was so adjusted that a certain quantity of water coming into the first chamber, the spring would fall and the water pass into the lower chamber, from which it passed into the drain as from the ordinary bell trap. [t is clever, and the inventor told me he could manufac- ture them at 12s. each. The price and com- plication, I am afraid, would prevent their general use. The D-trap is at present the best to use—it has superseded the bell trap, the objection to the latter being that it ceases to be a trap if the grating is removed, and this was so often done by the servants that it became a frequent source of annoyance. EartH Cuosers.—The principle of the earth system is founded on the deodorising power of dry earth, a certain quantity of which destroys smell and absorbs the noxious vapours. ‘There are Moule’s and Baird's. I saw one of Moule’s closets at the company’s premises in Garrick-street, which was in use for their employés. It was fitted up with their ordinary apparatus, with pull-up action in seat. A galvanised iron pail was used as receptacle, and I was informed that the same earth had been used many times, it being taken out after use, and left under cover for eight or nine weeks, when disintegration and combination between the earth and organic matter takes place, and it is afterwards placed before a fire for the evaporation of the moisture, when it is again fit for use. It is well to observe that the earth must not be burnt, and if possible it is best to dry it by the sun. The cost of these closets varies according to their character. Exclusive of the joiner’s work and the reception pails or tanks, they are supplied at from £1 to £3 5s. In addi- tion, there is to be purchased the pail, tank, drying stove, and sieve. Their commodes are yery good. ‘The cheapest is £2, the most expensive £6 10s. Baird’s Patent Earth System.—This is much onthe same principle. ‘The prices of their college commodes begin at £2 10s. Now, comparing the earth closet with the ordinary water-closet, the former has these advantages : It is cheaper in original cost ; it requires less repair; it is not injured by frost; it is not damaged by improper sub- stances being thrown down it; and it very greatly reduces the quantity of water required by each household. I believe it will never supersede the water-closet but, it is most useful for country houses, and in places where there is no system of drainage. REGULATORS FOR W ATER-CLOSETS.—N 0 doubt the plumber’s box may often be omitted, and the regulator substituted, with advantage. There are two claimants to our attention. Underhay’s, which he called his new patent brass air-regulator. This consists of a brass cylinder, the sucker in which is raised by the action of the handle, and a vacuum is formed underneath; the air passing through a screw at the top regulates the descent. The price of this regulator, including iron frame, }. supply valve, and union, which can be attached to old closets by any plumber, is £1. The other is called Stone’s patent ‘* universal” brass regulator. The difference between this and Underhay’s is that it has two cylinders ; the handle raises the piston in the large cylinder, the descent being checked by the piston having to force the air-valve at top of The price of this, with Warer Waste PREVENTERS.—There are se- veral very clever. I would mention Tylor’s. At first sight it would be impossible to ac- count for its action ; it has an inner cylinder which rises when the tap is opened, and gra- dually descends, taking such time to perform the operation that a certain quantity of water passes (three pails or more according to the arrangement of the tap). It will be seen that nothing can stop the closing of the tap, as the solid cylinder is quite free and not at- tached to any part of the cock. This tap should be examined by all. Mr. Tylor told me they have been in use some time, and answer well; the price is 12s. The latest invention is, [ think, J. Stone & Co.’s patent combined self-closing tap and water regulat- ing waste preventer. his is also very in- genious; one advantage is, that this tap can be regulated so as to vary the quantity of water at each discharge. It can be set to dis- charge from one to three pails. The air comes in through slot under the lever handle, the piston, being in the centre, of less size, gives free egress to water in cylinder. When I saw the specimen, the inventor mentioned that none were then manufactured, but that the price he expected he should be able to pro- duce them at was from 10s. to 12s. —_—_>—_——_ PLUMBING.—IX. (Continued from page 314.) HERE are various ways of conducting the rain-water off the roof, and the rain- water-pipes, ‘‘ conductors,” or ‘‘ spouting” may be carried down either on the outside or the inside of the building. The common half-circle eave gutter or ‘‘ rhone ” may have its pipe led down either, as per Figs. $8 or 99, on the outside of the building, or, as per Fig. 100, it may be carried through wall and down inside of building. In this latter case a large raggle or recess is generally cut, or rather left in wall for it. When put inas per Fig. 100 the rain-water-pipe is often simply carried down far enough to join into top of water-closet soil-pipe, in which case it also serves as the ventilating-pipe for said soil-pipe; but as this style is hardly in con- sonance with the true laws of natural eco- nomy, its perpetuation is not to be recom- mended ; for, as it appears tome, the soil-pipe of the water-closets should have no connec- tion with the rain-water-pipes at all ; at least not until after due provision has been made to intercept soil for the purpose of utilising it; however of this more anon. The “ offsets” or ‘‘S bends,” G, Fig. 99, are of course of various sizes, to suit the place and style of roof. In stone-cornice gutters the rain-water-pipe is often dropped down right through cornice as per Fig. 101. At other timesit isled away from back of gutter as per Fig. 102, and may either go down just inside of wall, or it may be led away between the ceiling joists right through to gutter on opposite side of building, or it may go along horizontally to centre of house and then join into some of the other waste pipes. Or, again, it may be led into a large cistern put up as a receptacle for the rain-water for the use of the house. ‘ In many cases the architect objects to any rain-water-pipes appearing on the front ele- yation of his building, and therefore makes provision for them coming down inside. In other cases, where the conductors are intended to come downin front of building, and where they will have to come into contact with any string-course or other such mouldings, the architect shows his foresight by marking off a return with hole through it in the string- course for pipe to go down through ; and thus, when conductor is put up, the string-course appears asif bent around it, which shows good planning. In other cases, where this is omitted and the string-course is cut through, it has never the same appearance; and then again to bend the pipe around the string-course, as per Fig. 103, appears to me to be a very clumsy job. In the case of a projecting base, that of