FOR PROGRESSIVE MUNICIPALITIES.
Page 13
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A New Efficient, Ecommical, and Sanitary Equipment for Cesspool Emptying.
THE MOTOR vehicle in its many guises forms an essential part of the mechanical equipment of all ppgressive niunicipal authorities. In fact, all the principal municipal operations are, in these enlightened days, conducted by the use of mechanical road appliances Sli One form or another.
The Birmingham municipal authorities can certainly be styled progressive. They have, as we mentioned in an issue a few weeks ago, partially discarded the tramcar in favour of thIl trolley-bus, and now we learn that the salvage department of the corporation has just put into service two Halley-Warveickr cesspit emptiers.
The chassis used for these machines is the Halley 4-tanner, which, besides embodying a six-cylinder engine, includes a single-plate clutch, a four-speed gearbox, and worm-driven rear axle in its composition. The cesspit outfit, which is the product of the Eagle Engineering Co., Ltd., of Warwick, Is of the closed circuit type and incorporates an 800gallon , cylindrical steel tank, which is -slightly raked.
lt is fitted with a rotary pump of considerable capacity, which is driven from the gearbox by a train of gearing, and enables either pressure to be applied, or a vacuum created, inside the tank. The latter is used for filling the tank from cesspits, and the former to facilitate the discharge of the contents of the tank, which is often necessary at some considerable distance from the machine.
A 4-in. diameter hose, which is armoured, is used both for suction and discharge. Each machine carries approximately 220 ft. of hose, and we understand that no difficulty is experienced in dischargin.g refuse through this length of tubing. The hose is divided into convenieut lengths, each 12 ft. 6 ins. long, and instantaneous couplings are used in order to facilitate the operation of connection and disconnection.
Such a machine as the Halley-Warwick cesspit emptier has a remarkable capacity for work, as may be gauged from the fact that the Birmingham authorities have been able to remove nearly 17,000 gallons of sludge in the course of a working day by the use of the vehicles. According to Mr. Jackson, of the salvage department, the machines are carrying out their duties in a most satisfactory manner, and the work is being effected in a more efficient way than was previously the case.
If it is assumed that 10,000 gallons of sewage could be dealt with per day for five days per week, and '50 weeks pei year, at this rate it. would be possible to deal with 21 million gallons of sewage per annum. This is quite a reasonable computation, since it is proved that the machinei.in the service of the Birmingham Corporation are, together, capable of removing approximately 17.000 gallons per day.
Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., forward the following annual working costs
for the 800-gallon Halley-Warwick cesspit emptier, which, they inform_ us, have been arrived at after obtaining detailed figures relating to machines of this description which are in use in various parts of the country :—
s. d. Driver's wages at £3 per week 150 u 0 Petrol, 10 galls. per day at.
is. 8d. per gall. ... ... 208 6 8 Oil and grease ... 4 0 0 50 0 0 Insurance 20 0 0 Interest at 5 per cent.... ... 60 0 0 Depreciation at 10 per cent.... 120 0 0 Licence ... ... 30 0 0 Wear on hose, etc., at 50 per cent. of cost ... ... 30 0 0 Labourer at £2 5s. per week... 112 10 0 Tyres at-25 miles per day at id, per mile ... ... 26 0 0 2810 16 8 The first cost of the machine is £1,200.
Using figures of 10,000 gallon per day as a basis of working, it can readily be ascertained that the cost for the removal of 1,000 gallons of sewage works out at 6s. 6d., which, in view of the nature of the work, must be considered a highly satisfactory figure, and one which supports the contention ithat the emptying of cesspits, gullies, and the like can be efficiently and economically carried out by mechanical road .vehicles.