Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Maguires patent safety joint drain appears to have been designed and manufactured originally by Maguire and Son, Dublin and thereafter bought over by J & M Craig, Kilmarnock.

Below – details taken from The Medical and Sanitary Exhibition at South Kensington 16/07/1881 – 15/08/1881

Messrs. Maquire & Son, Dawson Street, Dublin, will exhibit an extensive collection of sanitary appliances, prominent amongst which will be their patent drain joint, as described in the Sanitary Record. In this joint the firm claim to have secured, by simple means, everything that can be desired in a drain, at but slight increase of cost. As the drawings show, they provide a hollow cradle of glazed earthenware, in which the pipe and the socket of next drain rests. This has the effect —

1st. Of holding the pipe and socket concentric, so that a much more perfect and durable cement-joint can be made than by any other system, the joint being equally spaced all round, without theuse of wood wedges, so often used by drain-layers, which wedges rot away in time, leaving a hole under the socket for leakage of sewage.

2nd. It enables the joint to be got at all round, as it holds the pipes steady and even, instead of lying loosely on the ground.

3rd. It enables a second and independent cement-joint to be made on the lower half of the socket where the sewage runs, by pouring in liquid cement round the first joint after it has properly set last, making a perfectly sound staunch joint, independent of the workman’s care, and open to the inspection of all concerned.

In addition to this, they provide an open inspection hole, round or oval, with loose cover, on every alternate length of drain pipe, each hole affording easy means of smoothing perfectly the interior of two joints right and left, and giving perfect facility for the careful inspection of every joint in the drain after it has been laid and finished. Wherever it is desirable, this patent contemplates the use of T pieces, having the branches carried up to the ground level, with air-tight stoppers and covers for occasional inspection of interior of drain when in use, and for enabling the drain to be got at easily if required. This invention has the great advantage of utilising the ordinary cheap forms of pipes in conjunction with the firm’s Patent Cradles. The system has been protected by patent, andthe Patent Cradles can be had separately wherever contractors may desire to use their own drain-pipes, should they be found to fit. To show the advantage of Maguire’s patent, we append an illustration of the old drain-pipe, showing the danger and insecurity that often occurs from their use, and we cannot too highly commend Messrs.Maguire and Son’s invention. This sketch shows three lengths of socket pipes laid — [a) the socket open ; {b) an imperfect joint ; {c) a perfect joint, as laid generally under the old system.

The Patent Self-acting Flushing Tank made by this firm, is an article that has attained just celebrity, and was introduced to meet the necessity, admitted on all hands, of effectually flushing drains periodically. This cannot be effected by the small amount of water used in closets, and even when bath water is discharged, the outlet-pipe is generally far too small to produce a thorough scour. Hand Flushing Tanks are too often neglected, and the only real safeguard in matters of this description is to have the tank automatic in its action. This is secured by Maguire and Son’s patent, of which we append a sketch  and description.

1. Rain-water down-pipe, or bath waste- pipe.

2. Tank to collect waste water.

3. Valve to open when water overflows, and discharge water full bore into dram.

4. Balance Cistern, to receive overflow, and by the extra weight of overflow- water to open valve.

5. Driblet-hole in Balance Cistern, to empty same and dose valve after flushing drain.

6. Escape-pipe for driblet- water.

7. Iron lever to open and close valve.

8. Overflow pipe from tank to cistern.

9. House-drain to be flushed.

10. Padlock and hasp, when cover is used, for artizans dwellings and places where it is desired to prevent persons tampering with tank flow pipe from tank.

1881 – Below – Maguire & Son advert

Plan of Maguire’s Patent Safety Joint Drain.

In our Patent Perfect Safety Joint Drain we have secured by simple means everything that can be desired in a drain, at but slight increase of cost. As the drawings show, we provide a hollow cradle of glazed earthenware, in which the pipe and the socket of next drain rest. This enables a second and independent cement joint to be made on the louver half of the socket where the sewage runs, by pouring in liquid cement round the first joint after it has properly set fast, making a perfectly sound, staunch joint, independent of the workman’s care,and open to the inspection of all concerned.

In addition to this, we provide an open inspection hole, round or oval, with loose cover, on every alternate length of drain pipe, each hole affording easy means of smoothing perfectly the interior of two joints right and left, and giving perfect facility for the^careful inspection of every joint in the drain after it has been laid and finished.

No other Drain should he used under any Dwelling.

RETAIL PRICES. PATENT SAFETY DRAINS with INSPECTION OPENINGS and CRADLES, 4-inch, is. 3d. ; 6-inch is. 8d. ; 9-jnch, 2s. 6d. per foot.

PATENT SAFETY CRADLES only : Suitable for any drain-pipes they fit, 4-inch, is. 6d. ; 6-inch, 2s. ; 9-inch, 3s. each cradle.

MAGUIRE’S PATENT SELF-ACTING FLUSHING TANK.  PROTECTED BY BETTERS PATENT, No. 2853.

Experience has shown that even the best laid drains, when properly fitted with intercepting sewer-gas traps, may become choked, unless provided at the upper end with a Flushing Tank perfectly self-acting.

This Patent Tank has been introduced to overcome the objections found in the working of old syphon flushing arrangements.

The rain-water and bath-wastes, or both, accumulate in Tank until the water overflows into Balance. Cistern and weighs it down, opening the large full bore valve at bottom of Tank and discharging the contents with a direct rush through the drains to clear them. The valve closes immediately when Balance Cistern empties, and remains closed until large tank again overflows. We have now thoroughly tested the practical value of both these inventions, and we are backed by the approval of eminent Sanitary Engineers who know the practical difficulties of House Drainage, which we have successfully overcome.

RETAIL PRICES.  No. I, £2; No. 2, £3; No. 3, £4; No. 4,£5 No. 6, ££6 each

Illustrated Prospectuses and Special Trade Terms on Application.  We are now receiving applications for Sole Agencies of Towns and Districts, which will be liberally dealt with in rotation. We enter into arrangements for Contractors and Engineers to be supplied direct from the Works at lowest wholesale prices. Apply to the Patentees,

MAGUIRE & SON, THE DUBLIN SANITARY AND ENGINEERING WORKS,  10, DAWSON STREET, and 6, 7, & 8, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, DUBLIN.  OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS TO 9, SALISBURY STREET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C

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By 1886 at the latest J & M Craig appear to have bought out the Maguires patent and were manufacturing it themselves.

J & M. CRAIG,

FIRE-CLAY MANUFACTURERS, COALMASTERS, AND SANITARY POTTERS

HILLHEAD FIRE-CLAY WORKS, PERCETON FIRE-CLAY WORKS’ LONGPARK SANITARY POTTERY, HILLHEAD AND PERCETON COLLIERIES, KILMARNOCK, N.B. AND LILLIE HILL FIRE-CLAY WORKS, DUNFERMLINE.

Sole Makers of

Buchan’s Patent Ventilating and Disconnecting Drain Traps,

Buchan’s Patent Grease Traps,

Buchan’s Patent Drain Pipes and Access Pipes,

Maguire’s Patent Safety-Joint Drain Pipes.

Sole Makers for Scotland and Ireland of Potts’ Patent Edinburgh Air-   Chambered Sewer Trap.

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The following broken examples were recovered at the Perceton Fire Clay Works, Perceton, Ayrshire.

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