IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hempson Denham, of Southsea, in the
County of Hants, Percy Vero Denham, and Algernon Astley
Denham, of Putney, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hempson
Denham, Percy Vero Denham, and Algernon Astley Denham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on
the 26th June 1872.
We, WILLIAM HEMPSON DENHAM, of Southsea, in the County of
Hants, PEROY VERO DENHAM, and ALGERNON ASTLEY DENHAM, of
Putney, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, AND I APPARATUS

page_text: CONNECTED THEREWITH, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The great object of our Invention is to prevent the generation of
fevers and other diseases in houses and elsewhere by stopping or pre-
venting the rise of noxious gas from drains or sewers by waterclosets,
sinks, and other places.
We will describe the Invention with particular reference to water-
closets.
Instead of a pan of the ordinary shape we use one preferably of an
oblong form, the ends or sides of which with the base may be said to
represent three points of a triangle, though we do not propose to confine
ourselves to this or to any other particular shaped pan. From fore to
aft or the reverse of this pan, and in a line with what would be the
centre of gravity, we have a transverse fixture with a central aperture
to receive a fast-threaded female screw, through which a rod or piston,
to be afterwards described, passes. Below the pan we form a chamber
or reservoir, to the lower end of which is attached a soil pipe or pipes
leading to the drain or sewer. Instead of making this soil pipe of the
usually bent objectionable form, we make it preferably straight, but
varying the shape or form according to the requirements of each par-
ticular case. Immediately below the pan and fitting closely thereto we
have an air-tight valve of metal, and at the bottom of the chamber
another valve of the same, similar, or other material or materials and
construction. This chamber is continually filled with water, which may
be in any quantity desired; from a pint to a ton, or more if wished.
Through the central opening in the transverse piece attached to the pan
in which a fast-threaded screw is cut, we have a rod or piston also cut in
part with a fast-threaded screw, which passing through and secured to
the upper valve goes on to, through, and is secured to the lower valve.
At the upper end of the rod or piston described there is a handle, wheel,
key, knob, lever, or other manual means or device, by turning which
the whole contents of the pan and chamber are driven-through the soil
pipe to the drain, and so effectually or in such manner that nothing can
be left behind. There is a tank or cistern of adequate size placed above
at some convenient position. Passing from this tank to an opening in
the chamber a short distance below the upper valve is a pipe to convey
the water from the cistern to the chamber, which is always full till the
.

page_text: '
rod or piston is lowered, and by reversing this the chamber is as instantly
filled again by the rush of water from the cistern. Then a short distance
above the upper valve is an opening to receive another pipe or tube from
the cistern to the pan at such a spot as will be sufficiently below the
requisite water level in the pan. To this pipe is a circular bend or
bends to arrest or regulate the overflow of water to the pan. The water
thus being always at high pressure from the cistern, no sooner do the
valves descend than the contents of the pan and chamber are instantly
expelled, driving before the water or absorbing, whatever gas may be
ready to escape from the sewer. Then as instantly as this expulsion
takes place the chamber and pan are as instantly refilled by re-closing
the valves, and thus by no possibility can foul gas pass through them;
because the air-tight valves being kept in their respective places by
a screw capable of sustaining several tons weight, nothing can pass
through the valves or water. Stop-cocks may be applied to the pipes in
the event, for example, of repairs being required, and in its being
necessary to cut off the water supply therefor.
1
Valves and chambers constructed in the manner before described may
be applied to sinks and drains where required or desired to have an
effectively sealed and perfect joint, the action of which is similar to the
áction of the apparatus before described, with such modifications in size
or form as may be necessary for the purposes to which the Invention
may be applied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Hempson Denham, Percy Vero Denham,
and Algernon Astley Denham in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th December 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
HEMPSON DENHAM, of Southsea, in the County of Hants, PERCY VERO
DENHAM, and ALGERNON ASTLEY DENHAM, of Putney, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the

page_text: thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said William Hempson Denham, Percy
Vero Denham, and Algernon Astley Denham, Her special licence that
we, the said William Hempson Denham, Percy Vero Denham, and
Algernon Astley Denham, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said William Hempson Denham, Percy Vero
Denham, and Algernon Astley Denham, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, AND
IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLI-
CABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said William Hempson Denham, Percy Vero Denham, and Algernon
Astley Denham, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or one of our or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and-immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Hempson Denham, Percy
Vero Denham, and Algernon Astley Denham, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference. being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to say :-
-
The great object of our Invention is to prevent the generation of
fevers and other diseases in houses and elsewhere by stopping or pre-
venting the rise of noxious gas from drains or sewers by waterclosets,
sinks, and other places.
We will describe the Invention with special reference to waterclosets,
and the accompanying Drawings shew so much of apparatus constructed
according to our Invention as will be necessary to illustrate the manner
in which we prefer to carry our Invention into effect.
Instead of a pan of the ordinary shape we use one preferably of an
oblong form, the ends or sides of which with the base may be said to

page_text: represent three parts of a triangle, though we do not propose to confine
ourselves to this or to any other particular shaped pan.
.
a is the pan. From fore to aft or the reverse of this pan, in a line
with what would be the centre of gravity, we have a transverse fixture 6
with a central aperture. In this aperture is a fast-threaded female
screw through which a rod or piston c, cut in part with a fast-threaded
screw, passes, and is secured to an upper valve d at the bottom of the
pan α.- From this valve the rod or piston differently cut passes through
the chamber e, which we will describe, and goes on to through and is
secured to a lower valve f. Below the pan we form a chamber.or
reservoir I, to the lower end of which is attached a soil pipe h, or pipes
leading to the drain or sewer. Instead of making this soil pipe of the
usually bent objectionable form we make it preferably straight, but
varying the shape or form according to the requirements of each par-
ticular case. Immediately below the pan and fitting closely thereto we
have the air-tight valve & flat, as shewn, or conical, or of such other
shape as suits our purpose, of metal or india-rubber, or both; and at
the bottom of the chamber the other or lower valve ƒ of the same,
similar, or other material or materials and construction. To the upper
part of the chamber e we attach a capillary pipe or tube, if necessary,
to facilitate the escape of atmospheric air whilst the chamber is being
refilled with water. On the top of this tube 'we place, if required, a
valve or covering sufficiently light to be raised by the air that is
expelled. Except during the momentary descent of the valves and the
momentary refillig of the chamber and pan, this chamber is continually
filled with water, which can be in any quantity desired according to the
wished for size of the chamber, from a pint to a ton. At the upper end
of the rod or piston described there is a handle j, wheel, key, knob,
lever, or other manual appliance, device, or means, by turning which the
whole contents of the pan and chamber are driven by the rush of water
from above through the soil pipe to the drain so effectually and in such
manner that nothing can be left behind. To this hand wheel, or other
appliance is attached a check spring k, the other end of which spring
hocks on to a plate / fastened to the inside of the front of the casing.
As soon therefore as the handle or other appliance is turned the action
of the spring brings the handle back again, keeping the valves d and f
hermetically sealed, and making the closet practically self-acting. The
dotted lines shew the valves in their lower or open position, when the

page_text: soil and water are free to pass off to drain or other receptacle. There is
å tank or cistern m of adequate size in some convenient position above.
From this tank or cistern a pipen passes to the closet. At a suitable
distance from both closet and tank this pipe bifurcates. Just above this
bifurcation is a stop-cock o to permanently regulate the supply of water,
and to stop it entirely if examination is required. One of the bifur-
cations p of pipe just mentioned passes to the chamber to be inserted
in or secured to an opening immediately below the upper valve. The
other bifurcation q forms two, three, or more bends or coils to regulate
what might otherwise be an overflow of water, and then passes to the
pan to be inserted in an opening in such position there as will enable
the mouth of the pipe to be covered by water when the pan has received
the quantity of water it requires. Opposite this opening on the inside
of the pan, either forming part of the structure or fixed to it afterwards,
we have a piece of metal or other material to distribute the water to
different parts of the pan, as is well understood. The water thus being
always at good pressure no sooner do the valves descend than the con-
tents of the pan and chamber are instantly expelled, and the rush of
water continuing drives before it any gas that might arise during the
momentary descent of the valves; then as instantly as the expulsion
the spring returns the handle, and hermetically closing the valves an
escape of gas is impossible, because a screw able to support several tons
weight supports the valves, and-the spring supports the screw.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not limit
ourselves to the exact or precise form or construction of the several
parts, for example, the shape of the pan may be varied, and the arrange-
ment for communicating motion to the screw, as well as the arrange-
ment for supplying and controlling the water, may be changed, varied,
omitted, or increased as situation and circumstances' require, without in
any way departing from the essential features of the Invention ; but we
claim,―
First. The arrangement, shape, construction, and method of action of
and the parts for waterclosets, whereby the soil is bodily carried to the
drain or other receptacle without the escape of gas from the drain or
other place, and the sealing of the closet pan by water with spring,
screw, or lever, all substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Second. The employment and application to waterclosets of a water
chamber below the pan in combination with valve screw arrangements
and water supply pipes, substantially in manner and for the purposes
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hempson Denham, for my-
self and on behalf of the said Percy Vero Denham and Algernon
Astley Denham, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.
W. HEMPSON DENHAM. (L.S.)