Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically or Intermittently Supplying a More or Less Regulated Quantity of Disinfectant to Waterclosets, Urinals, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically or Intermittently
Supplying a More or Less Regulated Quantity of Disinfectant to
Waterclosets, Urinals, and the like.
We, JAMES GRAHAM TATTERS and JOSEPH JAMES SPEAKMAN both of
Runcorn in the County of Chester, Analytical and Manufacturing Chemist,
respectively do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a simple apparatus or container which can be at
once applied by any householder to automatically supplying disinfectant contained
in it, in a regulated manner to waterclosets, urinals and the like. In its simplest
form it consists of a vessel, can, or other like container with a channel or tube
within one side thereof extending from the bottom of the interior of the vessel, to
an outside opening near the top. The vessel is provided with a loose lid or cover
having a channel or opening through it.
The mode of action is as follows:-The vessel is filled with crystals of per-
manganate of potash or any other suitable solid disinfectant; the vessel is then
placed with its lid in the small measuring or flushing tank. The water enters and
surrounds the disinfectant gradually dissolving and forming a strong saturated
solution of the disinfectant, the greatest strength being at the bottom of the vessel
where the opening is placed. Each time the water is run out from the flushing
tank wherein the vessel is standing, a measured quantity of disinfectant solution
will flow out through the channel being discharged through the outlet (which is at
a higher elevation than the inlet) into the water which is passing away from the
water closet, urinal etc. As soon as the water in the flushing tank falls below the
top of the vessel, air enters the opening in the lid and the liquid then begins to
How out through the vertical passage. Where however the level of the fluid in the
vessel falls to the level of the external outlet of the vertical passage the fluid ceases
to flow and thus a measured quantity of disinfectant is discharged.
The volume of the liquid to be measured is determined by the distance of the
external opening of the passage from the top of the vessel and the internal diameter
of the vessel. As soon as the water has all left the flushing tank carrying away.
with it its measured quantity of disinfectant it begins to refill again and as the
water rises over the vessel the air is displaced and expelled through the opening of
the lid, the vessel at the same time becoming once more filled with liquid. This
alternate displacement of air and liquid continues each time the disinfectant is
drawn off which occurs as often as the flushing tank is run off. When the
solid disinfectant is all used up, it will at once show itself by the absence of colour
in the flushing water, which will be in ordinary house water closets about once
every two or three months. It is then only necessary to lift out the vessel from
the tank, remove the lid, throw the water out, replenish with the crystal disinfectant,
replace the lid, and set it in the flushing tank again, when it fills at once with
water and is ready again for use, the whole operation not occupying more than two
or three minutes.
I have described one way in which my invention may be carried into effect, but
it is obvious that instead of providing a channel within the wall or side of the
vessel, a small bent tube may be used, one end reaching nearly to the bottom
of the vessel and the delivery end communicating with the outside near the top..
In another arrangement, a tapering tube may be placed inside the vessel, the
outside diameter at its widest end being equal to the inside diameter at
the top of the vessel, so that when this tapering tube is placed inside the

page_text: vessel the smallest diameter reaches to within of an inch of the bottom whilst
the largest end fits the top and becomes flush therewith. The annular space
between this tube and the vessel is simply a channel or annular tube for the flow of
the liquid to an opening near the top. The above arrangements are adapted more
especially for those cases where the concentrated liquid of the solid disinfectant
gravitates to the bottom of the vessel, owing to the increased specific gravity
of the saturated liquid over that of water. In cases however where the dissolved
disinfectant has a less specific gravity than water, in consequence of which the
concentrated liquid rises to the surface, then we prefer to use a vessel having a
cover somewhat similar to that already described but provided with a funnel tube,
through which the water enters, of such a length that when the latter is inserted in
the neck of the vessel the small end of the tube shall be near the interior of the
vessels bottom. The outlet for the disinfectant is placed near the top of the vessel.
The volume of space occupied by the interior of the funnel from its rim to the
point in this tube level with the outlet, constitutes the volume of the liquid to be
measured, and is made in size accordingly. The funnel may be either connected
in one piece with the cover or they may be made in separate pieces. In the latter
case the cover has no funnel or tube in it being simply a close stopper, the
measuring funnel passing down the outside or within the wall of the vessel, and the
small end entering into the interior at the bottom. It will be therefore seen by
means of this invention the concentrated liquid (disinfectant or otherwise) may be
withdrawn from either the top or bottom of the vessel as desired.
Dated the 17th day of May 1893
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically or Intermittently
Supplying a More or Less Regulated Quantity of Disinfectant to
Waterclosets, Urinals, and the like.
We, JAMES GRAHAM TATTERS and JOSEPH JAMES SPEAKMAN, both of
Runcorn, in the County of Chester, Analytical and Manufacturing Chemists,
respectively, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a simple apparatus or container which can be at
unce applied by any householder to automatically supply disinfectant contained in it,
in a regulated manner, to water-closets, urinals and the like.
The drawings show, as regards Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, vertical sectious of
various slight variations of our invention:
Figure 4, horizontal section through the centre of Figure 1.
In its simplest form, it consists of a vessel, can, or other 'like container A with a
channel or tube B within one side thereof, extending from the bottom of the
interior of the vessel to an outside opening near the top. The vessel is provided
with a loose lid or cover C having a channel or opening D through it, as set forth
in Figure 1.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The vessel is filled with crystals of permanganate of potash or any other suitable
solid disinfectant; the vessel is then placed with its lid in the small measuring or
Hushing tank E. The water enters and surrounds the disinfectant, gradually
dissolving and forming a strong saturated solution of the disinfectant, the greatest
strength being at the bottom of the vessel where the opening is placed. Each time
the water is run out from the flushing tank, and falls below the top of the vessel,
a measured quantity of disinfectant solution will flow out through the channel B

page_text: into the water which is passing away from the water-closet, urinal, etcetera. Wheu,
however, the level of the fluid in the tank E falls to the level of the external outlet
of the vertical passage C, the fluid ceases to flow and thus a measured quantity of
disinfectant is discharged.
The volume of the liquid to be measured is determined by the distance of the
external opening of the passage from the top of the vessel and the internal diameter
of the vessel. As soon as the water has all left the flushing tank, carrying away with
it its measured quantity of the disinfectant, it begins to fill again and, as the water
rises over the vessel, the air is displaced and expelled through the opening of
the lid, the vessel at the same time becoming once more filled with liquid. This
alternate displacement of air and liquid continues each time the flushing tank is run
off. When the solid disinfectant is all used up, it will at once show itself by the
absence of colour in the flushing water, which will be, in ordinary house water-
closets, about once every two or three months. It is then only necessary to lift out
the vessel from the tank, remove the lid, throw the water and any insoluble matter
out, replenish with the block disinfectant, replace the lid, and set it in the flushing
tank again, when it fills at once with water, and is ready again for use, the whole
operation not occupying more than two or three minutes.
We have described one form in which our invention may be carried into effect,
but it is obvious that, instead of providing a channel within the wall or side of the
vessel, a small bent tube may be used, one end reaching nearly to the bottom of
the vessel, and the delivery end communicating with the outside near the top, as
set forth in Figure 2.
In another arrangement, as set forth in Figure 3, a tapering tube F may be
placed inside the vessel A, the outside diameter at its widest end being equal to the
inside diameter at the top of the vessel, so that, when this tapering tube is placed
inside the vessel, the smallest diameter reaches to within of an inch of the bottoni,
whilst the largest end fits the top and becomes flush therewith. The annular
space C', between this tube and the vessel, is simply a channel or annular tube for
the flow of the liquid to an opening near the top.
The above arrangements are adapted more especially for those cases where the
concentrated liquid of the solid disinfectant gravitates to the bottom of the vessel,
owing to the increased specific gravity of the saturated liquid over that of water.
In cases, however, where the dissolved disinfectant has a less specific gravity than
water, in consequence of which the concentrated liquid rises to the surface, then we
prefer, as set forth in Figure 5, to use a vessel having a cover somewhat similar to that
already described, but provided with a funnel tube D' through which the water
enters, of such a length that, when the latter is inserted in the neck of the vessel,
the small end of the tube shall be near the interior of the vessel's bottom.
The outlet for the disinfectant is placed at E' near the top of the vessel. The
volume of space occupied by the interior of the funnel, from its rim to the point
in this tube level with the outlet, constitutes the volume of the liquid to be
measured, and is made in size accordingly. The funnel may be either connected
in one piece with the cover, as in Figure 5, or they may be made in separate
pieces, as in Figure 6. In the latter case, the cover has no funnel or tube in it,.
being simply a close stopper, the measuring funnel passing down the outside or
within the wall of the vessel, and the small end entering into the interior at the
bottom. It will be therefore seen, by means of this invention, the concentrated
liquid (disinfectant or otherwise) may be withdrawn from either the top or bottom
of the vessel, as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
al
1. The improved apparatus for automatically and intermittently supplying
more or less regulated quantity of disinfectant, which consists in a vessel containing
the disinfectant, having two orifices, one near the top, the other connected with the

page_text: lower part of the interior and the one orifice being at a higher point than the other
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination, with the flushing tank, of a disinfectant holding apparatus,
substantially as described in Claim 1, of less height than the normal level of the
water in the flushing tank and placed therein, whereby whenever the flushing tank
is used an amount of the fluid contents of the disinfectant holding chamber is
-discharged equal to a space contained therein between the levels of the two orifices.
3. The disinfecting apparatus taken as a whole substantially as described and
illustrated.
L:
100t
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and London,
Patent Agents.