Improvements in Siphonal Cisterns for Waterclosets and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 186-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Siphonal Cisterns for Waterclosets and the like.
I, JOHN SHANKS, Junior, of Tubal Works, Barrhead in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has principally for its object to improve and simplify the
siphonal apparatus of watercloset cisterns and the like by lessening the number of
separate parts and dispensing with internal or external wells or pockets and
discharge-valve details which are liable to get out of order.
My improved siphonal apparatus, as made according to some modifications,
consists simply of a downlet pipe fixed in and extending through the bottom of the
cistern and forming the long leg of the siphon, and a bell or hood which covers
the downlet pipe and is movable vertically by a lever moved by means of the closet
handle, the space between the bell and the downlet pipe forming the short leg of
the siphon. The downlet pipe may be of various forms, of uniform diameter, or
with a conical or flared upper end, and with or without a globular enlargement at
or near the bottom of the cistern. An annular flange is formed or fixed on the
downlet pipe at a short distance above the bottom of the cistern. The lower part
of the bell is made of larger diameter than the upper part and so as to move freely
past the flange on the downlet pipe; and at the top of the larger lower part of the
bell there is a narrow further enlargement, or a flange is formed or fixed on the
inside of the bell with a similar effect. The bottom of the bell is made with three
projections or feet to rest on the bottom of the cistern when the bell is in its lowest
position, water then having free access into the bell between the feet.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the bell is lifted water rises
within it to the top water level of the cistern, and when the bell drops or is lowered
again as the water in the upper part of the bell cannot quickly return down because
of the flange on the downlet pipe, the upper narrower part of the bell makes the
water within it rise to the top of the downlet pipe and start the siphonal action.
In the lowered position of the bell its extra enlarged part is at the level of the
downlet-pipe flange allowing a free passage for the water past that flange. The
lever which moves the bell may be counterweighted so as to hold the bell in its
highest position, the closet handle being in that case arranged so as to lower the
bell which will at once start the siphonal action.
The lever is by preference arranged so that the bell cannot be kept raised by
it, the lever having jointed to it a hooked fork adapted to engage with lugs on the
sides of the bell, the hooks being shaped to become disengaged when the lever is
turned up, and the joint allowing them to engage again when lowered. This
improvement is applicable to various siphonal arrangements.
The precise forms and proportions of the siphonal parts are susceptible of various
modifications. For example the flange on the downlet pipe may be made of an
eccentric form and with a small check valve, the extra enlargement in the bell
being in that case unnecessary; and the downlet pipe may be made with a down-
ward bend at its upper end.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of November 1805
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Siphonal Cisterns for Waterclosets and the like.
I, JOHN SHANKS, Junior, of Tubal Works, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Sanitary Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has principally for its object to improve and simplify siphonal
apparatus of watercloset cisterns and the like by lessening the number of separate
parts and dispensing with internal or external wells or pockets and discharge-valve
details which are liable to get out of order.
Seven modifications of cisterns as made according to my invention are shown in
vertical section on an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be herein-
after referred to. In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark
the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
My improved siphonal apparatus as made according to the modifications shown
in the drawings, consists simply of a downlet pipe, A, fixed in and extending
through the bottom of the cistern, B, and forming the long leg of the siphon, and
a bell or hood, C, which covers the downlet pipe, A, and is movable vertically by
a lever, D, moved by means of the closet handle and cord, E, the space between
the bell, C, and the downlet pipe, A, forming the short leg of the siphon. The
downlet pipe, A, may be of various forms, as shown in Figures, 1, to 5, it is made
with a conical or flared upper end and with a globular enlargement, F, near the
bottom of the cistern, B, or, as shown in Figure, 6, the downlet pipe, A, may be
made with a downward bend, G, at its upper end. The globular enlargement, F,
may be dispensed with in any of the modifications. An annular flange, H, is formed
or fixed on the downlet pipe, A, at a short distance above the bottom of the
cistern, B, as shown in Figures, 1, to 4. In Figure, 2, the flange, H, has a rubber
disk combined with it: and in Figures, 5, and 6, the flange, H, is of an eccentric
form with a small check valve, J, at one side. The lower part, K, of the bell, C,
is made of larger diameter than the upper part, and so as to move freely past the
flange, H, on the downlet pipe, A, and at the top of the larger lower part, K, of
the bell there is a narrow further largement, L, as shown in Figures, 1, 2, 4, and 7,
or, as shown in Figure, 3, a flange, M, is formed on the inside of the bell with a
similar effect. Also as shown in Figures, 5, and 6, where the check valve, J, is
used, the extra enlargement (L) is unnecessary. The bottom of the bell is made
with three projections or feet, N, to rest on the bottom of the cistern when the bell
is in its lowest position, water then having free access into the bell between the
feet, N.
The action of the apparatus shown in all the figures, except Figure, 4, is as
follows When the bell, C, has been lifted by pulling the handle and cord, E,
water within the bell is at the same level as the top water level of the cistern, B;
and when the bell drops or is lowered again the water in the portion of the wider
part then above the flange, H, cannot quickly return down past that flange and the
water rises up the narrower part of the bell to the top of the downlet pipe and
starts the siphonal action. In the lowered position of the bell, C, its extra
enlarged part, L, is at the level of the downlet-pipe flange, H, allowing a free
passage for the water past that flange as shown in Figures, 1, and 2; the
flange, M, Figure, 3, and the cheque valve, J, Figures, 5, and 6, serve the same
purpose as the enlargement, L.
As shown in Figure, 4, the lever, D, which moves the bell, C, is made with a
counterweight, P, so as to hold the bell in its highest position, the closet handle
being in this case arranged so as to lower the bell which will at once start the
siphonal action.

page_text: The lever, D, is however by preference, arranged as shown in Figure, 7, so that
the bell, C, cannot be kept raised by it, the lever having jointed to it a hooked
fork, Q, adapted to engage with lugs, R, on the sides of the bell, the hooks being
shaped to become disengaged when the lever, D, is turned up, and the joint, S,
allowing them to engage again when lowered. This improvement is applicable to
various siphonal arrangements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In siphonal cisterns, a downlet pipe and a bell or hood which covers the
downlet pipe and is movable vertically by a lever, the downlet pipe being made
with a flange with or without a check valve in it, and the lower part of the bell
being made of larger diameter than the upper part and with or without a narrow
further enlargement, or an internal flange, all substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described.
2. In siphonal cisterns in which a bell or hood is adapted to be raised by a
lever, jointing to the lever a hooked fork adapted to engage with lugs on the
sides of the bell, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
as shown in Figure, 7, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of August 1896.
EDMUND HUNI,
Applicant's Agent.