Improvements in Flushing Tanks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Flushing Tanks.
I, DAVID STEEL WALLACE, of Mulberry and Main Street, Kokomo, Howard County,
State of Indiana, United States of America, Plumber, 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:
My invention relates to improvements in Flushing Devices for Water Closets and
the objects of my invention are, first, to provide an improved flushing valve mechanism
with means for manually opening the flushing valve and for automatically locking it
in an open position for a predetermined period of time sufficient to retrap the closet
and then automatically releasing the valve and allowing it to close by its own weight.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
and described in the following specifications, in which:
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a section of a flushing tank embodying my
improvements, some of the parts being shown in section and the valve being in a
closed position.
Fig. 2 represents a similar view with the valve held in an open position.
Fig. 3 represents a modification of the valve and overflow pipe.
Fig. 4 represents a front elevation of the valve's float supporting and locking
lever.
Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to Fig. 1, A designates the flushing tank. Centrally through its bottom
end I make an aperture in which I first place a rubber or other suitable gasket which
has a flanged top AA that lays around the edge of the hole and forms a flexible
cushion for the base C of the valve. This base of the valve C is provided with a
flange D which is bolted to the bottom of the tank by the bolts D¹ and D³, which
pass through and clamp these three pieces together. The depending end of the
rubber gasket may be secured to a pipe leading to the flushing inlet of a water closet
or it may be secured directly to the flushing inlet itself of a water closet. The seat
portion of the valve comprises preferably an upward projecting circular extension
from the flange, but may be of any of the usual patterns in use.
The valve proper C¹,
comprises a circular disc large enough in diameter than its seat to form a circular
projecting flange beyond the diameter of the seat wide enough to receive on its under
side a holding support. To the under side of the valve disc I secure a rubbed disc E,.
which makes an adjustable cushion and seat for the valve. To the flange of the base
of the valve I secure a block F, which is provided with two upward projections G
and H. These are spaced a little way apart and are adapted to form a pivotal support
for the lower end of the locking lever I, which is pivoted to them by the bolt J.
This lever I have pivotally secured to it a roller K, which is located preferably in a
centrally arranged recess L. The roller is positioned in such a manner that its top
and front extend in front of the edge of the lever. This roller, the lever; and the
supporting block are located in a position to bring the roller into engagement with
the edge of the valve as it is manually raised, which engagement forces the roller
back, causing the lever to swing back on its pivot J. The lever above the location of
the roller is curved to extend over a partition M and at its end is secured a float N.
FD
011

page_text: Y,
The partition M extends across the flushing tank and extends to about one half of the
tank's height and divides the flushing water held by it from the main body in the
tank. Close to the bottom of the partition I make a perforation O through it of
predetermined size through which the water held by the partition escapes as will be
fully described hereinafter. P, designates the overflow pipe. It is preferably
threaded to the valve disc and to a stemmed spider Q which is thus secured to the
rubber seat and valve. The stem of the spider extends freely through the centre of a
spider partition R formed across the delivery passage in the base piece of the valve.
The stem S of the spider Q holds the valve in alignment with its seat. The overflow
pipe is freely supported in vertical alignment with the valve by a bracket SS which
is secured to the side of the tank. The upper end of the overflow pipe is flared
outward. It is provided with a spider top, the centre of which contains a hole
through which the rod T passes and is freely secured thereto by means of a head or
nut U on its lower end. The upper end of said rod is freely secured to one end of a
link V, which connects said rod to a lever W, which is the operating lever. This rod
is pivoted intermediate of its ends to a supporting block X which is secured to a cross
strip X on top of the tank. At the outer end of the operating lever a handle X² is
formed and adjacent to the handle a pull chain X3 is secured which can be used to
move the lever and trap the valve when the tank is placed high above the closet.
The handle is adapted for use when the tank is placed directly on the water closet,
or when the tank is fastened to the wall but a few inches above the closet.
designates a water inlet valve, Z, the float and 1 is a supply pipe. In Fig. 3 I
illustrate a modified arrangement of the valve and the overflow pipe. In this
arrangement the valve is provided with an eye located centrally on its top which is
connected directly to one end of the operating lever by a rod 2, while the overflow
pipe is located to one side of the valve and is connected to the discharge passage
thereof by an elbow and nipple which enters the base of the valve below the spider,
the spider in this valve being located nearer the valve seat than in the other views.
My improved flushing tank is particularly adapted for siphon water closets which
require a larger amount of water to retrap them than any other class of closets.
The operation is as follows: When the tank is empty the float Z drops towards the
bottom and opens the valve Y, which allows the water to flow in and fill the tank
even with the top of the overflow pipe. To flush the tank, press down on the handle
of the operating lever. This movement lifts the overflow pipe and the flushing valve
and as it rises it contacts with the roller of the locking lever and tips it back on its
pivot J, and out of its way until it rises above it, when the float N, which has a
tendency to rise to the top of the water moves up and also moves the lever quickly
back into normal position, the lug X', which is cast on the block preventing its
moving to far toward the valve, which carries the roller under the flange of the valve,
and when the handle is released the valve settles down and rests on it. The minute
the valve is raised the water discharges rapidly from the tank through the discharge
passage in its valve and in a few seconds the tank is empty, with the exception of
the body of water confined in the tank by the partition. This body cannot escape
from behind the partition except through the aperture at its bottom, which is made
just large enough to allow it to escape gradually. As long as this body of water is
higher than the centre of the float N, the locking lever and roller will hold the
flushing valve open and the size of the aperture in the partition is gauged to allow
the water behind the partition to consume time enough in escaping to allow
the main body to escape and the inlet float to drop and open the water inlet valve,
which allows the supply water to flow into the tank and to flow through the valve into
the closet which is fully retrapped thereby. Meanwhile the water behind the
partition is running out of the aperture in the direction of the arrow 3, and as it
sinks below the float the float lowers with it and draws the roller from under the
flange of the valve disc which releases it and it drops onto its seat and closes the
discharge passage, when the tank.refills in the usual manner. This valve operating
mechanism is simple, durable and compact, and not liable to get out of order.
The roller makes the engagement between the locking lever and valve almost

page_text: frictionless and the separation of a portion of the main body of the flushing water by
a fixed partition in the tank in conjunction with the float, the locking lever and roller
making a new and simple arrangement for operating the valve.
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 :-
Claim 1. In a flushing tank, the combination of a tank, an outlet valve secured in
the bottom thereof, means for manually opening said valve to discharge the contents
of said tank, an integral, transverse partition in said tank adapted to divide the
flushing water into two parts, means for discharging the two bodies of water in
predetermined differential periods of time, and means including a lever and float for
holding said valve open until both bodies of water are discharged, substantially as
described.
Claim 2. In a flushing tank, the combination of a tank a flushing valve therein,
means for manually opening said valve, with a lever pivoted adjacent to said valve, a
roller pivoted to said lever to operatively engage said valve when it is opened,
and means including a transverse integral partition having an aperture at its bottom
and extending from the bottom of the tank upward a portion of its height, and a
float secured to said lever and confined between said partition and the end of said
tank for automatically locking said valve open for a predetermined period of time and
then releasing the same to allow it to close, substantially as described.
Claim 3. In a flushing tank, the combination of the tank, the float controlled inlet
valve, and the flushing outlet valve, with means for manually unseating said outlet
valve, an overflow pipe connected to said outlet valve, a locking lever pivoted at one
end to swing laterally to and from said inlet valve, a roller pivoted to said lever and
adapted to roll under the valve when it is unseated, a return and downward curve
on the opposite end of said lever, a float at the end of this curved end of said lever, a
transverse partition in said tank integral with its bottom and sides for a portion of
the tank's height and located between said lever float and the pivotal end of said
lever and an aperture near the bottom of said partition whereby as the valve is raised
it is locked open by said lever and its roller, and as the water recedes a portion of it
is confined by said partition and discharged through said aperture in a predetermined
differential period of time from that required. for the discharge of the main body of
the water whereby said locking lever is automatically actuated to lock said valve open
and release it at the proper time, as set forth.
Claim 4. The combination in a flushing tank of a tank having a float controlled
supply inlet valve, a discharge valve an overflow pipe connected therewith, means
substantially as shown and including a rock-arm and a pivotal connection between
said rock-arm and said valve for unseating said valve, a lever pivoted at one end
and having a float at its free end arranged and adapted substantially as herein shown
and described for locking said valve open, and a transverse partition in said tank
integral with its bottom and sides for a portion of its tank's height arranged to
enclose between it and one end of said tank said locking lever's float, and adapted
to confine a portion of the water during its discharge for a predetermined outflow and
to actuate said locking lever to control the closing of said valve, substantially as
described.
Claim 5. The combination with the tank and the float controlled inlet valve, of a
discharge valve provided with a flanged valve seat, a disc valve adapted to said valve
seat and larger enough in diameter to form a projecting flange, means for unseating
said valve, a block secured to the flange of said valve seat, a semi-circular shaped lever
pivoted at one end to said block, a float on the opposite end of said lever, a roller pivoted
to said lever and arranged and adapted to be engaged by said valve disc when it is
unseated and moved back and to be moved under its edge by said float when the
valve disc is raised above said roller, and a transverse partition in said tank integral
with its bottom and sides and having an aperture at its bottom of predetermined
size and interposed between the pivotal end of said lever and said float whereby a

page_text: portion of the water in said tank is held and confined and gradually discharged for a
predetermined outflow and inflow, and said float is thereby sustained to operate said
lever and roller and to control the closing of said valve, substantially as described:"
Claim 6. The combination in a flushing tank of a tank having a transverse partition
adapted to divide a portion of its height into two unequal parts, a discharge valve,
means for unseating said discharge valve, a lever pivoted at one end in operative.
relation to said valve and adapted to engage the same when it is unseated, a
seinicircular hook formed on the opposite end of said lever and extending over said
partition and down towards the bottom of the tank, a float on the end of the hooked end
of said lever, and a discharge aperture in the bottom of said partition, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
Claim 7. The combination in a flushing tank of an automatic controlled water
inlet valve, a discharge valve, and means for manually unseating the same with a
transverse partition in said tank adapted to delay the outflow of a portion of the
normal discharge of the tank and a float controlled locking lever pivoted to move
laterally in operative relation to said discharge valve and arranged to co-act with said
partition and the delayed contents of said tank to lock said valve in open position and
to release the same after a predetermined outflow, as specified.
Dated this 8th day of February 1897.
DAVID STEEL WALLACE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.