AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING WATERCLOSETS, AND THE MEANS OF CONNECTING THE SAME TO WATER MAINS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICARLE TO THE JUNCTION OF GAS OR WATER PIPES GENERALLY
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Devon, of No. 4, Maryland Terrace, Stratford,
in the County of Essex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING
APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING WATERCLOSETS, AND THE MEANS OF CONNECTING THE
SAME TO WATER MAINS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICARLE TO THE JUNCTION
OF GAS OR WATER PIPES GENERALLY."
Sealed the 7th May 1858, and dated the 10th November 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Devon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th November 1857.
I, WILLIAM DEVON, of No. 4, Maryland Terrace, Stratford, in the County
of Essex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED SELF-ACTING APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING WATERCLOSETS, AND THE MEANS
OF CONNECTING THE SAME TO WATER MAINS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO
THE JUNCTION OF GAS OR WATER PIPES GENERALLY," to be as follows:-
This. Invention relates to an improved self-acting flushing apparatus
applicable to waterclosets, whereby the periodical flushing of the closet is
effectually accomplished.
This apparatus consists of a service box fitted internally with a bent or
syphon pipe, one end of which passes through a hollow float and opens directly
into the service box, whilst the other end, which forms the longer leg of the
syphon when the float is down, passes through the bottom of the service box.
IP Ad

page_text: A water-way joint is made in this pipe to enable it, with its float, to rise and
fall as required, and this joint I prefer to construct, for the sake of greater
cheapness, of a short length of tubing of vulcanized india-rubber tubing or
other flexible material; inside the hollow float is a second small syphon, the
longer leg of which passes through the side of the float and opens into the
service box, so as to form a communication between the interior of the float
and the water in the service box; the service box is supplied with water from
the main through a pipe having a very small aperture or mouthpiece
opening into the service box, so that some length of time, say half an hour,
will be required to fill the box. The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Supposing the service box to be filling, the water as it slowly rises therein
will buoy up the hollow float, and raise it until it is stopped by the lid of the
box; but as the water continues to enter after the float has arrived at the lid
of the box, it follows that as the water continues to rise, it will enter the float
through the small syphon pipe, and will fill it, thereby destroying its buoyancy,
whereupon the float will sink or descend to the bottom of the service box,
carrying one end of the larger syphon or flushing pipe with it when the
whole or nearly the whole of the water in the service box will immediately run
off through the orifice of the larger syphon pipe leading to the closet basin,
and will effectually flush the same. The water inside the float is now run off
by means of the small syphon fitted therein, and the gradual influx of water
into tho service box through the small aperture of the supply pipe will again
raise the float, which will assume its former buoyancy, and the action of the
apparatus will be repeated so soon as the service box is full.
The mode I propose adopting for connecting service boxes and pipes to
the mains consists in the employment of an improved joint or attachment of
simple construction. In place of the ordinary hemp lapping for keeping the
tapered end of the brass branch pipe, which is usually driven into a hole in
the side of the main, water-tight, and which frequently obstructs the passage
by reason of a portion of the hemp getting into the small orifice in the branch
pipe, I propose to attach this branch to the main by means of a hollow cap,
having an external right-handed screw thread formed upon it for the purpose
of screwing it into the side of the main, whilst a left-handed screw thread is
made inside the cap, which serves to connect it with the end of the brass
branch pipe. By this means the branch can be readily detached from the
main without cutting the lead service pipe connected to it, as is at present the
case, for as the external and internal screw threads are right and left-handed
respectively, it follows that by simply unscrewing the cap, which is made with
a nut head for that purpose, it will also be simultaneously unscrewed from the

page_text: end of the branch pipe, and the whole will be readily detached. In order to
prevent the orifice in the cap from becoming accidentally stopped up, I propose
making a verynarrow slit across it in place of having the ordinary perforations.
The lead service pipe may be connected to the branch pipe either in the
ordinary manner by soldering, or by means of an improved union joint, which
is made by expanding the lead pipe at the end, to be joined into a species of
funnel or trumpet mouth, and inserting in this expanded portion of the pipe
end a metal packing ring which accurately fits it, and which, when the whole
are tightened up by the nut in the ordinary manner, serves to render the joint
perfectly water-tight. This mode of joining pipes is equally applicable to the
junction of two lead pipes, whether for gas or water, in which case both the
contiguous ends of the pipes are expanded, and the packing ring is shaped
to fit equally into both expanded portions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said. William Devon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th May 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DEVON, of No. 4, Maryland Terrace, Stratford, in the County of Essex
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Devon, Her special licence, that I, the
said William Devon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Devon, my 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 "AN IM-
PROVED SELF-ACTING APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING WATERCLOSETS, AND THE MEANS
OF CONNECTING THE SAME TO WATER MAINS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO
THE JUNCTION OF GAS OR WATER PIPES GENERALLY," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I; the said William Devon, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: 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 I, the said William Devon, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
The nature of my Invention consists, first, in joining and unjoining water
and gas pipes to their mains without the necessity of cutting the same, in
case of a stoppage therein or discontinuing the supply.
Secondly, in regulating the flow of water or gas through the supply pipes,
independently of the control of the consumer.
Thirdly, in making a union joint, or what is usually termed a plumber
joint, without the use of solder.
Fourthly, in an improved self-acting flushing apparatus for waterclosets
and urinals.
Fifthly, in an improved flushing apparatus for waterclosets and urinals in
which there is no valve, and where the chain does not require to be retained
in the hand after being pulled.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and carried into
effect, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference
being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a section of a self-acting flushing apparatus,constructed accord-
ing to my improvements; and Figure 2, a plan of the same. A is the body
or cistern, into which the water flows through the inlet B, which raises the
cup, half ball, or floats C, and the hollow tube D, (which are joined together)
by means of the flexible joint E, (which joint is composed of a piece of vul.
canized india-rubber,) to the top of the cistern, which top is screwed or
soldered on; when the hollow tube D touches the lid the water flows over into
the cup or float C, and sinks the same to the bottom; when the hollow tube
D and the outlet F formis a syphon, the cistern then becomes emptied and
the closets flushed; the small syphon G, which is inserted in the cup or float,
is then brought into action and empties the cup or float, when the water again
fills the cistern and same results follow.
Figure 3 is a section of a cistern containing my improved flushing apparatus;
and Figure 4 is a plan of the same. H is the case or cistern to contain water;
I, a bollow tube; K, a flexible joint of vulcanized india-rubber; L, a round
ball or float of copper or zinc joined to the tube I; M, a lever with a corre-
sponding arm inside the cistern; O, a weight attached to the same to bring

page_text: the lever into its proper position after being pulled; P, a ring and chain, also
attached to the lever; as this cistern is filled with water by the common
ball tap now in use, which is not shown in the Drawing, it raises the ball L
and the tube I, by means of the flexible joint K, above the water mark Q;
when the ring and chain P is pulled it presses the inside lever M on the
small pin R, and forces the ball L and the tube I, below the water line Q,
towards the bottom of the cistern, when the tube I and the outlet S form a
syphon, and the cistern is partially emptied, and the closet flushed, that is
to say, until the ball L raises the tube I above the level of the outlet S;
the cistern theu again becomes filled and ready for use.
Figure 5 is a section of my improved screw ferule for joining and regulating
the supply of water and gas to and from the main, which is independent of
the control of the consumer and a great saving to water companies. T is the
main supply of gas or water; U is a bend of brass or other metal with a screw
cut thereon; V is a nut with a screw cut on the outside and another on the
inside, one being a right-hand screw and the other a left-hand screw, or in
other words a male and female screw; on the main T being tapped or bored,
and a corresponding screw cut therein, and the bend U-being joined to the
supply pipe, the screw and the nut are brought together and screwed up, when
a perfect joint is made. For regulating the supply of water or gas to houses,
the nut or cap V is cross cut, according to Figure 6; this may either be cut,
slotted, drilled, or open altogether, according to the supply required.
Figure 7 is a section of my improved union joint without the use of solder.
W represents the pieces of leaden or such like pipe which requires to be
joined; X is a brass or other metal half joint with a screw cut thereon; Y, a
collar of brass or other metal; and Z, a nut, also of brass or other metal,
working on such collar; J represents a piece of brass or other metal, which
is inserted between the two pieces of pipe to be joined, bevelled on both sides,
and equal in the centre to the diameter of the pipe to be joined, better seen
under Figures 8 and 9, which are elevations of the same.
On proceeding to make a joint, I slip over the piping W the pieces X, Y, Z;
then with a turn pin or cone, I open the pipe to the size of the piece J, which
is then inserted; the two ends are then brought together, and the screw X
and the nut Z, after being passed over the collar Y, are tightly screwed up
and the joint is complete.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the best means
with which I am acquainted for performing the same, I wish it to be under-
tood that I do not limit myself to the details herein set forth, as the same

page_text: may be considerably modified without departing from the peculiar character
and construction of my Invention; and I declare that I claim,-
First, the self-acting principle of flushing water closets and urinals by means
of floating or moveable syphons or tubes.
Secondly, the application of vulcanized india-rubber as a flexible joint in
connection with the pieces of metal piping or tubing forming the syphons.
Thirdly, the non-necessity of retaining the chain or pull of waterclosets
or urinals in the hand after pulling the same down.
Fourthly, the novel mode of making a joint without solder by the insertion
of the piece J between the two pipes to be joined.
And, lastly, the improved ferule or regulator for supplying water or gas
without the necessity of cutting the pipe every time a stoppage takes place in
the same, or the supply is changed from one company to, another, or it is
wished to discontinue the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Devon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.
WILLIAM DEVON. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named William Devon, in the
presence of
JAMES F. QUARTLEY,
78, Old Jewry, E.C.