IMPROVE- MENTS IN RECEPTACLES USED IN WHAT ARE KNOWN AS 'SANITARY CLOSETS AND ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH CLOSETS AFORESAID
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Kay Lawton of Newton Heath Manchester in
the County of Lancaster, Sanitary Inspector. for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RECEPTACLES USED IN WHAT ARE KNOWN AS 'SANITARY CLOSETS
AND ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH CLOSETS AFORESAID
"
,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Kay Lawton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1883.
"
CHARLES KAY LAWTON of Newton Heath, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Sanitary Inspector,
IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEPTACLES USED IN WHAT
ARE KNOWN AS 'SANITARY CLOSETS' AND ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH
CLOSETS AFORESAID
"
My invention relates firstly to improvements in the construction of sanitary.
pails or receptacles used in conjunction with what are known as sanitary closets,
by which the solid organic excrement deposited therein will become separated
from the urine or liquid, thereby preventing the solid matter from becoming
offensive whilst remaining in the aforesaid pail or receptacle, thereby requiring the
said pail or receptacle to be less frequently removed for emptying and cleansing
than would otherwise be the case. For this purpose I form the pail or receptacle
above referred to of wood metal or other suitable material and form the bottom
thereof hollow or concave. The bottom of the said pail or receptacle I perforate
with a number of holes or apertures or I form a recess therein in which recess
the apertures may be formed. Upon the bottom of the pail or receptacle or
within the recess formed therein previously named, I in some instances place a
layer of cinders charcoal or other suitable filtering material, such filtering material
permitting the urine or liquid to escape from the said pail or receptacle but
retaining the solid organic excrement within the pail or receptacle aforesaid,

page_text: The pail or receptacle above referred to I place beneath the seat of the closet.
The floor of the said closet I form with a recess suitable for receiving the bottom
of the pail or receptacle before named. The said recess I connect by means of a
pipe of earthenware or other suitable material to any convenient drain or sewer.
When the before named pail or receptacle is placed within the recess above referred
to, the urine or other liquid escaping from the said pail will pass into the drain or
sewer aforesaid, the pail or other receptacle acting as a trap to prevent the escape
of effluvia or noxious gases from the said sewer. The floor of the closet upon which
the pail or other receptacle is placed I form concave or hollow so that in case of
accident to the aforesaid pail or receptacle any liquid contained therein will escape
into the drain or sewer.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Kay Lawton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1883.
CHARLES KAY LAWTON of Newton Heath Manchester in the county of
Lancaster Sanitary Inspector. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEPTACLES USED IN WHAT
ARE KNOWN AS SANITARY CLOSETS AND ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH
CLOSETS AFORESAID
"
"
My invention relates firstly to improvements in the construction of sanitary
pails or receptacles used in conjunction with what are known as "sanitary closets,"
by which the solid organic excrement deposited therein will become separated from
the urine or liquid thereby preventing the aforesaid solid matter from becoming
offensive whilst remaining in such pail or receptacle thus requiring the said pail or
receptacle to be less frequently removed for emptying and cleansing than would
otherwise be the case
In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood and carried into
effect I will now proceed to describe the same by the aid of the drawing hereunto
annexed the same letters of reference being affixed to corresponding parts
throughout the whole series of figures.
Fig 1. is an elevation in section and Fig. 2. a plan of a pail or receptacle
constructed according to my invention-At a is the side to which is secured a
bottom b such bottom 6 being formed concave, such concavity being in a downward
direction-At the lowest part b* of the bottom b I form a recess or cavity c, which
recess or cavity c I form with perforations or openings passing through the
bottom thereof To the sides a, of the pail or receptacle A I secure handles d,
by means of which the pail or receptacle A may be carried when necessary.
The pail or receptacle above described is shown as constructed of sheet metal
but it may be constructed of wood or other material as may be found most suitable
or convenient
When the pail or receptacle above described is in use, the solid and liquid
excreta deposited therein become separated, the solid organic matter remaining in
the pail or receptacle A whilst the liquid will drain therefrom and pass through
the openings or perforations in the bottom of the recess or cavity c.-In some cases
I place within the recess or cavity c, a quantity of cinders, charcoal or other
suitable filtering material, such filtering material permitting the urine or liquid
to escape from the said pail or receptacle A but retaining the solid organic
excrement within the said pail or receptacle A
My invention further relates to an arrangement of closet in which the above
described pail or receptacle may be employed although the above described pail or
receptacle may be employed in other forms of closet-This part of my invention is
illustrated by Figs 3 and 4-Fig 3 being a vertical side view partly in section of
so much of a closet as is requisite to illustrate my invention and Fig 4 a plan
thereof with certain parts omitted to avoid confusion
At e is the seat of the closet provided with a guard f to direct the urine into the
pail or receptacle A which is placed beneath the seat e.-The floor g of the closet
I form with a sunk portion recess or depression h. of suitable form for receiving
the bottom of the pail or receptacle A above described-The floor g of the closet
above named may be formed of stone cement plaster earthenware metal or any
other suitable material such floor g, being shown upon an enlarged scale by Figs.
5. 6 and 7-Fig. 5 being a plan-Fig: 6 a cross section thereof on the line B. C,
and Fig. 7. an end view looking in the direction from D to E in Fig 5-In the
floor g. I form a recess j, leading to the depression h. which depression h has a
concave bottom-At the lowest point of the concavity h, I form an opening k,

page_text: passing through the floor g-The opening k, I connect by means of a pipe 1, of
earthenware or other suitable material to any convenient drain or sewer m.-The
opening I form in such position in the floor g of the closet that it shall be
beneath the openings or perforations formed in the bottom of the pail or
receptacle A so that the urine or liquid escaping from the pail or receptacle A
will pass direct into the opening k, thence into the pipe 1, and so into the
drain m.
When the pail or receptacle A is being placed beneath the seat e of the closet
the bottom a* of such pail or receptacle A is placed in the recess j, and forced
forward until the said pail or receptacle A arrives against the end jx of the recess j,
the sides j** and the end j* of such recess j serving to guide the pail or receptacle A
to its correct position beneath the seat e.-The lower edge a* of the pail or
receptacle A resting upon the circular depression h, acts to some extent as a trap
to prevent the escape of gases from the drain m-If while removing the pail or
receptacle A from beneath the seat e or in case of accident to the said pail or
receptacle any liquid escape therefrom such liquid will by means of the concave
recess h, be conducted into the drain m.
By the above described invention I am enabled to delay the removal of the pail
or receptacle A for a longer period than has been possible with the pails or
receptacles hitherto in use, and such pail or receptacle A having no parts difficult
of access the excreta may be removed therefrom and the pail or receptacle cleansed
with greater ease than the pails or receptacles in use heretofore-The bottom g
of the closet constructed as above described may be readily cleansed without
liability of being injured during such cleansing
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and
the manner in which the same is to be performed I desire it to be understood
that I claim as secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent;
Firstly Constructing each of the pails or receptacles used in conjunction with
what are known as sanitary closets, with a curved, bottom such bottom having
perforations formed therein so as to allow the liquid to drain from the solid
excreta deposited in the said pails or receptacles substantially as herein before
described and shown
Secondly Forming a hollow or depression in the bottom of the above named
pail or receptacle in which hollow or depression may be placed suitable filtering
material such as for instance charcoal or cinders, the said hollow or depression
being also provided with apertures for allowing the liquid to escape from the
contents of the above named pail or receptacle substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown.
Thirdly Forming the bottom of the closet with a depressed portion in which
the above described pail or receptacle may be placed and thereby guided to its
correct position beneath the seat of the closet substantially in the manner herein-
before described and shown.
Fourthly Forming the floor of the closet with a concave circular recess h for
conducting liquid matter to the opening k. substantially in the manner herein before
shown and described
In witness whereof I the said Charles Kay Lawton have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
CHARLES KAY LAWTON (L.S.)