IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANSING PRIVIES, SEWERS, AND DRAINS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ASHE, of Saint James Square, Bristol, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Nineteenth day of
November (One thousand eight hundred and forty-six), in the tenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Ashe, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power,
solo privilege and authority, that I, the said William Ashe, my exors, admors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Ashe, my exors, admors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANSING
PRIVIES, SEWERS, AND DRAINS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said William Ashe, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large annear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Ashe, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists of an apparatus suspended on axes to collect water,
and from time to time to flush and thereby cleanse privies, sewers, and drains.
And, in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me. And
I would state that my Invention is applicable in those cases whero small
streams or supplies of water can be obtained, and which if continuously running
into a privy, sewer, or drain would have comparatively little effect in cleansing
the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews a section of a privy having my Invention applied thereto.
Figure 2 shows another section taken from side to side. a is an cearthenware
cone, or it may be of other material of the privy fixed under the seat, as
shown. is a shoot or vessel moving on axes c, c.
On this shoot or vessel
are stops on either side to prevent it moving except in one direction. The
under part d, d, is made with inclined sides so as to conduct the water to the
cone a under the seat and thus flush it out. A small stream of water being con-
ducted into the vessel b, it will from time to time become filled, and when full
it will turn partly over and discharge the water suddenly, and thus flush out
the cone or basin of a privy, or it might be of a drain or sewer, thus obtaining
from time to time a sudden flushing of water. It will be evident that by
employing this apparatus in combination with privies the keeping it clean will
not depend on the care of persons using the same, but will be constantly self-
acting, which is very important, and in this respect will be found superior to
ordinary waterclosets. Hence this apparatus is particularly applicable for
hotels and other places where a constant yet comparatively small flow of
water can be obtained, as the pan or cone a will be flushed out with water
from time to time without depending, as waterclosets generally do, on the clean-
liness and care of each person resorting to the privy so arranged.
plate for spreading or distributing the water. In applying the Invention to a
drain or sewer, a cone or apparatus similar to a is to be applied at the part
which is desired to be flushed with water from time to time, and the other
parts of the apparatus will also be arranged as described.
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page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the details herein described so long as the peculiar cha-
racter of my Invention be retained. But what I claim is the mode of
applying apparatus to privies, sewers, and drains, so as to collect water, and
from time to time discharge the same as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ashe, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.