Improved Apparatus for Flushing Water Closets.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Flushing Water Closets.
We HENRY LIGHTFOOT & OSWALD WRIGHT both of 15A Cooper Street
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Plumbers 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved arrangement of apparatus for charging
syphons, whereby water, for flushing water closets is drawn from the service cistern,
and for preventing waste of water during the discharge of the contents of the
cistern.
The apparatus consists of a cistern of the usual construction and size to contain
the quantity of water for each flushing, which is supplied in the usual way by means
of a ball tap.
In this cistern is fixed a cylindrical chamber open at its lower end and supported
by suitable means near to the bottom of a well or depressed part formed in the
bottom of the cistern, the said chamber being provided with a piston on the top of
which is a flap or clack valve opening upwards, the piston is made to ascend in the
chamber by means of rods suitably connected to a lever which is also suitably
connected to a handle or pull.
The downlet pipe is carried up through the well or depressed part to the top of
the cistern and turns down on to the top or closed end of the chamber forming the
syphon.
To charge the syphon the lever is pulled down in the usual way and the piston
(with the flap or clack valve closed) ascends the chamber and gives a smart impulse
which charges the syphon, the action being kept up by atmospheric pressure, which
also opens the flap or clack valve giving free passage to the water through an
orifice in the piston the water passing into the chamber through the open end at
the cistern bottom, and through openings made immediately above the lowest
position of the piston, the syphoning action continuing until the level of the water
falls sufficiently low for air to penetrate through these holes or openings in the
cylindrical chamber.
One of the links or rods connecting the piston to the lever which is worked by
the handle or pull" is provided with a finger or projection which when the piston
is raised comes up under the lever of the ball cock, and prevents the ball from
falling until the flushing is completed, thereby preventing the waste of water
hitherto occasioned by the opening of the admission valve or cock by the descent
of the ball during the emptying of the flushing cistern.
The manner in which this invention is or may be carried into practical effect
will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings on
which
Figs. 1 and 2 shew respectively longitudinal and transverse sections of a flushing
cistern made and fitted according to our invention and
Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof with the lifting links shewn in section.
a is the cistern, in the bottom of which is the well a¹; b is the cylindrical
chamber open at the bottom with perforations 64, or other openings at or about the
level of the bottom of the cistern d. The chamber is also slotted at 6* to form a
slide for a bar c to which the rods d or pillars carrying the piston e are fixed or
cast; there is an opening e' in the piston e covered by a flap or clack valve e².
C
The bar c is connected at each end by links ff' to a yoke g which is attached to
the lever h, the other end of which is connected by a chain i or otherwise to a
suitable handle or "pull." is the downlet pipe forming the lower limb of the
syphon and fixed in the bottom of the well a¹ and also to a bent joint attached to

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the top or end of the cylinder b and supporting the same. is the pipe connecting k
to the water closet pan. is the ball and m the lever connecting it to the inlet
tap or cock n. f is a finger or projection on the link f working beneath the ball
lever m.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-
When the end of the above named lever is depressed by the chain i or other
connection as aforesaid, it rocks upon its fulcrum and its other end rises and
(through the yoke g links ff' bar c and rods d) raises the piston e into the position
shown dotted on Fig. 1, this lift being limited by the bar e reaching the ends of
the slots b².
The piston e rising in the cylinder with the valve e² down, lifts the water therein
with a smart impulse and charges the syphon which at once commences its action
opening the valve e as shewu and causing the water to flow through the opening e',
and at the same time retain the piston e in its raised position.
Whilst the piston e remains in its raised position the finger or projection
on the link (which has been raised into the position shown dotted on Fig. 2) is also
retained in that position, and thus supports the ball lever m and keeps the ball
cock n closed by preventing the ball from descending with the level of the water;
and thus no water is admitted to the cistern during the flushing of the water
closet pan.
As soon as the level of the water has fallen from a see Fig. 1 to the perforations 1
the air entering the cylinder stops the further action of the syphon; the piston e
then falls and releases the ball lever by bringing down the projection f into the
position shewn in full lines on Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The improved construction and arrangement of flushing syphon for water
closet cisterns substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination with such construction of flushing syphon, of the projection 2,
or its equivalent, for holding up the ball ever of the water supply cock whilst the
flush is taking place and thereby preventing waste of water.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1899
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.