IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LETTING-IN OR SHUTTING-OFF WATER OR OTHER LIons."
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davis; of Southampton, in the County of
Southampton, Plumber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR LETTING-IN OR SHUTTING-OFF WATER OR OTHER LIons."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the 3rd November
..1855.
I, GEORGE DAVIS, do, hereby.declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LETTING-IN OR SHUTTING-OFF. WATER OR OTHER
LIQUIDS" to be, as follows:
I propose to construct a means of preventing the handles of water-closets
and other similar drawlifts, from-being either left upraised by accident, so that
the water flows out, or from being prized, tied, or trigged up to effect purposely
the flow. thereof. It will consist of a rod attached to a lever, (the latter working
in the ordinary manner, or according to my Invention specified in Patent
No. 2361, 8th November 1854.) This vertical rod is to work in grooves made
in each side to receive and in a manner enclose it; its top comes nearly up to
the water-closet, seat or other surface, and is capable of being pulled up by.
hand, a socket being let into the seat, through which countersunk socket the
top of the rod projects. For the better carrying off of soil in water-closets, I

page_text: propose to arrange a pan or receiver, so that the soil shall be carried off by
a rush of water, at the same time providing against any return thereof by a
point or projection immediately over the outlet,, which would be at one side,
and nearly at the bottom of the pan, which, is intended to act as a trap or
otherwise
SPECIFICATION.in pursuance of the conditions. of.. the Letters. Patent, filed
by the said George Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIS, of Southampton, in the County of Southampton, Plumber, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Davis, Her. especial license, that I,' the said George, Davis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Davis, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR LETTING-IN OR SHUTTING-OFF WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS," upon condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Davis, by an instrument in writing
ünder my hand' and "seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said 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.
î
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Davis, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
or carried into practical effect, to be particularly described and "ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and forming part of this my Specification, and to the letters
of reference placed on the different Figures or Diagrams drawn thereon, such
letters of reference denoting similar parts, where such parts appear or can be
seen in each of the Figures respectively

page_text: The first part of my Invention is an improved arrangement of a portion of
the cock or tap for regulating the inflow of water or other liquids, for which I,
have heretofore obtained Letters Patent, dated the Eighth day of, November,,
1854, No. 2361.
The second part of my. Invention is an improved means or apparatus having
for its object the prevention of an undue flow of water into the pans of water-
closets.
2
The third is a novel arrangement or formation of basin and trap for water-,
closets, to be used either together or seperately.
Figure 1 in the Drawing shews a section of a tap or cock; Figure 2, a plan,
view of lower valve or washer thereof; Figure 3, a plan view of a grooved:
plunger; Figure 4, plan view of grooved metal washer; Figure 5, sectional
view of the cup and lever with finger and thumb print; Figure 6, side view, of,
cup and lever; Figure 7, plan view of the cup; and Figure 8, section of closet,
pan and trap. By reference to Figure 1 on the Drawing it will be seen that,
a tap a is cast of peculiar construction with a, block 6 thereon, to which is
attached a vibrating standard c; on the upper end of this standard a lever di
is fastened, and balanced by a spindle and valve e, the valve or washer f being
encased in a brass box g, to prevent the action of the water tearing it about..
At the bottom of the brass box is placed a second washer h; (the washers fand,
h may be made of india-rubber, leather, or any suitable material.) The office.
of the second washer h is to prevent the pressure of water or other liquid from
passing under the valve too fast, to close the cock or valve, too suddenly, or,
cause concussion. The washers and brass box are secured or held in position
by means of the spindle e, which passing through the centre of all is secured by
a washer and nut i; screwed on to the extremity of the,,spindle and upwards,
until the whole of the washers are firmly fixed or made to press on their
respective metals or materials; a brass washer is also placed above the valve or
washer f. To assist the valve to close, and allow any small quantity of liquid
to escape under the valve, the face of the brass box is provided with circular
grooves and one; cross-cut groove, (as shewn at Figure 3.). The lower washer
is pierced with a small hole on one side and above the cross (groove. (see
Figure 2), so that should, any liquid get between the box, and washer it is
enabled.by these means first to; escape through the hole in the washer, and
thence through the grooves cut in the bottom nut, (Figure, 4,) and; ultimately
pass into the reservoir at the bottom of the tap. To prevent leakage at the top
of the spindle a stuffing box jis provided, filled with cotton, tow, or any suitable
material. The action of the herein-described cock or tap will be easily under-
stood by noting that (as shewn at Figure 1) the cock is cast with a circular

page_text: T
grooved ring k in its centre, so that when the spindle c'is raised by means of
the 'lever (or other means), the edge of the said grooved ring k comes in contact
with the top of the upper caoutchouc washer, thereby preventing any water
from passing. The valve is an undershut, and closes with the pressure of the
water, and the greater the pressure thereof the more secure is the tap from
leakage. This valve or tap may be used in any other form (when seperated
from the apparatus), such as bib, ball, or stop cocks, fire or sluice cocks, and
other, and when required may be opened by means of a scfew attached. to
the lever, for the greater convenience of opening when the cock is placed
underground. It can also be applied to water-closets (as' shewn at-Figures
5 and 6), where it will be seen that the plug is attached to the lever m, "the"
Handle working in grooves in the cup, the grooves being covered over on the
top, or connected together by means of iron or any suitable material running
over the top, so as to prevent the introduction of any extraneous matter into
the said grooves.
I have shewn in this (the second portion of my--Invention) that the lift:
handle is to be made with a thumb and finger print to raise it by, the handle
being flat, and its rod embedded at its sides in the grooves in the cup before
mentioned; it is attached to the lever and-vibrating fulcrum, and balanced by
a spindle and valve. The object of this improvement is to prevent the lifting
rod or rather the 'top portion thereof from being tied or trigged up, and the
consequent loss or waste of water where such means are used to keep the flow
ön for an undue or unrequired-time or purpose.
1.
י
The pan and trap, forming the third portion of my Invention, I construct
as shewn at Figure 8 of the Drawing, concave at the 'back inside, and pro-
jection or groove'n formed at the bottom of the pan all round a short distance
from the water in the trap, so as to prevent the water when let into the pan by
the action of the valve from running all round the sides of the pan and strap
without flushing the latter; the projection just above the water aforesaid causes
the inflowing water to fall-with force into the centre of the trap, which is (as
will be observed by reference to Figure 8) constructed unlike traps in ordinary
use, where the deepest part is found in the position the shallowest occupies in
the Drawing, thus allowing it to receive the influx of water in its centre, and
thereby ensure a proper flush, allowing no accumulation of focal or other
matter in sight of the top of the pan, but conveying it with certainty to the
outlet side of the trap or pipe. The pan and trap may be made andi used
together or seperately, as occasion serves, care being taken to construct the
latter so as to permit all foecal or other substance to be carried over the point

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the means or
manner of carrying it into effect, I desire it to be understood that while I have
described and shewn an efficient mode of so doing, it is obvious that these
arrangements may be modified to suit particular cases, nor do I confine myself
to the relative proportions of parts to each other as shewn in the Drawing;
but what I claim as of my Invention, and declare to be original, is,
Firstly, the arrangement or combination of valves or washers and box
secured on spindle, having a hole in the lower washer and grooves cut on the
face of the box, as herein-before described, and shewn in the Drawing.
Secondly, I claim the apparatus herein-before described, and shewn in the
Drawing for preventing the handle or riser of the water-closet from being tied
or trigged up.
And, lastly, I claim the pan and trap herein-before described, and illustrated
by the Drawing, by the use of which a more effectual clearing of these portions
of a water-closet is secured.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
Witness,
ELI JAMES WHITCHER.
GEORGE DAVIS. (L.S.)