Improvements in Siphonal Cisterns for Waterclosets and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th June, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Siphonal Cisterns for Waterclosets and the like.
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Foundry, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to cisterns such as those which supply waterclosets with
flushing water by means of siphons arranged to deliver a limited quantity at each action
and thus avoid waste; and it has for its object to improve the construction of the
siphonal parts of the apparatus and to render them more certain and reliable in action
whether acted on quickly or slowly without valve details which are liable to get out of
order.
When
In carrying out my Invention I have the cistern made, by preference, with a well
or depressed part, within and above which the siphonal parts are placed. At the
bottom of the well a shallow compartment is formed by a diaphragm or horizontal
partition at the centre of which there is fixed a central pipe with its bottom end
projecting down below the diaphragm, and with its upper end which is flared or
funnel-shaped extending to a height above the level of the water in the cistern when
full. The top of the downlet pipe from the cistern to the closet projects up into the
compartment at the bottom of the well its top edge being a little higher than the
bottom edge of the central pipe. The bottom compartment acts as a water trap
and its area is so much in excess of that of the downlet pipe that the siphonal
action cannot clear it out but always leaves enough water to seal the bottom of
the central pipe. The central pipe is covered and enclosed by a bell or long
inverted cup which is connected to a lever and which is moved to start the
siphonal action by means of the closet handle to which it is connected.
the siphonal action takes place the water rises up the annular space between the
central pipe and the bell and flows down the central pipe. An improvement
which considerably improves the action and renders it more certain consists in
placing a tubular piece between the central pipe and the bell; and this tubular
piece may be either a fixture and remain stationary or it may be attached to the
bell and inove with it. The intermediate tubular piece causes the bell to have an
increased frictional hold on the water and to more easily lift it so as to overflow
into the central pipe. The water trap in the bottom compartiment checks the
passage of air from the downlet pipe up into the central pipe when the bell is
raised. There may be one or more tubular pieces between the central pipe and
the outer shell of the bell; or the desired effect may be obtained by making the
shell of the bell corrugated or with internal ribs. The tubular piece or pieces
may be made corrugated or with ribs.
Dated thin Tightonath day of Sentember 1888
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Siphonal Cisterns for Waterclosets and the like.
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Foundry, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to cisterns such as those which supply waterclosets with

page_text: water by means of siphons, arranged to deliver a limited quantity at each action, and
thus avoid waste; and it has for its object to improve the construction of the siphonal
parts of the apparatus, and to render them more certain and reliable in action whether
acted on quickly or slowly without valve details which are liable to get out of order.
Figure. 1, on the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings is a vertical section
of one modification of a siphonal cistern as made according to my present Invention.
Figure, 2, is a vertical section of a second modification and figures, 3, 4, and 5, are
horizontal sections of different modifications of a part of the apparatus. In these
drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like parts w::erever
they are repeated.
In carrying out my Invention as shown in figure, I, I have the cistern, A, made
with a well or depressed part, B, within and above which the siphonal parts are placed.
At the bottom of the well, B, a shallow compartment, C, is formed by a diaphragm
or horizontal partition, D, in which diaphragm there is fixed a central pipe, E, with
its bottom end projecting down below the diaphragm and with its upper end, F, which
is flared or funnel-shaped extending to a height above the level of the water in the
cistern when full. The top, G, of the downlet pipe from the cistern to the closet
projects up into the compartment, C, at the bottoin of the cistern, its top edge being
a little higher than the bottom edge of the central pipe, E. The bottom compart-
ment, C, with the pipes, E, and G, projecting into it as described acts as a water trap,
and its area is so much in excess of that of the downlet pipe, G, that the siphonal
action cannot clear it out but always leaves enough water to seal the bottom of the
central pipe, E.
The central pipe, E, is covered and enclosed by a bell, or long inverted cup, H,
which is connected to a lever, J, and which is moved to start the siphonal action by
means of the closet handle to which it is connected. The lever, J, is counterbalanced
by a weight, K, and is arranged on its fulcrum. bracket, L, so as when drawn down to
depress the bell, H, and raise the weight, K. By the depression of the bell, H, some
of the air in it is expelled down the central pipe, E; and when the closet handle is let
go, the weight, K, acting through the lever, J, raises the bell, H, again and starts the
siphonal action by causing the water within it to rise over the funnel mouth, F,
of the central pipe, E.
An improvement which considerably improves the action and renders it more
certain, is shown in figures, 2, and consists in placing a tubular piece, M, between
the central pipe, E; and the bell, H; and this tubular piece, M, may be a fixture
and remain stationary or it may be attached to the bell and move with it, or it
may be quite separate and loose. The tubular piece, M, is in figure, 2, shown as
loose but made with three feet by which it rests on the partition, D, when in its
lowest position without preventing the access of water to its interior. The top of
the tubular piece, M, is closed over but is made with a central air hole, N. This
tubular intermediate piece, M, causes the bell, H, to have an increased frictional hold on
the water and to more easily lift it so as to flow into the central pipe, E. The
water trap in the bottom compartment, C, checks the passage of air from the
downlet pipe, G, up into the central pipe, E, when the bell, H, is raised.
There may be one or more tubular pieces (M) between the central pipe, E, and
the outer shell of the bell, H; or the desired effect may be obtained by making
the shell of the bell, H, with corrugations, P, as shown in figure, 4, or with
internal ribs, P, as shown in figure, 5. The tubular piece or pieces (M) may be
made corrugated or with ribs. In the modification shown in figure, 2, the lever, J,
is arranged with its fulcrum bracket, L, between the bell, H, and the end pulled
down by means of the closet handle so that when the closet handle is pulled the
bell, H, is lifted and the siphonal action at once started. In the modification
shown in figure, 1, the first action on pulling the closet handle is to depress the
bell, H, and it is desirable not to depress the water between the central pipe, E,
and the bell, H, and therefore the ribs, P, designed to have a frictional hold on
the water are formed not on the bell, H, but on the stationary central pipe, E,
as shown in figures, 1, and 3.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of the parts of siphonal cistern apparatus substantially as
shown in figure, 1, of the accompanying drawings and herein before described.
2. The combination of the parts of siphonal cistern apparatus substantially as
shown in figure, 2, of the accompanying drawings and hereinbefore described.
3. In a siphonal cistern providing at the bottom a trap compartment, C, with
the siphon pipe, E, projecting down into it and the downlet pipe projecting up
into it the area of the said trap compartment being considerably larger than that
of the said pipes substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In siphonal apparatus working with a movable bell, the combination with
such bell of one or more inner tubular pieces or bells substantially in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
5. In siphonal apparatus working with a movable bell, making the bell or other
part with corrugations or ribs substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Seventeenth day of June 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.