IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS, IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Gray Cameron, of Palace Road, Lambeth, in the
County of Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS,
IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Gray Cameron at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December 1881.
DAVID GRAY CAMERON of Palace Road Lambeth in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for object improvements in water closets in part applicable
to other purposes and has reference to an improved arrangement in combination
of pan seal with overflow and trap the arrangement being such that it can be used
also as a slop closet and to a flushing apparatus which will automatically deliver a
flush and an after flush that can be exactly regulated.
In a water closet according to my Invention the pan communicates by an
aperture with a chamber provided with an overflow into the trap. When the
water stands at its normal level in the pan and the chamber that is at or slightly
below the level of the overflow it seals the said aperture between the pan and the
chamber. The chamber is divided from the trap by a partition or diaphragm
which may conveniently be set in an inclined attitude. In this partition there is
an opening for the discharge of the contents of the pan and of the chamber into
the trap which opening is normally closed by a valve that opens downward. This
valve is removed every time the handle or pull of the closet is raised and auto-
matically replaced when it is again lowered. By preference we make this valve
of a concave or saucer like form and provide a rubber ring to act as a valve seat
to receive the edge of the valve. The valve is supported by one or more arms or
levers attached to a rock shaft which when operated carries the valve completely
away from its seat so as to leave an unobstructed passage into the trap below. This
trap which may be of any suitable form and construction delivers into the soil pipe.
By my flushing apparatus a flush is delivered when the water closet handle or
pull is raised to clear the pan and also an after flush is delivered to fill the pan
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page_text: when the handle or pull is lowered. The quantity of water delivered at each flush
is determined by the time required for sufficient water to pass into an air chamber
from the supply pipe through an adjustable aperture and by its pressure acting on
a flexible diaphragm or its equivalent to close the valve. There are two. valves
one for each flush cach with a separate diaphragın. Between the diaphragms and
air vessel there is a valve connected to the watercloset handle or pull. When the
handle or pull is down this valve affords communication between the upper side
of one diaphragm and the air vessel as it is raised it isolates both diaphragms and
momentarily connects the air vessel to the waste pipe whereupon one valve rises
and the pan is flushed. When the handle or pull has reached the limit of its 1
stroke the communication to the waste pipe is stopped and water flows through
the adjustable opening until the pressure in the air vessel is sufficient to again
close the valve. When the handle is moved back again one diaphragmn is relieved
from pressure and the after flush is delivered through the corresponding valve.
In one form of the above flushing apparatus the supply pipe is divided into two 1
branches each closed by a valve operated by a flexible diaphragm. Two small
passages controlled by a common plug or screw or by separate plugs or screws
admit water to the upper sides of the diaphragms. The two branches of the supply
pipe deliver into a passage or passages opening into the pan behind a screen or
spreader. Thero is a separate communication between the upper side of each
diaphragm and a pipe leading into the air vessel such communications being con-
trolled by a rotary valve with three ports working against a valve faco with four
ports one connected to the space above each diaphragm one to the air vessel and
the fourth to the waste pipe.
Flushing apparatus as above described may be used otherwise than as part of i
my improved water closet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said David Gray Cameron in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th June 1882.
DAVID GRAY CAMERON of Palace Road Lambeth in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for object improvements in water closets in part applicable
to other purposes and has reference to an improved arrangement in combination of
pan seal with overflow and trap the arrangement being such that it can be used
also as a slop closet and to a flushing apparatus which will automatically deliver a
Aush and an after flush that can be exactly regulated.
In a water closet according to my Invention the pan communicates by an
aperture with a chamber provided with an overflow into the trap When the
water stands at its normal level in the pan and the chamber that is at or slightly
below the level of the overflow it seals the said aperture between the pan and the
chamber The chamber is divided from the trap by a partition or diaphragm
which may conveniently be set in an inclined attitude. In this partition there is
an opening for the discharge of the contents of the pan and of the chamber into
the trap which opening is normally closed by a valve that opens downward. This
valve is removed every time the handle or pull of the closet is raised and
automatically replaced when it is again lowered. By preference we make this
valve of a concave or saucer like form and provide a rubber ring to act as a valve
seat to receive the edge of the valve. The valve is supported by one or more arms
or levers attached to a rock shaft which when operated carries the valve completely
away from its seat so as to leave an unobstructed passage into the trap below.
This trap which may be of any suitable form and construction delivers into the
soil pipe.
Referring to the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal
vertical section shewing a pan seal with overflow and trap combined and arranged
according to my Invention when the material employed in the construction of the
pan and the trap is principally earthenware.
Fig. 2 is a similar view shewing the pan of carthenware and the trap of
metal.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 2. The pan A communicates by an aperture B
with the chamber C which has an overflow C¹ to the trap D. Between the
chamber C and the trap D there is a partition or diaphragm E in which there is
an opening normally closed by the valve F which seats itself upon the rubber ring G.
This valve is opened and closed by arms or levers which are operated when the
handle is raised or lowered as shewn in Fig. 13. H is an outlet to which a
ventilating pipe may be connected. I is outlet to the soil pipe. It is evident that
the valve and overflow might deliver direct to the soil pipe without the intervention
of the trap if desired.
By my flushing apparatus a flush is delivered when the water closet handle or
pull is raised to clear the pau and also an after Bush is delivered to fill the pan
when the handle or pull is lowered. The quantity of water delivered at each flush
is determined by the time required for sufficient water to pass into an air chamber
from the supply pipe through an adjustable aperture and by its pressure acting on
a flexible diaphragm or its equivalent to close the valve. There are two valves one
for each flush each with a separate diaphragm or piston. Between the diaphragms
or pistons and air vessel there is a valve connected to the water closet handle or

page_text: pull. When the handle or pull is down this valve affords communication between
the upper
side of one diaphragm or piston and the air vessel; as it is raised it
isolates both diaphragms and momentarily connects the air vessel to the waste
pipe whereupon one valve rises and the pan is flushed. When the handle or pull
Las reached the limit of its stroke the communication to the waste pipe is stopped
and water flows through the adjustable opening until the pressure in the air vessel
is sufficient to again close the valve. When the handle is moved back again the
one diaphragm or piston is relieved from pressure and the after flush is delivered
through the corresponding valve.
In one form of the above flushing apparatus the supply pipe is divided into two
branches each closed by a valve operated by a flexible diaphragm or piston. Two
small passages controlled by a common plug or screw or by separate plugs or
screws adinit water to the upper sides of the diaphragms. The two branches of the
supply pipe deliver into a passage or passages opening into the pan behind a screen
or spreader. There is a separate communication between the upper side of each
diaphragm or piston and a pipe leading into the air vessel such communications
being controlled by a rotary valve with three ports working against a valve face
with four ports one connected to the space above each diaphragmn or piston one to
the air vessel and the fourth to the waste pipe:
Flushing apparatus as above described may be used otherwise than as part of my
improved water closet.
Fig. 4 (Sheet 2) is a vertical contral section in line a b of Fig. 5 of a flushing
apparatus according to my Invention. Fig. 5 is an end elevation and Fig. 6 a plan
of the same with the covers removed. I is the inlet pipe connected to the cistern
or main it is provided with two orifices J and J' one of which serves for the
flush that empties the closet pan and the other for the after flush to effect the
sealing. Each orifice is closed by a valve K or K' operated by a flexible
diaphragm L or L' that is normally subject to the water pressure but which can
be temporarily relieved from pressure when desired. It is evident that the
chambers QQ may be made in the form of cylinders and be provided with
pistons acting as the equivalents of the flexible diaphragm. In addition to these
two outlets there is a third guarded by an adjustable plug or cock M and affording
communication between the pipe I and the upper side of both diaphragms or
pistons. The water after passing through the plug enters the grooves N N₁ from
whence it obtains access to the grooves 0 O' by means of apertures in the
diaphragms made for that purpose. Holes P P' connect the grooves O O' to tho
chambers QQ on the upper side of the diaphragins. Passages R R¹ connect the
chambers QQ to the valve box S in which is a valve V which controls commu-
nication between the chambers Q Q¹ and the air vessel T and also between the air
vessel T and the outlet pipo U. Supposing the parts to be in the position shewn
that is when the handle of the closet is down then the water pressure passing
through the plug M and grooves N N¹ O O' to the chambers QQ' acts on the
upper side of the diaphragmns and forcing the valves K K' to their seats closes the
outlets J and J. If the handle of the closet be now raised the double piston valve
is moved to the opposite end of its stroke first closing the ports a and c then
opening the ports b and d and allowing the water in the air vessel to escape down
the outlet pipe U and finally opening the ports e and c in succession. At the
completion of the stroke the ports f d and bare covered the port a is uncovered
but it is isolated and the ports e and c are uncovered and in communication.
pressure over the diaphragm L is instantly relievod and the valve K rises and
allows water to flow down the pipe V₁ into the pan of the closet. At the same
time the water flows through the adjustable cock M into the chamber Q and
thence into the air vessel and in a certain determined period dependent on the
adjustment of the cock the pressure above the diaphragm is regained and the valve
closed. When the pull or handle of the closet is returned or forced down again the
piston valve is carried back to the position shewn on the Drawings it again in its
The

page_text: movement connects in succession the air vessel to the outlet pipe and the chamber Q¹
to the air vessel. The diaphragm L' and valve K' then rise and the after or
second flush is delivered down the pipe V' to the closet pan and continues to flow
until the pressure in the air vessel attains a force sufficient to close the valve.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a flushing apparatus according to my Invention
slightly modified from that described above in so far as relates to the valve and
passages between the chambers QQ and the air vessel T. Fig. 8 is a plan of the
same Fig. 9 an end elevation Fig. 10 a front elevation and Figs. 11 and 12
detail views of the valve. Each of the chambers QQ is connected by a pipo with
the valve box W in which are four ports g h i and m g communicates with R
h with R' i with the air vessel and m with the outlet pipe. Upon this valve face
there works a rotary three ported valve shown in Figs. 11 and 12 whose action is
precisely similar in its results to that of the piston valve described above. In the
normal position that is with handle or pull of the closet down the port ; connects
the ports g and i while the port e stands against the solid part of the valve face.
When the handle is either being raised or lowered the port e is carried over the
port c and momentarily connects it to the outlet pipe allowing the pressure in it
to escape.
Figs. 13 and 14 are two elevations at right angles to each other each illustrating
a water closet comprising in combination a pan seal with overflow and trap as
hereinbefore first described together with flushing apparatus according to my
Invention. In Fig. 13 the flushing apparatus is such as described with reference
to Figs. 45 and 6 and in Fig. 14 the flushing apparatus is such as described with
reference to Figs. 7 8 and 9.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner in which
it is to be performed or carried into effect I would have it understood that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as secured to me by the
Letters Patent hereinbefore in part recited is
1. In a water closet the herein before described combination of parts comprising a
pan a chamber communicating therewith and provided with an overflow a por-
forated partition dividing such chamber from the trap or soil pipe and a valve
for closing the hole or opening in the said partition all substantially as described
and shown.
2. In a flushing apparatus the use of two pipes or inlets one giving the flush
and the other the after flush and each guarded by a valve connected to a flexible
diaphragm (or piston) and operated alternately by the pressure of the water above
or below it the upper pressure on one valve being discharged each time the handle
or pull of the water closet is raised and the upper pressure on the other valve being
discharged each time the handle is lowered and each gradually accumulating again
until it acquires sufficient force to close the corresponding valve in opposition to
the pressure below, substantially as described.
3. In a.flushing apparatus the combination of two pipes or inlets guarded by
valves connected to Bexible diaphragms (or pistons) operated alternately by the
pressure of the water above and below them an air vessel and a piston valvo so
arranged that when moved in either direction from its extremo position it first
isolates both diaphragms (or pistons) from the air vessel then effects the discharge
of the said vessel and finally connects one diaphragm (or piston) to the discharged
air vessel, substantially as described.
4. In a flushing apparatus the combination of two pipes or inlets guarded by
valves connected to flexible diaphragms (or pistons) operated alternately by tho
pressure of the water above and below them an air vessel and a rotary valve so
arranged that when moved in either direction from its extreme position it first
isolates both diaphragms (or pistons) from the air vessel then effects the dischargo
of the said vessel and finally connects one diaphragm (or piston) to the discharged
air vessel, substantially as described.
5. The combination of parts constituting the improved water closet constructed
arranged and operating as described with reference to Fig. 13 of the Drawings,

page_text: 6. The combination of parts constituting the improved water closet constructed
arranged and operating as described with reference to Fig. 14 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Gray-Cameron, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.