IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHS, LAVATORIES, JAW BOXES, CISTERNS, AND OTHER SIMILAR WATER VESSELS, AND IN FITTINGS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Walter Towers at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th October 1880.
WALTER TOWERS, of Kirkintilloch, in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain,
Iron Founder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHS, LAVATORIES, JAW BOXES, CISTERNS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR WATER VESSELS, AND IN FITTINGS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
"
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of baths,
lavatories, jaw-boxes, cisterns, and other similar water vessels, and of the over-flow,
and outlet valve and fittings connected therewith, which are specially designed as an
efficient and reliable means of trapping the sewer gas or preventing its escape through
the discarge outlet in bath rooms or other apartments, whilst the improved discharge
valve is extremely simple in construction, more easily operated, and less liable to
derangement than has hitherto fitted.
Under one modification of the improvements applicable to baths, an overflow
duct or passage is cast or formed in on piece with the bath at one end leading
down to the discharge pipe beneath the outlet valve, and into the overflow duct
there is fitted a rod, or it might be a chain, with a handle above, which reaches
down and is bent round beneath the bath to pass up through the centre of the
outlet to the valve which is immediately over the trap. This valve is made in the
form of a disc with a lower face of vulcanised rubber or leather covering the outlet
which forms its seat, and it is operated to allow water to escape from the bath
by lifting the handle and bent rod in the overflow, thereby also directly raising the
valve off its seat. The valve may be guided by the usual tripod feathers when
raised, and the seat and tripod or a grating may be screwed in from above, and
in its normal position on the outlet the pressure of the water above in the bath
keeps the valve securely closed. The valve rod may however be weighted to
assist this action, and the discharge pipe may be formed with the usual trap bend,
but it is preferred to arrange the discharge pipe a little to one side of the valve
centre, and cast or otherwise form a trapping piece or flange on the bottom of the
bath and at the upper part of the vertical discharge pipe, or it may be a lateral
discharge cast on to form the improved trap at the lower end of the overflow duct
to prevent the escape of foul air or sewage gas into the bath room.
In a modified arrangement of the improved fittings, the rod fitted in the overflow
duct may be jointed to a lever connected below to a short spindle on the valve

page_text: passing down through the outlet grating, which would form a guide for it, and this
lever may be fulcrumed so that the outlet valve can be opened either by raising
the handle and rod as before or by depressing it.
Other forms of discharge valves, either closing down on the outlet seat or up
against it, may be used with either arrangement of lifting rod, or rod and lever, or
by a chain, or it might be a lever or a screw, particularly when the valve closes
upwards. It is preferred to fit the discharge valve on its lifting rod or spindle, so
that it can be easily unscrewed or removed when desired to clear out any obstruction
in the discharge inlet.
In applying the improvements for lavatories, jaw-boxes, cisterns, and other
similar water vessels or receptacles; the overflow duct is cast or formed at one end
of the vessel and fitted with a rod or chain passed down through it for lifting the
outlet valve in a manner similar to that described as applied to baths, and the
lower end of the overflow duct is also made to form a trap for the gases, by having
a flange dipping into the overflow or discharge water which is retained by a
corresponding ridge or upward extension of the discharge pipe.
The improved arrangements of baths, cisterns, lavatories, and jaw-boxes, may be
applied in combination with Meldrum's Patent bell trap with safety india-rubber
valve (Letters Patent No. 2643, of 1878), or with other constructions of traps
which may be specially arranged to admit of the working of the lifting rod, chain,
and screw lever, opening and closing the valve.