An Improved Siphon Flushing Cistern.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Siphon Flushing Cistern.
I HENRY BARTLETT of 67 Muntz Street in the City of Birmingham and
County of Warwick Fitter and Turner 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 :-
The novelty of this invention consists of arranging a syphon and piston in such
a way as to prevent waste of water, and to provide such a sensitive action for same
that it shall always be possible to at once obtain the necessary flush of water
without having to repeat the process of endeavouring to start the syphonage
several times before the desired effect is produced.
A cast iron box forming the cistern box of suitable shape is first provided and
a hole bored through bottom of same wherein is arranged vertically a tubular
outlet or standpipe, over this is passed a flat metal plate of any suitable shape &
which has a hole in centre to admit of the standpipe & to receive the valve plate
hereinafter described.
This metal plate when in position will rest upon a flange at the bottom of the
stand pipe thus causing it to be always raised from the floor of the cistern box.
Attached to this plate is another smaller metal plate with a hole in the centre
so that it may work over the standpipe, and two pins projecting from the top of
the said flat metal plate, passing through the smaller plate serve as the attach-
ments for same and are of such convenient height from the flat plate as to allow a
little freedom or space between the two plates when required for the hereinafter
mentioned purpose.
The small plate when in its normal position rests upon four lugs provided within
the diameter of the hole in the larger plate.
Two holes are bored and tapped into the flat large plate to receive two guide
rods and the two plates and the standpipe are then covered by a dome-like
chamber which serves both as a syphon in conjunction with the stand pipe, and as a
cylinder in connection with the two said plates forming the piston.
The two guide rods are then passed through two holes made through the dome
chamber or cylinder and are then screwed into their proper positions into the said
tapped holes in the said plate. The two rods are then articulated at their upper
extremities with a proper shaped forked lever with which to set the piston in
operation, such lever taking a bearing or fulcrum upon the sides of the top of the
cistern box, and being attached at the outside end to a chain or cord with which
to set the working parts in operation.
An ordinary ball valve or tap allows water to enter the cistern and governs the
supply, and a lid is provided to cover the whole of the cistern, but these do not
form any part of the novelty of this invention, and to prevent confusion are not
shewn in the drawings. To start the action of the syphon the lever is depressed
by pulling the cord or chain attached thereto, and by this means the flat plates
are elevated or drawn up in the cylinder, the smaller plate filling up or covering
the hole in the larger plate thus forming an efficient piston, and giving an impetus
to the water by which it is covered, and displacing same up into the space at the
top of the syphon and over the top of the standpipe thus forming a vacuum.
water contained in the cistern then syphons out through the outlet pipe, the smaller
plate or valve being lifted to the extremity of the pins to which it is attached, by
the impetus of the water passing through the hole underneath same, when the
syphonage is in operation.
The

page_text: The weight of the piston plates and the rods serve also the purpose of causing
same & the whole working parts to return to their normal positions when the
syphonage has ceased, and the cistern is then ready for another flushing operation.
The invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1. is a side view of the cistern with portions of the box a and the dome
covering & broken away to obtain a view of the internal arrangements. The stand-
pipe or outlet c is shewn with the plates d and in their proper positions when at
rest, and the rods e connected thereto. The pins attaching the smaller plate f
to the plate d are shewn at k. The lever is shewn at g with the cord or
attachment h.
Fig. 2. is a transverse section of the cistern box a and the working parts. The
normal water level is indicated by the dotted line i. The working parts d. e. f
and g are shewn in the position as when the lever g is depressed the top plate f
being lifted from the bottom plate d by the rush of water upwards, and the arrow
heads indicate the direction of the water when the syphonage is in operation.
The dotted lines shewing the working parts indicate their positions as when
at rest.
Fig. 3. is a plan of the plate d with the 4 lugs to receive the plate f and the pins
for attaching same thereto at k.
The plan of plate is shewn also in this figure with the two holes through
which the pins k, k, pass.
It is evident that the details may be varied without departing from the principle
of the invention.
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 1
claim is:
1. In syphon cisterns the employment of two plates in connection as d and fas
a piston and valve as described, and connected with a lever by a rod or rods as
herein set forth.
2. The construction of a syphon and cylinder by means of a dome or cover as
shewn arranged with a standpipe and piston by the said plates d and ƒ all
substantially as set forth herein.
Dated this Fifteenth day of September One thousand eight hundred and
ninety-four.
H. BARTLETT,
Applicant.