Year: 1887

page_text: I, HENRY DODD of 37 Grange Road, Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Gas-
fitter, 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 object of my invention is to construct a flushing cistern for urinals, water-
closets and the like, that will act automatically at intervals, and that can also be
worked by hand, if desired.
In carrying out my invention, I construct a cistern in which the flush valve is
connected, by levers, links or their equivalents, with a floating cup or ball provided
with a syphon, which, according to the level of the water in the cistern, either fills or
empties the cup or ball, causing it to sink or float and thus to either open or close
the flush valve.
The invention may be best described by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation.
Figure 2 an end elevation, and
Figure 3 a plan of a flushing cistern, constructed in accordance with my invention,
and specially adapted to work automatically.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation, and
Figure 5 a plan of the apparatus in a modified form in which it is capable of being
worked, either automatically or by hand, as desired.
Referring first to figures 1 to 3:-A is the cistern of any suitable form, B the
flush pipe, (which is provided within the cistern with a syphon termination B',) and
the flush valve. D is the inlet cock and E the overflow pipe which is affixed to
the cistern as a safeguard in case the automatic mechanism should get out of order.
F is a lever pivoted at to the flush pipe or to a support attached to the cistern.
Attached to the lever F in any suitable manner and preferably at or near its fulcrum
ond is the flush valve C. When the valve is open the lever F is inclined downwards,
and when it is closed the lever takes a more or less horizontal position as shown in
dotted lines. To the free end of the lever is pivoted the upright stem g of the float
or ball G. The stem g is guided in a vertical direction by the guide bracket g', and

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that it may not be thrown out of the perpendicular as the lever F rises and falls,
the latter is provided at its free end with a slot f', in which the pin g2 of the stem
works. In the lower part of the float G is a syphon H, the short leg of which
projects downwards to within a short distance of the bottom of the float, and the
long leg projects a little way through the bottom of the float. By means of the
syphon the water can pass freely at certain times to or from the cistern or float.
The float is provided with a vent hole, which is protected by a cap or rose, g³.
The mode of action is as follows Water enters the cistern continuously at any
required rate through the cock D. In the position shown in full lines in figure 1 the
float, owing to the weight of water within it, has fallen to its lowest position and
opened the flush valve C. The water in the cistern (which was previously full to
about the level of the line I) now rushes up the syphon-leg B', and down the flush
pipe B. The flush continues till the water sinks to the lower extremity of the syphon-
leg B, when the latter empties itself and ceases to act. As soon, however, as the
water in the cistern has sunk to the level of the short leg of the syphon H, the latter
comes into action and empties the float G. The flush having ceased the water rises in
the cistern but cannot start the syphon B¹until it rises beyond the line I'. By this
time, however (as shown in dotted lines) the now empty float has been buoyed up by
the water, and has closed the flush valve C, so that the syphon B¹ cannot act until the
said valve is again opened. The water still rising reaches the level of the line I or
slightly beyond it, and the syphon H now comes into play and partly fills the float,
causing it to sink and again open the flush valve. The water in the cistern being
now above the level of the bend in syphon B', the latter is free to act and a flush
takes place as before.
By regulating the cock D, the rate of feed, and consequently the length of interval
between successive flushings may be adjusted as required. If necessary the cock D
may he sealed or locked to give a definite number of flushings in a given time.
Though this form of automatic flushing cistern could be adapted to a hand pull,
I prefer, when a hand pull is needed, to use the modified form set forth in figures 4
and 5, which will now describe.
As before, A is the cistern, B the flush pipe (without a syphon termination), (
the flush valve, and E the overflow pipe. D is the inlet cock, which when the
cistern is to be fitted with a hand pull is, preferably, a ball cock. The lever Fis
pivoted at or near its centre on the bracket. Between its axis and one end is linked
the flush valve by means of the link . One end of the lever F carries the cup-
shaped float G containing the syphon H and the other end is provided with a hollow
hall G. The ball Gassists the float G in its action and acts either as a weight or as
a float according as the water in the cistern is at a low or high level. In this type
of cistern the water can if desired overflow at certain times into the cup G, the top
being open, but provided with a perforated cover G² to prevent impurities from
choking the syphon. A stop G3 is fixed beneath the cup end of the lever to prevent
the latter from being depressed too far. The ball-cock D'has the usual ball or float D'.
The hand pull J is attached to one end of the rocking lever J', pivoted on the
bracket. The other end of J' carries a link J2 pivotally connected thereto. The
lower end of J' engages by means of a slot with a pin on the lever F.
The mode of action when worked solely by the hand pull is as follows:-
The ball cock D is so arranged as to fill the cistern to such a height that the water
will nearly start the syphon in the cup G. A slight and momentary depression of the
pull J will depress the cup float G and start the syphon or possibly cause the water
to overflow into and fill the cup. The cup float being now unable to float, and being
assisted by the buoyancy of the ball G₁, sinks down to the stop G³ and the valve C is
opened. The pull having previously been released, returns to its original position
and the slot allows the ball end of the lever F to rise freely and independently of
the pull. When the flushing is completed the syphon H empties the cup and lightens
it. It rises (owing to the combined weight of C, C & G₁ on the other end of the
lever) and closes the valve. The syphon may be protected by a rose at one or
both ends.

page_text: If it be desired to use this type of cistern solely as an automatie cistern, an ordinary
cock may be substituted for the ball cock and the pull mechanism may be dispensed
with.
If, on the other hand, it is desirable to use it mainly as an automatic cistern, with
an occasional use of the hand pull, the ball cock must be so arranged that the water
will always start the syphon before the ball cock is shut.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a flushing apparatus, a flush valve worked automatically at regular intervals
by means of a float connected therewith and said float being provided with a syphoning
device, which, as the fluid in the cistern reaches its highest level syphons soine of it
over into the float, causing it to sink and open the flush valve, and as the aforesaid
fluid approaches its lowest level, syphons it out of the float, causing it to rise and
close the flush valve, the whole arranged substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. In an automatic flushing apparatus, the combination with the syphon B' and the
flush valve C, of the pivoted lever F, the float G and the syphon device H, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described in reference to figures 1 to 3.
3. The modification of my flushing apparatus (whereby it is made applicable for
hand flushing) constructed as a whole substantially as described and illustrated in
figures 4 and 5.