IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY AND FLOW OF WATER FOR WATERCLOSET AND OTHER CISTERNS
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JAMES SIBBALD and WILLIAM KINNES, both of Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY AND FLOW OF
WATER FOR WATERCLOSET AND OTHER CISTERNS "to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus used for watercloset and other cisterns, by
which any surplus water admitted into the cistern automatically overflows and is
discharged, whilst if the valve of the apparatus be raised the water so discharged
from the cistern sets in operation a syphon by which if desired, the whole contents
of the cistern are drawn off, even supposing the valve to be re-closed immediately
after it has been opened.
Supposing our improved apparatus to be applied to a water closet cistern of any
suitable material and dimensions, we fit to the bottom of the cistern a pipe leading
to the watercloset. The open end of this pipe in the bottom of the cistern forms a
conical seat for a valve having a spindle working freely through a guide in the
sout in the ordinary way. The valve itself has a sufficient number of openings or
perforations through it and round its outer edge is fixed a vertical pipe open above
and below, cylindrical or tapering, its upper end being at about the level at which
it is desired that the water should stand in the cistern.
Surrounding the pipe just described, but at a sufficient distance from it is fixed
a second corresponding pipe of larger diameter the lower edge of which is
fixed to the outer edge of a grating or perforated plate fixed to or forming part of
the valve, but of larger diameter. The upper end of the outer pipe rises above the
inner one and is closed in air tight, a chain or wire being attached to it above and
connected to a weighted lever so that when the latter is lifted in the usual way
the valve is raised from its seat together with the inner and outer pipes.
When the valve is closed and the cistern is being filled, the double pipe described
serves as an overflow should the ball cock or other equivalent regulating valve
through which the water is supplied fail to act, the water passing up through the

page_text: space between the outer and inner pipes and over the edge of the latter down
through the apertures in the valve.
When the valve is raised the water rushes violently down the discharge pipe
between the seat upon its upper end and the open valve. The downward rush of
water creates sufficient vacuum in the inner pipe to draw the water in the cistern
up between the two pipes and fill the space between them, a syphon action being
thus set up by which the water continues to flow down the discharge pipe, until
the cistern is empty if necessary, this action taking place even if the valve be
instantly closed after having been opened.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1884
1

page_text: We, JAMES SIBBALD and WILLIAM KINNES, both of Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, Engineers, do heroby declare the nature of our invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY AND FLOW OF
WATER FOR WATERCLOSET AND OTHER CISTERNS" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawing:-
Our invention relates to apparatus used for watercloset and other cisterns, by
which any surplus water admitted into the cistern automatically overflows and
is discharged, whilst if the valve of the apparatus be raised the water so
discharged from the cistern sets in operation a syphon by which if desired, the
whole contents of tho cistern are drawn off, even supposing the valve to bo re-closed
immediately after it has been opened.
Supposing our improved apparatus to be applied to a water closet cistorn of any
suitable material and dimensions, we fit to the bottom of the cistern a pipo leading
to the watercloset. The open end of this pipe in the bottom of the cistern forms
a seat for a valve having a spindle working freely through a guide in the ordinary
way. The valve itself has a sufficient number of openings or perforations through
it and round its outer edge is fixed a vertical pipe open above and below,
cylindrical or tapering, its upper end rising to about the level at which it is desired
that the water should stand in the cistern when the valve is closed: Surrounding
the pipe just described, but at a sufficient distanco from it is fixed a second
corresponding pipe of larger diameter the lower edge of which is fixed to the outer
edge of a grating or perforated plate fixed to or forming part of the valve, but of
larger diameter. The upper end of the outer pipe rises for a short distance above
the open top of the inner one and is closed air-tight, a chain or wire being attached
to it above and connected to a weighted lever so that when the latter is lifted in
the usual way tho valve is raised from its seat together with the inner and outer
pipes.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention. In figure 1,
which is a vertical section, a is the cistern from the bottom of which the pipe b
leads to the watercloset or other place where the water is to be discharged.
c is a seat upon which the valvo d fits, the valve spindle e being guided in the
usual way. The valve d is perforated as shewn, and round its outer edge is fixed
the vertical open ended pipe, the upper end of which at g rises (when the valve d
is closed) to the height at which it is desired that the water should stand in the
cistern a. h is the outer perforated plate or grating forming part of the valve d
(as shewn in plan in figure 2) and carrying the outer pipe i which is closed at its
upper end k, where a chain or wire is attached, by which the valve d and the two
pipes fand i can be lifted when required by the weighted lever m.
When the cisterna is being filled with water the valve d being closed, tho
double pipes and i described serve as an overflow should the ball cock or other
equivalent regulating valve through which the water is supplied fail to closo, the
water passing up through the space between the outer and inner pipes and over
the edge g of the latter down through the apertures in the valve to the pipe b.
When the valve is raised by the lever m the water rushes violently down the
discharge pipe b between the sent c upon its upper end and the open valve d
This downward rush of water creates sufficient vacuum in the inner pipe fto draw
the water in the cistern up between the two pipes when the valve is closed, and

page_text: fill the space between them, a syphon action being thus set up by which the water
continues to flow down the discharge pipe b, until the cisteru a is empty if
necessary, this action taking place even if the valve be instantly closed after
having been opened.
Our invention may be applied to cisterns used for other purposes, as well as for
waterclosets, and we do not confine ourselves to the precise form and arrange-
ment of the several parts which may be varied more or less to suit different
• circumstances, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
The combination of the perforated valve d, the seat c and discharge pipe b, the
open ended inner pipe f, perforated plate or support h and outer pipe i closed at
its upper end k, all farranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose
described and shewn in the drawing.
T
L100A