IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER- CLOSETS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry James and Edward Drewett, of Weybridge,
in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-
CLOSETS."
Sealed the 6th March 1868, and dated the 21st November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry James and Edward
Drewett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 21st November 1867.
We, HENRY JAMES and EDWARD DREWETT, of Weybridge, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WATERCLOSETS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in waterclosets.
closets as at present constructed the pan is necessarily open at the top when
the valve at the bottom of the pan is open, and consequently an escape of
foul air results from the opening of the valve.
Now according to our Invention I arrange the handle by which the valve
of the pan is opened at one side of the closet, so that it can be acted on when
the flap or lid which closes the pan is shut down air-tight and so as to prevent
the escape of any foul gases. In order that the flap or lid may close perfectly
air-tight an india-rubber seating is provided.
Also according to my Invention immediately under the seat of the closet,
and fitting closely to it and around the pan, 1 arrange a trough for containing

page_text: disinfecting material which at once deodorizes any gases which may issue
from the pan on the opening of the valve. Also I ventilate this trough,
which when the flap or lid is shut forms an enclosed chamber by means of
inlet and outlet air pipes, one or both of which may be fitted with valves in
connection with the flap or lid, so that when the flap or lid is open and the
closet in use the air pipe or pipes may be closed, but when the flap or lid is
shut down the air valve or valves are open to ensure the thorough ventilation
of the enclosed chamber around the pan.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry James and Edward Drewett in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
JAMES and EDWARD DREWETT, of Weybridge, in the County of Surrey, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Henry James and Edward Drewett, Her special licence that we, the
said Henry James and Edward Drewett, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry James and Edward Drewett,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Henry James and
Edward Drewett, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us, or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry James, on behalf of myself and
the said Edward Drewett, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly

page_text: described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say
This Invention has for its object improvements in waterclosets. In water
closets as at present constructed the pan is necessarily open at the top when
the valve at the bottom of the pan is open, and consequently an escape of fou!
air results from the opening of the valve.
Now according to our Invention we arrange the handle by which the valve
of the pan is opened at one side of the closet, so that it can be acted on when
the flap or lid which closes the pan is shut down air-tight, and so as to prevent
the escape of any foul gases. In order that the flaps or lids may close
perfectly air-tight an india-rubber seating is provided.
Also according to our Invention immediately under the seat of the closet,
and fitting closely to it and around the pan, we arrange a trough for containing
disinfecting material, which at once deodorizes any gases which may issue
from the pan on the opening of the valve. Also we ventilate this trough,
which when the flap or lid is shut forms an enclosed chamber by means of
inlet and outlet air pipes, one or both of which may be fitted with valves in
connection with the flap or lid, so that when the flap or lid is open and the
closet in use the air pipe or pipes may be closed, but when the flap or lid is
shut down the air valve or valves are open to ensure the thorough ventilation
of the enclosed chamber around the pan.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention we will proceed to
describe more fully the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a front elevation, partly in section, and Figure 2 a side
elevation of a watercloset constructed according to our Invention.
In these Figures a is the pan of the closet, the valve of which is contained
in the case b; on the spindle of the valve is a slotted arm 6, as is usual, and
into the slot in this arm a pin carried by the lever centers; this lever is at
its end connected by a rod d¹ to the knob or handle d, which in place of being
below the lid of the closet, as heretofore usual, is on one side of the lid, so
that the handle may be raised when the lid is closed; the central part of the
under side of the lid is partially lined or covered with india-rubber or other
material e, which when the lid is closed is pressed into contact with the seat
of the closet, so as to make a tight joint all around the pan, when the lid is
closed it is retained by two spring catches f, f, one on each side of the closet;
these catches when it is desired to open the lid are withdrawn by raising the
handle 9, which is on the opposite side of the closet to the handle d, and in

page_text: order that it may be known which handle is to be raised to release the lid plain
instructions such as "pull to open the lid," are marked on or near to the handle g;
the manner in which the raising of the handle g-causes the springs carrying
the catches f, f, to be pressed back is clearly seen in Figure 1. When the
catches f, f, have been released by raising the handle g the lid is slightly
raised by two springs pressing upwards against the small metal plates h
corried on the under side of the lid, the lid can then be raised in the usual
way. After the closet has been used the lid is to be shut closely down and
the handle d raised to allow the contents of the basin to pass down the soil
pipe. Any gas or vapour then arising from the sewer or cesspool into the
pan is confined in the space or chamber between the lid of the closet and
the tray or trough which is fitted closely around the pan and to the wood-
work of the closet; this chamber we call the disinfecting or deodorizing
chamber, from it two pipes are led to the atmosphere on the outside of the
house, one pipe which is marked m is for admitting air to the chamber and is
led out through the wall of the house; the passage through this pipe can be
opened or closed by the sliding valve m¹ which is worked from the lid of the
closet, so that the passage through the pipe is open when the lid is closed
and is closed when the lid is open. The other pipe, which is marked n, is
for allowing air to pass away from the chamber; this pipe is led up to the roof
of the house or to any other convenient spot, and an upward current. may be
established in it by any suitable means; a fine membraneous or other valve
may be applied at some point in this pipe to prevent any downward current
of air; thus when the closet is in use all draught or current of air is arrested,
but when the lid of the closet is closed the chamber is put in free communi-
cation with the outer atmosphere. The manner in which the valve m¹ is
opened and closed by the lowering and raising of the lid of the closet is seen
most clearly in Figure 2; the valve is formed of a flat plate m³, through
which a hole m³ is formed; when the lid of the closet is closed this hole is
brought to coincide with the passage through the pipe m, but when the lid of
the closet is opened the plate m¹ is raised, and the passage through the pipe
is thus closed. The raising and lowering of the plate is effected by a chain o¹
connected to the lower end. of a lever arm o which is attached to the lid of
the closet by a hinge joint, upon which the arm can turn a limited distance,
so that too much movement may not be given to the valve. In addition to.a
free current of air being thus allowed to pass through the chamber when
the lid of the closet is closed charcoal or other deodorizing and disinfecting
material may be placed in the chamber 1, either directly on the tray / which
forms the bottom of this chamber, or in small trays suitably prepared for the

page_text: purpose; the seat of the closet is made to turn upon hinges or to be otherwise
easily moveable, so that the disinfecting material can readily be renewed
when required. The bottom of the tray k is made to incline to one spot,
where a hole is made through the basin, so that should any slops flow on to
this tray when slops are carelessly thrown into the basin or pan of the closet
they may flow back through this hole into the basin or pan.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry James, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
HENRY JAMES. (L.S.)