Improvements in Siphon Flushing Apparatus for Water-closet and other Cisterns.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1890
Complete Spécification Left, 15th Oct., 1890-Accepted. 15th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Siphon Flushing Apparatus for Water-closet and
other Cisterns.
We, WILLIAM ROBERT RAWLINGS and JOHN JOSEPH RAWLINGS both of 78 Rich-
mond Road South Kensington in the County of Middlesex, Sanitary Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In siphon flushing apparatus as at present generally constructed, air is drawn into
the pipes at the end of the flush before the flow of water has ceased, and causes a
hammering sound unless some precaution is taken to avoid this inconvenience. The
means which have usually been employed to prevent the occurrence of this water
hammer consist of devices for leading air to the upper part of the siphon at the
proper instant so as to arrest the action of the siphon. Among such devices
are valves operated by floats, and pipes opening at their upper ends into the siphon
and at their lower ends at the level attained by the water when the flush is desired to
be stopped. When such pipes have been used however, it has been found that they
simply act as a shorter second leg to the siphon and admit the air as before, only in
reduced quantity. According to these improvements we construct and arrange the
pipe or pipes to conduct air to the upper part of the siphon in such a manner that it
or they cannot act as a second leg to the siphon to any effective extent and só also
as to prevent the passage through them of bubbles of air.
In carrying out our invention we employ one or more capillary or flattened tubes
which open at the upper end into the upper part of the siphon and, in a tubular
siphon, preferably on the discharge side. The lower end of the tube, (or tubes)
terminates slightly above the inlet opening of the siphon and is surrounded with a
wire cage or similar device when there is a possibility of the tube or tubes becoming
choked or stopped from the presence of suspended or floating matter in the water.
Dated this 13th day of January A.D. 1890.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Siphon Flushing Apparatus for Water-closet and
other Cisterns.
We, WILLIAM ROBERT RAWLINGS, and JOHN JOSEPH RAWLINGS, both of 78 Rich-
mond Road, South Kensington in the County of Middlesex, Sanitary Engineers, 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:-
In siphon flushing apparatus as at present generally constructed, air is drawn into
the pipes at the end of the flush before the outflow of water has ceased, and causes a
hammering sound ("water-hammer") unless some precaution is taken to avoid this
inconvenience. The means which have usually been employed to prevent the
occurrence of this water-hammer consist in devices for leading the air to the
bend or upper part of the siphon at the proper instant, so as to arrest the action of
the siphon. Among such devices are valves operated by floats, the pipes having an
opening at their upper ends communicating with the siphon and opening at their
lower ends at the level attained by the water when the flush is desired to be stopped.
When such pipes have been used however, it has been found that they simply act
as a second shorter leg to the siphon and admit air intermittently producing water-
hammer as before, only in smaller quantity.

page_text: According to these improvements we construct and arrange the pipe or pipes
herein before referred to, and which are employed to conduct air at the desired
moment to the bend or upper part of the siphon, in such a manner that it or they
cannot act as a second leg to the siphon to any effective extent, and so also as to
prevent the passage through them of an intermittent supply or of bubbles of air.
We will describe our improvements with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the siphon in position and Figures 2 and 3 are a
side view and elevation of the siphon fitted with our improvements.
In carrying out our invention we employ one or more capillary or flattened
tubes A A which open at their upper end into a bend or upper part of the siphon
and, in a tubular siphon, that is to say in a siphon consisting of a bent tube as in
the drawings, preferably on the discharge side of the bend.
The lower end of the flattened or capillary tube or the lower ends of the tubes when
more than one are used, terminate at a short distance or distances above the inlet
opening of the siphon, and they are surrounded by a wire cage or similar device when
there is a possibility of the tube or tubes becoming clogged or choked from the presence
of suspended or floating matter in the water.
As represented in the drawings, two capillary tubes are supposed to be employed.
One of these terminates at its lower end at say an inch above the inlet to the siphon
and the other at about a half of that distance from the inlet. By this arrangement,
if the flush should fail to be stopped by the admission of air through the tube having
the higher inlet, it will be stopped by the further admission of air through the
tube having the lower inlet, before the water level drops to the level of the siphon
inlet.
We generally prefer to braze or solder the capillary or flattened tubes to a small
dome or cap B which in its turn is brazed soldered or similarly secured around and
above a hole C formed in the upper part of the siphon D.
Owing to the contraction of the passages through the capillary or flattened tubes A A,
when once the water has fallen below their inlets, a continuous stream of air passes
without being interrupted by bubbles of air or water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is―
In siphon flushing apparatus for water-closet and other cisterns, the combination
and arrangement with a siphon of one or more capillary or flattened tubes terminated
at their lower ends above the siphon inlet, and at their upper ends within or in
communication with the interior of the upper part of the siphon, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Dated this 14th day of October A.D. 1890.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.