IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMODES OR VESSELS TO BE USED AS WATERCLOSETS, EXPECTORATING UTENSILS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Augustus de Metz at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd April 1868.
I, AUGUSTUS DE METZ, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMODES OR VESSELS TO BE USED AS WATERCLOSETS,
EXPECTORATING UTENSILS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The constructing such commodes or vessels when made with an inner
pan and outer case with the following features in combination or
separately. One of these is a channelled recess formed on or carried by.
or attached to the upper part of the pan, and with lid with flange of
non-corrosive material dipping into such channelled recess which is
intended to be filled with water so as to form a trap against effluvia.
And the other is a moulding or beading or projection around or partly
around the exterior surface of the pan and carrying a band of tin or
other material clipped or secured upon it or by it to the pan, and the
said band so clipped or secured affording the means of connection by
soldering or otherwise fixing to the outer case. The outer case may be
of japanned metal and the pan may be of earthenware or enamelled
metal with channel formed on it, or with channel formed of pewter or

page_text: pewter covered metal girting the edge of the pan. The channel may
conveniently be of ring or tube shaped section with slit or opening
along the top for dipping flange of the lid. The lid may be like a
saucepan lid and be lined wholly or partly with pewter and the dipping
flange be of pewter; any convenient shaped beading may be used
for holding the tin band, and such beading may conveniently be formed
on the exterior surface of the channelling of the pan. Also the con-
structing such commodes or vessels when made without an outer case
with channelled recess and lid with dipping flange of non-corrosive
material as above to form water trap against effluvia, such vessels being
made preferably of a vase shape or ornamental form and with two
handles. In this improvement the pan with channelled recess and lid
may be made in the same manner as above described when an outer case
is employed.
Further, the improvements have reference to portable or fixed vessels
constructed of a material or materials which would at the scat present
an uncomfortably cold surface to the sitter or person using them (as
for instance, metal or earthenware), and whether constructed as above
set forth or otherwise, and comprise the constructing such vessels
at the seat with a rim or top of some comparatively low heat con-
ducting quality (such as for instance, papier maché, felt, or gutta
percha,) fixed to or forming part of the body of the vessel itself. This
will serve in place of the removeable wooden or other coverings which
heretofore have been used for the actual scat. The rim or top may be
made of papier maché moulded to the required form and held or clipped
by the metal work, or cemented, screwed, clipped, or fixed to the earthen,
iron, or other material of which the vessel may be formed.
Further the improvements have reference to balancing the vessels
more particularly for ships' use, and comprise the constructing them
with a support allowing them to stand level or even notwithstanding
the rolling of a ship or uneveness or movement of the chamber in
which they are placed. This may be effected by gimball-mounting after
the manner of a ship's compass, and be conveniently applied to the
portable commodes above mentioned.