AN IMPROVED LAVATORY
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Stevens, Manager of the British & Foreign
Office for Patents, No. 1º, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LAVATORY."—A
communication from abroad by Flury Jourjon, of 42, Rue Laffite, Paris,
in the Empire of France.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Stevens at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration
on the 7th September 1860, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
STEVENS, Manager of the British & Foreign Office for Patents, No. 1, Welbeck
Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
LAVATORY," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made salemn declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad
by Flury Jourjon, of 42, Rue Laffite, Paris, in the Empire of France.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Stevens, do hereby declare
the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal fully describes
and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which the

page_text: same is to be performed (reference being had to the accompanying Drawings),
that is to say:-
The object of the lavatory, as at first constructed, was to prevent the dirty
water from falling into the basin C, Fig. 1, containing the water for the final
washing, by means of the separator D.
It will be seen from the representation of the lavatory (shown in plan and
section, Fig. 1), that each of the persons employed has a tap E near her, which
gives the water required for the washing. By this means the linen is no
longer washed in water which has become foul, as the water used enters the
channel B, and escapes at J.
This lavatory consists of the following parts:
A, stone on which the linen is washed.
B, channel for carrying off the water.
C, basin containing clean water.
D, separator, preventing the dirty water from entering the basin C.
E, tap giving fresh water at the desire of the operator.
F, trough or pipe for filling the basin.
G, trough or do. for carrying of the water of the basin.
I, trough or do., furnishing the water for cleansing the channel.
J, escape of the water.
Fig. 2, horizontal, plan; Fig. 3, plan of elevation; Fig. 4, vertical plan.
This arrangement of lavatory unites every necessary condition of cleanliness
by preventing the water charged with the dirt from the linen from falling again
into the basin as in many lavatories; but the lavatory in this form still possessed
an important disadvantage, especially in places where water is not abundant
viz., that of consuming too large a quantity of water, and also of soap; this objec-
tion is now removed by means of the following additions and improvements :-
Beneath the washing stone (Figs. 2 & 3) a bucket B, B2, is placed, extending
from the left extremity of the stone to a distance of 10 to 12 inches out to the
right. This bucket is divided in two parts by a filter C of fine sand, hair, or
other matter suitable for arresting the impurities of the linen. The hot water
is poured into the compartment B, where the linen is placed, and filters into B',
where it finds its level according as the operator withdraws the linen from B
to wash it on the stone. In performing the latter operation a certain quantity
of water is, withdrawn, but this water with the soap employed flows to the
bottom of the stone by the grooves in the slope D, and passes in a double or
false bottom, which filters it and allows it to pass into B', which in turn
transmits through the filter, C to B, charged only with the soap held in
solution. The dirt accumulates almost entirely beneath the false bottom. E;

page_text: and as the passage through the filter F operates but slowly, the particles of
impurity which might become introduced into B' stop of their own weight at
the surface of the filter without mingling in the basin. By this means the
water of B, whilst preserving the greater part of the soap held in solution,
remains clean a great length of time. The result of these combinations is
a saving of from 60 to 75 per cent. of water (an important object where water
is scarce), a washing in every respect satisfactory, and finally an economy in
soap of more than 30 per cent. When the water after being sufficiently used
requires to be changed, a valve at the bottom of B' empties it into a water pipe
beneath, which conducts it into a running stream, or where this is impossible,
into a covered pit or reservoir, where it can be collected and utilised as
manure.
The above system of lavatory has still another advantage, that of giving a
constant supply of hot water, and thereby accelerating the washing during the
winter. The linen being also constantly immersed in soapy water, no longer
requires to be beaten and rubbed with so much violence as hitherto. Steam
may be employed to heat the lavatory. Fig. 5 shows the form of the washing
stone.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner in which the same
is or may be carried into effect, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is, the separator (barrage) D, Fig. 1, and the arrangement of lavatory
above described and represented in the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 2, 3, 4,
& 5.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Stevens, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
CHARLES STEVENS. (L.S.)