IMPROVED SYSTEM OF DISIN-
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frans Julius Fahlman, Swedish-Norwegian Vice-
Consul at Iliza, Balearic Island, Spain, at present in Stockholm, on
leave of absence, for the Invention of "IMPROVED SYSTEM OF DISIN-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frans Julius Fahlman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th May 1871.
I, FRANS JULIUS FAHLMAN, Swedish-Norwegian Vice-Consul at Iliza,
Balearic Island, Spain, at present in Stockholm, on leave of absence, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED SYSTEM
OF DISINFECTING FOECAL MATTER, AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as
follows:-
The disinfection of focal matter in this system operates at the time
of its evacuation by means of the urine of the person using the privy
or commode. For this purpose before the urine is received into the
receptacle of the excrement it passes through a quantity of any suitable

page_text: disinfecting matter placed in a pipe through which the urine traverses
before it is precipitated on the solid excrement.
The apparatus consists of a small vessel for receiving the urine, which
vessel communicates with the receptacle of the excrement by means
of a pipe, the passage of which is first descending, then rising, and
afterwards delivering the latter opening into the excrement receptacle,
either at the front or at the back. The apparatus is placed under the
hole of the privy or commode in such a position that the urine can only
pass to the excrement receptacle, until after it has passed through the
descending, ascending, and delivery portions of the pipe before men-
tioned, and it is in the descending part of the pipe that the disinfecting
matter is placed.
Another arrangement consists in providing the vessel which receives
the urine with a vertical pipe opening at the bottom into a box or
receiver containing disinfecting matter, there being near the top of
the box a pipe opening into the receptacle for the excrement. The
disinfecting matter is placed in the box in such quantity that the urine,
after having passed through it, shall have a certain depth above the said
disinfecting matter and run off into the excrement, when a fresh supply
of urine is added.
The apparatus can be made of lead, tin plate, or other suitable metal,
or of glass, porcelain, earthenware, and be placed in the interior or
at the exterior separately or formed with the body of the privy or
commode.
The distinctive character of this system consists in the employment
of urine when it is ejected as a solvent or vehicle of the disinfecting
matter, and the application of it by means at each usage of the privy or
commode, the urine before it is mixed with the solid excrement being
itself disinfected by the disinfecting matter, and afterwards operating
the extrementitious substances.
upon
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frans Julius Fahlman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANS
JULIUS FAHLMAN, Swedish-Norwegian Vice-Consul at Пliza, Balearic 3

page_text: Islands, Spain, at present in Stockholm, on leave of absence, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Frans Julius Fahlman, Her special licence
that I, the said Frans Julius Fahlman, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frans Julius Fahlman, my
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
"IMPROVED SYSTEM OF DISINFECTING FOECAL MATTER, AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frans
Julius Fahlman, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Frans Julius Fahlman, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :—
This Invention relates to privies and commodes, and consists in an
improved system and apparatus for effecting the disinfection of the
foecal matter at the time of its evacuation, by means of the urine of
the person using the privy or commode. For this purpose, before the
urine is received into the receptacle of the excrement, it passes through
a quantity of any suitable disinfecting matter placed in a pipe or box
through which the urine traverses before it is precipitated on the solid
excrement, the disinfecting matter being sulphate of iron, or other
disinfectant, which the urine can dissolve.
The manner in which this Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by the following particular description thereof, reference
being had to the Figures on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to

page_text: .
the letters of reference marked thereon:-Fig. 1 is an elevation of one
arrangement of apparatus for enabling the foecal matter to be disinfected
at the time of its production by urine absorbed with disinfecting matter.
The apparatus consists of a small vessel A for receiving the urine only
of the person using the privy or commode, which vessel communicates
with the excrement receptacle E by means of the pipe B, C, D, .the
part B being descending, the part C rising, and the part D delivering.
The apparatus is placed under the seat of the privy or commode in such
a position that the urine cannot pass to the excrement receptacle E
until it has passed through the pipe B, C, D, and it is in the descending
part B that the disinfecting matter is placed, it being passed as powder
crystals, or otherwise, through the hole at bottom of the vessel A. As
the urine fills the parts B, C, it dissolves and takes up disinfecting
matter and afterwards runs off through the part D to the solid excre-
ment, especially when a quantity of fresh urine is added to the
vessel A.
Another arrangement shewn in the elevation, Fig. 2, consists in
providing the vessel A which receives the urine with a vertical pipe B
opening at the bottom into a box or reservoir C, containing disinfecting
matter, there being at the top of the box a delivery pipe D opening
into the excrement receptacle E. The pipe B conducts the urine to
the bottom of the box C, from whence it rises through the disinfecting
matter to run off through the delivery pipe D to the excrement
deposited in the receptacle E, and by this arrangement any obstruction
in the passage of the urine is avoided, and the delivery pipe D, both in
Figs. 1 and 2, can be passed round to the back by giving it the necessary
length and curve.
In some cases the disinfecting matter is placed in the box in such
quantity that the urine, after having passed through it, shall have a
certain depth above the disinfecting matter, and run off to the excrement,
when a fresh supply of urine is added.
Fig. 3 represents in elevation a modification of Fig. 2. Instead of
fixing the box B to the front wall of the seat, and thereby make both
the box and vessel A stationary, I connect the box C and vessel A,
Fig. 3 to a plate F, so that they can swing or turn to the position shewn
by the dotted lines, in order that all the urine may pour in an instant
into the excrement receptacle E. For this purpose the plate F is jointed
to a bracket F¹ fixed to the wall O of wood or masonry, and near the

page_text: bottom of the plate there is a projecting arm or lever H, above which
there is a projection on the rod G, having a head screwed on the top,
the head being in contact with a hinged seat. The weight of the person
occupying the seat causes the plate F to be vertical by means of the
rod G and arm H, and then the vessel A and box B are in proper
positions for receiving the urine, but when the person rises the weight
of the vessel A and box B causes them to turn over and empty the
contents of the box into the receptacle E, the urine mixed with disin-
fecting matter being effectually spread over the excrement.
Fig. 4 is a front view of the plate and bracket F, F¹; Fig. 5, a side
view of the plate F with its arm H and the rod G, there being also side
and top views of the guides and stops; Fig. 6 is a front view of the
vessel A and box C; Figs. 7 and 8 are top and side views of the vessel A,
and Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are bottom, top, and back views of the box C.
The apparatus can be made of lead, tin plate, or other suitable
metal, or of glass, porcelain, or earthenware, and be placed outside or
inside the excrement receptacle, or formed with it.
The distinctive character of this system consists in the employment
of human urine at the time of its production as a solvent and absorbent
of disinfecting matter, and the application of the urine and disinfectant
combined at each usage of the privy or commode, the urine before it
is mixed with the solid excrement being itself disinfected by the
disinfecting matter, and afterwards operating upon the excrementitious
substances.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim the improved system and apparatus for disin-
fecting the focal matters of privies and commodes as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frans Julius Fahlman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of October, in
the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
F. J. FAHLMAN. (L.S.)