IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS
Year: 1858

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Robertson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd June
1858. A communication.
I, JAMES ROBERTSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS," a com-
munication from abroad, to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to valvular apparatus of various kinds, and for use in
various situations where the flow or passage of fluid is to be regulated,
adjusted, and governed. As applied for the purpose, or regulating the supply
of cleansing water to water-closets, it consists, under one modification, of a
short cylindrical chamber of pretty large diameter, having a top and bottom
cover screwed on. The bottom cover or end forms the actual shallow shell or
chamber through which the supply of water from the main is brought to the
apparatus. This portion is cast in one piece on the main supply pipe, being
disposed horizontally, that is to say, with its plane parallel to the axial line of
the main pipe which runs along it beneath. In the centre of this end disc or
shell there is an aperture communicating with the inlet section of the main
pipe, whilst there is a second aperture slightly eccentrically disposed, and
communicating with the opposite or outflow section of the main pipe leading
to the closet pan, the two apertures being, of course, completely separated by
a sectional portion of metal cast in for the purpose. Upon this perforated

page_text: disc shell face there is fitted a circular disc of caoutchoue or other flexible
material, arranged to bear upon an external annular face all round the shell.
This flexible disc has screwed upon each face a button or small disc piece of
metal, the under one of these sinall discs having fitted to it a soft or flexible
face piece of leather, or other material, to form a valvular fit upon an elevated
annular working face round the central hole in the shell. The central or
barrel portion of the operating chamber has attached to it a lateral water pipe
of narrow bore, and fitted with a stop-cock for setting the flow. The top
cover or end disc of the chamber has passed through its centre a vertical
spindle, fitted with a helical spring to keep it up. The lower end of this
spindle, which is passed through the cover, has upon it a holding collar or
button, to carry a second large flexible disc of caoutchoue, which, like the one
already described, is of the same diameter as the cylinder's borc. The upper
cover is dished on its inner face, for the elastic disc to settle into and leave
more space beneath. The action of this apparatus is this:-When the closet
is about to be used, the pressure upon the seat causes the main upper spindle
to be depressed, and this spindle then forces down the upper flexible disc, so
as to contract the space for water in the cylinder beneath it, and thus force
the contained water back through the lateral stop-cock into the main, the
water-way through the stop-cock being purposely adjusted to pass the water
slowly through. Then, on the release of the operating spindle from pressure,
the water in the main pipe beneath meeting little or no pressure from above
the disc to interfere with its upward force, lifts the bottom flexible disc, and
flows through from the inlet section of the main by the apertures already
described into the outlet section, thus reaching the pan of the closet. This
flow continues until the upper internal pressure between the two flexible discs
in the cylinder is made up by inward flow of water again through the lateral
stop-cock, when the lower flexible disc will resume its seat and cut off the
supply of water to the basin or pan; the apparatus is then again fit for use.
Instead of the lateral adjusting stop-cock, a minute perforation may be made
through the central stud or button holding piece of the lower flexible disc, through
which the water will flow and reflow for the regulation of the main supply.
According to another form, too, the upper flexible disc in the chamber may be
set to rest upon a slight internal shoulder near the top of the cylindrical part
of the cylinder, the cover having a central spindle passed through it to bear
upon the loosely disposed flexible disc by means of a button head; and by a
third plan, one flexible disc only need be used. In this last case the single
flexible disc rests upon the bottom face of the main shell, and it has attached to
it a central spindle passing down from below through the central water-way,

page_text: and into a bottom guide hole in the main shell. This spindle has a minute
aperture in it, for the purpose already described, and the main shell beneath it
has a screwed aperture for admission to cleanse out the minute hole when
necessary. The top cap of the chamber has an inverted valve spindle with a
button end upon the part entered into the chamber, and when the closet is
used, a handle is pulled to work this valve piece, so as to depress the elastic
disc beneath it, or relieve the same from pressure, as the case may be, the
water above the flexible disc being allowed to escape freely away instead of
being forced back into the main.