Improvements in the Discharge Apparatus of Water Cisterns.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Discharge Apparatus of Water Cisterns.
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Works, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows, that is to say:-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction and action
of the discharge apparatus of water cisterns, so that a definite quantity of water
may be discharged at each action, and waste may be avoided, whilst constructive
and other practical advantages are secured.
In a cistern as made and fitted with one modification of my present improve-
ments, the discharge outlet does not project internally above the bottom but so
The cistern is cast with
that the cistern can be completely drained through it.
a conical orifice for the outlet, which has fitted to it a brass or copper lining or
seat piece, which may project beneath the bottom and be connected by a screw
coupling to the downlet or discharge pipe. Or the lining or seat piece, may be
made with its lower projecting edge slightly flared outwards, in order to retain
a rubber ring arranged to hold the lining or seat piece in its place and at the
same time to form a watertight connection with the downlet or discharge pipe,
which is flared to bear up against the rubber ring, and is secured to the cistern
bottom by an outer metal ring bolted to the bottom. The valve is a single piece
made with guide wings projecting downwards and with a slotted or looped stem
projecting upwards, and is formed with a groove to receive a rubber ring the edge
of which bears on the valve seating when the valve is closed. A lever connected
to a handle extends through the slot of the valve stem and raises the valve, but
before doing so, a spur on the side of the lever lifts the float lever of the supply
valve and prevents entrance of water whilst the discharge valve is open.
In another modification the valve piece is made with a siphon extending above
the top water level, so that even if the valve piece is allowed to close before the
cistern is emptied the siphon will cause its complete emptying. The long leg
of the siphon projects down below the valve, and is at that part made with one
or more lateral openings, which when the valve is raised admit water so
start the siphonal action. The siphon is by preference lifted by means of a horn
or hook formed on its upper part to engage with an eye or hook on the end of the
lever. Or the siphon may consist of an inverted cup with the long-leg pipe fixed
centrally within it and having the valve attached to it.
as to
In another modification a submerged or four-legged siphon is used, preferably
consisting of an upward extension of the downlet or discharge pipe, encircled by
a downwardly extending cylindrical shell fixed to a cover plate, by a larger
cylindrical shell extending upwards from the cistern bottom, and by an outer
downwardly extending cylindrical shell fixed to the cover plate. When the
cistern is filled air is confined in the space between the two downwardly extending
shells; and this space is connected by a bent tube at the top to a small lateral
vessel which has a small hole in its bottom or lower part. The lateral vessel has

page_text: also projecting down into it an inverted siphon pipe which reaches just above
the top water level and has its other end connected to the top of the central
space of the main siphon; or the end of the inverted siphon may extend some
distance down into the central space. When the inverted siphon extends down
only to the top of the central space, a small tube is arranged partly within it,
this tube extending downwards in the central space, and its other end also ex-
tending a little below the inverted siphon. For starting this siphonal arrange-
ment a jet of water is projected up the inverted siphon or up the smaller tube
therein, either by means of a small cylinder and piston as described in my Patent
Specification No. 19,177 of 1896, or by means of a tube and hand ball or push
button also described in my said specification.
Dated this Nineteenth day of July 1897.
EDMUND. HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in the Discharge Apparatus of Water Cisterns.
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Works, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, 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, that is to say:-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction and action
of the discharge apparatus of water cisterns, so that a definite quantity of water
may be discharged at each action, and waste may be avoided, whilst constructive
and other practical advantages are secured.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory draw-
ings to be hereinafter referred to, showing various modifications of my improve-
ments.
Figures 1 and 2, on Sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings are vertical sections
of water cisterns having discharge apparatus made according to the first modifica-
tion of my improvements. Figures, 3, and 4, on Sheet, 2, are views similar to
Figures, 1, and 2, showing a second modification of my improvements, and
Figure, 5, is a vertical section of a cistern showing a third modification of my
improvements. In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In a cistern, A, as made and fitted with one modification of my improvements
and shown in Figures, 1, and 2, the discharge outlet, B, is made flush internally
with the bottom so that the cistern can be completely drained through it. The
discharge orifice or outlet, B, is of conical shape and has fitted to it a brass or
copper lining or seat piece, C, which projects beneath the bottom of the cistern, A,
and is connected by a screw coupling, D, to the downlet pipe, E. Or the lining
or seat piece, C, may be made as shown in Figure, 2, with its lower projecting
edge, F, slightly flared outwards, in order to retain a rubber ring, G, arranged
to hold the lining or seat piece in its place and at the same time to form a water-
tight connection with the downlet pipe, E, which is flared at, H, to bear against
the rubber ring, and is secured to the cistern bottom by an outer metal ring, J,
bolted to the bottom. The valve, K, is a single piece made with guide wings, L,
projecting downwards, and with a slotted or looped stem, M, projecting upwards
and is formed with a groove, N, to receive a rubber ring, P, the edge of which
bears on the valve seating, C, when the valve is closed. A lever, Q, connected

page_text: to a handle extends through the slot of the valve stem, M, and raises the valve, K;
but before doing so a spur, R, on the side of the lever lifts the float lever, S, of
the supply valve, T, and prevents entrance of water whilst the discharge valve
is open.
In the second modification as shown in Figures, 3, and 4, the valve piece, K,
is made with a siphon, U, extending above the top water level, so that even if
the valve piece is allowed to close before the cistern, A, is emptied the siphon
will cause its complete emptying. The long leg, V, of the siphon, U, projects
down below the valve, K, and is at that part made with
'
one or more lateral
openings, W, which when the valve is raised admit water so as to start the siphonal
action. The siphon, U, is by preference lifted by means of a horn or hook, X,
formed on its upper part to engage with an eye or hook, Y, on the end of the
lever, Q. Or the siphon, U, may consist of an inverted cup as shown in Figure, 4,
with the long leg, V, fixed centrally within it and having the valve, K, attached
to it.
In the third modification shown in Figure, 5, a submerged or four legged
siphon, U, is used preferably consisting of an upward extension, Z, of the down-
let pipe, E, encircled by a downwardly extending cylindrical shell, A 1, fixed
to a cover plate, A 2, by a larger cylindrical shell, A 3, extending upwards from
the cistern bottom, and by an outer downwardly extending cylindrical shell, A4,
fixed to the cover plate. When the cistern, A, is filled, air is confined in the
space between the two downwardly extending shells, A 1, and, AA, and this
space is connected by a bent tube, A 5, at the top to a small lateral vessel, A. 6,
which has a small hole, A. 7, in its bottom or lower part. The lateral
vessel, A 6, has also projecting down into it an inverted siphon pipe, B1, which
reaches just above the top water level and has its other end connected to the top
of the central space of the main siphon, U, or the end of the inverted siphon pipe
may extend some distance down into the central space. When the inverted
siphon, B 1, extends down only to the top of the central space as shown in Figure, 5,
a small tube, C1, is arranged partly within it, this tube extending downwards
in the central space, and its other end extending a little below the inverted siphon.
For starting this siphonal arrangement a jet of water is projected up the small
tube, C1, or up the inverted siphon, B1, when it extends down into the central
space and the small tube is dispensed with, either by means of a tube, D1, and
push button, D2, or hand ball as fully described in my Patent Specification
No. 19177 of 1896 or by means of a small cylinder and piston also described in
my said specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In and connected with water cisterns, discharge apparatus, comprising a
cistern having a discharge orifice flush internally with the cistern bottom, and
acting as a seat for a valve fixed to a looped stem, on which a lever connected to
the closet handle acts, this lever also acting on the water-supply float lever to
raise it whilst the cistern is being emptied, substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described with reference to Figures, 1, and 2, of the accompanying
drawings.
2. In discharge apparatus for water cisterns, making the valve piece with a
siphon extending above the top water level, and with the long leg of the siphon
projecting down below the valve, and formed with or without one or more lateral
openings, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures, 3, and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
3. In and connected with water cisterns, discharge apparatus, comprising, a
four-legged or submerged siphon, the confined air space of which communicates
with a lateral vessel, having a small perforation in its bottom, and having pro-

page_text: jecting down into it an inverted siphon pipe, which reaches just above the top
water level, and has its other end connected to the top of the central space of
the main siphon, or extending down into the central space and with or without
a small tube arranged partly within the inverted siphon pipe, having one end
extending down into the central space of the main siphon, and the other end
extending a little below the inverted siphon pipe substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described with reference to Figure, 5, of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this Eighteenth day of April 1898.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.