Improvements in Water Closets.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
Improvements in Water Closets.
I, DAVID STEEL WALLACE, of Mulberry Main Street, Kokomo, Howard County,
State of Indiana, United States of America, Plumber, 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 statements:—
My invention relates to improvements in Siphon Water Closets, and the objects
of my invention are, first, to provide a perfect Siphon Closet without a force jet;
second, to provide a siphon closet in which the flushing water is discharged from a
continuous hollow rim and is directed by the peculiar construction of the rim to
flow in a continuous stream down the sides of the bowl; third, to provide means
whereby the discharging, flushing, water will drive the air imprisoned in the
discharge pipes of the closet out and will form a seal or lock across the discharge
passage and prevent any air returning into the pipes to impair the suction of the
siphon; fourth, to provide a closet adapted to normally hold a large volume of
flushing water.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated and described in the
accompanying drawings and following specifications, in which:
.
Fig. 1 represents a central cross-section of my improved siphon water closet.
Fig. 2 represents a central cross section of the same with a slightly different
arrangement of the discharge passage.
Fig. 3 represents a plan view of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of a fragment of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of a fragment of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 represents a fragment of a round discharge conduit.
Fig. 7 represents also a fragment of a round discharge conduit.
Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to Fig. 1, A designates the base flange of the closet. C, designates
the bowl of the closet which I make very deep in order that it may hold a large
amount of water. I provide the bowl with a rim D which is curved inward and
downward and formed with a continuous water passage E within it. This water
passage extends around the bowl and communicates with a water inlet passage F,
which is formed in a rearward projection G, adapted to form a connecting nipple
the said nipple having a band, annulet or cincture G* around the end thereof. I
make a continuous water discharge passage from the water passage in the rim by
separating the introverted depending lip G of the rim from the interior surface of
the bowl by a narrow space H, and in order to make the flow of water from the
rim into the bowl perfectly noiseless, I extend the introverted end G' of the rim
down the sides of the bowl a considerable distance which acts to compel the water
to flow from the rim noiselessly down the sides of the bowl. This is a new and
very important feature in siphon closets as the water runs continuously from the
commencement of flushing until the bowl is again refilled and the noise made by the
water, which in closets at present in use have the rims formed to allow a large
portion of the water to spurt to the central portion of the bowl is objectionable and
annoying, especially in private residences. The siphon closets in use also use a jët
Di 027
.

page_text: .
As
of water independent of the regular flushing supply to start and maintain the
siphon, which very materially increases the noise. I dispense entirely with a jet as
I am able to make by a peculiar arrangement of the discharge passages a more
perfect siphon without a jet than with one, and I am also enabled to make with
this arrangement of dischargo passages..in. co-operation with the construction of
the flushing rin above referred to, a perfectly noiseless closet which is the
desideratum of plumbing scienco. From the bottom of the bowl a commodious
passage I, extends centrally upward back of the rear wall J, of the bowl to near
the top of the closet where it is turned upon itself downward. The downward
portion may be arranged parallel to the upward portion and extend under the bowl
and forward from its conter, or it may extend directly down from the top of the
upward portion to just above, the base where a sharp, backward and then a down-
ward turn is given in either case. These passages, and also the water inlet
passages are preferably formed in an integral projecting portion which is adapted
to contain them and which extends rearward from the bowl. These passages may
be of any form of cross section desired except at the points K and L, where the
direction of the flow is changed in passing through them. At these points I make
the bottom of the passages perfectly flat and straight across, as shown in Figs. 2, 4
and 5, while the sides and top may be semicircular or square in cross-section, but
I preferably make it semicircular. The forming of a perfectly straight, horizontal,
sharp edged, transverse turning point at the turns of the discharge passage causes
the water to flow in a broad sheet over them at these points, which completely fills the
breadth of the passages from the moment flushing commences until it ends.
the water completely fills the breadth of the passages at these points, although it
may be only a quarter of an inch deep at the start and end of flushing, it will at
tlie start drive all the air out of the passages below the first turn K. When the
water reaches the turn L, the edge of which and a portion of the bottom of the
passage adjacent to it is also flat and straight across, as shown in Fig. 5, the water
again spreads out the full width of the passage and drops in a broad sheet onto the
third turn M, from which it flows into the outlet. This thin sheet of water which
is the fore-runner of the full flush forms a siphon perfect enough to draw a volume
after it largo enough to completely fill the passages, and then all tho air remaining
between the turns above the thin sheet of water is driven out, and from that instant
a perfect and complete siphon is established, which completely and noiselessly
empties the bowl. Having once established a perfect siphon it is necessary to main-
tain it, which I do by means of these straight, flat edges at the turns, and especially
by forming a short, sharp, double turn with a flat, straight, transverse edge L
adjacent to the outlet of the discharge passage. This sharp, double turn is formed
wholly below the bottom of the bowl and by its use I am able to form a complete,
air-tight water seal and also a long siphon leg and runway from the first turu K.
If I used a jet I would not have room enough between the under side of
the bowl and the base in which to form it, and for this reason closets using a
jet are confined to a short siphon leg. The longer the siphon leg the greater
will be the strength of the suction. At this sharp turn L the water is forced,
owing to the flat walls of the passage to completely fill the breadth of the
passage, and forms a perfect air-tight seal. In Figs. 6 and 7, I illustrate the
approximate form of the cross section of discharge passages of water closets in.
general use. It will be seen that water flowing over an edge of this form
constantly flows and rolls over itself towards the center which is the lowest point,
and in leaving an end of a passage it tapers towards a point more or less, as
shown in Fig. 6, and leaves a space on each side of the water for air to pass
above it into the pipes, which impairs the suction. This is one of the reasons
that it is necessary to employ a jet of water in closets having discharge pipes
of the usual curved form of cross section to start and maintain a siphon.
Another and principal reason is a contraction of the discharge passage which
does not permit the first beginning of a flushing discharge of water to form.a

page_text: water seal against the air at or near the end of the passage. It is not so
difficult to maintain a siphon after it has once been established. But it is an
entirely different thing to so form a discharge passage that it will create and
establish of itself without aid or force and with but a thin film of water generally
varying from to inch thick flowing gently over the first partition K and
running through the passage to so construct that passage in all its parts, that
this first small amount of water will create a siphon. It is also easy enough to
establish a siphon by using a jet powerful enough to drive a volume of water from
the bowl the instant a flushing starts large enough to completely crowd the
passage full of water, and it requires elements co-operating with the flat, straight
edge at the first overflow partition or end of the short siphon leg or point K to create
or call into being a siphon. These elements are first a long siphon leg having as
near as possible a straight, smooth run, second a flat, straight floor portion at end
adjacent to the lower end of the run with a straight transverse edge the full breadth
of the passage, and third, a construction of passage at this point which will direct
the water even though the quantity flowing through the passage be almost as thin
as a knife-blade in depth, to form a perfect air tight water seal and lock of itself,
and this point is the principal point in the passage as the transverse edge must act
in conjunction with the form of the passage at this point to establish the water
lock. To form a water lock or seal at this point with the small quantity of water
which first flows over the edge of the first partition at the commencement of
flushing, it is necessary that the passage be approximately concentric to the
transverse edge L at the end of the long leg I, of the siphon.
It is necessary that the passage be approximately concentric to the transverse
edge Lat the end of the leg I of the siphon, that is the roof of the curve in the
passage around this edge L should be approximately a semi-circular curve or a
semi-circular sweep of the passage around the edge L commencing at a point in
the passage vertically over the edge or at a point in the roof of the passage which
would be bisected by an imaginary vertical line touching the end of the edge L
and drawn at right angles to the base of the closet. The end of this semi-circular
sweep of the roof of the passage around the odge L would stop at its intersection
with the vertical passage to the soil pipe and this point of intersection and the
lower end of this curve would almost touch the imaginary vertical line as one wall
of the vertical passage.to the soil pipe would be parallel to said imaginary vertical
line and wou'd almost touch it. The siphon passage should also be of such a form:
that this first small overflow will be forced to first spread out over the entire width
of the passage before it reaches the edge, second to strike an abutment which will:
cause it to double upon itself in the form of a loop, and third, to then strike a
second abutment which for an instant will cause it to check itself or back up,
rebound upon itself so to speak and form a solid block of water just below the flat.
edge. This the water does, for as it shoots from the transverse edge L across the
passage it strikes the short curve M, which curves it quickly around and it bounds.
across the passage and strikes against the top part of the opposite curve under the
straight, flat edge L, which forms an abutment and dashes it back against itself;
and against the edge portion of the short curve and the opposite side of the,
downward passage adjacent to this edge from which it drops into the soil-pipe, the,
water being forced to cross the passage three times in a continuous zig-zag line in
a space of three or four inches and is thus forced by the peculiar contour of this.
passage to form a perfectly dense, solid body of water which forms a perfect seal
against the admission of air.
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

page_text: base, means for flushing said bowl, a discharge passage extending first upward
from said bowl and adapted to co-operate therewith to form a trap and then
downward under said bowl to form a long siphon leg then reversed upon itself
by a short, sharp backward and then a short, downward turn at the end of
said siphon leg between the bottom of said base and the bottom of said bowl,
with a straight, transverse turning edge or partition, and flat portions forming
the floor of the passage at and adjacent to said edges at the turns at the top
and bottom of said siphon leg, substantially as described.
Claim 2. The combination in a single trap water closet of a trapped bowl
having a flushing rim and a supporting base, a siphon discharge passage com-
prising a short and long siphon leg, a partition between said siphon legs having
a straight transverse edge and a flat floor portion at and adjacent to the edge,
with the long siphon leg having a flat floor portion along the lower part of
the long siphon leg terminating in a straight transverse terminal edge extending
across the full width of said passage, a semicircular reverse or backward curve
or turn in said passage concentric to said flat straight edge at the lower end
of said long siphon leg, an opposing curve in the wall of the passage opposite said
reverse concentric curve and leading downward and backward from the terminal
edge of the long siphon leg, and a downward passage through said base from said
opposing curve and from said concentric curve at an approximately perpendicular
point below the straight transverse terminal edge of the lower end of the long
siphon leg whereby the water in passing through the tortuous passage is
forced to form itself at the lower end of the long siphon leg by an air-tight lock
or seal.
Claim 3. The combination of a single trap bowl having a flushing rim and
a supporting base, with a siphon discharge passage having a long siphon leg
curving under the bowl and a flat floor portion at the lower end of said siphon leg
terminating in a straight, transverse edge, a vertically arranged semicircular
concentric reverse and backward curve to the direction of the siphon leg radiating
round said terminal edge, a curved wall in said passage extending downward and
rearward from said terminal edge and arranged opposite and to oppose the lower
portion of said semicircular curve and a sharp downward turn in the direction of
said passage through said base from the vertical diameter of said semicircular
curve, as set forth.
Claim 4. In a siphon water closet the combination of the bowl, a flushing rim
forming a part thereof, an integral rearward extension and supporting base, a
water passage opening into said extension and communicating with the flushing
rim, a round or oval projecting portion on said rearward extension adapted to form
a connecting nipple and containing the water passage to the flushing rim, and a
band annulet or cincture around the end of said projecting connecting nipple, with
a siphon passage through said base having a flat floor portion and straight
transverse terminal edge at the lower end of its long siphon leg and a reverse turn
in said discharge passage around the said terminal edge of the siphon leg, a sharp,
downward turn in said passage through said base from the end of said reverse
curve in approximately a vertical plane. below the terminating edge of the floor of
the long siphon leg, and through its terminal edge, and a straight, transverse
terminating edge to the partition between the short and long siphon legs of said
discharge passage, substantially as described.
Claim 5. The combination with the bowl, its flushing rim and supporting base,
means for flushing said rim, with a siphon discharge passage provided with a short
and long siphon leg and having at the lower portion of said long siphon leg a flat,
straight transverse floor extending to and terminating the long siphon leg in a
straight edge, a semicircular sweep of said passage around said terminal edge, a
backward and downward curved relief space directly under said terminal edge and

page_text: a sharp, downward exit course to said discharge passage directly below said
terminal edge, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of February 1897.
DAVID STEEL WALLACE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.