IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Tylor, of Warwick Lane, Newgate Street, in
the City of London, and Ifenry George Frasi, of 84, Herbert Street,
New North Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS."
Sealed the 8th December 1854, and dated the 20th September 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Tylor and Henry
George Frasi at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 20th September 1854.
We, ALFRED TYLOR, of Warwick Lane, Newgate Street, in the City of
London, and HENRY GEORGE FRASI, of 84, Herbert Street, New North Road,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS" to be as follows:-
Our improvements consist in the use of two valves, an inlet valve and an
outlet valve, a few inches apart, (instead of a single valve, as now used,) in con-
nection with a closed vessel, which acts as an air vessel, of sufficient capacity
to contain the quantity of water required to flush or cleanse the pan or basin
of the closet. One of the valves admits the water from the main service to the
closed vessel, and the other valve allows the water to pass from that vessel to
the pan; and they are so constructed, that when the pull-up or handle is raised
or drawn, tho valve which admits the water to the closed vessel is shut, and
the further supply of water from the main service is thereby cut off'; and by

page_text: the same action of raising or drawing of the pull-up, the other valve is opened,
and the water contained in the closed vessel is allowed to pass therefrom
to the pan of the closet to flush and cleanse it, and no more water than that
contained in the closed vessel can be used by the one action of raising and
depressing the pull-up; whereas in water-closets as now constructed the water
continues to flow as long as the pull-up or handle is kept raised, and large
quantities of water are thus constantly wasted. When the pull-up is depressed
to the end of the stroke, the valve which admits the water from the main
service is opened, and the vessel is again supplied with water from the main
service; and by the same action of depression the other valve is shut, and the
flow of water from the vessel to the pan is stopped until the pull-up is again
put in action. Our improvements also consist in having the part known as
the container made of earthenware, and the pan of gutta percha or of earthen-
ware, instead of having the pan and container of metal, as heretofore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Tylor and Henry George Frasi, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th March 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
TYLOR, of Warwick Lane, Newgate Street, in the City of London, and HENRY
GEORGE FRASI, of 84, Herbert Street, New North Road, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alfred Tylor and Henry George Frasi, Her special licence, that we, the
said Alfred Tylor and Henry George Frasi, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Alfred Tylor and Henry George Frasi,
our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER- CLOSETS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Alfred Tylor and Henry George
Frasi, by an instrument in writing under our hand and seal, should particularly

page_text: 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 tho
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Alfred Tylor and Henry George Frasi,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
First, of improvements in the construction of valves in connexion with a
closed vessel for regulating the supply of water to water-closets, so as to
prevent the waste of water.
Secondly, in the construction of water-closets in having the trap and con-
tainer of one piece of earthenware, and in having the pan or valve of the same
or other suitable material working in the same trap or container; and in order
that our Invention may be more fully understood and readily carried into effect,
we will proceed to describe the Drawings annexed, and the figures and letters
marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of closed vessel, with valves attached for
regulating the supply of water to closet, which vessel may be fixed on floor
under seat of closet. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1, showing the outlet G.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of valves. A is the main supply pipe, by which the
vessel B receives its water through the valve C. The pull or handle E is
represented at rest in Fig. 1, at which time the vessel becomes charged, by the
water descending the pipe D; and there being no outlet for the water but by
returning up the pipe D again, the air in the vessel becomes compressed in
proportion to the height of the column of water the supply pipe A is attached
to, and will discharge the same at the same pressure. Now, the vessel B being
charged, and the pull E raised, the valve C becomes effectua closedly against
the supply, and the outlet valve F opened, to allow the water to pass up the
pipe D through the elbow G to the basin of closet, and no more water can bo
obtained than the one charge until the handle or pull is again depressed;
when the valve F, in coming to its bed, presses on the spindle H, working
through the bridge I, again opens the valve C, to allow the vessel B to receive
another charge of water. J is a light spring to ensure the valve C closing.
Now, it will be seen, by examining Fig. 3, that the finest regulation can be
obtained as to the distance the valve C shall open, which is one of the principal
points of our improvements; for if the valve C was connected to the valve F
by the spindle H, it would have to travel the same distance, and then both
valves could be fixed half open, at which point they would allow the water to

page_text: run freely to waste, a point which cannot occur by this arrangement; for by the
spindle I being detached from the valve F, as in Fig. 3, the valve C can only
open sufficiently to fill the vessel B, while the valve F is at liberty to be
opened to its full capacity, thereby ensurcing a free flush for closet. The seats
of the valves may be of any suitable material, (vulcanised india-rubber pre-
ferred.) K, K, are levers attached to pull E, to communicate motion to the
valves. L is a weight to ensure closeing of valves. Fig. 4 & 5 represent the
pan closet with the pan M working in the trap or container. Fig. 6 and 7,
a valve closet, the valve of closet working in trap also, which are points we
claim as our improvements; for by this arrangements the closets are sealed or
traped at two points from the drain or sewer in the same height from floor
of closet to top of basin; (that ordinary closets now in use are only traped
once,) namely, at the water line O in trap, and the water line O in basin.
These closets may be supplyed with water by the apparatus described by Fig
1, 2, 3, but are represented as being worked on the same principles, as far as
the actions of the levers, as those patented by us, bearing date the Third day of
February, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, namely, the actuating
the pan or valve lever of closet by the water supply valve. The parts marked
A is a framework of iron that carries the whole of the working parts of closet,
and is fixed between the flanges of the container C and the basin B, thereby
taking all the strain off the earthenware trap and basin in the use of the closet.
The framework of iron in Fig. 5 differs slightly from that in Fig. 7; Fig. 5,
being a pan closet, the framework has the lugs or bearings P, that the axle Q
that throws the pan works in, affixed; while Fig. 7, being a valve closet, and
the valve requiring cementing to neck of basin at points marked 2, 2, is
supported by the framework at two points, as will be seen by examining the
Drawings. The basins B, B, in Fig. 6 and 7, have overflow arms P, P. In
Fig. 4 and 6, G is the water supply valve; II, the lever of water valve, with
the pull I attached; K is a slot, allowing the lever H to move inside it
until reaching top, thereby opening the water valve G, allows the water
to pass freely through the pipe S to basin B before actuating the levers
marked L, in Fig. 4 and 6, which form the locking levers of closets. Now,
it will be seen when the levers II is raised to the top of the slots K by the
pull I, the slot K will actuate the levers L, L, and cause the pan M, as
shown in Fig. 5 by dotted lines, to be depressed, to discharge its contents.
The same action takes place with the valve F, Fig. 7, at the same points of
the levers in Fig. 6, as shown in Fig. 7 by dotted lines. The levers acting
on the tumbler N causes the valve F to open and discharge its contents into
the trap or container.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood what we claim is,
First, tho mode described of constructing valves in connexion with a
closed vessel, for regulating the supply of water to closets, as in respect to
Fig. 1, 2, and 3.
Secondly, the mode described of constructing water-closets, the container
and trap of one piece of earthenware, having the pan or valve working in the
said trap, thereby making them double sealed or trapped above the floor of
closet.
Witness our hands, this Twentieth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.