IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC FLUSHING APPARATUS to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, MILTON SYER, of 36 Rye Lane, in the County of Surrey, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC
FLUSHING APPARATUS to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to pneumatic flushing apparatus designed to give a ready
and efficacious flush to Water Closets or where otherwise desired, and it is of the
following nature.
The flush supply is derived from any suitable reservoir and passes through
a valve and flushing pipe to the required spot.
•
To effect the flush a pneumatic exhaust is carried into a cylinder the under side
of which is in free communication with the external atmosphere-The spindle of a
weighted valve is carried upwards through a water-tight packing into the said
cylinder, where it is fitted with an inverted cup leather-The pneumatic exhaust
above the cup-leather allows the air pressure below the valve to lift the cup-leather,
and thus the valve, allowing the flush to pass.
Or the weighted valve, accurately guided by a central spindle, may have the
upper end of the spindle attached to a diaphragm in a closed chamber, the
pneumatic exhaust causing the said diaphragm, and thus the valve, to lift.—The
upper part of the said closed valve chamber and the diaphraga are secured by a
screwed flange ring for easy adjustment and simplicity.
The sudden pneumatic exhaust I obtain by means of an expansion chamber,
which consists of an india rubber ball, either mounted on the end of the exhaust
tube and compressed by the hand, the recoil producing exhaustion, or mounted o
a frame, and provided with a weighted lever and counterpoise.
13
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, MILTON SYER, of 36 Rye Lane, in the County of Surrey, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC
FLUSHING APPARATUS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to pneumatic flushing apparatus, designed to give a ready
and efficacious flush to water closets, or where otherwise desired, and it is of the
following nature.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to describe
the same, reference being bad to the drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like parts throughout the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved pneumatic valve.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of my alternative improved flushing valve.
Figure 3 shows the syphon cistern with my improved flushing valve fitted
thereto.
Figures 4 and 5 show my apparatus for producing the pneumatic exhaust.
The flushing supply is derived from any suitable reservoir, and is controlled by,
and passes through, a pneumatic valve, (such as those hereinafter described) and a
flushing pipe, to the required spot.
One form of valve which I employ to effect the said flush, (as shown at Figure 1),
where A is a cylinder in communication by a tube a with a pneumatic exhaust.
The piston B, fitted with a cup leather, and attached by a spindle b to the valve C,
is fitted in this cylinder, the spindle b entering the cylinder through the watertight
packing D. The lower part of the cylinder is in free communication with the
atmosphere by means of the air tubes d; and on creation of a partial vacuum or
exhaustion of the air in the upper part of the cylinder A, the atmospheric pressure
on the under side of the piston serves to lift the said piston and the weighted
valve C with it, permitting a flush of water through the seating E, submerged in
the bottom of the cistern. It is necessary for the simple and accurate movement of
this valve that it should be guided by a central spindle e, sliding freely in a central
boss of the seating E.
An alternative arrangement of valve is shown at Figure 2, where A is a chamber,
closed by an upper cover and in free communication with the pneumatic exhaust
tube a, the lower part of the chamber being closed by an elastic diaphragm F. The
spindle 6 of the weighted valve C is hermetically attached to the diaphragm, the
exterior face of the diaphragm being submerged, and thus subjected to the external
water pressure of the cistern. The creation of a partial vacuum or exhaust in the
chamber A causes the lower elastic diaphragm F, and with it the valve, to lift and
permit the flush of water to pass from the cistern through the submerged seating E.
It is necessary for the accurate movement of this weighted valve, that it should be
guided by a spindle e, passing through a central boss in the lower seating.
I find it also convenient for easy adjustment and simplicity, to attach the cover
of the diaphragm to the lower flange by means of a screwed and flanged external
ring as shown.
a is the
At figure 3, I show the adaptation of my improved pneumatic valve to the
known system of syphon flush. To the side of the main syphon pipe G, is attached
a branch pipe H, closed at its mouth by my pneumatic submerged valve.
pneumatic exhaust tube, carried into the diaphragm chamber, or cylinder, of one
of my pneumatic valves. The creation of a partial vacuum or exhaust in the tube a,
causes the valve C to lift, and allow the partial flush to pass from the cistern into

page_text: the lower leg of the syphon G. This preliminary flush produces sufficient exhaustion
in the syphon G to draw the water from the cistern over the bend, and thus to set
the syphon G in action, until the whole contents of the cistern are discharged, and
the level of the water is fallen below the open mouth g of the syphon.
The ball valve K admits further supply of water from the main, so as to refill
the cistern, and allow the operation to be repeated as often as desired.
I obtain the sudden pneumatic exhaust by means of an elastic expansion
chamber, which consists of an india-rubber ball L (Figures 4 and 5), mounted on
the end of the exhaust tube a or by any other known means.
To effect the exhaust by means of the india rubber ball L, it is necessary merely
to compress it by the hand, the air being then forced out through the neck of the
ball. The elastic recoil of the ball then produces the required exhaustion, the
internal atmospheric pressure causing the neck of the ball to make a sufficiently
airtight joint upon the pipe.
Alternatively I may mount such an india-rubber ball or chamber L (Figure 4) on
the end, or in communication with, the exhaust tube a, and discharging by the neck
as aforesaid, or by any convenient valve, the air under the pressure of a lever M,
provided with a counterpoise m, which latter shall remove the pressure and allow
the elastic ball or chamber to expand, so as to produce the sudden pneumatic
exhaust required.
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
1st In a pneumatic flushing apparatus, the construction of a weighted valve,
guided by a spindle loosely sliding in a central boss of the seating, and connected
to either of the two following alternative pneumatic operating devices :-
a.) The upper spindle of the valve passing through a watertight packing into an
air cylinder, and connected to an inverted cup-leather piston therein, the lower part
of the cylinder being open by an air pipe to the atmosphere, and the upper part of
the said cylinder being in connection with a pneumatic exhaust to cause the said
piston, and hence the valve, to operate, substantially as described.
b.) The upper spindle of the valve being attached hermetically to the elastic
diaphragm of an air chamber, connected to a pneumatic exhaust, operating the
diaphragm, and hence the valve, and closed by a metal dome, making a joint upon
the edge of the said diaphragm by means of an external flanged ring, internally
screwed over the seating frame, substantially as described.
2nd In a pneumatic flushing apparatus the construction of the apparatus
producing the pneumatic exhaust, in the form of an elastic ball with escape for
air either round the neck of the ball, or by a valve, and operated alternately :-
a.) by the direct pressure of the hand or
-
b.) by the operation of a weighted hand lever substantially as described.
3rd The combination of either of such before claimed pneumatic valves with a
known syphon and flushing tank, and with either of the above claimed elastic
exhaust appliances, and with the necessary connecting pipes, to form a complete
pneumatic flushing apparatus, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of November 1884.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.