IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER IN CON- NECTION WITH WATERCLOSETS, AND FOR FACILITATING THE UTILISATION OF EXCREMENTAL MATTERS, AND THEIR EXCLUSION FROM ORDINARY DRAINS."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hocy, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Enginear, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
ARRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER IN CON-
NECTION WITH WATERCLOSETS, AND FOR FACILITATING THE UTILISATION OF
EXCREMENTAL MATTERS, AND THEIR EXCLUSION FROM ORDINARY DRAINS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hooy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th February 1878.
I, THOMAS HOEY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Ix-
PROVED ÅRRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER IN
CONNECTION WITH WATERCLOSETS, AND FOR FACILITATING THE UTILISATION OF
EXCREMENTAL MATTERS, AND THEIR EXCLUSION FROM ORDINARY DRAINS," to be as
follows, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object, by simple and reliable arrangements
-

page_text: in connection with waterclosets, and so that without removing or incon-
veniently interfering with existing waterclosets the excremental matters
may be collected in a state of comparatively slight dilution, whereby
the cost of their removal and utilisation will be greatly reduced, and
their exclusion from ordinary drains or sewers be rendered advantageously
practicable.
The improvements are applicable to the very common arrangement in
which a cistern supplied by means of a float valve is used in connection
with an ordinary pan or equivalent form of watercloset. A measuring
compartment is fitted or formed in this cistern, and has a small inlet
valvo and a larger discharge valve, the latter communicating with the
flushing pipe of the closet. The closet handle is connected in tho
ordinary way to a lever at tho cistern, and this lever is connected to tho
inlet and discharge valves of the measuring compartment. The connec
tion to the inlet valve is of such a relative length as to close the inlet
valve before the discharge valve begins to open, and a spring is interposed
to allow the motion of the lever to continue after the inlet valve is
closed. Below the discharge valve of the measuring compartment thero
is a small chamber from which in addition to the ordinary flushing pipo
there is a branch pipe fitted with a stopcock and leading into the overflow
pipe from the cistern. This branch pipe, which may be termed the
leakage pipe, is arranged so as to convey to the overflow pipo any
leakage there may bo through the discharge valve of the measuring
compartment, and the stopcock in it serves for regulating the amount of
flushing water below the maximum by allowing more or less to pass into
the overflow pipe.
>
The overflow pipe is not led in the ordinary way into the soil pipe, so
that the leakage or overflow water will not be wasted or go to increase
the dilution of the excremental matters; but in the case of a series of
closets in different flats of a house the overflow pipe of cach cistern
above the lowest is led into the cistern of a lower closet, whilst that of
the lowest is led into the drain or sewer, being at the same time provided
at any convenient point with an opening or other arrangement admitting
of the inspection of its interior so that any leakage can be seen and
measured.
The soil pipe from one or more closets instead of being led into the
ordinary drain or sewer as commonly practised is connected to an air-
tight tank, which has no connection with the sewer excepting by a

page_text: trapped overflow pipe, and which may be emptied periodically by ex-
hausting apparatus of any of the kinds already proposed for that purpose
that may be found suitable. In this way excremental matters may be
entirely excluded from the ordinary drains or sowers provided that an
improper uso is not made of the waste pipes from kitchen sinks or jaw
boxes, or of surface or roof drainage pipes.
With the view of preventing or deterring from the improper use
referred to each waste or drain pipe may have a small branch pipe
iusorted into or across it so as to intorcept and receive a small proportion
of whatever liquid is passed down, such branch, pipe leading into any
convenient receptacle which may be enclosed so as to be accessible only
to an official inspector, who being thus enabled to take a sample of the
liquids discharged into the drain or wasto pipe of cach house can detect
and so secure the punishment of persons committing breaches of sanitary
regulations.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Hocy in tho Great Seal Patent Offico on
the 25th August 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HOEY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date tho Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, givo
and grant unto me, tho said Thomas Hoey, Her special licence that
I, the said Thomas Hoey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Hoey, my 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, uso, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED ÅRRANGEMENTS OR Apparatus
FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER IN CONNECTION WITH WATERCLOSETS, AND FOR
FACILITATING THE UTILISATION OF EXCREMENTAL MATTERS, AND THEIR EXCLUSION

page_text: FROM ORDINARY DRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Hoey, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly 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 the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Hoey, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object, by simple and reliable arrange-
ments or apparatus, without liability to derangement, to prevent waste
of water in connection with watercloseis, and so that, without removing
or inconveniently interfering with existing waterclosets, the excremental
matters may be collected in a state of comparatively slight dilution,
whereby the cost of their removal and utilisation will be greatly reduced,
and their exclusion from ordinary drains or sewers be rendered advanta-
geously practicable.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, may be properly understood, I hereunto append an explanatory
Drawing to be herein-after referred to, and representing in vertical
section the combined apparatus of two or more waterclosets, situated in
flats, one over the other, in a house. In this Drawing the same refer-
ence numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they
are repeated. Various encasing or covering boards, which conceal
portions of the apparatus, are supposed to be removed in the Drawing.
My improvements are advantageously applicable to the very common
arrangement in which a cistern 1 supplied with water from a service
pipe 2 by means of a valve 3, controlled by a ball float 4, is used in
connection with an ordinary pan or equivalent form of watercloset 5. A
measuring compartment 6 is fitted or formed in this cistern 1, and has
a small inlet valve 7, and a larger discharge valve 8, the latter communi-
cating with the flushing pipo 9 of the closet 5. The closet handle (not
shown in the Drawing) is connected in the ordinary way by a wire or
cord 10 to a lever 11, at the cistern 1, and this lover is connected to the

page_text: inlot and discharge valves 7, 8, of the measuring compartment 6. The
connection to the inlet valvo 7 is of such a relative length as to close the.
inlet aperture before the discharge valve 8 begins to open, and a spring 12
is interposed to allow the motion of the lever 11 to continue aftor the
inlet valve is closed. Below the discharge valve 8 of the measuring com…….
partment 6 there is a small chamber 13, corresponding to what is termed
the " service box" in ordinary apparatus, and from this chamber 18 the
flushing pipe 9 proceeds to the closet 5 below. There is also an addi-
tional branch pipe 14 connected to the flushing pipe 9, or it might be to
the chamber 13, in such a way as to intercept a portion of the water
delivered from the measuring compartment 6, and this branch pipo 14,
which is fitted with a stopcock 15, is at its lower end connected to tho
overflow pipe 16, proceeding from the cistern 1. This pipo 14 I term
the leakage pipe, as it conveys to the overflow pipe 16 any leakage thero
may be through the discharge valve 8 of the measuring compartment 6,
and the stopcock 15 in this pipe 14 serves for regulating the amount of
flushing water passing down by the pipe, so that not more than what is
absolutely necessary may be allowed to mix with and dilute the excro-
mental matters. The measuring compartment 6 is made of a size
sufficient to deliver what may be termed a maximum quantity of water.
at each action, and this quantity is reduced to the desired minimum
amount by more or less of it being allowed. to pass off by the leakago.
pipo 14, accordingly as the stopcock is set more or less open.
•
•
די
The overflow pipe 16 is not led in the ordinary way into the soil pipo 17,
so that the leakage or overflow water will not be wasted or go to increaso
the dilution of the excremental matters; but in the case of a series of
closets in different flats of a house, as shown in the Drawing, the over-
flow pipo 16 of cach cistern 1 above the lowest is led into the cistern of
a lower closet, whilst that of the lowest is led (as at 18) into a drain or
sewer, being by preference provided at any convenient point with an
opening or other arrangement admitting of the inspection of its interior,
so that any leakage can be seen and measured or estimated. All theso
overflow pipes 16 are formed with trap bends 19, so that vitiated air or
exhalations cannot pass through the pipe from one flat to another. To
render this last-mentioned precaution effective it is also necessary to
completely close by cement or otherwise all openings formed in the walls
or through the ceilings 20 for the passage of the various pipes 2, 16, 17.
My object in this respect is to prevent the communication of aeriform or
air suspended infectious matter from the watercloset of one dwelling to.

page_text: that of another, and not to prevent ventilation, which should be provided
for separately in cach watercloset by suitable communications with the
outside of the house.
In cases in which it may be considered desirable to disinfect the
waterclosets with the view of preventing the spreading of epidemic 5
discase, the flushing pipe 9 may have connected to it apparatus for
delivering into it at each action a measured quantity of sulphuric acid,
carbolic acid, or other disinfectant, as formerly proposed by me.
The soil pipe 17 from one or more closets instead of being led into
the ordinary drain or sewer as commonly practised, is connected to a 10
closed tank 22 which has no connection with the sewer (or drain 23)
excepting by a trapped overflow pipe 24, and which may be emptied
periodically by exhausting apparatus of any of the kinds already
proposed for that purpose that may bo found suitable. The exhausting
pipe 25 dips into a small well 26 in the bottom of the tank 23, and 15
an equal and thorough draining of the tank is secured by applying a
guard 27 over the well with suitably placed apertures.
'
Access is provided for gauging the contents of the tank by a rod 28,
and an escape for gases is provided in connection with the overflow
pipe 24, a compartment 29 being formed which is to be filled with 20
seaweed, charcoal, or other suitable permeable deodoriser, and to which
the gases have access from the inside of the tank by one grating, and
from which they pass by a second grating into the overflow pipe 24.
With the various arrangements I have described excremental matters
may be entirely excluded from the ordinary drains or sewers, provided. 25
that an improper use is not made of the waste pipes from kitchen sinks,
or jaw boxes, or from baths or lavatories, or of surface or roof drainage
pipes.
With tho view of preventing or deterring from the improper uso
referred to, each waste or drain pipo has by my Invention a small 30
branch pipe inserted into or across it so, as to intercept and receive
a small proportion of whatever liquid is passed down, such branch
pipe leading into any convenient receptacle, which may be enclosed
so as to be accessible only to an official inspector, who being thus
enabled to take a sample of the liquids discharged into the drain or 3
waste pipe of each house, can detect and so secure the punishment of
persons committing breaches of sanitary regulations.

page_text: In cases in which the receptacle might be more than filled in the
interval between two inspections, it may be provided with an overflow
and with charcoal through which the liquid may pass, in which case the
charcoal will absorb from the liquid what will afford ample evidence of
any improper use of the waste pipe or drain.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but that
what I believe to be novel and original and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent_is,—
1. The arranging or combining together of watercloset apparatus, sub-
stantially in the improved manner herein-before described.
2. The combination of the measuring compartment (6) with tho
leakage pipo (14) and regulating stop cock (15), substantially as and
for the purposes herein-beforo described.
3. The leading of the overflow pipe (16) of one closet cistern into a
lower cistern, or into a drain or sewer distinct from tho soil pipe, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
4. The reducing of the dilution of the excremental matters by
apparatus or arrangements substantially such as are herein-before
described.
5. The providing of an intercepting pipe and receptacle in connection
with waste pipes from kitchons, baths, or lavatories, or with surface or
roof drainage pipes, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hocy, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-three.
30 Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
THOMAS HOEY. (L.S.)