Improvements in Apparatus for Flushing Waterclosets, Urinals, Lavatories, and such like, and for Preventing the Waste of Water therein.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Flushing Waterclosets, Urinals,
Lavatories, and such like, and for Preventing the Waste of Water
therein.
I, WILLIAM SMEATON, the Elder, of No. 7 Drury Court, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates, more especially, to apparatus for allowing definite and pre-
arranged quantities of water to pass to waterclosets, urinals, and lavatories, for the
purpose of flushing the same, and delivering thereto the second or after flush; but it
is also applicable to other purposes where it is required to deliver a measured quantity
or quantities of water at each operation.
My invention consists of the following arrangements :-
I provide a valve chamber, divided into two parts by a flexible diaphragm to which
is secured a valve, which I call the main valve, and which closes the water inlet
opening from the service pipe. The water outlet to the closet basin or other place
where the flushing is to be effected, opens from some part of the aforesaid valve
chamber below the diaphragm, so that when the aforesaid main valve is opened there
is established a free passage for water through the lower part of the valve chamber to
the outlet leading to the closet basin.
From the service pipe or inlet of the valve chamber to the space in the valve
chamber above the diaphragm I form a channel or bye-pass, the virtual passage or
way through which can be regulated by a cock, valve, adjusting screw, or other
suitable means, so as to regulate the speed with which water, under pressure, can
pass from the service pipe or inlet of the valve chamber to the upper side of the
diaphragm.
A passage from the part of the valve chamber above the diaphragm leads to the
outlet from the valve chamber, or to other suitable point subject to a pressure less than
that in the service pipe. The end of this passage, which opens into the space above
the diaphragm, is covered by a valve, which I call the starting valve, kept to its seat
by a spring, and the spindle of which is extended outside of the apparatus so as to be

page_text: .
acted upon at certain times, by a weighted or spring urged tumbling lever arrange-
ment connected with the handle of the closet in such inanner that when the said closet
handle is pulled up the weighted or spring urged tumbling lever falls over to one side,
acts upon the spindle of the starting valve so as to open the latter for an instant, and
then to release it to be closed by its spring; and when the closet handle is lowered
the weighted or spring urged tumbling lever falls over to the other side again, acting
upon, and again releasing the starting valve.
It will now be understood that, assuming water to have passed through the bye-
pass from the service pipe or inlet to the space in the valve chamber above the
diaphragm so as to equalize the pressure above and below the diaphragm and thereby
allow the main valve to remain closed, on pulling up the closet handle the weighted or
spring urged tumbling lever will fall to one side and open the starting valve for an
instant, allowing a portion of the water above the diaphragm to escape (into the outlet
passage for example), thus relieving the pressure above the diaphragm, and allowing
the pressure in the service pipe to open the main valve and give the first flush to the
closet basin. But the starting valve, being quickly released by the tumbling lever, is
closed by its spring and prevents the further escape of water from above the
diaphragm, and water from the service pipe or inlet gradually passes through the
bye-pass to the space above the diaphragm, equalizing the pressure above and below
the latter, and allowing the main valve to close and to stop the flush. The duration of the
flush, and consequently the quantity of water composing it is regulated by the adjust-
ment of the virtual passage or way through the bye-pass by means of its regulating
cock, valve or other appliance.
On lowering the closet handle the tumbling lever will fall to the other side and again
open the starting valve for an instant, allowing a portion of the water above the
diaphragm to escape, relieving the pressure thereon and allowing the pressure in the
service pipe to open the main valve a second time in order to give the second or after
flush. The starting valve being quickly released by the tumbling lever is closed by its
spring, and the pressures above and below the diaphragm are equalized as before, so
that the main valve is allowed to close and to stop the after flush. When it is required
that the duration or quantity of the after-flush shall be the same as that of the first
flush, the fulcrum of the tumbling lever is placed directly over, or in the same plane
as the centre line or axis of the starting valve spindle; but when it is desired that the
duration or quantity of the after flush shall be different from that of the first flush,
the fulerum of the tumbling lever is placed more or less to one side of the centre line or
axis of the starting valve spindle, whereby the length of time during which, and the
amount that the said starting valve is opened by the tumbling lever is greater when
the said tumbling lever falls to one side than when it falls to the other side.
The arrangement of the weighted or spring urged tumbling lever above described
may be employed in connection with any suitable valve-and regulator for the purpose
of forming a waste preventing apparatus.
Dated this 26th day of May 1886

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Flushing Water-closets, Urinals,
Lavatories, and such like, and for Preventing the Waste of Water
therein.
I, WILLIAM SMEATON, the elder of. Heddon Street, Regent Street, in the County of
Middlesex 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying two sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon that is
to say :-
My invention relates, more especially to apparatus for allowing definite and
prearranged quantities of water to pass to water closets, urinals and lavatories for the
purpose of flushing the same, and delivering thereto the second or after-flush; but it
is also applicable to other purposes where it is required to deliver a measured quantity
or quantities of water at each operation.
My invention consists of the arrangements shown in the drawings hereto annexed
in which Figure 1 is an elevation of flushing apparatus adapted for use in connection
with a watercloset: Figure 2 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1, and
Figure 3 is a full size vertical section of the valve arrangements contained in the valve
chamber A shown in Figures 1 and 2.
I provide a valve chamber A divided into two parts by a flexible diaphragm B to
which is secured a valve C which I call the main valve, and which closes the water
inlet opening from the service pipe D.
The water outlet E to the closet basin, or other place where the flushing is to be
effected, opens from some part of the aforesaid valve chamber A below the diaphragm,
so that when the aforesaid main valve C is opened, there is established a free passage
for water through the lower part of the valve chamber A to the outlet E leading to the
closet basin.
From the service pipe or inlet D of the valve chamber A to the space in such valve
chamber above the diaphragm B I form a channel or bye-pass F, the virtual passage
or way through which can be regulated by a cock or valve G, an adjusting screw or
other suitable means, so as to regulate the speed with which water, under pressure, can
pass from the service pipe or inlet D of the valve chamber to the upper side of the
diaphragm B.
A passage U from the part of the valve chamber A above the diaphragm B leads to
the outlet E from the said valve chamber, or to other suitable point subject to a
pressure less than that in the service pipe D. The end of this passage U which opens
into the space above the diaphragm B is covered by a valve N, which I call the
starting valve, kept to its seat M by a spring P, and the spindle Q of which is
extended outside of the apparatus and preferably provided with a friction roller Q' so

page_text: as to be acted upon at certain times by a tumbling lever arrangement connected with
the handle X of the closet. This tumbling lever arrangement may be of the following
character a is a fulcrum stud secured to the frame or bracket b, c is a sleeve turning
loosely on the fulcrum stud a and having an arm d formed with or fixed thereon, e is
a link by which the arm d is connected to the lever f which is operated directly or
indirectly by the handle X of the closet. g is an arm carrying a weight h at its
outer end and turning at its inner end loosely on the sleeve c. The boss g of the
army has a slot i cut therein and a pin j is passed through the said slot and is secured
in the sleeve c. By this means, as the sleeve c is partly rotated backward and forward
on the fulcrum stud a, the pin j presses alternately against the two ends of the slot i
carrying the arm g first to one side and then to other side of the vertical line passing
through the centre of the fulcrum stud a. so as to leave the said arm free to fall over
to the right or to the left, as the case may be, under the action of the weight h. kis
a three armed lever turning on the fulcrum stud a; two of the arms of the lever
arranged so that the weight h comes in contact with one or the other as it falls over
to the right or to the left. The third arm carries a friction roller which operates
upon the friction roller Q on the spindle of the starting valve N as hereafter
described. It is obvious that the arm or tumbling lever may be actuated after
passing the vertical centre line by a spring instead of a weight if preferred.
are
It will now be understood that, assuming water to have passed through the bye-
pass F from the service pipe or inlet. D to the space in the valve chamber A above the
diaphragm B so as to equalize the pressure above and below the said diaphragm, and
thereby to allow the main valve C to remain closed, on pulling up the closet handle X
the weighted or spring urged tumbling lever or armi g will be carried beyond the
vertical centre line by the action of the lever f, link e, arm d sleeve c, pin j and slot i,
and will fall to one side operating as it does so the lever so as to cause the friction
roller to press upon the friction roller Q and thereby to open the starting valve N
for an instant, allowing a portion of the water above the diaphragm B to escape
through the passage U (into the outlet passage E for example) thus relieving the
pressure above the diaphragm B, and allowing the pressure in the service pipe D to
open the main valve C and give the first flush to the closet basin. But the starting
valve N being quickly released by the friction roller Q on the arm of the lever k is
closed by its spring P and prevents the further escape of water from above the
diaphragm, and water from the service pipe or inlet D gradually passes through the
bye-pass F to the space above the diaphragm B, equalizing the pressure above and
below the latter and allowing the main valve C to close and to stop the flush. The
duration of the flush, and consequently the quantity of water composing it is
regulated by the adjustment of the virtual passage or way through the bye-pass F by
means of the regulating cock or valve G, or other appliance.
On lowering the closet handle X the lever g will be carried by the same agencies to
the opposite side of the vertical line and will fall over to that side and will again
open the starting valve N for an instant by means of the friction roller on the lever k,
allowing a portion of the water above the diaphragm B to escape relieving the pressure
thereon and allowing the pressure in the service pipe D to open the main valve Ca
second time in order to give the second or after-flush. The starting valve N being
quickly released by the lever kas before is closed by its spring P, and the pressures
above and below the diaphragm B are equalized as before, so that the main valve C is
allowed to close and to stop the after-flush. When it is required that the duration or
quantity of the after flush shall be the same as that of the first flush, the fulcrum a of
the tumbling levers g and k is placed directly over, or in the same plane as the centre
line or axis of the starting valve spindle Q, but when it is desired that the duration or
quantity of the after flush shall be different from that of the first flush, the fulcrum
of the tumbling levers g and k is placed more or less to one side of the centre line or
axis of the starting valve spindle Q, whereby the length of time during which, and
the amount that the said starting valve is opened by the lever k, is greater when the
tumbling lever gefalls to one side than when it falls to the other side.

page_text: It is obvious that the arrangement of weighted or spring urged tumbling lever may
be employed in connection with any suitable valve and regulator other than above
described for the purpose of forming a wasto preventing apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I am
aware it is not novel to employ in waste preventing valves a valve chamber having
inlet and outlet passages and divided by a diaphragm carrying a valve closing the
inlet orifice and having an adjustable bye-pass passage from one side to the other of
the said diaphragm, and I make no claim to such arrangements when used alone,
but I declare that what I do claim is:-
First The combination of the waste preventing valve arrangement consisting of
the chamber A with inlet and outlet passages D and E; the diaphragm B dividing
the chamber A into two parts, and carrying a main or flushing valve C; a bye-pass
passage connecting the service pipe or inlet D with the space above the diaphragm B,
and having a cock G or other suitable means for regulating the flow of water through
the said bye-pass with a starting valve N, and a passage U therefrom to the outlet
pipe E, the whole arranged and operating together as hereinbefore described, and
illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.
Second-The combination of the waste preventing valve arrangement forming the
subject of the first claim clause hereof with the weighted or spring urged tumbling
lever I and devices for causing the said tumbling lever to actuate the starting valve N
each time the said tumbling lever falls or is drawn or forced to one side or other of a
centre line for the purpose of delivering a definite and pre-arranged quantity or
quantities of water for a flush and after-flush to waterclosets, urinals, and lavatories,
each time the apparatus is actuated, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
drawings hereto annexed.
Third. The use of the weighted or spring urged tumbling lever in combination with
any suitable waste preventing valve, for the purpose of delivering a definite and
prearranged quantity of water for a flush and after-flush to water closets, urinals and
lavatories, each time the apparatus is actuated, as herein before described.
Dated this 26th day of March 1887.