Improvements in and relating to Flushing Cisterns.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SI DUITIVATION.
Improvements in and relating to Flushing Cisterns.
1, FRANCIS PRICE of 68 High Street, Weston-super-Mare in the County of
Somerset, Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in all kinds of flushing cisterns operated by
the action of a siphon, but more particularly to such as are used in connection with
water-closets, lavatories and the like, and has for its objects. Firstly-To provide
a means whereby more than one flush may be siphoned off from one filling of the
cistern, if under any circumstances the supply from the main should be stopped.
Secondly-To provide a means whereby the quantity of each flush may be determin-
able and adjustable, and equal or approximately so. Thirdly-That when a second
flush (under ordinary conditions of the main supply) is desired, this may be obtained
without having to wait the length of time usual in Bushing cisterns as hitherto made,
and thus without unnecessary waste of water.
For the purposes of my invention I employ or construct of the usual metal or
material, a tank or container of any size or shape but preferably rectangular in plan,
which I divide longitudinally by a watertight partition, and preferably in such a
manner that the compartment at one side of the said partition is twice the depth or
thereabouts of that at the other, the smaller of which may he provided with ball cock
or other automatic valve, and be connected to the water supply in the usual way,
and this compartment is hereinafter referred to as the supply chamber. In the larger
or deeper compartment (hereinafter referred to as the flushing chamber) I place a
solid or hollow block, or a metal or other tank, preferably the latter, arranged to be
suspended upon the upper surface of the flushing chamber, while dipping for a
suitable distance thereinto, the said tank preferably occupying the whole width of
the flushing chamber, and so much of its length as may be desirable, always provided
that a space exists between one end of the said tank and the flushing chamber to
permit the presence of a siphon dipping into and nearly to the bottom of the
Aushing chamber in the usual way, this being preferably in fixed connection with
the said tank. Any suitable device or means may be employed for operating the said
siphon, such device or means forming no part of my invention.
"
In any suitable part of the lower portion of the supply chamber I provide a smalt
hole or aperture, through which the water entering this may percolate into the
flushing chamber, and such hole or aperture may be either always open, or governed
by a suitable valve, arranged to close automatically when the siphon is in use
The water thus entering the flushing chamber would rise and flow around the said
block, or preferably tank, until level with that in the filled supply chamber and 1
may, and preferably should provide in any suitable part of the said tank a small hole or
aperture, either open to the flushing chamber, or suitably connected to the supply
chamber or both, so that the said tank may be filled or partly filled with water
simultaneously with the supply and flushing chambers.
The flushing chamber when the siphon is started would be sufficiently emptied to
cause the cessation of the siphon before any appreciable quantity of water from the

page_text: supply chamber could enter thereinto, or if the said supply chamber aperture be
governed by a valve as suggested, before any could so enter the flushing chamber, but
immediately after the cessation of the siphon, the water from the supply chamber
would quickly enter the flushing chamber until the liquid in both was level, and at
the same time the water in the tank would either run into the supply chamber or the
flushing chamber, or both until the liquid in all three was level, when the flushing
may, if desired, be repeated twice or more (according to the capacity of the supply
chamber and tank) and this notwithstanding that a fresh supply from the main may not
be entering the supply chamber, and by these means each flush would be equal in
quantity and force, or approximately so notwithstanding the diminution of the
quantity of water in the supply chamber and tank, and by reason of the siphon being
connected to the said tank it would not be possible to waste the water by increasing
the flush by removing the said tank, since the simultaneous removal of the siphon
would render the whole inoperative.
A suitable lid or cover may be provided for the whole in the usual way.
T
1000
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant
in and eating
CASTUTIHS.
1, FRANCIS PRICE of 68 High Street, Weston-super-Mare in the County of
Somerset, Engraver, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in siphon cisterns, but more particularly to
such as are used for flushing water closets, lavatories, and the like, or for any other
similar or analagous purpose, and has for its objects:-Firstly, To provide a means
whereby more than one flush or portion of its contents may be siphoned off from one
filling of the cistern. Secondly, To provide a means whereby the quantity of each
flush may be determinable, adjustable, and equal or approximately so. Thirdly, That
when a second flush is desired, this may be obtained without having to wait the
length of time usual in flushing cisterns as hitherto made and used, and this without
unnecessary waste of water.
In order that my invention, and the manner in which I prefer to carry the saine
into effect, may be fully understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings
of which:-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of my improved flushing cistern according to one
method of construction.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4, are end elevation, plan and side elevation respectively, of, a
detachable tank forming part of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating an alternative method of
construction hereinafter explained.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of Fig. 5 illustrating a method by which
the means employed for operating the starting of the siphon, may automatically
operate the closure of a valve hereinafter explained.
I carry my invention into effect by constructing of the usual metal or material, a
tank or container of any size or shape, but preferably rectangular in plan, which I
divide longitudinally by a water-tight partition A, in such a manner that the
con partment B at one side of A, is wice the depth or thereabouts of the

page_text: compartment C at the opposite side, the latter being provided with a ball cock or
other automatic valve C, and connected to the water supply in the usual way, and
this compartment ( is hereinafter referred to as the supply chamber. In the larger
compartiment B (hereinafter referred to as the flushing chamber) I place a solid or
hollow block of wood or other suitable material, or a metallic or other tank D,
preferably the latter, suspended by books or their equivalents E or by other suitable
means upon the upper edge of B, so that D may dip half way or thereabouts
into B, and occupy preferably the whole width of same and so much of its length as
may be desirable, a space being left between one end of this and the end of B, to
permit the presence of a siphon F; the shorter end of which dips into and reaches
nearly to the bottom of B in the usual way, as indicated by dotted outline at Fig. 1,
the said siphon being in fixed: connection with the said block or tank D'as shewn by
the end, plan, and side views of this in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Any suitable and well
known means or devices may be employed for operating the said siphon, such means
or devices forming no part of my invention.
In any suitable part of the lower portion of the supply chamber C, I provide a
small hole or aperture G, through which the water entering C may percolate into
the flushing chamber B.
In any suitable part of the, tank D, I provide a small hole or aperture, preferably
of about the same dimensions as that of the hole or aperture G in C, and either
open to the supply chamber (or the flushing chamber B, but for preferance. I
provide such hole or aperture, H (Fig. 3) in the bottom of the tank D open to the
flushing chamber B, so that as the water rises in the chamber B, it would enter the
tank D through H and rise in D'until level with the water in C as at Fig. 1. Or in
lieu of the hole or aperture G. in C, I may form a hole in C and a corre-
sponding hole in D, the two being connected by a hollow cylindrical bush Jas
shewn in Fig. 5, so that the supply chamber C would first partly fill the tank D,
and the water percolating from this through the hole H would fill the flushing
chamber B.
Whatever device or means I may employ for operating the siphon F, the passage
in the said siphon being three times or more larger than the holes or apertures or H,
it follows that when the siphon is started this would empty the flushing chamber B
before any appreciable quantity of water could enter this from either C or D,
therefore the flush could not consist of a much greater quantity than that contained
in B. Upon the emptying of B, the water in D and C would continue to flow
into B, until the latter was again filled, when D and C would be presumably each
about half full, and upon the next siphoning off of the contents of B, the
contents of D and C would again flow into and recharge B, and by this
means, I obtain three distinct and approximately equal flushes, which are the first
and second objects and purposes of niy invention.
Again, supposing that the supply to the chamber C is constant, and that it is
recharged as fast as emptied the flushing chamber B directly it is emptied would
commence to refill from the water running thereinto from Dor (or both, so that
if a second flush is wanted quickly, the chamber B would be filled considerably
quicker than would the chamber C, which is the third object and purpose of my
invention.
In Fig. 5 1 illustrate a slight modification of the foregoing arrangement, the
only material difference being that the siphon, instead of being fixed upon the end
of the tank D, is fixed, at or about the centre of its length, by the means of a.
bracket such as K, the inner or shorter end of the siphon passing through the
bottom of D, and either terminating thereat as shewn, or extending any desired
distance therebelow. According to this arrangement I prefer to employ the hollow
bush J, passing through a hole in both C and D, so that the feed of B may be from '
the tank D, and this from the supply chamber C as shewn.
For the purposes of my invention I make it a sine qua non that the siphon F be in
fixed connection with the block, or preferably tank D, the object of this being to!

page_text: prevent the possibility of waste of water by removing D from B for increasing the
Bush, since the removal of D must remove the siphon F and render the latter
inoperative..
Although as previously stated the hole G connecting the chamber C with the
chamber B, and the hole H connecting the tank D with B, are too small to interfere
with the perfect operation of the siphon F, I may find it desirable to provide a valve
that may automatically close the apertures G or H during the siphoning off of the
contents of B. and many well known forms of valves may be employed for this
purpose, conveniently operated by and from the device used for starting the siphon.
In-flushing tanks of the type described, the siphon is usually started by some form of
plunger, the vertical rod of which is raised by being connected to one end of a
fulcrummed lever whose opposite end is lowered by a downward pull upon a chain or
cord. In Fig. 5 I illustrate (but do not claim as forming part of my invention) a well
known form of plunger of this type, my object for showing this being to make clear
by Fig. 6, the means by which I employ the lever of such a plunger for operating the
automatic closure of the hole H in the chamber D, when the siphon is in action, the
chamber B (as previously described in relation to this figure) being fed by the said
hole H, the chamber D being fed by the hollow bush J, connecting this with the
supply chainber C. According to this arrangement, the lower end of the siphon is
enlarged into a cylindrical chamber L and is fixed to the under surface of D, which
extends to the lower end of the chamber B, and has openings such as M by means of
which the water in B may fill L so that that when its plunger N is raised, this would
force the water up in Land so start the siphon F. The rod P of the plunger may be
guided by the bracket K, the upper end of P having, an eye or slot a. Referring to
Fig. 6, with the said eye or slot a, engages one end of a lever R, fulcrummed at a
point b the opposite end of this being provided with a chain or cord S in the usual
way, a downward pull upon. which would raise the plunger P, and operate the siphon
as stated.
At a point & between 6 and SI pivotally connect to the lever R the upper
end of a rod T whose lower end has a conical plug or valve V, the lower end of which
dips into the hole H, and when the plunger N is idle and in its lowest position as at
Fig. 5, the said plug V would be raised clear of the hole H, leaving this sufficiently
open to feed the chamber B, but when the chain end is lowered to raise the
plunger I, the said plug would close the hole H as at Fig. 6, and so prevent
water entering B until the action of the siphon is broken, which happens when it
has drawn off the contents of B and the plunger falls, and lifts the lever which
opens the valve V.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invén-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. A flushing cistern divided by a partition A, to form a supply chamber C, and
flushing chamber B, the latter partly occupied by a block or hollow tank such as D,
to one end of which is connected a siphon F, with apertures such as G, or J, and H.
for conveying the contents of C to B, with means for operating the siphon F for
discharging the contents of A, substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and shewn by Figs. 1 to 4 of the appended.drawings.
2nd. A flushing cistern divided by a partition A, to form a supply chamber C, and
flushing chamber B, the latter partly occupied by a tank such as D, connected by a
hollow bush with the chamber C, through which the contents of C is passed to D,
the latter having an bole H through which, its contents is passed to A, with siphon
such as F, connected to and passing through the bottom of D, with means for
operating the said siphon substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
shewn by Fig. 5 of the appended drawings.
3rd. In a flushing cistern as set forth in the preceding claims, having a plunger
or its equivalent such as LN for operating the siphon F, the rod P. of which said
plunger is,connected to and actuated by a lever such as K, the combination with such

page_text: a lever of a rod such as T, carrying a plug such as V. operating for the automatio
closure of the hole H in D when the siphon is in action substantially as and for the
purposes described and shewn by Fig. 6.
Dated this 15th day of January 1897.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.