Improvements in Disinfecting Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Disinfecting Apparatus.
We, DUNCAN COLQUHOUN and FLORA COLQUHOUN, both of 20 Liver Street,
Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Plumbers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The disinfecting apparatus which forms the object of this invention is applicable
to lavatory traps, waste pipes, flush pipes of water closets and urinals, ventilating
shafts, drains, air inlet ventilators for rooms and other like purposes, and consists
of a chamber or receptacle into which is placed any suitable disinfectant, preferably
in the form of a porous block, one side of such chamber being open or exposed, to
allow of the water or air it is required to disinfect to enter, In carrying out this
invention, as applied to a urinal, the chamber or receptacle is fixed to the side
of the flushing pipe and is in communication therewith so that the water is free to
enter and to pass through the disinfectant contained therein. This receptacle or
chamber is also provided with a pipe extending upwards above the level of the
water in the flushing cistern to allow of the escape of air, such air also serving as
a disinfecting agent. The water passing down the flushing pipe enters the chamber
and after passing through the disinfectant ascends the pipe leading from such
chamber until it attains the same level as the water in the cistern when it flows
back through the disinfectant and down the flushing pipe, taking with it in solution
a portion of the disinfectant. After the flush has ceased, a small quantity of water
lodges in the bottom of the chamber and is dislodged by the first flush of water at
the next operation.
A removable cover is fitted on the chamber which admits of access to the interior
for the purpose of renewing the disinfectant or for other purposes.
From the above description, it will be understood that the essential feature of
the invention is the disinfecting chamber communicating with the water or air
supply, but we do not bind ourselves to any particular form of chamber or number
of chambers, as, for instance in the case of a water closet, we prefer to use three
or more, suitably disposed around the flush pipe. Furthermore, in the case of
a lavatory trap, one would probably be sufficient, and a convenient place to fix
it would be just above the water seal of the trap.
This invention serves the double purpose of disinfecting the flush water and also
the air, as the latter on being driven out of the chamber through the pipe afore-
mentioned is saturated with the disinfecting material.
Dated this 15th day of Fahmi 1907
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: We, DUNCAN COLQUHOUN, of 20, Liver Street, in the City of Liverpool, Plumber,
and FLORA COLQUHOUN, of the same address, do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
Disinfecting apparatus according to this invention is applicable to the flush pipes
of water closets and urinals, and to the waste pipes of lavatories, baths, wash-
basins, and the like; and such apparatus has for its object the double function of
disinfecting and deodorizing such water-closets, etcetera, and also the atmosphere
in and about them.
In the drawing hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a front elevation of apparatus accord-
ing to this invention, as applied to the flush-pipe of a water-closet, Figure 2 being
a cross-section through A. B, Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a plan.
The receptacle, A, is practically divided into three chambers a, b, c, although
all the chambers communicate with one another. The receptacle A fits around the
flush-pipe d, and is attached to the wall by the flanges e. The outer chambers b
and c receive the disinfecting materials, either liquid or solid, whilst to the central
chamber a is attached a novel device for supplying the disinfectant contained in the
receptacle to the flush water and also for deodorizing the air in and about the
closet.
The chambers b and c have screw-down stoppers 61 and c¹, whereby the chambers
may be recharged with disinfectant. When the latter is solid or in crystals we
provide the loose perforated cylinder 3 to receive it; and when the disinfectant is
in a liquid state we fit a tube c³ having a closed end, into the chamber. The edge
of this tube is soldered at c³, so that when the stopper c¹, is screwed down upon a
washer, the tube forms an air tight chamber and is provided with one or more
bleeding" holes, f, for the exit of disinfectant.
66
The device for supplying disinfectant to the flush water, and for deodorizing
the atmosphere, consists of an elbow pipe g, one end of which projects into the flush
pipe h and is there provided with an aperture 1, whilst the other end of the pipe g
passes upward into the chamber a and above the liquid therein. Within the pipe
is a pipe i of small diameter, which passes centrally through the pipe g from the
flush pipe to a point where it emerges from the pipe g into the chamber a and just
above the liquid level therein, where its orifice is covered by a bell g¹.
On the top of the chamber a is mounted a bell mouthed pipe, m, which we term
a puff" pipe.
"
The chambers b and c having being charged with disinfectant, and the liquid level
in the receptacle standing at the height indicated in the drawing, the action of the
apparatus is as follows;-When water passes from the flushing cistern, or other
source, into the flush pipe h, it momentarily compresses the air in such pipe and
forces some of it through the aperture into the pipe g and into the disinfectant
filled receptacle A, so that a puff of air which is impregnated with the odour of the
disinfectant issues from the puff pipe m into the w-c apartment. Some of the flush
water then follows the air into the pipe 7 and passes into the receptacle A so as to
raise the level of disinfectant therein above the orifice of the pipe i, down which
the disinfectant is secreted and mingles with the flush. The level of disinfectant
in the receptacle A then falls until it reaches the lower edge of the bell g¹, when
syphonic action is arrested. The rarefaction of air in the flush pipe h, caused by
the descent of flush water, next causes a breath of air to be inhaled by the puff

page_text: pipe m, which air passes through the receptacle A and pipe g into the flush pipe
and thence into the closet basin.
Three separate disinfecting actions are thus caused by the descent of the flush
water. Firstly, the emission of a puff of disinfectant impregnated air into the
w-c. apartment, secondly, the secretion of disinfectant liquid into the flush pipe,
and, lastly, the inhalation of disinfectant impregnated air by the flushing pipe and
closet basin.
It will be noticed that the first puff of disinfectant takes place before the soil
in the basin is disturbed by the flush, whilst the final inhalation of disinfectant
by the flush pipe and basin, sweetens the latter after 'the flush.
The puff pipe m is preferably disposed about shoulder high, that is to say, about
the ordinary breathing level.
The elbow pipe g is preferably attached to the flush pipe by a screw coupling as
shewn, whereby it may easily be detached, and the portion of the pipe g remaining
in the flush pipe can be closed by a screwed cap.
For the purpose of disinfecting and deodorizing a lavatory basin, sink, or bath
waste outlet, and the like, and the atmosphere in and about the same, there is
attached to the side of such waste pipe n (Figure 4) a chamber A, which contains
a block or piece, p, of disinfecting material. This chamber is attached to the
waste pipe at the trap, so that the water in the latter can mingle with the dis-
infectant, through the narrow slot r. s is the overflow pipe of the basin or bath. In
operation, when water descends the waste pipe n the air therein-which is im-
pregnated with disinfectant odour-is displaced up the overflow pipes and puffs into
the basin or bath, thereby disseminating an agreeable odour therein. The
chamber A has a screw plug by which access is obtained for renewal of the dis-
infectant, but the chamber may be arranged in a similar manner to the chamber c
of Figure 1, so as to contain a liquid disinfectant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. Means whereby the descent of water in a flush pipe causes a displacement of
air in a receptacle containing disinfectant, which air-impregnated with dis-
infectant odour is puffed out of such receptacle, into the atmosphere, substantially
as described.
2. Means whereby the descent of water in a flush pipe causes, firstly, a displace-
ment of air in a disinfectant filled receptacle, which air-impregnated with dis-
infectant odour-is puffed out of such receptacle into the atmosphere, and, secondly,
an entry of water into said receptacle, which water-impregnated with disinfectant
-is secreted into said flush pipe and mingles with the flush, substantially as
described,
3. Means whereby the descent of water in a flush pipe causes, firstly, a displace-
ment of air in a disinfectant filled receptacle, which air-impregnated with dis-
infectant odour-is puffed out of such receptacle into the atmosphere, and, secondly,
an entry of water into said receptacle, which water-impregnated with disinfectant
-is secreted into said flush pipe and mingles with the flush, antl, lastly, an inhala-
tion of air impregnated with disinfectant odour, into such flush pipe, substantially
as described.
4. In combination, a receptacle containing disinfectant, a puff pipe leading there-
from to the atmosphere, a pipe leading from the receptacle to a flush pipe and
projecting within the latter, such projecting portion having an aperture, whereby
water descending such flush pipe causes, firstly, a displacement of air in such pipe
and receptacle, which air-impregnated with disinfectant odour-puffs into the
atmosphere from said puff pipe, and, secondly, an entry of water into such receptacle
which water-impregnated with disinfectant-is secreted by a pipe leading into
such flush pipe, and, thirdly, an inhalation by said flush pipe of air impregnated

page_text: with disinfectant odour, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth.
5. In combination, a disinfectant filled receptacle, a flush pipe, a pipe for con-
veying air and subsequently water from said flush pipe to said receptacle, a pipe
for the emission of said air-impregnated with disinfectant odour-into the
atmosphere, and a pipe for secreting said water-impregnated with disinfectant-
back to the flush pipe, arranged and operating substantially as described.
6. The combination with the waste pipe of a lavatory basin or the like, of a
chamber containing disinfectant, disposed above and communicating with the water
of the trap of said pipe through a slot formed therein, whereby the air in said pipe
is impregnated with disinfectant and is displaced by descending water and
disseminates, through the overflow pipe, into such basin or the like, substantially
as described.
Dated this on day of August LOT.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.),
10 St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicants.