Improvements in or relating to Flushing Water Closets, Urinals, and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1897-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Flushing Water Closets, Urinals,
and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, CHRISTOPHER OBEE ELLISON, of 22, Sir Thomas Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object a flushing apparatus and method of flushing water-
closets without the use of siphons, pulls, chains, cranks, wires and like apparatus
now used, and liable to get out of order. Another object of my invention is to so
arrange the mechanism that the lid of the closet shall of necessity be closed after
each user, and the space below the lid shall be ventilated, and that the tank and pipe
leading therefrom shall be empty when not in use, and thus there be no chance of
failure through frost.
. In carrying my invention into effect as applied to water closets, I use the seat or
lid itself as the means for turning on the water and producing the flush, instead of
providing a separate handle. I form a tank by preference of funnel shape, with flush
pipe leading from the bottom, without any siphon or other mechanism than the
ordinary ball tap, and near the level of the seat of the closet or other convenient
point, I place a valve or cock worked direct by the lid or seat, or by an arm or arms
to which the lid or seat is attached, which arms are preferably bent to a curve so
that the lid or seat can be brought up in such a inauner as to be in stable equilibrium.
The arm or arms of the seat or lid iu like manner actuate the stop cock or valvė
which supplies the water to the ball cock in the tank. This supply cock is therefore
preferably placed on the same axial line as the flush cock, but where a spring valve
is used, it will be otherwise. A pipo or pipes leading from the back of the closet are
carried to the ventilating pipe, and thus the space inside the pan is ventilated.
The mode of action is thus very simple.
When the closet has to be used, the lid of course is inised. This at once turns on
the supply cock or valve, closes the flush cock, and the cistern fills with water as
far as the ball cock will allow, while the closet is being used. The user being
effected, the lid is put down, which at once closes the supply cock or valve,
simultaneously turns the flush cock on full, liberating the contents of the tank and
the closet is flushed. The flush pipe is now empty and remains empty until a fresh
user.
The invention may also be applied to urinals with advantage, in which case other
Ineans are by preference used instead of a lid for turning on the water and producing
the flush. Thus I might provide a hinged spring or other board on or about the
floor level adapted for the user to stand ou, which turns on the water when depressed,
filling the tank, and when released, springs back closing the supply and turning on
the flush leaving the flush pipe and tank empty as before. This is an example only
of the arrangement that might be adopted if used for urinals.
Dated this 20th day of November 1890.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Flushing Water Closets, Urinals,
and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, CHRISTOPHER OBER ELLISON of 22 Sir Thomas Street, Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster, Architect, 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 :-
This invention has for its object to provide a flushing apparatus and method of
flushing water closets applicable alike to any kind of pedestal closets without the use
of syphon cisterns, pulls and chains, wire and other like apparatus liable to get out of
order, also the doing away with the unsightly appearance attending the flushing
thereof, and the expense of repairs after damage by frost.
In carrying my invention into effect I use a simple tank, preferably of the funnel
shape, instead of the usual syphon system. This tank has an ordinary ball cock
inside to regulate the flush required, and is connected to the supply pipe; the service
pipe has a plug, gland, screw, or other tap or cock; and the flush pipe, a valve or
other tap or cock so arranged as to practically form the hinges by which the closet
lid is hung. The tank can be at any desired height above the pan and fixed direct to
the valve box or connected thereto by a pipe so as to give the requisite flush.
To work the above, I use a hinged lid or cover with special arms, preferably curved,
connecting the lid to the laps or cocks before named, and so arranged that by the
lifting of the lid before using the closet, the supply tap is opened thereby, passing
water into the tank; and the Hushing pipe is closed until after the user, when, by the
simple shutting of the lid the action is reversed, the water being shut off from the
tank, its contents discharged and the pan flushed, the tank and pipes alike again
becoming empty, and free from all risk of dainage by frost, water only remaining in
the pan. The flush taking place when the lid is down, is practically noiseless, and
the unpleasantness usually attending it is hidden from view.
Referring to the drawings herewith:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the closet and tank, showing a side view of
the flushing apparatus, with the tank raised, and flushing pipe therefrom;
Figure 2 enlarged section of the flushing valve, and contiguous parts; and as
above.
Figure 3 elevation to same scale showing the front view of the service and flushing
valves, taps or cocks, and section of seat and lid; also as above.
Figure 4, section to same scale of the tap to supply the tank, showing by way of
illustration an ordinary plug tap.
Figure 5 front view of the water closet showing its appearance when not in use,
and with raised tank as above.
In these diagrams A is the closet pau, B discharge pipe, C flushing pipe from
cistern C, C² end of flushing pipe shaped to suit tho kind of pan used, D hinged
seat to closet, Elid or cover thereto hung by bracket F to revolving axle G, raising
the spindle H by the action of arm 1 when the lid is put down, so opening the valve J
and causing the flush; a spiral spring (or weight) at the foot of spindle H closing it
again when the lid is raised, K stuffing box, 1. valve box with screws for access.
Miron bracket for securing the apparatus to the wall. N quadrant with teeth
attached to axle G and working into a similar quadrant O connected to the supply
tap so as to shut off the water supply when the valve J is open and vice versa; the
supply and flush pipes never being open at the same time. supply pipe to cistern C¹
regulated therein by a hall valve with noiseless nozzle piece R. S pipe from supply
tap P for emptying same and pipe Q through the flushing pipe C into the closet

page_text: pan A securing a good after fush thereto. T pipe from the water main. U casing to
match the seat and lid (with tank raised).
The mode of action is as follows:-
When the closet is not in use, the lid or cover is of necessity closed, and tank C
pipes Q and C are empty, water being only in the pan A. On being used the lid E
is of necessity raised which at once turns on Tap P allowing water to go into the
tank C and closing the valve J which keeps it there (a simpler operation than the
pulling of the ordinary handles, and workable by a child).
The tank is readily filled whilst the closet is in ordinary use, a ball cock regulating
the full flush to be given, and on closing the lid or cover, tap P is at once turned off
shutting the water from the tank, valve J is opened giving a full flush in a few
seconds, the waste pipe S is also opened emptying pipe Q from the tap to the tank
securing an ample after flush, and tank and pipes alike being all empty, damage by
frost is impossible, whilst the lid being of necessity closed, the unpleasant action and
noise of the flush, as well as the unsightly appearance of an open closet are all
obviated.
It is obvious that numerous other forms of valves and taps can be used besides those
shown on the drawing, though after numerous experiments those described are
found the most officacious, but I do not bind myself to the exact arrangements
shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, I declare that what
1 claim is :-
1. The improvement in flushing water closets and the like by the use of a hinged
lid or cover, the mere opening and closing of which acting upon a simple apparatus
at the back thereof automatically fills a tank and flushes the closet leaving it ready
for re-use.
2. The application of taps or valves substantially as described in such a manner as
to empty the pipes as well as the tank, after every use, thereby preventing damage
by frost.
3. The making of the flushing arrangements dependent upon the closing of
the closet lid instead of upon the working of a handle, whereby the lid must
of necessity be. down when the flush takes place and the unpleasant noise and
appearance of the flush is obviated.
n
4. The combination in a water closet of a tank and syphonless flush pipe therefrom
with a water admission valve opened and closed respectively and a flush valve closed
and opened respectively by the opening and closing of the lid, whereby when it is
used for only a short time, as for a urinal, there is a smaller flush than when in use
as a water closet.
5. The mechanisin for actuating water closets and the like, substantially as and
for the purposes described and illustrated.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.