IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MODE OF FLUSHING AS APPLIED TO URINALS AND WATER- CLOSETS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Joseph Franks, of Stroud, in the County
of Gloucester, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF FLUSHING AS APPLIED TO URINALS AND WATER-
CLOSETS."
Sealed. the 5th January 1872, and dated the 12th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Joseph Franks
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th July 1871.
I, JOHN JOSEPH FRANKS, of Stroud, in the County of Gloucester,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF FLUSHING AS APPLIED TO URINALS AND
WATERCLOSETS," to be as follows:-
Water is of course the agent, and it is supplied by means of a pipe
pierced with holes which together about equal in area that of the
diameter of the pipe. For the urinal the pipe is placed at the back or
back and sides of the convenience, about 4 feet high, and for the

page_text: watercloset the pipe is bent round the inside of the top of the pan. In
each case is the pipe covered by a guard of thin metal, the lower edge
of which is cut into rectangular points about ths of an inch apart,
which points are made to nearly (but not quite) touch the back or
sides of the urinal or surface of the pan, the objects being to divert any
pressure and to direct the water to spread entirely over the surface
which the points nearly touch.
For the urinal the end of the pipe is carried to the cistern when it is
governed by a valve, and upon the floor near to the back of the urinal
is fixed a foot plate, vizt., an iron plate hinged at the back, so that
when not in use the top of the plate at the front will be 1½ inches, and
when in use an inch above the floor. To this plate, but underneath
the floor, are attached a lever and iron rod, which latter is also attached
to the valve in the cistern, and the effect of use of the convenience is
that the foot plate is depressed, the valve in the cistern raised, and
a film of water flows entirely over the back or back and sides of
the urinal until the weight as of the body is removed from the foot
plate when the valve in the cistern falls, and the flow of water
ceases.
For the watercloset the earthenware pan and trap somewhat modified
in form are only necessary; the pierced pipe with its guard is bent
round the top of the pan, and in the floor immediately opposite to the
seat is fixed a foot plate which will admit of and be subject to some
little depression by the feet of a person using the convenience, the
effect of which depression is that by means of a lever and iron rod the
valve in the cistern is raised, and a sensible film of water flows over the
surface of the pan, whereby any offensive matter is at once carried to
the drain side of the trap, and none of the usual watercloset machinery
is required; the flow of water continues as long as the weight as of the
body is upon the floot plate, but no longer.
It is conceived that for public conveniences, at, least, this arrange-
ment is desirable, because the act of use causes sufficient water to flow
to remove all offensive matters, and when not in actual use no water is
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Joseph Franks in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JOSEPH FRANKS, of Stroud, in the County of Gloucester, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Joseph Franks, Her special licence
that I, the said John Joseph Franks, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Joseph Franks, 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, use, exercise,
and vend,. within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OF FLUSHING AS APPLIED TO LAVATORIES, URINALS, AND WATERCLOSETS,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Joseph
Franks, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 John Joseph Franks, 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 :-
Water is of course the agent, and it is supplied by means of a pipe
pierced with holes, which together about equal in area the diameter of
the pipe. For the urinal the pipe is placed at the back or back and
sides of the convenience about four feet high; and for the watercloset the
pipe is bent round the inside of the top of the pan; in each case is the

page_text: pipe covered by a guard of thin metal, the lower edge of which is cut
into rectangular points about three-eighths of an inch apart, which
points are made to nearly but not quite touch the back or sides of the
urinal or surface of the pan, the objects being to divert any pressure and
to divert the water to spread entirely over the surface which the points 5
nearly touch.
For the urinal the end of the pipe is carried to the cistern, where it
is governed by a valve, and upon the floor near to the back of the urinal
is fixed a foot plate, videlicet, an iron plate, hinged at the back, so that
when not in use the top of the plate at the front will be 14 inches, and 1
when in use an inch above the floor. To this plate, but underneath
the floor, are attached a lever and iron rod, which latter is also attached
to the valve in the cistern, and the effect of use of the contrivance is
that the foot plate is depressed, the valve in the cistern raised, and a
film of water flows entirely over the back or back and sides of the 1
urinal until the weight as of the body is removed from the foot plate,
when the valve in the cistern falls and the flow of water ceases.
For the watercloset the earthenware pan and trap somewhat modified
in form are only necessary; the pierced pipe with its guard is bent
round the top of the pan, and in the floor immediately opposite to the 2
seat is fixed a foot plate which will admit of and be subject to some
little depression by the feet of a person using the convenience, the effect
of which depression is that by means of a lever and iron rod the valve
in the cistern is raised, and a sensible film of water flows over the
surface of the pan, whereby any offensive matter is at once carried to 2
the drain side of the trap, and none of the usual watercloset machinery
is required; the flow of the water continues as long as the weight of the
body is upon the foot plate, but no longer.
It is conceived that for public conveniences at least this arrangement
is desirable, because the act of use causes sufficient water to flow to 3
remove all offensive matters, and when not in actual use no water is
required.
And I claim as of this Patent that for the urinal the "foot plate"
may be either simply a plate of iron, or made in the form of a grating
in wrought or cast iron, or otherwise. Also for the watercloset that the 3
pipe round the top of pan may be made of any material, either of metal

page_text: or of clay, as the pan; that the foot plate may be of any form or placed
in any position in the floor immediately opposite to the seat.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Joseph Franks, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
JOHN JOSEPH FRANKS. (L.S.)