Improvements in Water Supplying and Controlling Apparatus for Water Closet Tanks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1898-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Supplying and Controlling Apparatus for
Water Closet Tanks.
I, ALFRED BURGIN, of 9, Market Street, in the City of Springfield, County of
Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer,
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 follow-
ing statement;-
-
This invention relates to the water-supplying and controlling apparatus for
water closets, the object of the invention being to provide, in a simple and practical
way, means for giving the water flush to the bowl as occasion may require, the
supply of water being held in a tank or receptacle,-advantageously located within
the usual tank, which is adapted to be delivered of its contacts at pleasure, and
when delivered, to automatically receive a new water supply therein, and when so
delivered, to automatically shut off the flow of water, from the supply pipe,
thereto, advantages derived by the present improvements being that the ordinary
ball cock is dispensed with, and because no water stands in the ordinary tank
there is no liability of leakage therein, a more effective and ample water flush in
the bowl may be given than ordinary as heretofore, and furthermore, no tank-
valve is required.
The invention comprises a water closet tank of ordinary construction understood
as having pipe connection with the water closet bowl, a dumping receptacle for
water located within the tank and supported by suspension, the valve or cock
connected with the usual water supply pipe adapted, when open, to deliver the
water into the said receptacle and valve-operating means, so constructed and arranged
and combined with the said suspended dumping receptacle that when the latter
is empty or less full than to. a given predetermined extent, the valve will be open
for water delivery, the same automatically being closed immediately the quantity
of water delivered into the said receptacle has reached the given predetermined
amount.
The invention furthermore consists in certain peculiar constructions and
arrangements of parts all substantially as will hereinafter fully appear and be
set forth in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which the present
improvements are illustrated, and in which
Figure 1 is a sectional view vertically through the ordinary water closet tank,
and showing in side elevation, the water-supplying and controlling mechanism.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are sectional elevations similar to Figure 1, but showing
changed relations of the parts as incidental to the different conditions and opera-
tions as will hereinafter be rendered manifest, and
Figure 5 is a view of the part in detail to be referred to.
Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.
In the drawings A represents the water closet tank which may be of wood, zinc
lined, having the pipe connection a whereby the water delivered thereinto on
occasion as required may pass to the bowl in the usual way.
B represents the usual water supply pipe, the same having connected thereto,

page_text: the valve or cock C, b representing the valve stem thereof, the same understood
as lifting vertically to open and closing the valve as it descends.
D represents a lever having a fulcrum support at its one end at e on the suit-
able provided ear pieces f which may be advantageously integrally cast as a part
of the body or casing of the valve C, said lever having between its fulcrumed end
and its other end, an engagement as indicated at g with the bifurcated upper end
portion of the valve stem b.
The said lever D is provided, by having formed thereon as a part thereof, or
attached thereto, the oppositely extending members with extremities of which
the hook formed or eye formed upper ends of the supporting rod are engaged,
said rods, at their lower extremities having engagements with the opposite side
wall of the water-receiving receptacle G which is located within the main tank A.
In substance, the valve-operating lever D is as seen, of T-form, and its trans-
versely extended members through the rods j, support the dumping tank G in
the manner of the bail of a pail.
Said tank G is formed with vertical parallel opposite sides and approximately
semicircular bottom continued in the upwardly flaring end walls.
The point of connection i of the suspension rods with the side ears k riveted
or soldered on the side walls of the metallic dumping tank, it will be perceived
is somewhat to one side of the center of the tank G, and the tank G is so located
that when it is in its upright position, its upper edge 12 is in limiting abutment
against the front end wall of the main tank A.
A second set of ear pieces 13 are provided upstanding above the body of the
valve C pivoted within which at 14, is the lever H, the point 14 of pivotal con-
nection being near the forward end of said lever, the forward extremity of this
lever being, by the link m united to the valve-operating lever D at a point to
the rear of the valve stem engagement of said lever D).
The said lever H constitutes a track way or runner for the rolling weight J
said weight consisting of the opposite circular or cylindrical end sections and the
uniting axle as seen in Figure 5, and the lever H is provided with the wire
retainer or guard n having the greater portion of its length standing above and
parallel with the upper edge of the said lever H, said rod having its end portions
bent down and united to the lever and constitutes in substance a slot way in
which the axle of the roller weight runs and also means for limiting the running
movement of the roller either forwardly or in the reverse direction.
The lever H has its rear extremity weighted, the extent of weighting being
intended to be variable and more or less to accord with the size of the dumping
tank G and with the quantity of water desired to be delivered automatically there-
into before the delivery flow shall be stopped.
M represents a lever intermediately pivotally mounted at 15 on a suitable
bracket or fixture at one side of the tank, the same having an operating chain 16
and to the forward end of this lever is connected the eye 17 of the dependent rod o
which has a pivotal connection at 18 with the side of the tank at a point forward
of its pivotal support on the suspension yoke, stirrup or bail D, j.
To the lever M a chain or cord 16 is connected to form a means easily accessible
for overturning the receptacle G into the position, substantially as shown in
Figure 3.
Figure 1 represents what may be most properly regarded as the normal position
of the parts of the apparatus, it being seen that the dumping receptacle has been
filled and by reason of the sufficient weight constituted by the receptacle plus
the water therein, the valve-operating lever I) is swung into the forwardly and
downwardly inclined position bearing down the valve stem to close the valve;
and corresponding to these positions, the link connected lever H also occupies
forwardly downwardly inclined position whereby the roller weight has run to its
limit nearer the valve stem.
a
Figure 3 represents the lever M as having its chain end drawn down, its
opposite end through the connecting rod o serving to overturn the receptacle G

page_text: whereby the contents thereof shall be in whole or in greater part discharged into
the main tank A to immediately pass therefrom into the water closet bowl.
It is understood that immediately the overturning and discharge of the liquid
takes place, the lightened dumping tank G, not being of sufficient weight of itself
to counterbalance the weighted lever H, said lever exerts by being permitted to
swing into the position indicated in Figure 4, a reversing position of the valve-
operating lever D lifting the valve stem and permitting the delivery flow, of water
into the receptacle G.
:
It is understood, that, by reason of the point of pivotal support i being to the
rear of the center of the receptacle, the latter will immediately after discharging
its contents, and so soon as the chain 16 is released automatically resume its up-
right position.
And immediately the overturning is performed, and the levers reversed as
hereinabove explained, the roller weight J will run down the inclined top of the
lever to the position indicated in Figure 4, for the purpose of more positively
assuring that the valve will remain open until a sufficient and preponderating
quantity of water has been delivered into receptacle G, whereupon the latter will
settle again to the position shown in Figure 1, closing the valve, the roller weight
concurrently therewith rolling down to the rear end portion of the now reversed
lever H.
r
By adjusting the applied weight t on the end of the lever H, the quantity of
water which may be delivered at each operation of the apparatus before the auto-
matic stoppage thereof ensues, may be variable to suit different purposes or
requirements.
It will be perceived on reference to the elevation view, that the main tank A
is represented as provided with a lining of thin metal as sheet zinc or copper, and
that there is provided a horizontal inwardly extended sheet metal guard or lip u
at the front inner wall of the main tank for the purpose of preventing the for-
wardly rebounding water delivered into tank from splashing over the top of the
t
In order to prevent displacement of the invertible receptacle G and yet to permit
it to have both its comparatively slight rising and falling movement and also a
tilting movement, opposing vertical guide ways are provided within the opposite
sides of the tank A, the same being shown in full lines in Figure 2 and in clotted
lines in Figure 1. This may advantageously be made of thin sheet metal having its
marginal portions angularly bent as indicated, whereby to form confinement
portions to be soldered to the sides of the lined tank, and having the vertical
central upwardly opening aperture 2, substantially as shown.
This provision ensures, in a simple, yet effective way, against undue swing-
ing movements being allowed to the suspended receptacle.
It of course will be apparent, that the weight here shown as constituted by
the separable suspended scale weight sections for the lever H may be otherwise
applied, as for instance, by forming by casting a sufficient preponderating rear
end protuberance on the lever H as an integral part thereof.
It is preferred, however, to provide the weight in removably engaged parts or
sections for the purposes of regulation as herein before alluded to.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1-The combination with the water supply pipe having a valve and a lever
for operating said valve, normally and automatically applied and operative to
open the valve, of a receptacle suspended from said lever and adapted, on receiv-
ing a sufficient overbalancing quantity of water thereinto, to swing the lever and
close the valve, and means for overturning said receptacle for discharging the
contained water therefrom, substantially as described.
2-The combination with a valved water supply pipe, of a lever device

page_text: operatively connected with the valve, of a receptacle suspended on the lever
device, means for discharging the receptacle of its contained liquid, and a roller
weight adapted to run back and forth on the lever device, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
3 The combination with the water supply pipe having a valve with a stem,
of the lever D engaged with said stem, a receptacle with which the valve delivers,
a second lever hooked to the lever D, a roller weight thereon, and means for dis-.
charging said receptacle of its contained liquid, substantially as described.
4 The combination with the water supply pipe having a valve with a stem,
and of the lever D engaged with said stem, a receptacle suspended from said
lever D, a second lever hooked to said lever D, and constructed with the slot, a
roller weight adapted to run by its axle back and forth in the slot provided lever,
and means for overturning the said receptacle, substantially as described.
5-The combination with the water supply pipe having the valve with a stem,
the valve body being provided with the upstanding ear lug f and 13, of the
T-shaped lever D pivoted in lug and engaging the valve, the lever H
pivoted in lug 13, the link in connecting it with lever D, the rods ; depending
from the transverse members of said T lever, the open-top receptacle G having
pivotal support on said rods ; at points at one side of its middle, the lever M and
connecting rod o engaged with the receptacle at its side opposite its pivotal sup-
port, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6 The combination with the main tank A having outlet passage a, and
guard u, of the water supply pipe having valve C with stem b, levier D engaging
said stem and supporting pivotally in suspension, the tilting receptacle G, the
lever H linked to lever D and provided with the roller weight J, the lever M
having operating connection 16, and the rod o connecting said lever with a por-
tion of the receptacle forward of its pivotal support, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
The combination with the water supply pipe having a valve, with a stem,
and the main tank A provided at opposite sides with the vertical guides v, of a
lever device operatively connected with the valve, a receptacle suspended from
and pivotally suspended below the lever and valve and having its pivot members
located in said guides, and means for overturning said suspended receptacle, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 25th day of June 1898.