AN IMPROVED WASHING AND TOILET CABINET
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Robert Johnson, of Regent Street, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED WASHING AND
TOILET CABINET."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Robert Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th September 1881.
EDWARD ROBERT JOHNSON, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"AN IMPROVED WASHING AND TOILET CABINET."
My Invention consists in an improved portable washing and toilet cabinet for
the use of officers and others on board ship and elsewhere. It is compact and com-
modious, occupying but little room, and being adapted to contain within it all the
necessaries of the toilet, and may be so constructed that it can be taken to pieces
for transport.
The cabinet is preferably constructed in three portions, a lower, a middle, and an
upper part. The upper part contains a cistern for supplying water, which may or
may not extend the whole depth of the cabinet, in which latter case shelves would
be fitted at the front of the cistern for toilet, medicine, or other bottles, and
enclosed by doors. The middle portion is provided with a fall down flap or front
capable of being supported horizontally at a convenient height to form the wash
stand and toilet table. Upon this flap or front is fixed a basin which is tilted up
in the act of raising or closing the front flap, and empties itself into a waste water
tank contained within the lower part of the cabinet. The basin is fixed to the
inner surface of the flap, preferably by means of clips embracing the foot of the
basin, and of studs and slots or other fastenings by which the basin is held securely
fixed, and may yet be removed when required. When not in use, the front flap
is raised and closed, the basin being raised also into a vertical position and received
within the middle portion of the cabinet. The water supply pipe from the cistern
Price 1

page_text: in the upper part is provided with a swing arm and cock for supplying water to
the basin when let down into the horizontal position. The middle part of the
cabinet is also fitted at either side with small inner cupboards for containing toilet
requisites. The basin when tilted up as above mentioned discharges its contents
into a small sink immediately above a waste water tank in the lower part of the
cabinet. This tank may or may not extend the whole depth of the cabinet,
preferably not, in order to leave space for towel rails fixed on the inside of doors
enclosing said space and swinging outwards at either side when the towels are
required for use. Beneath the waste water tank there may be a boot cupboard, also
enclosed by the same doors. Additional wings containing hanging cupboards and
drawers may be added to the cabinet as above described if required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Edward Robert Johnson
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th March 1882.
EDWARD ROBERT JOHNSON, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"AN IMPROVED WASHING AND TOILET CABINET."
My Invention consists in an improved portable washing and toilet cabinet for
the use of officers and others on board ship and elsewhere. It is compact and com-
modious, being adapted to contain within a small compass all the necessaries of the
toilet. It may be so constructed that it can be taken to pieces for transport.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I have illustrated
it in the accompanying Drawings, and will proceed to describe it with reference
thereto. Figures 1 and 2 are front elevations of the toilet cabinet in the open and
closed positions respectively, and Figures 3 and 4 are cross sections of the same.
The cabinet is preferably constructed of three parts or carcases A1, A2, A3, for
convenience of transport, fitted together in the usual way of fitting parts of officers*
furniture. The cabinet may however be constructed of a single carcase only if
desired. In the upper part A¹ there is a cistern B for containing a supply of
water, which cistern may or may not extend the whole depth of the cabinet.
In the latter case shelves would be fitted at the front of the cistern for toilet,
medicine, or other bottles, and enclosed by doors which may be furnished with
mirrors, all as shown in the Drawings. The middle carcase A* is provided with a
fall down flap or front C, hinged at its lower edge to the bottom of the said part
A, said flap being capable of being supported horizontally by means of quadrants c
at a convenient height to form the washstand and toilet or writing table. Upon
this flap or front C is fixed a basin D, which is tilted up with the front C in the
act of closing the latter, and empties itself into a waste water tank E contained
within the lower part A³ of the cabinet. The basin D is fixed to the inner or top
surface of the flap C, preferably by means of clips embracing the foot of the basin,
and of studs and slots or other fastenings by which the basin is held securely fixed,
and may yet be removed when the table is required for other purposes, these
fastenings being shown separately in Figures 5 and 6. When not in use, the
front C is raised and closed, the basin being raised also into a vertical position and
received within the middle portion A³ of the cabinet, as shown in Figure 4.
The water supply pipe b from the cistern B is provided with a swing arm or
flexible pipe b¹ and cock 62 for supplying water to the basin when let down into
the horizontal position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The middle part A of the
cabinet is also fitted at the back part with small inner cupboards and drawers or
shelves for containing toilet requisites, leaving only a vacant space at the front for
the reception of the basin. The basin when thus tilted up discharges its contents
into a small sink E' fitted in an aperture in the bottom of the middle carcase over
the waste water tank. This tank E may or may not extend the whole depth of
the cabinet, preferably not, in order to leave space for towel rails fixed on the
inside of doors F enclosing said space, and which are swung outwards at either side,
as shown in Figure 1, when the towels are required for use. Beneath the waste
water tank E there may be a boot cupboard G, also enclosed by the same doors.
Additional wings containing hanging cupboards and drawers may be added to the
cabinet as above described if required. C¹ is an adjustable rising slope which may
be hinged upon the flap C for use as a writing desk when the basin is removed
therefrom. To enable this to be readily done, the basin, which would be made of
enamelled metal, is attached to this slope, as shown in plan at Figure 5, and sectional

page_text: elevation, Figure 6, by means of a lug d projecting from the foot of the basin at
back, received in a staple e, and a stud f on the foot of the basin at front engaging
in a button hole shaped slot f¹ in a plate fixed upon the slope C¹, or upon flap
when a slope C¹ is not provided. The quadrants c which support the fall down
front C slide through guide staples on the sides of the part A, and have a
projecting lug at the inner end which catches against the staples and holds the
fall down flap horizontal as usual in other articles of furniture having such flaps,
or jointed links may be used instead of quadrants.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,
1st. The washing and toilet cabinet constructed and arranged substantially as
herein described and shown in the Drawings...
2nd. In a washing and toilet cabinet, the combination of the fall down flap or
front, the basin fixed upon said flap or front and tilting there with into a vertical
position, and the waste water tank for the basin to discharge into, substantially as
herein described and shown in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Robert Johnson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.