Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application. 26th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 26th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th Nov:, 1887
1, STRETHILL HARRY WRIGHT of 49 Talbot Street, Southport, in the County of
Lancaster, Doctor of Medicine do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows:-
According to my Invention I effect the actuation or initiate the action of an
hydraulic exhaust apparatus hereafter defined, which apparatus sets in action a
syphon discharge pipe of a flushing cistern in connection with a urinal by the urine
voided into such urinal whereby the urinal is flushed.
A convenient form of apparatus for effecting the flushing of urinals, as above
described consists as follows.
I take a vessel of convenient size and shape which I connect to the urinal pan in
such a manner that all fluid introduced into the pan passes into the vessel. The roof'
of the vessel in this form of it is closed except where it is attached to the urinal pan.
In the vessel place two caps. The first of these projects a convenient height
above the roof of the vessel. Its open end is placed in the vessel at the depth
at which it is desired that fluid shall stand in the vessel when action in it ceases.
I place a standard pipe in the vessel the lower end of which passes down through
the floor of the vessel and the upper end of which is placed in the cap in such a way
that it constitutes a cap syphon. If the vessel be charged with fluid until this
discharge syphon be charged over its lip the syphon will discharge the vessel down
to the level of the cap in the vessel.
The other cap projects a convenient height above the roof of the vessel. It is
placed in the vessel in a similar way to that just described in the case of the discharge
syphon, but the lower margin of the cap of the syphon is placed at a slightly higher
level than the other. In this second cap I place a standard pipe which bears the
same relation to its cap that the discharge pipe above specified does to its cap. In
this standard pipe and within the cap I provide one, or more apertures which together
will only admit a part bore charge to the pipe (say half bore charge). This syphon
I call the exhaust syphon. The upper end of the pipe i produce through the top of
the cap and make the joint air tight. This prolongation I call the exhaust connection.

page_text: The standard pipe of this exhaust syphon must be of such diameter and length that
the ordinary pressure of fluid entering the vessel by micturition and rising in the
second cap will charge as described and cause an exhaust action through the pipe.
I produce the pipe as in the case of the main discharge pipe through the floor of
the vessel.
In action, if the vessel fitted as described be connected by the exhaust connection
to a closed chamber and fluid passed in sufficient quantity into the vessel to rise and
overflow the orifice in the exhaust syphon and charge it as described a partial exhaust
will take place in that closed chamber. If the exhaust connection be attached to the
discharge syphon of a flush tank in the manner I have set forth in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me No. 130188 and for instance in Figures 3 and 3B
thereof, that is if it be attached to an air cavity of a syphon formed by and between
two water seals by one, or more pipes, it will cause exhaustion of that cavity and if a
sufficient quantity of fluid be supplied to the exhaust syphon of the urinal and the
measurement of its standard pipe from its orifice to its lower extremity considerably
exceed (say by twice its measurement) that of the bend of the discharge syphon
above the water level in the cistern, that discharge syphon will go full bore. The
exhaust pipe may either he attached directly to the syphon of the cistern in the
manner described in the above named Specification No. 1301885, or it may first bo
made to actuate a part hore hydraulic exhaust apparatus which actuates the discharge
syphon of the cistern.
By my Invention, namely by flushing cisterns as above set forth and by such an
apparatus as specified one act of micturition will actuate, or initiate the action
described.
Different forms of apparatus can be devised to meet the requirements of special
cases, but in all the essential feature is the use of an apparatus so constructed
that an act of micturition causes the rise in the cap of the exhaust syphon of
fluid in such quantity and at such a pressure that the exhaust syphon acts as
described.
It is evident that if the vessel be made of large capacity and be made to empty
half its contents at each discharge one act of micturition will not cause the
exhaust syphon to act, but the final act of micturition of a series will do so.
Dated this 25th day of January 1887.

page_text: Improvements in Flushing Urinals and Apparatus therefor.
I, STRETHILL HARRY WRIGHT, of 49" Talbot Street, Southport, in the County of
Lancaster, Doctor of Medicine, 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:-
The methods and apparatus to which this Invention relates have for their object to.
Alush urinals-whether in separate, multiple, or common, or other forms-with water,
to effect by such water the removal of the urine voided into the urinal and to thereby
cleanse it and render it free from all noxious smells and impurities.
It is known that fluids when passing through pipes or tubes possess the property
of conveying with their flow proportional quantities of air, or other gases; and I have
discovered that if a regulated volume of water be allowed to flow part bore down a
pipe and that the said pipe be in communication with a chamber, or other space, rare-
faction of the air in such space will be effected, and the degree and rapidity of
rarefaction will depend upon the charge of fluid which such tube receives, less than
its full bore capacity, the weight of the water and air column in such tube and the
perpendicularity of its fall. The method of exhausting embodying the above
characteristics is secured to me by Letters Patent No. 13018 A.D. 1885.
Now this present Invention is based upon the principle above stated, and in accord-
ance with it, I effect the actuation, or initiate the action of an hydraulic exhaust
apparatus, hereafter defined, by means of the urine voided into a urinal, which
apparatus sets in action the syphon discharge pipe of a flushing cisctern, in connection
with the said urinal, whereby the urinal is Hushed.
A convenient form of apparatus for effecting the flushing of urinals, as above
described consists as follows:-
I take a vessel, or vessels of convenient size and shape which I connect to the
urinal pan in such a manner that all fluid introduced into the pan passes into the
vessel.
In the vessel, or one of the vessels I place a standard pipe, the lower end of which
passes down through the bottom of the vessel, and the upper end of which is placed
in such a way, that if the vessel be charged with fluid until this discharge pipe be
charged over its lip, or orifice, it will discharge the vessel down to the level of the
lip, or orifice of the pipe.
In, or in connection with this vessel I place a second pipe, and in this pipe I provide
one, or more apertures, which together will only admit a part bore charge to the pipe
(say not more than half bore charge). This call the exhaust pipe, and it must be
of such diameter and length that the ordinary pressure of fluid entering the vessel
by micturition will charge as described and cause an exhaust action through the
pipe.
In action, if the apparatus fitted as described, be connected by the exhaust con-
nection to a closed chamber and fluid passed in sufficient quantity into the vessel to

page_text: rise and overflow the orifice in the exhaust pipe, and charge it as described, a partial
exhaust will take place in that closed chamber. If the exhaust connection be attached
to the discharge syphon of a flush tank, in the manner I have set forth in the Specifi-
cation of Letters Patent granted to me No. 13018%, and for instance in Figures 3*
and 3 thereof, that is, if it be attached to an air cavity of a syphon formed by and
between two water seals by one, or more pipes, it will cause exhaustion of that cavity,
and if a sufficient quantity of fluid bo supplied to the exhaust pipe of the urinal and
the measurement of its standard pipe from its orifice to its lower extremity con-
siderably excee. (say by twice its measurement) that of the bend of the discharge
syphon above the water level in the cistern, that discharge syphon will go full bore.
The exhaust pipe may either be attached directly to the syphon of the cistern in the
manner described in the above named Specification No. 13018%, or it may first
be made to actuate a part bore hydraulic exhaust apparatus which actuates the discharge
syphon of the cistern.
By my Invention, namely, by flushing cisterns as above set forth, and by such an
apparatus as specified, one act of micturition will actuate, or initiate, the action
described.
Having thus specified generally the object, or objects and nature of the Invention,
its description will first he proceeded with in reference to the Drawings by way of
explaining more fully the construction; operation, and effects and objects of the
Invention.
The Drawings and the following description of them set forth special apparatus
designed to apply the method of flushing urinals, the mode of operation of which has
been above explained.
Figure 1 represents a general view of a single urinal consisting of a pan, a part of
the exhaust apparatus and a flushing cistern.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the flushing cistern.
Figures 3 and 4 are cross sections through the lines X X and Y Y respectively of
the cistern shown in Figure 2 looking right and left.
Figure 5 is a plan of the cistern, and
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the cistern at Z Z Figure 5.
Figure 7 represents a perspective view of the cistern syplion flushing apparatus.
Figure 8 shows a sectional elevation of the exhaust apparatus connected with the
urinal pan.
Figures 9 and 10 are sectional plans of the exhaust apparatus at the lines X'X¹
and respectively in Figure 8.
Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of modified form of exhaust apparatus according
to this Invention.
Figure 12 is a plan in section at ZZ Figure 11 of the apparatus, and
Figure 13 is a sectional elevation at ZZ Figure 12 of the apparatus.
Figure 14 shows in sectional elevation an example of this Invention applied to a
Latrine, and
Figure 15 is a plan of same.
Referring in the first instance to the first ten figures of the Drawings A represents
the flushing cistern provided with a discharge syphon B, diaphragm a and well a
and is the urinal pan having the actuating and exhausting vessels c, c, connected
with it. Of these c is the discharge vessel, that is the vessel which first receives the
urine voided into the pan C and discharges it into the second vessel et, and afterwards
receives the flushing water and discharges such water by its discharge pipe d; and e
is the exhaust vessel which I term the "Exhaust element." In this vessel e¹ I place the
exhaust pipe e and I provide an aperture ² in it which will only admit a part bore
charge to it (say not more than a half bore charge). The discharge vessel e and the
exhaust vessel c are connected together by a coupling pipe c. The pipe is pro-
duced through the roof of the vessel e¹ and I connect it with a second exhaust
element and with the syphon B. The pipe e is also produced through the bottom
of the vessel c and constitutes what I terin the draw pipe to it, so that the pipe e
below is the draw pipe of the element e', and the portion of e between e¹ and

page_text: becomes the draw pipe of element; the portion of e above connects the exhaust to
the syphon B. The top of the discharge pipe d is closed as shown to prevent the
urine flowing from the pan-a part namely the outlet of the pan is shown in Figure &
and marked falling directly into the pipe. The outflow aperture in this pipe is
at the side as shown in Figure 8 and stands above the hole c² of the exhaust pipe e
so that the annular space round the pipe d in the vessel e shall be of sufficient capacity
to hold the necessary amount of urine to feed the exhaust apparatus c while per-
forming its functions of setting in action the flush syphon B. The quantity necessary
to start the action of element (with reference to Figures 1 to 10) is about two
ounces, but under altered circumstances one ounce and a half, or three, or four ounces
of fluid depending upon the circumstances that may render any of those particular
quantities necessary may be made to set the apparatus in action.
The exhaust element is supplied with water from the well a' of the cistern A by
the syphon pipe g, the bend of which lies just below the bend of the main syphon B.
The object of this is to cause the water to rise over the bend of the syphon and set
it fully in action before it rises over the bend of the main syphon 13. The syphon g
also serves as an air pipe to the syphon B when the discharge is completed.
g
The syphon B is of ordinary type having a trap B just below the cistern, and its
short leg is situated within the cistern A whilst its long leg comes without the cistern,
as shown. I provide a hole in the short leg nearly at its bottom to aid in supplying
the syphon B with air on completion of its action. The various water levels of the
cisterns are shown in dotted lines in the Drawings and are marked F. W. L., and
E. W. L., to indicate respectively the full and empty levels of the water of the different
portions of the cistern. To assure the scaling, or trap B' remaining whole after each
emptying of the cistern A the syphon g and a syphon pipe are arranged, and operate
in the following manner-To the trap B₁ of the syplion B, I provide a syphon pipe 61
the bend of which is higher than that of the syphon g but its extremity is above that
of the syphon g.
Both of these have their extremities placed within the well a'.
Then if the water in the well a' is reduced and falls below the bend of the syphon
pipe by the action of the syphon g-air will be admitted to the pipe 6, and so to
the trap 13. It is evident this will break the action of the column of water in the
flushing pipe below the trap B', and as soon as the water is further reduced and falls
below the extremity of the syphon g, air will be admitted to the bend of the syphon B
and will together with the air admitted through the hole b-break the action of the
syphon B. These two actions will follow each other in rapid succession and the seal
of the trap B' will be maintained whole. The depth of dip of the extremities of the
syphons gand & into the well a' are determined by the capacity of the well, the size
of the syphon g, and the volume of water to be drawn from the cistern. That is to
say, the syphons g and must be so arranged and of such a size that air will be sup-
plied to the trap B' and the syphon B when the desired volume of water has been
drawn from the cistern A, thereby causing the sealing of the trap 13' to remain whole.
The portion of the syphon B between the seal, or trap B and the short leg of the
syphon will, when the cistern is full, constitute a closed, or sealed chamber, or space
and by exhausting this space by the method according to this Invention, herein
specified, the full bore discharge of the syphon is effected. This operation is as
follows Assuming the cistern A and the trap of the syphon B to be filled, if then
urine be voided in a quantity, such as above stated, into the pan C, it falls therefrom
into the vessel e and so on and into and through the aperture and down the exhaust
pipe e, and charges that pipe part bore, the urine flowing down the pipe e part bore,
draws air from the pipe and the sealed spaces within the syphons y and B. So soon
as sufficient air is exhausted in this manner to cause
ase-through the reduction of
pressure within the syphons-the water to rise within the syphons to the height of
the bend of the small syphon g, water flows over such bend and down the long leg of
the syphon g, the action of the exhaust element will be initiated, and the action so
commenced will continue until the syphon B goes full bore. The syphons 7 and 61
will continue to empty the well a¹ of the cistern A until the extremity of the syphon b
is reached, and air is given to the trap B' of the syphon B by the syphon 6, and to
:―
?

page_text: the bend of the syphon B by the syphon g, when the action of the apparatus stops.
The aperture from the syphon g to the element fis of such a size, say of an inch
as to only allow so much water to flow down the pipe e, which may be of an inch
bore, as will charge it part bore. Having thus initiated the action of the exhaust
clement by the urine voided into the pan C, the remaining work to be done, namely
the completion of the exhaustion of the large syphon B is effected by the exhaust
element, the water supply for which is drawn froin the well a' of the cistern A. The
exhaustion of the enclosed space of the syphon B now being effected by the exhaust
element will be sufficient to cause that syphon to discharge full bore and so flush
the urinal pan C with the contents of the cistern. This flushing water flows away
from the pan by the pipe d, but besides having flushed the pan C, the vessels c and c¹
and the pipes and passages connected with them will have been also flushed with the
water, and so the urine will have been removed from them, or so diluted the liquid
left in the vessels, namely the amount which lies below the level of the hole c² (see
Figure 8) that it will not give off any obnoxious smell, or cause the pipes, or passages,
or the vessels themselves to "fur up." The water after the flushing is finished will
stand in the portion of the cistern in which the syphon B is placed at E. W. L. and the
trap B will be sealed.
The proportions and sizes of the pipes e, and the apertures and 1 which I have
found very suitable in practice in order to give the required action of the apparatus
are and of an inch respectively.
In order to provide an efficient and certain operation of the method of flushing
above specified, I have constructed the flushing cistern with the well a¹ and
diaphragin a. The diaphragm separates the cistern into two parts, one for the floater h
of the filling cock (which is of the ordinary type) to work in, and the other to hold
the flushing water. And it is so arranged that when the cistern is being emptied of
tho flushing water by the syphon B, no fresh water shall be admitted to the cistern,
but shall be admitted when the emptying is complete or nearly complete. This is
effected by the diaphragin a and the syphon a' as follows:-The F. W. L. of the
cistern A is arranged to be a little above the level of the lowest portion of the overflow
or lip of the diaphragm a. as shown; and the E. W. L. of the floater portion of the
cistern is governed by the extremity of the short leg of the syphon a². This syphon
is so arranged that the floater portion of the cistern shall not be emptied of its
contents by the syphon a² when the water in the other portion of the cistern is being
lowered, or emptied. But as soon as such flushing portion is emptied the syphon a
empties the floater portion down to the E. W. L. and so allows the cock /* to open
fully and rapidly fill the cistern; and the cock will not commence to close until the
flushing portion of the cistern is full, or nearly full, the refilling of the floater portion
of the well being the last; and these are filled by the water Howing over the lowest
portion of the well a' and the diaphragm a; of these levels the well a' is the lowest
and consequently fills before the floater portion.
The desired action of the syphon a² is effected by placing the bend of the syphon
slightly above the overflow lip, or edge of the diaphragm a, so that no water flows by
the syphon from the flushing to the floater portion, but all Hows into it over the over-
flow lip. By this means, as the water rises in the flushing portion of the cistern in
filling, and up the long leg of the syphon, the air inside the syphon is forced out
through the short leg until the water has reached the level of the diaphragm overflow
lip when the water ceases to rise in the flushing portion of the cistern; the overflow
filling the floater portion and thereby sealing the extremity of the short leg of the
syphon ². Thus the space within the short leg and bend of the syphon a² is formed
into an air cavity. This air cavity prevents the action of this syphon taking place
when the cistern is emptying until the water in the long leg of the syphon has fallen
sufficiently to withdraw the air from the short leg and the bend, and cause water to
fall down the long leg.
To render the action of the syphon a certain, I construct its long leg of larger
diameter than its short leg, as shown, and arrange that the extremity of its long leg is
sealed when the water in the cistern A stands at E. W. L. By this means no air is

page_text: admitted to the long leg by its extremity and the volume of water in such leg is such
that a small fall of the liquid beyond the measurement of the short leg and bend in
that leg will start the action of the syphon.
Although it is preferred to use the intermediary exhaust element above specified,
a urinal flushing apparatus can be operated without this element. In such a case the
element would be dispensed with; the pipe e being connected directly to the
syphon B as described. The pipe g however would be retained and used, but only
to supply air to the bend of the syphon B to break its action at the proper time as
specified. The extremity of this pipe y would be placed in the well and operate so
far as supplying air to the flushing syphon precisely as hereinbefore explained.
With reference to Figures 11, 12 and 13 of the Drawings, the example there shown
consists of a modified form of vessel attached to the pan. It will be seen that in lien
of having a separate exhaust vessel el as above specified, I make the vessel e common
to the pipes d and e and provide a cap to the vessel e in which the lip of the
discharge pipe d is placed. A second cap is provided on the vessel c through which
the exhaust pipe is produced and in the portion of the pipe e that comes within this
It
cap, I provide a hole or holes e² to give the required part bore charge to the pipo e.
will be evident that when urine is made into the pan C and falls into the vessel c the
height of the liquid is raised in the cap and will flow through the holes e² and the
operation of exhaustion commences; the pipe e being in connection with another
exhaust element the action of it will be initiated and the remaining portion of the
flushing operation will follow, as above specified. The size of this example of vessel e
is 4 inches in diameter, whereas the diameter of the vessel e shown in Figures 1. 8. 9
and 10 is about 1 inches.
C
C
It is evident that if a vessel of large size, such as an ordinary Latrine into which
urine is made, be arranged to empty, say half its contents at each discharge, one act
of micturition will not cause the exhaust flushing syphon to act; but the final act of
micturition of a series will do so. Such an apparatus is illustrated in Figures 14 and 15.
In this apparatus as soon as the level of the fluid in the Latrine C rises to the level
of the bend of the small syphon e* (this being equivalent to the connecting passage
shown in Figures 8 and 9) Huid from the Latrine flows into the exhaust vessel c
through which the exhaust pipe e is passed-and then through the part bore hole in
the exhaust pipe e. The exhaustion thus made exhausts air from the syphon B (which
is sealed as shown) placed in the tank A and so sets it in action. The water supplied
from the cistern A by this syphon instead of being used to flush the Latrine directly,
as in the apparatus herein before set forth, is delivered into the trap B³ of a large
flushing syphon B², in which I introduce a pipe e as shown. In this pipe I provide a
hole which admits a part bore charge to the pipe. This hole is placed below the
lower level of the upper, or second bend of the trap 13 and the water supplied by the
syphon B is used to exhaust the pipe e and the syphon B2 and so sets this syphon B2
in operation. The pipe e' is produced through the trap B³ and empties itself into the
Latrine, in which the end of it is placed. The flushing water enters the Latrine at
one end of it and discharges a portion of the diluted urine over the syphon outlet (³.
The syphon is placed in a well a' and after the Latrine is flushed, the fluid in it
would be below the level of the supply aperture n of the well, and the well itself will
be empty. Therefore the syphon e will remain inoperative until the well is filled and
the last act of a series of acts of micturition will initiate its action as above specified.
The filling aperture n of the well a' is provided with a gauze strainer n¹. This is
provided to keep the syphon pipe clear of dirt and other solid matters that might
render it inoperative. The size of the syphon e must be small; for instance it may
be made of tube having inch bore. Such a size will be found to ensure immunity
from failure. The size of the pipe e used in the exhaust element will be the same as
used in the urinal draw pipe above specified, namely 3 of an inch.
Different forms of apparatus can be devised to meet the requirements of special
cases, but in all the essential feature is the use of an apparatus so constructed that an
act of micturition causes the flow of fluid in such quantity down the exhaust pipe in
such a manner that the exhaust syphon acts as described.

page_text: The exhaust power of fluid flowing down tubes depends upon the size of the tubes
and the quantity of fluid less than their full bore capacity supplied to them. Such
tubes have been called "draw pipes" in this Specification. Such draw pipes when
used in apparatus as herein described must be of such size that the stream, or volume
of urine made in ordinary micturition is sufficient rightly to charge them. I have
found that inch tubes supplied through an orifice, or pipe of
results.
inch gives good
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 :-
First. The herein described method of flushing urinals, which method consists in
causing the urine voided into a urinal to actuate, or initiate the action of a part bore
hydraulic exhaust apparatus, of the type herein specified, which apparatus sets in
action a syplion discharge pipe of a flushing cistern, either with, or without inter-
mediary exhaust apparatus, as, or substantially as herein set forth.
Second. In apparatus for flushing urinals in which the urine voided into the urinal
pan sets in action part bore hydraulic exhaust apparatus of the type herein specified,
the combination of a vessel c, or vessels c and el, a discharge pipe d, an exhaust pipe e,
an exhaust element f, a syphon and a flushing syphon B, arranged, operating and
constructed as, or substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 1 to 13 of the
Drawings.
Third. In apparatus for flushing urinals in which the urine voided into the urinal
pan sets in action part bore hydraulic exhaust apparatus of the type herein specified,
the combination with the flushing cistern syphon B thereof, of a trap B' having a
syphon pipe b, and a well a¹ in which the extremity of the said syphon b¹ is placed ;
arranged, operating and constructed, as, or substantially as set forth with reference to
Figures 1 to 13 of the drawings.
Fourth. In apparatus for flushing Latrines, in which the urine voided into the
Latrine sets in action part bore hydraulic exhaust apparatus of the type herein
specified, the combination with the Latrine of a syphon c, an initiatory exhaust
element e, an exhaust pipe e, a syphon B, an exhaust pipe e and a flushing syphon B²;
arranged, operating and constructed as, or substantially as set forth with reference to
Figures 14 and 15 of the Drawings.
Fifth. In apparatus of the type herein described for flushing urinals, an exhaust
element in which the draw pipe (e) is of of an inch internal diameter and the
aperture, or apertures for feeding the motor fluid to such draw pipe, is, or are together
equal to an aperture of of an inch diameter, as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. The urinal flushing apparatus set forth with reference to Figures 2 to 7 of
the drawings, constructed particularly as described and shown.
Dated this 25th day of October 1887.