IMPROVEMENTS IN LAVATORIES, WATER-CLOSETS, AND COMMODES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Smith and Robert Smith, both of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, Plumbers and Brass Founders, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAVATORIES, WATER-CLOSETS, AND COMMODES."
Sealed the 17th February 1880, and dated the 30th September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Smith and Robert
Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th September
1879.
ANDREW SMITH and ROBERT SMITH, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Plumbers and Brass Founders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAVATORIES,
WATER-CLOSETS, AND COMMODES."
This Invention relates to lavatories, water-closets and commodes specially
adapted for use in ships' cabins, railway cars, and other similar situations, but also
suitable for office or household purposes, and has for its objects to arrange and
construct such conveniences in a novel, simple and inexpensive manner, and so as
to occupy much less lateral space when fitted up than is usually required for the
accommodation of the kinds in common use.
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification applicable to
lavatories, an ordinary wash band basin is fitted on a board, slab, or shallow box
hinged to or pivotted on the outer upper edge of a tank for holding the waste or
used water. Above this basin there is placed a small tank or cistern containing
clean water, and when not in use the basin lies in a vertical position, or as if
tipped up on edge, in the intermediate space between the two tanks or water
vessels; the whole combined forming an oblong box or cabinet, which may be
suitably ornamented externally, and may be fitted against a partition or into a
small recess made in a room wall or in a ship's bulkhead. When the lavatory is
to be used the basin board or slab is swung or turned down on its hinges or pivot
by a knob or handle on the outside until the basin lies horizontally, in which
position it is sustained partly by the hinges or pivot, and partly by a chain, link,
or rod on each side; and water is admitted to the basin by a pipe from the tank
above, through a spring tap or other cock fitted inside the cabinet. After use the
basin slab is canted or turned up on its hinges to close the lavatory, and the used
water is by this means emptied over the edge or lip of the basin into the waste

page_text: water tank beneath, whence it may be led away directly by a pipe or withdrawn
periodically by a cock. Soap dishes and the usual fittings may be fixed at the
back inside the cabinet beside the water tap, so as to be opposite the hollow of the
basin when canted up; or the requisite fittings may be provided on the board or
slab to which the basin is fixed.
In lavatories particularly designed for use on board ship or in railway cars or
vehicles subject to jolting, the basin may be formed with a turned-in lip round the
rim to prevent spilling of the water, a suitable outlet or aperture being provided
for the discharge of the waste water; and the basin may be made of earthenware,
or of enamelled or galvanized metal, the tanks being of metal covered with wood or
enamelled externally, but instead of the basin being fitted to the hinged board or
Blab, both may be formed or cast in metal in one piece, and the tanks may also be
in one casting on which the basin piece may be hinged or pivotted, or made to
swing on quadrants, or the whole lavatory may be made of porcelain or glazed
ware of a suitable ornamental exterior, and can be made so as to project only a few
inches, or little more than the depth of a shallow basin from the wall or partition
against which it is fitted.
In a modification of the improvements as applied to water closets and commodes
a closet basin of suitable shape, but without the ordinary pan, is substituted for
the wash hand basin of the lavatory, and this basin may be hinged in the manner
described to a waste water tank or vessel connected by preference directly to a soil
pipe.
When several lavatories, closets, or commodes are to be fitted up in close
proximity to each other the clean water tanks may be dispensed with, and all may
be supplied with water by pipes leading from a single large tank, or from a water
main; and when the waste is also led away by pipes only a very small vessel will
be required for receiving the water discharged from the basin, an extremely
limited amount of space being occupied by the lavatory, closet, or commode, thus
admitting of being fitted up in confined situations where there would be insufficient
room for the ordinary forms.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Smith and Robert Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd March 1880.
ANDREW SMITH and ROBERT SMITH, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Plumbers and Brass Founders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAVATORIES,
WATER CLOSETS, AND COMMODES.”
Our said Invention relates to lavatories, water closets, urinals and commodes,
specially adapted for use in ships' cabins, railway cars, and other similar situations,
but also suitable for office or household purposes, and it has for its objects to
arrange and construct such conveniences in a novel, simple, and inexpensive manner,
and so as to occupy much less lateral space when fitted up than is usually required
for the accommodation of the kinds in common use.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended two Sheets of explanatory
Drawings for that purpose, in which the same reference letters are used to indicate
the same or like parts wherever they are shown.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1, of these Drawings is a front elevation; Figure 2 is a
vertical section; and Figure 3 is a side elevation showing a modification of our
improved lavatory as constructed for use ou board ship or in railway cars, and
which consists of an oblong wooden box, frame, or cabinet A, A', containing the
wash-hand basin B, and clean and waste water tanks C, D, with the usual
accessories of an ordinary lavatory. The basin B is fitted and held by screws or
other equivalent means on a board, slab, or shallow box A' hinged to or pivotted
on the onter upper edge a of the part of the cabinet framing A, A¹, containing the
tank D for holding the waste water, and when not in use the basin hangs or lies
in a vertical position or as if tipped up on edge in the intermediate space of the
cabinet A, A, between the two water tanks C and D. When the lavatory is to
be used, the basin, board, or slab A¹ is swung or turned down on its hinges or
pivot a by a knob or handle a' on the outside until the basin lics horizontally, in
which position it is sustained partly by the hinges a, and partly by a folding link
or links a², or it might be chains, on each side, and these links a are jointed by
pins to horizontal bars, which rest on rubber pads at a³ in socket pieces fixed to
the side of the cabinet A, and prevent the concussion of the basin when let fall,
from damaging it. The upper tank C is filled through an opening at c, into which
a caraffe or water jug may be placed, and the clean water is adimitted to fill the
basin B, by a small pipe b from the tank C, through a spring tap or other cock b¹
fitted inside the cabinet A. After use the basin, slab, or board A', B,
canted or
turned up on its hinges to close the lavatory, and the used water is by this means
emptied over the edge or lip B¹ of the basin B into the waste water tank D beneath,
whence it may be led away directly by a soil pipe, or withdrawn periodically by
the cock d. The lower tank D is fitted with angled splash boards or plates d', and
a perforated draining plate d" to prevent the passage of the soap or other articles
with the waste water into this tank or receptacle D, soap dishes e and the usual
lavatory fittings are fixed at the back, inside the cabinet A, beside the water tap b¹,
so as to be opposite the hollow of the basin B when canted up; but if preferred the
requisite fittings may be provided on the board or slab A', to which the basin B is
fixed. The basin B may be of the ordinary shape, but in this lavatory which is
specially intended for use on board ship, or in railway cars, or vehicles subject to
jolting, the basin is preferably formed with a turned-in lip B₁ round the rim to
prevent spilling of the water, and this lip is cut away at the inner edge B₁, or a
suitable outlet or aperture may be provided for the discharge of the waste water
when the basin is canted up and the cabinet closed. The basin and board are held
up, when not in use, by means of any ordinary spring or other catch, which can be

page_text: easily released by hand. The basin B is preferably made of earthenware, but it
might be of enamelled or galvanised or other metal, the tanks C, D, being made of
metal covered externally by the wooden cabinet A, or they may be enamelled or
suitably ornamented externally, and the wooden case dispensed with. Instead of
the basin B being fitted to the hinged board or slab A³, both may be formed or cast
of metal in one or more pieces, and the tanks C, D, may also be in one casting on
which the basin may be hinged or pivotted, or made to swing on quadrants; or
the whole lavatory may be mado of porcelain or glazed ware of a suitable
ornamental exterior, and it may be made so as to project only a few inches, or
little more than the depth of a shallow basin from the wall or partition against
which it is fitted, but it may, when convenient, be sunk into the wall so as to be
flush with its outer face when closed.
Figures 4 and 5, on Sheet 2, of the Drawings are vertical sections taken as at
right angles to each other of a water closet constructed in accordance with our
improvements, and shown combined with our improved lavatory. The closet
basin B2, which is preferably formed of enamelled metal and enclosed in a wooden
cabinet A, A, is rigidly fixed by bolts or otherwise to a large chamber E open to
and discharging into the soil pipe F, the joint between the basin B2 and this
discharge chamber E being fitted with a rubber valve seat, against which the
inverted pan or valve e of the closet bears. The discharge chamber E is carried
by trunnions F, G, on which it is free to turn or swivel, and these trunnions are
also formed with stuffing boxes, one F1 at the discharge outlet, and the other G at
the water inlet pipe G. When the closet is to be used it is turned or swung down
with the front panel A³ of the cabinet, on the rocking centre formed by the
trunnions F, G, to the position shown by the dotted lines, in which the seat is
horizontal, where it is supported either by catches or stops formed at each inner
side of the cabinet A, A, or by hinged links (a²) of the kind shown applied to the
lavatory in Figure 3; and it may also be partly held up by the front panel A² of
the cabinet bearing in a notch on the floor, as shown in Figure 4. When out of
use the basin B and panel A² aro replaced by being swung up, and are held by a
catch in the position shown by the full lines. Tho basin B is flushed by lifting
the handle H and lover h, which by another lever depresses an inlet valve g off its
seat to admit water through a pipe g* at one side to the basin B, and by turning
the spindle at the same time lowers the closet pan e¹. The lavatory is fitted
above, and is constructed in a manner similar to that shown and described in
reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the Drawings, excepting that the waste water
tank D is suitably formed to occupy the triangular space above the closet basin B,
and the waste water is led from the receptacle D by a pipe D' leading into the
soil pipe F.
Figure 6, on Sheet 2, of the Drawings is a vertical section; and Figure 7 is a
front elevation of a urinal of our improved construction adapted for general use, and
consists of a shallow box A, which may be inade either of enamelled metal or
glazed ware. Part of the front plate B³ of this box A is made separate and hinged
or pivotted on a pin a³ at the upper edge of the part D" forming the water
receptacle, on which it swivels, and may be turned down for use to the position
shown by the dotted lines where it is held by a stop b². When so turned down
the knob and lever I fall or may be depressed to open the water inlet valve g³, and
admit water by the small tubes i to flush the urinal. When the front plate B³ is
turned up this plate is retained in its position by the knob I, and the urinal is kept
closed.
The forms of closet and urinal shown in Figures 4 to 7 may be fitted against or
recessed in a ship's bulkhead or in a room wall, and by closing up out of sight they
will be found to answer well for commodes or night conveniences in sleeping apart-
inents or cabins.
When several lavatories, closets, or commodes are to be fitted up in close
proximity to each other, separate clean water tanks may be dispensed with, and all
may be supplied with water by pipes leading from a single large tank or from a

page_text: water main; and when the waste is also led away by pipes, only a very small
vessel will be required for receiving the water discharged from the basin, an
extremely limited amount of space being occupied by the lavatory, closet, or com-
mode; thus admitting of being fitted up in confined situations, where there would
be insufficient room for the ordinary forms.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, we desire it to be understood that we do not restrict ourselves to
the precise details herein described or delineated, but what we believe to be novel
and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the hereinbefore
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The general arrangement and construction of a self-contained lavatory
having a hinged or other folding or swinging basin (A, B,) capable of being canted,
or turned and closed up when not in use, and preferably fitted in a cabinet with or
without clean and waste water tanks or receptacles (C, D,), all substantially as and
for the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3
of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The general arrangement and construction of swivelling or folding
water closets, urinals, commodes, or night conveniences fitted with swivelling or
swinging basins capable of being turned or closed up when not in use, all sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described, in reference to and shown in Figures 4,
5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The application and use in lavatories, water-closets, urinals, and com-
modes of a movable folding basin hinged or pivotted, or hung by quadrants, so as
to be folded or closed up when not in use, all substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Smith, on behalf of myself and the
said Robert Smith, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth
day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty.
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
ANDREW SMITH. (L.S.)