IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT ARE KNOWN AS DRY EARTH CLOSETS AND UBINALS
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Leonard Barber Edgcome
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th November 1871.
I, THOMAS LEONARD BARBER EDGCOME, of 24, Brunswick Square, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT ARE KNOWN AS DRY EARTH
CLOSETS AND UBINALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a construction so devised as most inex-
pensively to secure by its peculiar arrangement the greatest possible
accommodation in a given space to any number of persons requiring
temporary and individual privacy, for the use of earth closets and earth
urinals.
This construction necessarily varies in detail according to its special
use, but it is always based upon one principle, viz., that every person
who may use any part of it, for the particular purpose for which that
part is intended, is of necessity similarly placed in reference to or towards
some one central point in the said construction as any other person
or persons who may use any other part or parts of the construction
intended for the same purpose.

page_text: Used as a closetory my Invention assumes the design of a construction
containing within itself any number of separate compartments, in every
one of which is fixed or placed a closet, unless it is desired to appropriate
one or two of these compartments to the purpose of a urinal, the other
compartments being differently used. This construction not only com-
bines in itself all these compartments, but it does so in such a way
that the occupant of every compartment is quite separate from the
occupant of every other compartment, and enjoys absolute privacy.
It is especially applicable to the earth closet or carbon closet system.
It effects the largest accommodation in the least space for the greatest
number. It is made capable of turning on a central axis or pivot,
and is supported by means of wheels, so that the soil from all the closets
may be discharged into one discharge pipe, over which any part of the
construction can be readily moved. One central reservoir may be
employed for containing sufficient earth supply for all the closets, which
may be fitted into the several compartments, and the receptacle of every
closet will be supplied, as required from time time, from the common
reservoir; the closets fitted into the several compartments may be of
any ordinary construction, and be so shaped as to fit into the space
available.
They may also be made with a seat so constructed as to be portable,
washable, easily dryable, and otherwise clean and suitable; this seat
is separate from the ordinary closet seat, and either in addition to or
instead of the ordinary fixed seat. It may also be made so as to include
a back and sides, or either of these, and I prefer it should be constructed
of tiles laid on wood, or of slab. By employing an assemblage of earth
closets arranged in the manner above described the use of more than
one pipe to convey away from any room or loft to a lower level the
contents of any number of closets on the same floor or level is rendered
unnecessary. The entire construction being on wheels, and revolving
around a pivot or axis rod, every receptacle may be easily moved or
revolved, when required, to one point, at which point the top of the
pipe comes (if the closet is above the basement). This top is capable
of being unscrewed and screwed at pleasure, and it is well that the
diameter of the pipe at its top should exceed the diameter of the lower
part of the several réceptacles.
I construct the closets in the following manner:-Walls rise from a

page_text: .
These walls form similar radii from the same centro to the same
circumference, or, more properly, they are that portion of radii to the
same circumference which is cut off by a smaller circumference, having
the same centre as the larger, and which reaches to the larger. The
construction may rest on a base, so made that the contents of every
receptacle will readily pass through it upon a slide in the latter being
withdrawn, or the base may otherwise be shaped, as required. The
construction may also be covered, or partly covered, but not so as to
exclude more air than is absolutely necessary. Each closet should
have a door, curtain, or both at the entrance, as the interior of the
construction generally consists of a vertical inner circle. There may
be placed in the upper part of this a reservoir, from which the earth
supply of all the separate closets may come.
The slide, by which the receptacle can be emptied at will, is by
preference that used by the system known as Moules' earth closet
system, or else the base is a revolving circular plate, as I shall particu-
larise further on. It is however only to be drawn asido when any recep-
tacle has been brought over the pipe intended to convey its contents away.
In order to obviato objections which may occasionally exist to the
plan of moving or revolving the entire construction I have abové
described from point to point, wherever its receptacles require to be
emptied, and to economise to the very utmost the circular space indi-
cated by the various places upon which the several receptacles must
ordinarily be placed in circular closetories, and to lessen considerably
the necessity of frequently emptying the receptacles containing closet
soil, and also to reduce the number of such receptacles I much prefer
to use an endless circular receptacle, tank, or wagon. This tank or
wagon revolves, or otherwise moves, by means of wheels around the
centre of the whole construction in a grooved or railed direction, and
at the same distance from it as the seats of the several closets. This
endless receptacle is shaped as shewn in the diagram
O
and is of the nature of a trough, or else it may have a base, and
also two sides rising severally from the convex and concave circum,

page_text: be withdrawn occasionally, or else a part or parts of the endless
receptacle may be capable of being screwed or unscrewed, and otherwise
removable by means of a handle fixed to its exterior. If it is further
sought to make this common receptacle such that it will hold more
soil than the endless trough or receptacle, the base may reach from the
extreme circumference to the centre all round, and the concave character
of the receptacle will not then exist. In this case the side will rise
around the said circular base, and there is no other side to the receptaclo
or trough. The base may be level, or it may rise or fall towards its
centre, I prefer that it should fall somewhat in this direction, and that
at.the centre should come the screwable part, through which the con-
tents may occasionally be discharged, if it is not intended to invert
the receptacle for this purpose. Whether the endless or circular
receptacle is employed (both of which I claim) it is equally available
for all and every closet in the said closetory construction. When it is
used or adopted the closetory construction, or parts of it, are so adjusted
and fitted as to be readily unfixed whenever this common receptacle
requires to be empted into a discharging pipe or otherwise, and as far
as is necessary to remove the receptacle from its place. By these means
the closetory itself need not necessarily be movable on wheels, or capable
of being revolved around a pivot, the special object for moving the
whole construction being better attained by means of the receptacle
common to every closet in the closetory, whether this receptacle is
endless or circular.
To remove with perfect cleanliness and rapidity the contents of the
common receptacle (whether it be circular or endless) I claim a peculiar
construction, by means of which the ordure accumulated in the same
may be conveyed directly to the pipe or tank in the floor or ground.
This construction consists of a hollow frustum of a cone, the diameter
of which at one end considerably exceeds the diameter of the other.
The smaller of these two diameters is less than the diameter of the
aforesaid pipe, through which (or tank into which) the contents of
the receptacle are to be emptied. The larger diameter exceeds the
extreme circumference of the said common (circular or endless) recep-
tacle. At the larger diameter a side or bottom is fixed, reaching around
the circumference and to the centre. At the smaller diameter there is no
side. Rising from the base, high enough and wide enough to admit of
the said common receptacle being horizontally whecled into the frustum

page_text: on its base or side is a door. This door is part of the body of the
frustrum, it acts on hinges, and is capable of being tightly fastened
when closed, so as to complete the circular wall of the frustum. The
largest diameter of the frustum should be rather more than barely
sufficient to admit of the said receptacle being wheeled into it, and to
stand on its base or side. Instead of using part of the body of the
frustum as a door I sometimes use the base or side for this purpose,
fixing it to the body of the frustum by hinges at one point, and by a
spring or otherwise temporarily at the opposite point, thus, when the
receptacle stands on the base the body of frustum closes over it. Thero
are handles attached to the outer wall of the frustum and also to the
receptacle. Through the frustum of the cone, near the smaller diameter,
runs a bar or shaft, having one or more fans or knives, or a circular
plate, flat, or oval, which being revolved or jerked forces the orduro
downwards into the pipe when the frustum has been inverted for this
purpose. These knives, fans, or plate are revolved from the exterior
by means of a handle or two attached to the shaft..
When it is sought to invert the frustum mechanically I effect this by
a peculiar method. The frustum is connected near its centre (vertically)
by one or two rods or bars, with two perpendicular shafts, which rise
externally from the ground to the same level. The rod or bar, or both
of them, are either fixed to the frustum, and revolve on the pedestals,
or revolve through holes in the frustum, and are fixed to the pedestals.
Those last are both capable of standing on the ground apart from the
frustum. The bar or bars may either run horizontally through the
frustum or simply pierce it at opposite points in the circumference of
same, or be fixed to the latter. These two holes should both be equally
near the end of frustum, and nearer to the larger than the smaller
diameter. Thus the ordure accumulated in the common receptacle
may be tilted over direct into the pipe in or tank on the floor when
the receptacle requires to be emptied.
I claim the application of a revolving and tightly fitting circular
plate (flat or oval) or revolving fan, or a rod or bar with knives like a
pug mill, even to the receptacle of a single closet upstairs, as preferable
to the discharging slide used by Mr. Moule, but in such a case it should
only be used when the receptacle is fixed to the pipe. The dirtied slide
is avoided by my plan. The handle that turns the above plate need
only describe a semicircle, and move to and fro; and in this caso it.

page_text: should work to and fro so as to jerk at either side, and thus shake the
ordure off the plate, fan, or knives.
To obviate the difficulty in placing a dry carth closetory in the open
air, on the score of dampness, I adopt special means to ensure perfect
dryness under exposure to the weather. Around the closetory I have
described, but apart from and independent of it, is a surrounding wall
or walls, into and within which persons may pass to and from the
separate closets, and through which the endless or the circular receptacle
or trough can be taken horizontally. Over the said wall or walls (rising
to a point above the centre of the construction, and so arranged as to
prevent the possibility of rain entering into the construction, over the
said wall or walls, but not so fixed to the wall or walls as to exclude
a perfectly free passage of air) is a waterproof roof, which may overlap
the wall or walls, and rest on buttresses rising from the same or from
the ground. I prefer that this roof should be of glass, chiefly because
light will thus be diffused into every closet, and also because one lamp
under or over the same will equally illuminate every closet which
enables the closetory to be accessible at all hours, without fear of acci-
dental fire. To ensure dryness the base may be so elevated above
the ground, and so punctured with holes that the least dampness may
be speedily checked.
When this closetory construction is situated on the ground basement
or upper story of a building the means of artificial light which I have
described is sometimes a circular rim of light, or else a circle of jets
directly over the centre of this construction. Not only is every separate
closet illuminated by this single light rim or circle of lights, but the
ventilation of every closet is also effected by means of this selfsame light
rim or circle of lights which illuminates the entire closetory.
Under this arrangement it is better that the upper part of the roof
should be so constructed with a cowl, cupola, or overhanging turret as
to allow any smell or foul air to be carried off through the same, by
means of the draught created by the heated air; if this plan is adopted
the roof may reach to the wall or outer wall of the closetory, as a
second current of air is not necessary.
I seck thus by one and the same process both to illuminate and
ventilate in the cheapest manner, and in the smallest compass a series
of separate earth closets, and moreover I propose to render this heat
further available for the purpose of drying earth by placing earth

page_text: Such earth may
around, under, or otherwise within reach of the rays of heat emanating
from the same. To perfect this radiation of heat I use one or more
reflectors, by which means heat may be reflected and directed to any
place where the earth is placed in order to be dried.
be dried in a circular or other receptacle, partly or
sufficient height) the several closets or near them.
a second light rim of light or circle of lights may be near the ground
in the centre of the construction, but by preference it should be right
over the centre of the entire construction.
entirely over (at a
If desired, this or
In order that the supply of dry earth may be increased by economising
the rays of the sun by day time, and also by a current of air at all times,
there may be in the roof a powerful prism or disc of glass or other
material, in order to direct into a focus the rays of the sun towards a
central uncovered receptaclo in which earth is placed in order to be
dried. The receptacle containing such earth is easily moveable, and it
has a circular flat plate, on revolving which, or a sliding valve on
withdrawing which, the dried carth can fall in any direction outside
the construction, or inside it into the common reservoir, or the reservoirs
from which all the closets are supplied. The sides of this receptacle
are perforated, or else very low, so that a current of air may freely pass
and play through the earth required to be dried; by preference this
receptacle is circular, and is placed above the said common reservoir,
or it may sometimes be constructed as the upper part of it and its
medium of supply.
Whenever the earth system is applied in the form of a commode (or
closed closet for use in a room) a quantity of foul gas or air frequently
remains in the commode after use, because it has no outlet. To obviate
this I use a pipe, by means of which I convey and conduct from the
upper part of the interior of the commode any such foul gas or air to
the open air by means of the chimney or otherwise; this pipe may be
flexible or not. It may be fixed to the commode, but by preference
it can be unfixed by means of a screw when not required for use, at
the point where it is screwed it communicates with the interior of the
commode, or else penetrates into the same.