IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATERCLOSETS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George White, of Torquay, in the County of Devon,
Plumber, Francis Buckland, of Newton Abbott, in the same County,
Auctioneer, and Charles Rees, of Newton Bushel, in the same County,
Accountant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
WATERCLOSETS."
Sealed the 21st January 1868, and dated the 14th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George White, Francis
Buckland, and Charles Rees, at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 14th August 1862.
We, GEORGE WHITE, of Torquay, in the County of Devon, Plumber,
FRANCIS BUCKLAND, of Newton Abbott, in the same County, Auctioneer, and
CHARLES REES, of Newton Bushel, in the same County, Accountant, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF WATERCLOSETS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in waterclosets. For these
purposes the basin (which may be made either of glazed pottery, earthen-

page_text: ware, enamelled iron, or other suitable material) is so constructed as always
to retain one inch and three-quarters of water in the bottom of it; and in order
to prevent the sides of the basin from fouling the bottom of it is made
nearly flat, and of nearly the same size as the top.
To prevent any offensive smell arising an outlet from the basin by means of
a syphon or trap is provided, and in order to allow the contents of the basin
to pass freely away this outlet is at the side of the basin, while the fan
admitting the water into it is so shaped as to allow a portion of the water to
be driven on each side of the basin instead of being carried with a spiral
motion round it, as usually the case. The greater part of the water being
allowed to flow directly to the bottom of the basin, and thence through the
aperture or discharge pipe on the opposite side, the basin is effectually
cleaned, and nothing but clear water left in it and the syphon.
The closet is so constructed by means of a suitable combination of rods or
levers connected with the seat and service box as to be self-acting on every
occasion of the closet being used, thus preventing the possibility of use without
the removal of the contents of the basin.
The action of the "suitable combination of rods and levers," is as follows:-
On the seat being pressed by the weight of the person on it, it depresses for a
quarter of an inch the rod A, which is connected with the cross bar B, B;
this causes the end of this bar to rise at C two inches and a half, and thereby
to raise the bar D, D, at the point marked E the same distance. The
bar D, D, being affixed to a fulcrum nearer C than F, causes the wire G, G,
to be pulled down three inches, thereby lifting the valve Number 2 of the
service box and allowing the box to fill with water, and at the same time
shutting the valve Number 1, which prevents the water from leaving the
service box. On rising from the seat the weight H at the end of the lever I, I,
lifts the valve Number 1, allowing the contents of the service box to rush into
the basin, and at the same time drops the valve Number 2 and prevents any
more water entering the service box. The upright pipe K acts as an air pipe
into the service box, and also as a waste-water pipe, if required, as the valve
Number 2 is always open, except when the closet is in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said George White, Francis Buckland, and Charles Rees in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
WHITE, of Torquay, in the County of Devon, Plumber, FRANCIS BUCKLAND, of
Newton Abbott, in the same County, Auctioneer, and CHARLES REES, of
Newton Bushel, in the same County, Accountant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said George White, Francis Buckland, and Charles Rees, Her special
licence, that we, the said George White, Francis Buckland, and Charles Rees,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
George White, Francis Buckland, and Charles Rees, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATERCLOSETS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George White, Francis
Buckland, and Charles Rees, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed, in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George White, Francis Buckland.
and Charles Rees, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say):-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in waterclosets. For these
purposes the basin of the closet (which may be made either of glazed pottery,
earthenware, enamelled iron, or other suitable material, is constructed with
the bottom of a concave form so as always to retain in it a sufficient quantity
of water. The basin is constructed nearly of the same width at the bottom
as at the top, and the sides being thus nearly perpendicular to the water's edge

page_text: are not liable to be fouled by offensive matter dropping and lodging upon
them, the deposits in the basin falling into the water at the bottom.
The outlet from the basin is 'made by an aperture at the side at such a
distance from the bottom as to retain the necessary quantity of water, while
the inlet admitting the water from the cistern is placed opposite the discharge
aperture, and the quantity of water admitted is regulated by a fan, so shaped
as to cleanse the basin thoroughly, by allowing a portion of the water to be
driven on each side of the basin, instead of being carried with a spiral motion
round it, as is usually the case; whilst the bulk of the water flows across the
bottom of the basin into the discharge pipe. The basin is trapped by means of
a syphon or trap in the usual manner.
The closet is so constructed, by means of a suitable combination of rods and
levers connected with the seat and service box as to be self-acting on every
occasion of the closet being used, and thus preventing the possibility of use
without the removal of the contents of the basin.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, we will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure.M shows the basin when not in use; Figure N represents a section
of the basin when in use; Figure O represents the basin and the entire appa-
ratus of the closet.
In Figure O, A is an upright bar, which on being pressed by the weight of
a person sitting on the seat depresses one end of the cross bar B, B, with
which it is connected, and causes the other end of it to rise. This lifts one
end of the bar D, D, which being affixed to a fulcrum near its centre causes
the other end to pull down the wire G, G, to which it is attached, thereby
lifting the valve No. 2 of the service box and allowing the box to fill with
water, and at the same time shutting the valve No. 1, which prevents the
water from leaving the service box. On rising from the seat the weight H at
the end of the lever I, I, lifts the valve No. 1, allowing the contents of
the service box to rush into the basin, and at the same time drops the
valve No. 2, and prevents any more water entering the service box. The
upright pipe K acts as an air pipe into the service box, and also as a waste-
water pipe, if required, as the valve No. 2 is always opened, except when the
closet is in use.
The former basin, before described, may be used in combination with the
self-acting apparatus described in Figure O, or may be adapted to the ordinary

page_text: or any other kind of watercloset; but we desire it to be understood that we
do not claim any novelty in the said self-acting apparatus, but we claim as a
novelty the peculiar form of basin herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George White, Francis Buckland,
and Charles Rees, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirty-
first day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
SAMUEL RUMSON,
Accountant, Newton Abbot, Devon.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named George White, in
the presence of
GEORGE M. DROWER,
Torquay, Auctioneer.