IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUSH CISTERNS FOR WATER-CLOSETS AND THE LIKE."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wright, of Plymouth, in the County of Devon,
Brassfounder, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUSH CISTERNS FOR
WATER-CLOSETS AND THE LIKE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wright at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1882.
WILLIAM WRIGHT of Plymouth in the County of Devon, Brassfounder.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUSH ČISTERNS FOR WATER CLOSETS AND The like'
"
In a suitable cistern which may be of ordinary construction and material, I fix a
frame, preferably of brass and rectangular, set up edgewise and having a hole at its
upper side to admit the supply pipe and under this is a valve of a syphon which
starts the water in the syphon and draws the water for flushing without the
necessity of retaining hold of the handle after the first pull; the lever which opens
the valve at the same time closes the supply valve from the main. Upon the
inlet branch is fixed a ball cock or valve preferably of the kind for which I have
obtained Letters Patent No. 899 dated the second day of March 1881 and suitable
levers or equivalent are arranged by which the valve is lifted. The discharge
valve is placed as stated upon or in connection with a syphon which may be
composed of a smaller pipe within a larger pipe leaving an annular space between
the two, and room between the open top of the inner pipe and the closed top of the
outer pipe for the water to pass; the action is as follows: The handle, being pulled,
actuates the levers which raise the valve and the flush takes place while the lever
in moving lifts the ball and closes the inlet valve and thereby prevents more water
entering the cistern until the handle is released and the syphon valve closes, when
the inlet being again opened the cistern again fills through the ball valve. I do not
bind myself to the exact form of frame described above because as. long as the
proper action of the different parts is secured the procise method by which that is
accomplished is immaterial.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th July
1882.
WILLIAM WRIGHT, of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Brassfounder.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUSH CISTERNS FOR WATER CLOSETS AND THE LIKE.'
"
In a suitable cistern which may be of ordinary construction and material I fix a
frame preferably of brass and rectangular set up edgewise and having a hole at its
upper side to admit the supply pipe and under this is a valve of a syphon which
starts the water in the syphon and draws the water for flushing without the
necessity of retaining hold of the handle after the first pull; the lever which opens
the valve at the same time closes the supply valve from the main. Upon the
inlet branch is fixed a ball cock or valve preferably of the kind for which I have
obtained Letters Patent No. 899 dated the second day of March 1881 and suitable
levers or equivalent are arranged by which the valve is lifted. The discharge
valve is placed as stated upon or in connection with a syphon which may be
composed of a smaller pipe within a larger pipe leaving an annular space between
the two and room between the open top of the inner pipe and the closed top of
the outer pipe for the water to pass. The handle being pulled actuates the levers
which raise the valve and the flush takes place while the lever in moving lifts the
ball and closes the inlet valve and thereby prevents more water entering the
cistern until the handle is released-and-the-syphon-valve closes, when the inlet
being again opened the cistern again fills through the ball valve.
I do not bind myself to the exact form of frame described above because as long
as the proper action of the different parts is secured the precise method by which
that is accomplished is immaterial.
This Invention will he best understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawings in which like letters of reference represent like parts.
The Invention may be divided into three parts viz. The cistern or tank the ball
valve or regulator for controlling the supply of water to the tank and the syphon
and attachments for discharging or emptying the tank.
1. The tank may be of any ordinary and suitable construction and materials;
galvanized iron by preference and therefore requires no special description.
2. The Ball Valve. The form shown in the Drawings is fully set forth in the
Specification to Letters Patent of Great Britain granted me No. 899 dated the
Second day of March 1881.
'
3. The Syphon which works in conjunction with the ball valve and tank.
Figuro 1 is a sectional side elovation of the tank showing the syphon and
attachments in section and the ball valve in elevation. Figure 2 is a cross section
of the tank showing the ball valve, syphon and attachments in elevation and also
showing the lifting levers et cetera which operate the starting valve of the syphon.
H is the tank, A the ball valve, I the syphon I' the inner tube of syphon, J the
discharge or flush branch, K the starting valve, L the lover for actuating the
starting valve and M the handle rod or equivalent by which the flush is worked
from outside. O and P. are any suitable form of bracket and frame to carry the
ball valve and levers, slots P¹ being provided where necessary for the lever L to
work in.
When the rod M is pulled it works the rocking lever N which works on a pivot
at N' and lifts the lever L which is loosely connected by a ring or equivalent L' to
valve K which is in consequence also lifted. The tank having been previously
filled by the action of the ball valve a rush of water takes place upon the opening
-77

page_text: of valve K through the branch K' into the discharge branch J. This rush of
water draws with it the air contained in the inner tube I' of the syphon creating
a partial vacuum and sucking in the water which has found its way into the
annular space Is between the inner and outer tubes of the syphon by means of the
openings Is and so starting the syphon which will quickly empty the tank.
As soon as the syphon is fairly started the handle may be released and the
valve K closed as the syphon will draw its supply through the openings I³ in the
outer tube I.
The end of the lever L is swelled out and carries a boss L² which is recessed and
fitted with a soft packing L³ such as leather, cork, indiarubber or the like; when
this lever is lifted this soft packing touches and stops the end of the tube of tho
ball valve A holding it up and preventing it from dropping as the water runs out
of the tank until the handle is released when water will begin to flow in again
through the ball valve as shown by the arrows in Figure 2.
I do not bind myself to the precise shape or form of the various parts of this
Invention as these may be varied within reasonable limits (for instance a simple
bent pipe could be used for the syphon instead of the inner and outer tubes
shown in the Drawing, the branch K' being attached to its longer limb) nor to
employ any special materials in constructing these valves and tanks but I prefer
to use such materials as will not readily corrode; such for instance as galvanized
iron for the tank, copper or zinc for the ball and syphon and brass for the valve,
Beating, ring, and lever.
These flush cisterns could be worked with a ball valve of ordinary construction, tho
lever L being arranged to hold up the ordinary ball lover whilst raising the starting
valve. I howevor much prefer the special form of ball valve previously mentioned.
Having now described my Invention and the method of performing the same
I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to protect under the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is
First In a flush cistern the combination of the ball valve A starting valve K
and syphon I substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.
Second In a flush cistern the employment of the lever L or its mechanical
equivalent whereby the operation of the ball valve A may be temporarily
suspended whilst the starting valve K is held open substantially as set forth and
shown.
Third In a flush cistern the employment of the syphon I having the starting
branch K¹ and starting valve K attached to or acting in conjunction with the
inner tubo or longer limb I' of said syphon substantially as and for the purposes
set forth and shown.
In witness whereof I the said William Wright have hereunto set my hand and
Subdow of Tul.. in the so
Land Ona
WILLIAM WRIGHT. (L.S.)