IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH . WATER CLOSETIC LIDI
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fairbairn of the City and County of Edinburgh,
Plumber for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
.
WATER CLOSETIC LIDINATO
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fairbairn at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th July 1883.
JOHN FAIRBAIRN, of the city and county of Edinburgh, Plumber, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH WATER-CLOSETS, URINALS, LAVATORIES, BATHS,
AND SERVICE CISTERNS,"
"
This Invention, which relates to water-closets, urinals, baths, lavatories, and
service cisterns, has special reference to improved arrangements of siphon traps
fitted in connection therewith or adapted thereto.
According to this Invention, the basins of waterclosets, urinals, baths, and
lavatories, are provided with a siphon trap or water seal, which may be of the
ordinary construction, and to which is connected a discharge pipe fitted with a
second or lower siphon trap or S-bend, the discharge pipe being provided, at any
point between the two traps, with a small pipe for the admission and outlet
of air.
By the use of the second siphon trap or bend, the valves and fittings usually
provided for water closets, urinals, baths, and lavatories, are dispensed with, the
basin having an outlet direct into the first siphon, which is by preference attached
to and made to form part of the basin
When the closet is used, the water admitted to flush the basin flows over and
partly fills the first siphon or bend, and discharges the air by the air outlet pipe,
and the siphonic action which ensues empties or would nearly empty the basin.
By the discharge of water, however, air is drawn into the discharge pipe through
the small air pipe, the siphonic action is destroyed, and the water being no longer
"siphoned" or drawn out of the basin, the continued flushing of the closet simply
fills the basin with clean water until it overflows by the siphon bend. The lower
S-bend also acts as a siphon immediately on the discharge of the basin, and is
emptied of its contents, but is again filled by the overflow from the bend above.
D

page_text: The air pipe, which serves to destroy the partial vacuum formed by the discharge
of the basin, also serves to ventilate the lower trap, for which purpose the air pipe
is carried outside the building in which the discharge pipe is fitted, and a cock may
be provided to regulate the extent of opening of the air pipe.
Any ordinary arrangement of service cistern may be used to supply the water-
closet above described, but it is preferred to employ a cistern fitted with an
improved construction of siphon or discharge bend, which will rapidly discharge
the contents, or a certain portion of the contents of the cistern at a time into the
water-closet basin, and with such an energy as will ensure the rapid filling of the
upper siphon bend of the closet to commence the requisite siphonic action. The
improved siphon, which is fitted within the service cistern, is formed by a tube or
pipe fitted over the discharge pipe and closed at the upper end, but having holes or
perforations at or near its lower end at the bottom of the cistern. The discharge
pipe is extended upwards near to the upper end of the closed pipe or cap, and the
water rises within the annular space between the pipes to a common level with
the water in the cistern. A sliort branch connected to the discharge is fitted in
the cistern, and is provided with a valve which is raised for a short interval by the
ordinary hand pull or closet handle, to admit water to the discharge pipe, and
the flow of water down this pipe causes a partial vacuum to be formed in the upper
portion of the pipe, which induces siphonic action-or-suction of the water in the
annular space between the pipes. This action continues until the, cistern is
emptied by passing out through the orifices in the siphon pipe to the discharge
pipe, or until the level of the water is lowered to a point at which air is admitted
by an orifice or air tube opening to the annular siphon space. To, provide for
stopping the outflow of the water when desired an air valve is fitted to open to the
siphon space, and is operated by pushing up the rod or hand pull.
The arrangement of siphon described may be applied to service cisterns used
for supplying water-closets of ordinary construction, as well as in conjunction with
the improved closet described.
.0

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Fairbairn in the Patent Office on the 15th January 1884.
. JOHN FAIRBAIRN, of the city and county of Edinburgh, Plumber, "IMPROVE-
MENTS. IN AND CONNECTED WITH WATER-CLOSETS, URINALS, LAVATORIES, BATHS,
AND SERVICE CISTERNS,"
My said Invention, which relates to waterclosets, urinals, baths, lavatories, and
service cisterns, has special reference to improved arrangements of siphon traps
fitted in connection therewith or adapted thereto.
The Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1
is a vertical section, and Figure 2 a side elevation of a water-closet basin showing
the improved siphon trap connected. Figures 3 and 4 are front and side elevations
of a urinal fitted with the improved trap. Figure 5 is a vertical section of a
service cistern fitted. with my improved siphoning arrangement, and Figure 6 is
an enlarged view of the discharge siphon pipe of the cistern.
According to my Invention the basins B of waterclosets urinals, baths, and
lavatories are provided with a siphon trap or water seal, as A in the examples
shown, which may be of the ordinary construction, or formed with lateral
enlargements A2, and to which is connected a discharge pipe A¹ fitted with a
second' or lower siphon trap or S-bend C, the discharge pipe A¹ being provided at
any point between the two traps A, C, with a small pipe D for the admission and
outlet of air, and with an air exhausting jet D' supplied by a branch from the pipe
which flushes the basin. By the use of the second siphon trap or bend C, the
valves and fittings usually provided for water-closets, urinals, baths, and lavatories
are dispensed with, the basin B having an outlet direct into the first siphon A
which is by preference attached to and made to form part of the basin.
When the closet is used, the water.admitted.to flush the basin B flows over and
partly fills the first siphon or bend A, and discharges the air by the air outlet
pipe D, the discharge of air being also facilitated by the jet D¹, and the siphonic
action which ensues empties or would nearly empty the basin. By the discharge
of the water however air is drawn into the discharge pipe A¹ through the small
air pipe D, the siphonic action is destroyed, and the water being no longer siphoned
or drawn out of the basin B. the continued flushing of the closet simply fills the
basin with clean water until it overflows by the siphon bend A. The water in the
chambers A2 then flows back and seals the basin. The lower S-bend C also acts
as a siphon immediately on the discharge of the basin B, and is emptied of its
contents, but is again filled by the overflow from the bend A above.
The air pipe D which serves to destroy the partial vacuum formed by the .
discharge of the basin, also serves to ventilate the lower trap, for which purpose
the air pipe is connected through an annular space between the pipe A' and the
lower siphon pipe C, and is carried outside the building in which the discharge
pipe A is fitted; and a cock d is provided to regulate the extent of opening of the
air pipe.
Any ordinary arrangement of service cistern may be used to supply the water-
closet above described, but it is preferred to employ a cistern fitted with an
improved construction of siphon or discharge bend, as illustrated in Figures 5
and 6, which will rapidly discharge the contents or a certain portion of the
contents of the cistern at a time into the watercloset basin, and with such an
energy as will ensure the rapid filling of the upper siphon bend A. of the closet to
commence the requisite siphonic action. The improved siphon which is fitted
within the service cistern is formed by a tube or pipe E fitted over the discharge
pipe F, and closed at the upper end, but having holes or perforations e at or near

page_text: its lower end at the bottom of the cistern G. The discharge pipe F is extended
upwards near to the upper end of the closed pipe or cap E, and the water rises.
within the annular space f between the pipes to a common level with the water
in the cistern G. A short branch H connected to the discharge pipe F is fitted in
the cistern G, or the branch may be carried through the bottom of the cistern as
shown, and is provided with a valve I which raised for a short interval by the
ordinary hand pull or closet handle through a lever L and rods i, l, to admit
water to the discharge pipe F; and the flow of water down this pipe F causes a
partial vacuum to be formed in the upper portion of the pipe, which induces
siphonic action or suction of the water in the annular space f between the
pipes E, F. This siphonic action continues until the cistern G is emptied by the
water passing out through the orifices e in the siphon pipe E to the discharge
pipe F, or until the level of the water is lowered to a point at which air is
admitted by an orifice f¹ or air tube in the pipe E opening to the annular siphon
space f. To provide for stopping the outflow of the water when desired an air
valve K is fitted in the cap E to open to the siphon space and is operated by
pushing up the rod or hand pull , the valve K being fitted on the lever L, and
being formed with a slot so that it is not acted on by the lever L unless when the
rod is pushed up. This arrangement of siphon may be applied to service cisterns
used for supplying water closets of ordinary construction, as well as in conjunction
with the improved closet described.
Having now described my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim is,-
First. In combination with the basin of a water-closet, urinal, lavatory, or bath
the two siphon traps A, C, connected by à pipe provided with an air opening, as
and for the purpose herein set forth.
Second. In combination with a service cistern the siphon tubes or trap E, F,
and discharge branch H provided with a valve H and an air valve K, as and for the
purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jolin Fairbairn, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-four.