Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1888
Specification Accepted, 9th Mar, 1889
and the like.
A communication from WILLIAM EZRA ANDREW, Manufacturer, of Atlantic
Highlands, Monmouth County, New Jersey, and JOHN RHODERIC MCPHERSON,
Farmer, of Belle Meade, Somerset County, New Jersey, both in the United States
of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention has reference to traps and seals for water closets, wash-basins, baths
and other similar structures; the object being to provide an effective and reliable seal
against obnoxious sewer gases, so as to prevent the latter from reaching the premises
where the water-closet or wash-basin is located. Heretofore seals of this character were
ordinarily formed by a body of water held in a trap made by a bend in the dischargo
pipe below the outlet to the sewer connection, and their effectiveness depended upon
the fact that said body of water had first to be displaced before the sewer gases could
enter the premises. Such displacement of the ordinary water seal, however, occurs
very frequently either by reason of the fact that the gas pressure at times becomes
abnormally great, and also because the flush of water frequently converts such trap
into a syphon, whereby the whole seal is completely removed.
By the present invention such accidents are avoided, since the seal in this case is
formed by valves or gates which are held in place either by the pressure of a spring
or weight, and the latter may be supplied either by a solid fixed weight or by a
continuously supplied body of water. Especially in the latter case the pressure upon
the valves or gates may be increased to any desired extent, and the arrangement is
such that when a spring or the weight of a solid body is used for closing the valves or
gates, the pressure of the sewer gases acts to force the valves against their seats. In
this way the circumstances which in other traps conspire to make the seal uncertain

page_text: and ineffective are made in this improvement to aid in making the same secure and
effective.
All this will more fully appear from the following detailed description, in which
reference is made to the accompanying drawing, and in which are shown, in
Fig. 1 a sectional elevation of the improvement, when the weight of a solid body is
employed for closing the valves; and in Fig. 2 a like view of the trap seal, wherein
spring pressure is employed for closing the valves.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a trap seal in which the valves are closed by lever
or water pressure and
Fig. 4 is a like view of a modified form of the same.
Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, the bowl 1 of a water-closet, which will
be made of cast-metal, earthenware or other suitable material, is there shown as cast
in one piece with one-half 2 of a spherical or ellipsoidal trap 3 the other half 4 of
which trap is secured to the former by screw bolts 5 passing through flanges 6
formed around the edges of the two halves of the trap. A neck 7 connects the bowl
with the upper half of the trap and the waste or discharge pipe 8 is screwed to or
otherwise connected with the lower half of the trap where for this purpose a screw-
threaded neck 9 is formed.
The body of the bowl is thickened from a point above the neck 7 on one side, down
to the lower end of said neck as shown at 10, and a recess 11, formed in the thickened
portion 10, communicates with the upper half of the trap. A ledge 12 projecting
from the body of the upper half 2 of the trap into the recess 11 has its lower face in
the same plane with the edge 13 of neck 7 and a valve or gate 14 pivotted below
said ledge 12 within the upper half of the trap, is adapted, when in the position
indicated in solid lines, to close the neck and at the same time the opening by which
recess 11 communicates with the trap. In order to make a close fit a washer of
leather or other suitable material may be interposed between the valve and the edge
of the neck and also between the valve and the underside of ledge 12; but this is not.
absolutely necessary, and while such washer is indicated in the drawing, its mode of
attachment will not be specifically described.
From the outer side of bowl 1 near its upper edge projects a lug 15 which
serves as a guide for the lifting rod 16 and the horizontal arm of an angular
bracket 17 extending from the body of the upper half of the trap serves as a second
guide for said rod as shown.
The vertical arm of bracket 17 serves as one of the journal bearings of a shaft 18
the other journal bearing of which is formed in the outer wall of recess 11. This
shaft carries at its outer end a pinion 19 and at its inner end a small crank 20
provided with a wrist pin as shown and a pitinan 21 connects the wrist pin of crank 20
with an eye formed on the upper side of valve 14.
The opening by which recess 11 communicates with the trap is made large enough
to admit the hand or suitable tools, for attaching the crank 20 to the end of shaft 18
and for connecting the pitman to the wrist pin of the crank. The lifting rod is
formed into a rack 22 near its lower end and the teeth of this rack engage the teeth
of pinion 19 so that when the lifting rod is moved up or down in its guides 15, 17,
the pinion will be rotated and the valve 14 will be moved to the positions shown in
dotted and solid lines respectively, by the intervention of the connecting mechanism.
A weight 23 carried by the lifting rod holds the same normally forcibly down in the
position shown in the drawing in which case the valve 14 is pressed against its seats,
whereby the communication between the trap and the bowl is hermetically closed;
while, when the lifting rod is raised by means of the knob 24, pinion 19 is rotated to
turn the valve 14 to the position shown in dotted lines so that now the contents of the
bowl may discharge into the trap.
The body of the lower half 4 of the trap projects a short distance within the neck 9
and there forms an annular ledge 25 which constitutes a seat for the valve 26 pivotted
within said neck 9; and a connecting rod 27 pivotted at one end to the underside of
valve 14 and at the other end to the upper side of valve 26 causes the latter to open
and to close when valve 14 opens and closes. This is clearly illustrated in figure 1

page_text: in dotted and solid lines and it will now be clear that when the lifting rod is raised
both valves 14 and 26 will be opened and when the lifting rod is released and is
forced down to its original position, both valves will be closed by the pressure of the
weight 23.
A flushing pipe 28 leading to a water supply under pressure terminates at a suitable
opening 29 near the upper edge of the bowl and a valve or cock 30 in said pipe is
opened and closed when the lifting rod is raised or lowered as is usual in water-
closets; the connection of valve 30 with the lifting rod is conventionally indicated
at 31 but since this construction may be of any ordinary or preferred form it will not
be specifically described. A branch pipe 32 leading from the flushing pipe opens
into the upper half of the trap at 33 and this pipe furnishes a continuous water supply
under pressure to the trap; there is, however, a valve or cock 34 placed in said pipe
so that the water may be turned off for repairs.
The operation of the mechanism will now be easily understood.
Normally the apparatus will be in the condition shown in solid lines in fig. 1 with
the bowl partly filled with water, the two valves 14 and 26 closed and the trap filled
with water under pressure through branch pipe 32. The exposed surfaces of the two
valves are either equal in which case the water pressure upon the same within the
trap is balanced, and the valves are forced to their seats by the action of the
weight 23 only; or, preferably the exposed surface of valve 14 is in excess of
that of valve 26 in which case the water pressure within the trap acts positively
to force the two valves to their seats in addition to the pressure produced by
weight 23. If the exposed surface of valve 14 is made considerably greater than
that of valve 26 the weight 23 may be altogether omitted, as will be readily undersood
by those skilled in the art.
It will also be seen that the pressure of the sewer gases upon valve 26 will only
act to force both valves more securely to their seats. If now the lifting rod is
raised the two valves 14, 26 and the flushing valve 30 will be opened, and the
contents of the bowl of the trap will discharge; there is then a straight unobstructed
passage and both the flushing pipe 28 and branch pipe 32 continue to discharge
water into the bowl and into the trap respectively, and the capacity of the flushing
pipe is such as to maintain a very noarly constant level of the water in the bowl;
so that no sewer gases can emerge through the bowl. When the lifting rod is
released, its weight will carry the valves back to their original position and the
branch pipe being always open the trap will soon be filled with water again whereby
the original condition is restored.
In the construction shown in Fig. 2 which in all essential features is like that
shown in Fig. a spring 23 is used to take the place and perform the function of
weight 23; the angular bracket 17 is in this case shown as projecting from the body
of the bowl, which latter is cast in a separate piece from the upper half 2 of the trap
which is screwed to the neck of the bowl. In all other respects the two con-
structions are practically identical.
In Fig. 3 the arrangement of the lower valve 26 is different from that in Figs. 1
and 2 in that it is pivotted within the trap, and opens inwardly; the valve is there-
fore constructed as a two-armed lever and the connecting rod 27 is suitably curved
as shown. In this case the pressures of the water from the branch pipe 32 upon the
two valves conspire to close the same, and neither a weight nor a spring is required to
force these valves against their seat; the head of water in branch pipe 32 may be
quite small and in fact should be quite small, for otherwise the force required for
opening the valves would be too great.
In Fig. 4 the invention is shown as applied to a water-closet where the discharging
neck 7 is at one end of the bowl instead of near the centre. In this case one
half 2 of the trap is cast in one piece with the bowl as in Figs. 1 and 3 and the
upper part of the trap is slightly arched; both valves open inwardly as in the con-
struction shown in Fig. 3. Recess 11 in this case opens horizontally into the trap
and then extends vertically into the thickened portion 10 of the bowl. This recess
is closed above by a stuffing box 35 through which a reciprocating rod 36 passes and

page_text: is connected at its lower end with an angular arm 37 by a pin and slot as shown, or
in any other suitable manner. The upper end of rod 36 is connected with one
end of a lever 38 by a pin passing through a slot 39 in the end of said lever; the
free end of said lever may be provided with a weight 40 to aid in returning the
valves to their normal positions but this weight may in most cases be dispensed with.
Lever 38 is pivotted to a bracket 41 rising from the thickened portion of the bowl
and the lifting rod is connected with the outer arm of said lever.
As shown in the drawing the two valves open inwardly and upwardly, leaving a
clear passage for the contents of the bowl and as in the construction shown in Fig. 4
the valves are forced against their seats by the pressure of the water from branch
pipe 32.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, it is to be understood that the same is not limited to
the identical details of construction herein shown and described, since it may be
variously changed without departing from the fundamental idea embodied in the same,
but declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a combined trap and seal for water-closets, wash-basins, bath-tubs and like
structures, the combination of a trap-chamber interposed between the bowl and the
sewer connection, and valves for sealing the chamber in both directions; with a con-
tinuous water supply for forcing the valves against their seats, and means for operating
said valves simultaneously; substantially as described.
2. In a combined trap and seal for water-closets, wash-basins, bath-tuhs and like
structures, the combination of a trap-chamber interposed between the bowl and the
sewer connection, and two valves connected for simultaneous operation for sealing the
chamber in both directions; one of said valves opening into the trap-chamber and
the other from said chamber, and the exposed inner surface of the former in excess
of that of the latter; with a continuous water supply for the trap-chamber whereby
both valves are forced against their seats by the difference of water pressure upon
their exposed inner surfaces; substantially as described.
3. In a combined trap and seal for water-closets, the combination of a trap-chamber
located between and communicating with the bowl of the closet and the sewer con-
nection at opposite ends; with two valves for controlling this communication; means
for operating both valves simultaneously and a continuous water supply for keeping
the trap-chamber filled and for forcing the valves against their seats; substantially as
described.
4. In a combined trap and seal for water-closets the combination of a trap-chamber
interposed between the bowl and the sewer connection, and valves for sealing the
chamber in both directions; with a continuous water supply for forcing the valves
against their seats substantially as described.
5. In a combined trap and seal for water-closets, wash-basins, bath-tubs, and like
structures the combination of a trap-chamber communicating with and constantly
filled by a supply of water and interposed between the bowl or tub and the sewer
connection with valves for sealing the chamber in both directions; substantially as
described.