IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER- CLOSETS AND URINALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Park, of Preston, in the County
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, and Joseph Park, of Preston,
aforesaid, Plumber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-
CLOSETS AND URINALS."
Sealed the 15th September 1853, and dated the 23rd March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Park
and Joseph Park at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 23rd March 1853.
We, JOHN HENRY PARK, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Civil Engineer, and JOSEPH PARK, of Preston, aforesaid, Plumber, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER CLOSETS AND URINALS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of valve for
water closets, either of the self-acting or ordinary construction, and
consists of a cylinder forming the body of the valve, and fitted with two
conical valves on a spindle which works through a stuffing box and
internal guide. The water supply pipe opens into the cylinder near

page_text: its upper end, and the pipe supplying the basin opens into the cylinder
near its lower extremity. A third pipe from the centre of the cylinder
forms a communication with an air vessel or reservoir for containing us
much water as is required to run down the closet at one time. The
pipe from the air reservoir and the one leading to the basin are of much
larger area than the supply pipe. The conical valves are so arranged in
the cylinder that when the closet seat is depressed the communication is
established between the supply pipe and air reservoir, and the inlet
to the basin closed. This allows the water to flow into the air reservoir
until it is nearly filled, when the seat, however, rises, the valves drop,
and a communication is effected between the reservoir and basin, while
the water from the supply pipe is shut off. The reservoir and basin
pipes being of large dimensions the water forced out of the air vessel
more effectually flushes the basin than when a thin stream only is
introduced. The basin is preferred to be of the S section, as by this
shape the water, by its rotatory motion, will remain longer in basin,
and will, consequently, clean it better.
By the arrangement herein-before described a waste of water is
prevented, and the basin of the closet is effectually cleansed, as a certain
fixed amount of water will always descend after use, the amount being
regulated according to the size of the air reservoir.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Park and Joseph Park, in the
Great Seal Patent Office, on the 23rd September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOHN HENRY PARK, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer, and JOSEPH PARK, of Preston aforesaid, Plumber, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto us, the said John Henry Park and Joseph Park,
Her special licence that we, the said John Henry Park and Joseph
Park, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said John Henry Park and Joseph Park, our executors,
administrators, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WATER CLOSETS AND URINALS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said John Henry Park and Joseph Park, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us, 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 John Henry Park and Joseph
Park, 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, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon; that is to say,
Our said Invention relates to certain novel arrangements in connection
with the valvular apparatus of water closets, whether such closets are
of the self-acting or of the ordinary construction. The said Invention
consists of a cylinder, which forms the body of the valve, and which
cylinder is fitted with two conical faced or lift valves fast on a spindle
working through a stuffing box and an internal guide. The water supply
pipe for the ordinary working of the closet opens into the cylinder near
its upper end, and the pipe supplying the basin opens into the cylinder
near its lower extremity. A third pipe opening from the centre of the
valve cylinder forms a communication with an air vessel or reservoir
for containing as much water as is required to run down the closet at
one time. The pipe from the air reservoir, as well as the pipe leading

page_text: to the basin, is of much larger area than the supply pipe. The conical
seated or lift valves are so arranged in their cylinder that when the
water closet scat is depressed the communication is established between
the supply pipe and the air reservoir, whilst the inlet communication
to the basin is closed. This allows the water to flow into the air
reservoir until it is nearly filled. When the seat rises, however, the
valves drop, and a communication is effected between the reservoir
and the basin, whilst the water from the supply pipe is shut off. The
reservoir and basin pipes being of larger dimensions than the other pipe,
the water forced out of the air vessel more effectually flushes the basin
than when a thin stream only is introduced. The basin is preferred to
be of the S section, as with this shape the water, by its rotatory motion,
will remain longer in the basin, and will consequently clean it better.
By the arrangement herein-before described waste of the operating
water is effectually prevented, and the basin of the water closet is
effectually cleansed, as a certain fixed amount of water will always
descend after use, the amount being regulated according to the size of
the air reservoir employed. Figure 1, on our Sheet of Drawings is a
vertical section or sectional elevation of one arrangement of our improved
water closet, complete, as fitted up in its position for use. Figure 2, is
a plan of the same, corresponding. Figure 3, is a longitudinal section
of the valvular apparatus, detached, shewing the duplex valve as it stands
when the water closet is occupied. Figure 4, is a vertical section of the
receiver or air vessel, detached, and Figure 5, is a corresponding hori-
zontal section of that vessel. The water closet basin A, is made of the
usual smooth glazed earthenware, or it may be enamelled, and the
longitudinal section of its sides is of a duplex serpentine curvature,
so as to be more effectually cleansed by the operating water than if of
the common vase contour. Its neck is made with a bottom collar B,
so that it may rest steadily on the floor, and beneath this collar the
prolongation of the neck enters the upper end of the usual siphon
discharge pipe C. The seat D, covering the edges of the basin, as well
as the operating mechanism, is moveable, that is to say, it has the
power of traversing slightly in a vertical direction. To its under side is
attached a pendant piece of metal E, jointed at its lower end F, with

page_text: one end or arm of a double lever, which is set on a pedestal stud joint G,
standing up from the floor, or, instead of this connection with the seat,
the valvular apparatus may be similarly connected with the tread board
of the water closet, or such other convenient part of the closet as shall
be easily and safely brought into action, automatically, whenever the
closet is being used. The opposite end of the lever F, G, is passed
at H, through a slot in the lower end of the valve spindle I, so that
whenever the seat D, or whatever other movement is used, is pressed
upon, the valve is simultaneously acted on. The cylinder or shell J, of
the valve is placed vertically beneath the fixed part of the closet scat,
and its bore is closed up at the top by an air and water tight cap K,
screwed on with a packing ring. The lower end of the cylinder has
a stufling box L, similarly screwed on, for the passage through of the
valve spindle I; near the top of the valve cylinder is a branch pipe M,
passing to the water supply reservoir, this branch being arranged so as
to open into the cylinder immediately above the seat N, in the cylinder
of the upper valve O. This upper valve O, is formed by screwing a
small collar piece on to the extreme upper end of the spindle; over this
collar piece an elastic disc of leather or other suitable material is passed
lown upon the spindle, and then a top cap is screwed down upon the
spindle end to complete the valve. Beneath the valve seat N, is a wider
pipe Q, branching off to the air vessel or receiver R, conveniently dis-
posed in an upright position in the corner of the closet recess; opposite
the opening of the pipe Q, the cylinder has an internal guide eye piece S,
through which the valve spindle passes, so as to be accurately guided
vertically, and beneath this part is a second or inverted valve seat T,
of larger size than the upper one. The spindle T, carries a second
valve U, formed like the upper one, and working on the under side of
the division piece forming the valve face, so as to open downwards.
At V, beneath this lower valve, is a second wide branch pipe passing off
to the upper part of the basin, as at W. The receiver or air vessel R.,
is perfectly air-tight, and it is of such a form that its lower part X, is
considerably larger in sectional area than the upper part Y. When the
spindle I, of the valve is pushed upwards by pressure on the seat, the
valves occupy the position assigned to them. In Figure 3, the upper

page_text: inlet valve O, opens to admit water from the supply reservoir to the
upper part of the valve cylinder, and through that cylinder to the
vessel R, by the large pipe Q. In this way the lower section X, of
the vessel R, is filled with water under compression arising from air
contained in the upper narrower part Y. At the same time that this
occurs the lower valve U, closes, so that all communication between
When
the valve cylinder and the basin is for the time being cut off.
the pressure is removed from the seat the spindle I, is permitted to fall,
and this action then at once closes the upper valve O, shutting off the
inlet supply, whilst, at the same time, it opens the lower valve U, and
allows the water just supplied to the receiver R, to rush down under
the pressure of the air in the part Y, combined with that of the large
mass in the lower section X, and thus flow through the lower part of
the valve cylinder, and through the lower wide pipe V, to the basin.
This action, of course, clears out the basin in the usual way, and brings
the details of the valve to the position in which the parts remain when
the water closet is out of use. The communicating ways between the
receiver R, and the water closet basin being of much larger capacity
than that from the service pipe, renders the use of wide service pipes
unnecessary, and admits of a better cleansing flush of water down to
the basin. When the valve spindle is down, whilst the water closet
is out of use, the superincumbent pressure of the water from the service
pipe is upon the back of the upper valve O, and the tight closing of this
valve is thus satisfactorily ensured.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that we do not
confine or restrict ourselves to the precise details or arrangements which
we have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may
be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main
features of our Invention; but what we consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of water closets and
urinals, as herein-before described.

page_text: Second, the system or mode of working water closets and urinals by
means of duplex valves, as herein-before described.
Third, the application and use in water closets and urinals of a
duplex valve, which shall alternately open the water inlet to an air
reservoir, and open a passage from such reservoir to the basin.
Fourth, the system or mode of constructing and arranging the
receivers or air and water chambers of water closets and urinals with
upper and lower sections of different capacities.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Henry Park and Joseph
Park, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twentieth
day of September, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOHN HENKY PARK. (L.S.)
JOSEPH PARK.
(1.8.)