IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND IN SERVICE CISTERNS FOR THESE AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Lamont at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
January 1874.
I, JAMES LAMONT, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND IN SERVICE CISTERNS FOR
THESE AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This said Invention has reference to a new or improved construction
and arrangement of the parts of a watercloset, and of a service or
supply cistern for the same, and for other ordinary constructions of
waterclosets, and for saving and giving a desired or measured quantity
of water at each flushing or action to thesc, applicable also for other
purposes, both of a more simple, efficient, and cheap construction than
those heretofore in use. And the nature and novelty of these improve-
ments consist, first (as regards the watercloset), in forming the lower
discharge chest or "trunk" of an oblong shape with a close jointed cover,
and of the usual height, with a circular hole and flange on top at one
end, preferably semicircular, to receive and joint the conical porcelain or
iron enamelled or other basin, with its lower outlet cud made longer

page_text: than usual to dip down to within a few inches of the bottom of this
semicircular and curved or bowl-shaped end of the lower close chest,
forming a water trap by having an upward angled or curved division or
partition rising a considerable height above and on the other side of the
said conical discharge end of the closet basin dipping into it.
The actual discharge pipe passes out through the bottom of the close
bottom chest at the other deep end beyond the said overflow trap
partition, over which the soil is carried into it with and by the rush of
the flushing water at each action of the closet; the water being admitted
by the usual flushing "fan" fitted at top of basin, and supplied from a
service pipe led from any of the water supply regulating apparatuses or
cisterns in use, either placed close to or high above it, or it might be
fitted and flushed by one of the improved supply water regulating
apparatus, forming the second part or improvement of this Invention.
The close discharge vessel is preferred to be fitted with a ventilating
pipe to carry any effluvia or foul gases up to the top or outside of the
house; and when preferred the top or front seat part may be made to
rise and fall on hinges, sufficient that its motion and use would make it
self-flushing, and acting by the connection of a wire or other equivalent
to the acting lever of the flushing cistern, the whole forming a most
simple closet without discharge plug, pan, or other moving valves or
parts to go out of order.
The nature of the second part of this Invention consists of a two
chambered overhead water supply cistern, the one being the float
chamber into which the water flows from an ordinary "Lambert" or
other equivalent supply float valve, to a normal level regulated by the
float, and fitted also with a special overflow not led into the closet
discharge. The other chamber of the cistern is in its normal state dry,
but provided with a swivelling or tilting water measuring vessel,
preferably of a scoop shape, hung on a journal screw or spindle at one
side and a small pipe fixed to and opening into it working through a
simple water-tight stuffing box in the side of the water cistern, and
having a bent arm tube piece which lies in the water to fill it when in
its normal position, counterweighted to remain thus horizontally whether
full or empty, except when tilted to empty it by an arm and lever fixed
to it and projecting over one side, to be actuated by a wire or other
equivalent led down to the closet to be pulled by hand or automatically
as described when the watercloset is to be flushed.

page_text: The measuring scoop is made of a size to contain the desired quantity
of water to be used or discharged at cach action, and when so tilted as
stated, the water is emptied out of it at the scoop side into its empty
chamber, to the bottom of which the service pipe leading down to the
flushing "fan" of the basin of any form of watercloset, or it might be to
any other vessel requiring a measured quantity of water charged into it
at each action. In this tilted position, the open end of the small filling
bent tube is turned up above the level of the water in the supply
chamber, so that no more water can be obtained or filled into the
measuring vessel until the wire and lever are let go, when the counter-
weight brings it to the filling horizontal position, when it slowly fills
through the small tube on which it swivels; the size of this tube
regulating the time taken to fill it ready for the next flushing and
action.