Improvements in Water-closets.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1889-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-closets.
We, ALBERT ELMENDORF, STEPHEN AYRAULT GARDNER, and CHARLES PRENTIS,
all residing at New London, in the County of New London and State of Connecticut,
one of the United States of America, Gentlemen, 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 :-
Our invention relates to an improvement upon the flushing and bowl-ventilating
arrangement upon which Letters Patent were granted to us in Great Britain on the
third day of July, 1888, Number 9,656, in which a flushing stand-pipe was employed
in connection with a ventilating extension of said pipe and a ventilating pipe connecting
the bowl and said extension for drawing off the gases and foul air from the bowl in
the process of flushing the latter, and our present improvement consists in connecting
the valve through which the flushing of the bowl is effected with a valve in the
ventilating extension of the stand-pipe at a point above the connection of the bowl
ventilating pipe with said extension in such manner that when the valve for flushing
the bowl is opened for that purpose, the ventilating extension of the stand-pipe will be
closed, thereby compelling the air and gases for supplying the vacuum in the stand-
pipe caused by the falling of the column of water therein, to be drawn from the bowl.
through the ventilating connection of the bowl with the stand-pipe.
It further consists in a novel construction of the valve connecting the supply-pipe
and the bowl with the flushing stand-pipe, and in certain details of arrangement of the
parts hereinafter described and claimed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1, represents a front elevation of a closet with our improvements applied,
with the bowl and the valve operating cords shown in dotted lines.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of the same with the bowl in full lines.
Figure 3, is a transverse vertical section through the flushing and supply-valve and
the valve-chamber or section of pipe containing said valve, and
Figure 4, shows a section through a portion of the ventilating extension. of the
stand-pipe and its valve.
A, indicates the bowl, and, A', the casing and seat therefor, which parts may be of
any usual or preferred form.
B, indicates the flushing stand-pipe; C, and, C", a ventilating extension therefor,
the latter extending to or connecting with a flue and thence with the open air; D, is
a valve-chamber connecting at its upper end, through a pipe, a¹, with the lower end
of the stand-pipe, and at its lower end with the water supply-pipe, a. The stand-
pipe, B, is similar to that described in the Letters Patent above referred to, and is
provided at its upper end with a float-valve for closing said end when said stand-pipe
is full, as described in said patent.
The construction of the supply and flushing valve is shown in Figure 3. The
valve-chamber, D, consists of a short section of pipe enlarged to accommodate the
valve, E, and provided with an inner tube, D', extending upward from its lower end
and terminating in a perforated diaphragm, D3, having annular ribs, d, d', on its
upper face, forming the valve-seat. The valve is recessed on its lower face to receive
a packing ring, e, which rests in the normal position of the valve, on the annular
ribs d, and, d', covering the space and the openings, d, between them, said openings
communicating with the space around the inner tube, D1, and connecting said space
with the chamber above the diaphragm, D³. The valve has a central ring at, e¹, to
receive the valve-stem, E¹, which extends down through the tube, D', and through
central guiding perforations in diaphragms, ƒ, and, ƒ¹, therein, and is provided with-a
conical valve, F, of rubber or other suitable material, secured to its lower threaded.

page_text: end by a nut, E³, said valve, F, serving, when the valve, E, and stem, E', are raised,
to close the lower end of the tube, D', and prevent the water from the supply-pipe,
from rising therein.
.
The valve, E, has perforations or slots, e³, around the ring, el, connecting the
tube, D', with the space in the valve-chamber above the valve, E, and the
diaphragms f, f, bave similar perforations, f2, around their central guiding rings,
which permit the passage of the water up around the valve-stem and through the
valve, E, into the valve-chamber, whence it passes into the stand-pipe connected there-
with, preferably through a short pipe, a', as stated. The valve, F, is enclosed in a
chamber, F, in the upper enlarged end of a short coupling section of pipe, a², which
screws on the lower end of the valve-chamber section, D, as shown, and has the supply-
pipe, a, secured to its lower end in any usual manner. a¹, indicates the short section
of pipe which connects the valve-chamber, D, with the stand-pipe, B, and which is
preferably secured to the valve section of pipe by means of a threaded nut or collar, B¹,
engaging an annular flange on the pipe, a¹, and the screw-threaded upper end of the
valve-chamber section, D, as shown, but any desired form of coupling may be employed
for uniting the parts.
D³, is the flushing lateral branch or tube which at its inner end connects with the
portion of the valve-chamber around the tube, D¹, and below the valve-seat or
diaphragm, and which at its outer end is connected with the bowl, A, in any usual
manner for flushing it.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that when the valve, E, is seated on
the annular ribs, d, and d', the water from the supply-pipe, a, can pass up freely
around the valve-stem, E', and through the valve, E, for filling the stand-pipe and that
no water can escape through the openings between said ribs, into the branch, D³, for
flushing the bowl, and when the valve, E, is raised, it lifts the valve, F, through the
stem, E¹, thereby closing the tube, D', and cutting off the water-supply, while at the
same time, the water above the diaphragm, E', and in the stand-pipe can escape freely,
between the ribs, e, and, e¹, into the space below the diaphragm, D2, and thence
through the pipe, D³, into the bowl for flushing the latter.
The upper end of the stem, E', projecting through the valve, E, is screw-threaded
to engage a threaded perforation in the lower end or cross-bar of a loop or open link, G,
which is provided on the inner face of one of its upright bars with teeth, g, forming a
rack with which the teeth, ', of a pinion or segment, h, on a rock-shaft, H, engage, for
operating the valves, E, and, F. The shaft, H, is journalled in suitable bearings
in the side walls of the valve section or chamber, D, and one end thereof, pro-
jecting through its supporting wall, has a lover, h2, fast upon it, made preferably
in bell-crank form, and to one arm of which a spring, i, has one end connected,
the other end of said spring being connected to a suitable fixed support, with the
spring arranged to exert its tension to close the valve, E, and open the valve, F.
C, indicates a section of the ventilating extension of the stand-pipe, B, connected
to the upper end of the latter, (just above the float valve referred to) and to
which the upper end of the bowl ventilating pipe, b, is connected, the lower end
of said pipe connecting with the bowl for drawing off the foul air and gases, in
a manner described in the former patent referred to.
At a point above the connection of the pipe, b, therewith, the section, C, (see
Figure 4) is provided with an inclined partition or diaphragm, J, having a large
central opening, J¹, and underneath said diaphragm is located a valve, K, con-
nected through a stem, k, with a rock-shaft, L, journalled in bearings in the side
wall of said section near the upper end of the diaphragm and having a bell-crank
lever, L', fast on its projecting end. The lower face of the diaphragm, J, has a
suitable valve-seat formed in or upon it, and the upper side of the valve is pro-
vided with a packing disc, K¹, of any suitable material, snugly fitting the valve-
seat for closing the opening, J. One arm of the lever, L, is connected by a
cord or chain, mn, with the lever, 2, and has a pull cord or chain, m³, connected
to its other arm the arrangement being such that when the cord, m³, is pulled,
depressing the arm, l, of the lever, L', the shaft, L, will be rocked to close the

page_text: valve, K, and the arm, l, to which the chain, m, is attached will be raised,
lifting the valves, E, and, F, through the connections described, for flushing the
bowl and cutting off the water supply.
By this operation the supply of air from the ventilating extension, C¹, will be
cut off and the supply of air necessary to replace the falling column of water,
will be drawn through the bowl-ventilating pipe, b, from the bowl, thereby drawing
off the foul air and gases from the latter. When the pull cord or chain, m', is
released, the spring, i, operates to close the valve, E, and open the valve, F, and
at the same time, through the cord, m, and lever, L1, to open the valve, K, so
that, as the stand-pipe fills, the air and gases above the water in the stand-pipe,
are forced up through the ventilating extension, C³, and thence, through a suitable
flue or otherwise, out into the open air.
N, indicates a bracket for the attachment of the stand-pipe to the wall or other
support, and, P, a manhole in the section, C, for giving access to the valve, K,
for repairs or other purpose.
The relative size of the ventilating extension of the stand-pipe and the ventilating
pipe connecting the bowl with said extension, and the natural tendency of the
foul air and gases to rise, cause said air and gases to flow out naturally through
the freer upward vent afforded by the ventilating extension, when the valve in
the latter is open and enables us to dispense with the valve in the bowl ventilating
pipe, described in our former patent above referred to.
A further advantage in dispensing with said valve and leaving the bowl venti-
lating pipe open lies in the fact that if, from any cause, there should be leakage
in the valve for closing the stand-pipe, when the latter is filled, the water so
escaping from the stand-pipe, will flow down through the bowl ventilating pipe to
the bowl and waste-pipe and so all danger of flooding or damage from such leakage
is effectually avoided.
In practice, where the pressure of water is small we prefer to use a ball valve, V,
in the supply-pipe, as shown in Figure 3, to prevent the water in casing, D,
from flowing out when water is drawn from the service main at a point below the
casing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. The combination with the bowl and its flushing stand-pipe, of the ventilating
extension of said stand-pipe, the ventilating pipe connecting said bowl and venti-
lating extension, the flushing valve, and the valve in the ventilating extension
connected to the flushing valve to be operated simultaneously therewith, substan-
tially as described.
2. The combination with the stand-pipe and bowl and the flushing valve.
connecting said pipe and bowl, of the ventilating extension of said stand-pipe
provided with a valve connected to said flushing valve, and a ventilating pipe
connecting said bowl with the ventilating extension of said stand-pipe, substantially
as described.
3. The combination with the bowl and stand-pipe of the interposed valve
chamber, having the perforated diaphragm, D2, and inner tube, D¹, and the con-
nected valves, E, and, F, arranged and operating, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the bowl, A, and its flushing stand-pipe, B, of the
interposed valve-chamber or section of the stand-pipe, having the perforated
diaphragm and the lateral flushing pipe, D³, below said diaphragm, the lift
valve, E, the water-supply valve, F, connected to said lift valve to operate as
described and the rock-shaft connected to said valves for operating them, substan-
tially as described.
5. The combination with the bowl in a flushing arrangement for water-closets,
of the flushing valve, E, the ventilating extension or pipe, C, C¹, provided with a

page_text: valve, K, the ventilating pipe, b, connecting the bowl with the ventilating exten-
sion pipe, and connections, substantially as described for simultaneously operating
the valves, E, and, K, for the purpose specified.
Dated this 4th day of June 1889.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.