IMPROVEMENTS IN URINALS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN URINALS." A communication
from abroad by John Walter Osborne, of the City of Washington, in thẹ
District of Columbia, United States of America, Photo-lithographer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th May
1877.
+
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. re IMPROVE
MENTS IN URINALS." A communication from abroad by John Walter Osborne, of
the City of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of America,
Photo-lithographer. -
The object of the Invention is to do away with the offensive smell, which
invariably pervades, the places in which urinals are erected by giving to these very
necessary conveniences such a form as will remove the cause of the offensiveness
referred to.
It will be found that when the usual forms of urinal are employed no disagreeable
smell is or can be occasioned by the urine which mixes with the running water,
and with it is rapidly carried away, but that it is all due to the few drops which
fall to the ground and there decompose, disseminating ammoniacal and other
noxious effluvia as a necessary consequence. This quantity is small for each
individual, but becomes considerable when places of this kind are frequented by a
number of persons, as in hotels, public offices, railway stations, and other places, and
its decomposition is exceedingly rapid, as that portion which has already suffered
change acts as a ferment for subsequent additions.
The present Invention is such that the drip in question, which it is impossible to
hinder by any expedient, is caught in the stream of water running through the
urinál, and so carried off, and this is accomplished without requiring any special
care, attention, or effort on the part of the user.

page_text: The urinal consists of a plate or back, which is preferably wider at the top than
at the bottom, bent to a convenient sweep or inclined so as to prevent spattering
when the downward stream of urine is projected against it, and at the same time to
cause the lower part to extend a suitable distance from the perpendicular. This may
have a flat, hollow, or corrugated surface, and is provided with raised edges at its
sides to confine the water flowing over it.
Such a urinal may be made of any suitable material, such as earthenware or
enamelled or galvanized iron, or other suitable material.
The water may be introduced above by a pipe, and distributed over the surface of
the plate in any convenient manner. At the lower end a large waste pipe is attached,
before which a grating. is placed to guard against. stoppage of the pipe by the
entrance of solid substances which may accidently get there. A person using this
arrangement will naturally place his feet on either side of the lower part, without
doing which he cannot get close enough to be agreeable, and it will follow as an
inevitable consequence that the drip will fall into the running water and be carried
off. Every trace of urine being thus removed, there can be no smell.
This urinal may be supported against the wall of a room or chamber, or several
of them may be grouped together back to back in a manner frequently followed in
public places. By preference they are placed on a small platform elevated a few
inches from the level of the floor, and sloping down to it. As no person will find it
convenient to stand upon such an incline, this arrangement will compel the assump-
tion of the proper position. The partitions, in addition to. their usual purpose as
screens, serve to prevent persons from standing on one side of the urinal, and so
defeating the object of the improvement.
In certain public places where cleanliness is so difficult to maintain that it becomes
almost impracticable, this Invention may be used with advantage by women, in
which case, although the same general form will answer for both sexes, it may be
found well to slightly extend the lower part of the urinal, or to modify the sweep of
the curve, with a view to the greater convenience of females.
The improved urinal is adapted for use by children and by adults with equal
convenience.
In places where urinals of the common basin form have already been erected, and it
is for some reason thought inadvisable to remove them; it is possible, without departing
from the spirit of this Invention, to apply a modification of the device herein-before
described. In such cases the contrivance now originated is placed under the basin,
and projecting downwards and outwards from and beyond it, so as to catch the drip.
It must of course be supplied with water, either directly. from the service pipe or
from the waste water of the basin, and must also be furnished with a waste pipe
of its own. The whole of the waste water from the basin in this case being
carried over the projecting slope and passing off through the grating to the waste
pipe.
By adopting this modification of the Invention expense may often be saved,
but the desirable result will not be obtained in as satisfactory a manner as when
the simple and complete device herein first described is used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Benjamin Joseph Bárnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th November 1877:
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, óf 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent
IMPROVE
MENTS IN URINALS.". A communication from abroad by John Walter Osborne, of
the City of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of America,
Photo-lithographer.
The object of this Invention is to do away with the offensive smell which
invariably pervades the places in which urinals are erected by giving to these very
necessary conveniences such a form as will remove the cause of the offensiveness
referred to.
It will be found that when the usual forms of urinal are employed no disagreeable
smell is or can be occasioned by the urine which mixes with the running water,
and with it is rapidly carried away, but that it is all due to the few drops which
fall to the ground and there decompose, disseminating ammoniacal and other noxious
effluvia as a necessary consequence. This quantity is small for each individual, but
becomes considerable when places of this kind are frequented by a number of
persons, as in hotels, public offices, railway stations, and other places, and its decom-
position is exceedingly rapid, as that portion which has already suffered change acts
as a ferment for subsequent additions.
The present Invention is such that the drip in question, which it is impossible to
hinder by any expedient, is caught in the stream of water running through the
urinal and so carried off, and this is accomplished without requiring any special care,
attention, or effort on the part of the user.
To this end the Invention consists in part in constructing a urinal with a plate or
back, sloping downward and outward to a point over which the user can con-
veniently stand, said plate or back having raised edges, and supply and waste pipes
so, arranged as to distribute the water evenly over the surface and completely carry
off the urine.
The Invention further consists in applying the water either in the form of a
single fan-shaped jet, or a number of separate jets, arranged in fan shape against a
dome shaped or other concave surface, which it strikes in a direction tangential, or,
nearly so, in order to effect a uniform distribution of water on the surface of the
plate.
The Invention further consists in combining with the aforesaid inclined plate a
raised platform and an inclined surface in front thereof, adapted to compel the user
of the urinal to stand in proper position across its lower end, and further, in com-
bining with the aforesaid raised platform and inclined surface partitions on either
side of the urinal to prevent the user standing on one side thereof..:
The Invention further consists in combining an inclinéed plate or trough adapted
tó opérate as above specified with a urinal of ordinary construction.
And in order that the Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
4
DESCRIPTION OF T
THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the Invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2, 2, Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3, 3, Figure 2.

page_text: Figure 8 is a side elevation of the water nozzle under two modifications illustrating
the slot and the jet outlets.
Figure 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9, 9, Figure 8.
The urinal consists of a plate or back B bent to a convenient sweep, or inclined
so as to prevent spattering when the downward stream of urine is projected against
it, and at the same time to cause the lower part to extend a suitable distance from
the perpendicular. This may have a flat, hollow, or corrugated surface, and is pro-
vided with raised edges at its sides to confine the water flowing over it. Such a
urinal may be made of any suitable material, such as earthenware, or enamelled or
galvanized iron, or other suitable material. The water may be introduced above by
the pipe A, and distributed over the surface of the plate in any convenient manner.
By experiment it is found best to employ a metallic pipe A, closed at its end, and
discharging its stream in fan shape through a horizontal range of radial holes, or a
horizontal slot a produced by a saw-cut extending from back to front to any
necessary depth, the depth of the cut determining the angular width of the fan, or
the length of arc which it will cover. It should extend around 2/3 (two-thirds). of the
circle, more or less, so as to approach the margin of the trough on each side. This
attenuated jet, being delivered in a horizontal plane impinges tangentially against
the concave surface of the dome B2, forming the top of the back B, and is thereby
distributed in an even film over the entire, surface of the said back, and the
beneficial effect is not materially varied by changes in the pressure of the water..
Two good forms of the back B are illustrated in the Drawings. As shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3, the upper part has an approximately cylindrical shape. In the
form shown in Figures 4 and 5, the upper part of the back is flat, or nearly so, and.
is flanked by concave converging sides adapted to intercept any spattering which
might occur, and like the cylindrical form shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, to distribute
the film of water evenly over the whole surface. By making the upper part of the
ürinal dome shaped, and causing the water to issue immediately below its highest.
point in a horizontal fan-shaped jet, or a number of radial jets toward the back and
sides, meeting at every point a curved surface, to which it is nearly tangential, the
water is distributed with great uniformity over the entire surface of the back
without liability of being projected or deflected beyond the margin. Figure 8 illus-
trates both devices for producing the horizontal fan-shaped jet.
:
At the lower end of the plate or back a large waste pipe G is attached, before
which a grating C, shown in Figures 3 and 5, is placed to guard against, stoppage
of the pipe by the entrance of solid substances which may accidentally get there..
A person using this arrangement will naturally place his feet on either side of the
lower part, without doing which he cannot get close enough to be agreeable, and it
will follow as an inevitable consequence that the drip will fall into the running
water and be carried off. Every trace of urine being thus removed, there can be.no.
smell.
"
4
As shown in the Drawing this urinal may be supported against the wall of a
roon, or several of them may be grouped together back to back, in a manner.
frequently followed in public places. By preference they are placed on a small
platform F, elevated 6 or 8 inches from the level of the floor E, and sloping down to
it in the manner indicated at D, Figure 1. As no person will find it convenient to
stand upon such an incline, this arrangement will compel the assumption of the
proper position. The partitions P, in addition to their usual purpose as screens,
serve to prevent persons from standing on one side of the urinal and so defeating
the object of the improvement.
:..
In certain public places where cleanliness is so difficult to maintain that it
becomes almost impracticable, this Invention may be used with advantage by women,
in which case, although the same general form will answer for both sexes, it may be
found well to slightly extend the lower part of the urinal, or to modify the sweep of
curve shown in the Drawing with a view to the greater convenience of females.
The improved urinal is adapted for use by children and by adults with equal
convenience.

page_text: In places where urinals of the common basin form have already been erected, and
it is for some reason thought inadvisable to remove them, it is possible, without
departing from the spirit of the Invention, to apply a modification of the device
herein-before described. In such cases the contrivance now originated is placed
under the basin, and projecting downwards and outwards from and beyond it, so as
to catch the drip. It must of course be supplied with water, either directly from
the service pipe or from the waste water of the basin, and must also be furnished
with a waste pipe of its own. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate this application of the
device, Figure 6 being a front elevation, and Figure 7 a side view. The whole of
the waste water from the basin in the case illustrated is carried over the attach-
ment B' and passes off through the grating at C' to the waste pipe G¹. By adopting
this modification of the Invention expense may often be saved, but the desirable
result will not be obtained in as satisfactory a manner as when the simple and
complete device shown in Figure 1 is used.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the mode in
which the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I
claim is,-
First. A urinal consisting of the plate or back B provided with raised edges, and
inclined or curved downwards and outwards to the point C, over and across which
the user can conveniently stand, furnished also with the service pipe A. for water,
and the waste pipe G¹, substantially as shown and described.
Secondly. The mode, substantially as described, of effecting the distribution of
the water, consisting in protecting it in a fan-shaped jet or jets tangentially, or
nearly so, against a dome-shaped or concave surface.
Thirdly. The method of ensuring the catching of the drip, and thereby preventing
the offensive odour which usually attends the use of urinals by means of the incline
and platform so relatively arranged that the user of the urinal is compelled to
assume the position in relation to the trough which is necessary to secure the object
set forth.
Fourthly. In combination with a urinal the inclined surface D and platform F,
arranged substantially as shown and for the purpose described.
Fifthly. The combination of a supplemental trough or plate B¹ with a urinal,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixthly. The combination of the inclined plate or trough B or B¹ and the parti-
tions P, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventhly. The combination of the inclined plate or trough B, or B¹, partitions P,
platform E, and inclined surface D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.