Improvements in Water Closets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Closets.
I, JOHN DAY, of 26 Canal Street, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in water closets, and chiefly to such as
are flushed by means of pivoted vessels which first receive the water for flushing,
and which when the water therein rises to a given height are thereby overbalanced
and discharge their contents into the bottom of the containers into which the.
excremental matter drops, such pivoted vessels, balancing themselves up again after
such discharge into their normal position to receive a further supply of water.
These closets are commonly fixed for the purpose of utilising waste water, such as
that from a sink or bath, or from other source; but such closets may also be used,
of course, when fresh or clean water is used for flushing. Such closets, when used
for waste water flushing, are frequently required to be of considerable depth from
the seat to the bottom of the container, on account of the low level at which it is
necessary to pivot the tipping vessel in order that it may receive the waste water
from the sink or other source, and it may sometimes be convenient to pivot the
tipping vessel low down even when clean water is to be used for flushing. The
down pipe from the seat being consequently long, its inside is liable to become
considerably fouled in places where it is very inconvenient to cleanse it.
closets, also, as usually constructed, the level of the water in the outlet siphon from
the container is so much below the level of the waste water supply to the tipping
tank that a proper fall cannot be given to the drain through which the contents of
the container are conveyed to the sewer. Moreover, the bottom of the container,
or a considerable portion of such bottom, is normally left dry and therefore very
liable to foul.
In such
Now, this invention has for its main object to improve the construction of such
closets in a manner which greatly reduces their liability of becoming fouled, and
which materially reduces the necessary difference of level between the flushing
water supply and the water in the outlet siphon from the container. The invention
comprises, however, other objects as will hereinafter appear.
The
According to this invention, the portion of the closet which is immediately
beneath the seat, is considerably smaller than the lower portion, and such latter
portion projects beyond the upper portion all round but chiefly at the back. This
upper portion is shallower at the front against which urine is liable to be projected,
and is deeper at the back against which night-soil is liable to be projected. The
joint which it makes with the lower portion is consequently at an inclination.
wall of the upper portion is carried down a short distance into the interior of
the lower portion, and is preferably slanted somewhat inwards around the front the
better to insure that any urine flowing down the front will fall clear of the wall of
the lower portion. The front of the upper portion is made of such depth only as
will ensure that no urine can be projected against the wall of the lower portion,
and thus a comparatively small surface only can become fouled thereby, and such
can readily be cleansed from time to time. The hinder part of the lower portion is
either slanted back at such an angle that night-soil cannot be projected there-
against, or is set back sufficiently to answer the same purpose; and such inclination
or setting back may be of such extent as that the hinder part of the upper portion
will need to be only comparatively short, and thus be very easily cleansed.
The tipping vessel is arranged, according to one modification, to deliver through

page_text: the back of the container, and for this purpose the back of the container is formed
open at the bottom for a considerable height, whereby the necessity is avoided of
making the container such a length from front to back as would otherwise be the
case to ensure that the back thereof could not be fouled by night-soil. A shaft is
built over the hinder end of the tipping vessel through which it can be drawn out
from its bearings and replaced; and a hole is formed through the back of such
vessel, near the top thereof, by means of which a hooked bar may be engaged with
the vessel to draw it up through the shaft and to lower it down into its bearings.
For convenience of construction, the box within which the tipping vessel is pivoted
is joined to the back of the container by means of a socket formed with the
container.
The outlet siphon or trap is formed in one piece with the container, the portion
of the siphon or trap on the entrance side of the lip or portion which dips below
the surface of the water being formed as a depression in the bottom of the
container. The bottom of the wall at the front of the container forms the lip
which dips within the water in the siphon or trap, and the remaining portion of the
siphon or trap is formed as a curved pipe projecting forwards from the container.
The bottom of the container slants down towards the depression therein which
forms a part of the siphon or trap, and the bottom of the box within which the
tipping vessel is pivoted slants downwards from the back, so that there is a
continuous fall from the back of such box into the siphon or trap. The bottom of
the container is, preferably, formed so that it is always covered with water.
any night-soil is projected on to the bottom of the box immediately in front of
the tipping vessel, it is flushed away by the rush of the water from such vessel on
the next discharge thereof.
If
It may sometimes be convenient to place the tipping vessel to discharge through
the front of the container, and in such case the siphon is of course formed at the
back of the container. In this case also the back of the container should be slanted
or carried out somewhat to prevent night-soil being projected thereagainst.
The formation of the down pipe from the seat as described, and also the formation
of the siphon or trap with the container as described, are applicable also to other
closets than those flushed by means of tipping vessels.
Dated this 9th day of January 1893.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Closets.
I, JOHN DAY, of 26 Canal Street, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Sanitary Engineer, 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 relates to improvements in water closets, and chiefly to such as are
flushed by means of vessels which first receive the water for flushing, and which
when the water therein rises to a given height are thereby overbalanced and
discharge their contents into the bottom of the containers into which the excremental
matter drops, such pivoted vessels balancing themselves up again after such
discharge into their normal position to receive a further supply of water. These
closets are commonly fixed for the purpose of utilising waste water, such as that
from a sink or bath, or from other source; but such closets may also be used, of
course, when fresh or clean water is used for flushing. Such closets, when used for
waste water flushing, are frequently required to be of considerable depth from the
seat to the bottom of the container, on account of the low level at which it is
necessary to mount the tipping vessel in order that it may receive the waste water

page_text: from the sink or other source, and it may sometimes be convenient to mount the
tipping vessel low down even when clean water is to be used for flushing. The
down pipe or shaft from the seat being consequently long its inside is liable to
become considerably fouled in places where it is very inconvenient to cleanse it.
In such closets, also, as usually constructed, the level of the water in the outlet
siphon from the container is so much below the level of the waste water supply to
the tipping tank that frequently a proper fall cannot be given to the drain through
which the contents of the container are conveyed to the sewer. Moreover, the
bottom of the container, or a considerable portion of such bottom, is normally left
dry and therefore very liable to foul.
Now, this invention has for its main object to improve the construction of such
closets in a manner which greatly reduces their liability to become fouled, which
renders certain portions which are specially liable to become fouled very easy to be
cleansed, and which materially reduces the necessary difference of level between
the flushing water supply and the water in the outlet siphon from the container.
The invention attains, however, other objects as will hereinafter appear.
A water closet with flushing apparatus complete, constructed according to this
invention, is illustrated by Figure 1 as if cut through the vertical centre from front
to back, and by Figure 2 as a sectional plan of the apparatus taken on line x x of
Figure 1.
The portion A of the down pipe which is immediately beneath the seat is
considerably smaller than the lower portion B, and such latter portion projects
beyond the portion A all round, but more especially at front and back. The
upper portion A is shallower at the front a against which urine is liable to be
projected than at the back b against which night-soil is liable to be projected.
The line of junction which the portions A B make with one another is
consequently at an inclination, as is apparent from the illustration. The wall
of the upper portion A is carried down a short distance into the interior of
the portion B so as to form a downwardly projecting rim or curtain c within the
portion B which tends to prevent excremental matter sliding or flowing down the
wall of the portion A from fouling the wall of the portion B; and such down-
wardly projecting rim or curtain is, preferably, slanted or curved somewhat
inwards around the front d thereof, as shewn, the better to ensure that any urine
flowing down the front a of the interior of the part A will fall clear of the wall of
the lower part B.
The front a of the upper portion A is made of such depth only
as will ensure that no urine can, under ordinary conditions, be projected against the
wall of the lower portion B, and thus a comparatively small surface only of the
interior of the down pipe, namely the interior surface of the upper portion A, can
become fouled thereby, and such surface can readily be cleansed from time to time.
The hinder part e of the interior of the lower portion B is either slanted back at
such an angle, as shewn, that night-soil cannot be projected thereagainst, under
ordinary conditions, or the hinder part of such portion B is set back sufficiently to
answer the same purpose, as indicated by broken lines, and such inclination or
setting back may be of such extent, as shewn, that the hinder part 6 of the upper
portion A will need to be only comparatively short, as shewn, and thus be very
easily cleansed.
The tipping vessel C is shewn by the illustrations as arranged to deliver forwards
through the back of the container D. A shaft E, which rises from the top of the
box F in which the tipping vessel is pivoted to the floor or ground line, is formed
over the hinder end of the tipping vessel C through which such vessel can be
drawn out from its bearings and replaced; and a hole is formed through the back
of the vessel, near the top thereof, by means of which a hooked bar may be engaged
with the vessel to draw it up through the shaft and to lower it down into its
bearings. To insure that the pivots gg will be guided down into the bearings 9' 9',
inclined guides down which the pivots slide into the bearings project on each side
from the inner face of the wall of the box F; and to prevent the pivots gg from
slipping forwards beyond the bearings vertical guides or guards h¹ project also

page_text: from the inner faces of the side walls of the box F. For convenience of con-
struction, the box F is joined to the back of the container D by means of a socket i
formed on the end of a neck or extension K of the container. The supply pipe G,
through which water is supplied to the tipping vessel C, is shewn as passing along
an opening in the top of the box F and to be formed curved over at its outer end
so as to deliver through a round opening in the top of the box. The top of the
shaft E may be closed in with a lid H.
The outlet siphon or trap J is formed in one piece with the container D, and
immediately at the front thereof as shewn, the portion of the siphon or trap on the
entrance side of the lip k which dips below the surface of the water being formed
as a depression in the bottom of the container. The bottom of the wall at the
front of the container forms the lip k, and the portion of the siphon or trap beyond
such lip is formed as a curved pipe m projecting forwards from the container.
This pipe is shewn to be broken away at its outer end for convenience of
illustration; it is preferably curved somewhat downwards at its outer end to suit
the inclination of the drain with which it communicates. The siphon or trap is at
the opposite end of the container, as shewn, to that through which the tipping
vessel C discharges its contents, and the bottom of the container D slants down
from the back towards the siphon or trap, and the highest part of the bottom of the
container, that is the back thereof, is preferably at a level, as shewn, which is not
above the normal level of the surface of the water in the trap J, and thus the
bottom of the container is always covered with water. The level of the water in
the container and siphon or trap is indicated by the broken line n, Figure 1. The
bottom of the box F slants downwards towards the container, and the inclination
of the bottom of the box is continued also along the bottom of the neck or
extension K of the container D by means of which the communication is effected
between the box F and the container D. A drop-down or step o is, preferably,
formed between the bottom of the part K and the bottom of the container. The
tipping vessel C is shewn by broken lines, Figure 1, in its tilted position as when
discharging its contents. If any night soil is projected onto the bottom of the
part K it is flushed away by the rush of the water on the next discharge of the
tipping vessel. There is, as will be seen, a continuous fall from the mouth of
the tipping vessel when discharging into the siphon or trap, and thus any
excremental matter collected between the mouth of the tipping vessel and the
siphon or trap is flushed out through the siphon by the rush of water delivered
by the tipping vessel. Any excremental matter falling onto the bottom of the
container D is kept moist by the water covering the bottom, and is consequently
readily dislodged and carried away by the rush of water from the tipping vessel,
leaving the bottom of the container clean. The formation of the siphon or trap
in one piece with the container in the manner shewn reduces to a minimum the
necessary difference of level between the water supply to the closet and the surface
of the water in the siphon or trap.
It may sometimes be convenient to place the tipping vessel to discharge through
the front or side of the container, and in such case the siphon or trap is of course
formed at the back or side of the container so as to be opposite to the tipping
vessel. In this case the back of the container will not be open as when the tipping
vessel discharges through the back, and it should therefore be slanted or carried
out somewhat to prevent night-soil being projected against it.
The formation of the down pipe from the seat, as described, is applicable to
other closets also than those flushed by means of tipping vessels; and the formation
of the siphon or trap with a container in the manner described, the said container
having the bottom inclined from one end or side towards and into the siphon or
trap at the other end or side and permanently covered with water as described, is
applicable to other closets flushed with a rush of water over the bottom of the
container from the opposite end or side to that at which the siphon or trap
is formed, besides such. closets as are flushed in such manner by means of tipping
vessels.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a water closet, a downpipe or shaft from the seat, of which the upper
portion is smaller than the portion below so that the lower portion projects
both forwards and backwards (and preferably all round) beyond the upper portion,
the lower end of the said upper portion inclining downwards from front to back
whereby the interior of the front end of such upper portion is of the depth only
required to prevent urine being projected, under ordinary conditions, against the
wall of the lower portion and the back end of such upper portion is of the greater
depth required to prevent night soil from being projected, under ordinary conditions,
against the wall of the lower portion, substantially as described.
2. In a water closet, a downpipe from the seat constructed substantially in the
manner described and shewn by the drawings herewith, for the purpose set forth.
3. In a water closet which is flushed by means of an automatic tipping vessel,
mounting such vessel in position to discharge its contents forwards over the inclined
bottom of the container and through a siphon at the opposite end of the con-
tainer, in combination with a shaft carried up from over the hinder end of the
tipping vessel to the floor or ground line through which the vessel may be drawn
up from and lowered down into position by means of a hooked bar or like
instrument, said vessel having a hole formed through its hinder end or having
corresponding provision by which the hooked bar or like instrument may be
engaged therewith, substantially as described and shewn by the drawings
herewith.
4. In a water closet which is flushed by means of a rush of water from one end
(or side) of the container, the bottom of such container formed to slaut downwards
from the end which receives the flush towards and into a siphon or trap formed in
the opposite end of the container, the lower side of the interior of the upward bend
of the siphon or trap being at a level which keeps the bottom of the container
constantly covered with water, substantially as described and shewn by the
drawings herewith.
5. The general construction and combination of parts constituting a water closet,
substantially as described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated this 9th day of October 1893.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.