IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE ADMISSION OF WATER TO CLOSETS, AND FOR FLUSHING AND AFTER FLUSHING THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Worthy Sargent at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th May 1880.
WORTHY SARGENT, of Liverpool Street, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE ADMISSION OF WATER TO CLOSETS,
AND FOR FLUSHING AND AFTER FLUSHING THE SAME"
The chief objects of this Invention are to regulate by simple and efficient means
the quantity of water drawn from the main or cistern for the purpose of flushing
water-closets; to prevent waste of water should the handle of the closet be
purposely kept up for any considerable time; and to secure the thorough flushing
and after-flushing of the closet pan and pipes after use.
An incidental advantage which will accrue from the present Invention, is that all
direct communication with the closet will be cut off from the reservoir by means of
valves when the closet is not in use.
My apparatus for attaining these desirable results I will now proceed to describe.
I provide a small reservoir to contain such a quantity of water as will satisfy the
conditions of the water companies or other authorities, and I place it intermediate
of the main or cistern and the closet.
This reservoir (conveniently of a rectangular form) I partially divide into
unequal parts by a vertical partition of about 1/, the height of the reservoir, and
extending completely across the breadth of the reservoir.
I connect the reservoir at the top with the supply pipe and at the bottom with
the closet by means of flushing and after flushing pipes situate on opposite sides of
the partition. The admission of water into the reservoir is regulated by a loose
valve opening upwards into the supply pipe and having a small rod or pin attached
to its under-side and projecting downwards into the reservoir. This valve is
operated by the short arm of a lever pivotted to a support depending from the top
of the reservoir. The long arm of this lever has a float termination of any
convenient form, and passes through the slotted part of the "pull" which operates
the weighted valve for allowing the water to escape down the flushing pipe into
the closet. This float lever works in the larger part of the reservoir, which is
partially separated from the smaller part by the vertical partition above mentioned.
Pivotted to a support on the opposite side of the partition to the flushing valve
is another float lever, which has its float arm bent downwards over the top of the
partition, and has a small valve or plug pendant by a chain from its other arm.

page_text: When the float arm of this lever rises it will lower the valve or plug hanging from
its other arm over the after flushing valve, which is situate in this smaller part of
the reservoir, and which is connected by a side pipe with the flushing-pipe, thus
communicating directly with the closet.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The reservoir being empty the float
arm of the upper float lever will drop by its own weight, will cause the valve in the
mouth of the supply-pipe to rise from its seat, and will admit the water to the
reservoir. The water in rising will first meet with the bent float arm of the lower
lever and will lift it up, thus closing the after flush-valve on the other side of
the partition; the water will then flow over the partition and fill the smaller part
of the reservoir. Continuing to rise it will float up the long arm of the upper
lever, thus releasing the upward pressure on the admission valve, which will drop
fast on its seat and cut off the supply.
On raising the "pull" its slotted part above mentioned will engage with and
hold up the long arm of the upper float lever, thus allowing no water to enter the
reservoir while the "pull" is kept up; at the same time the weighted valve or
plug which is attached to the pull will be lifted from its scat, and the water in the
reservoir, excepting that in the smaller portion enclosed by the partition, will at
once rush down the flushing pipe.
The float termination of each lever I connect by a short chain, so that when the
pull is raised the valve operated by the lower lever will remain firmly seated. On
releasing the "pull" the flushing valve will be stopped, the upper float lever will
fall and allow the lower float lever to descend, thereby lifting the after flush valve
or plug off its seat. The water which has been retained in the smaller portion of
the reservoir will thus run by the side connecting pipe into the pan, and produce
the after-flush.
A waste pipe for precaution may be conveniently attached to near the upper part
of the side of the reservoir.
It may then take a downward course, and after being bent into an S shape for
the purpose of trapping, may join the flushing pipe and conduct any overflow into
the closet.
"
A small hole above the S shaped bend in this waste pipe will cause it to act as a
weeping" or warning pipe, so that it may be seen at a glance whether any waste
from overflow is occuring.