IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO WATER CLOSETS, BATHS, LAVATORIES, AND FOR OTHER FLUSHING PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Owen, of Sussex Place, South Kensington, in the
County of Middlesex, Sanitary Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO WATER CLOSETS, BATHS, LAVATORIES,
AND FOR OTHER FLUSHING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 29th April 1879, and dated the 31st January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry-Owen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st January 1879.
HENRY OWEN, of Sussex Place, South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
Sanitary Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO
WATER CLOSETS, BATHS, LAVATORIES, AND FOR OTHER FLUSHING PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is the construction of improved apparatus for
supplying a given quantity, or otherwise, of water to water closets, baths, lavatories,
and for other flushing purposes where a quick flush is required.
For the sake of simplicity I will describe my improvements by reference to an
overhead supply to a water closet.
I employ a cistern of a capacity equal to the quantity of water required for each
flushing. In a hole in the centre of the bottom of this cistern I attach, preferably
by means of a fly nut, a tapered socket, to which is connected an union for the
water closet supply pipe. Attached to the upper end of this socket is a metal
cylinder with suitable openings at the bottom for the outlet of the water. In the
said cylinder works a drum, to the lower end of which is attached a plug valve, the
herein before described socket forming the seat of same. Through the said drum
and valve (and connected to the valve) passes a pipe, the upper end of which
extends above the water line, the said pipe working within a second pipe screwed
to the hereinbefore described cylinder. I employ a peculiar construction of ball
cock having a double and reversible action, one for the supply of water to the
cistern and operated by a ball in the ordinary manner, and the other for the shutting
off the supply while the cistern is being emptied in flushing the water closet.
this latter purpose I employ a lever on the square of one of the plugs of the cock
(the lever of the ball cock being connected to the other plug), one end of the lever
being forked so as to pass on each side of the hereinbefore described outer pipe; the
For

page_text: other end of this lever passes over the side of the cistern and is connected in any
suitable manner to the ordinary pull up or drop handle.
By this construction-of-apparatus.if the pull up or drop handle be operated the
hereinbefore described lever will turn the plug on which it is placed (and which
forms, its fulcrum) so as to shut off the supply of water to the cistern, and the
forked end of the lever coming against a collar or projection on the upper end of
the hereinbefore described inner tube connected to the valve the said tube and valve
-will-be raised and the water in the cistern-will-be-discharged into the water closet,
and as the said pipe extends below the seat of the valve and above the water line
the usual air pipe and waste pipe are not required.
The cistern being emptied, or partly emptied, and the lever being released, the
valve returns to its seat and the supply of water is then open, and the ball having
fallen with the water a fresh supply will enter the cistern, such supply being again
shut off when the cistern is full by the rising of the ball.
Where it is not required to limit the quantity of water at each flushing the
apparatus may be modified so as to allow of its being placed under the seat of tho
water closet. In this case a cistern is not required and the valve seating is pro-
vided with flanges for fixing, and an union at each end, one for the water supply
and the other for the pipe to the closet. A spring is employed in the outer tube
(made larger for this purpose) to carry the valve back to its seat, the said spring
being protected from contact with the water by means of an india rubber tube
fastened to the cylinder at one end and to a bearing on the piston rod at the other
end.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Owen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st July
1879.
"
HENRY OWEN, of Sussex Place, South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
Sanitary Engineer, IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO
WATER CLOSETS, BATHS, LAVATORIES, AND FOR OTHER FLUSHING PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is the construction of improved apparatus for
supplying a given quantity, or otherwise, of water to water closets, baths, lavatories,
and for other flushing purposes where a quick flush is required.
For the sake of simplicity I will describe my improvements by reference to an
overhead supply to a watercloset.
I employ a cistern of a capacity equal to the quantity of water required for each
flushing. In a hole in the centre of the bottom of this cistern I attach, preferably,
by means of a fly nut a tapered socket, to which is connected an union for the
water closet supply pipe. Attached to the upper end of this socket is a metal
In the
cylinder with suitable openings at the bottom for the outlet of the water.
said cylinder works a drum, to the lower end of which is attached a plug valve,
the herein before described socket forming the seat of same. Through the said drum
and valve (and connected to the valve) passes a pipe, the upper end of which
extends above the water line, the said pipe working within a second pipe screwed
to the hereinbefore described cylinder. I employ a peculiar construction of ball
cock having a double and reversible action, one for the supply of water to the
cistern and operated by a ball in the ordinary manner, and the other for the shutting
off the supply while the cistern is being emptied in flushing the water closet.
this latter purpose I employ a lever on the square of one of the plugs of the
cock (the lever of the ball cock being connected to the other plug), one end of the
lever being forked so as to pass on each side of the hereinbefore described outer
pipe; the other end of this lever passes over the side of the cistern and is connected
in any suitable manner to the ordinary pull up or drop handle.
For
Where it is not required to limit the quantity of water at each flushing the
apparatus may be modified so as to allow of its being placed under the seat of the
water closet. In this case a cistern is not required, and the valve seating is pro-
vided with flanges for fixing and an union at each end, one for the water supply
and the other for the pipe to the closet. A spring may be employed in the outer
tube (made larger for this purpose) to carry the valve back to its seat, the said
spring being protected from contact with the water by means of an india rubber
tube fastened to the cylinder at one end, and to a bearing on the piston rod at the
other end. In some cases however, such as when the water pressure is not too
great, the said spring may be dispensed with.
But to make iny Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a sectional eleva-
tion of an overhead supply to a water closet constructed according to my Invention;
and Figures 2 and 3, sections of my apparatus arranged to be placed under the seat
of the water closet.
In Figure 1 a is the cistern, of a capacity equal to the quantity of water required
for each flushing; bis the tapered socket fixed in a hole in the bottom of the cistern
by the fly nut c; d is the union for the water closet supply pipe; e is the metal
cylinder with suitable openings at the bottom for the outlet of the water; fis the
drum in the cylinder e; and g is the plug-valve; h is the pipe passing through the
drum and valve g; the upper end of this pipe h extends above the water line ;
i.is the second pipe screwed to the cylinder e; j, k, are the two plugs of the double
and reversing action ball cock; is the ball lever on the square of the plug k;
m, ball; n is the lever on the square of the plug ), the said lever being forked at o

page_text: so as to pass on each side of the pipe i; the other end of the lever n passes over
the side of the cistern, as shewn, and is connected by the wire or chain p (or other-
wise) to the ordinary_pull up or drop handle.
By this arrangement if the handle be operated the lever n will turn the plug j
and thus shut off the supply of water to the cistern, and at the same time the forked
end o-of-the-lever-n-coming against the collar or projection q on the upper end of
the tube h, the said-tube-h-will be raised and with it the valve.g and drum f, and
the water in the cistern-will be discharged into the water closet; -and-as the pipe h
extends below the seat of the valve and above the water line-the-usual air pipe
and waste pipe are not required.
The cistern being emptied, or partly emptied, and the lever n being released, the
valve g returns to its seat and the supply of water through the plug will be open,
and the ball m having fallen with the water a fresh supply will enter the cistern;
such supply being again shut off when the cistern is full by the rising of the
ball m.
In Figure 2, which is a section of my apparatus arranged to be placed under the
water closet seat, is the valve seating, and 8 the flanges for fixing; t, the union
for the water closet supply pipe, and u the union for the supply from the cistern or
main;
i is the outer tube or cylinder fixed to the seating by the fly nut z; h is the
piston rod connected to the valve g; vis the india rubber tube fastened, as shewn,
to the cylinder at one end and to the bearing or collar w on the piston rod at the
other end; y is the cover of the pipe or cylinder through which the piston rod
works. The valve is preferably formed of a conical metal plug, covered with
india rubber or other suitable material.
In an apparatus of this construction the end of the piston rod is connected to
the ordinary pull up handle in any suitable manner, and if the handle be pulled the
piston rod will be drawn forward, moving with it the valve g from its seating r, and
thus allowing the water from the pipe w to pass directly through the supply t to
the closet. The piston rod in being drawn forward stretches the india rubber tube v
which thus acts as a spring, so that when the handle is released the said tube v con-
tracting or recovering its normal position will carry the valve back to its seat.
a¹, a², are grooves to allow of the escape of any air or water which might accumulate
either behind or in front of the valve. When however the water pressure is great
a spring is placed in the outer cylinder to assist in carrying back the valve. It
will thus be seen that with this construction of apparatus I am enabled to dispense
with the levers and weights usually employed to put on or cut off the water
supply.
Figure 3 shews a modification of the apparatus shewn in Figure 2 so as to allow,
of its being placed vertically instead of horizontally. The construction is sub-
stantially the same as that shewn in Figure 2, except that the outer cylinder is
shorter, and the india rubber tube (or the spring) is dispensed with, a stuffing box b¹
being employed-in-place-of the india rubber tube, and the cylinder being closed by
an air tight cap c. d' is a slot in the outer end of the piston rod for connecting it
with the lever and weight for lifting or carrying it and with it the valve back to its
seating. The other letters refer to corresponding parts in Figure 2.
Having thus described my said Invention and the best means with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into effect I wish it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down and shewn in the accom-
panying Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar
character of the Invention, but what I do claim is,―
Firstly. The construction and employment of the apparatus for supplying water
to water closets, baths, lavatories, and the like, arranged and operating substantially
in the manner hereinbefore described, and represented in Figure 1 of the accom-
panying Drawing.
Secondly. The overhead water closet valve having a pipe passing through it,
such pipe serving as a combined vent and waste pipe, as hereinbefore described, and
represented in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing,

page_text: Thirdly. The general arrangement and construction of the apparatus for fixing
horizontally under the seat of a water closet, operating substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein before described, and represented in Figure 2 of
the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly. The modified construction of the apparatus shewn in Figure 3 of the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Owen, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street,
Finsbury,
London.
HENRY OWEN. (L.S.)