IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER SUPPLY ADDAD & TO TOD BLUSHING. DRAING
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Robertson McKee of Kirkcaldy in the County
of Fife North Britain for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER SUPPLY
ADDAD & TO TOD BLUSHING. DRAING"
TANTTT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Robertson McKee at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th June 1882.
ROBERT ROBERTSON MCKEE, of Kirkcaldy, in the county of Fife, North Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER SUPPLY AND REGULATING APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING
"
DRAINS,"
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
water supply and regulating apparatus for flushing drains, the object of which is
to enable drain pipes or sewers to be flushed with water periodically and
automatically.
The improved apparatus which is fitted in combination with a large tank or
cistern, capable of holding the quantity of water to be used at each flushing
operation, comprises according to one modification a long cylinder by preference
carried in a vertical position by suitable supports, and provided with a piston and
piston rod extending downwards into or towards the water tank or vessel. To the
lower end of the cylinder are fitted two pipes or tubes, the one connected to or
forming part of a service pipe from a street main water pipe, and serving as an
inlet for water to the cylinder, and the other opening to the water tank and
forming an outlet or discharge pipe from the cylinder. These tubes, which may
also serve as guides for the piston crosshead, are fitted with cocks or valves
operated by a lever and float, and are so arranged that while the rising of the float
opens the inlet, it at the same time closes the outlet from the cylinder, and vice
versa. The float lever operating the inlet and outlet cocks or valves, is fitted near
the bottom of the water vessel or tank, and the float and lever are immersed in
or covered by the inflowing water, which enters through a separate cock or valve
controlled by a second lever and float at a higher level. This upper float lever is
made in the form of a bell-crank with a hanging weighted arm on which is formed
CD 611

page_text: a projecting catch bearing on a snug or projection on the lower or main float and
holding the latter down against the buoyant action of the water in the tank.
When the inflowing water reaches the upper float and raises it, the hanging arm of
its lever is oscillated or moved back and frees the catch holding the lower float,
which thereupon rises in the water and opens the inlet from the service pipe to
the cylinder.
The water under pressure entering the cylinder, forces up the piston and piston
rod, and causes the latter to act on a rod or lever connected to it, and to a large
sluice or other valve fitted at or near the bottom of the water tank, and by opening
this valve allows the contents of the tank to escape rapidly through the valve
opening to the drain or sewer. The discharge of the water from the tank allows both
upper and lower float to fall, the lower float being again locked and retained in its
lower position by the catch on the hanging arm of the upper float lever. The
lower float in falling, closes the inlet to and opens the outlet from the cylinder, so
that the water escapes from below the piston and would allow it to fall; but in
order to prevent the piston at once descending, and also by acting on the lever of
the discharge or outlet valve from the tank, closing this outlet before the tank is
emptied, a projecting catch or holding device is fitted on the lower end of the
piston rod, and is arranged to engage on or rest over the projecting arm of an
Oscillating lever, at the opposite end of which a float is hung. This float is
suspended within a small cistern or vessel fitted within the main tank below the
water level when the main tank is filled, and this vessel is provided with a small
outlet fitted with a regulating cock through which the water slowly escapes.
As
the level of the water lowers in this small cistern, the float sinks until the lever
to which it is attached swings or oscillates on its pivot, and frees the holding arm
from under the projecting catch on the piston rod, thereby allowing the piston to
fall, and at the same time closing the large outlet valve from the water tank to
the drain pipe or sewer. The outlet valve being now closed, and the inlet from the
service pipe open, the tank is gradually re-filled, and the same operations are
repeated.
The time required to fill the large water tank will depend, apart from con-
sideration of its size, on the pressure of the inflowing water and size of valve
through which it enters; but the inlet service pipe is fitted with a cock or valve by
which the rate of flow may be regulated or controlled at will. By this means the
tank may be filled and its contents discharged automatically to flush the sewers
once a day, once a week, or at any other periods, which may also be varied to any
extent by opening or closing, more or less, the cock or valve on the inlet pipe.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Robertson McKee in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th December 1882.
ROBERT ROBERTSON MCKEE, of Kirkcaldy, in the County of Fife, North Britain
" IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER SUPPLY AND
DRAINS
"
REGULATING APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING
My said Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement
of water supply and regulating apparatus for flushing drains, the object of which
is to enable drain pipes or sewers to be flushed with water periodically and
automatically.
My Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, in which figure 1
is a transverse vertical section of a large water tank or holder, within which a
modification of the improved regulating apparatus is fitted and shown in front
elevation. Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the water tank showing
the improved regulating apparatus in side elevation. The water tank or holder Ä
is of the ordinary construction, and is made of such dimensions as to contain the
quantity of water which it may be desirable to use at each flushing operation.
The improved apparatus, which is bolted or otherwise secured by means of a
bracket or wall plate B, inside the tank A, comprises a long cylinder C by preference
carried in a vertical position and secured by brackets C₁ to the wall plate B. This
cylinder is fitted with a piston D³ and a piston rod D extending downwards into
or towards the water in the tank or vessel A. To the lower end of the cylinder C
are fitted two pipes or tubes E, F, the one E, connected to or forming part of a
service pipe E from a street main water pipe E³, and serving as an inlet for water
to the cylinder C, and the other F opening to the water tank A and forming an
outlet or discharge pipe from the cylinder C. These tubes E, F, which may also
serve as guides for the piston crosshead D', are fitted with cocks or valves e and f,
operated by a lever or levers g connected to a float G, and they are so arranged
that while the rising of the float G opens the cock or valve e of the inlet pipe E it
at the same time closes the cock or valve f of the outlet F from the cylinder C and
vice versa The float lever g operating the inlet and outlet cocks or valves e f is
fitted near the bottom of the water vessel or tank A, and the float G and lever e¹, ƒ³,
are immersed in or covered by the inflowing water, which enters through a separate
pipe H provided with a cock or valve h which may be controlled by a lever and
float. An upper float lever I and float J are provided to regulate the height to
which the water may be allowed to rise in the tank, and this lever I is mado
somewhat in the form of a bell-crank, with a hanging weighted arm I' on which is
formed a projecting catch i bearing on a snug or projection G formed on the lower
or main float G and holding the latter down against the buoyant action of the
water in the tank.
When the inflowing water reaches the upper float J and raises it, the hanging
arm I of its lever I is oscillated or moved back and frees the catch i holding the
lower float G, G¹, which thereupon rises in the water to the position indicated by the
dotted lines, and opens the cock or valve e of the inlet E from the service pipe E¹
to the cylinder C. The water under pressure entering the cylinder, forces up the
piston D and piston rod D, and causes the latter to act on or draw up a rod or
lever K connected to it, and to a large sluice L or other valve fitted to close against
a seat or tubular opening M at or near the bottom of the water tank, and by

page_text: opening this valve K allows the contents of the tank A to escape rapidly through
the valve opening M to the drain or sewer N. The discharge of the water from
the tank A, allows both the upper float J, and lower float G to fall, the lower float G
being again locked and retained in its lower position by the catch i on the hanging
arm I¹ of the upper float lever I. The lower float G in falling, closes the inlet E to,
and opens
the outlet F from the cylinder C, so that the water escapes from below
the piston D and would allow it to fall; but in order to prevent the piston D' at
once descending, and also (by acting on the rod or lever K of the discharge or
outlet valve L from the tank) closing the outlet M before the tank A is emptied, a
projecting catch or holding device O is fitted on the lower end or crosshead D¹ of
the piston rod D, and is arranged to engage on or rest over the projecting arm p²
of an oscillating lever P P' centred at p on the wall plate B, and at the opposite
end of which a float Q is hung. This float is suspended within a small cistern or
vessel R fitted within the main tank A below the water level when the main tank
is filled. This vessel R is provided with a small outlet S fitted with a regulating
cock through which the water slowly escapes. As the level of the water lowers in
this small cistern R, the float Q sinks until the lever P, P¹, to which it is attached
swings or oscillates on its pivot p and frees the holding arm p' from under the
projecting catch O on the piston rod crosshead D', thereby allowing the piston D
to fall, and at the same time closing the large outlet valve L M from the water
tank A to the drain pipe or sewer N. The outlet valve L M being now closed, and
the inlet from the service pipe H open, the tank is gradually refilled and the same
operations are repeated.
The time required to fill the large water tank A will depend, apart from
consideration of its size, on the pressure of the inflowing water and size of valve h
through which it enters; but the inlet service pipe H may be fitted with a cock or
valve, by which the rate of flow may be regulated or controlled at will. By this
means the tank may be filled and its contents discharged automatically to flush
the sewers once a day, once a week, or at any other periods, or which may also be
varied to any extent by opening or closing, more or less, the cock or valve on the
inlet pipe H.
As a means of registering the number of times the tank is filled and emptied, or
in other words, the number of times that the sewers (of the district where the
apparatus is fitted) are flushed in any period, counting or recording mechanism,
similar to that used with water meters and provided with a dial, may be combined
with the improved regulating apparatus. Such couuting mechanism may be
conveniently fitted over the cylinder C, and may be operated by the piston rod D
which may for this purpose be carried upwards through the upper end of the
cylinder, and at each upward stroke act on a lever of the counting mechanism.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I believe to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is ;-
First. The arranging and combining of the parts of apparatus for automatically
regulating or controlling the supply of water for flushing drains, substantially in
the improved manner herein set forth.
Second. As means for automatically flushing drains, the arrangement of a
cylinder C, actuating an outlet valve in combination with the interlocking float
levers and floats G J controlling the admission of water to the cylinder, and with
the vessel R, float lever D and catch device to retain the valve until the flushing
operation is completed, substantially as herein set forth.
Third. In apparatus for flushing drains, the combination, substantially as herein
set forth, of the cylinder C, pipes and cocks E e F, and float G, with a locking
lever I and float J for the purpose of admitting water to the cylinder, and
automatically opening an outlet valve when the flushing tank is filled.

page_text: Fourth. In apparatus for flushing drains, the combination substantially as herein
described, of a water vessel R, float Q and catch lever D acting on the piston rod of
the cylinder actuating the outlet valve of the flushing tank, to prevent the closing
of such valve before the flushing operation is completed.
In Witness Whereof, I the said Robert Robertson McKee have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
Witness
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER C.E.
Patent Agent
Glasgow.
R. ROBERTSON MUKEE (L.S.)