Improvements in or relating to Lavatory Apparatus particularly for Use at Sea,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Lavatory Apparatus particularly
for Use at Sea,
I, BERNARD MORLEY FLETCHER, of 7, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to lavatory apparatus more especially for use at sea
or where the conditions are similar to those experienced at sea, that is to say
where the inrush of the water has to be prevented while suitable provision is
made for the clearing out or flushing of the apparatus. It is particularly suitable
for yachts or a smaller sort of craft, although it may also be used with larger
vessels. The invention is particularly designed to overcome the fouling and
unpleasantness experienced with the various forms of apparatus commonly in
use it may be carried out in the following manner.
The general construction of the apparatus will be somewhat similar to that
of ordinary water closets for use on land, but the details are varied. The basin
may be of substantially the ordinary construction at present commonly adopted
for valve closets, having a central aperture closed by a valve which may be
weighted or spring-controlled to ensure the making of a tight joint. This valves
opens into a chamber or passage-way of sufficient capacity to receive all the
contents of the basin at one discharge, which may be effected by any suitable
form of hand pull which opens the valve and, if desired, turns on the supply of
water to the basin. However, the water supply to the basin may be controlled
by independent means so that if necessary the contents of the basin may fall
by gravity into the chamber and water be applied afterwards.
The lower end of the chamber is controlled by another valve preferably weighted
and adapted to operate automatically as a non-return valve when, after the
closing of the basin valve, pressure is admitted into the chamber and drives the
contents of the chamber through the second valve into another receptacle or
discharge pipe communicating with, the sea or with a connecting tank or other
means of escape. The pressure to the chamber may be provided in many ways
and may be by air, water, steam or the like; it may be provided by means of a
hand pump or by any suitable source of power.
It will be appreciated that the object of the pressure in the chamber is to
expel the contents and that after that has been effected it is desirable that the
pressure in the chamber should be relieved so as to prevent access from the
chamber to the basin when the latter is again used.
The pressure may be
relieved by any suitable valve or equivalent which may be operated either in
conjunction with the hand pull, the pump, the seat, a foot-board or otherwise,
the important condition being that the pressure shall be fully relieved before
the basin valve is opened. The relief valve may communicate with any desired
exit so as to remove all offence from the vessel.

page_text: The valves may be connected so that only one can be open at once, and they
may be of special construction to ensure this. The chamber itself may be con-
structed so as to form a portion of the valves and to ensure their mutual co-
operation.
A sluice or other valve may be provided so as to entirely shut off the sea
connection if required.
A gauge or other suitable means may be provided for ascertaining when the
chamber has been emptied of its contents, and also if necessary to indicate if
there be any pressure in the chamber and the amount of that pressure.
Dated this low of Tune 1900
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Lavatory Apparatus particularly
for Use at Sea.
I, BERNARD MORLEY FLETCHER. 7, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. Civil 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 lavatory apparatus more especially for use at sea
or where the conditions are similar to those experienced at sea, that is to say
where the inrush of the water has to be prevented while. suitable provision is
made for the clearing out or flushing of the apparatus, especially when the
outlet is below the water level. It is particularly suitable for yachts, although
it may also be used with larger vessels. The term "lavatory-apparatus" herein
employed is used in its broadest sense.as inclusive not only of closets and their
appurtenances but of wash-hand basins and other lavatory receptacles.
invention is particularly designed to overcome the fouling and unpleasantness
experienced with the various forms of apparatus commonly in use; it may be
carried out in the following manner:-
The
The general construction of the apparatus will be somewhat similar to those
of ordinary water closets for use on land, but the details are varied. The basin
may be of substantially the ordinary construction at present commonly adopted
for valve closets, having a central aperture closed by a valve which may be
weighted or spring-controlled to ensure the making of a tight joint. This valve
opens into a chamber or passage-way of sufficient capacity to receive the
contents of the basin the discharge of which may be effected by any suitable
form of hand pull which opens the valve and, if desired. turns on the supply of
water to the basin. However, the water supply to the basin may be controlled
by independent means so that the contents of the basin may fall by gravity into
the chamber and water be applied afterwards.
The lower end of the chamber is controlled by another valve preferably weighted
and adapted to operate automatically as a non-return valve when, after the
closing of the basin valve, pressure is admitted into the chamber and drives the
contents of the chamber through the second valve into another receptacle or
discharge pipe communicating with the sea or with a connecting tank or other
means of escape. The pressure to the chamber may be provided in many ways
and may be by air, water, steam or the like: it may be provided by means of a
hand pump or by any suitable source of supply distinct from the chamber.
It will be appreciated that the object of the pressure in the chamber is to

page_text: expel the contents and that after that has been effected it is desirable that the
pressure in the chamber should be relieved so as to prevent air rising from the
chamber to the basin when the latter is again used. The pressure may be
relieved by any suitable valve or equivalent which may be operated either in
conjunction with the hand pull, the pump, the seat, a foot-board or otherwise,
the important condition being that the pressure shall be fully relieved before
the basin valve is opened. The relief valve may communicate with any desired
exit so as to remove any possible offence from the vessel.
"
It is preferred to employ an inlet valve which is counter-weighted.or positively
closed as such valves are more reliable in their action than "float OP "buoyant "
inlet valves which, if applied to the present invention would have to rely for
their closure upon back-pressure in the chamber, which might leak away and
let the valve open so that the water in the pan would leave it for the chamber:
The inlet and outlet valves may be operatively connected in such manner that
only one can be open at once.
A sluice or other valve may be provided so as to entirely shut off the sea
connection if required, to enable the apparatus to be removed or cleansed without
hindrance through back-pressure from the sea.
A gauge or other suitable means may be provided for ascertaining when the
chamber has been emptied of its contents, and also if necessary to indicate if
there be any pressure in the chamber and the amount of that pressure.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a. sectional elevation of one construction of lavatory apparatus
according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same taken at right angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional view showing on a larger scale a portion of the apparatus
illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of apparatus accord-
ing to this invention, and
Figure 5 is an elevation with a portion broken away of another construction
of lavatory apparatus also according to this invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings. With reference first
to Figures 1, 2 and 3:-
A is a closet-basin or receptacle communicating at its lower end with a
chamber B into which fluid under pressure can be introduced. The chamber B
leads into an outlet conduit C which is in communication with the sea, a sluice
valve being provided to cut off that communication if desired. The inlet
from the basin A to the chamber B is controlled by a non-return valve E positively
operated as hereinafter described, and another non-return valve F is provided at
the outlet from the chamber B to the outlet conduit C. The valve F is weighted
as at F in order that it shall automatically close after it has been opened by
pressure within the chamber B. An opening B' near the top of the chamber B
communicates through a pipe G with a hand-pump G', distinct from the chamber.
This pump in the present instance, forces air under pressure into the chamber B
and is operated by means of a hand-lever G².
The non-return valve E is connected by a slotted arm E' and a weighted
lever E² with a rod H capable of being moved up and down in a guide or
standard H', and by reason of the downward pull of the weighted lever the
valve is normally held tightly on its seat. A stud or projection H2 upon
the rod engages with the lever E2 when the rod is raised and as the other end
of the lever is pivotted to a fixed point as at E the effect is to open the valve E.
An opening 12 in the chamber B communicates through a pipe with a
space H³ at the top of the standard H. This space is enclosed by two stuffing-
boxes H and H through which the rod H passes. Normally the space. H³ is
closed, but on first raising the rod H a portion of it which is provided with one
or more slots or flats H passes up through the lower stuffing-box H and thus
puts the space H³ into communication with the lower side of that stuffing-box,

page_text: that is to say with the outside air. It will be noticed that the slots H and the
stop H2 are so disposed upon the rod H that the above described action may take
place just before the lever 2 is raised and thus any pressure which may remain
in the chamber B is relieved before the valve E is opened. The slots H thus
fulfil the function of a relief valve to the chamber B.
Water is supplied to the basin A through a pipe K controlled by a cock having
a weighted lever K¹ arranged so that it automatically returns to its off position.
A clearing opening C₁ is provided in the outlet conduit C.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows:
On pulling up the rod H any pressure existing in the chamber B is first relieved
and then the valve E is opened allowing the contents of the basin to enter the
chamber B. The rod H is then returned and the valve E is closed tightly by
the action of the weighted lever E2 and the upper end of the pipe J cut off from
communication with the lower side of the stuffing-box H. The air pump G
is then operated and the contents of the chamber B are forced through a non-
return valve F into the outlet conduit C and thence away, the outlet valve F
returning by the action of its weight F into its closed position. The whole
operation may be repeated if necessary.
In the example shown the control of the water is quite independent but
obviously, if desired, the cock K¹ regulating the water supply may be coupled
to the rod H.
The construction illustrated in Figure 4 is very similar to that above described
with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the chief difference being in the mechanism
for opening the valve E. As shown in Figure 4 the valve E is provided with a
weighted arm E+ and a stud or roller mounted upon this arm comes in
contact with the lever E when the rod H is raised, the distance between the
stud or roller E and the lever E being such that the rod H is necessarily raised
far enough to open the relief valve before the inlet valve E can be opened. In
this construction the valve F is not wholly within the outlet conduit C as in
Figure 1, but its spindle is pivotted in the walls of the conduit, and the
controlling weight is attached upon the spindle outside. It is, of course,
necessary where a spindle passes through the walls of the chamber B or conduit C
to provide stuffing-boxes in the walls to prevent leakage.
The apparatus illustrated in Figure 5 is again substantially similar in con-
struction to those previously mentioned, but in this case the lever is connected
to the spindle of the valve E by a slotted arm E¹, the slot E of which is so
disposed that a stud on the lever can travel in it for a short distance before
the valve E is opened. This arrangement allows the pressure within the
chamber B to be relieved through the pipe J as hereinbefore described.
No pump is shown communicating with the chamber B through the pipe G,
but it is to be understood that this pipe may be connected to a hand-pump, a
reservoir, or other source from which steam, air or other fluid under pressure may
be admitted to the chamber B. in this figure or in any of the other arrange-
ments herein described or illustrated. The valve F in the construction shown
in Figure 5 is entirely enclosed within the casing of the chamber B and the
conduit C and is provided with a quadrant-shaped weight. Fl.
Various modifications may be made in the details of construction of this
apparatus without departing from the spirit of this invention. For instance the
relief valve instead of being in the form described may consist-as shown in
chain lines in Figure 5-of a valve L placed in the pipe I and operated through
a rod L' automatically from say a foot-board or any other part of the apparatus.
Again if desired the small amount of air which passes through the pipe J when
the relief valve is operated, may be conducted into the outlet conduit C or
otherwise passed out of the ship. Such an arrangement is, however, not generally
found to be necessary.
I am aware of lavatory-apparatus with a pump between the basin and the outlet,
the basin forming the movable member of the pump.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that. what
I claim is:
1. In lavatory apparatus the combination with the basin and the outlet of
a chamber such as 13 provided with inlet and outlet valves only one of which
is automatic adapted to receive the contents of the pan which are then expelled
by fluid pressure introduced into the chamber substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. In lavatory apparatus a pressure chamber between the basin and the outlet
having a positively-operated inlet valve and an automatic outlet valve for the
purpose described."
3. In lavatory apparatus a pressure chamber between the basin and the outlet
provided with a relief valve for the purpose described.
4. In lavatory apparatus the combination with a pressure chamber situated
between the basin and the outlet and having a relief valve of a device which
automatically operates that valve before communication is established between
the basin and the chamber.
5. In lavatory apparatus of the kind described mechanism which controls the
inlet valve and serves also to operate the relief valve before the inlet valve can
be opened.
.
6. In lavatory apparatus a rod such as H actuating the inlet valve and slotted
to constitute a relief valve operating substantially as described.
7. The complete lavatory apparatus substantially as described or illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
B. MORLEY FLETCHER.
Boult, Wade & Kilburn,
Agents for the Applicant.
B. MORLEY FLETCHER.
Boult, Wade & Kilburn,
Agents for the Applicant.