A New or Improved Apparatus for Flushing Water Closets.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Flushing Water Closets.
I, CARL NUBER, of 4, Kernerstrasse, Baden-Baden, Germany, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The present invention relates to an apparatus for flushing water closets in
which the main object is effected in causing the water to enter in a noiseless
manner into a receiver specially arranged for this purpose, and in causing the
water to issue rapidly and with great force from said receiver; the invention
also comprises special arrangements having for object to render the working of
the apparatus certain.
The apparatus is composed of a receiver for holding water, of spherical shape
and connected at its upper part to any suitable water supply by means of a
piece of metal cast in such a manner as to present a sinuous path, by the influence
of which the vis viva or momentum of the water entering under the pressure
of the supply, is destroyed, so that the water will then enter without noise in
the reservoir. The water thus admitted, passes into the spherical receiver
through a pipe which is arranged along the inside wall of the receiver and
which terminates in the lower portion of the latter, in such a manner as to
produce a whirling motion of the water in order to prevent all noise on admission.
The inner orifice of the sinuous admission passage may be closed by means
of a small valve, whose tail piece is screwed to a spherical float immersed in
the water in the receiver. When a sufficient quantity of water has been
admitted, its level has raised the float, and consequently the valve, and the
admission of water is shut off thereby. For the purpose of obviating the alag-
nation of the water in the conduit and the freezing of the same in winter time,
a small continuous discharge of the water may be allowed to take place during
that season, by means of a nut which is screwed on the tail piece of the valve
(that is screw threaded for this purpose) and which abuts against a small rod
operated from the outside, and which prevents at will the admission valve from
closing the orifice of the conduit.
Two over-flow pipes are arranged symmetrically on either side of the vertical
axis of the spherical receiver and they terminate in a supplementary receiver
which is fixed to the lower part of the spherical receiver and to which the flushing
pipe is fixed. Between these two vertical tubes there is arranged a truncated
conical tube which serves as a valve seat for the stop valve or flushing valve.
The latter is constituted by a small sphere resting on a vertical rod arranged
in the axis of the spherical receiver. This valve has a specific gravity which
is less than that of water, and it may be made of cork covered with rubber in
order to ensure tightness. For the purpose of raising the valve and consequently
of admitting the water into the flushing pipe, a lever passing into the spherical
receiver, and being operated by means of a chain, pushes up a small vertical
rod which raises the valve. This rod is surrounded by a coiled spring which
will always return the rod into its initial lower position when the operating
chain is released by the operator.

page_text: When the spherical receiver is quite emptied, the float will be at the bottom of
its travel and the spherical valve will be on its seat. Fresh water is admitted
into the receiver, which water forces the ball valve hard upon its seat, and when
said water has reached a certain height, it will close the small admission valve
by means of the float. If now the lever with its chain be pulled downwards, the
ball valve will be raised. Water will penetrate underneath the same, and it
will then be at once driven upwards. The water, having then a strong rotary
motion, will rush out from the spherical receiver in such a manner as to produce an
effective cleansing of the water closet pan. The float will move down and will
open the admission valve which will admit a fresh charge of water slowly and
without noise, whilst the spherical valve will have moved rapidly on to its seat
again.
"A modification of the invention consists in substituting for the sinuous
admission passage, a stuffing box in which passes a rod ending in a conical
part which controls the passage of the water admitted independently of the
pressure in the supply conduit. The spherical valve may also be replaced by
a very light hollow cylindrical body into which, when it would be raised by means
of the chain and lever, air would enter, and which air will thus constituto it
a kind of diving bell that will then rise immediately in order to allow the
flushing water to pass. The said part or bell is guided in its vertical move-
ment by two guide collars, and it will remain at the top of its travel until all
the water has run out of the spherical reservoir.
Dated thin 7th l
1000
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Flushing Water Closets,
I, CARL NUBER, of 4, Kernerstrasse, Baden-Baden, Germany, Manufacturer,
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:--
The present invention relates to improvements in flushing apparatus for water
closets, in which the main object is attained by the fact that the water is
caused to enter without noise into a reservoir constructed specially for this
purpose, and that the water is caused to pass out of said reservoir rapidly and
with great force.
The invention comprises also special arrangements for the purpose of rendering
the working of the apparatus absolutely certain.
In the annexed drawings which are given by way of example:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus along a plane passing through
its axis.
Figure 2 is a similar vertical section with some modifications.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line XY of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the modified float of the apparatus.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of the modified stop valve of the apparatus.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a second modification of the same valve.
The apparatus is composed of a water reservoir e of spherical form connected
at its upper end to a suitable water supply by means of a metal piece a cast in
such a manner as to form a sinuous passage by the influence of which the

page_text: momentum of the water which comes under pressure from the supply pipe is
destroyed in such a manner that the water will enter without noise into the
spherical reservoir through the orifice b. The water which is thus admitted
pases into the spherical reservoir e through a pipe f which is arranged
along the inner wall of the said reservoir and which terminates at its lower part
in such a manner as to produce a whirling motion of the water in order to
obviate all noise at the time of admission.
The inner orifice b of the sinuous admission passage may be closed by a small
valve c whose tail piece 9 is screwed into a spherical float d immersed in the
water of the reservoir. "After a sufficient quantity of water has been admitted,
its level has raised the float d and consequently the valve c, and the admission
of water is thus cut off. In order to prevent the water from remaining stagnant
in the passage or pipe and becoming frozen therein in winter, a small continuous
discharge of water may be allowed to take place during that season. This is
done by means of a nut h which is screwed on the tail g of the valve (the said
tail being screw threaded for this purpose) and which strikes against a small
rod i which is operated from the outside by means of a handle and which
will prevent the valve from closing the orifice of the said conduit.
On each side of the vertical axis of the spherical reservoir there are arranged
symmetrically three overflow pipes 1,1,1, which are held towards their upper
ends by a collar m, and they communicate in their course through a pipe union n
at their lower ends with a supplementary reservoir o which is fixed to the lower
part of the spherical reservoir, and to which the flushing pipe is fixed. Be-
tween the three vertical pipes 1, 1, 1 there is arranged a tube of slightly truncated
conical form which serves as a valve seat for the stop valve or flushing valve g.
This latter valve is constituted by a small sphere which rests on a vertical rod t
arranged in the axis of the spherical reservoir. This valve has a specific gravity
which is less than that of water and it may be made of cork covered with
caoutchouc in order to ensure the tightness thereof. For the purpose of raising
the valve and consequently allowing water to pass into the flushing pipe, a
lever r which enters the small spherical reservoir through a box s that is lined
with caoutchouc and which is operated by means of a chain not shewn in the
drawings, pushes the vertical rod t that raises the valve. This rod is surrounded
by a coiled spring u which always returns the rod into its initial lower position
when the operating chain is released by the operator. 1 is a screw threaded
pipe union upon which the end of the flushing pipe is screwed.
When the spherical reservoir is entirely empty, the float will be at the end of
its course, and the spherical valve will be on its seat. Then fresh water will
enter. the reservoir. This water presses the spherical valve a strongly against
its seat and when the said water has reached a certain height, it closes the small
admission valve c by means of the float. If then the lever be pulled down-
wards by means of its chain, the spherical valve will be raised. Then the
water passes underneath the said valve and pushes it immediately upwards. As
the water has then a strong rotary motion it passes out from the spherical
reservoir in such a manner as to produce an effective cleansing of the pan of
the water closet. The float will then move downwards and will open the
admission valve which will allow a fresh charge of water to enter slowly and
without noise. During this time the valve will have been returned rapidly on
to its seat.
Modifications in the apparatus are shewn in Figure 2.
For the sinuous
admission passage there is substituted a stuffing box through which passes a
screw a¹. This acrew a ends in a conical part 6 which regulates the passage
of the water admitted independently of the pressure in the feed pipe. From the
orifice 6 the water passes through the pipe f which discharges into the lower
zone of the water reservoir e. The end of the pipe f is closed, but there are
provided towards that end a certain number of apertures o in such a manner
that the water will rise and bubble up (but noiselessly) in the reservoir e.
The

page_text: spherical float is replaced by a float whose lower portion has a cylindrical
or almost cylindrical shape. The bottom of this float is flat or slightly recessed.
In this manner the volume of this lower part will be considerably increased so
that there will be consequently produced a greater upward pressure of the water.
The manner of attaching the admission valve c to this float inay be modified
by arranging the sleeve d in which is situated the spindle of the valve, to
extend through the float from top to bottom of the same, and to project on the
bottom of the latter as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Against this projection the
stop valve will bear when it is raised. As the thickness of the wall of this
sleeve d' does not allow of screw-threading the same, the upper end of the
latter is provided with a special nut which receives the screw-threaded spindle
of the valve c. In this manner the distance between the valve c and the float
will be capable of being altered at will by screwing the spindle into or out of
the sleeve d¹ and thereby allow, for a small distance between the valve c and the
float & of an elevated position of the latter in the flushing apparatus which will
then receive a greater quantity of water; whilst on the other hand for a greater
distance between c and d the float d will remain at a lower level and will only
permit a diminished quantity of water to enter.
Another modification consists in diminishing the weight and in modifying
the construction of the stop valve 2 of the flushing apparatus. This result will
be obtained by means of the valve shewn in Figure 5. This valve is constituted
by a hollow cylindro-conical body having beadings which serve to guide the
valve. It has very thin metal walls, whilst the lower part n which serves to
make a tight joint, is of caoutchouc. The part made of caoutchouc may be
connected to the metallic part in any desired manner. In the example shewn
in the annexed drawings, the upper edge q1 of the caoutchouc n is tightened
up against the lower shoulder of the valve and a ring q of corresponding shape.
With the object of effecting the same purpose (the diminution of the weight)
and for the purpose of increasing the resistance of the stop valve herein described,
the latter might be made entirely of very thin metal (Figure 6) which will give
it also a more perfect guidance. In order to prevent all change of form of the
lower part of this metallic valve (which part serves to effect the tightness
of the joint), the lower edge will be folded back towards the interior; this
folding may be effected horizontally as well as vertically. However, the small
part which is folded vertically and which terminates the horizontal edge is not
indispensable, but it is suitable for the object set forth herein.
On pulling the lever r downwards, the valve g' rises immediately and becomes
filled with air in such a manner that the valve acts after the fashion of a diving
bell, so that the water can no longer enter into it. It will therefore remain on the
surface of the water until the reservoir has become quite empty.
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) An improved flushing apparatus for water closets, characterized by a water
reservoir of spherical form communicating with a supply pipe through the
medium of a metal part having a sinuous passage; by a valve e for closing the
orifice 6 of said passage, said valve being provided with a tail g; by a pipe f
for conducting the water admitted to the bottom of the spherical reservoir e;
by a spherical float d for pushing the tail of the valve a when the level of the
water admitted to the spherical reservoir has attained a certain height, thus
determining the closing of the admission of the water; by three over-flow pipes /
ending at their lower ends in a spherical reservoir fitted to the lower portion of
the reservoir e; by a conical pipe-union fitted to this last reservoir, and serving
as a valve seat to a spherical valve 9 having a specific gravity less than that
of water; by a vertical rod, operated by means of a lever actuated by a hand
chain, the said rod pushing up the spherical valve which rises up to the upper

page_text: level of the water in the reservoir e, so as to uncover the flushing orifices and so
as not to cover them until the said reservoir is emptied, as set forth.
(2) An improved flushing apparatus for water closets, characterized by a water
reservoir e of spherical form communicating with a supply pipe by means of a
duct which can be obturated to a greater or less extent by means of a cone b¹
that forms the end of a rod a¹ operated from the outside; by a float the lower
part of which is almost cylindrical and is traversed throughout its entire length
by a sleeve which receives the screw-threaded spindle of the valve c through the
medium of a nut . This arrangement allowing of moving the float and the
valve c nearer together to a greater or less extent, for the purpose of regulating
the amount of the water admitted; by devices for silently discharging the water
in the reservoir e, by three over-flow pipes, by a stop valve, and by a chain
actuated lever that operates said valve, as set forth.
(3) An improved flushing apparatus for water closets, characterized by a
spherical water reservoir e, by a duct for the admission of the water, by a valve,
and by a float controlling said valve, by devices for silently discharging the
water in the spherical reservoir, by overflow pipes, by a stop valve of cylindro-
conical form, the upper part of which is constructed with a guiding beading
and with thin metal walls, and the lower part of which is composed, for the
purpose of making a tight joint, of a truncated cone of caoutchouc connected
by means of a ring to the upper part, by a spring rod actuated by means of the
lever with chain pull, as set forth.
(4) An improved flushing apparatus for water closets, characterized by a stop
valve of cylindro-conical form, having a guiding beading entirely of metal,
and the lower edge of which is adapted to fold back towards the interior in
order to prevent all change of shape, as set forth.
(5) An improved flushing apparatus for water closets, constructed, arranged
and adapted to operate, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I, Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.