Improvements in and connected with Water-closets and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1895-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1895
Improvements in and connected with Water-closets and the like.
A communication by ANTONINO CIOLFI, of Civitanova del Sannio, Province of
Campobasso, in the Kingdom of Italy, Professor of Mathematics.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick and 31 High Holborn 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 has for its object an improved pan for water closets and the like
with an isolating valve, this latter consisting of a device which whilst permitting
the washing away or discharge of the fecal matter by means of a rotary move-
ment, also effects a complete and continuous isolation of the sewer or midden, the
joint being a continuous one, and allowing disinfection to be easily effected by
sulphurous acid obtained by combustion of sulphur. This valve arrangement
realises the high desideratum of hygiene, i.e. the isolation of dwellings, courtyards
and places intended to receive putrescible matter, combined with a means of disin-
fection as easy as it is inexpensive, having a prompt, sure and energetic action on
the infective germs which may exist there.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the pan and valve;
Figures 2 and 3 are sections on the line x-x of Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line y-y.
In all the figures, similar letters of reference indicate like parts.
The construction of this apparatus is very simple. It is composed of a pan A
of prismatic shape with a square base, and rounded edges, the lower somewhat
narrower part E F of which pan fits into the mouth of the discharge pipe below
the floor of the closet where the pau is placed. The upper opening of the pan has
a rounded edge which slopes a little towards the interior, so that whilst being
commodious for the person who sits thereon it is not possible to stand or squat
thereon if a wooden seat be not attached by a hinge to the pan. The column
receives exactly across and tightly fitting therein a rectangular parallelopipedon B
of solid glass in which a cylindrical cavity carefully ground with emery is formed
horizontally, which cavity receives exactly and tightly an externally ground glass
cylinder C. The pan A. has internally the form of a reversed truncated cone in its
upper part, and a somewhat widened truncated conc in its lower part. To
correspond with the smaller bases of these two truncated conical cavities, there
are formed in the rectangular parallelopipedon B of solid glass two corresponding
apertures, diametrically and vertically opposed to each other which form a
coutinuation of the internal truncated conical cavities of the
pan A.
Basin or cup-shaped cavities formed diametrically opposite each other in the
periphery of the glass cylinder C serve as a bottom to the reversed truncated
conical cavity formed in the pan A, the months c d and c' d' of said basins or cup-
shaped cavities registering alternately with the apertures in the parallelopipedon.
The cylinder C which with one of its bases touches the end of the cylindrical

page_text: cavity formed in the glass parallelopipedon B, is held in place by a disc L
(Figure 4) fixed by means of screws to the pan A, and is traversed by a spindle D
on which is mounted a chain wheel N, which, by means of a metal chain O, receives
motion from a wheel M and the cylinder C is thereby rotated. An iron
plate P embedded in the pan A and fastened thereto by screws, carries the spindle
for the wheel M and for the ring Q. All this is regulated and fixed by a pressure
screw which operates on a disc n, which is in one piece with the shaft carried by
the plate P.
The wheel M has a semicircular slot through its thickness to allow a stop
catch 9 to limit its rotation to a half revolution, in consequence of which
the chain wheel N makes a complete revolution and with it the cylinder C.
A cord is attached at one end to a ring Q loose on the spindle of the wheel and
at the other end to the lever of a water cistern (not shown), said cord passes over
one or two pulleys. This cord is placed in front of the handle S of the wheel M.
Said handle may be turned down in order to give place to another fixed handle,
according to the quantity of water which it is desired should be caused to enter
the pan. In the position shown in Figure 1, the quantity of water obtained is the
maximum, because by revolving the wheel M, the handle S which comes in contact
with the cord immediately exerts on the same a pull, and operates the lever of the
water cistern, the valve of which remains open all the time that is necessary for
the wheel M to describe its half revolution, and to return in the opposite direction,
whilst if the handle S be lowered, the other handle which lies further behind to the
extent of a quarter of a revolution will, when the wheel M is removed, accomplish
a quarter of a revolution before touching the cord, and then on the movement being
continued the valve will open, and remain open, during a shorter time, which in the
case of an equal velocity of the wheel M, is half that of the previously described
case. By pushing back the catchy into its recess, and detaching from the ring Q,
the cord R, in order to fasten thereto another suitable ring which engages with the
handle S; by then causing the wheel M to revolve, the valve remains open during
the time that the handle effects a half revolution.
It is obvious that without departing from the principle of the present invention,
a different arrangement may be employed for obtaining the rotation of the
cylinder C; it is evident also that in place of the cylinder a sphere or any other
suitable form may be employed, and with the object of obtaining a more perfect
joint a washer of india-rubber or even a pneumatic washer may be employed.
From the present description it is easy to understand the action of the
cylinder C. In the position that it occupies in Figure 1, it closes hermetically,
and excludes all communication with the sewer or the midden of the closet. When
it is desired to discharge the fæcal matter, the cylinder C is caused to revolve by
means of the wheel M, and it assumes successive positions to that indicated by
Figure 3, until the upper receiving basin cd (Figure 1) assumes the lower
position as shown in Figure 2, and the lower basin c d assumes the position
previously held by the upper basin, and in this way the fecal matter is discharged.
During this movement of reversal of the fæcal matter, and that for returning the
receiving basin into its first position, there is not the least communication established
between the closet where the pan is placed, and the sewer or midden into which the
fæeal matter falls, because the upper opening of the discharge tube, and con-
sequently the sewer or midden, never enters into communication with the pan, no
matter in what position the cylinder C stands, the joint being continuous hydraulic
and solid. There is thus formed by this improved pan a complete and perfect
isolation of the sewer or of the midden, and this is all that hygiene can require.
Figure 4 is a transverse section or plan view of Figure 1 made on the axis y.
of rotation of the cylinder C. Apart from the perfect hydraulic and always
continuous joint afforded by this improved pau and whereby the level of the
water may be maintained as desired, there is also afforded an hermetic sealing
and isolation of the sewer or midden without recourse being had to water, and
for this object the simple solid closing produced by the cylinder suffices, said
....y

page_text: cylinder in any position where it may be found, constituting the essential part
of the hermetic and continuous joint and of the discharge of the fecal matter.
A water seal is not employed with this pan in the case of middens, firstly,.
because it would be useless, and secondly, because in the case of middens water is
deleterious, both from the hygienic point of view and from a technical point of
view, and this forms a characteristic and considerable advantage obtained by this
improved pan, because by the reversal of the fæcal matter only the water containe.
in the basin or at the most in three basins is discharged when it is desired to
clean with a brush a basin soiled by the fæcal matter. But it is evident that the
water seal can always be introduced and employed when this improved pan is
used in places where there is a system of sewers. In this case the water flush
is always obtained to any desired extent by means of the wheel M. If by
inadvertence the valve on the water pipe be left open, the water would overflow
the pan.
In order to avoid this drawback, the pan A is provided at its upper part
with a hole T to which is connected a pipe ending in a urinal or in a suitable place
where there is a cesspool or sewer. These precautions are actually indispensable
until there should be invented a more rational system of closets better corresponding
to hygienic requirements.
This improved pan may be made of cast iron, porcelain, earthenware, or the like,
with its internal parts always of solid glass, or porcelain, and ground with emery
according to the shape and arrangements herein before mentioned, or even the
whole may be of glass. If it be of cast metal it must be enamelled internally in
the two truncated conical cavities.
As regards disinfection by the fumes of sulphur, such may be effected easily and
every day without any inconvenience. For this object it suffices to detach the
cord S from the ring Q and empty the pan of water, remove one of the screws 20
which stands at the bottom of each receiving basin, and which compresses a little
washer of indiarubber, and substitute therefor a cylinder V of earthenware or
porcelain of a diameter of 3 or 4 centimetres, and of a height somewhat less than
the depth of the basin, and having two holes o p. A sulphur fuse or wick 4 to
5 millimetres in diameter, prepared by a special process and having at one end a knot
is inserted by the other end into the hole o, and wound round the cylinder V.
When it reaches the hole p it is passed through the same, and a pin is stuck through
the other end. When the fuse or wick is lighted the cylinder is caused to revolve
in order to carry it into the position shown in Figure 2. Immediately the
combustion has consumed the part of the wick placed in the hole p, the wick
unwinds from the cylinder V and continues to burn. A wick having a diameter of
5 millimetres with an internal thread of one millimetre suitably prepared, contains
about 40 grammes of sulphur. The wick may be wound in several overlapping
spirals, and then disinfection may be carried out during the hours of the night.
The right is reserved of employing with this pan any other means of disinfection
with sulphur fumes which may be more convenient and easier; for instance, that
of employing a cylinder of melted sulphur or the like.
In the case of a cast metal pan, the sulphur fumes cannot attack the metal,
because no part is exposed to their action.
In order to render this improved closet applicable for persons of limited
circumstances, the column pattern herein before described is reduced to another
and smaller type, which may be placed in the brickwork and which may be called
the smaller pattern. The mechanism being always the same as it only varies in
the means for transmitting the movement to the cylinder, and the shape of the
pan which has the form of a prism with a square base, which being bent back at
right angles gives place to the part intended to receive the glass casing with the
cylinder belonging thereto.
In the case of grave epidemic maladies the fæcal matter can be disinfected in
this improved closet before the basin is reversed, and they may be maintained as
loug as desired under the action of the disintectant. This is obtained by throwing
into the pan a disinfectant solution and by then causing the cylinder to revolve

page_text: only a quarter of a revolution.
When this is done the fæcal matter. remains
between the basin and the corresponding cylindrical cavity of the pan under the
prolonged action of the disinfectant without any emanations being able to infect
the surrounding air.
The disinfectant which is preferably employed for this purpose.is permanganate
of potash, a substance which is endowed with a great oxidising power. A dilute
solution of this. substance placed in a vessel, may be inserted in the pan at any
time and whenever desired, during the reversing of the fæcal matter and
independently of the movement of the wheel M. It is superfluous to enumerate
all the advantages which are offered by the possibility of maintaining at will under
the action of a disinfectant, fæcal matter before discharging it, and avoiding the
effects of deleterious emanations which result therefrom. It will be sufficient to
remark that this cannot be obtained in the water closets with liquid disinfectants
which are at present employed, which at the moment of the action of the discharge
of the fecal matter receive the liquid intended to disinfect such matter, because
this liquid instead of operating on the matter which it is desired to disinfect is
diluted to an infinitesimal proportion in the sewer or midden.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The special method of reversing and causing to be discharged fæcul matter
in water closets and the like by means of the rotation, translation or other
movement of a cylinder, or sphere, whether it be placed horizontally, vertically,
inclined or in any other manner, in order to obtain complete isolation of rooms
frem places intended for waste or putrescible material, by means of a continuous
tightly closing joint, and in order to effect disinfection substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In a water closet or the like, the combination with the pan or receptacle of
a cylinder or sphere ground to its seating and having basins or cupped recesses in
its periphery and means for rotating or partly rotating such cylinder or sphere
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The construction and combination of parts taken as a whole forming the
improved water closet substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Dated this 1st day of November 1895.