IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT ARE KNOWN AS 'DRY EARTH' CLOSETS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Carter, of 86, Islingwood Road, Brighton,
in the County of Sussex, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
WHAT ARE KNOWN AS 'DRY EARTH' CLOSETS."
Sealed the 30th April 1872, and dated the 14th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Carter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th February 1872.
I, DAVID CARTER, of 86, Islingwood Road, Brighton, in the County
of Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT ARE KNOWN AS 'DRY EARTH' CLOSETS," to be as
follows:-
In dry closets constructed according to my Invention, in place of the
supply of dry earth or other dry deodorizing material being contained
in a hopper, and delivered in measured quantities to the closet each time
it is used as heretofore usual, the supply of earth or material is placed
into the receiver itself in which the excreta is collected. The receiver
may
be of a cylindrical, or ovoid, or other form, and is mounted on pins

page_text: or axes at its ends; one pin forms a key, and enters a corresponding
recess in the axis of a wheel, over which passes an endless chain or
cord, which also passes over a wheel on the axis of the seat of the closet,
so that the act of opening or closing the lid shall give a partial turn to
the receiver, and throw the earth in it over the excreta. The other axis
of the receiver is a pin carried by the side of the closet, and which can
be moved in or out of a recess in the end of the receiver to allow of the
receiver being lifted in and out for emptying and refilling. The receiver
is by preference of an irregular ovoid form, circular in top and back,
and egg-shaped in front, so that when in its position for receiving the
excreta the axis of the ovoid is inclined at a certain angle from front of
hole in seat towards the bottom of the back. This shape causes the
earth within the vessel to be well under the excreta, and when the
vessel revolves to throw a greater quantity of earth upon it, it also
brings the weight nearer the centre, so that the empty part of the vessel
counterbalances the weight of the other. When the lid of the closet is
open an opening in the receiver is below the pan of the closet; this
opening may either have valve plates adapted to it by which it may be
closed, except at the time when the closet is in use, or a rim projecting
inwards into the receiver may be fixed around the opening to prevent
the earth being thrown out whenever the receiver is revolved. When
valve plates are used a plate may be hinged to the interior of the
receiver on each side of the opening, and be acted on by springs which
tend to turn them into a position to close the opening. The weight of
a person sitting on the seat is arranged to slightly depress the front of
the seat, and thereby to act upon the springs, and cause the plates to
turn down out of the way so as to leave clear the opening into the
receiver. When the person rises from the seat the springs again turn
the valves into a position to close the opening. In order also that the
"earth" in the receiver may be more thoroughly thrown over the
excreta when the receiver is revolved I form the receiver so that the
part which is lowest when the lid is open shall slope downwards from
the two sides towards the centre, whilst the upper parts of the receiver
are cylindrical. By this means the "earth" in the receiver is alternately
spread outwards towards the two sides, and thrown inwards towards the
centreas the receiver is revolved. The receiver is provided with handles
by which it can be removed to be emptied and refilled whenever required.
The pan of the closet is formed shallow at the back part, and with an
opening for the solid excreta to fall through into the receiver, whilst the

page_text: front of the pan is deeper, and the urine which falls into it is conducted
away by a pipe by preference to a receiving vessel provided with an
indicator to indicate when the vessel requires to be emptied.
With "dry closets" constructed as herein-before described any kind
of dry deodorizing material may be employed without the necessity of
its being sifted or of the material being dried to the extent heretofore
necessary. It also economises the material, so that every part of it
may be used until saturated, increasing and condensing the value of the
manure, so that less labor and attention is requisite; the simplicity of
the apparatus prevents it being choked up, as in the case of other closets;
and for occasional use, such as a night commode, if the urine is
conveyed out of the building a charge would last six months.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
CARTER, of 86, Islingwood Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said David Carter, Her special
licence, that I, the said David Carter, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Carter, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IкPROVEMENTS IN
WHAT ARE KNOWN AS 'DRY EARTH' CLOSETS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said David Carter, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Carter, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
In the dry closet systems heretofore known, as far as I am aware,
the method adopted has been to deposit the deodoriser in a vessel above
and then to discharge, by means of a valve or measures in the bottom
thereof, a portion of its contents over cach deposit of excreta. The
methods used to discharge the deodoriser from the vessel above have
been by means of a handle either in the seat or in the top part of front
of closet, or by means of the seat which revolving on an axis at its back
puts into motion the different parts, the great defect in these systems
being that the urine (except as regards one or two plans) is mingled
with the excreta, often neutralizing the deodorising power of the
material used, and causing the gases of the excreta to rise. Again, a
further defect is the great quantity of deodoriser required, and the
immense amount of trouble in sifting and drying, in order that it may
not wedge and refuse to fall, and so as to have it sufficiently fine and
free from stones that it may not disarrange the apparatus. The excreta
being stationary heaps up by each deposit, so that the discharge falls
barely upon those parts which require covering, and rolls towards the
sides of the vessel where it is not required. The vessel for containing
the product may be a tub, bucket, or a shoot leading to a pit or a small
wagon upon wheels, but all placed beneath the seat and stationary
(as far as I know) until filled, when it is taken away and replaced with
an empty one. The whole being freely exposed to the atmosphere and
to the sight (except with one or two plans) has an unsighty and dis-
agreeable appearance, the supplying and carrying away making it
troublesome, dirty, and expensive.
Now my Invention will I consider remove these evils, and to the best
of my knowledge differs from others in the arrangements of parts which
I use, being adapted to give a cycloidal tendency to the action of the
deodorizer to cover the excreta.
By my new Invention the whole mass of deodoriser is used to
deodorise one deposit of excreta, bringing fresh particles of unused
deodoriser into contact with fresh deposits.

page_text: My said Invention I will now proceed to definitively describe, wherein
I shall refer to the accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is an isometrical projection of closet separated to shew its
construction; Fig. 2, an internal view with the lid of vessel (hereafter
described) closed, and vessel reversed; Fig. 3, view with lid partially
closed, the vessel revolving; Fig. 4, vessel with lid open; Fig. 5,
partial view of vessel, with loose swinging valve; Fig. 6, partial
transverse section shewing the claw action and double valve; Fig. 7,
single valve single claw action; Fig. 8 shews single claw attached
to seat; Fig. 9, plan of seat; Fig. 10, plan of carrier loop; Fig. 11,
elevation of carrier loop; Figs. 12, 13, and 14, views hereafter described.
The external part (A) of the closet for commodes or house closets,
constructed according to my said Invention, is similar in appearance to
the ordinary closet with this exception that there is a drawer (B) in
front to receive the urine, which is taken and emptied the same as a
chamber pot or where there is a pipe (to convey the urine away) com-
municating with the outside of the building, the appearance then is
similar to other closets.
There are, however, some features in the external details which to
the best of my knowledge are quite new, the flap (AX) which covers
the seat is clamped at the edges 1, 1, with the metal screwed into the
wood, one clamp terminating at back edge of flap, with a hole near its
extremity, the other clamp similar in appearance externally, with a
similar hole, but the metallic part is continued backwards into the
internal part of closet with two studs or attachments near the ends to
receive a rope or chain (C). At the back edge of the flap is a metallic
rod, passing through two metallic plates screwed on to the sides of
closet. The borders on the top of the seat and the holes in the metal
clamps from one side of closet to the other form a fulcrum, of which
the flap or lid Ax with the projecting clamp becomes a powerful lever,
and a hinge for the lid to revolve upon.
The seat (the hole in which) is peculiarly adapted to my new
Invention is of an eliptical form, the major axis of which is parallel
with the front of closet, and the front end of the minor axis thereof
has another cavity (as will be seen from the plan) for the urinal organs
projecting from the form of such elipsis towards the front of seat. At

page_text: the top and ends of the seat are ledges flush with the flap, which
border and form clamps for the seat by screws from below, thus the
whole constitutes a simple form of hinge, strong and able to bear
any strain, combining a lever with which to work the internal
mechanism, and when required to be used the lid or flap has simply to
be thrown back, thus placing the vessel (hereafter described) into
position, and the seat being connected with the same axis, when the
vessel below is required to be taken out (as will be described) the whole
seat and flap can be thrown back, leaving the vessel exposed. The
vessel or receiver (D) beneath the seat may be of an irregular ovoid
form, square on plan, with two valves or doors in upper part of vessel,
supported and kept closed by means of springs which give way. The
valves or doors flying open when the seat is pressed down by sitting
upon it, or when the seat is firm, by a loose swinging valve, which closes
the aperture when the vessel is reversed. The aperture for receiving the
excreta is dome-shaped in plan with the base of the dome parallel with
the front of closet, and about half way under the eliptical hole in seat
(when placed in position for use); from this base line the vessel falls
away forward, in order that the urine may be separated from the excreta.
This may be described as a pan with a hole at its lower extremity,
terminating into a pipe, which conveys the urine into a vessel at the
back or out of the building. However, after various trials I now prefer
to use in place of the pan a simple shoot attached to the incline of the
vessel with a projecting lip, discharging the urine into a drawer in
front or into a funnel with a pipe or spout leading to outside of
building as being economical and easily cleaned. A small peak or
drip plate E is attached to the under side of the seat to guide the
urine into the shoot. The valve or valves that close the aperture in
the vessel may be held up by springs (with the exception of the
swinging valve) placed outside, but after trial and experience I prefer
one or two bars passing through the front, or front and back, of the
vessel at right angles to the front on the side or sides of the urine
shoot D', and turned at right angles inside to support the valve D³, and
at the end outside frontwards in a cross piece D³, one end of which (in
the case of one valve being used) is pulled by a spring D', which, acting
upon the arm inside keeps the valve closed, but where two valves are
used the bars are simply continued through the back, terminating in
handles with a spring attached. A small bent lever G (Fig. 8) attached
to under side of seat is provided, curved at one end and at the other end

page_text: resting upon a plate or pad in the side of closet, between which end and
the seat is fixed a spring (X, Fig. 8) which supports the seat when it
is not used, and prevents the bent end of the lever catching the
cross piece (as the vessel revolves) a semicircle. When the seat is
pressed down by sitting upon it, the outside end of the bent lever G,
resting upon the pad, fixed to the side of closet is pressed down, and
forces the other bent end or claw upon one end of the cross piece
of bar (which passes through the vessel D), turning down the bar
which holds the valve D³ up, which valve falls by its own weight and
opens the vessel, releasing the seat from pressure when the springs come
again into action, and the vessel is closed. Or where the little bent
lever G is attached to the side of the closet, the end next the outside
being turned round, a rod forming a hinge with a projecting stud
catching against a spring fixed to side of the closet keeping it up
(see Fig. 7) and free from the vessel, a knob projecting upwards is
pressed upon by the seat which forces the bar down as before.
The centres upon which the vessel swings may be placed in its ends,
but this will render it difficult to take out the vessel, therefore I prefer
a metallic loop in the shape of a flattened letter O with a hole in one
end, which revolves upon a stud screwed to the side of the closet, and
at the other has a pin passing through a wheel round which passes a
chain, rope, or metal band C, connected one end direct with a stud in
the lever hinge K of the flap or lid, and the other round a wheel L
placed at the back of the closet connected with another stud in the
lever hinge. The chain, rope, or band may however be endless passing
round a wheel I connected with the hinged lever of the flap or lid Ax,
but I prefer the former of these plans as being simpler and answering
the same end better. The proportion of radius of the wheel at the
end of the carrier metal loop which receives the vessel to that of the
hinged lever of the flap or lid is such that when the lid revolves a little
more than a quarter of circle the carrier loop revolves a semicircle in
order that the vessel may be inverted after each operation. The urinal
may be placed behind, but I prefer placing it in front as it can more
easily be taken out. The centres upon which the carrier loop H revolves
are concentric to the vessel, and if the urinal was placed behind the
vessel must revolve forward, but the urinal being placed in front the
vessel is thrown backwards to clear it; the concentricity of the vessel
is to bring the weight of the deodoriser as near the centres, making it

page_text: the springs being released the valve closes and all is hidden. To deodorise
close the lid, whereupon the vessel revolves and envelopes the excreta by
a cycloidal motion in the whole mass of deodoriser. The lower part of
the vessel having no opening is when reversed air-tight, and the excreta
from being well covered is more perfectly deodorised. Should the closet
require to be used again immediately the lid is then thrown back, and
in so doing that part of the deodoriser containing the excreta being in
the centre or near the centre of the mass falls more direct than the
deodoriser to the sides, which falling on the V shaped pieces M, Fig. 6,
are thrown into the centre covering the excreta again, these operations
can be repeated until the mass of deodoriser is saturated or no longer
capable of deodorizing, when the vessel is taken out and emptied or
replaced with a duplicate charge.
In cheaper constructions and for cottage purposes the closet seat
does not fall when pressed upon, and the spring valve is replaced by a
loose swinging one O, Fig. 5, hinged inside under the top edge of urine
shoot, so that when the vessel revolves the loose valve closes the
aperture in the vessel by its own weight.
For schools, barracks, workhouses, and large establishments the vessel
is by preference for 2, 3, 4, or any number of closets, and is made into
a large tube similar to that shewn on cross section at Fig. 12, a longi-
tudinal section and elevation thereof being shewn at Figs. 13 and 14.
The apertures and the urine shoot are precisely the same as in the
arrangements already described, but in place of the valves a plate P
slides inside and closes the apertures when required. The vessel is fixed
to a carrier loop and similar concentric centres, as before described.
One end is secured at the point Q, but instead of the wheel and chain
there is a handle which is suitably mounted in a frame; at the bottom
of this vessel are placed a series of movable partitions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
about one-fourth of the depth from the bottom, dividing it into compart-
ments and free to revolve either way round a central post or stud R
projecting upwards from the bottom. At the extreme ends of the tube
are doors for the entrance and exit of the deodorizer. The seats are
fixed (the hinged lever not being used). A gutter conducting the urine
is placed on an incline from one end of the block of closets to the
other, falling into any receptacle, a connecting rod or rods with partitions
in the vessel being continued through the end. When the vessel is
required to be filled the partitions are moved by pushing or pulling the

page_text: rod S until the partitions stand obliquely (as shewn in Fig. 13). The
apertures are then closed by means of the plate, the lid at one end
opened, and the deodorizer thrown or poured in by any arrangement, and
the vessel slowly turned by the handle, and at each revolution the
deodorizer sliding down the oblique partitions is carried from one end
to the other, the moveable partitions are then by reversing the vessel
free to act, and are placed at right angles across the same.
A few revo-
lutions each day (the precaution being taken to close the apertures by
means of the sliding plate) deodorise and bring fresh particles of
deodoriser into contact. When saturated and required to be emptied
the apertures and the admitting end of the vessel are closed, opening
the other end and placing the partitions obliquely, the contents are
thus screwed out into a receptacle below by causing the vessel to
revolve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my Invention, and in what manner the same may be per-
formed or put in practice, I declare that I claim, the Invention of
Improvements in what are known as 'Dry Earth' Closets," wherein
the following are important and peculiar features:—
(1.) Dispensing with the funnel usually used.
(2.) The improved form of vessel for separating urine from the
excreta, combining perfect deodorisation by completely enveloping it in
the whole mass of the deodoriser, such vessel being air-tight in the
best closets when not in use, and preventing the escape of bad odour,
and by its internal arrangements bringing fresh particles of the
deodoriser into contact.
(3.) The improved valve with claw action.
(4.) The simple method of closing the vessel by a loose swinging
valve.
(5.) The method of screwing the contents in and out of the vessel by
partitions placed screw-like.
(6.) The arrangement of carrier loop for holding the vessel, and the
method of fastening the same to prevent falling out.
(7.) The hinged lever of the lid with its chain, rope, or metal band
revolving the vessel upwards and downwards.
(8.) The arrangements of the seat flap moving upon one common
axis, combining strength with facility for taking out vessel when needed.

page_text: (9.) A new arrangement of urinal in front.
It has to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
forms, constructions, and arrangements herein described and shewn by
the Drawings, but claim any forms and constructions having sub-
stantially the same action and effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Carter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
0 Witness,
DAVID CARTER. (L.S.)
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary, Inventor's Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street, S.W.