Improved Automatic Flushing Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improved Automatic Flushing Apparatus.
We, JOHN JOSEPH RAWLINGS, Sanitary Engineer, and WILLIAM ROBERT
RAWLINGS, Electrical Engineer, both of 82, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
In the automatic cisterns now in general use and consisting of a trapped syphon
with pent air between the trap and syphon the difficulty experienced is to displace
the air at a definite time to permit of the syphon being fully charged with water
and to insure moderate success, the syphon must be constructed to take advantage
of small quantities of water to break up the pent air. This has been attempted
with an ordinary valve placed upon the top of syphon and so arranged as to permit
of the air escaping when the water reaches a certain level. The success of this is
however limited as the tendency is for a very gradual leakage of air thus preventing
the sudden displacement of air which is necessary to properly set the syphon in
action. Our invention has for its object the sudden releasing of the pent air even
when the inflow of water into the cistern is only drop by drop, thus permitting of the
pent air being released and of water taking its place and consequently of the syphon
being charged. We accomplish this result by means of an apparatus with two
floats, One float opens and closes the air valve and the other float locks the valve,
and is so arranged as to prevent the valve from opening until a certain point of the
water level is reached. Then the valve float is released and upon rising instantly
opens the valve full bore, thus permitting the rapid escape of
the pent
air and setting the syphon in action, and upon the descent of the
water in the cistern the valve and locking gear assume their normal position
stopping off the inlet of air to the syphon, and is in readiness for the next operation.
Dated this 3rd day of July 1897.
Improved Automatic Flushing Apparatus.
We, JOHN JOSEPH RAWLINGS and WILLIAM ROBERT RAWLINGS, both of 82,
Gloucester Road, South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Sanitary
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
Our invention has for its object the improvement of automatic flushing cisterns
that are operated by a trapped syphon and which relies for its efficiency on the
removal of the pent air between the trap and syphon at the right moment and so
permitting the syphon being entirely charged with water and syphonage of contents
taking place.
=
The accompanying drawings will make clear the construction of our invention.
Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the complete apparatus. A is the connection
of the fixed body of apparatus to syphon T (Fig. 7 Sheet 2) and B is the flexible
valve seating preferably of india rubber contained in a recessed cap C or otherwise
attached to lever arm D. This arm is pivotted at E to a projection from the fixed
body of apparatus and is operated upon by the water exerting a lifting power upon
the float F. This float cannot rise until released by float G rising and moving
lever arm H (which is pivotted to a projection from the fixed body of apparatus at I)
thereby sliding catch J from locking position on arm D. The arm D is unlocked
by the catch J and the float F being thus released at once rises and thereby lifts the
flexible valve seating B which releases the air in the syphon which is then expelled
through the valve and syphonage takes place. Upon descent of the water the
floats again assume their closed position as shewn in Fig. 1 and the valve prevents
the air from entering the syphon which is then in readiness for the next operation.
Fig. 2 is the same apparatus but with the flexible valve seating arranged in such
a manner as to be loosely attached by a spindle K to the arm Ď. The spindle is
encircled by a coiled spring M which exerts a constant downward pressure on the
said flexible seating attached to the seat or cap C sufficient to adjust the same and
counteract the compression which occurs from prolonged usage thereof and thus
prevent leakage of air from the syphon through the valve before the catch J is
released. To the valve seat C are attached two pins which travel on the outside of
the fixed body through two guides which are preferably on either side of the same.
One of such guides is shewn at L and one pin X passing into such guide. The
flexible valve seating is thus kept in a true line with the orifice of the valve.
Fig. 3 shows a modification of the adjustable valve seating with a spring attached
to the lever arm D and operating the spindle of the valve seat instead of the coiled
spring as in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is another modification of the adjustable valve seating the adjustment of
the same being obtained by the gravity weight N being loosely attached by sup-
ports to the arm D. In this case sufficient play is allowed in the length of the
supports O to adjust the flexible seating and counteract the compression which arises
from prolonged usage thereof as described in Fig. 2. In practice we have found
that the play required is about one-sixteenth of an inch but the same would vary
according to the size of the apparatus required. The gravity weight N must be
sufficiently heavy to prevent leakage from the valve without any assistance from the
lever arm D. Of course the capacity of the float F must be sufficient to raise the
said weight and attachments.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of valve with gravity weight N described above, but it is
obvious that the supports O instead of being bent over as shewn in the drawing could
be carried up vertically and a movable pin inserted over the top of the arm 1).
Sheet 2 Fig. 6 shews another form of apparatus. In this case the valve seat C
is operated or compressed against the orifice of the valve, being connected by the
rods U to a direct acting float P. When the cistern has been discharged the weight
of the float P is sufficient to keep down the usual flexible valve seating attached to
the seat C and thus prevents any escape of air from the syphon, and the same is
kept in such position by the lock or catch Q falling on to the roller R which is
mounted on a spindle passing through an extension of the valve seat C. Upon the
float and lever arm F rising the roller R is released by the catch Q and projected
upwards by the pressure exerted through the buoyancy of the said float P and the
air from the syphon is thus released and syphonage commences when at once the

page_text: valve is closed again by the valve of the float P caused by the water being withdrawn
from the cistern. The float F and catch Q are attached by means of a pivot or
spindle S to the fixed part of the apparatus by supports not shewn.
Fig. 7 shews the manner in which the apparatus (in this case the one set forth in
Fig. 1) is attached to the syphon (T) of automatic cisterns..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is;-
(1) An improved automatic flushing apparatus made by means of an air valve
for releasing pent-up air from an automatic syphon and which valve is operated
by 2 floats in the manner herein before substantially described.
(2) An improved automatic flushing apparatus made by means of an air valve
used for releasing pent-up air in automatic syphons and which air valve is auto-
matically opened or closed by means of two floats one of which opens and closes the
valve and the other by means of a catch locks the valve until a certain point of
the water level is again reached in the cistern.
Dated this Seventh day of February 1898.