IMPROVE- MENTS APPLICABLE TO EARTH CLOSETS OR COMMODES AND URINALS.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS. PATENT to Joseph Heap, of Hampstead Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Carpenter, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS APPLICABLE TO EARTH CLOSETS OR COMMODES AND URINALS."..
Sealed the 13th May 1870, and dated the 16th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Heap at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th December 1869.
I, JOSEPH HEAP, of Hampstead Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO EARTH CLOSETS .OR COMMODES AND URINALS," to be
as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to improvements in apparatus
for effecting the discharge of the earth, ashes, or other deodorizing
materials employed in what are known as earth closets or commodes,
The distribution of the
so as ensure an easy and unfailing action.

page_text: deodorizing materials may either be effected by hand or by an automatic
arrangement operated by the weight of the person depressing the seat.
I will first describe the pull or hand apparatus. The deodorizing
materials are contained in a hopper carried on gudgeons at the upper
part on which the hopper is hung, as usual, at the back part of the
closet or commode. This hopper is open at the bottom, where it is
reduced in size, and formed parallel, the front side of the parallel part
being also open. Directly beneath the hopper is placed a shelf or shoot
pivoted at either side to the framework of the closet, and serving to
receive the quantity of earth or other material required for one dis-
charge, which descends on to the shoot through the open bottom of the
hopper, forming a heap enclosed at the sides and back by the lower part
of the hopper. The hopper has a constant tendency to fall back towards
the rear of the closet, owing to the position of the gudgeons on which
it is supported, and the earth to be discharged thus rests on the rear
portion of the shelf or shoot before mentioned. The shoot or shelf is
balanced centrally on its pivots, on which it is free to oscillate or incline
itself slightly downwards towards the front, a bracket carried on the
hopper passing under and supporting the rear part of the shelf, which
would otherwise be depressed by the weight of the earth. Instead of
this bracket fixed stops may be provided on the framework of the closet,
as well to support as to limit the motion of the shelf. The hopper is
brought forward to discharge the earth on to the foecal matter deposited
by means of a pull handle operating a bell-crank lever mounted on a
fulcrum directly beneath the seat, and connected to the hopper by a rod
jointed thereto. A spring is applied to the axis or to one limb of the
bell-crank lever to lower the handle immediately it is released, and
permit of the hopper falling back to its normal position. In order to
prevent more than the regulated quantity of earth being discharged
from the hopper a metal plate or damper is secured to the "foundation"
board of the hopper casing, or to any other convenient part of the
framing. This plate is placed in such a position that when the hopper
is brought forward the plate will pass into and close the open or bottom
part of the hopper, the earth being again free to fall on the shelf or
shoot before mentioned as soon as the hopper is allowed to fall back. If
required an adjustable gate may also be provided at the lower part of the
hopper to regulate the passage of the deodorizing matters. When the
Hopper is brought forward to discharge the earth, as before described,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Heap in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
HEAP, of 77, Mytton Street, Hulme, Manchester, and late of 168,
Hampstead Road, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Joseph Heap, Her special licence that I,
the said Joseph Heap, my. executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Joseph Heap, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN EARTH CLOSETS,
COMMODES, AND URINALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Joseph Heap, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Heap, 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, reference being had to the six Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):-
My Invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for containing
and distributing dry earth or ashes or any other deodorizing material
employed in closets, commodes, and urinals. The action for distributing
the deodorizing material may be effected, either by hand or by an auto-
matic arrangement operated by the weight of the person depressing the

page_text: the weight of the earth resting on the shoot is transferred to the front
portion, causing said shoot to incline itself downwards for the purpose of
directing the earth where required. In order to render the apparatus
self-acting, as before mentioned, the seat is hinged and connected at
either side to levers pivoted beneath, on which it acts when depressed by
the weight of the person using the closet in the usual manner of self-
acting arrangements. The other ends of these levers are jointed to the
hopper at either side by means of connecting rods in such manner that
when the rear ends of said levers are raised by the weight of the person
depressing the seat the hopper will be thrust back, its normal position in
this arrangement being forward and towards the front of the casing.
The hopper being pushed back as described, the metal plate before
referred to as cutting off the supply of earth to the shoot when the
hopper is in its forward position is withdrawn therefrom by the back-
ward motion of the hopper, allowing a supply of the deodorizing matters
to descend on to the pivoted shoot whenever the hopper is swung back
in readiness for the next discharge. The discharge is effected auto-
matically on the person rising from the seat by the hopper, which is
thus released, swinging forward suddenly by its own gravity, aided by
weights or springs if necessary, the action of the pivoted shoot being
precisely the same as that described in reference to the pull apparatus.
For convenience of packing I prefer to hinge the front part of the
hopper casing to the "foundation" board, and secure it at the back by
hooks, which when released permit of the hopper casing and hopper
being brought down on to the seat cover. I also form a lip or hollow
bead round the bottom edge of the pan at its front part, for the purpose
of intercepting the urine, which may thus be carried away by a separate
channel, and collected for use for various purposes.
The second part of my Invention relates to the application of the
improved apparatus for distributing deodorizing materials, herein-before-
described, to urinals in which such materials are employed. In this.
case the apparatus may be made self-acting by connecting the levers by
which the hopper is operated to a plate which is depressed by the person
standing thereon to use the urinal, the earth or other matters being:
discharged as beforo described.

page_text: I will now endeavour to explain the apparatus worked by hand. The
reservoir for containing the deodorizing material is made hopper shape,
the bottom portion being reduced in size and made parallel. This hopper
is protected by a wooden frame, to which it is suspended at each end by
means of a pivot or trunnion passing through the iron frame at the top.
The front of hopper beneath the foundation board is open; this opening
can be extended or diminished in size to regulate the quantity of earth, &c.
necessary to be thrown out each time. The shoc or shoot at the bottom
of hopper is regulated in length according to the opening, so that when
the earth, &c. receeds from the hopper the shoe or shoot will retain it
untill the handle is raised, when a charging of earth is thrown out upon
the matter in the vault or receptacle, as the case may be, see Fig. 1.
In case the deodorizing material used should be of a cloging, that
is to say, not sufficiently dry so as not to work freely, or should the
earth, &c. be of a fibre nature, I purpose fitting the shoe or shoot loosely
to the bottom of hopper by means of small bolts passing through the
side of shoe and the ends of diminished portion of hopper. In this
case I provide a roller 3 inch in diameter; this roller supports the front
of shoe when the hopper is in its normal position. To the under side of
foundation board are fixed two brackets extending vertically downwards.
Through the bottom end of those brackets passes a pivot into cach end of
the roller, so that each time the hopper is brought forward the shoc or
shoot falls forward inclining towards the front of scat, see Fig. 2 & 3.
Another arrangement to effect the same object I purpose fixing two
brackets to the under side of foundation board; to those brackets I fix
the shoe or shoot suspending the same on its centre at cach side. At the
rear end of shoc I fix a bracket to the under side of foundation board to
support the shoe, so that when the earth &c., receeds on to the same.
it cannot drop from its horizontal position, the hopper in each case
having a tendancy to fall back towards the rear of closet, owing to
the position of the pivots on which it is suspended, and whilst in this
position the earth receeds on to the shoc or shoot forming a heap
enclosed at the sides by the shoe and at the back by the hopper. When
the handle is raised the hopper is brought forward, the shoe inclines to
the front, and the quantity of carth is thrown out. I further provide a
damper or gate piece, which is screwed to the under side of foundation
board, and extending inwards betwixt the damper and foundation board
are fixed blocks triangle shape, the screws which fixes the damper passing
through them into the foundation board. This damper or gate piece is

page_text: forced through the earth, entirely cutting off the supply in the hoppe
above, and by this means no more than the regulated quantity of carth, &c
is discharged each time the handle is raised. The operation is effected
by means of a handle which is inserted into the seat in the usual way']
the shaft of handle is attached to one limb of a crank which works upon
an axis.
A lever arm is attached to the other limb of crank and to a
'horizontal spindle which is fixed to the back and the diminished portion
of the hopper.
To regulate and improve the motion of hopper I purpose having
a coiled or other suitable spring attached to the crank and axle. In
order to make the apparatus self-acting the seat is hinged to the front
edge of foundation board of apparatus. At the front and under side
of seat is fixed two knuckle joints, which are attached to the front end of
lever bars; those lever bars have a coach screw passing through them
into the wood bearers. At the rear ends of lever bars are attached a
knuckle joint which connects itself to the horizontal spindle which is
fixed to the back and diminished portion of hopper, and extending some
distance in length beyond the same at the rear ends of lever bars aro
'fixed weights so that when the seat becomes depressed by the weight
of the person using the closet the weights are raised, the apparatus
forced back, the damper or gate piece withdrawn, and the deodorizing
'material receeds on to the shoe or shoot and immediately the seat is
released, the weights drop, and the apparatus falls forward into its normal
position, when the requisite quantity of deodorizing material is thrown
out, see Fig. 2. When the shoe or shoot is fixed to the hopper the
damper is dispensed with, see Fig. 4. Another arrangement with the
shoe or shoot, by having the same pivoted on its centre at each side to
two brackets which are fixed to the under side of foundation board. At
the back of shoot is fixed a bracket, this bracket supports the shoot
when the earth, &c. receeds on to it, which takes place when the seat
becomes depressed as before stated, see Fig. 3. I purpose making the
apparatus self-acting by means of fixing a quadrant joint to the surface
of the back portion of flap and to the front of hopper, the quadrant
plate passing through the front casings of hopper so that when
the flap is raised the hopper is forced back and the deodorizing
material recceds on to the shoot or shoe, and instantly the flap falls
the apparatus is brought forward, and the deodorizing material is
thrown out.

page_text: In my arrangement for dry closet I further provide a sifter for preparing
the deodorizing material to be used in the closets. I arrange the apparatus
according to the situation and construction of closets. Fig. 5 and 6
shews the apparatus fixed over vaults and at the back of and below the
surface of the seat, so as to gain height for earth, &c. reservoir, and to
arrange the sifter at a proper height from the ground for working the same.
I purpose using the self-acting apparatus in the construction of urinals
same as described in Fig. 4, my arrangement for constructing closets on
chamber or other floors. The apparatus is percisely the same as before
described. Beneath the seat I provide a fixed receptacle oblong shape at
the top, & deminishing in size at the bottom to about eight inches in
diameter. I provide a damper plate which slides in and out, the same
being supported at the sides and back by a suitable groved iron frame,.
which is secured to the inside of the pipe, and fitted so that the damper
plate inclines to the back of pipe. The same pipe is extended from the
fixed receptacle down to the vault or pit. The damper plate is fitted so
that the handle for withdrawing the same is about 1/2 inches above the
surface of the floor. In the riser I provide a door for the purpose of
having easy access to the damper. The damper plate forms the bottom
of receptacle upon which the earth and matter lodges, and when the
receptacle requires emptying the damper is withdrawn and the contents
descend down the pipe as before alluded to.
For the convenience of packing the self-contained commodes I purpose.
hinging the hopper portion to the front casing just above the hinging
piece of seat flap. To effect this object I disconnect the lever arm from
the spindle to allow the hopper portion to fall down upon the seat, and
when raised to its normal position I provide suitable fastenings for
securing the same. I also provide a rim or pan which is fixed to the
under side of closet seat with a lip or hollow bead round the bottom and
front edge, the top portion being open for the purpose of intercepting
the urine which may be conveyed into a drain or collected for various
purposes, see Fig. 4.
Description of Fig. 1.-A, hopper; B, shoe or shoot; C, lever arm;
D, crank; E, handle; F, pan or rim; G, bearer; H, receptacle; I, vault;
J, riser; K, extension of earth reservoir; L, front casings; M, hopper
frame; Z, foundation board.

page_text: Description of Fig. 3.-N, damper; O, pivoted bracket for suspending
shoe or shoot; P, bracket for supporting shoc or shoot.
The same
remarks as applied in Fig. 1 may be applied to the other portions.
Description of Fig. 4.-A, hopper; B, shoe or shoot; C, damper;
D, lever bars; E, weights; F, back knuckle joints; G, front do. ; H, pan
or rim; I, urine interceptor; J, seat; K, bearer; L, foundation board;
M, hopper frame; N, extension of carth reservoir; O, vault or pit;
P, slate; Q, riser. The same remarks may be applied to Fig. 2, with
the exception of the shoe or shoot marked R, which is pivoted to the
sides of hopper. S, bracket for supporting pivoted roller which supports
the shoe or shoot.
Description of Fig. 5.-F, sifter. In all other respects the same remarks
may be applied as in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6, section and clevation refering to the five different Figures as
before described.
any
Having fully described the nature of my Invention and the manner
of performing the same said Invention, I make no claim to deodo-
rizing material to be employed in the closets, commodes, & urinals;
but what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in earth or ashes, &c.
closets, &c.; the shoe or shoot; the damper for regulating the quantity
of deodorizing material; the pan or rim with the lip or hollow bead for
intercepting the urine; the damper arrangement for upper stories closets;
the arrangement for sifting the deodorizing material; the arrangement
for packing the self-contained closets or commodes.
I also claim the several modifications of the apparatus herein shewn
by the Drawings and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Heap, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April One thousand
eight hundred and seventy.