Improvements in Supply Cisterns for Water Closets.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supply Cisterns for Water Closets.
I, FRANCIS ALBERT SMALL, of 95, Westgate, Canterbury, in the County
of Kent, Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention is designed to produce a supply cistern for water-closets having
a regulable supply and furnishing an adequate flush of water, which while closing
the ball-tap of the water supply while the water is drawn off to the closet by the
outlet valve, closes the valve and opens the said ball-tap when the water is
exhausted; and moreover has all its working parts above the water, so that they
can be readily repaired if found defective.
This is effected by using a second float which operates a pivotted lever having
an extensible end, by means of which lever and an intermediate pivotted crank, a
hanging bar or rod attached to the outer end of the valve lever is disengaged from
a pawl or detent and suffers the weighted end of the valve lever to fall and drop the
outlet valve which closes and stops the outflow of water and also allows the floating
ball of the inlet or ball-tap to fall and open the inlet tap, thus admitting a fresh
supply.
The extensible end allows the plumber to regulate the time when the foregoing
action shall take place, as it may be adjusted to act either when the cistern is half
empty or three-quarters empty or at any other stage of the flow.
The intermediate pivotted crank can be dispensed with and the extensible end
of the lever of the second float, may be so connected direct to the hanging bar or
rod as to operate same without the said crank, but it is found to work better with
the said crank.
The ball tap lever is so connected to the weighted end of the valve lever by a
vertical link or chain that it can only fall with the flow of water a limited distance
when it is stopped by the link or chain. It can however rise sufficiently as the
water rises in the cistern to close the ball or inlet tap.
Through the lever being held down while the cistern is emptying the ball valve
can be kept shut off, which cannot be done with the ordinary valve regulators nor
with syphon cisterns.
The lever will not remain down if pulled again directly after the cistern is
emptied.

page_text: Improvements in Supply Cisterns for Water Closets.
I, FRANCIS ALBERT SMALL, of 95, Westgate, Canterbury, in the County of
Kent, Plumber, 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 is designed to preduce a supply cistern for water-closets having a
regulable supply and furnishing an adequate flush of water, which while closing the
ball-tap of the water supply while the water is drawn off to the closet by the outlet
valve, closes the valve and opens the said ball-tap when the water is exhausted;
and moreover has all its working parts above the water, so that they can be readily
repaired if found defective.
This is effected by using a second float which operates a pivotted lever having
an extensible end, by means of which lever and an intermediate pivotted crank,
a hanging bar or rod attached to the outer end of the valve lever is disengaged
from a pawl or detent and suffers the weighted end of the valve lever to fall
and drop the outlet valve which closes and stops the outflow of water and also
allows the floating ball of the inlet or ball-tap to fall and open the inlet tap thus
admitting a fresh supply.
The extensible end allows the plumber to regulate the time when the foregoing
action shall take place, as it may be adjusted to act either when the cistern is half
empty or three-quarters empty or at any other stage of the flow.
The intermediate pivotted crank can be dispensed with and the extensible end of
the lever of the second float, may be so connected direct to the hanging bar or rod
so as to operate same without the said crank, but it is found to work better with
the said crank.
The hall tap lever is so connected to the weighted end of the valve lever by a
vertical link or chain that it can only fall with the flow of water a limited distance
when it is stopped by the link or chain. It can however rise sufficiently as the
water rises in the cistern to close the ball or inlet tap.
Through the lever being held down while the cistern is emptying the ball valve
can be kept shut off, which cannot be done with the ordinary valve regulators nor
with syphon cisterns as now made.
The lever will not remain down if pulled again directly after the cistern is
emptied.
I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Fig. 1 shows a sectional side elevation of a flushing cistern constructed according
to my invention and showing the position of the mechanism when the cistern is full
of water.
Fig. 2 shows a similar view when the cistern is nearly empty, and
Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the cistern.
a is the flushing cistern provided with the usual outlet valve a¹, overflow a², and
inlet pipe as which is connected to the supply cock b.
This latter is controlled in the usual way by a primary lever c and float c¹. The
outlet valve a¹ is opened by a lever d connected to the valve by a chain or other
means.
The lever d is attached at one part of its length to a cross bar e¹ which rests in
bearings formed in the sides of the cistern and forms the fulcrum of the lever d.
The outer end of this lever is provided with a chain and pull handle d¹.
Between the outer end of lever d and its fulcrum e' is attached a vertical rod f

page_text: provided on one side with a recess f which engages the pawl or catch f² formed on
one of the ends of, and inside the cistern.
Supposing the mechanism to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, upon the lever d
being rocked to open the outlet valve a¹, the vertical rod f is lowered and the
recess fl engages with the pawl f, thereby preventing the primary lever cand
float c from falling with the level of the water. This is effected by means of a link
or hook g which engages the primary lever of the float c¹, said link depending
from an arm h projecting from the cross bar e'.
To release the vertical rod f a secondary float i and lever are employed. The
lever i is fulcrummed at j on the bracket j attached to the cistern, and provided
with an adjustable end piece 2 to engage the curved upper end of a trip lever k
fulcrummed at k¹ on the bracket j¹. The trip lever which is of L-shape, as shown
in the detached section x, upon being rocked at its curved end by means of the
secondary float i falling with the level of the outflowing water, its horizontal part
moves forward and forces the vertical rod f sideways thereby disengaging it from
the pawl. The primary lever c and float c¹ now fall, thereby admitting a fresh
supply of water to the cistern through the supply cock b. The adjustable end
piece j2 of the lever i can be arranged to rock trip lever at any required part of the
downward movement of the float i.
The above described improvements are applicable to syphon as well as to plug
cisterns.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved flushing or supply cistern for water closets and like purposes,
substantially as described and set forth.
2. In an improved flushing or supply cistern having two floats the means for
holding up the lever and float of the inlet supply cock, consisting of the vertical rod f,
recess f, pawl f, trip lever k, adjustable end piece j2, secondary float and lever i, i,
link or hook g and arm h substantially as described and set forth.
3. In an improved flushing or supply cistern, the combination of the matter
claimed in Claim 2 with primary lever c and float c¹, cross-bar el supply cock b inlet
pipe a³ and bracket j¹, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 8th day of November 1898.