IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, URINALS, AND TAPS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah George Jennings, of Palace Wharf, Stat-
gate, in the County of Surrey, Sanitary Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, URINALS, AND TAPS."
Sealed the 19th February 1867, and dated the 24th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah George Jennings
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th August 1866.
I, JOSIAH GEORGE JENNINGS, of Palace Wharf, Stangate, in the County of
Surrey, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, URINALS, AND TAPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in waterclosets, urinals, and
taps.
My improvements in waterclosets relate to closets such as have been manu-
factured by me for several years past, and in which the pan discharges itself
by a side opening into the upright limb of a syphon trap. These closets have
heretofore been constructed with the pan and syphon trap in one piece of
carthenware; this construction is somewhat expensive, and if any part is
broken by violence or frost the whole is rendered useless.
Now according
[Price 8d.]

page_text: to my present Invention I make the syphon trap with its upright limb of cast
iron or lead or other metal, and separate from the pan, and I connect the
pan thereto by cementing it into a socket. The valve seat is formed in the
upright limb by cementing into it an earthenware or glass ring. The dis-
charge valve as heretofore has an overflow passage formed through it, and its
handle passes up through a cap fitted on to the upper end of the upright
syphon limb. The water supply valve is carried on a bracket which fits on
and against the upper end of the syphon limb immediately under the cap
which serves to secure it in its place, and the valve is arranged in such a
manner as to be opened by raising a lever which is so placed as to be lifted
with the handle of the discharge valve. The bracket is made of a trough-like
form so that should the supply valve leak at any time the water so escaping
is conducted at once into the trap. The connections between the supply
valve and the supply pipe, and between the supply valve and the pan may be
made by union screw couplings; this arrangement admits of the parts being
very readily separated, as when the unions are unscrewed the whole of the
working parts can be lifted out with the cap; as the whole of the working
parts of the closet are within the upright limb and bracket above the syphon
trap the closet may be enclosed in sawdust or other material to protect it from
frost when fixed in exposed situations without interfering with the action of
'the working parts.
Urinals I arrange in a similar manner, except that the pan is made of a
somewhat different form, and I make overflow openings through the side of
the pan by which any floating bodies may pass away.
Supply taps I construct in the following manner so that whatever the
pressure at which the water is supplied the valve may close quietly as soon as
it is left free-Within the shell or body of the tap is a valve seat, and a
valve resting on this seat stops the flow of the water, and the pressure on the
back of the valve tends to keep it tight; the stem of the valve passes up
through a stuffing box or diaphragm, and by a lever or otherwise can be
pressed down when it is desired to draw water; immediately under the valve
is. an opening by which the valve is introduced into its place, and the hole is
then closed by a screw plug. In this plug is formed a cylindrical hole, which
may conveniently be made true on the inside by turning or lining it with a
porcelain or glass tube cemented into its place; the spindle of the valve is
continued on so as to enter this cylinder, and it has a cupped leather upon it
working watertight in the cylinder, but a small hole is drilled in the spindle
to allow water slowly to pass from one side of the cup leather to the other

page_text: Then when the spindle is depressed to open the valve the cup leather descends
freely in the cylindrical hole, the water passing the cup leather in this direc-
tion without difficulty, but to allow the valve to close the water is compelled to
return into the cylinder through the small passage in the spindle, and the valve
cannot close until all the water which was displaced in opening the valve has
returned through this small passage; thus any blow resulting from the sudden
closing of the valve is avoided. The stuffing box through which the valve
spindle passes I form by fixing a vulcanized india-rubber or other flexible
collar or diaphragm on the spindle, and over this I place a washer which is
held down so as to make a tight joint by a spiral spring which presses down
on the washer, and which also serves to lift the valve into its place if the
pressure of the supply should in any case he insufficient,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Josiah George Jennings in the Great Seal Patent Office on
. the 22nd February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSIAH
GEORGE JENNINGS, of Palace Wharf, Stangate, in the County of Surrey,
Sanitary Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Josiah George Jennings, Her special licence that I, the said Josiah
George Jennings, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Josiah George Jennings, 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 WATERCLOSETS, URINALS, AND TAPS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Josiah George Jennings, 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

page_text: 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 Josiah George Jennings, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in waterclosets, urinals, and
taps. My improvements in water-closets relate to closets in which the pan
discharges itself by a side opening into the upright limb of a syphon trap.
According to my Invention I make the syphon trap with its upright limb
of cast iron or lead or other metal and separate from the pan, and I connect
the pan thereto by cementing it into a socket. The valve seat is formed in
the upright limb by cementing into it an earthenware or glass ring. The
discharge valve has an overflow passage formed through it and its handle
passes up through a cap fitted on to the upper end of the upright syphon.
The water valve is carried on a bracket which fits on and against the upper
end of the syphon limb immediately under the cap which serves to--secure it
in its place, and the valve is arranged in such a manner as to be opened. by
raising a lever which is so placed as to be lifted with the handle of the
discharge valve. The bracket is made of a trough-like form, so that should.
the supply valve leak at any time the water so escaping is conducted at once
into the trap. The connections between the supply valve and the supply pipe,
and between the supply valve" and the pan may be made by union screw
couplings; this arrangement admits of the parts being very readily separated,
as when the unious are unscrewed the whole of the working parts can be
lifted out with the cap. As the whole of the working parts of the closet are
within the upright limb and bracket above the syphon trap the closet may be
enclosed in sawdust or other material to deaden sound and to protect it from
frost when fixed in exposed situations, without interfering with the action of
the working..parts.
Urinals construct according to my Invention in a somewhat similar
manner. I use a valve with an earthenware or glass seating, by which all the
pans may be emptied simultaneously, and each pan is provided with a separate
overflow at the surface, by which any floating matter may escape.
My Invention also applies to the construction of taps suitable for the supply
of water. Supply taps I construct in the following manner, so that whatever
the pressure at which the water is supplied the valve may close quietly as

page_text: soon as it is left free:-Within the shell or body of the tap is a valve seat, by
preference bushed with earthenware or glass, and a valve resting on this seat
stops the flow of the water and the pressure on the back of the valve tends to
keep it tight. The stem of the valve passes up through a stuffing box or
diaphragm, and by a lever or otherwise can be pressed down when it is
desired to draw water. Immediately under the valve is an opening by which
the valve is introduced into its place, and the hole is then closed by a screw
plug. In this plug is formed a cylindrical hole which may conveniently be
made true on the inside by turning or lining it with a porcelain or glass-tube
cemented into its place. The spindle of the valve is continued on so as to
enter this cylinder, and it has a cupped leather upon it working water-tight in
the cylinder, but a small hole is drilled in the spindle to allow water slowly to:
pass from one side of the cup leather to the other; then when the spindle is
depressed to open the valve the cup leather descends freely in the cylindrical
hole, the water passing the cup leather in this direction without difficulty, but
to allow the valve to close the water is compelled to return into the cylinder
through the small passage in the spindle, and the valve cannot close until all
the water which was displaced in opening the valve has returned through this
small passage, thus any blow resulting from the sudden closing of the valve is
avoided. The stuffing box through which the valve spindle passes I form by
fixing a vulcanized india-rubber or other flexible collar or diaphragm on the
spindle, and over: this I place a washer which is held down so as to make a
tight joint by a spiral spring which presses down on the washer and which
also serves to lift the valve into its place if the pressure of the supply should
in any case be insufficient. By employing earthenware or glass to work in
contact with the india-rubber piston and valve they are not liable to stick as
they would be more or less if the vulcanized india-rubber worked in contact
with metal. In a similar manner the seats of valves to work with gas may
advantageously be bushed with earthenware or glass.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a watercloset constructed according to
my Invention; this section is taken at the line 1, 1, Figure 2; Figure 2 is
a plan partly in section; and Figure 3 is a vertical section taken at the
lines 2, 2, of Figures 1 and 2.

page_text: a, a, is a syphon which I prefer to cast in iron, and it is so represented in
the Drawing, but it may be of lead or other metal. It is formed so as to
stand firmly on the floor of the closet through which the descending limb a
of the trap passes, and by cement or in other convenient manner it is securely
jointed to the soil pipe. On the ascending limb of the syphon a socket is
formed at a into which the discharge nozzle of the pan b fits, and is secured
by cement; a is a screw for assisting in the adjustment of the pan in position
before the cement is put in; or, if desired, the syphon trap may be made
separate from the other parts of the closet in lead or other material, the
piece a will then be of the form shown in section at Figure 1; c is a ring of
earthenware or of glass which is dropped down on to a shoulder a in the
ascending limb of the syphon trap, and fixed by cement so as to form a valve
seat; d is a cast-iron cylinder, to the lower end of which the vulcanized india-
rubber ring d is clipped by screws which bind a metal ring or washer down
upon it. It will be seen that the cylinder d by its own weight presses the
flexible ring against the seat c, and so makes a tight joint, and allows the
water to accumulate in the pan b until it flows over the top of the cylinder d;
e is a cross bar fixed in the cylinder d, to it the rod el is secured by a nut, and
the handle e is at the upper end of this rod, so that by raising the handle the
valve is lifted and the pan is at once discharged. The supply of water to the
closet is obtained by a valve so arranged as to discharge each time it is
opened a regulated quantity of water into the pan before it is again able to
close; is the valve contained in the case g, which by a screw union is con-
nected with the supply pipe h; the pressure of the water tends to keep the
valve closed, but it is assisted in doing so by a weight it at the end of the
lever i, this lever turns on a centre at on the valve cases, and its other
end enters a slot in the valve stem, which when the apparatus is at rest it
thus tends to lift. When the handle e is raised, however, the nibs e³, e³, on
the cross bar come against the lever, and then the water flows past the valve f
and by the pipe k, which is adapted to the valve case with a screw union into
the pan b. At the same time that the valve is opened the piston on the
upper end of the valve stem is drawn down; this piston by a cupped leather
is fitted to the valve case, and as the piston descends small valves f*, *, in
it open and allow the water to pass the piston freely into the upper part of
the valve case. The valves are formed by a vulcanized india-rubber disc
attached to the top of the piston by a screw and covering holes drilled
through it; the water which thus enters the upper part of the valve chamber
prevents the valve closing immediately the handle is released, for the valves f*

page_text: then closing the water can only escape through the minute passage l, and it
requires some time to do this, during which time the valve remains open;
1 is
a small regulating tap on the passage 1. The valve case and apparatus
connected therewith is carried by a cast-iron bracket m which is let into the
side of the ascending limb of the syphon; at the bottom it is stepped into a
groove a, and at the top it is retained by a cap n fixed on by tap screw; o is
a lid or cover also fixed by screws, it serves to close the upper end of the
ascending limb of the syphon trap, and also to guide the valve rod e¹; p is a
vulcanized india-rubber sleeve serving to prevent the escape of water around
the pivot ; this, however, is not essential as any leakage which may take
place at this point is, in consequence of the trough-like form of the bracket m,
led into the trap; q is the seat and woodwork of the closet.
Figure 4 is a vertical section, and Figure 5 is a horizontal section of a
urinal constructed according to my Invention.
a, a, are the upright partitions of the urinal, in the centre of which is the
standard pipe b, and on the top of the pipe the head c is fixed; it carries a
number of sockets in which the earthenware pans d, d, are secured; each of
these pans is provided with an overflow pipe e communicating also with the
standard pipe b by which any matter floating on the surface of the water in
the pan is able to pass off, so that no accumulation offensive to the eye may
take place. f is a service pipe with which each pan is provided to supply it
with water; each pipe is provided with a tap at f, which is, as is shown, so
connected with the grating g that the weight of a person standing on the said
grating opens the tap and allows the water to flow. h is a valve seat of
earthenware or glass cemented into the head c; and
therewith, and by raising this valve the contents of all the pans d may be
simultaneously discharged; this is done occasionally by the attendant by
means of a moveable handle which fits into a socket on the lever 1; this
lever turns on a fixed fulcrum m, and is connected with the valve by the
connecting rod n.
is a valve working
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a self-closing cock or tap to be used
for the supply of water where there is a heavy pressure in the main. a, a, is
the shell of the cock or tap, to which the body or frame b is fixed by tap
screws, and a tight joint is made with india-rubber washers at a¹, a', and
b, b. The body or frame b is fitted at band b with rings of earthenware or
glass. c is a plug screwed into the bottom of the shell a; it has
a cylindrical
recess in it which is lined with an earthenware or glass tube d, which is
secured in its place by cement. e is a spindle having upon it the valve /

page_text: -which-is-formed-with an elastic face, as-is shown, and which closes the water
way by fitting against the earthenware ring ; there is also on the spindle e
the piston g, which fits loosely, and is caused accurately to close the cylinder
when moving upwards by the cupped leather g', or the piece g' may be of
vulcanized india-rubber. e¹ is a small passage bored in the spindle e to admit
water to the under side of the piston g. is a collar of vulcanized india-
rubber fixed on the spindle e to prevent the escape of water when the valve
is open through the passage in the top of the frame or body b; this it does in
consequence of its being pressed down upon the earthenware or glass ring b
by the spiral spring i which bears on the metal ring k resting upon the
collar h. The spring also acts on the head ex on the top of the spindle e,.
and so draws the spindle upwards to close the valve f. is a lever jointed to
the body b at 1, and passing through the head ex of the spindle e, so that
when this lever is pressed down the valve is removed from its seat, and the
water flows past it to the delivery.
Figure is a longitudinal section of a similar valve or tap, but arranged
in such manner that the valve may be retained open to any desired extent;
in this case a pin on the stem of the valve enters the eccentric slot in the
lever handle m, so by turning this lever on its centre the valve is gradually
forced off its seat. The handle may be retained in an intermediate position
by allowing it to drop into one of the notches in the guide arc n.
The joint
around the spindle is in this case made by a diaphragm o. Similar cocks or
taps may be used for gas, but in this case the piston and parts working
therewith are not required. In cocks or taps for use for gas leather should
be substituted for vulcanized india-rubber.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details thereof, but what I claim as respects waterclosets
is, the casting or forming the syphon trap or piece a of iron or metal with a
side opening or socket a³ in the ascending limb thereof to which a pan bis
adapted, substantially as herein described.
1 also claim the forming the seat for the main valve. d by fixing a ring c of
carthenware or glass in the ascending limb of the syphon trap, substantially as
described.
I also claim the water supply valve on a bracket m formed as shown and
secured to the ascending limb of the syphon trap, substantially as described.
I also claim the constructing urinals as herein described.
I also claim, as respects supply taps, having a valve closing with the flow

page_text: of the water, the combining with such valve a regulating piston to prevent
the valve suddenly closing, as described.
I also claim the general construction or arrangement of supply taps, as
herein described.
I also claim the bushing the valve seats and the regulating cylinders of
supply taps with rings of earthenware or glass, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah George Jennings, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
JOSIAH GEORGE JENNINGS. (L.S.)