IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS, NIGHT COMMODES, OR SIMILAR CONVENIENCES, AND ALSO IN DISINFECTING PROCESSES."
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Owen, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention. of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER-CLOSETS, NIGHT COMMODES, OR SIMILAR CONVENIENCES, AND ALSO IN
DISINFECTING PROCESSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Owen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd June
.1858.
I, ROBERT OWEN, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS, NIGHT COMMODES, OR SIMILAR CONVENIENCES, AND ALSO
IN DISINFECTING PROCESSES," to be as follows:-
I make one or more boxes or drawers with double perforated bottoms, and
cause them to slide backwards and forwards under or over the seat of the
closet or commode by the mere action of the lid or cover of the seat; into
the said boxes or drawers I put a quantity of Smith and McDougall's dis-
infecting powder or other chemical agent, and by the sliding motion of the
drawers or box the perforations in the bottoms are opened, through which
the powder falls in suitable quantities on the excrements immediately after

page_text: voidance, thus preventing fermentation and generation of noxious gases, pre-
serving and improving at the same time the qualities of the manure and urine
for agricultural purposes.
I obtain the sliding motion of the boxes or drawers by attaching a lever to
the lid of the seat, and passing chains, cords, or other suitable materials over,
under, or around pulleys; the cord or chains being secured to the boxes or
drawers, draw them backwards and forwards as the pulleys revolve. I obtain
the motion of the perforated double-bottomed box or drawer, which acts over
the seat of the commode or closet, by means of springs or slots or other
contrivance by the raising and lowering of the lid, this lid being itself a
receptacle of the disinfectant agent. Or, instead of attaching the said powder
boxes or drawers to the closet or commode, I make them portable, so that
they can be carried from place to place and used by hand, depositing the
disinfectant powder wherever it may be required; or I fix them in public or
private urinals so arranged as to act as filterers of the urine or precipitants of
its valuable properties.
I also use a stove with floors, galleries, shelves, or trays, either with or
without vertical heat, to dry and fossilize the disinfected manure, using one
or all of the disinfectant agents in a top or side ventilator, to prevent the
escape of the valuable properties of the manure while undergoing desiccation.
I mix with it any suitable agent or substance to improve its fertilizing
qualities, and I pulverize it by suitable machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Owen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
OWEN, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
tho said Robert Owen, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Owen, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Owen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: 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 WATER-CLOSETS,
NIGHT COMMODES, OR SIMILAR CONVENIENCES, AND ALSO IN DISINFECTING PROCESSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Owen, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 mouths next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Owen, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
I apply to water-closets, night commodes, and similar conveniences, one or
more boxes or drawers with doublo perforated bottoms, and cause them
to slide backwards and forwards under or over the seat of the closet or
commode, the said sliding motion of the boxes being produced by the move-
ment of the lid or cover of the seat or by the opening of the door of the closet;
into the said boxes or drawers I put a quantity of Smith and M°Dougall's
disinfecting powder or other chemical agent, and by the sliding motion of the
drawers or boxes the perforations in the bottoms are opened, through which
the powder falls in suitable quantity on the excrements, thus preventing
fermentation and generation of noxious gases, preserving and improving at the
same time the qualities of the manure and urine for agricultural purposes.
I obtain the sliding motion of the boxes or drawers by attaching one or more
levers to the lid of the seat and passing chains, cords, or other suitable
materials over, under, or around pulleys, the cords or chains being secured to
the boxes, which are drawn backwards and forwards as the pulleys revolve.
I also obtain the motion of the perforated double bottom of the box or drawer
by means of inclines, springs, slots, or other contrivances acted upon by the
raising or lowering of the lid. The powder boxes are placed either in the
interior of the closet or commode or in the lid or cover.
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings with the figures and letters thereon.
Fig. 1 is a plan of a night commode furnished with my sanitary disinfecting
arrangements; and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sections of the same; Figs. 5 and 6

page_text: are views of a part detached; Fig. 7 is a plan of a night commode furnished.
with another of my sanitary and disinfecting arrangements; Figs. 8 and 9 are.
sections of the same; and Fig. 10, a plan of the urinal. and. tank.. Fig. 11 is a.
plan of an apparatus to be placed over.. offensive water-closets. or common
privies; and Fig. 12, a section of the same.. Fig. 13 is a plan of a night
commode enclosed in a closet or chamber, the. machinery being acted upon by
the opening and shutting of a door; Figs. 14 and 15 are sections of the same;"
Figs. 16, 17, and 18 are vertical sections of public urinals furnished with my
sanitary disinfecting arrangements; Figs. 19 and 20 shew my mode of applying.
a liquid disinfector in urinals.
:
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a represents the case or shell of the commode; b,.
the seat; c, the lid or cover; d, the back tank or receptacle for the solids;
e, the front tank or urinal, and f the tap connected to it, shewn detached at:
Figs. 5 and 6. In this arrangement. I shew two powder boxes with double
perforated bottoms at g, which is their position after the commode, has been
used, but when the latter is in use the boxes are separate from each other,
and placed as shewn by the dotted lines h, the case being furnished with:
supports i, of wood or metal, for the seat to rest upon. The boxes are guided
at one end by a rib or guide placed, at the position ; and at the other end by
a rod or wire running through a groove in one end of each box, the rod
or wire being supported by the small frames m, fixed to tho, case.... The ends:
of the lower perforated bottom are made to project, and are formed with
cams or inclines n acted upon by the pins or pegs o, pointing downwards from
frames fixed between the supports i, so that, when the inclines come in contact;
with the pins o as the boxes traverse to and fro, the perforated bottom is
opened and closed as required. The double dotted lines p shew, the joint:
of the lid, which hinges or turns on the two pivots g fixed to the case; each
pivot is placed within the point or apex of the angle; as seen in Fig. 3; so
that when the lid is raised for use, the levers r connected. to, it shall only
be raised to the under side. of the scat, upon which the lid rests. in the usual
manner. To each lever r I connect. an endless, band, chain,. or cordis, passing-
over guide pulleys t, and furnished with a slot of wood or metal; within thei
slot. I place, the end of the lever v either with or without an adjusting peg, to.
which lever is fixed a shaft or bearing, w, attached.,to,which are other levers.
or arms x, connected at their tops to the powder boxes, so that when the lid.is
raised the levers r are moved to the position shewn. by the dotted lines,
thereby giving motion to the bands or cords and also. to the levers v. and x,
pulling the boxes from under the seat and placing them at the sides; when

page_text: the lid is lowered the reverse movement is given to the bands or cords, and also
to the levers v and a, thereby returning the boxes under the seat and over the
tanks, the perforated bottom opening at the same instant, so as to allow the
powder to fall upon the excrements, and render the commode perfectly
innoxious.
In Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10, representing another of my sanitary commodes;
a is the case or shell; b, the seat; c, the lid or cover; d, the back tank or
receptacle for the solids; c, the front tank or urinal; and f. the tap con-
nected to it. In this arrangement, instead of the two powder boxes before
described, I employ a single powder box 9, with a double bottom /, the
perforations of which run in a longitudinal direction, the lower bottom being
kept in a closed position by means of springs acting upon one side of the box,
or by india-rubber springs working in slots running through each end of the
box; the lower bottom covers the perforations of the higher one, and when
moved from over the tanks by lifting the lid, the springs relax and allow
the bottoms to cross each other, the powder falling through the perforations
during the act of crossing; and when the lid is lowered the lower bottom is
pressed against the cross bar i, and causes a recrossing of the perforated
bottoms, which again drop powder over the tanks and their contents, and thus
annihilating and preventing all disagreeable smell, and at the same time
economising the manure, and precipitating the valuable properties of the urine
with the disinfecting powder.
I employ, when desired, a side tank, which may be used as an overflow
vessel, where the urine can be treated a second time with powder; and as the
overflow tank is intended to be secured to the bottom of the outside case, the
disinfected urine is lifted from it by an extractor, which fits inside by means
of an india-rubber band, or other suitable material lapped round the outside
of the extractor near the bottom, and secured in its position by a groove sunk
near the bottom of the extractor. This extractor is a round vessel of a similar
shape to the overflow tank, and is furnished with a cross handle and one or
more pipes passing through the bottom up the inside to, within a short distance
of the top, and as the extractor is pressed down inside the overflow tank, the
water or disinfected urine rises up through the pipes and flows back into the
extractor, the disinfected liquid being lifted out by this contrivance.
In Figs. 7 and 8 I shew one of my arrangements for acting upon the
powder box, in order to place it under the seat when the lid is closed, and also
to remove it to the side, as shewn by the dotted lines 1, when the lid is raised.
I connect to the lid levers m, which, with the lid, work upon centres or pivots:

page_text: placed within the point of the angle, as in the former example. The said
levers are attached to bands, chains, or cords n, passing over guide pulleys o
and fixed to tightening pins or rollers p at each end of the powder box, so that
when the lid is moved the box may be placed as required.
Figs. 11 and 12 represent a plan and section of an apparatus for the
purpose of disinfecting impure water-closets and common privies.. .It consists
of a box to be hinged on the seat of the closet or privy with an inside box to
hold the disinfecting powder, and acts each time the lid comes down. a is the:
outside shell; b, the inside box with a perforated bottom, which moves back-
wards and forwards by the downward motion of the lid, and sheds powder. over
the aperture. This inside box moves on the perforated bottom of the outside
box or shell, and acts as in Fig. 1. c is a compartment of the outside box.
which, contains the machinery for working the inside box; c is a lever, to
which is attached a spindle f, which protrudes through the bottom of; the
outside box, which, when in the act of lowering, comes in contact with the
fore.part of the seat, and raises the lever to an altitude indicated by the
dotted lines e¹, drawing a cord g after it. On this cord there is a catch h, which
takes hold of a tooth in a ratchet wheel i at the side of the pulley k, and draws
it round as required, causing the bevil wheel next to it on the same shaft
to act on a smaller bevil wheel o on a transverse shaft p, turning it half round;
this shaft acting on the cranks 2, causes the small or inside box to move back-
ward, and the next time the lid or outside box rises, the motion is repeated
and the inside box caused to move forwards,. the downward movement
shaking powder through the aperture in the seat of the water-closet or privy,
on the same principle as in the commodes before described. is a catch
which prevents the pulley from returning. To the end of the cord g [
attach a spiral or other springs, which draws the catch backwards for a
return movement of the pulley and another or repeated movement of the
box.
.
a
Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are views of a night commode enclosed in a closet or
chamber, the machinery being acted upon by the opening or shutting
door. a is the aperture in the seat, on one side of which, under the seat, rests,
a powder box, constructed as described in Figs. 1 and 7, with perforated
bottoms; this powder box rests on one side of the aperture in the seat when
the door is shut, and on opening the door it is, drawn across the aperture in
the seat to the other side, and just in crossing under the aperture the lower,
perforated bottom is acted on by means of cams or inclines, so as to produce
a crossing of the perforations, and deposit, powder over the tanks; and when

page_text: the door shuts the reverse motion takes place, when powder is again deposited;
this reverse motion is performed by a weight b or a spring placed on the
reverse side, which weight rises on opening the door, and in falling shuts it:
The pulleys and cords or chains, as shewn on the Drawing, with the weight
hanging to the cord or chain and fastened to the top of the door, shew the
mode of working this apparatus. Or this action may be performed by the
opening and shutting of a door from the inside, in connection with an endless
band, cord, or chain, fixed to the door with a similar arrangement of pulleys;
or cranks or levers, in whole or in part, may be substituted in their stead.
Instead of the traversing box used in this arrangement, I also use a powder
cylinder partly perforated, which revolves on a horizontal rack at each end of
the cylinder, and works similar to the traversing powder box.
Figs. 16, 17, and 18 represent my mode of treating public urinals with the
disinfecting powder or chemical agents pulverised or liquid. a is the position
of the powder box; b, a vessel which fits into a large urine tank; this inside
vessel conducts the powder or disinfecting agent below the overflow pipe c;
the disinfected urine rises between the inside and the outside vessel, and flows
off through the aforesaid overflow pipe c. Fig. 17 shews how the top or
powder box is fitted into the sides. of the apparatus. D is a face plate and
basin, into which the urine falls on being voided, and where it meets the
powder or liquid which falls from the box above, and both fall down into the
tank beneath. Fig. 18 is a reverse section, shewing a foot-board e, on which
the accupant stands, which, on being depressed, pulls a cord or wire f, which is
fastened to the top of the powder box, and drawing it partially round causes
the perforated bottoms to cross each other, and deposit powder. I also use
the cominode in a recess in bed steps or other pieces of furniture.
!
Fig. 19 is a plan for applying a liquid agent, or the disinfecting powder in
solution, and Fig. 20 is a vertical section of the same. a is the rim or outside
shell of a round vessel which contains the liquid; 6 is a pipe in the centre of
the same, which is attached to the bottom of the outside shell. Around the.
centre pipe I place another shell or cylinder c, for supporting the plate or
cover d, to which the arms e are attached, and also the spindles or agitators,
and between this cylinder c and the outside rim or shell a is contained the
disinfecting liquid or solution of the disinfecting powder. The arms e shew,
holes in which are fixed spindles called agitators, for stirring up the solution
from the bottom of the vessel, should it settle as sediment, other spindles being,
fixed to the cover d. These arms are acted upon by the pressure on the foot-
board, as shown in Fig. 18, being drawn back to their resting position by a

page_text: weight or spring suitably applied according to circumstances. Fig. 20 shews
the spindles f, and the mode of, fixing them at the top by screws, rivets, or
other contrivances. 9 shews vertical apertures, through which the liquid passes
into the inner pipe 6 when the apparatus is agitated by the pressure on the
foot-board, the disinfecting liquid flowing down through that pipe into the
basin below, and passing with the urine, as voided, into a receptacle similar to
the one shewn in Figs. 16 and 17, the disinfected urine rising as in the cases
before described, and passing off at the overflow pipe, and running away in
the sewer, or preserved for further treatment with these or other agents. The
sediment in the bottom of this and all the other urinals or urine tanks contains
the valuable properties of the urine, and may be dried and pulverised for
manure by itself, or mixed with other chemical agents to improve its value
for agricultural purposes.
I also use a modification of the powder box for general disinfecting purposes,
to be used by hand; it may consist of a vessel of any shape, with a double
perforated bottom and handle, to be worked with a spring, as in the other
varieties for the convenience of disinfecting, rooms, sewers, stables, and other
places, the motion being communicated by the thumb of the same hand which
carries it about.
: 'I also use a stove with floors, galleries, shelves, or trays, either with or
without artificial heat, to dry and fossilize the disinfected manure, using one
or all of the disinfecting agents in one or more top or side ventilators, to
prevent the escape of the valuable properties of the manure while under-
going desiccation. I mix with the product any suitable agent or substance
to improve its fertilizing qualities, and I pulverize it by any suitable
machinery.
•
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details hercin set forth,
as such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle
thereof; but I claim as my Invention, and which to the best of my know-
ledge and belief has not been hitherto used within the realm,-
Firstly, the construction and arrangenient of apparatus having boxes,
drawers, or receptacles with double perforated bottoms charged with any
disinfecting agent; which apparatus is applicable to night commodes, water-
closets, privies, urinals, or other places where disinfectants are required.
-
Secondly, giving motion to the receptacles and perforated bottoms, either by
hand, or by the raising or lowering of the lid or cover of the seat, by opening

page_text: or closing the closet door by pressure on a foot-board, by pulling a chain,
band, or cord, or by the movement of a lever or handle.
Thirdly, the arrangement of one or more tanks or receptacles to contain
the excrements and urine.
Fourthly, the peculiar construction of a tap, consisting of two hollow tubes,
one working inside the other, through which the urine passes.
Fifthly, the peculiar construction of a joint to allow the lid or cover of the
seat to fall flat thereon.
Sixthly, the construction of a double urinal tank, with an overflow pipe any
given distance from the bottom.
And, seventhly, the use of ventilators filled with bags or holders of dis-
infecting material, to retain the valuable properties of the manure whilst being
dried, as all such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Owen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Robert Owen, in the
presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
ROBERT OWEN. (L.S.)