AN IMPROVED APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE HANDLE OF A VALVE OR OTHER CLOSET FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harsant of Wandsworth in the county of Surrey
for an Invention of AN IMPROVED APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE HANDLE
OF A VALVE OR OTHER CLOSET FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harsant at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1883.
JOHN HARSANT of Wandsworth in the county of Surrey AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE HANDLE OF A VALVE OR OTHER CLOSET FOR
PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER
The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that shall prevent waste
of water in closets and also effectually seal the basin by retaining an after flush
therein and I connect this apparatus with the handle of the closet so that it is
actuated thereby.
With this object I make the spindle of the handle hollow and inside this hollow
spindle passes freely another spindle to the lower end of which is attached the lever
which actuates the bottom valve of the closet when this apparatus is applied to a
valve closet and a projection on this free spindle actuates the lever of the valve
that governs the water supply. On the lower part of the hollow handle spindle is
secured a tumbler consisting in the lower part of a ring connected by a rod to a
roller above which rod is pivotted on a projection on the hollow spindle. The
shape of this tumbler can be varied according to the requirements of each apparatus.
On the free spindle is a wedge shaped projection over which the ring shaped part
of the tumbler engages and on the upper part of the standard of the frame of the
closet is also a wedge shaped projection. Thus when the handle is lifted the free
spindle is also lifted and the valve at the bottom of the closet basin is opened and
at the same time the flush is effected but as the handle is lifted higher the upper or
roller part of the tumbler comes in contact with the projection on the standard
whereby the lower or ring shaped part is disengaged of the projection on the free
spindle which therefore falls closing the bottom valve of the closet and allowing
the water supply valve lever to follow down as the rush of water will allow but
thereby causing the water to be retained in the basin and effectually sealing the
same. The handle is then lowered and the ring again engages the projection on
the free spindle. This apparatus can obviously be applied to every description of
closet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Harsant in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th September
1883.
JOHN HARSANT of Wandsworth in the county of Surrey AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE HANDLE OF A VALVE OR OTHER CLOSET FOR
PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER
The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that shall prevent waste
of water in closets and also effectually seal the basins thereof by retaining an after
flush therein and I connect this apparatus with the handle of the closet so that it
is actuated thereby.
In order to clearly explain my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed I refer to the accompanying drawing shewing my apparatus as applied
to a valve closet. The letters refer to the same parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a valve closet fitted with my apparatus.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are elevations partly in section on an enlarged scale of my
apparatus
A is the closet basin. B is the spindle of the handle which is made
hollow to allow another spindle C to slide freely therein. To the bottom or
lower end of the free spindle O is attached the lever D which actuates the bottom
valve of the closet and on the said spindle C is the stud E which actuates the.
lever F that governs the water supply valve. On the lower part of the hollow
spindle B is fixed a bracket G on which is pivotted the tumbler H. The said
tumbler may very conveniently be made in the form of a double stirrup as shewn
in the drawing which said form I consider to be very suitable for my purposes as
bereinafter described but any other form of the said tumbler may also be used as
may be expedient in each particular apparatus and I prefer to fit the top and
bottom parts of the said tumbler H as rollers so as to lessen the friction of the
parts of my apparatus when in action as is hereinafter described. On the free
spindle C is a wedge shaped projection K over which the lower stirrup H' engages
when the handle is let down. On the upper part of the standard L is another
wedge shaped projection M facing toward the spindle B. The water supply valve
lever F may preferably be governed by the usual bellows regulator N.
.
The action of this apparatus is as follows. When the handle is down and all the
valves are closed the apparatus is in the position shewn in the drawing the lower
stirrup H being over the projection K. Then when the handle is lifted the free
spindle C is thereby lifted with it opening the bottom valve through the lever D
and the water supply valve through the lever F but as the handle is lifted is full
height the upper stirrup H' comes in contact with the projection M on the
standard L whereby the lower stirrup H' is disengaged from the projection K and
the free spindle C falls closing the bottom valve and allowing the lever F to follow
down as the bellows regulator will allow thereby shutting off the water supply but
as the bottom lever D is released first and the bottom valve is then closed all the
water that afterwards passes in to the basin before the bellows regulator allows
the water supply to be shut off is retained in the said basin thereby seating the
fame. The handle can then be allowed to descend and as the tumbler is so
balanced as when free or when allowed so to do always to remain in a vertical
position and to recover the same after being temporarily forced thereout when the
lower stirrup H' has come in contact with the wedge shaped projection K. and the

page_text: tumbler H has been therefore forced out of the vertical position as soon as the
handle is quite down at its lowest level the roller of the lower stirrup H¹ passes
under the said projection K and the apparatus is ready to be again used as shewn
in the drawing.
I consider that my apparatus as formed in this manner as herein before described
is with fair and proper usage entirely efficient in preventing waste of water and in
retaining an after flush in the basin but as it is possible by wilfully holding the
handle up at such an elevation that though the water supply valve is opened the
upper stirrup does not engage the projection on the standard and therefore the free
spindle is not released which release as herein before described closes the bottom
valve and the water supply valve and therefore that the water can be kept flowing.
I can modify my herein before described apparatus in such a manner as shall
entirely prevent such a misuse of the same.
Figures 5 and 6 are elevations partly in section shewing my arrangement to
obviate this aforesaid misuse.
On a jaw on the end of the water supply valve lever F instead of the usual
weight F¹ I pivot a small cylinder 0 of suitable dimensions which is closed at its
upper end where it is fitted with a small air cock P and which may be open at
its lower end. In this cylinder O works a piston or plunger R to the rod S of
which is attached the weight T which rests upon a prolongation C₁ of the free
spindle C and the rod S may preferably pass through and work freely in the said
prolongation C¹ to ensure the proper action of this apparatus. The stud E on the
free spindle C hereinbefore described is according to this form not required and is
therefore dispensed with.
The action of this apparatus is as follows-When the handle is down the
several parts are in the position shewn in the drawing in these Figures and when
the handle is lifted the prolongation C' of the free spindle C lifts the weight T.
As the upper part of the cylinder O is full of air which cannot so quickly escape
through the small cock P the compressed air in the said upper part of the
cylinder O lifts the said cylinder whereby the water supply valve lever F is
also raised and if the handle is properly lifted so that the upper stirrup comes in
contact with the projection M the action of the apparatus is the same as herein-
before described. But if the handle is not lifted up high enough and is held
below the level as required for this aforesaid action the air in the upper part of
the cylinder O above the piston R gradually escapes through the cock P allowing
the cylinder O and the lever F gradually to descend and close the supply of water
which said supply cannot be again opened but by allowing the handle to fall down
when the weight T draws the piston R down again to the bottom of the cylinder O
whereby the upper part of the said cylinder O is again filled with air and the
apparatus is ready to be again used. The passage of the air out of the
upper part of the cylinder can be exactly regulated by the cock P. By fitting
this arrangement instead of the stud E and the weight F¹ therefore with my
apparatus it is impossible to cause a long continuous flow of water.
I have thus shewn the best methods and forms by the aid of which to carry
out and perform this my invention but I would have it clearly understood that I
do not limit myself to the precise shapes and particular details of construction of
the various parts of my apparatus as shewn in the drawing for the same may be
varied without departing from this my invention though at the same time I
would state that I consider the said shapes and details to be very suitable for my
purposes as herein before described and declared. It is also sufficiently obvious
that my apparatus as herein before described can equally well be fitted to other
kinds of closet as to a valve closet by disconnecting the free spindle from the
bottom lever which in these said other kinds is not required and by connecting if
necessary a weight to the bottom of the said free spindle.
Having thus particularly described and clearly explained my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I would state that I claim as my
invention which is protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent-

page_text: 1. In an apparatus for preventing waste of water the combination and use of the
hollow spindle of the handle B on which is pivotted the tumbler H the free
spindle C on which are the stud E and the projection K and the projection M on
the standard L the whole combined and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described and set forth.
2. In an apparatus for preventing waste of water the combination and use in
connection with the water supply valve lever of the cylinder O fitted with an air
cock P and provided with the piston R on the rod S of which is the weight T and
the prolongation C¹ of the spindle whereon rests the said weight T the whole
combined and operating substantially as herein before described and set forth.
3. In an apparatus for preventing waste of water the combination and use of
the hollow spindle B the free spindle C the tumbler H the projections K and M
the cylinder O the cock P the piston R with rod S and the weight T the whole
combined and operating substantially as herein before described and set forth.
4. The apparatus connected with the handle of a closet for preventing waste of
water substantially as hereinbefore described and declared and shewn in Figures 1
2. 3. and 4 in the accompanying drawing.
5. The modification of the apparatus as hereinbefore claimed formed by adding
thereto in supplement of part of the same the arrangement substantially as
herein before described and declared and shewn in Figures 5 and 6 in the
accompanying drawing.
In witness whereof I the said John Harsant have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.