Improvements in Apparatus for Flushing Waterclosets, Urinals, Lavatories, and such like, and for Preventing Waste of Water therein.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 28th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th Apr., 1887.
RESERV
Improvements in Apparatus for Flushing Waterclosets, Urinals,
Lavatories, and such like, and for Preventing Waste of Water
therein.
1, WILLIAM SMEATON, the Elder, of Nó. Drury Court, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for allowing definite and prearranged quantities
of water to pass to waterclosets, urinals, lavatories, and such like for the purpose of
flushing the same such apparatus being actuated or allowed to act by the action of the
seat for example in the case of a watercloset, or by the action of a pedal or foot plate
in the cases of urinals or lavatories.
My invention consists of the following arrangements:
I provide a valve chamber, divided into two parts by a flexible diaphragm, to which
is secured a valve, which I call the main valve, and which closes the water inlet opening
from the service pipe. The water outlet to the closet basin, or other place where the
flushing is to be effected, opens from some part of the valve chamber below the
diaphragm, so that when the aforesaid main valve is opened there is established a free
passage for water through the lower part of the valve chamber to the outlet leading to
the closet basin or other place.
From the service pipe or inlet of the valve chamber to the space in the valve
chamber above the diaphragm I form a channel or bye-pass, the virtual passage or
way through which can be regulated by a cock, valve, adjusting screw or other suitable
means, so as to regulate the speed with which water, under pressure, can pass from the
service pipe or inlet of the valve chamber to the upper side of the diaphragm.
Above the diaphragm is placed a short cylinder, in which is fitted loosely a free
piston or plug, carrying at its upper side a valve face which closes when the said free
piston or plug is at the upper end of its cylinder, against a valve seat at the said upper
end of the said cylinder. At the end of a passage leading from the valve seat at the
end of the cylinder is a second valve face and valve. This second valve, which may
be called the "starting" valve is contained in a small chamber, which may be called

page_text: the starting valve chamber, and is held away from its seat by a spring until pressed
thereto by the pressure of the seat of the closet, or by that of the pedal or foot plate
of a urinal or lavatory for example. A passage leads from the starting valve chamber
to the outlet, or to some other point where the fluid pressure is less than that in the
service pipe or inlet.
It will now be understood that, when the seat of the closet, or the pedal or footplate
of the urinal or lavatory is pressed down it acts upon the starting valve and closes it
against its seat, a pin or spindle projecting from the underside of the starting valve
presses the free piston or plug with its valve face, away from its seating at the upper
end of the cylinder, and the said free piston or plug with its valve, falls slowly to the
lower end of the cylinder, putting the water contained in the part of the main valve
chamber above the diaphragm into direct communication with the starting valve; but
as the latter is closed, and the passage leading to the outlet is on the other side of the
starting valve there is no escape of water, and therefore at that time, and so long as
the starting valve remains closed, no action of the apparatus. When however the
scat of the closet, or the pedal or footplate of the urinal or lavatory is released the
starting valve is released also, and is opened by its spring; this allows a portion of
the water above the diaphragm to escape through the passage leading to the outlet,
whereby the pressure above the diaphragm is relieved, and the pressure of the water
in the service pipe then forces open the main valve, and the flush is delivered to the
required place continuing so long as the free piston or plug in the cylinder above
the diaphragm remains with its valve away from the valve seat in the upper end of the
cylinder. But, as soon as the pressure is relieved in the space above the diaphragm
water begins to flow into it through the beforementioned bye-pass from the service
pipe or inlet, and pressure gradually accumulates in the said space, forcing the free
piston or plug with its valve, up the cylinder until the said valve closes against the
scating therein, after which no more water can escape to the outlet, the pressures above
and below the diaphragm become equal, and the main valve is allowed to close stopping
the flush. It will be seen that the duration, and consequently the quantity of flushing
water passed, is dependent upon the speed with which water passes through, the bye-
pass from the service pipe or inlet to the space above the diaphragm, (which speed is
regulated by the adjusting cock, valve, or other device in the bye-pass) and the speed
with which the free piston or plug rises in the cylinder, which latter speed is dependent
upon the fit of the piston or plug in the cylinder.
1
521 1
A 1002

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Flushing Waterclosets, Urinals,
Lavatories, and such like, and for Preventing Waste of Water
therein.
I, WILLIAM SMEATON, the elder, of Heddon Street, Regent Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Sanitary Engineer 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to say:
My invention relates to apparatus for allowing definite and prearranged quantities
of water to pass to waterclosets, urinals, lavatories and such like for the purpose of
flushing the same, such apparatus being actuated or allowed to act by the action of the
seat, for example, in the case of a watercloset, or by the action of a pedal or foot plate
in the cases of urinals or lavatories.
My invention consists of the arrangements shown in the drawing hereto annexed
which represents a vertical section of one of my flushing valves.
I provide a valve chamber A divided into two parts by a flexible diaphragm B to
which is secured a valve C, which I call the main valve, and which closes the water
inlet opening from the service pipe D. The water outlet E to the closet basin or other
place where the flushing is to be effected, opens from some part of the valve chamber A
below the diaphragm B, so that when the aforesaid main valve is opened there is
established a free passage for water through the lower part of the valve chamber A to
the outlet E leading to the closet basin or other place.
From the service pipe or inlet D of the valve chamber A to the space in the valve
chamber above the diaphragm B I form a channel or bye-pass F, the virtual passage
or way through which can be regulated by a cock or valve G or by an adjusting screw
or other suitable means so as to regulate the speed with which water, under pressure,
can pass from the service pipe or inlet D of the valve chamber to the upper side of
the diaphragm B.
Above the diaphragm B is placed a short cylinder H in which is fitted loosely a free
piston or plug I carrying at its upper side a valve face J which closes when the said
free piston or plug I is at the upper end of its cylinder H, against a valve scat K at
the said upper end of the cylinder H. At the end of a passage or opening L leading
from the valve seat K at the end of the cylinder H is a second valve face or seat M
and valve N. This second valve N, which may be called the "starting" valve is
contained in a small chamber O, which may be called the starting valve chamber, and
is held away from its seat M by a spring until pressed thereto by the pressure of
the seat of the closet, or by that of the pedal or foot plate of a urinal or lavatory for
example acting on the valve spindle Q which works through a guide R at its lower
part and is guided at its upper part by the cap S sliding in the cylinder T.
A passage U leads from the starting valve chamber O to the outlet E, or to some
other point where the fluid pressure is less than that in the service pipe or inlet D.
and
It will now be understood that when the seat of the closet, or the pedal or footplate
of the urinal or lavatory, is pressed down, it presses down the starting valve
closes it against its seat M, a pin or spindle V projecting from the underside of the
starting valve N is thereby caused to press the free piston or plug I, with its valve
face J, away from its seating K at the upper end of the cylinder N, and the said free

page_text: piston or plug with its valve, falls slowly to the lower end of the said cylinder, the
water below it passing up past the sides of the piston or plug and through small
holes W made therein if necessary. This puts the water contained in the part of the
main valve chamber A above the diaphragm B into direct communication with
the starting valve N; but as the latter is closed, and the passage U leading to the
outlet E is on the other side of the said starting valve, there is no escape of water,
and therefore at that time, and so long as the starting valve remains closed, no action
of the apparatus. When however the seat of the closet, or the pedal or footplate of
the urinal or lavatory is released, the starting valve N is released also, and is opened
by its spring P this allows a portion of the water above the diaphragm B to escape
through the passage U leading to the outlet E, whereby the pressure above the
diaphragm B is relieved, and the pressure of the water in the service pipe D then
forces open the main valve C, and the flush is delivered to the required place continuing
so long as the free piston or plug I in the cylinder H remains with its valve J away
from the valve seat K at the upper end of the cylinder. But, as soon as the pressure
is relieved in the space above the diaphragm B, water begins to flow into it through
the beforementioned bye-pass F from the service pipe or inlet D, and pressure gradually
accumulates in the said space, forcing the free piston or plug I with its valve J, up
the cylinder H until the said valve J closes against its seating K, after which no more
water can escape to the outlet E, the pressures above and below the diaphragm B
become equal, and the main valve C is allowed to close, stopping the flush. The
drawing shows the parts in the positions they severally occupy at the moment when
the piston or plug I has reached the top of the cylinder H and the main valve C is
about to be closed as above described.
It will be seen that the duration, and consequently the quantity, of flushing water
passed is dependent upon the speed with which water passes through the bye-pass F
from the service pipe or inlet 1 to the space above the diaphragm B (which speed is
regulated by the adjusting cock or valve G, or other device in the bye-pass) and the
speed with which the free piston or plug I rises in the cylinder H, which latter speed
is dependent upon the fit of the piston or plug in the cylinder and the size and number
of the holes W formed therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I
make no claim herein to the valve chamber A, the diaphragm B, the main valve C,
the inlet and outlet passages D and E, the bye-pass F, regulating device G, starting
valve N and passage U either separately or any combination of such parts alone as
they are described in the specification of an application for a patent made by me on
the 26th day of May 1886 No. 7068, but I declare that what I claim is :-
In flushing apparatus for waterclosets, urinals, lavatories and such like the com-
bination of the valve chamber A, the diaphragm B, the main valve C, the inlet and
outlet passages D and E, the bye-pass F, regulating device G, starting valve N
actuated by the seat, pedal, or footplate, and the passage U, with the cylinder H, the
free piston or plug I moving loosely therein, and carrying a valve J which closes
against a seating K at the end of the said cylinder H, the whole arranged and
operating as herein before described, and illustrated in the drawing hereto annexed.
Dated this 26th day of March 1887.