IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WATER-WASTE PREVENTERS AND SIMILAR APPARATUS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Winn, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING
TO WATER-WASTE PREVENTERS AND SIMILAR APPARATUS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Winn at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th Angust 1881.
_CHARLES WINN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WATER-WASTE PREVENTERS AND SIMILAR
APPARATUS."
This Invention has reference to improvements in or relating to the construction
of water-waste preventers for use in flushing water closets or for other purposes,
the nature and objects of the improvements being hereinafter defined.
In carrying my Invention into effect, I combine with or fit to a cistern of any
desired capacity a syphon-tube by means of which the flush of water is given, the
syphon tube according to one modification being inside of the cistern and made in
one piece with it for the avoidance of leakage, and having no joints or valves, and
being fitted with a vertically guided cylindrical cap or cover which is connected to
one end of a centred lever carried by the cistern, and to the other end of which the
usual draw handle or pulling wire is connected. The action of this arrangement
is that when the handle or wire is pulled the cap covering the open leg of the
syphon is raised, and tends to cause less than the atmospheric pressure in the
space above the water therein; the full atmospheric pressure then acting on the
water in the cistern causes it in equalizing the pressure to flow into the syphon, which
being thus set in action continues in action until the cistern is empty, and without
needing that the pulling handle or wire should be held throughout the time.
The syphon may be situated either inside or outside the cistern, and made in
one piece therewith, as herein before mentioned; or for greater convenience or
economy of manufacture it may be made separate therefrom and suitably connected
thereto; or it may be made in parts with the double bend separate from the legs,
the parts being suitably connected together, and one or other of the legs being
[Price 6d1

page_text: suitably connected to the cistern, the action in any case being similar to that
hereinbefore described.
The improvements also comprise the fitting of the cistern with an improved ball
valve for supplying the cistern with water, and which is so adjusted that water
cannot enter the cistern until the action of the syphon has ceased in the emptying
of the cistern, nor after the latter is filled to the proper level; the combined
arrangement thus constitutes a perfect water-waste preventer of a most simple and
inexpensive construction.
This action of the valve is effected automatically, and is ensured by slotting the
lever carrying the ball at its intersection with the cross pins of the valve, so that
the ends of the slots only engage with the pins of the valve at the time when the
cistern is filled or emptied, the slots moving freely about the pins, and having no
action on the valve in any intermediate position of the ball lever, so that the valve
is closed when the cistern is quite filled, and is not again opened (though the ball
lever falls with the water) until the action of the syphon has ceased in the
emptying of the cistern.
From the foregoing the combined action of the emptying syphon and filling
valve will be understood to be as follows:-When the cistern is empty the valve
is open, and the syphon is covered by the cap; water then enters the cistern from
the tap fitted with the valve, and the ball or float on the slotted lever rises with
the water, until as the cistern is filled it actuates the valve, closing it and shutting
off the supply; if the said handle or wire be now pushed or pulled the cover is
raised from the syphon, and, as hereinbefore mentioned, the syphon consequently
becomes charged with water; the handle or wire may be then released, as the
water in the cistern will continue to flow through the syphon until the cistern is
emptied; the ball or float being then in its lowest position again actuates the valve,
opening it, enabling the cistern to be again filled or charged for another flush.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Winn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th February
1882.
CHARLES WINN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WATER WASTE PREVENTERS AND SIMILAR
APPARATUS."
This Invention has reference to improvements in or relating to the construction
of water waste preventers for use in flushing water closets or for other purposes,
the nature and objects of the improvements being hereinafter specifically
defined.
The Invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 on the accompanying Drawings, in
various modifications of being carried into practical effect.

page_text: According to the modification illustrated in Figure 1; I combine with or fit to a
cistern 1 of any desired capacity a syphon tube 2, by means of which the flush of
water is given, the syphon tube being inside of the cistern and made in one piece
with it for the avoidance of leakage, and having no joints or valves, and I surround.
and enclose its open leg with or by means of a vertically depending or guided.
cylindrical cap or cover 3, which depends from or is connected to one end 4 of a
lever 5, centred at 6 to an inner projecting lug 7 of the cistern, and to the other
end 8 of which lever the usual draw handle or pulling wire 9 is connected. When
in a position of inaction the lever 5 rests upon another lug 16.
The action of this arrangement is that when the handle or wire 9 is pulled the
cap 3 covering the open leg of the syphon 2 is raised, and tends to cause less than
the atmospheric pressure in the space above the water therein; the full atmospheric
pressure then acting on the water in the cistern 1 causes it in. equalizing the
pressure to flow into the syphon, which being thus set in action continues in action
until the cistern is empty, and without needing that the pulling handle or wire
should be held throughout the time.
The syphon may be situate either inside or outside of the cistern, and made in
one piece or casting therewith, as hereinbefore mentioned and as illustrated in
Figure 1; or for greater convenience or economy of manufacture it may be made
separately therefrom, and suitably connected thereto, as illustrated in Figure 2, so
that in case of accident it can be replaced at a very small cost; or it may be made in
parts, with the double bend separate from the legs, the parts being suitably con-
nected together, and one or other of the legs being suitably connected to the cistern.
Figure 3 represents the syphon as arranged outside and underneath the cistern; the
action in all such cases is similar to that herein before described. -
The improvements also comprise the fitting of the cistern with an improved ball
valve apparatus for supplying the cistern with water, and which is so adjusted that
water cannot enter the cistern until the action of the syphon has ceased in the
emptying of the cistern, nor after the latter is filled to the proper level; the
combined arrangement thus constitutes a perfect water-waste-preventer of a most
simple and inexpensive construction.
This action of the valve is effected automatically, and is ensured by slotting
the lever 10, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, carrying the ball or float 11 at its
intersection 12, with the cross pins 13 projecting from the valve 14, so that the.
ends of the slots 12 only engage with the pins 13 of the valve at the time when
the cistern is filled or emptied, the slots moving freely about the pins, and having
no action on the valve in any intermediate position of the ball lever 10, so that the
valve is closed when the cistern is quite filled, and is not again opened (though the
ball lever falls with the water) until the action of the syphon has ceased in
the emptying of the cistern.
From the foregoing the combined action of the emptying syphon and filling
valve will be understood to be as follows:- When the cistern is empty the ball
valve is open; the syphon is covered by the cap; water then enters the cistern from
the tap 15, fitted with the valve, and the ball or float on the slotted lever rises
with the water, until as the cistern is filled it actuates the valve closing it, and
shutting off the supply; if the said handle or wire 9 be now pulled or actuated, as
is usual, the cover 3 is raised from the syphon, and, as hereinbefore mentioned, the
syphon consequently becomes charged with water; the handle or wire may then
be released, as the water in the cistern will continue to flow through the syphon
until the cistern is emptied, the velocity of the flush increasing to the end of the
discharge; the ball or float being then in its lowest position again actuates the
valve, opening it and enabling the cistern to be again filled or charged for another
flush.
As hereinbefore mentioned, it is not necessary to hold the handle or wire down
to ensure the proper flushing of the closet, as the syphon is instantly set in motion
by the pulling of the handle or wire, and does not cease running till the cistern is

page_text: emptied to the required level, and the supply is perfectly controlled by the improved
valve arrangement.
The improved apparatus may be made to give any desired flush of water to
ensure the sufficient flushing of the closet; two gallons is a usual quantity for
ordinary purposes, and the apparatus acts as an economiser of water and as a perfect
water-waste-preventer. Other great advantages attendant upon this improved
system and arrangement of apparatus are, that there is a complete avoidance of all
valves, leathers, rubbers, or joints liable to wear away and get out of order, or of
anything liable to derange the working of the apparatus, and owing to all the sides
of the cisterns being tapered and the corners rounded they are not liable to be
fractured by frost.
Having now described the nature and objects of my said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that what I believe to be novel and
original and therefor claim as the improvements constituting the Invention secured
to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent are,-
1. The combination in water-waste-preventers for use in flushing water-closets,
or for other equivalent purposes, of a syphon made in one or more parts, and in
one piece with or apart from and connected to the cistern, and arranged either
inside or outside the cistern, with a depending or vertically guided cap or cover
surrounding the open leg of the syphon, which terminates within the cistern, and
depending from the inner end of a central lever, to the outer end of which the
pulling handle or wire is connected, when having the action, and substantially as
herein before described and as illustrated on the accompanying Drawings.
2. The fitting of the cistern of such apparatus with an automatic means of
opening and closing the valve of the tap supplying the cistern with water, entirely
dependent for its actuation upon the level of the water, and only actuating the
said valve when the water is at the lowest level for refilling the cistern, or when it
is at its highest level for shutting off the further supply, such means consisting in
slotting the ball or float lever transversely of its length at its intersection with cross
pins projecting from the valve of the tap in such a manner as that when the water
is between its limiting levels the ball or float lever has its usual rising and falling
motion apart from and without actuating the valve of the tap, and as that when
the water is at either of its limiting levels the ball or float lever engages with and
actuates the valve of the tap, substantially as herein before described and as illus-
trated on the accompanying Drawings.
3. The combination in such apparatus, with the syphon and its guided or vertically
depending cap or cover, as hereinbefore described, of a ball or float lever slotted as
herein before described, and of a water supply valve or tap arranged in connection
with such slotted lever, as hereinbefore described, or in any equivalent manner, and
being intermittently actuated thereby, as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Winn, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
CHARLES WINN. (L.S.)
Witness,
JOHN KENDRICK.