IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. John Hardie, of the Town and County of Stirling,
North Britain, Plumber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS."
Sealed the 25th January 1859, and dated the 26th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hardie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
July 1858.
I, JOHN HARDIE, of the Town and County of Stirling, North Britain,
Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS," to
be as follows, that is to say:
This Invention relates to valvular apparatus capable of use in different
situations where the flow or passage of fluids is to be regulated, adjusted, or
governed, and particularly in waterclosets where a predetermined supply of
cleansing water is to be periodically let on. Under one form of the parts
as applied to watercloset purposes, the apparatus takes the form of a solid
duplex metal shell, having a lateral inlet and outlet branch, one on each side.
This shell is made duplex by casting an internal longitudinal diaphragm in it.
This valve case or shell is screwed down upon a metal base plate, and it has
within it an upper and a lower valve face, fitted with corresponding upper and
lower inverted circular disc valves, the lower one being somewhat larger than
the upper one. Both these valves are fast on one vertical spindle, which pro-

page_text: jects upwards, and passes into an upper recess in the shell, its extreme end
being fitted with a small ball weight or guide piece. The lower valve is
attached to the centre of an elastic or flexible diaphragm, secured water-tight
all round its periphery to the bottom end of the shell, a cavity or small
chamber being left beneath this flexible division piece. The water inlet
branch opens into that section of the shell containing the two valves, and
between the valves, whilst the outlet branch leading to the closet pan similarly
opens into the other section of the shell.
Whilst
The inlet branch also has a small passage, governed by an adjustable stop-
cock, leading into the space in the bottom of the shell beneath the flexible
diaphragm. When the closet is put in use, the water supply, as induced in
the usual manner, flows into the shell between the two disc valves and the
bottom, one being the largest in area, it follows that the two valves with
their spindle are depressed, and thus the water escapes past each valve into
the other section of the shell, and thence away to the pan or basin.
this is going on, the supply branch also furnishes, through its minor adjustable
passage, a minute flow of water to the part of the shell beneath the flexible
diaphragm. Then, as this part fills up with water, the pressure so induced
upon the under side of the flexible diaphragm, and its attached valve, causes
both valves to come gradually up to their seats and stop the supply. This
minor supply of water is afterwards discharged through a very small bottom
pipe, bringing all the parts into the proper condition for a new flushing
discharge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hardie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HARDIE, of the Town and County of Stirling, North Britain, Plumber, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her-most-Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Hardie, Her special license that I, the said John Hardie, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Hardie, my executors, administrators, or 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 APPARATUS FOR
REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Hardie, 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
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hardie, do hereby declare the
nature of my said 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 Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to valvular apparatus capable of use in different
situations where the flow or passage of fluids is to be regulated, adjusted, or
governed; and particularly in waterclosets where a predetermined supply of
cleansing water is to be periodically let on. Under one form of parts as
applied to watercloset purposes, tlie apparatus takes the form of a solid duplex
metal shell, having a lateral inlet and outlet branch, one or each side. This
shell is made duplex by casting an internal longitudinal diaphragm in it.
This valve case or shell is screwed down upon a metal base plate, and it has
within it an upper and a lower valve face, fitted with corresponding upper and
lower inverted circular disc valves, the lower one being somewhat larger than
the upper one. Both these valves are fast on one vertical spindle, which pro-
jects upwards and passes into an upper recess in the shell, its extreme end
being fitted with a small ball weight or guide piece. The lower valve is
attached to the centre of an elastic or flexible diaphragm secured water-tight
all round its periphery to the bottom end of the shell, a cavity or small
chamber being left beneath this flexible division piece. The water inlet
branch opens into that section of the shell containing the two valves, and
between the valves, whilst the outlet branch leading to the closet pan similarly
opens into the other section of the shell. The inlet branch also has a small
passage governed by an adjustable stop-cock leading into the space in the
bottom of the shell beneath the flexible diaphragın. When the closet is put
to use, the water supply, as induced in the usual manner, flows into the shell
between the two disc valves, and the bottom one being the largest in area, it
follows that the two valves with their spindle are depressed, and thus the

page_text: water escapes past each valve into the other section of the shell, and thence.
away to the pan or basin, Whilst this is going on, the supply branch also.
furnishes, through its minor adjustable passage, a minute flow of water to the
part of the shell beneath the flexible diaphragm. Then, as this part fills up
with water, the pressure so induced upon the under side of the flexible.
diaphragm and its attached valve, causes both valves to come gradually up to
their seats and stop the supply. This minor supply of water is afterwards.
discharged through a very small bottom pipe, bringing all the parts into the.
proper condition for a new flushing discharge.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several Figures upon the explanatory Sheet of
Drawings, which I bave hereunto appended for the purpose of showing:
certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously
carried out in practice.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a longitudinal sectional
view of one modification of my improved valvular apparatus for regulating the
flow or passage of fluids; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken
at right angles to Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figures 1
and 2; Figure 4 is a partially sectional elevation of a closet having my
improved valvular apparatus fitted thereto; Figure 5 is a back view of the
closet in elevation. In this Figure the valvular apparatus is shown in a
position corresponding to Figure 1; and in Figure 4 it is shown in end view,
corresponding to the sectional view, Figure 2. As arranged under this
modification of my improvements, the valvular apparatus consists of a solid
metal shell or valve box A, which is cast of a duplex figure, so as to form
internally a kind of double chamber, as shown in the transverse sectional plan,
Figure 3. The shell A is made with an internal valve chamber B, which
has openings made in the metal forming the upper and lower parts of the.
chamber; the lower faces of these openings form the seats for the valves
which control the passage of the water through the apparatus. The shell A
is made with two lateral tubular openings C and D, to which the extremities
of the inlet and outlet pipes E and F are screwed or otherwise connected.
The water enters by the tubular passage C, and after passing through the
valve chamber B and the secondary-chamber-of-the-shell A, escapes through
the pipe to the closet basin. The shell A is screwed down on to a metal
base plate G, which is fitted on to the closet, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 on
my Drawing. The base plate G has a recess or chamber H formed in it;.
this chamber has also a lateral tubular passage I extending outwards through
the metal of the base plate, and downwards at right angles thereto. Through.

page_text: the outer end of the lateral passage I a valve spindle J enters, so as to close
when required the vertical portion of the passage. Between the face of the
valve J and that of the passage I a disc of vulcanized india-rubber or other
elastic material is interposed, which serves to close the passage water-tight
as well as to push back the valve J by its elasticity when the valve spindle
is released. The spindle of the valve J is carried in a guide K, which is
screwed up to the under side of the base plate G, and the valve is kept up to
the face of the base plate by the pressure of the swell or cam L on its outer
end. This cam is actuated by the spindle M, to which the pan N of the
closet is attached. Between the shell A and the base plate G a circular disc
O of india-rubber is interposed, so as to form a flexible diaphragm between.
the interior of the shell A and the chamber H. The spindle P of the duplex
valves Q and R passes through the centre of the diaphragm O, and is
fastened up to the under face of the lower valve R by a nut, which is screwed
on to the spindle. The upper end of the spindle P is made with a small
knob which works up and down in the recess S, which serves as a guide to
preserve the perpendicular position of the spindle. The area of the openings
in the valve chamber B differ in size, the lower one being larger than the
upper; these openings are closed by the upward action of the valves Q
and R. These valves are kept up to their respective seats on the under faces
of the valve chamber B by the pressure of the water on the under side of the
diaphragm O. The water is admitted to the chamber H by means of the
tap T, which, when opened, allows the water to flow from the inlet pipe C
down into the chamber H. The service water has also access to the valvet
chamber B, where its pressure acts upon the under side of the upper valve Q
and the upper surface of the valve R. The lower valve R being, however,
of larger area than the valve Q, the pressure of the water in the chamber H
upon the diaphragm is sufficient to prevent the opening of the valvular
apertures in the chamber B. The tap T is attached by a bell-crank lever or
other convenient means to the horizontal spindle M, so that when this spindle
is turned upon its axis by the raising of the operating handle, the pan N is
inverted, and the passage through the tap T is closed by the partial turning
of the key. The motion of the spindle M about its axis depresses the upper
end of the cain L, so that the valve moves away from the face of the base
plate G, and the water contained in the chamber H escapes through the.
downwardly directed opening of the passage I. The upward pressure of the
water upon the diaphragm O being thus removed, the valves Q and R are
depressed, and the water from the supply pipe E flows through the valvular

page_text: openings in the chamber B, and out through the pipe F to the basin U of
the closet, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. The flow of water in this
manner will continue so long as the actuating lever is kept up. Upon
depressing the handle of the closet, so as to restore the pan N to its normal
or horizontal position, the passage I is again closed by the valve J, and the
tap T is opened. The water from the inlet pipe C now flows through the
tap T into the chamber H, and the pressure of this water acting upon
the diaphragm O, the valves Q and R are again closed. This closing of the
valvular openings is however accomplished in a gradual manner by reason
of the smallness of the aperture in the tap T, so that the chamber H fills
slowly, so as to gradually shut off the water, and thus allow a sufficient
quantity to flow into the pan N after the actuating handle has been depressed.
This afterflow of the water may be regulated to occupy more or less time by
making the chamber H more or less capacious, or by increasing or diminishing
the area of the tubular passage through the tap T. In lieu of the foregoing
arrangement of the tap T it may be altogether unconnected with the actuating
spindle M; in this case the tap is opened to a certain extent and left in that
position, so that a slender stream of water flows through the chamber H
during the time the pan N is inverted. When the passage I is closed by the
depression of the handle, the water continues to flow through the tap T, fills
the chamber H, and thus gradually close the valves Q and R. This valvular
apparatus may with trifling modifications be used for controlling and regu-
lating the passage of fluids for purposes other than that I have herein-before
described and shown in my illustrative Drawing.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe. or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of the valvular apparatus,
herein-before described and shown in-the-accompanying Drawings, for the
purpose of regulating the flow or passage of fluids.
Second, the system or mode of controlling and regulating the flow of liquids
by means of the valvular apparatus herein-before described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification of the same.

page_text: Third, the system or mode of gradually shutting the valvular passages by
means of the mechanical arrangement herein-before described and shown in
the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hardie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
J. HARDIE. (L.S.)