IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, LAVATORIES, URINALS, VALVES, AND STENCH TRAPS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Beck, Sanitary Engineer, of Great Suffolk
Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, LAVATORIES, URINALS, VALVES, AND
STENCH TRAPS,"
Sealed the 25th November 1864, and dated the 7th June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Beck at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th June 1864.
I, JOHN BECK, Sanitary Engineer, of Great Suffolk Street, Southwark, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS, LAVATORIES, URINALS, VALVES, AND STENCH
TRAPS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
That in large establishments where waterclosets are arranged in line or
close proximity to each other it has hitherto been the custom either to fix
separate closets side by side, each complete in itself, or to place a number of
seats directly over a trough of the whole length of the range of closets. In
some cases a conical valve has been used for the purpose of discharging the
contents of the closet pan, but this valve being on a level with the lower part
of the pau the soil floated over and about the spindle of same, and on raising
the valve the soil adhering to it being lifted from the water would ultimately
coat the valve and render it useless, allowing the water to escape and the
stench to diffuse itself through the air.
My improvements consist, firstly, in connecting the closet pans to each

page_text: other by pipes, supported when necessary on suitable standards, so that
the spaces between the closets may be made of any suitable width cr
distance.
Secondly, in attaching at one end a suitable feed cistern for supplying
water to the pans, which may either fill the pans to the level required, or
may allow of a constant flow of water through a trap valve afterwards
described.
Thirdly, in the application of a sliding valve fitted to end of discharge
orifice on the outside, so that the only part of the valve in contact with the
soil becomes seraped on being withdrawn, and thereby kept efficient; this
slide valve may also contain a trap to allow of a continuous flow of water
through the same, and to prevent the stench escaping.
Fourthly, in introducing a door in the trap of closets, so that any obstruction
may be removed without disturbing the pan or any of the fittings.
Fifthly, in the application of the before-mentioned improvements to
lavatories and urinals, so that the contents of the whole range or series can be
discharged at once, and that a constant stream of water may if required be
kept constantly flowing through the series in order to keep the soil or urine
in a state of dilution till discharged by the withdrawal of the valve.
The before-mentioned improvements may be applied to a single closet if
necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Beck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BECK, Sanitary Engineer, of Great Suffolk Street, Southwark, in the County
of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Beck, Her special licence that I, the said John
Beck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Beck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the terin therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WATERCLOSETS, LAVATORIES, URINALS, VALVES, AND STENCH TRAPS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Beck, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, 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 Scal 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 Beck, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :--
In large establishments where waterclosets are ranged in line or close
proximity to each other, it has hitherto been the custom either to fix separate
closets side by side, each complete in itself, or to place a number of seats
directly over a trough of the whole length of the range of closets. In some
cases a conical valve has been used for the purpose of discharging the con-
tents of the closet pan, but this valve being on a level with the lower part
of the pan, the soil floated over and about the spindle of the same, and on
raising the valve, the soil adhering to it being lifted from the water, would
ultimately coat the valve and render it useless, allowing the water to escape,
and the stench to diffuse itself through the air.
My improvements consists, firstly, in connecting the closet pans to each
other by pipes, supported when necessary on suitable standards, so that
the spaces between the closets may be made of any suitable width or
distance.
Secondly, in attaching at one end a suitable feed cistern for supplying
water to the pans, which may either fill the pans to the level required, or
may allow of a constant flow of water through a trap valve afterwards
described.
Thirdly, in the application of a sliding valve fitted to end of discharge
orifice on the outside, so that the only part of the valve in contact with the
soil becomes scraped on being withdrawn, and thereby kept efficient. This
slide valve may also contain a trap to allow of a continuous flow of water
through the same, and to prevent the stench escaping.
Fourthly, in introducing a door in the trap of closets,so that any obstruction
may be removed without disturbing the pan or any of its fittings.

page_text: Fifthly, in the application of the before-mentioned improvements to
lavatories and urinals, so that the contents of the whole range or series
can be discharged at once, and that a stream of water may if required
be kept constantly flowing through the series, in order to keep the soil
or urine in a state of dilution till discharged by the withdrawal of the
valve.
The before-mentioned improvements may be applied to a single closet if
necessary.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents an elevation of a range of closets connected by the
pipes A, A, A, A; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; B is the feed cistern for
supplying water to the pans; C is the sliding valve covering the orifice of the
discharge pipe A; Dis a trap open to a continuous flow of water, but closed
to the stench; E is a door in trap of closets, to allow the withdrawal of any
obstruction; Fig. 3 is a view of the slide valve at the face side; Fig. 4 is a
view of the same valve from the back; Figs. 5 and 6 shew a side view of the
slide valve, and also its application to a separate closet, of which Fig. 7 is an
end view; Fig. 8 is a range or series of urinals with the before-mentioned
improvements. The same letters of reference are employed throughout to
represent the same parts.
Fig. 10 shews an arrangement by which a shut-off cock may be applied
at each basin; in such case, instead of the water being supplied by the pipe A,
it may be used as a discharge pipe only, the feed pipe for fresh water in such
case being the pipe G.
The action of the improved closets would be as follows:-Water would
be admitted into the feed cistern B through the ball cock H, which would
fill the pans or basins to the level required. When the pans or basins
require discharging by lifting the valve C by the handle I the contents of
the whole range or series would be discharged; but should it be found
necessary to avoid the soapy water of one basin communicating or mixing
with water of another basin stop-cocks may be interposed as shewn at J,
and a stop-cock at K to shut off the communication to the cistern B; the
supply will then be obtained through the cock L and the pipe G.
I do not claim any particular form, the illustrations here supplied being
only to shew how the arrangement may be carried out, which may be modified
to suit the requirements; but I claim the attaching the closet pans together
by pipes, feeding the series by a feed cistern, the application of a sliding
valve, which may be trapped in the manner shewn, or any other kind of

page_text: trap may be used, provided it is attached to the valve, the introduction of
the door E for clearing trap of closet of any obstruction, and the application
of the before-mentioned arrangement to urinals and lavatories.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Beck, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
JOHN BECK. (L.S.)