IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC FLUSHING SYPHONS
Year: 1884

page_text: COLLIE
DREVIFICATIO
We JAMES HOLROYD of Burmantofts Sanitary Engineer, and JAMES LANG of
Stoney Rock Burmantofts Engineer both in Leeds in the County of York do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC
FLUSHING SYPHONS, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement.
The object of our Invention is to provide a simple and effective syphon
arrangement for automatically flushing water closets, and for other sanitary
purposes.
Our Improvements consist in the application of a valve to the downfall side of
the syphon, into which the valve-box communicates. At the top of the valve box
a conical seat is formed for the valve, which is of the 'wing' type. In or on the
bevelled edge of the valve we form a groove, semi-circular in section, and in this
groove is fitted a ring or hoop of india-rubber, circular in section. The valve rests
upon its seat by means of this ring or hoop of india-rubber, and as owing to the
circular section of the ring the surfaces in contact are small, the valve is tightly
and effectively closed. The valve spindle is prolonged upwards, and is guided at
its upper end by means of a bracket fixed to the syphon. The centre of the
spindle is formed as a block, in which is provided a rectangular slot. Above the
valve is provided a horizontal spindle, carried in bearings in a bracket attached to
the syphon On a square on this horizontal spindle is fitted a crank or cam,
which works in the rectangular slot in the valve spindle, and so raises and lowers
the valve. The horizontal spindle is actuated by a tumbler or balance weight
fitted thereon. In the tumbler or balance weight is provided a hole or recess in
the shape of a sector. In this hole or recess works one arm of a bell crank .lever,
and a copper ball or float is attached to the other arm. The bell crank lever is
fitted loose upon the horizontal spindle.
The action of the valve is as follows. As the water rises in the cistern it comes
in contact with the ball or float, and raises it and the lever to which it is attached,
moving thereby the opposite arm of the bell crank lever across the recess or hole
[Dries 237

page_text: in the tumbler or balance weight. As the water continues to rise the bell crank
lever commences to move the tumbler or balance weight and the spindle to which
the tumbler is attached. This causes the short crank or cam to rise in the slot
bole formed in the square part of the valve spindle. When the water has risen
sufficiently high, the tumbler or balance weight overbalances and falls, suddenly
opening the valve and admitting the water to the downfall side of the syphon to
operate the same. The water then quickly lowers in the cistern, and with it the
ball or float bringing the tumbler back past the centre, when the tumbler or
balance weight overbalances and drops, suddenly closing the valve. This prevents
the admittance of air to the syphon and allows the same to empty the cistern.
And in order that our Invention may be more clearly understood, reference in
given to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.
Fig 1 is a longitudinal section, and Fig 2 is a cross section on line A B Fig 1., of
a flushing cistern with our "Improvements in Automatic flushing syphons" applied
thereto. Fig 3 is a part longitudinal elevation on line C D Fig 2, with a portion
of the side of the cistern broken away.
a is the valve applied to the downfall side of the syphon b. c is the valve box
which communicates with the downfall side of the syphon b. At the top of the
valve box c is formed a conical seat for the valve a, which is of the 'wing' type.
In the bevelled edge of the valve a is formed a groove, semi-circular in section; and
in this groove is fitted a ring or hoop d of india-rubber, circular in section. The valve a
rests upon its seat by means of this ring or hoop d, and since owing to the circular
section of the ring, the surfaces in contact are small, the valve a is tightly and
effectively closed on its seat. The valve spindle e is prolonged upwards, and is
guided at its upper end by means of a bracket f fixed to the syphon b. The centre
of the spindle e is provided with a square thereon, in which is provided a
rectangular slot.
Above the valve a and in bearings h is carried the horizontal spindle g. On a
square formed on this horizontal spindle g, is fitted a crank or cam i, which works
in the rectangular slot in the valve spindle c, and thereby raises and lowers the
valve a.
The horizontal spindle g is actuated by a tumbler or balance weight k
fitted thereon. In the tumbler or balance weight is provided a hole or recess
Fig 3 in the shape of a sector. In this hole or recess works one arm of a bell
crank lever, and a copper ball or float m is attached to the other arm n.
This bell
crank lever is fitted loose on the horizontal spindle g.
The action of the valve is as follows. As the water rises in the cistern it comes
in contact with the ball or float m, raising the ball or float m and the lever n to
which it is attached, moving thereby the opposite arm 7 of the bell crank lever across
the recess or hole in the tumbler or balance weight. As the water continues to rise
in the cistern, the bell crank lever begins to move the tumbler or balance weight k
and the horizontal spindle g to which the tumbler is attached. This causes the
short crank or cam i to rise in the slot hole formed in the square part of the valve
spindle o. When the water has risen sufficiently high the tumbler or balance
weight overbalances and falls, lifting the spindle c and suddenly opening the
valve a, admitting the water to the downfall side of the syphon 6 to operate the
same.
The water then quickly lowers in the cistern and with it the ball or float m,
bringing the tumbler k back past the centre when the tumbler or balance weight k
overbalances and drops, suddenly closing the valve a, and this is effected in time to
prevent the admittance of air through the valve a to the syphon b, and allows the
latter to empty the cistern.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :
The application of the valve a operated by the tumbler k and float m in
combination with the syphon b arranged substantially as and for purposes
herein set forth and as shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated thie Thirtieth day of October 1884
J. W. HARDING,
Agent for the Applicants.