IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter McFarlane, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Iron Founder, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS."
Scaled the 30th March 1853, and dated the 13th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter McFarlane
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th October 1852.
I, WALTER MCFARLANE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Iron Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, in the first place, to the construction of
the class of waterclosets or fecal depositories which are suitable for
street use, public waiting rooms, railway stations, schools, workhouses,
and ranges of dwellings of the common class. This modification of
closet consists of a long rectangular or other shaped cast iron trough
set on a slight incline, so that any fluid matter shall have a tendency
to flow to one end of the trough or receiver.
When intended for several seats or depositing receptacles the trough

page_text: is made correspondingly long; for example, it may be run behind a
range of divisions or boxes, so as to receive the individual contributions
from each, conveying the mass to the lowest end. The entire receiver
is covered over, and at its lowest end is a species of bell trap, or syphon
valve, for the discharge of the contents of the trough.
This trap or discharge valve may be made of various forms, but it is
preferred to make it in the form of an open bell trap, a moveable bell
or inverted cup piece being suspended over the vertical discharge pas-
sage which opens into the bottom of the trough.
This bell has attached to and standing up within it a short internal
pipe moving with the bell piece. The object of this valve is, to allow
of the fluid matters to run off as they collect, by rising up beneath the
bottom edge of the bell, and then descending and passing off by pouring
over the upper edge of the internal pipe, the bottom of which fits over
the opening in the fixed discharge pipe. Thus, when the trap is shut
down, the liquid matters can flow off as they accumulate, whilst the
solid matter remains in the trough, and is periodically discharged by the
attendant, who elevates the bell by a lever overhead, so as to uncover
the open discharge pipe, and let the solid masses pass down. This may
be done once in a day, or oftener, as may be found requisite, and the
apparatus thus fulfils all the requisites of a complicated watercloset
with very simple apparatus.
Where the trough is not very long it may be cast of iron all of one
piece, but when too long for this single casting it may be in lengths,
the junctions being effected by casting one edge with a projecting rib,
and the corresponding one with a recess to fit, bolts being passed through
the two.
The second head relates to the casting vase, receivers, or waterclosets
in iron in one piece; or the vase itself may be cast in one piece, and
the bottom trap discharge pipe in another, a sole or pedestal base being
cast or formed on either of them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter McFarlane in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 13th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WALTER MCFARLANE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Iron Founder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth.
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Walter McFarlanc, Her special licence
that I, the said Walter McFarlane, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Walter McFarlane, my execu-
tors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree 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
WATERCLOSETS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Walter McFarlane, 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 Walter McFarlane, 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 Drawings here-
unto attached, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
My said Invention relates, in the first place, to the construction of the
class of waterclosets or fecal depositories which are suitable for street
use, public waiting rooms, railway stations, schools, workhouses, and
ranges of dwellings of the common class. This modification of closet

page_text: consists of a long rectangular or other shaped cast iron trough set on
a slight incline, so that any fluid matter shall have a tendency to flow
to one end of the trough or receiver. When intended for several seats
or depositing receptacles the trough is made correspondingly long; for
example, it may be run behind a range of divisions or boxes so as to
receive the individual contributions from each, conveying the mass to
the lowest end. The entire receiver is covered over, and at its lowest
end is a species of bell trap, or siphon valve, for the discharge of the
contents of the trough. This trap or discharge valve may be made of
various forms, but it is preferred to make it in the form of an open bell
trap, a moveable bell or inverted cup piece being suspended over the
vertical discharge passage which opens into the bottom of the trougli.
This bell has attached to and standing up within it a short internal
pipe moving with the bell piece. The object of this valve is to allow
the fluid matters to run off as they collect, by rising up beneath the
bottom edge of the bell, and then descending and passing off by pouring
over the upper edge of the internal pipe, the bottom of which fits over
the opening in the fixed discharge pipe. Thus when the trap is shut.
down the liquid matters can flow off as they accumulate, whilst the
solid mattter remains in the trough, and is periodically discharged by
the attendant, who elevates the bell by a lever over head, so as to un-
cover the open discharge pipe and let the solid masses pass down.
This may be done once a day, or oftener, as may be found requisite, and
the apparatus thus fulfils all the requisites of a complicated water
closet with very simple apparatus. Where the trough is not very long
it may be cast of iron all of one piece, but when too long for this single
casting it may be in lengths, the junctions being effected by casting one
edge with a projecting rib, and the corresponding one with a recess to
fit, bolts being passed through the two.
The second head relates to the casting vase, receivers, or waterclosets
in iron in one piece, or the vase itself may be cast in one piece, and
the bottom trap discharge pipe in another, a sole or pedestal base being.
cast or formed on either of them.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1, of my Drawing, represents a vertical horizontal.
section of one form of my improved public water closet, as fitted with
five compartments and two urinals, the section being taken along the

page_text: line a, b, of the plan, Figure 3. Figure 2, is a transverse section of
the same along the line c, d, in the plan, Figure 3; and Figure 3, is a
horizontal section or ground plan of the entire arrangement. Figure
4, is a perspective view of the trough, gearing, and fittings on an
enlarged scale. The erection is wholly of iron, and consists of set of
six pillars A, having a cast iron base plate B, the spaces between the
pillars being filled up with iron plates on the back and front, the whole
being covered with a suitable roof C. The entrance to the erection is
by the two end passages D, both on the same side. At E, at each
end, is a urinal; next to one of which, on the right hand, is the gearing
F, for the waterclosets G, five in a line, all furnished with spitting
recesses H. The soil trough I, runs along beneath the whole of the
seats G, the inclination of the trough being downwards, in the direction
of the arrows, from left to right. At this lower end of the trough
is the section J, separated from the main body by the division K,
dipping down nearly to the bottom of the trough. This section, which
is covered in by a box and hinged door L, is kept locked up by the
proper attendant, so as to secure the gearing from casual inter-
ference. The soil discharge pipe M, opens into the bottom of this
section of the trough, and into the open mouth of this pipe is filled
a valve N, which has a vertical overflow pipe O, attached, rising
up within a few inches of the seat level, and having an inverted.
cup or trap P, suspended over it, and dipping nearly to the bottom
of the receiver. All these details are worked in connection, and are.
adjustable by the lever Q, set on a centre at R, being linked to the
upper end of the spindle passing through a guide hole in the cross bar
S. Thus the attendant can at any time clear out the deposit by raising.
the lever handle, when the whole valvular details are cleared from the
discharge pipe, and the soil passes into the sewer, whilst at the same
time the fluid matter has a constant outflow by rising up over the
edge of the pipe N, inside the bell P, and thus getting direct into the
pipe M. The same cistern also holds the gearing for the water supply,
consisting of a self-acting float ball-cock T, which works the vertical
spindle of a valve at U. In this way a constant showery flow of water
is kept up through the perforated pipe V, which runs along the whole
length of the soil trough, but when by accident the fluid supply is super-.

page_text: abundant the float rises and shuts the valve U. The water supply
passes in from the main by the vertical pipe W, and enters the
valve U, at X, whilst another branch Y, takes up a supply to the
horizontal pipe Z, a, passing along right and left to the urinals, the
flow being adjusted by the two stop-cocks b. The water passing
through the valve U, is conducted along the four sides of the trough
at the top, so as to keep up a gentle fall over the trough surface. But
the principal outlet for this service water is at the end of the piping
at the shallow end of the trough, acting as a scour to clear away any
matter adhering to the trough bottom. The perforated washing pipes
for the urinals are at c.. The service pipe has also a branch stop-
cock d, opening into a coiled flexible pipe e, furnished with a. discharge
branch f, so that when necessary the attendant can easily clean out the
whole erection by conducting a strong current over any part of it.
Each of the spitting recesses I, opens by a vertical branch into the
inclined pipe g, running beneath the entire floor line, and discharging
its contents into the soil pipe M, by the siphon sealing branch h. To
balance the weight of the trough cover in opening and shutting, a
counterweight, is hung to a chain passed over a pulley k, and having
its opposite end attached to a lever 1, the other end of which is keyed
upon the continuous spindle hinge of the entire cover at m. A handle
is provided at n, on the end of a long horizontal rod running along the
inside of the trough, and carrying catches o, to hold down the cover
when locked up.
By forming the seat compartments with clear open tops free venti-
lation is secured in connection with the currents of air through the
perforated sides of the building.
Figure 1, on Sheet 2, of my Drawings, represents a front elevation of
a smaller erection complete, suitable for streets. Figure 2, is a vertical
longitudinal section, and Figure 3, is a plan or horizontal section of the
same corresponding. This arrangement comprises a single watercloset
A, and a single urinal B, access to which is given by the central door
C. The general details are similar to those already described in
reference to Sheet 1, the watercloset having a spitting recess D. The
supply water is brought in through the main valve E, and the discharge
cup and dip valve is at F, communicating with the soil discharger G,

page_text: and at II, is the siphon branch from the pipe I, passing to the spitting
recess.
Figure 4, on the same Sheet of Drawings, is a vertical section
of a single section, suitable for closes and courts. Figure 5, is an
external elevation of the same; and Figure 6, is a plan or horizontal
section. It contains a single watercloset A, with spitting recess D,
the water being led in by a valved main at C; the entrance is by the
angle D. This shews the separate receiver E, for the accommodation
of domestics in discharging the contents of chamber utensils, and
answering as well as a urinal. It consists of an open topped receiver,
with a sloping edge as at F, and a reverse inclined cover G, so that
there is a free entrance for the discharged matters without exposing
an extended area of the receiver.
Figure 7, represents the gearing of this closet as detached, and on a
larger scale. It is covered over by a lock-down lid A, the cup valve B,
being in the central portion of the trough and worked by a lever C, as
already explained. The side receiver for the discharge of utensils is
at D, whilst the main soil receiver is at the opposite end E, of the
trough. A ball float is fitted at F, to govern the fluid supply, and a
flexible hose G, is attached for cleansing.
Figure 8, is a vertical section of my improved vase watercloset, as
as formed in a single piece of cast iron. The soil discharge pipe is
at A, arranged with a dipping recess B, to form a sealing siphon. The
supply water enters all round the upper edge of the basin through the
perforated annular pipe C, so as to give a good washing effect. The
basin itself is lined with porcelain D, so that if the porcelain cracks or
gives way the outer shell of iron is yet firm and good.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
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 there-
from 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,-

page_text: First. The general arrangements of waterclosets as herein-before
described.
Second. The application and use of an inclined trough or receiver
for receiving and collecting deposited matters in waterclosets:
Third. The system or mode of discharging the receiving troughs or
chambers of waterclosets by means of bell traps, as herein-before
described.
Fourth. The system or mode of working waterclosets, wherein the
solid matters are periodically discharged by the attendant while the
fluid matters of a constant self-acting flow.
Fifth. The application of a division piece in the soil trough for
separating the solid matter of deposit from the discharge valve apparatus,
as herein-before described.
Sixth. The arrangement of waterclosets with spitting recesses, in
communication with the discharge passages of the deposited matters, as
herein-before described. ..
Seventh. The system or mode of ventilating waterclosets by form-
ing the same with clear open tops above the seats, in- connection with
perforated upper sides for the passage through of air.
Eighth. The arrangement and construction of waterclosets with
separate receiving chambers for discharging utensils, as described in
reference to Sheet 2, of my Drawings.
Ninth. The system or mode of constructing vase waterclosets of
cast iron, either in one piece, or with the bottom trap discharge pipe
separate, and with the basin lined with porcelain.
Tenth. The system or mode of supplying water to watercloset basins
by means of a perforated annular pipe to lead the fluid all round...
In witness whereof, I, the said Waltar McFarlane, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WALTER MCFARLANE. (L.S.)