IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING WATER-CLOSETS AND THE LIKE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
A. com-
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING WATER-CLOSETS AND THE LIKE."
munication from abroad by Edward J. Mallett, Jr., of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th March 1880.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING WATER-CLOSETS
AND THE LIKE." A communication from abroad by Edward J. Mallet, Jr., of the
City, County, and State of New York, United States of America.
:
This Invention is applicable to water closets and the like, such for instance as
urinals or sinks. Its object is to furnish to the appropriate part of the closet, for
example, a supply of disinfecting liquid which shall be continuous and unceasing,
maintaining at all times a continuous flow of the disinfectant through the closet
independent of and unaffected by the means employed to flush and cleanse the
closet. To this end there is combined with the closet an ordinary or suitable
means for furnishing water supply for flushing purposes a duct or pipe com-
municating with a source of disinfecting liquid supply, and adapted and arranged
to operate at all times to deliver a continuous supply of disinfecting liquid to the
vault, bowl; pan, trap, soil pipe, or other appropriate part of the closet, which
supply-shall be wholly independent-of-and-unaffected by the ordinary flushing
water or means for delivering the latter to the closet.
It is also an object of the Invention to disinfect at the time the closet or the like
is used the room or apartment in which the same may be situated. In order to
effect this it is proposed to employ what is designated an aerial disinfector, which
discharges into the room, at the times and in the manner substantially as hereinafter
described, air charged or impregnated with suitable disinfecting matter.
The apparatus for supplying disinfecting liquid to the closet consists of a vessel
containing a disinfectant, such, for example, as chloride of zinc, and provided with
two pipes, an upper one and a lower one, the upper one connected with a water
service pipe or other source whence it may draw a continuous supply of water,

page_text: which through this pipe constantly drips or flows into the vessel, and the lower
one leading from the vessel into the bowl of the closet, so that the liquid charged
with disinfecting material as it reaches the level of the lower pipe will overflow
and pass therethrough to the closet bowl, furnishing constantly and at all times to
the latter a continuous supply of disinfecting liquid, which will thus be always on
hand at the proper place to meet and neutralize and stamp out any and all gases
that may be from time to time generated in the closet or enter therein from the
sewer. The closet is provided with the usual pan and flushing pipe, through which
water is admitted into the closet bowl in any ordinary or suitable manner after the
closet may have been used in order to flush the closet and carry off the contents of
the bowl. The flushing water supply however is entirely separate and distinct
from the disinfecting liquid supply, the latter being independent of and unaffected
by the water supply for flushing purposes or of the means for regulating the same,
a continuous flow of disinfecting liquid being maintained whether the flushing
water be turned on or off. The disinfecting liquid pipe or duct may be connected
with the bowl, or with the soil pipe, trap, or other appropriate part of the closet, as
for instance, it may lead into the flushing pipe, provided always that the point at
which it enters the said pipe shall be between the bowl and the valve, by the
movement of which flushing water is admitted into or shut off from the bowl.
Within the main vessel is the separate and distinct vessel before referred to for
disinfecting the closet room. Into this subsidiary vessel project two pipes, one
forming an air iulet and the other an air outlet. The vessel is supplied with a
disinfectant, such, for example, as a solution of thymol, and the arrangement of its
two pipes is such that the air inlet terminates below the level of the solution, while
the mouth of the air outlet is above such level.
To the vessel is connected an air suction and forcing device consisting, for
example, of a flexible cap which is attached to the top of the vessel, and carries a
weight and a chain or the like for lifting the cap up against the action of its
weight. When the cap is lifted up a vacuum is formed in the vessel, which is at
one filled with air admitted by the inlet, and since this incoming air is caused to
pass or bubble up through the thymol or other solution it becomes charged with
its vapor. If the cap is now released the same sinks down with the weight, and
by this means the air charged or impregnated with the vapour of thymol or other
material is expelled from the vessel by the outlet into the closet room, the effect of
which is to maintain therein an atmosphere inimical to the propagation of disease
germs and free from unpleasant odors.
The direction of the pipe forming the air inlet is downward and inward, and
since it terminates below the level of the solution in the vessel it always contains
a column of liquid, which acts as a valve in preventing the escape of the air through
the inlet while it is being forced out by the outlet. In order to prevent the influx
of air through the pipe forming the outlet this pipe is made of smaller diameter
than the inlet pipe, but this can also be accomplished by providing the outlet with
a self acting valve. The air inlet and outlets moreover may be formed by valve
covered openings in the top of the cap, and in that case a sponge or other absorbent
may be attached to the cap in such a manner as to dip into the solution in the
vessel and give it off as a vapor, thereby charging the incoming air. The two
vessels are connected together, the same being in this example arranged one
within the other, so that they occupy the least possible space, and they are sur-
mounted by a cover which is suitably shaped to allow the motion of the cap,
and which has a slot for the passage of the chain or a lever for operating the
chain.
When the Invention is applied to a closet having a hinged seat cover, the chain
is connected to this cover in such a manner that when the seat cover is lowered, as
after using the closet, the cap is lifted to its upper position, and vice versa. The
result of this arrangement is that the operation of the cap is automatic, and the
vapor is expelled from the subsidiary vessel during the use of the closet. The
chair however may also be connected with the door of the closet or arranged to be

page_text: It is obvious that the invention 18
applicable to urinals, sinks, and other similar places as well as to water closets, and
when it is applied to a urinal the cap may be operated by a binged platform arranged
to receive the weight of the person using the urinal.
operated in any other suitable manner.
In applying the Invention for disinfecting and deodorizing urinals a device may
be employed consisting of a hollow shell, say, for example, a hollow glass ball,
which is filled with a solid disinfecting material, such, for example, as chloride of
zinc, along with wicking, the latter extending into the open mouth of the ball.
For further security the mouth is closed by a perforated metallic or wire gauze
cap held in place by spring legs. The wicking may be wound around_these legs,
and should extend outwardly so as to be in contact with the cap. To use the
device it is placed mouth downward in the bowl of the urinal, and in practice a
porcelain or other ring is provided in which it may be so placed. Such portion of
the urine as may from time to time strike the ball runs down around the ball and
upon the cap, and is there in part taken up by the wicking by capillary action,
thus bringing it in contact with the chloride of zinc with which it will be
impregnated. In this manner there will be given off from the ball small quantities
of zinc in solution, sufficient however to keep the urinal clean and free from
smell. In lieu of wicking other proper absorbent material can be used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
September 1880.
"
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING WATER CLOSETS
AND THE LIKE." A communication from abroad by Edward J. Mallett, Jr., of the
City, County, and State of New York, United States of America.
The said Invention is applicable to water closets and the like, such, for instance,
as urinals or sinks. Its object is to furnish to the appropriate part of the closet,
for example, a supply of disinfecting liquid, which shall be continuous and
unceasing, maintaining at all times a continuous flow of the disinfectant through
the closet independent of and unaffected by the means employed to flush and cleanse
the closet. To this end there is combined with the closet and ordinary or suitable
means for furnishing water supply for flushing purposes a duct or pipe communi-
cating with a source of disenfecting liquid supply, and adapted and arranged to
operate at all times to deliver a continuous supply of disinfecting liquid to the
vault, bowl, pan, trap, soil pipe, or other appropriate part of the closet, which supply
shall be wholly independent of and unaffected by the ordinary flusing water or
means for delivering the latter to the closet.
It is also an object of the said Invention to disinfect at the time the closet or the
like is used the room or apartment in which the same may be situate. In order
to effect this object there is employed according to the said Invention what is
designated an aerial disinfector, which discharges into the room at the times, and in
the inanner substantially as hereinafter described, air charged or impregnated with
suitable disinfecting matter.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a vertical section of an
apparatus adapted to carry out the said Invention as applied to a water closet.
Figure 2 is a vertical central section drawn to an enlarged scale of the aerial
disinfector.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken through the upper part of the closet
bowl.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of a device which may be used for disinfecting and
deodorising urinals.
For the sake of convenience the liquid disinfectant arrangement and the aerial
disinfector are represented as united in one case or vessel which is to be placed in
the apartment or room in which the closet is situated.
The apparatus for supplying disinfecting liquid to the closet consists of a vessel A
containing a disinfectant, such, for example, as chloride of zinc, and provided with
two pipes c, d, the upper one c of which is connected with a water service pipe a
or other source whence it may draw a continuous supply of water, which through
this pipe constantly drips or flows into the vessel A, whilst the lower pipe & leads
from the vessel A into the bowl K of the closet, so that the liquid charged with
disinfecting material as it reaches the level of the pipe d will overflow and pass
therethrough to the closet bowl, furnishing constantly and at all times to the latter
a continuous supply of disinfecting liquid, which will thus be always on hand at
the proper place to meet and neutralize and stamp out any and all gases that may
be from time to time generated in the closet or enter therein from the sewer. The
closet is provided with the usual pan D and flushing pipe E.. through which water

page_text: s admitted into the closet bowl in any ordinary or suitable manner after the closet
may have been used in order to flush the closet and carry off the contents of the
bowl. The flushing water supply however is entirely separate and distinct from
the disinfecting liquid supply, the latter being independent of and unaffected by the
water supply for flushing purposes, or of the means for regulating the same, a
continuous flow of the disinfecting liquid being maintained, whether the flushing water
be turned on or off. The disinfecting liquid pipe or duct & may be connected with
the bowl K, as shown, or with the soil pipe, trap, or other appropriate part of the
closet, as, for instance, it may lead into the flushing pipe E, provided always that
the point at which it enters the said pipe shall be between the bowl and the valve,
by the movement of which flushing water is admitted into or shut off from the
bowl.
Within the vessel A is the separate and distinct vessel B for disinfecting the
closet room.
Into the vessel B project two pipes f, g, one forming an air inlet and the other an
air outlet. The vessel B is supplied with a disinfectant, such; for example, as a
solution of thymol, and the arrangement of its two pipes is such that the air inlet f
terminates below the level of the solution, while the mouth 1 of the air outlet g is
above such level
To the vessel B is connected an air suction and forcing device, consisting in this
example of a flexible cap H, which is attached to the top of the vessel and carries a
weight i and a chain ; or the like for lifting the cap up against the action of its
weight. When the cap H is lifted up a vacuum is formed in the vessel B
which is at once filled with air admitted by the inlet f, and since this incoming
air is caused to pass or bubble up through the thymol or other solution it
becomes charged with its vapor. If the cap H is now released the same sinks
down with the weight i, and by this means the air charged or impregnated
with the vapor of thymol or other material is expelled from the vessel B by
the outlet into the closet room, the effect of which is to maintain therein an
atmosphere inimical to the propagation of disease germs and free from unpleasant
odors.
9.
The direction of the pipe f forming the air inlet is downward and inward, and
since it terminates below the level of the solution in the vessel B it always contains
a column of liquid, which acts as a valve in preventing the escape of the air through
the inlet while it is being forced out by the outlet In order to prevent the
influx of air through the pipe forming the outlet g this pipe is made of a smaller
diameter than the inlet pipe f, but this can also be accomplished by providing the
outlet with a self acting valve. The air inlet and outlets f, g, moreover may be
formed by valve covered openings in the top of the cap H, and in that case a
sponge or other absorbent may be attached to the cap in such a manner as to dip
into the solution in the vessel B, and give it off as a vapor, thereby charging the
incoming air. The two vessels A, B, are connected together, the same being
in this example arranged one within the other, so that they occupy the least possible
space, and they are surmounted by a cover N which is suitably shaped to allow the
motion of the cap H, and which has a slot o for the passage of the chain j or a lever
for operating the chain.
.
When the Invention is applied to a closet having a hinged- seat cover, as at-L,-|
Figure 1, the chain j is connected to this cover so that when the seat cover is
lowered, as after using the closet, the cap H is lifted to its upper position, and
vice versa.
The result of this arrangement is that the operation of the cap H is
automatic, and the vapor is expelled from the vessel B during the use of the closet.
The chain j however may also be connected with the door of the closet or arranged
to be operated in any other suitable manner. It is obvious that the Invention is
applicable to urinals, sinks, and other similar places as well as to water closets, and
when it is applied to a urinal the cap H may be operated by a hinged platform
arranged to receive the weight of the person using the urinal,

page_text: In Figure 4 is represented in vertical central section a device which may be used
to disinfect and deodorize urinals.
The device consists of a hollow shell m, in this instance a hollow glass ball, with
is filled with a solid disinfecting material n, such, for example, as chloride of zinc,
together with wicking o, the latter extending into the open mouth p of the ball.
For further security the mouth is closed by a perforated metallic or wire gauze
cap held in place by spring legs s. The wicking may be wound around these legs,
and should extend outwardly so as to be in contact with the cap. In order to use
the device it is placed mouth downward in the bowl of the urinal, and in practise a
porcelain or other ring is provided in which it may be so placed. Such portion of
the urine as may from time to time strike the ball runs down around the ball and
upon the cap r, and is there in part taken up by the wicking by capillary action,
thus bringing it in contact with the chloride of zinc with which it will be impreg-
nated. In this manner there will be given off from the ball small quantities of
zinc in solution, sufficient however to keep the urinal clean and free from smell. In
lieu of wicking other proper absorbent material can be used.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination with a water closet or the like and the usual flushing
water pipe or duct of a distinct and separate pipe or duct leading from a vessel or
other source, from which disinfecting liquid is continuously supplied to the said pipe,
to the bowl or other appropriate part of the said closet, and operating at all times to
deliver to the closet a continuons supply of disinfecting liquid, independent of and
unaffected by the ordinary water supplied through the flushing pipe for flushing
purposes, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. The combination with a water closet or the like, the flushing water pipe,
and the separate and distinct pipe for continuously supplying disinfecting liquid to
the closet, of the aerial disinfecting apparatus arranged to intermittently operate, as
hereinbefore described.
Third. The disinfecting device for urinals, substantially as herein before described
and. illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The combination with a water closet or the like of an aerial disinfector
consisting of a vessel for holding the disinfecting material, an air inlet and an air
outlet to such vessel, and an air suction and forcing device attached thereto, all
adapted for use substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.