Improvements in and relating to Disinfecting Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1898-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1898
Improvements in and relating to Disinfecting Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM ALFRED LA FAVE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
87, Lyon Street, in the City and County of New Haven and State of Connecticut,
United States of America (Machinist), do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the accompanying drawings.
-
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my disinfecting device;
Figure 2 a view of a vertical section of the same;
Figure 3 a view of a section on line x-x of Figure 2 ;
Figure 4 a view of a section on line y-y of Figure 2; and
Figure 5 a view of a section on line z-z of Figure 2, with the disinfectant retaining
cylinder and the tie rods removed.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.
The object of my invention has been to provide improved means for disinfecting
water-closets and the like, which have a water supply pipe or "flush pipe," and, to
this end,―
My invention consists in the disinfecting device and in the parts thereof constructed,
arranged, and combined, as hereinafter specified.
In carrying out my invention, I apply a disinfectant holding chamber directly to
the water supply pipe or "flush pipe," which leads to the water closet bowl or other
receptacle to be supplied with water and disinfected, and connect such chamber with
the pipe, so that a portion of the water from the latter will be taken off from the
main stream passing through the pipe, at any time, and turned into the disinfectant
containing chamber, so that it will be made to percolate down through the
disinfectant and, having dissolved out some of the latter, will flow into the pipe
again, carrying the dissolved disinfectant with it, to the end that such disinfectant
will be conveyed into the bowl or other receptacle into which the water from the
pipe runs.
Where, as in water closets using an intermittently acting or a flush device, to
supply the water, the flow of the latter down through the flush pipe is intermittent,
the use of my device will ensure first, that a portion of the disinfectant shall pass
down into the body of the flushing water, and that, after the main water flow has
ceased, some of the water remaining in the disinfectant chamber and percolating
down through the disinfectant will carry some of the latter down into the bowl or
receptacle, at a time when it will not be immediately carried on and out of the
bowl or receptacle and will remain therein to disinfect the same.
I desire it to be understood, that, while I shall herein describe my invention as
applied to the water-supplying or flush pipe of a water closet or other apparatus to
which water is to be supplied, I contemplate also using my invention in connection
with the liquid supplying pipe of any closet or other device using other liquid than
water.
In the drawings A designates the liquid supplying or flush pipe through which the
water or other liquid to be supplied is to flow from a suitable source of supply, which
can be a liquid containing tank, as indicated at B in the drawings, or of any other
desired form.

page_text: The pipe A is separated into two parts, as shown, and the two opposing ends are
externally screw-threaded, as indicated at a a. Upon the threaded end of the lower
part of the separated pipe is screwed a tubular piece C, having the flange c and the
upwardly projecting tubular part C¹, the bore of which is in line with and forms a
continuation of that of the pipe A.
The bore of the tubular part C¹ is preferably of the same size as the bore of the
pipe A, except at its upper end, where the part C¹ is contracted in diameter, so that
its bore is slightly less in size, than the bore of the pipe A.
This construction is such, that the opening in the upper end of the part C¹ is
concentric with, while being slightly smaller than, the opening or bore in the pipe A
above it, and the outer wall of the part C¹ is inclined outward and downward, from
the edge of the opening in the top of such part, until it meets the cylindrical outer
wall of the part below.
The lower end of the upper part of the separated pipe A is situated a short distance
above the contracted upper end of the part C¹, so that, when a body of liquid is
.rushing down through such part of pipe A, the main part will pass directly on into
the opening in the top of the part C¹, and a thin annular stream will be deflected
from the outer part of such body, by the inclined edge around the contracted opening
in said part.
The amount of the liquid which will be thus taken from the main body will
depend, of course, upon the size of the opening or mouth in the part C¹, with
reference to the diameter of the stream flowing to it from pipe A.
In practice, I make the opening or bore of the upper end of the part C¹ but very
little less than that of pipe A, so that only a very small portion of the passing body
of liquid is deflected.
With this arrangement there is no objectionable or material interference with the
free rush of the liquid from the pipe A above down into and through the part C¹, to
and through the pipe A below.
The part C¹ is, at and near its lower end, provided with a series of perforations c¹ c¹
extending through its walls to its interior.
There are also, preferably, small passages c², c², passing down through the flange C
into the base of the latter.
A second tubular piece C2, having a flange c³, but without any projecting portion
corresponding to the tubular part C¹ of piece C, is screwed upon the lower end of
the upper half of the separated pipe A, and has its bore adapted to form a
continuation of that of pipe A, down to a point just above the contracted upper end
of part C¹.
A cylinder D, larger than part C¹, surrounds the latter, and has its upper and lower
edges seated in grooves c c in the flanges of pieces C and C2 respectively.
Tie rods D¹, D¹, D¹, preferably three in number, pass through slots d, d, d, in
lugs d¹, d¹, d¹, on the respective flanges c and c³, and have their ends threaded and
provided with nuts d², d², d², which engage the outer faces of the respective
lugs d¹, d', d¹, so that, when the nuts are tightened up, the flanges c and c³ on
pieces C and C will be drawn towards each other, to seat the grooves c4, c4, in the
flanges, closely over the ends of cylinder D.
With the. cylinder ends thus seated in the grooves c², c4, a closed chamber D2 is
formed, surrounding and concentric with the tubular part C³, and having its upper
end communicating with the main liquid passage, through the space between the
piece C² and the top of the tubular part C¹.
The liquid deflected from the main body by the contracted upper end of part C¹
will pass into the chamber, at its upper end, and can flow out of the lower end thereof
through the perforations c¹, c¹, and the passages c², c³, leading into the bore of the
piece C.
While I prefer the manner above described, and shown in the drawings, of putting
together and connecting the parts of my disinfecting device, I do not limit myself
thereto; but contemplate, where desired, making the whole part which connects the

page_text: ends of the separated portions of pipe A, in one or more pieces, formed by casting or
otherwise, as required, and to be attached to the pipe A in any suitable way.
However the device is made, the essential idea of it is to have a chamber
surrounding the passage for the water or other liquid used, and the end of the
inner wall of such chamber, which is towards the point from which the liquid flows,
formed with a lip, projecting slightly inward into the path of the passing body of
liquid, so as to deflect a portion therefrom into the chamber, and to have suitable
openings or passages, through which the liquid, deflected into the chamber, may
return again into the main liquid passage.
The construction of the device described above and shown in the drawings, I regard
as preferable, because it enables me not only to construct and apply my disinfecting
device cheaply, but to make the cylinder D of other material than the rest of the
parts, as, for instance, of glass, so that the interior of the chamber D2 and its contents
can, at any time, be seen from without.
When my device is in use, I place in this chamber any desired kind of disinfectant,
which can be either dissolved by the liquid used, or disintegrated and carried out of
the chamber thereby, in small quantities.
Whatever the disinfectant used, it is best in granular form, so that the liquid used
can percolate easily down through the chamber contents, and run out through the
openings c¹, c¹, and passages c2, c².
As indicated in the drawings, the body of disinfectant D³ in the annular chamber D²
is in the form of small balls, which can readily be introduced into the chamber
through the charging openings c5, which is provided in the upper piece C2 and is
kept normally closed during the use of the device by a screw-stopper c, or any other
suitable water-tight stopper.
a
The operation of my disinfecting device, which will be understood from the
foregoing description, and the drawings, is briefly as follows:-
With the chamber D² supplied with a quantity of the desired disinfectant, which
is to be used to disinfect the water closet bowl or other receptacle, to which the liquid
used is to be supplied, as a quantity of liquid is allowed to flow from the source of
supply through pipe A, the main body of it can and does pass freely and unobstructed
from the upper part of pipe A, through the tubular piece C², the tubular part C', and
the part C, and thence, through the other part of the pipe A to the bowl or other
receptacle, not shown.
As the body of liquid rushes from the piece C² into the part C¹ of the piece C,
a thin annular sheet is deflected from it by the inturned upper edge of the piece C¹,
projecting, as described, slightly into the path of the body of the liquid, and is guided
outward and downward into the disinfectant containing chamber D². As it descends
through such chamber, this deflected fraction of the body of liquid takes up a portion of
the disinfectant from the mass of the latter through which it passes, and carries it
down and out through openings c¹ c¹, and passages c², c² into the path of the main
body of the liquid. Some of this disinfectant carrying liquid will flow into and mix
with the said main body, so as to supply disinfectant to the same, to act wherever
the liquid goes through or from pipe A after leaving my device.
Where, as is usual in water closets, the flow of liquid from the source of supply is
intermittent, the intention being to get a flushing action, by allowing a certain
quantity of liquid to dash or rush through pipe A into the closet bowl, some of the
liquid deflected into the disinfectant chamber D2 will, because of its flow being
hindered by the disinfectant, continue to percolate down through the latter and run
out through the openings, c¹, c¹, and passages c², c², after the body of liquid issuing
from the source of supply, has rushed by the disinfecting device down pipe A.
Such residuary disinfectant-carrying liquid will flow down through pipe A, and,
reaching the bowl or receptacle to be disinfected, after the rush or flushing action
has been completed, will not be washed on out of such bowl or receptacle, but will
remain therein to disinfect the same.
Where my device is used to disinfect a pipe, the residuary liquid containing
disinfectant, running down slowly from the disinfectant chamber, will, during its

page_text: trickling or slow passage through the pipe to be disinfected, thoroughly disinfect the
same.
My disinfecting device, constructed as shown and described, is cheap and simple
in construction, and easily applied to any pipe with which it is to be used.
It has been found to be especially advantageous and desirable for use with the
liquid supply pipes of water closets and other places, where a flushing rush of liquid
is desired, because it is so arranged as to take off the required amount of liquid, to
act upon and be charged with the disinfectant, without materially interfering with or
checking the rush of the flushing body of liquid through the supply or flushing pipe,
and not only secures a mixture of some of the disinfectant with such body, but
furnishes a supply of disinfectant carrying liquid to the supply pipe and bowl or other
receptacle to be disinfected after the flushing rush of liquid has ceased.
desire it to be understood, that, if desired, the tubular part C¹ can be made
separate from piece C, and screwed to or otherwise connected with such piece, and
any other suitable means for connecting the tubular pieces C and C2 can be
used, instead of the tie rods and nuts, without involving any departure from my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:-
1. In combination with a pipe, a disinfecting device having a tubular piece, with
its bore in line with that of the pipe, and its end which is towards the pipe provided
with an opening of less diameter than the bore of the pipe and situated at a distance
from the pipe end, and a chamber containing disinfectant, communicating with the
space between the end of the tubular piece and the pipe, and with openings or
passages leading into the path of any liquid passing through the tubular piece,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In combination with a pipe, a disinfecting device having a tubular piece, with
its bore in line with that of the pipe, situated at a distance from the pipe, and,
and having the edge of its end, which is towards the pipe, bent inward to make the bore
of the piece, at that end, smaller than the bore of the pipe, and having, at a distance
from such end, one or more openings through its walls, and a chamber for disinfectant
connected with the space between the opposing ends of the pipe and tubular piece,
and with the opening or openings in walls of the latter, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
3. In combination with a pipe, a disinfecting device having a tubular piece
situated at a short distance from the end of the pipe and having its edge, which is
towards the pipe turned in to leave an opening smaller than the pipe bore, one or
more openings through its walls, at a point away from its contracted end, and an
annular chamber surrounding the tubular piece and the space between the end of
such piece and the end of the pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. A disinfecting device having the two tubular end pieces, a hollow casing,
forming, with such end pieces, a chamber, and an inner tubular piece, with its bore
in line with that of the end pieces, its one end connected with one of the end pieces,
and its other end standing at a short distance from the end piece having its edge
turned inward to make its bore, at that point, smaller than that of the adjoining end
piece, and one or more openings connecting the space between the tubular piece and
the casing with the bore of the other end piece, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
5. A disinfecting device having the two tubular end pieces, a hollow casing,
forming, with such end pieces, a chamber, and a tubular piece within such chamber,
with its bore in line with that of the end pieces, its one end connected with one of
the end pieces, and its other end, standing at a short distance from the other end
piece, having its edge turned in to make its bore at that point smaller than that of
the adjoining end piece, and one or more openings through the walls of the tubular
piece, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 6. In a disinfecting device, in combination with the two tubular end pieces, a
hollow casing forming, with such pieces, a chamber, a tubular piece within such
chamber, with its bore in line with that of the end pieces of the same diameter as
that of such pieces, except at one end, such tubular inner piece being connected, at
one end, with one of the end pieces, and having its other end, situated at a short
distance from the other end piece, provided with an inturned edge, to contract its
bore at that point, a body of disinfectant in the annular space between the tubular
inner piece and the casing, and one or more openings or passages leading from the
annular chamber into the path of any liquid passing through the tubular inner piece,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. In combination with a liquid supply pipe, a disinfecting device having an
annular disinfectant containing chamber, with the opening surrounded by its inner
wall in line with the bore of the pipe, a passage through which liquid from the pipe
can flow into one end of the annular chamber, the edge of the end of the inner wall
of the chamber at this point being bent in to stand partly across the path of the
body of liquid issuing from the pipe, and one or more openings or passages through
the inner wall of this annular chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
8. In combination with two sections of a liquid supply pipe, a disinfecting device
interposed between the two sections and secured thereto, having an internal bore, in
line with that of the pipe, an annular disinfectant containing chamber, around the
internal bore, a liquid passage, and an annular lip at such passage, to engage and
deflect a portion of the body of water flowing from that part of the pipe which leads,
from the source of supply and guide such deflected portion into the chamber, and
one or more openings or passages, through which any liquid in the annular chamber
can flow back into passage followed by the main body of the liquid, substantially as
and for the purpose described.