IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS AND NIGHT-STOOLS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER-CLOSETS AND NIGHT-STOOLS."-A communication from P. Saroglia
and V Belli
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th September 1856.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS AND NIGHT-STOOLS," (communicated to me by
P. Saroglia and V. Belli, foreigners residing abroad,) to be as follows:-
These improved water-closets and night-stools are constructed as follows:-
Below the seat is a reservoir for water communicating with a smaller reservoir,
which itself communicates with the pan, the bottom of which consists of a
metal or other cap or trap, which closes the bottom of the pan air-tight when
shut, but is so constructed as to open downwards into a receiver beneath,
which itself leads into another receiver, and thence into the drain; commu-
nication between the receivers being closed by a moveable air-tight cap or
trap, similar to that last mentioned, and connected to it by a chain or rod, in
such manner that when one is open the other is closed, and vice versa.
The first-mentioned cap is connected by a horizontal rod and arms or levers
to the seat, so that on a person pressing on the latter the levers depress the
rod, thereby opening the upper eap and shutting the lower one. The seat is
also connected by levers and arms to two taps, so contrived that when one

page_text: opens the other shuts. The depression of the scat first opens one of these
taps, and thereby admits water from the larger to the smaller reservoir; but
when the upper air-tight cap opens, the water flows through the pan down
into the receiver beneath. When pressure is removed from the seat the latter
is restored to its position by springs, which also raise the levers when the upper
cap closes, thereby opening the lower one, and allowing the fecal matters to
fall into the receivers (or sewer); the second of the two taps opens, and water
from the second reservoir flows on to the upper or closed cap or trap to seal it,
and prevent the escape of noxious odours.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 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 WATER-CLOSETS AND NIGHT-STOOLS," (a communication
from P. Saroglio and V. Belli, foreigners residing abroad,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 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 Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention consists of a method of constructing water-closets and night-
stools in such a manner that the weight of a person applied to the seat thereof
shall act upon an arrangement of parts which transmit the soil to the common
drain or soil channel (in water-closets), or the removeable receptacle (in night-
stools), cleanse the pan, and prevent the escape of noxious gases, both when
the closet or stool is in and when it is out of use.
The improved water-closets and night-stools are constructed as follows:
Below the seat is a reservoir for water communicating with a smaller reservoir,
which itself communicates with the pan. The bottom of this pan consists of
a metal or other cap or trap, which closes the pan when shut, but is so con-
structed as to open downwards into a receiver beneath. This receiver leads
into the drain (in water-closets), or into the removeable receptacle (in night-
stools). Communication between the receiver and the drain or receptacle is
closed by a cap or trap, similar to that before mentioned, and connected with
it by a chain and rod, in such manner that when one is open the other is
closed, and vice versa. The traps are connected by rods, levers, and a shaft
or axis to the seat, so that on a person pressing on the latter, the levers depress
the rods and turn the shaft, thús opening the upper cap and shutting the lower
The motion of the seat also operates two taps, so contrived that when
one is open the other is shut. The degression of the seat first opens one of
these taps, and thereby admits water from the larger to the smaller receiver;
but when the upper trap opens, the water that was in it flows from the pan
down into the receiver beneath. When pressure is removed from the seat the
said trap is restored to its position by a counterbalance weight or by springs,
the lower one being simultaneously opened; the fecal matters are thus allowed
to pass into the drain or receptacle. At the same time the second of the two
traps is opened, and the water from the second reservoir flows into the upper
or closed trap, to seal it and prevent the escape of noxious gases.
one.
The construction of the improved water-closets and night-stools is more
fully illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed, of which Figure 1 is a
longitudinal section of one, taken through the line A, B, of Figure 4;
Figure 2 is a transverse section through the line C, D, of Figure 4; Figure 3
is a transverse section through the line E, F, of Figure 4; Figure 4 is a plan
view; and Figure 5 is a longitudinal elevation. The same figures of reference
are applied to like parts in the several views.
levers, by which the pressure of the person sitting upon the seat is transmitted
1 is the seat, and 2, 2, are

page_text: to the various moveable parts by the intervention of the rods or levers 3, 3, 3,
and the shaft or axis 4; 5 is a counterbalance weight, the action of which
restores the parts to their ordinary position, when the weight of the sitter is
removed from the seat 1; 6 is the bottom of the trap of the pan, which trap
is connected to the shaft 4; and 7 is a chain connecting an arm on the shaft 4,
with a second bottom or trap 8. The trap 6 closes the pan 9, which is formed
of porcelain or other suitable material, and the trap 8 closes the outlet 10 of
the vessel 12, which is formed of zinc or other suitable material, and into
which the porcelain pan 9 opens. 11 is either a passage leading to the drain,
or a removeable receptacle, as before described; 13, 14, and 15 are a set of
rods, which receive motion from the shaft or axis 4, and which open or close
the cocks or taps 17 and 18; these being so arranged that when one is shut
the other is open. The shaft or axis 4 passes through two stuffing boxes 16, 16,
in the sides of the zinc vessel 12, these stuffing boxes being intended to pre-
vent the escape of noxious gases. 21 is a large reservoir capable of containing
water enough to serve for supplying the pan a great number of times, say
about 50; 22 is an orifice, through which the water is supplied to the rescr-
voir 21. The plug which ordinary closes this orifice has a hole through it to
admit the atmosphere, in order that its pressure may cause the water to flow
from the reservoir 21 as required. 23 is a smaller reservoir capable of con-
taining sufficient water for one supply of the pan; 19 is a pipe leading from
the reservoir 23 to the trap 6; and 20 is a pipe leading from the large
reservoir 21 to the small reservoir 23. It is in these pipes 19 and 20 that
the cocks or taps 18 and 17 are respectively situated. 24 is a small pipe for
admitting the atmospheric pressure to the water in the reservoir 23, and it
extends upwards to the height of the level of the fluid in the large
reservoir 21.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Before the closet or stool is
used the parts occupy the positions shewn in the Drawings; the cock 17 is
shut, the cock 18 is open, and there is a charge of water in the trap 6,
effectually sealing the bottom of the pan. Upon a person sitting down on
the seat 1, the levers 2, 2, are depressed, and by means of the rods 3, 3, the
shaft 4 is turned round through an angle of about 90 degrees. By this
motion of the shaft 4 the trap 6 is opened, and the trap 7 simultaneously
closed, the water in the former falling down into the latter.
At the same
time the shaft so acts upon the levers 13, 14, and 15, and then simultaneously
opens the cock 17 and closes 18, and water runs from the reservoir 21
through the pipe 20, and fills the small reservoir 23. The trap 6 being
open, the fecal matter deposited by the sitter falls directly into the vessel 12,

page_text: and rests upon the trap 8. When the person rises, the weight being removed
from the seat 1, the counterbalance 5 restores all the parts to their former
positions, closing the trap 6, opening the trap 8, closing the cock 17, and
opening the cock 18. The trap 18 being opened, the fecal matter and water
falls into the drain or receptacle 11, and the cock 18 being opened, the water
in the small reservoir 23 issues through the pipe 19 into the trap 6, and seals
the joint, entirely preventing the ascent of any noxious gases.
It is evident that without departing from the essential features of this
Invention, the form and arrangement of the parts of the improved water-
closets and night-stools may be varied, and that other mechanical contrivances
may be substituted for one or more of those herein-before described, as, for
example, a spring or springs instead of the counterbalance weight.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly, the construction and arrangement of water-closets and night-
stools, as herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Secondly, the employment, in water-closets, of two traps or valves, so
arranged that whether the closet or stool is in or out of use, one or other of
these traps or valves is always sealed with water, which prevents the ascent
of noxious gases from beneath.
Thirdly, the employment, in water-closets or night-stools, of a large and a
small reservoir, so arranged that the water from the smaller reservoir shall
escape into the trap or valve of the pan, and seal it to prevent the escape of
noxious gases when the closet or stool is out of use.
And, fourthly, the employment, in water-closets or night-stools, of an
arrangement of rods or levers, and other mechanical contrivances for causing
the weight of a person applied to the seat to operate traps or valves, and
reservoirs combined, as set forth in the second and third claims.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.S.)