Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Supplying Disinfectant Liquids to Water Closets, Urinals, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1891-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Supplying Disinfectant
Liquids to Water Closets, Urinals, and the like.
1, GEORGE TAYLOR, of Seel Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Glass Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my present invention is to automatically supply a small quantity
of disinfectant liquid to the water used for flushing water closets, urinals and the
like, on each occasion that they are flushed.
I accomplish this by providing a bottle or other suitable containing vessel of
special construction to be hereinafter described, partially filled with the disinfectant
liquid, and placing the same in the flushing cistern which supplies the flush to the
water closet urinal or the like.
The containing vessel in its simplest form consists of a bottle through the cork or
stopper of which a short tube of small bore passes air-tight. If such a bottle
about half filled with disinfectant be inverted, a quantity of the disinfectant will
flow out of the small bore tube until the air in the upper part of the bottle
expands to such an extent that its pressure is reduced by an amount represented by
the head of disinfectant in the bottle. If now the bottle be wholly or partially
immersed in the flushing cistern it will be seen that a quantity of the water in the
cistern will flow into the bottle through the small bore tube, the level of the
disinfectant rising and the pressure of the imprisoned air in the upper part of
the bottle being increased by an amount corresponding to the head of water in
the cistern above the outlet of the small bore tube; the water entering the bottle
mixes with the disinfectant therein.
When the flush occurs, the level of the water in the cistern falls and the air in
the bottle expands accordingly and a determinable quantity of the disinfectant is
delivered into the cistern and carried away with the flush.
The quantity of disinfectant delivered depends upon the volume of air in the
bottle and the variation in the head of water in the cistern above the outlet of the
small bore tube.
Each time that the flush occurs the small quantity of disinfectant which is
delivered is replaced by water which dilutes the disinfectant in the container.
It is not necessary that the water level in the cistern should never fall below the
outlet of the small bore tube as no flow takes place after the level has fallen
below that point.
I have found that with a straight small bore tube, a very small quantity of the
disinfectant flows continually and in some cases this is objectionable, 1 prefer there-
fore to bend the small bore tube up after it has passed out of the bottle, and in
some cases to carry it up syphon like within the bottle.
In some cases a tube of comparatively large bore, constricted in places, may be
substituted for the small bore tube.
I do not limit myself to a bottle-shaped container nor to the arrangement of the
Sinall bore tube passing through the cork or stopper as I find it convenient some-
times to make the tube and container in one piece.
Dated this 8th day of September 1890.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, Castle Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Supplying Disinfectant
Liquids to Water Closets, Urinals, and the like.
1. GEORGE TAYLOR, of 9 Seel Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Glass Manufacturer 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 :—
This invention relates to disinfectant supply apparatus, and has for its object the
supply of a small determinable quantity of disinfectant liquid to the fishing
water of water closets, urinals or the like. on each occasion that they are flushed.
I accomplish this by providing a bottle or other suitable containing vessel of
special construction to be hereinafter described, partially filled with disinfectant
liquid, the remaining space contining air, and wholly or partially immersing the
same in a cistern or tank through which the water which thushes the water closet,
urinal or the like passes, and in which the level of water falls and rises each time
the water closet or urinal is flushed: the action of the apparatus depends, as
hereinafter set forth, upon variations in the volume and pressure of the said air in
the containing vessel consequent upon variation in the level of the water in the
said cistern or tank.
In many cases water closets and urinals are fitted with flushing cisterns which
just hold enough water to flush them each time they are used; when this is the
case 1 make use of the rise and fall of the water level in such flushing cistern, and
place the containing vessel therein.
In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Fig. I
shews in section one of the simplest forms of the containing vessel. Fig. I shews
the containing vessel in position in a flushing cistern, the latter being shewn in
section conventionally, and Figs. 111 and IV are intended to illustrate diagram-
atically the action of the apparatus. Throughout the drawings similar parts are
indicated by the same reference figures.
The containing vessel, in its simplest form, consists of a glass or earthenware
bottle 1, completely closed with the exception of the passage through the small-
bore tube 2 which is fitted by means of a tight-fitting cork or stopper 3, in the
neck of the bottle, the tube 2 being "U" shaped as shown. This containing
vessel, when partially filled with disinfectant fluid, must be sufficiently heavy to
prevent it from floating.
When the containing vessel partially filled with disinfectant liquid 4 is
immersed in water as shown in Fig. 11, the absolute pressure of the imprisoned
air in the space will be that of the atmosphere plus that due to the head of
water h minus that due to the head of disinfectant d.
If the water level falls, diminishes, the air expands, expelling a small volume
of the disinfectant through the tube 2 until equilibrium is restored by the decrease
in the pressure of the air consequent upon its expansion.
It will be noted that the action censes when the water level falls below the outlet.
of the tube 2. as shewn at ee in Fig. IV, where e indicates the expansion of the
air and the fall of level of the disinfectant.
If the water level rises the netion will be reversed; h will incrense, a small
volume of water will flow inward through the tube 2 and compress the air until
equilibrium is again restored by the increase in the pressure of the air consequent
upon its reduction in volume.
When the water returns to its original level a, a, the air returns to its original
volume and pressure and it will be seen that the volume of the disinfectant fluid
previously expelled has been replaced by an equal volume of water, which mingles
with and dilutes the disinfectant in the container.
The action will be repeated each time the water level falls and rises, the disin-

page_text: fectant liquid in the container remaining practically constant in volume but becoming
gradually more diluted.
The volume delivered from the container for each fall of the water level is
proportional to the volume of the air space 5, and approximately proportional to the
said fall.
In Fig. 11, the container is shewn in position in a flushing cistern such as is
commonly fitted to water closets, urinals and the like, the construction being such
that the cistern is emptied each time that the closet is Hushed. The container
should be placed as far as possible from the discharge valve and the tube 2 turned
away from the latter, in order that the disinfectant may mingle chiefly with the
latter part of the flush which seals the closet pan or trap.
In the case of water closets and the like which are supplied directly from the
main or from a large cistern, I provide a small auxiliary cistern through which
the whole or a portion of the flushing water passes. I prefer generally to make
this auxiliary cistern and its supply and discharge pipes, as a
pass by" to the
main flushing pipe leading to the water closet or the like: by making the supply
pipe of this cistern larger than the discharge pipe, or by carrying the latter syphon-
like up within the cistern, the water level in the auxiliary cistern will rise and fall
each time the closet is flushed, and if the container be placed in the said cistern,
the action will be the same as already described.
As already noted, if the cistern should accidentally be allowed to run dry, there
will be no flow of the disinfectant, such flow only occurring while the water level
is above the outlet of the tube 2 and falling.
As already stated the disinfectant becomes gradually diluted by the entry of
water through the tube 2: where the disinfectant used is an aqueous solution, this
dilution may be retarded by placing a supply of the solid disinfectant, in the form
of powder or crystals, in the container, this will settle down to the lowest part of
the container and in order to preclude the possibility of the tube 2 becoming choked
thereby, I prefer to keep the end of the said tube within the container, above the
level of such solid disinfectant, or to surround it by a tube or cap finely perforated
or made of wire gauze.
I find that although the action is similar when the tube 2 is made straight, a
small quantity of the disinfectant flows continuously if the latter is, as usual,
denser than water, the disinfectant being displaced by the lighter water; this
is objectionable and in order to prevent it I prefer to turn the outlet end up
as shewn.
The internal diameter of the small-bore tube should only be sufficient to permit
of the delivery of the full quantity of the disinfectant while the flush is occurring,
and in some cases a tube of comparatively large bore, constricted in places may be
substituted for the small bore tube.
I do not limit myself to a bottle-shaped container, as I find it convenient in some
cases to put the neck at the bottom of one side of the container so that the latter
can stand on its bottom in the cistern.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performel, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for automatically supplying disinfectant liquids to water closets,
urinals and the like, the use of a vessel, placed in a cistern through which the
whole or a part of the flushing water passes, the said vessel containing disinfectant
liquid and imprisoned air, and being closed with the exception of a small-bor tube
at its lower end, communicating with the water in the cistern, through which tube
the disinfectant liquid is expelled from the vessel by reason of variations in the
volume and pressure of the said air consequent upon variation in the level of the
said water, substantially as described.
2. In disinfectant supply apparatus, such as is herein set forth, the use in

page_text: connection with a containing vessel of a tube such as 2, substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated.
3. The improved apparatus for automatically supplying disinfectant liquids to
water closets, urinals and the like, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. I and 11.
Dated this 8th of June 1891.