Improvements in Automatic Flushing Syphons.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1898
Improvements in Automatic Flushing Syphons.
I, EDWARD RICHARD PALMER, of 17, Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent,"
Builder and Sanitary Engineer, 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 improvements in automatic flushing syphons whereby
the same are rendered quicker and more certain in action, and consists in the
application to the discharge leg of the syphon of a small U shaped water sealed
relief pipe, arranged as hereinafter described. The said relief pipe establishes
communication between the interior of the said discharge leg and the air space of
the trap into which it dips and an essential feature of my invention consists in so
constructing and arranging the relief pipe that the inlet thereof is slightly below
the water level of the said trap the result of this arrangement being to render
the re-sealing of the relief pipe after the syphon has acted a matter of absolute
certainty, whereas the water sealing of the relief pipes hitherto employed, which
were arranged with their inlets above the water level of the said trap, could not
be relied upon.
My invention further relates to a peculiar construction of the discharge leg of
the syphon whereby I am enabled to reduce the depth of the trap into which it
dips, this being a great advantage where head room is limited. I will now fully
describe my invention having reference to the accompanying drawing in which
similar letters refer to corresponding parts in both figures, and wherein :-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an automatic syphon of annular form constructed
in accordance with my invention, and
Figure 2 illustrates the application of my improved relief pipe to a flushing
syphon of tubular form.
a is the Ushaped relief pipe which passes through the side of the discharge.
leg b of the syphon A so as to establish communication between the interior of
such leg and the air space in the trap B. The said relief pipe a is arranged so
that its inlet is situate a little below the level of the water in the trap B and thus
cannot fail to be sealed with water when, the syphon being out of action, the level
of the water in the discharge leg thereof corresponds with that of the water in the
trap, as shewn in Fig. 2. As the amount of head water in the tank c increases,
the air contained in the syphon being gradually compressed, forces the water in the
trap B down past the inlet end of the relief pipe a, and finally blows out the water
scal from the latter and follows with a sudden rush which starts the syphon with
certainty.
In Figure 1 it will be noted that that portion of the discharge leg b which
extends below the tank e is made of larger diameter than the upper part of such
leg. This construction enables me to provide sufficient air space within the leg b
to balance the amount of head water required without unduly lengthening such leg.
The depth of the trap B can thus be kept within reasonable limits and greater
head room secured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that I do not claim broadly the application of a relief pipe to the

page_text: discharge leg of a flushing syphon as I am aware that the same is not novel, but
I declare that what I claim is
1. The application and use to and in combination with the discharge leg of a
flushing syphon of the. U shaped relief pipe a arranged with its inlet slightly below
the water level of the trap B into which the said discharge leg dips, whereby the
said relief pipe cannot fail to be sealed with water when the syphon is out of action,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In an automatic flushing syphon, making that portion of the discharge leg
which extends below the level of the tank of increased diameter, substantially as
described and illustrated and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 28th day of September 1896.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.