IMPROVE- MENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH WATER CLOSETS
Year: 1882

page_text: 1
LETTERS PATENT to Robert Heddle Leask, of Dublin, in the County of
Dublin, Ireland, Civil Engineer and Architect for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
LETTERS PATENT to Robert Heddle Leask, of Dublin, in the County of
Dublin, Ireland, Civil Engineer and Architect for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH WATER CLOSETS ***
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Heddle Leask at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1882.
ROBERT HEDDLE LEASK, of Dublin, in the County of Dublin, Ireland, Civil
Engineer and Architect, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH WATER
CLOSETS
"
This Invention has for its object to improve the construction, action, and
arrangement of water-closet apparatus.
The principal distinguishing feature of the improved apparatus is the employ-
ment of a tilting or rocking basin which is combined with the handle and water-
supply and discharge mechanism, and which is emptied by being tilted when the
handle is pulled up.
The accessory parts may be arranged in a variety of ways,
but in one modification, the apparatus is by preference fitted close to the inner side
of an outer wall of the building, and the tilting basin is placed within an outer
shell or basin the bottom of which is inclined downwards and is formed with a
discharge outlet leading into a discharge passage formed through the wall. The
discharge passage is formed in a box which may be of castiron or earthenware and
which is made with a grating at the outside of the wall and below the grating
with an outlet communicating directly with the soil pipe, this outlet being fitted.
with a loosely hanging flap valve. The box in the wall thus forms an air chamber
which is interposed between the external soil pipe and the water closet and which
completely prevents the passage of noxious gases from the soil pipe into the house.
Within the air box there is a valve arranged to close against the outlet of the
outer basin or shell of the closet, this valve being held by a lever centered above
the outlet and connected by toothed sectors or by links or otherwise to a lever
which is acted on by the closet handle. The lever connected to the closet handle
is also acted upon by a weight or spring which when the handle is let go returns
the parts to their position of rest and causes the valve in the air box to be forcibly

page_text: closed against the outlet of the closet shell. The inner or tilting basin is centered
on trunnions or in an equivalent manner, and is tilted by means of a pin or projection
formed or fixed upon it and which lies between the prongs of a forked lever
connected to and moving with the lever worked by the closet handle. There is a
certain space between the prongs of the forked lever in consequence of which the
lever moves to some extent before tilting the basin and the valve at the discharge
outlet of the outer shell or basin is well open when the basin begins to discharge
its contents. In tilting the back of the basin turns down towards the outlet and
rapidly empties its contents towards the outlet. The lever connected to the closet
bandle is also connected to the water-supply apparatus, any suitable known
arrangement of such apparatus being adapted to the other parts, and being by
preference of a kind which, at each action of the closet handle, supplies two
successive quantities of water the first for flushing or washing out the basin and
the second for remaining in the basin after it has returned to its position of rest.
The tilting basin is by preference carried by brackets fixed to the closet seat and
projecting down inside of the outer basin; and the seat is by preference hinged at
the back so that it can be turned up with the tilting basin and thus give convenient
access for cleaning the outer basin or for pouring in waste water from washhand
basins foot baths and the like.
The air box herein before described as part of the water-closet apparatus may be
further utilised by having waste pipes from baths or lavatories led into it, with the
advantage of interposing an air space between the soil pipe and them as well as the
closet.
t

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Heddle Leask in the Great Seal Patent Office on the, 16th
June 1883.
ROBERT HEDDLE LEASK, of Dublin, in the County of Dublin, Ireland, Civil
Engineer and Architect, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH WATER
CLOSETS "
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction, action, and
arrangement of water-closet apparatus.
•
The principal distinguishing feature of my improved apparatus is the employment
of a tilting or rocking basin, which is combined with the handle and water-supply
and discharge mechanism, and which is emptied by being tilted when the handle is
pulled up. The accessory parts may be arranged in a variety of ways; the
discharge passage is however by preference formed in a box which may be of
castiron or earthenware and which is made with a grating at the outside of the
wall; the box in the wall thus forming an air chamber which is interposed between
the external soil pipe and the water closet and which completely prevents the
passage of noxious gases from the soil pipe into the house. The air box may be
further utilised by having waste pipes from baths or lavatories led into it, with
the advantage of interposing an air space between the soil pipe and them as well
as the closet.
And in order that my said Invention and. the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to and representing my improved apparatus.
Figures, 1, and 2, on the accompanying sheet of drawings are vertical and
horizontal sections. Figure, 3, is a vertical section showing the positions of the
basin and other parts when discharging. Figure, 4, is a transverse vertical section,
and figure, 5, is an outside view of the air box. In these drawings the same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
My improved water closet is by preference placed, as shown in figures, 1 and 2,
close to the inner side of an outer wall, 6, of the building, and the tilting basin, 7,
is placed within an outer shell or basin, 8, the bottom, 9, of which. is inclined
downwards and is formed with a discharge outlet, 10, leading into a discharge
passage, 11, formed through the wall, 6. This discharge passage or channel, 11,
forms the lower part of an air box, 12, which may be of castiron or earthenware,
and which is built into the wall, 6, and is fitted with a grating, 13, at its outer side.
Below the grating, 13, the box, 12, is formed with an outlet, 14, communicating
directly with the soil pipe, 15, and this outlet is fitted with a loosely hanging flap
valve, 16. Within the air box, 12, there is a valve, 17, arranged to close against
the outlet, 10, of the outer basin or shell, 8, of the closet, this valve being held by a
lever, 18, centered above the outlet and fixed on a spindle, 19, on the outer end of
which there is fixed a slotted arm, 20, to be acted on by a pin on a lever, 21,
movable by the closet handle, 22, A weight, 23, applied to the back or inner side of
the valve, 17, serves to insure its proper closing and also to rese the lever, 21.
The lever, 21, is connected by a link, 24, to a lever on a spindle, 25, which has fast
on it a forked lever, 26, for acting on the tilting basin, 7, the basin being fitted with
a spindle 27, which passes, between the prongs of the forked lever. The tilting
basin, 7, is centered on pins fixed at the bottoms of brackets, 28, which are fixed to
the seat, 29, so as to project down inside of the outer shell, 8. The tilting basin, 7,
tends by its own weight to take the position in which it is shown in figure, 1, and
when the closet handle, 22, is raised the forked lever, 26, turns down but owing to the
space between its prongs it does not begin to act on the basin, 7, until the discharge
valve, 17, has become partly opened. The forked lever, 26, then depresses the

page_text: back end of the tilting basin, 7, and makes it discharge its contents. along the
passage, 11, into the soil pipe, 15, the parts then taking the positions in which they
are shown in figure, 3. No arrangement of water-supply valves or apparatus is.
shown in the drawings as any suitable kind in common use may be adopted, the
lever, 21, moved by the handle, 22, being connected thereto in any suitable manner.
The outer basin or shell, 8, is represented as formed with a water inlet passage, 30,
at its front edge, this passage being made with one or more jet orifices arranged to
project the water over the front edge of the tilting basin, 7, and between that
edge and a guard, 31, fixed to the underside of the seat, 29. When the basin, 7,
is tilted as shown in figure, 2, the water entering by the passage, 30, goes into the
outer shell, 8, and serves to wash it out.
The seat, 29, is hinged so that it can be turned up into the position indicated
by dotted lines in figure, 1; the tilting basin, 7, being lifted with it. This arrange-
ment gives free access for cleaning out all the parts, and is convenient for emptying
dirty or waste water of any kind; and in view of the use last referred to the edge
of the outer shell or basin, 8, is protected by a wooden curb or rim, 32.
The closet may be boxed in in the ordinary way if wished;
but any
such boxing
is quite unnecessary as the outer shell, 8, may be supported on a simple pedestal
as shown and the space beneath may be left open and can be, easily kept in a clean
condition.
A pipe, 34, is shown for leading waste water from a bath or lavatory into the
air-box discharge passage, 11, and the discharge pipes of baths and lavatories can
be conveniently and economically arranged in this way, without the objection which
there is to the combining of the water-closet and other discharges when common
soil-pipe arrangements are used. The box, 12, and passage, 11, being: freely open
to the atmosphere by the grating, 13, no gases nor exhalations from the soil pipes
can get access to the interior of the house.
In the accompanying drawings the water-closet apparatus is shown without any
part of it lower than the floor level; but in many cases, and in all cases when the
apparatus is to be fitted to new houses, there will be no difficulty in placing the
air box, 12, with its bottom below the floor level; and then the bottom, 9, of the
outer basin or shell, 8, can be made if wished, with a steeper incline. A lower
position of the air box, 12, will also be more convenient for having connected to it
the waste pipe from a bath which is on the same floor level.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
.details herein described or delineated but that what I believe to be novel and
,original and,claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of, the herein-
,before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
i
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts of water-closet apparatus
substantially in the improved manner herein described and delineated..
2. The improved construction of water-closet apparatus having a tilting or rocking
basin combined with the handle and water supply and discharge mechanism sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The combining of an air box open to the outer atmosphere with water closet
apparatus the parts being arranged so that the discharge takes place through the
air box on its way to the soil pipe substantially as hereinbefore described.
.
In Witness whereof I, the said Robert Heddle Leask, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fifteenth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
PAR
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