Improvements in Water Closets.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Closets.
I, ROBERT FYFE, of 86, Newman Street, Oxford Street, in the County of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
!
My invention has reference to water closets and more particularly to those in
which a syphonic action takes place for discharging the contents of the basin.
The chief objects of the invention are firstly to extract the air from the space
between the two traps of the closet so as to create the desired syphonic action for
discharging the basin instead of depending upon the flushing water to drive the
air out of the said space and secondly to prevent the setting up of the syphonic
action and the consequent discharge of the contents of the basin by the sudden
emptying into the basin of a quantity of liquid as for instance from a slop pail.
In carrying out my invention I employ a cylinder and a piston working therein,
one end of the cylinder, being in communication with the said space between the
two traps, so that when the piston is raised by means of a handle or otherwise
the air is extracted from the said space and the syphonic action is consequently
set up.
There is a clack or other valve in the piston to allow air to pass up
into the cylinder and thence into the open air as the piston after having created
the syphonic action is returning to its normal position.
There is a free passage for air between the cylinder and the piston when the
latter is in its normal position and this passage may be conveniently provided by
having an annular enlargement at this end of the cylinder and the cylinder is
also in comunication at or near its other end with the open air by means of a
pipe or otherwise. Consequently if a quantity of liquid be suddenly emptied into
the basin all liability of the syphonic actions is obviated because there is a clear
communication between the open air and the air space between the two traps
through the cylinder.
The handle by which the piston is operated may also operate at the same time
through suitable connections, a stool or other valve for admitting the flushing
water; or the piston may be operated by the ordinary lever which works a stool
valve or by the lever or device which operates the flushing cistern.
Dated this 14th dar of December 1898
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: T, ROBERT FYFE, of 86, Newman Street, Oxford Street, in the County of
London, 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:―
My invention has reference to water closets and more particularly to those in
which a syphonic action takes place for discharging the contents of the basin,
and in which the syphon is trapped at its foot.
The chief objects of the invention are firstly to extract the air from the space
between the two traps of the closet so as to create the desired syphonic action for
discharging the basin instead of depending upon the flushing water to drive the
air out of the said space and secondly to prevent the setting up of the syphonic
action and the consequent discharge of the contents of the basin by the sudden
emptying into the basin of a quantity of liquid as for instance from a slop pail.
In carrying out my invention I employ a cylinder and a piston working therein,
one end of the cylinder being in communication with the said space between the
two traps, so that, when the piston is raised by means of a handle or otherwise,
the air is extracted from the said space and the syphonic action is consequently
set up. There is a clack or other valve in the piston to allow air to pass up
into the cylinder and thence into the open air, as the piston after having created
the syphonic action is returning to its normal position.
There is a free passage for air between the cylinder and the piston when the
latter is in its normal position and this passage may be conveniently provided by
having an annular enlargement at this end of the cylinder, and the cylinder is
also in comunication at or near its other end with the open air by means of a
pipe or otherwise. Consequently if a quantity of liquid be suddenly emptied into
the basin all liability of the syphonic action is obviated because there is a clear
communication between the open air and the air space between the two traps
through the cylinder.
The handle by which the piston is operated may also operate at the same time
through suitable connections, a stool or other valve for admitting the flushing
water; or the piston may be operated by the ordinary lever which works a stool
valve or by the lever or device which operates the flushing cistern.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates in ver-
tical section a water closet of the kind described embodying the present improve-
ments.
1 is the closet basin or pan formed with the usual flushing rim 2 and with a
water seal trap 3 discharging through the bend 4 of the syphon 5. All the above
mentioned parts are preferably made in one piece as shown.
Connected to the outlet 6 of the syphon 5 by means of a joint is a water seal
trap 7. This trap discharges through its extension pipe 8 into the soil pipe (not
shown). The seal of the lower trap 7 is preferably deeper than the seal of the
upper trap 3 in order to prevent the lower trap being unsealed when the piston 10
is lifted.
9 is a vertical pump cylinder fitted with a piston 10 which is arranged to be
operated by a handle 11 by means of a rod 12 working in a stuffing box 13 pro-
vided in the removable screw cover 14 constituting the upper head of the
cylinder. An upwardly opening clack valve 15 is provided in the piston 10.
The cylinder 9 is formed at its lower end with an annular enlargement 16 which
is closed at its lower end 17. This annular enlargement has a depth greater than

page_text: that of the piston 10, so that when the piston is in its lowest position in the said
enlargement, as shown in the drawing, a passage or space 16 will be left for
the flow of air between the upper edge of the piston and the cylinder having an
unobstructed area at least equal to the area of the syphon ventilating pipe 18.
This pipe 18 is carried up above the normal level of the water in the closet basin
or pan and is then bent down and connected at a suitable point 19 with the
internal space of the syphon 5 between the water level in the trap 3 and the water
level in the trap 7. The cylinder 9 communicates at or near its upper end with
the open air by means of a pipe 20.
Normally the piston 10 is situated at the lower end of its stroke in the annular
enlargement 16 as shown, in which position there is a clear communication
between the air space in the syphon 5 and the open air by way of the pipe 18,
annular enlargement 16, space 16", cylinder 9 and pipe 20. By this means
ventilation of the air space 5 between the two traps 3 and 7 can take place freely,
and there is no liability of starting the syphonic action by suddenly emptying a
quantity of liquid into the closet basin.
When it is desired to start the syphonic action in order to discharge the con-
tents of the closet basin and flush the closet, the handle 11 is pulled so as to
draw the piston 10 into and up the barrel of the cylinder 9 wherein the piston 10
works tight-fitting after the manner of the piston of a single-acting pump. By
this means air is drawn from the syphon bend 5 through the pipe 18 into the
cylinder, thus producing a partial vacuum in the syphon space 5 with the result
that the syphonic action is started and the basin contents are discharged and
flushed. When the handle 11, after the syphonic action has been started, is
released, the clack valve 15 lifts to let the air under the piston escape, and thus
allow the piston to return into its normal position in the annular enlargement 16
at the bottom of the cylinder as shown.
The cistern-chain or other device not shown for admitting a supply of flushing
water may be suitably connected to the handle 11 or rod 12, so that the contents
of the closet basin may be discharged, and the basin flushed by one continuous
operation of the handle 11.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. A water closet of the kind described having means for exhausting the air
in the bend of the syphon to start the syphon action independently of the flushing
water.
2. In a water closet as specified in the preceding claim, ventilating the space
between the two traps by means of the pipe or passage serving to exhaust the air
in the bend of the syphon, substantially as set forth.
3. In a water closet of the kind described in which the pulling of one handle
operates an air-exhausting pump to start the syphon action, and also admits
a supply of water to the pan, substantially as set forth.
4. In a water closet as specified in the preceding claim, an annular enlargement
of the lower end of the air-pump cylinder to allow of ventilating the syphon bend
past the pump piston, substantially as described and shown.
5. The improved water closet constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.