IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUSHING WATER CLOSETS, TRAPS, · AND URINALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harsant of Wandsworth in the county of Surrey
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUSHING WATER CLOSETS, TRAPS, ·
AND URINALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harsant at the Oflice
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd June 1882.
JOHN HARSANT of Wandsworth in the county of Surrey IMPROVEMENTS IN
FLUSHING WATER CLOSETS, TRAPS, AND URINALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus that can be constructed
very cheaply, and that cannot get out of order, while at the same time it effectually
flushes closets, traps, and urinals. I also so arrange my apparatus that it not only
flushes the basin, but also the safe trap below. To carry out these objects I form
a tank which holds sufficient water for a single flush, and to which the water is
admitted by a ball valve. The discharge pipe ascends through the bottom of the
tank, and its mouth is a little above the level of the water when the tank is
sufficiently full, and when the ball valve has shut off the supply. Round this
discharge pipe is fitted a tube, closed at the top, the bottom of which descends
nearly to the bottom of the tank. This tube is larger in diameter than the pipe,
and is fixed concentrically thereto, the closed top being at a suitable distance
above the mouth of the discharge pipe. The tube therefore forms the short leg of
a syphon, while the discharge pipe leading to the closet, trap, or urinal forms the
long leg. A displacer, consisting of a hollow borly formed in any convenient shape,
and of a suitable size for the purpose hereinafter mentioned, is pivotted or secured
above the water in the tank, and this displacer is connected with a handle in the
closet or elsewhere. When this displacer is forced into the water, it fills the upper
part of the tube above the mouth of the discharge pipe, and sets up a syphonic
action, by which all the water in the tank, down to the level of the bottom of the
tube, is discharged therefrom. A convenient distance above the closet or urinal, the
discharge pipe is divided into two branches, in such a manner as to cause the water
to be divided into two streams, in such proportion as I may dcom advisable. One
of these branches is led to the overflow trap of the basin, whence it flushes the
same, and the other to the safe trap of the discharge pipe below the basin, which is
also flushed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Harsant in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st December
1882.
JOHN HARSANT of Wandsworth in the county of Surrey IMPROVEMENTS IN
FLUSHING WATER CLOSETS TRAPS AND URINALS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus that can be constructed
very cheaply and that cannot get out of order while at the same time it effectually
Blushes closets traps and urinals.
In order to explain my invention I refer to the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a tank containing one form of my flushing
apparatus which is partly in section.
The tank A holds sufficient water for a flush which water is admitted thereto
by the ball valve B. The discharge pipe C rises through the bottom of the tank
and its mouth is a little above the level of the water therein when the tank is
sufficiently full and the supply has been shut off. A tube or cap D of a larger
diameter is fitted round the pipe C the top of which is closed so that it forms the
short leg of a syphon while the pipe C forms the long leg. This tube or cap D
rests on the mouth of the pipe Cand closes the same so that in no case can the
flush be effected until the cap D is lifted. This cap D extends downwards very
nearly to the bottoin of the tank A. A small pipe E is connected to the cup ]]
near its upper end which does not extend so far downwards as the said cap for
the purpose hereinafter explained. A displacer F consisting of a hollow body of
convenient size for its purpose hereinafter explained is secured to the lever G
which is pivotted on the tank above the water therein to the end of which lever G
the pull G¹ is attached. As the water rises in the tank it lifts this displacer F
which floats thereon. The lever G is prolonged beyond its centre of motion and
the prolongation His attached to the top of the cap D hereinbefore described.
Below the tank A is made a smaller tank A' into which the discharge pipe C
opens. The mouth of the pipe C is surrounded by the trumpet shaped mouth of
the final discharge pipe C₁ which takes the flush to the closet or urinal. This
pipe C' is slightly sinaller in diameter than the pipe C the mouth of which is on a
level or thereabouts with the top of the trumpet shaped mouth of the pipe C¹ in
the upper part of the tank A¹ and there are several apertures II formed in the
side of the pipe C¹ near the bottom of the tank A¹ for the purpose hereinafter
explained. The action therefore is as follows. The tank A having been duly filled
with water and the supply shut off by the ball valvo B when a flush is required
the pull G¹ forces the displacer F into the water at the same timo lifting the
cap D and opening a passage for the water the level of which being raised by the
said displacer F the top of the cap D above the mouth of the pipe C is filled and
the syphonic action established which empties the tank A As the level of the
water falls in the said tank the bottom of the air pipe E is uncovered before the
bottom of the cap D and a small amount of air is drawn into the top of the said
cap whereby the rush of water is gradually diminished so that the end of the
flush is effected gradually and without noise. The water then passing through the
pipe C falls into the trumpet shaped mouth of the pipe C¹ and as this latter pipe
is of a smaller diameter than the pipe C part of the water flows over the said
trumpet shaped mouth into the tank A'. When the flush is ended the water in
the tank A¹ passes through the aportures II in the pipe C¹ and forms an after
flush.
Figure 2 shews another form of tank and flushing apparatus in which the cap D
to which the air pipo E is attached is a fixture at the proper distance above the

page_text: mouth of the discharge pipe C and there is no after flushing tank A'. The flush
in this case is effected solely by forcing the displacer F into the water which
action fills the space in the cap D above the mouth of the discharge pipe C and
thereby establishes the syphonic action which empties the tank A the air pipe E
having the same effect as herein before described. An after flushing tank can
obviously be fitted to this form of flushing apparatus also, or I can use both forms
hereinbefore described without the after flushing apparatus aforesaid as I may
deem expedient
Having thus particularly described and clearly explained my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed and used I would have it clearly
understood that I do not limit myself to the exact shapes and arrangements of
the various parts of my apparatus as shown in the drawings neither do I claim
the various parts of my apparatus separately for I am well aware that some of
them are not new but what I do claim as my invention which is secured to me
by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is
1 The flushing apparatus consisting of the combination in a tank of the
syphon with a movable cap or short leg fitted with an air pipe and a displacer
secured to a lever pivotted above the water in the tank which lever is connected
with the said cap or short leg substantially as hereinbefore described and declared
and shown in the accompanying drawing.
2 The flushing apparatus consisting of the combination in a tank of the
syphon with a fixed cap or short leg fitted with an air pipe and a displacer secured
to a lever pivotted above the water in the tank substantially as hereinbefore
described and declared and shown in the accompanying drawing.
3rd The apparatus whereby an after flush is delivered consisting of the combi-
nation in a smaller tank placed below the flushing tank of a pipe with a trumpet
shaped mouth and the discharge pipe of the said flushing tank the said pipe with
a trumpet shaped mouth having apertures in its sides within the said tank and
being of a smaller diameter than the discharge pipe of the said flushing tank
substantially as hereinbefore described and declared and shewn in the accompanying
drawing.
In witness whereof I the said John Harsant have hereunto set my hand and
seal this nineteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty tvo
JOHN HARSANT. (L.S.)