IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSET APPARATUS, AND IN THE Manufacture OF PANS THEREFOR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSET APPARATUS, AND IN THE Manufacture
OF PANS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by the Hartford Sanitary
Plumbing Company, Incorporated, of Hartford, Connecticut; United States of
America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSET APPARATUS,
AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PANS THEREFOR.' ย A communication from
abroad by the Hartford Sanitary Plumbing Company, Incorporated, of Hartford,
Connecticut, United States of America.
The first part of this Invention relates to improvements in water closets, termed
"The Hartford Sanitary Closets," and consists in various novel features in the
construction of the mechanism of the same, as hereinafter described. The objects
of this part of the said Invention are to so construct the closet that it will prevent
all possible escape of sewer gas, and also to ensure a proper supply of water to the
said closet. The second part of the said Invention relates to the manufacture of
the pan or bowl for water-closets, and consists in the method of making a blown
glass water-closet pan, as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figuro 1 represents a side elevation of my improved closet, and
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the said closet on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 4 represents in section the mould for making the pan or bowl, and
Figure 5 is a perspective view partly in section of the form as it comes from the
said mould.

page_text: Figure 6 is a perspective view partly in section of the pan or bowl when
completed.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A represents the pan or bowl which is so constructed as to discharge at one end,
as at A; B is the outlet pipe or passage between the said bowl and the outlet ;
this passage is closed by a water valve C, which may be raised by a hand pull D
to empty the said bowl. This outlet pipe or passage B rises from below the valve-
seat so as to discharge at a point b, and form a trap in the lower part of the said
outlet pipe B. The outlet 6 opens into the soil pipe connection E.
At the outlet b a flap valve F is hinged; this valve will rise or give way as the
flow of liquid from the closet comes in contact with it, as indicated in dotted lines
in Figure 2, but when the flow ceases the said valve will drop to its seat by its
own gravity; and to insure such dropping of the valve the said seat is inclined, as
shewn in Figure 2. When this valve is closed any pressure of gas from the soil
pipe will serve to make the joint between the said valve and its seat tighter.
The supply of water is taken from the water supply pipe which communicates
with the closet through the pipe d; this pipe leads through a channel e to the
valve f, which rests close upon its seat, as shewn in Figure 3, and prevents the flow
of water through the channel h to the pan. If this valve however is raised, then
the water will flow through the said channel h directly into the pan, where it is
distributed by means of a guard i, shewn in Figure 2; this guard turns the water
down into the said pan, and serves as a distributor for such water.
In order that the operation of the valve may be automatic, it is provided with
a small aperture or passage 7, see Figure 3, through which a small quantity of
water will pass and be conducted through a passage m above the valve, whence it
falls into the chamber n. This chamber n is formed by a cup shaped diaphragm r
of india-rubber, which separates the chamber above the valve from the chamber
below the same; the pressure above the said diaphragm counterbalances the
pressure upon the underside of the same as the diaphragm exposes below substan-
tially the same surface as is exposed above; hence the pressure being applied
equally above and below the said diaphragm, the weight of the valve will cause
it to fall upon its seat and close the channel h.
22
s is a channel leading from the chamber above the valve to a chamber H,
which communicates by a channel I with the bowl, so that whatever the level of
the water in the latter there will be the same level of water in the chamber H, and
as the water escapes from the. bowl it also escapes from the said chamber H. In
this chamber is a float L hung upon a lever P; this,lever is of, bell-crank shape,
one of its arms being engaged with the float, and the other with a valve rod t.
The valve u on this valve rod serves to close the channel 8, as shewn in Figure 3,
when the float is raised as the raising of the said float draws the valve u to its
seat. This float is shewn in Figure 3 in the position it attains when the bowl is
filled to its proper extent, and when the valve u is thus closed there is no escape
for the water in the chamber n above the valve. Should however the outlet valve
of the closet be raised, so that the water escapes from the pan, the float L will
immediately drop, and consequently open the valve u, which will permit the water
in the chamber n above the valve to escape through the waste conductor w, or
elsewhere, and relieve the valve f from the pressure above it; the pressure from
below will then instantly raise the said valve from its seat and permit the water
to flow through the channel h to the pan or bowl to resupply it, and it will continue
so to flow until the water is raised to such a height that the float L will rise and
close the valve u. The water then continuing its flow through the channel h will
also slowly flow through the small passage until the equilibrium of the valve is
attained, when the valve closes and stops the flow, until the pressure is again
relieved by withdrawing the water from the pan or bowl.
If from any cause, as, for instance, the drawing off of a large quantity of water
at a lower point than the closet, the flow of water should be stopped, or if there

page_text: be an insufficient force at the time to bring the water to the closet, the valve C
will close the outlet, but the valve u will remain open, and the pressure upon the
valve will be consequently relieved until the pressure or head is restored, then
the water will flow in its regular way until the pan or bowl is filled, and the valve
closes as before. Hence if after the use of the closet it be left without water by
reason of the temporary removal of pressure, it will be refilled when that pressure
is restored, thus one of the most serious difficulties in water-closets of the usual
construction will be avoided, that is to say, it is impossible that the closet can be
left without a supply of water for any considerable length of time; the pan has
a capacity to hold all the water necessary for one discharge.
To provide an overflow device through which gas cannot possibly return, the
interior of the outlet valve C is employed. The said valve is made preferably
conical in shape, or may be of any other convenient or suitable form; it is open
below its seat, as shewn in Figure 2. Within the said valve is a U-shaped channel R
extending upward through the valve and opening above the water line, as at T, so
that should the water in the pan or bowl rise to a point above the opening T, it
will flow down through the same and through the U-shaped channel R, and thence
out at the lower end of the same into the waste and to the soil pipe. The outlet
end of the said U-shaped channel R is closed by a valve T¹, which opens outward
so as not to intefere with the escape of water, but when there is no pressure against
it, as caused by an overflow of liquid, the said valve will close by its own gravity,
and any pressure of gas which may come upon it from the pipe B will serve to close
it tighter. In any case the said valve prevents the escape of gas through the said
overflow device.
My improved water supply mechanism is applicable either alone or in combination
with the overflow devices of closets of shapes other than that shown, as they are
not dependent upon each other.
The second part of the said Invention, which relates to the manufacture of the
pan or bowl, consists in blowing the glass in a mold from the smaller discharge
end, closing the upper end solid, but forming therein an upwardly projecting hollow
flange corresponding to the edge of the upper opening as it is to be, then grinding
off the upper edge of the said flange down into the hollow space within, whereby
the central part is separated from the body, and leaves the upper opening surrounded.
by the requisite vertical flange.
The mould, shewn in Figure 4, is constructed to correspond in shape with the
exterior of the pan or bowl, and is provided with a cavity a¹ in its top to receive
the glass to form the flange; the outer side of this cavity is vertical, or nearly so, :
and its inner side is inclined therefrom, as shewn.
The glass is introduced into the mould and blown in the usual manner, so as to
fill or cover the entire mold and force the glass into the cavity a', and leave a
corresponding cavity e¹ on the inside of the glass, as shewn in Figure 5. The top
is thus left entirely closed. To open or remove the top the edge of the upwardly
projecting part d' formed in the cavity a¹ is ground off, say, down to the line f¹,
Figure 5, so as to cut into the cavity e' upon the inside; the part A¹ is thus
separated from the edge, leaving the required upwardly projecting flange n¹, as
shewn in Figure 6, around the opening in the top of the pan.
By this method of construction a complete and perfect pan or bowl of glass is
made, very much stronger than porcelain, and less liable to breakage, and also
without the irregularities in shape and condition which unavoidably follow the
baking of the earthen or porcelain pans or bowls.
The great advantages of glass water closet pans over porcelain pans exists in the
fact, first, that the glass is very much stronger than the porcelain can be made,
and therefore is not liable to the accidents which destroy the porcelain bowls;
second, it is impossible to make porcelain so that it will not absorb moisture more
or less, particularly around the exposed edges, which it is difficult if not impossible
to glaze or protect; third, from such absorption discoloration follows, whereas a

page_text: glass pan or bowl cannot absorb moisture in the slightest degree,, neither can it
become discolored by use.
As a protection against accident or injury, a metal jacket or casing m¹ is applied
to the blown glass pan or bowl, and may entirely enclose the latter; the said jacket
may have any desired number of openings through it, and will sustain the glass
against accidents, which frequently happen to such pans or bowls in transportation, .
or after they are set.
By making the glass bowl as above described, that is to say, by blowing it in a
mould, a positive fixed and unchangeable shape is given to all the bowls blown in
the same mold, thereby enabling the ready preparation of a metal jacket for the
outside of the said bowls, which cannot be effected in other bowls which
unavoidably change their shape after they are formed (as in the case of porcelain
bowls herein before referred to), so that no two bowls are of the same shape.
The above described method of manufacturing glass pans or bowls is applicable
to pans or bowls of shapes other than that shewn, and the said pans or bowls may
be used in combination with mechanism other than that above described for
effecting the supply and discharge.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The combination of a water-closet pan or bowl and its outlet valve with
a trap valve F caused to open or move toward the soil pipe by the flow of water
from the said bowl and closed by its own gravity, substantially as above set forth
and for the purpose specified.
Second. In a water-closet the combination of the water inlet channel e, the
valve with which the said channel communicates arranged between the said inlet
channel and the passage to the pan or bowl, and provided with a cup shaped
diaphragm, and a passage extending from the said inlet channel to a chamber
above the said diaphragm of smaller capacity than the passage to the pan or bowl,
substantially as above set forth and for the purpose described.
Third. In a water-closet, the combination of the water inlet chamber e, the valve
with which the said channel communicates arranged between the said inlet channel
and the passage to the pan or bowl, and providod with a cup shaped diaphragm
and a passage extending from the said inlet channel to a chamber above the said
diaphragm of smaller capacity than the passage to the pan or bowl, a float operated
by the water in the said pan or bowl to raise the said float to a certain level, and
a valve in the escape passage from the said chamber above the diaphragm,
substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The combination in a water-closet of a pan or bowl, a float operated by
the water in the said pan or bowl to raise the said float to a certain level, and
means whereby the supply of water to the said pan is regulated by the said float,
so that the water passage remains open until the requisite quantity of water is in
the bowl, substantially as above described.
Fifth. In a water-closet the escape valve provided with an overflow passage
through the same, substantially as herein described.
Sixth. In a water-closet the escape valve provided with an overflow passage
through the same, and a valve in the said overflow passage arranged to open and
permit the escape of the overflow and close to prevent the passage of gas,
substantially as above described.
Seventh. The method herein described of making water-closet pans or bowls from
glass consisting in blowing the glass in a mould, constructed with a cavity around
its top corresponding to the flange required around the opening, but broader than
the said flange, so that the glass will enter the said cavity and form a corresponding
cavity upon the reverse or inside of the top and then cutting away the upper edge
of the flange projection into the cavity upon the inside, so as to separate the central 5
part and form the upper opening, substantially as above described..

page_text: Eighth. A pan or bowl for a water-closet made from glass blown in a mould,
substantially as herein described.
Ninth. A pan or bowl for a water-closet made from glass blown in a mold and
protected by a metal casing or jacket, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.