Improvements in and relating to Earth Closets.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1.890
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Earth Closets.
I, JOHN JAMES PERROW of 3 Stamford Villas, Chertsey in the County of
Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The objects of my invention is to produce an earth closet in which the receptacle
is hidden from the user by means of a clean pan or shutter, which, however, is
automatically removed when in use by means of suitable mechanism, and the
discharge of a predetermined quantity of earth, sand, or the like is effected by
means of an automatic arrangement hereinafter to be described.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide a hinged seat, which is slightly
depressed against the tension of a spring when a person sits upon it. A lever,
centrally or approximately centrally pivotted, is connected to said seat at one end
by means of a link. The other end of said lever is coupled to two vertical levers
by means of links, so that the depression of the seat before mentioned causes said
vertical levers to open apart from each other. The vertical levers are pivotted at
the lower end, and jointed to two semicircular frames at the upper end which carry
the two halves of a pan, or divided shutter as the case may be. Said pan or shutter
covers the hole in the seat when the latter is in its normal position, but when
depressed by the weight of a person sitting upon it, the slight movement of said
depression is multiplied by the action of the arrangement of levers hereinbefore
described, and the hole is thereby entirely uncovered.
I also provide an earth shoot which is connected to the moveable seat so as to be
operated by the depression and elevation thereof. Said earth shoot is preferably
made flat upon the under side, with a semicircular top with an orifice therein, which
is arranged so as to be directly opposite a similar orifice in connection with the
earth box, when the seat is depressed, thereby allowing the shoot to be filled with
earth. When said seat is elevated by the release of the weight of the user, the
shoot is tilted by means of a link or lever, and the earth contained therein is thrown
into the receptacle, any further escape from the box being prevented until the seat
is again depressed. By these means a regular and definite supply of earth is
ensured each time that the closet is used.
Dated this 24th day of September 1890.
FREDK.
WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Earth Closets.
I, JOHN JAMES PERROW, of No. 3, Stamford Villas, Chertsey in the County of
Surrey, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to produce an earth closet in which the receptacle
is hidden from the user by means of a clean pan or shutter, which, however, is
automatically removed when the closet is used, by means of suitable mechanism,
and the discharge of a predetermined quantity of sand or earth is effected by means
of an automatic arrangement hereinafter to be described.
In order that my said invention may be the better understood, I have appended
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which

page_text: Figures 1 and 2 are front and end sectional elevations respectively and Figure 3
is a plan view of the pan or shutter.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide a hinged seat A, which is slightly
depressed against the tension of a spring or counterweight when a person sits
upon it. A lever B, pivotted at a is connected to said seat A by means of a link C.
The other end of the lever B is connected to two vertical levers D D' by means of
links EE', so that the depression of the seat A causes said levers D D¹ to open
apart from each other as shewn by the dotted lines. The levers D D' are pivotted
atto angular brackets or an equivalent arrangement for compensating a semi-
circular movement at the upper part of said levers. A pair of semicircular
frames FF (shewn more particularly by Figure 3) jointed at c are attached at dd'
to the levers D D'. Said frames FFI carry the two halves of a divided pan or
shutter which covers the hole e in the seat A when this is in its normal position,
but when depressed by the weight of a person sitting upon it, the comparatively
slight movement of said depression is multiplied by the action of the arrangement
of levers hereinbefore described and shewn by the drawings, and said hole e is
entirely uncovered.
I also provide an earth or sand box G, to the lower part of which is fitted a
shoot H, pivotted at k. Said earth shoot H is preferably made flat upon the under
side, with a projecting lip for convenience in shooting the earth or sand upon the
excreta in the receptacle. The top is of semicircular shape, with a port or orifice i
formed therein. Said port i is arranged to coincide with a similar port m at the
bottom of the box G when the seat is depressed, said seat A being connected to H
by means of a lever I and link K. Thus, the depression of the seat A. causes the
shoot H to be filled with a definite quantity of earth or sand, which is discharged
upon the excreta when the rising of said seat causes the shoot H to be tilted, at the
same time closing the port m and preventing further escape of earth or sand.
Instead of jointing or hinging the frames F F at c, I may duplicate the arrange-
ment of levers D D and links E E', so that the opening of the divided pan or
shutter is parallel instead of semicircular as hereinbefore described.
I do not confine myself to any particular form of pan or shutter, nor to the
general arrangement of the parts forming the earth closet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
First. In an earth closet, the construction and use of a divided shutter or pan,
in combination with a hinged seat A, levers B, D, D' and links C, E E' substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to the drawings.
Second. In an earth closet, the construction and use of a ported shoot H, in
combination with a hinged seat A substantially as and for the purposes herein
described, and as shewn by the appended drawings.
Dated this 24th day of June 1891.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.