ROVEMENT
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1881.
ALEXANDER CLARK, of New Cross, in the County of Kent.
WATER-CLOSETS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention has for its object, 1st, the construction of the water closet apparatus
in few parts, and complete itself so as to require no fixing beyond the necessary
connections with the soil pipe and water supply pipe; and, 2nd, the more effectual
cleaning of the basin or pan.
According to my Invention the ordinary wood frame or casing is dispensed with,
and the casing is constructed of porcelain, earthenware, or metal, preferably moulded
or cast in one piece with a sloping partition leading to a syphon or other trap at
the lower part enclosing and receiving the contents of the basin. This casing is
preferably of oval or circular form in plan so as to stand complete in itself without
support against the walls of the apartment. The basin or pan is of the revolving
or lift up kind, that is to say, it is mounted on side trunnions and is emptied by
being tilted up on its axis. The basin is preferably in the form of a segment of a
sphere or spheroid, that is to say, its periphery must be concentric with the axis of
the trunnion. The front half of the circumference of the basin has inwardly and
outwardly projecting flanges which form the front half of the seat, and may be
covered with wood or other bad conductor of heat for the sake of comfort. The
outer flange rests upon the top edge of the casing, an indiarubber cushion being
introduced between them to prevent breakage by the sudden fall of the basin, and a
combined flushing pipe and scraper runs round inside the basin at the front part
just beneath the inner flange. The rear half of the seat is formed by an inwardly
projecting flange on the casing extending just over the edge of the rear half of the
basin which is rather lower than the front. The flushing pipe is in the form of a
semicircle so as to extend round the front half of the basin in the position above

page_text: described, and is by preference a pipe of square section for convenience in attaching
the scraper, which is preferably a strip of indiarubber, leather, or other suitable
material fixed on the top of the pipe and projecting outwards against the inner
surface of the basin. The pipe is perforated with rows of holes on the outer and
underside just beneath the scraper, and by a suitable mechanical contrivance, the
water is turned on by the act of revolving or tilting the basin. The scraper deflects
the water downwards, and by the upward movement of the basin the contents are
swept out and the basin is effectually cleaned and flushed.
According to another arrangement the basin may be fixed and the flushing pipe
and scraper mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis, and thus sweep the contents
of the pan over the rear edge, water being conveyed to the pipe through its axis.
According to another arrangement both the basin and the flushing pipe and
scraper may be made to revolve, the act of tilting or revolving the basin in one
direction being caused by a suitable mechanical contrivance to revolve the flushing
pipe and scraper in the opposite direction, so that each would only move half the
distance it would otherwise have to move if the other were fixed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
August 1881.
ALEXANDER CLARK, of New Cross, in the County of Kent.
WATER CLOSETS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention has for its object, 1st, the construction of the water closet
apparatus in few parts and complete in itself, so as to require no fixing beyond the
necessary connections with the soil pipe and water supply pipe; and, 2nd, the
more effectual cleaning of the basin or pan.
According to my Invention the ordinary wood frame or casing is dispensed with,
and the casing is constructed of porcelain, earthenware, or metal (preferably
moulded or cast in one piece), with a sloping partition leading to a syphon or
other trap at the lower part, enclosing and receiving the contents of the basin.
This casing is preferably of oval or circular form in plan, so as to stand complete
in itself without support against the walls of the apartment. The basin or pan is
of the revolving or lift up kind, that is to say, it is mounted on side trunnions,
and is emptied by being tilted upon its axis. The basin preferably of oval form
also, but it may be in the form of a segment of a sphere or spheroid, but its
periphery must be concentric with the axis of the trunnion. The front half of the
circumference of the basin has inwardly and outwardly projecting flanges, which
form the front half of the seat, and may be covered with wood or other bad
conductor of heat for the sake of comfort. The outer flange rests upon the top
edge of the casing, and a combined flushing pipe and scraper runs round inside the
basin at the front part just beneath the inner flange. The rear half of the seat is
formed by an inwardly projecting flange on the casing, extending just over the
edge of the rear half of the basin, which is rather lower than the front. The
flushing pipe is in the form of a semi-circle, so as to extend around the front half
of the basin in the position above described, and is by preference a pipe of square
section for convenience in attaching the scraper, which is preferably a strip of
indiarubber, leather, or other suitable yielding material fixed on the top of the
pipe, and projecting outwards against the inner surface of the basin. The pipe is
perforated with rows of holes on the outer side just beneath the scraper, and by a
suitable mechanical contrivance the water is turned on by the act of revolving or
tilting.the basin. The scraper deflects the water downwards, and by the upward
movement of the basin the contents are swept out and the basin is effectually
cleaned and flushed.
According to another arrangement the basin may be fixed and the flushing pipo
and scraper mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis, and thus sweep the contents
of the pan over the rear edge, water being conveyed to the pipe through its axis
as before.
In order that my Invention may be better understood, I have illustrated the
same in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the water
closet apparatus, and Figure 2 a central vertical section of the same on line a, b,
Figure 1, the pan or basin being shown down or in position for use, and also shown
in dotted lines tilted or raised to discharge its contents; Figure 3 is a section of
Figure 2 on line c, d; Figure 4 is a vertical section of the second arrangement
above referred to; and Figure 5 is a plan thereof. The same letters of reference
indicate like parts in all the Figures.
A is the casing of the apparatus constructed of earthenware or other material, in
one piece with the sloping partition A¹ and the syphon or other trap A2; B is the
pan or basin mounted on side trunnions B¹, B¹, in bearings on the casing; C is the

page_text: flushing pipe, and C' the scraper. The pan or basin, as will be seen, has inwardly
and outwardly projecting flanges D, D, which form the front half of the seat, the
outer flange resting on the front edge of the casing, which is furnished with an
indiarubber cushion d to prevent breakage by the sudden fall of the basin; E is
the inwardly projecting flange on the casing, which forms the rear half of the seat,
and extends over the edge of the pan B. The flushing pipe C, which is perforated
atc with a number of holes, is of a form corresponding to the pan or basin. The
pipe C is in connection with the water supply, which is controlled by a cock so
arranged that the act of raising the pan to discharge its contents will turn on the
water to the flushing pipe, and when the pan is allowed to fall the water will be
shut off, as will be readily understood without illustration.
In Figures 4 and 5 the combined scraper and flushing pipe only revolves, the
pan and casing A together with the partition and trap being if desired all cast in
one piece. The combined flushing pipe and scraper is connected at one side with
the water supply, and at the other side carries a crank handle or equivalent device,
whereby it may be revolved to sweep out the contents of the pan, the rear part of
the pan being in this case made lower than the front part in order that the scraper
may when revolved raise and discharge the contents of the pan over its edge. In
this arrangement the revolving of the scraper and flushing pipe will open and close
a cock to admit and cut off the supply of water.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,
1st. Constructing the casing of water closet apparatus of earthenware or other
material with the trap, and independent of the basin or pan, substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the Drawing.
2nd. The improved construction of water closet apparatus, consisting of a
revolving or lift up basin or pan mounted in the casing, and provided with a
combined flushing pipe and scraper, substantially as herein shown and described.
3rd. In water closet apparatus in which a revolving or lift up basin or pan is
employed, constructing the pan with inwardly and outwardly projecting flanges to
form the front of the seat and the casing, with an inwardly projecting flange
extending over the edge of the pan to form the back of the seat, substantially as
herein shown and described.
4th. The combined flushing pipe and scraper adapted to be revolved within the
pan or basin, substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of August, A.D. 1881.
ALLA CLARK,
(T.S.)