Improvements in or relating to Water-waste Preventers or Flushing Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Water-waste Preventers or Flushing
Apparatus.
We, JOHN JONES of 40 Sydney Street, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex,
Builder, FREDERICK TEMPLAR FARRER, of 17 Flood Street, Chelsea aforesaid,
Sanitary Engineer, and WILLIAM WALTERS BROWN, of 15 Milman Street,
Chelsea aforesaid, Plumber, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in water-waste preventers or flushing
apparatus embodying the principle set forth in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to us No. 12063 date June 19, A.D. 1893, that is to say each such device
comprises a syphon having a bend or chamber (seal-chamber) in which, when the
flushing apparatus is at rest, or in other words when water is not flowing through it,
there is sufficient water, which is independent of that in the cistern proper, to close
the connection between the flushing pipe and the main body of water in the
cistern.
The invention consists of certain modifications in the construction of the devices
described in our former Specification, one of which pertains particularly to the
manner in which the syphonic discharge is caused to take place.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1. is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section one form of
the apparatus for flushing closet pans or the like the cistern being shown in
section.
Figure 2. is another view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 but looking from a
direction at right angles to that from which Figure 1 is taken and representing in
elevation the bell or cover which in Figure 1 is shown in section.
Figure 3 is a modification of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a more complete view in perspective (partly broken away) of another
form of the apparatus for flushing closet-pans or the like.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus as constructed for automatically
flushing drains or the like.
Figure 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 and
Figure 7 is a diagram representing a modification of Fig. 6.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In the aforesaid Specification No. 1206393 the flushing device is described as
compromising a pipe connected at one end through the bottom of the cistern with
the flushing pipe and bent so as to constitute the before mentioned syphon, seal-
chamber and a second bend all of which features are similarly provided in the
devices hereinafter described and shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying
drawings wherein they are respectively marked A A' and A2. In the arrangement
shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 however the function of the syphon A Figures 4 and 5,
is fulfilled by the bell or cover B which encloses what may be regarded as the
remainder A A2 of the pipe A A' A².
This pipe A' A² terminates at one end near the top of the cover B in a trumpet
mouth A and at the other end is connected through the bottom of the cistern C
with the flushing pipe D. At its lower part the bell B is supported by projections,
feet or equivalent B at a suitable height above the bottom of the cistern so as to
leave openings A which serve to admit water to the bell B in the same way that
the trumpet mouth A' does to the syphon A shown in Figures 4 and 5. E Figure 2
is a pipe connected at its upper end with the interior of the bell and at its lower

page_text: end through the bottom of the cistern C with another pipe E' provided with a valve
(E' Figure 4) and connected conveniently with the flushing pipe D all substantially
for the purpose described in the before mentioned Specification.
When it is desired to discharge the water from the cistern C all that is necessary
is to momentarily open the valve (E Figure 4) in the pipe E' so that by the
pressure of the water at the openings or inlet A' of the bell B the air, imprisoned
in B between the liquid seal in A' and the main body of water in the cistern, is
forced out through the pipe E E' into the flushing pipe D. When the air is
practically exhausted from within B the column of water is completed and, mixed
with the "seal water," ascends the bend A² and passes into the flushing pipe D and
immediately thereafter the syphonic action will effect the discharge of the water
from the cistern C.
As soon as the cistern is substantially empty and air is admitted through A* to
the interior of the bell B, the syphonic action ceases and the water contained in the
pipe A A² falls into the seal chamber A' and thus again closes the passage through
said pipe. A fresh supply of water is then, in the usual manner, as by a suitable
ball-cock, introduced into the cistern C and "traps" the air under the bell B and
as soon as the water reaches its normal level, at which the ball-cock closes, the
syphon is again ready for operation.
In the before described arrangement the syphonic discharge is caused to be
effected by directly releasing the air from the top of the bell or syphon; in the
examples shown in Figures 3 and 4 this result is attained by the direct release of
the "liquid seal."
For this purpose the before described pipe E (Figures 1 and 2) is dispensed with
in the devices shown in Figures 3 and 4 in each of which the pipe E' is connected
through the bottom of the cistern C directly with the seal chamber A¹. The
device shown in Figure 3 is controlled by a valve or equivalent (E2 Figure 4) in
precisely the same way as before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 but in
this case the "seal water" is released before the air, in other respects however the
operation is identical.
In Figure 4 we show the pipe E' connected through the bottom of the cistern C'
with the seal chamber A' of a pipe bent substantially in the manner set forth in our
previous Specification 120633, so as to comprise a syphon A, the said seal
chamber A and a second bend A².
As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6 we flatten the syphon A so as (as shown in
Figure 6) to convert the pipe, which at other parts may be circular in cross section,
into a comparatively narrow passage which is horizontal in the direction of its
greater width and which may be of any desired width from top to bottom consistent
with the maintenance of the full or general area of the pipe; in other words the
narrower it is from top to bottom the longer must it be in the horizontal or transverse
direction. The pipe however at this part need not be flattened at both top and
bottom as the flattening of the bottom only will suffice.
This arrangement we regard as necessary in order to ensure the proper working
of the apparatus as we have found that with a pipe of circular section at the
syphon it sometimes happens that the quantity of water which passes over the
syphon at the opening of the controlling valve is not sufficient to start the syphonic
discharge but only sufficient to start the device dribbling which thereafter continues
at the same rate as that at which the water is supplied to the cistern C, this being
very slow by reason of the cistern being practically full and the ball cock
consequently nearly closed.
The automatic flushing device shown in Figures 5 and 6 as regards the
pipe A A¹ A2 is substantially similar to that shown in Figure 4 but in this
arrangement the two coils of the pipe are connected together by a bent pipe F.
The operation of this last described device is as follows:-
-
When the syphon is not discharging water, a quantity of water remains in the
seal chamber A¹ as in all the preceding examples. At the same time as the water
ascends in the cistern, in which the device is fitted, it also, through the mouth A',

page_text: passes into the syphon this being rendered possible by the syphon in this example
being continuously open to the atmosphere through the pipe F and A³. When
therefore the first member from A to A is full it flows over the syphon proper (A)
and mixes with the water in the seal chamber A'. When this seal water has been
augmented to such an extent as to bring its surface up to the end F' of F the
water flows through F into A' and by passing through A creates a vacuum in A³
which causes the water to be drawn over A2 and A and thereby complete the
column of water and effect the syphonic discharge.
As soon as the cistern is practically empty and air is admitted through A* the
syphonic action ceases and the water still in the syphon falls down into the seal
chamber A ready for the next flushing operation.
It will be readily understood that the two coils or the bends of the device shown
in Figures 5 and 6 need not be superposed as they may be arranged in succession
as indicated in the diagram Figure 7, the pipe F establishing communication
between A and A' in the same manner as before explained in reference to
Figures 5 and 6.
The before described flattening of the syphon pipe may be applied to water-
waste preventers or flushing apparatus of construction or arrangement other than
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for example to the devices described in
our aforesaid earlier Specification.
The form of apparatus shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 is specially serviceable
where it may be necessary to apply our invention to existing fittings and in this
connection we may mention that we may if necessary employ the existing movable
bells for our purpose by disconnecting them from their lever or operating
mechanism and leaving them hanging or otherwise supporting them off the bottom
of the cistern and providing the necessary air escape. It will also be obvious that
we may adapt the "bell" form of apparatus for automatic flushing by dispensing
with the pipe or connections E and E' and providing a pipe F as indicated
diagrammatically in Figure 1 connected to the syphon pipe at one end between A'
and A³ and at the other end between A and the discharge end of the syphon.
If desired we may convert each of the devices shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4
(which are herein described as non-automatic as regards the starting of the
syphonic discharge) into an automatic flushing device by employing a float
valve adapted to open when the cistern C is full and allow the escape of the
imprisoned air.
The syphon device instead of being secured to the cistern C as indicated in the
drawings may be cast or otherwise formed in one therewith.
In some existing arrangements the cistern C is provided with a simple straight
pipe having a trumpet mouth at its upper end, the lower end passing through the
bottom of C into a trap from which the flushing pipe proper extends; to such an
arrangement we can apply our invention by placing a bell B over the pipe and
providing the necessary air outlet E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a water-waste preventer or flushing apparatus the combination with a bend
such as A2 and seal chamber such as A of a stationary bell or cover such as B
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a water-waste preventer or flushing apparatus the combination with a bend
and seal chamber such as A2 A' and a bell or cover such as B enclosing them and
having inlets such as A' of a controllable air outlet to the bell substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a water-waste preventer in which the syphonic discharge is prevented by
means of air imprisoned between the main body of water to be discharged and a
liquid seal causing the discharge to be effected by releasing the liquid seal
substantially as described

page_text: 4. In a water-waste preventer or flushing apparatus a flattened pipe or passage
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. In a water-waste preventer or flushing apparatus the combination in the same
pipe of a liquid seal chamber such as A¹ and a flattened syphon substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In flushing apparatus the combination with a pipe comprising a liquid seal
chamber such as A' and a bend or syphon such as A² or a liquid seal chamber
such as A and two bends or syphons such as A A' of a pipe such as F connected
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of May 1894.
FREDERICK TEMPLAR FARRER.
WILLIAM WALTERS BROWN.
J. JONES,
Per his Agents,
W. P. Thompson & Boult.
FREDERICK TEMPLAR FARRER.
WILLIAM WALTERS BROWN.
J. JONES,
Per his Agents,
W. P. Thompson & Boult.