IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND URINALS to be ass
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Foundry, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND URINALS to be as follows :-
〃
My improvements are applicable to single waterclosets, to multiple or trough
closets, and to urinals, and have principally for their object the more effectual
washing out of the-basins or troughs, without waste of water. Waterclosets and
urinals made with my improvements are also simple and of small cost, and the
cleansing of them is independent of the persons using them.
In carrying out my Invention the basins or troughs of the waterclosets or
urinals are made according to what is known as the "wash-out" system, the
middle of the bottom being a little below the discharge outlet so as to retain some
water which is the last part of each quantity used for washing-out or flushing.
The basin or trough is made with a hollow rim and the inlet for the flushing water
is made of comparatively large size to allow a large body of water to pass in
quickly and is shaped to lead some of the water into the hollow rim from which it
issues so as to wash down the sides through slits or, by preference through jet
orifices which give the jets oblique directions towards the discharge outlet.
The flushing or washing-out water is supplied by means of a tumbling bowl
arranged in a cistern or vessel connected by a pipe of comparatively large diameter
but as short as conveniently possible to the inlet of the basin or trough. This
bowl is centered on journals and is balanced so as when empty or not quite full to
rest in a position in which it holds the water the water being supplied to it very
slowly through a regulating tap from the main or from an overhead cistern. The
bowl is shaped with its edge or rim projecting to one side and so as when quite
full to tumble over and empty its contents suddenly and all at once down the pipe
leading to the basin of the watercloset or urinal or to the trough. This supply of
flushing water will take place at intervals the time between which will depend
upon the rate at which the tap is adjusted to supply water to the bowl.
In the case of single watercloset basins and urinal basins the discharge outlet is.
at the front, out of sight and the discharge passage is led round under the basin
and sufficiently up at the back to form a trap and at the same time allow the soil
pipe to be conveniently placed. In the case of comparatively short trough closets
the water inlet is placed at one end and the discharge outlet at the other end; but
when the trough is comparatively long I prefer to arrange water inlets at each end
and a double discharge outlet at the middle the latter communicating with a single
trap bend and a soil pipe, so that the greatest distance the flushing water has to
carry the soil is less than half the length of the trough.

page_text: I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Foundry, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND URINALS" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement that is to say :-
My improvements are applicable to single waterclosets, to multiple or trough
closets, and to urinals, and have principally for their object the more effectual
washing out of the basins or troughs without waste of water. Waterclosets and
urinals made with my improvements are also simple and of small cost, and, in
some modifications, the cleansing of them is independent of the persons using them.
In carrying out my Invention the basins or troughs of the waterclosets or
urinals are made according to what is known as the "wash-out"
system, the
middle of the bottom being a little below the discharge outlet so as to retain some
water, which is the last part of each quantity used for washing-out or flushing.
The basin or trough is made with a hollow rin; and the inlet for the flushing
water is made of comparatively large size to allow a large body of water to pass in,
quickly, this feature being of great value, as has been proved practically, and
constituting the most important part of my present Invention. The inlet is also
shaped to lead some of the water into the hollow rim from which it issues, so as to
wash down the sides, through slits or, by preference through jet orifices which give
the jets oblique directions towards the discharge outlet.
The flushing or washing-out water may be supplied by means of a tumbling
bowl or other well known apparatus in connection with a cistern connected by a
pipe or passage of comparatively large diameter or size, but as short as conveniently
possible, to the inlet of the basin or trough.
And in order that the improvements hereinbefore referred to and other minor
improvements, comprised in my present Invention may be properly understood,
I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred to
and representing modifications of apparatus made according to my Invention.
Figures, 1, and 2, of the drawings are vertical sections of two modifications of
my improved waterclosets; figure, 3, is a vertical section of my improved urinal;
and figure, 4, is a vertical longitudinal section of a modification of my improved
trough closets. In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark
the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The watercloset shown in figure, 1, has in connection with it and as near to it
as conveniently possible a cistern or vessel, 6, in which there is a tumbling bowl or
pan, 7, centered on journals, 8, and which is balanced so as when empty or not.
quite full of water to rest in the position in which it is, shown in full lines, and the
water is supplied to it very slowly through a regulating tap, 9, from the main or
from an overhead cistern. The bowl, 7, is shaped with its edge or rim projecting

page_text: to one side, and so as when quite full of water to tumble over and empty its
contents suddenly and all at once down the pipe or passage, 10, leading to the
basin, 11, of the watercloset. This pipe or passage, 10, is made three or more times
as large as the water supply pipe ordinarily fitted to watercloset basins so as not to
diminish the velocity with which the water tends to descend into the basin; and
in consequence of the flushing water entering the basin in the sudden and
unretarded manner indicated a comparatively small total quantity of water is
sufficient for effective action. The supply of water in this way by means of the
tumbling bowl, 7, will take place at intervals the time between which will depend
upon the rate at which the tap, 9, is adjusted to supply water to the bowl. The
closet basin, 11, is formed with a hollow rim, 12, and the part at the water
inlet, 10, is shaped so that some of the water enters this rim, the water issuing
therefrom through jet orifices which direct the jets towards the discharge outlet of
the basin.
'
When the tumbling bowl, 7, is used the flushing action is independent of the
persons using the water closet. The most important feature of my Invention, is
however, also applicable to waterclosets fitted with any suitable one of the
numerous well known appliances for letting down the flushing water from a cistern
into the basin by means of a downlet valve in the cistern such valve being worked
by means of a handle, or by means of a movable seat or footboard, it being simply
necessary to construct or arrange the parts as shown in figure, 2. In this example.
the cistern, 6, which may be supplied by a float cock, is placed as near the
basin, 11, as is conveniently possible and is connected thereto by a passage, 10, of
large dimensions, the downlet valve, 13, being of course made of a correspondingly
increased size.
Figure, 3, represents a urinal as provided with the tumbling-bowl flushing
apparatus, the vessel, 6, in which it is placed having a wide downlet opening, 10
(the section in the figure being as across the narrow dimension of the opening).
In the case of watercloset basins and urinal basins the discharge outlet, 14, is by
preference at the front out of sight, and the discharge passage, 15, is led round
under the basin and sufficiently up at the back to form a trap, and at the same
time allowing the soil pipe to be conveniently placed. In the case of comparatively
short trough closets the water inlet is placed at one end of the trough and the
discharge outlet at the other end; but when the trough is comparatively long
I prefer as shown in figure, 4, to arrange water inlets, 10, at each end and a double
discharge outlet, 14, at the middle the latter communicating with a single trap
bend and soil pipe, so that the greatest distance the flushing water has to carry the
soil is not more than half the length of the trough. The flushing vessels, 6, and
the inlets, 10, are of the full width of the trough. Figure, 5, is a plan showing the
inlet for one end, the main inlet opening, 10, having at its ends smaller openings
for leading part of the water into the hollow rims, 12, of the trough. At the
middle of the trough there is a transverse partition, 15, to prevent the flushing
water entering at one end from passing beyond the middle.
Having now. particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I have to state that
I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but
I declare that what I claim is
1 The combination of parts forming the improved watercloset substantially as.
shown in figure, 1, of the accompanying drawings and hereinbefore described.
2-The combination of parts forming the improved urinal substantially as shown
in figure, 3, of the accompanying drawings and herein before described.
3-The making and arranging of the pipe or passage for leading the flushing
water into the basins of waterclosets and urinals of the increased size and in the
improved manner substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.

page_text: 4The combination of parts forming the improved trough watercloset sub
stantially as shown in figurés, 4, and 5; of the accompanying drawings and
herein before described.
i