Improvements in and relating to Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1889-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
I, SAMUEL GROSSMITH of Daniel Street, Portsea, in the County of Southampton,
Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to ensure that the syphon in an automatic flushing
cistern, goes off when a mere dribble of water or a drop by drop filling is taking
place in the cistern the invention being mechanically automatic in its action.
The cistern is constructed of any suitable size or material and is fitted with a tube
terminating in a bend or syphon at the bottom or dipping into a box containing water
so as to form a more or less, deep water seal; this box or syphon being connected
with a pipe through which the flush is discharged.
The tube inside the cistern is fitted with an annular cover at such a distance from
the tube as to allow a full water way the area of which is equal to or greater than that
of the tube. This annular cover extends nearly to the floor of the cistern but is left
at such a distance above the floor as to allow the water way afore mentioned, the cover
being opened at the bottom and affixed to the floor of the cistern by projecting
arms or legs. At the top of the annular cover is a small air outlet fitted with a
tightly closing valve attached to a weighted lever. At the side of the air outlet is a
small pipe fixed in the annular cover for the purpose of regulating the amount of air
to be passed thereunder.
In any convenient position in the cistern a chamber or casing open at the top is
fixed, through which passes a small pipe leading from the cistern and discharging over
and into a tip tank balanced within the said casing.
The lever before mentioned is so adjusted that when the water accumulating therein
overbalances the tip tank, the side of the tip tank strikes against the weighted end
of the lever and causes the same to open the valve of the air outlet of the annular
cover. The lever litting the valve may also be raised by a mechanical arrangement
on the annular cover.
The casing within which the tip tank is balanced is drained by means of a small pipe
into the water box or syphon at the foot of the tube inside the cistern.
The cistern is filled by allowing water to enter at any point and in any quantity
with the result that as the water rises, it compresses the air under the tube cover which
cannot escape until the air outlet is opened. When the water reaches the level of the
small pipe, passing through the casing and discharging into the tip tank it begins to
run therethrough and eventually overbalances the tip tank, lifts the lever, and releases
the confined air in the tube. The water then rises within the annular cover and
overflows and runs down the inner tube and is discharged by the pipe leading from the
syphon or water box.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
1, SAMUEL GROSSMITH, of Daniel Street, Portsea, in the County of Southampton,
Sanitary 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 this invention is to ensure that the syphon in an automatic flushing
cistern goes off when a mere dribble of water or a drop by drop filling is taking place
in the cistern. The invention is mechanically automatic in its action.
The cistern is constructed of any suitable size or material and is fitted with a tube
terminating in a bend or syphon at the bottom or dipping into a box containing water
so as to form a more or less deep water seal; this box or syphon being connected with
a pipe through which the flush is discharged.
The tube inside the cistern is fitted with an annular cover at such a distance from
the tube as to allow a full water way, the area of which is equal to or greater than
thit of the tube. This annular cover extends nearly to the floor of the cistern but is
left at such a distance above the floor as to allow the water way afore mentioned, the
cover being open at the bottom and affixed to the floor of the cistern by projecting
arms or lugs. At the top of the annular cover is a small air outlet fitted with a
tightly closing valve attached to a weighted lever. At the side of the air outlet is a
small pipe fixed in the annular cover for the purpose of regulating the amount of
air to be passed thereunder.
In any convenient position in the cistern a chamber or casing open at the top is
fixed, through which passes a small pipe leading from the cistern and discharging
over and into a tip tank balanced within the said casing.
The lever before mentioned is so adjusted that when the water accumulating therein
verbalances the tip tank, the side of the tip tank strikes against the weighted end of
he lever and causes the same to open the valve of the air outlet of the annular cover,
the lever lifting the valve may also be raised by a mechanical arrangement on the
nnular cover.
The casing within which the tip tank is balanced, is drained by means of a small
pipe into the water box or syphon at the foot of the tube inside the cistern.
The cistern is filled by allowing water to enter at any point and in any quantity
with the result, that as the water rises, it compresses the air under the tube cover
which cannot escape until the air outlet is opened. When the water reaches the level
of the small pipe passing through the casing and discharging into the tip tank, it
begins to run therethrough and eventually overbalances the tip tank, lifts the lever and
releases the confined air in the tube. The water then rises within the annular cover
and overflows and runs down the inner tube and is discharged by the pipe leading
from the syphon or water box.
The annular cover and centre tube are then recharged with air by a pipe leading
up the inside of the annular cover to the top.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which similar letters are used to indicate corresponding parts
throughout.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a flushing cistern constructed according to my
invention and Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
The cistern A is constructed with a central circular aperture just sufficiently large
to take the tube B which is brazed, soldered or otherwise fixed in a watertight manner
therein, with its lower end protruding below the level of the discharge pipe N of the
water box C as to dip into the water therein according to the depth of water seal
required, D is the annular cover provided with three or more legs E bolted or rivetted
to the bottom, which legs are in their turn bolted or rivetted to the floor of the
cistern so that the water may freely pass from the cistern under the bottom of the

page_text: annular cover D. On the top of and outside the annular cover is affixed a projection O
forming the fulcrum of the lever G to which is attached the air valve F working in
a suitable seating P made in the top of the annular cover D. H is the small pipe
for regulating the pressure and amount of air within the annular cover, and M is an
additional air pipe opening at the top of the annular cover above the central tube B
for the purpose of supplying air to the annular cover D and tube B after the water
has been syphoned off.
The water box C is bolted or rivetted to the bottom of the cistern by means of
brackets Q, or it may be provided with a flange around its upper edge for this
purpose.
The chamber or casing R is affixed to the side of the cistern A and is provided
with suitable pivot pins S or a spindle, on to which the tip tank K is pivoted. J is a
pipe which passes through the side of the casing R and discharges into and over
the tip tank. When the tip tank is overbalanced, the water falls into the casing R
and from thence is carried by the pipe L to the water box C.
The water flows into the cistern A and under the bottom of the annular cover D,
compressing the air therein and in the central tube B. The water continues to rise
in the cistern until reaches the level of the pipe J through which it flows and
discharges into and over the tip tank K. When full, the tip tank overbalances and
the end of the lever G is lifted upwards by the tip tank or by a lip thereon, thus
lifting the air valve F and liberating the air in the annular chamber D and central
tube B. The water then rises in the annular cover to fill the partial vacuum so created
and flows down the central tube B until the cistern is syphoned to the level of the
bottom of the air pipe M which passes through the annular cover at about an inch from
the bottom thereof. The air then rises through the air pipe M and recharges the top
of the annular cover and central tube.
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 :-
(1) The construction of a flushing cistern with a central tube B terminating in a
bend or syphon, or opening into a water box C, and with an annular cover D provided
with an air valve Fattached to a lever G and automatically released by the
overbalancing of a tip tank, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(2) My improved automatic flushing cistern constructed and operating substantially
in the manner described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of July 1889
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.