IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND, ARRANGEMENT OF WATER-CLOSET APPARATUS
Year: 1855

page_text: Sealed the 25th April 1856, and dated the 5th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Hawkes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th.
November 1855.
FRANCIS HAWKES the elder, Surveyor, of West Street, in the Parish. of
Saint Lawrence, Reading, in the County of Berks, do hereby declare the.
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND,
ARRANGEMENT OF WATER-CLOSET APPARATUS" to be as follows:-
The first part consists of a meter, cistern, or box, which is divided into:
three chambers or compartments. The first chamber is designated as the;
supply chamber, which is supplied from the main by means of a ball-cock; at
the bottom of this chamber a pipe is affixed to communicate with the second.
or flushing chamber; to this pipe a valve is attached. The second compart-
ment or chamber is designated the flushing chamber, at the bottom of which
a flushing valve is attached. The third compartment is designated as the.
retaining chamber, which communicates with the flushing chamber by means,
of a small aperture in the side thereof.. A leaver apparatus is attached to the
box, the motion of which is derived from a rising and depressing seat, at.
the extremity of which a wire or chain is appended, communicating with a.
leaver which connects the valve of the flushing chamber with that of the supply,
chamber. The second part consists of a metal cylinder or of any other

page_text: .
material, on the top part or cover thereof a closet basin is attached, containing
a metal ring, which is fixed to the inner side; and is framed to support an
axle to which is appended arms, with balance weights at the extremity of one
arm and a valve pan at the other. The third part consists of a receiving
basin, with a grooved rim to hold and support the before-described cylinder,
containing also a metal ring similar to the one before-described, constructed
to bear an axle with balance weights and pan. Also a neck or pipe to
communicate with the main drain."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Hawkes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
HAWKES the elder, Surveyor, of West Street, in the Parish of Saint Lawrence,
Reading, in the County of Berks, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and succèssors, give and grant. unto me, the said
Francis Hawkes, Her special licence that I, the said Francis Hawkes, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis
Hawkes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein "expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF WATER-CLOSET APPARATUS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I; the said Francis Hawkes, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Francis Hawkes, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-

page_text: THE MODE OF ACTION, WHICH WILL BE SEEN IN THE ACCOMPANYING
DRAWINGS.
The supply compartment of the meter or cistern R will be always filled by
means of-the. ball-tap from the main or house cistern, and the seat. A. being
occupied presses down the hither or short, arms, of, the spring leavers. N,, N,
which are:fixed to bars on each side. L, L, but independent, of, the closet, pan.
To the elongated or further arm of one of the spring, leavers. N, N,,a cord or
wire is attached, and passes, over the guide pullies O, O, communicating with
the meter, or cistern leaver P, thereby raising the valve of the supply chamber
Re, and at the same, time, closing, the, valve of the flushing chamber. X.;, the
water. then passes from the, supply chamber, by means of the supply pipe. W
into the. flushing, chamber, at W, W., and from thence, into the retaining
chamber T at T, T, filling; both. The, valve at the, flushing, chamber X being
perforated, a small quantity of water quietly passes over the back of the closet
pan, keeping it. wet, and preventing a lodgment, of soil. The seat being set
at liberty, by the withdrawal of the weight, an opposite, action takes place,
namely, the valve. Re of the supply chamber closes, and the flushing valve,✗
opens, permitting, the water to discharge itself quickly through the pipe X into
and round the basin,, thence falling into the trap C, its, weight depresses it, and
after the contents are discharged, the basin then returns and receives, another
charge, which produces a perfect sanitary clearance. These charges may be
increased in, number by enlarging the supply chamber. The flushings being
expended, the water in the retaining chamber T passes slowly through the
small apertures at T, T, into and filling the trap basin C, C, leaves the closet
again in a state. fit for immediate use. By this. arrangement no waste pipe: is
necessary. Another advantage over the present water-closets is, that although
the cistern and trap be frozen and rendered for the time inoperative, the closet
can be used during the severest frost by pouring a small quantity of boiling
water into the trap basin, and the flushing the pan with water.
CLAIMS.
I claim an exclusive right to the improved mode of constructing the meter
or cistern; as described in the accompanying Drawings, by which means the
quantity of water for each flushing is not only regulated, but by continuous
discharges the pans are perfectly cleansed. I do not profess to claim any
right to the principle of self-acting seat, nor to apparatus usually employed,
for the obtainment of pan movement by means of hydraulic pressure, but I
do claim an exclusive right to the mode described in the accompanying
Specification and Drawings for effecting the same object; namely, all the

page_text: mechanical appliances, except the attachment.of the flushing pipe, are perfectly
freed from and independent of the closet pan... *
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS!.
A, moveable seat over the closet pan; B, closet pan, the same description
as those in common use; C; balance trap basin; C, C, fixed trap basin; D,
cylindrical chamber with cover on which the closet pan rests; E, circular
drain chamber with gallery to receive the above; F; the shaft or axle arm
working in the friction plates L, L; G, plate which is permanently fixed to
the shaft, sustaining at one end the soil pan and at the other the balance
weight, attached to the end of the weighted balance arm of which is a
vulcanized india-rubber or gutta percha air ball, which on striking the
Lplates I, I, prevents noise or shock to the cylinder; H, balance weight, to
which is fixed the vulcanized india-rubber or gutta percha air-ball; I, I,'
small plates, one of which is fixed inside the cylinder at I, the other is
fixed to the cover of the cylinder at Ib. These plates are intended to confine
the action of the balance arm within the angle required for filling and
emptying the trap basin. K, K, K, zinc or iron frame, to which is fixed the
hollow friction plates L, L; M, metal tube to contain one or more lead balls"
for the purpose of carrying down the soil pan, and is intended to be fixed
under the balance plate G; N, N, spring leavers attached to the side bearers
of the closet frame for sustaining the hither end of the moveable seat; 0, 0,
pullies, over which the cord or wire passes for connecting the spring leaver
with the meter leaver PP, the meter leaver; Q, the meter cistern, which is
divided into three compartments, as follows:-R, the supply chamber, con-
taining ball-tap and discharge valve; S; the flushing cliamber, containing a
valve with perforated top; T, the retaining chamber, provided with small
apertures T, T; V, supply pipe from main or house cistern, with union joint
and stop-cock; W, pipe connecting the supply chamber with the flushing
chamber; X, pipe fitted with union joints, connecting the flushing valve with
the closet basin.
.In.witness whereof, I,. the said Francis Hawkes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal,. this Fifth day of, May,, A.D.. One thousand eight
.hundred and fifty-six.
FRANCIS HAWKES. (L.S.)