Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 13th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 19th Oct., 1888
I ALFRED JAMES HOPKINS of 27 Mortimer Street in the County of Middlesex,
Architect and Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
These improvements have reference to improvements in apparatus connected with
water closets and have for their object to effect the reception and removal of deposits
and the cleansing of the receptacle with the least amount of inconvenience and to
promote sanitation.
For these purposes I form the basin to approximate in plan at the top to the shape
of an egg the narrower end being towards the front and consequently the wider
portion rearward. In transverse section the back portion of the basin wall is upright
or substantially so, from the upper rear edge of the exit orifice to the upper edge of the
basin and the front forms a regular curve from the upper front edge of the basin
downwards and rearwards the lower part of this curve forming the bottom of the basin
and extending beneath the arch of the upright back wall.
In side elevation a shape of basin and exit stem which I have designed suitable to
my requirements somewhat resembles a tobacco pipe of the common type.
In cross section taken towards the rear thereof the basin has the form of a half or
part egg smaller end downward.
The outlet is situate at rear of the basin and may take the form of a bent conduit
pipe or passage, the lower part in continuation of the curve of the basin. This outlet
channel 1 prefer to curve upward and rearward to a sufficient extent to form an
efficient trap with the residue of effluent liquid to back passage of sewer gas or air.
The basin and outlet channel may be formed in one piece or separately.
This outlet from the basin may be made to pass away more or less in a straight line
or so as not to form a trap to gases and only partially if at all itself to liquid and may
be led sidewise if required but I prefer a direct line of flow.

page_text: The form adopted for the basin is designed to give a large water surface with the
greatest depths in the situation where deposits fall and where in consequence most
effective flushing is required. The basin will have a flushing rim and arm or actuating
means of usual type.
The valve apparatus adapted for use with the improved basin consists of a valve
chamber or box of metal or other suitable material-the inlet end being adapted for
connection with the outlet passage of the basin, the connection preferably being made
with peculiarly constructed joint with India rubber packing and lead washer secured
by means of a threaded nut or screw cut and with the outlet to soil pipe arranged as
found most convenient according to requirement of the case but preferably situate at
bottom. An opening suitably placed may have communication with the open air by
ventilation pipe or otherwise.
A valve of the character employed for like purposes and adapted to fit the orifice of
entry to valve box from the basin liquid tight when kept pressed thereto by a weight
or similar means may be used. The actuation of the valve being by a suitable lever
or part having connection to a handle or operating means.
The closing or meeting edges of the valve and orifice or either may with advantage
be beaded and one may be of elastic nature.
The face of valve in its closing position may preferably be substantially vertical and
at its upper face a channel may be left or provided adapted to allow the liquid pent up
to flow off when a predetermined level is attained in the basin or this may be attained
by a separate tube.
The action of such apparatus would be that upon operation by a suitable handle or
other means an arm or part operating the water supply and simultaneously the valve
being opened that pens up the contents of the soil pan a flush would take place and
free egress permitted to the contents of the basin by the outlet passage into the valve
box and thence to the soil pipe.
On release of the operating means the after flush or flow of regulated after sealing
liquid will be allowed to enter the basin any surplus passing off by the channel
provided.
With basins not trapped by a bend or retaining wall the forms of penning valve and
of the valve box can be modified so as to provide for efficient retention of a sufficient
depth of water, by elongating the valve and orifice leaving space in the box between
the outlet from the basin and valve seat or an opening in a suitable position above the
valve which would then close the entire discharge orifice or by attaching a pipe to the
upper side of the outlet channel from the basin, or by an overflow attachment or
contrivance betwixt the outlet and the valve plate, a sufficient height of water retained
in the basin may be secured such overflow discharging into the valve box or otherwise.
Also the orifice of such overflow channel at the point of junction with the channel of
overflow from the basin should be protected from clogging by paper et cetera by a
protecting lip, grating, comb, or rearwardly projecting pins, an advantage attendant
on the use of pins supported to project with their free ends rearwardly is that the flow
tends to clear them.
If it be preferred to bang the valve by a quadrant or support it by a rod piston wise
for movement to and from its seat obtaining the pressure by an eccentric, toggle joint
lever or otherwise the bearing parts in the valve box will be modified accordingly.
The following description gives in detail a convenient method of carrying out my
improved connection of the outlet of the basin to the inlet of valve box.
The end of entry to valve box is made to fit loosely over outlet from basin, with a
thread turned on its outer surface and the inner edge bevelled off at an angle of
say 15° a thick ring of vulcanized India rubber having say a flat inner and outer
surface and inclined sides being placed next the orifice, a washer of lead is placed next
to this and of shape nearly square in section but with one edge slightly bevelled i.e.
the inner edge next the rubber-over all these is a screw cap with thread turned inside
to fit over entry of valve box and loosely fitting over outlet to basin-this cap may be
supplied with studs or holes for the purpose of applying an instrument which may be

page_text: similar to that used for fire hose, to screw it up with. The mode of fixing being first
to pass the screw cap over the basin outlet, then the lead washer-the india rubber
packing and end of valve box-the screw cap is then brought back to end of valve box
and screwed up the packing being compressed between the lead washer and face of
valve box entry.
Instead of a screw, a series of screws may be used the cap and end of valve box
being fitted with flanges-or the screw may be substituted by a bayonet joint.
Dated the 14th day of December 1887.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: looking rearward.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of same taken on line B B of Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a plan view showing the form of the upper part of the pan.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the valve box taken on the line C-C of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a rear view of the valve or flap d in the box b.
For the purposes of my invention I form the basin a to approximate in plan at the
top to the shape of an egg the narrower end a¹ being towards the front, and con-
sequently the wider portion a² rearward. In transverse section, see Figure 1, the
back portion (3-4) of the basin wall is upright, or substantially so, from the upper
rear edge (3) of the exit orifice to the upper edge (4) of the basin and the front
forms a regular curve from the upper front edge of the basin (1) downwards and
rearwards, the lower part (2) of this curve forming the bottom of the basin and
extending beneath the arch (3) of the upright back wall.
In side elevation a shape of basin and exit stem which I have designed suitable to
to my requirements somewhat resembles a tobacco pipe of the common type.
In vertical cross section, see Figure 1, taken towards the rear thereof the basin has
the form of a half, or part egg, smaller end downward.
The outlet (6) is situate at rear of the basin and may take the form of a bent
conduit, pipe or passage the lower part in continuation of the curve of the basin.
This outlet channel (6) I prefer to curve upward and rearward to a sufficient extent
to form an efficient trap with the residue of effluent liquid to back flow of sewer gas,
or foul air.
The line D indicates the water line when the valve is closed, and E the water level
when the valve is open.
The basin, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and outlet channel (6) may be formed in one piece or
separate parts.
This outlet (6) from the basin may be made to pass away more, or less, in a straight
line, or so as not to form a trap to gases, and only partially, if at all, itself to retain
liquid and may be led sidewise if required, but I prefer a direct line of flow.

page_text: The form adopted for the basin is designed to give a large water surface with the
greatest depth in the situation where deposits fall and where in consequence most
effective flushing is required.
The basin will have a flushing rim (5) and arm, or actuating means which may be
of usual type. The orifice (7) serving for supply of flushing liquid.
The valve apparatus, preferably adapted for use with the improved basin, consists of
a valve chamber 6 or box of metal or other suitable material, the inlet end b² being
adapted for connection with the outlet passage (6) of the basin, the connection pre-
ferably being made with peculiarly constructed joint, consisting of an India rubber
packing (8) and lead washer (9) secured by means of a threaded nut 64 with
screw (10). The outlet to soil pipe 6 is arranged as found most convenient according
to requirement of the case but preferably situate at bottom. An opening
suitably placed may have communication with the open air by ventilation pipe or
otherwise.
A valve d of the character employed for like purposes and adapted to fit the
orifice of entry to valve box from the basin liquid tight when kept pressed thereto
by an arm controlled by a weight or similar known means may be used. The
actuation of the valve d for opening being by a suitable lever or part having connec-
tion to a handle or operating means as usual.
The closing or meeting edges of the valve and orifice, or either, may with advantage
be beaded and one may be of clastic nature.
The face of valve d in its closing position may preferably be substantially vertical
and at its upper face above the point or line (D) a channel indicated by the arrow,
may be left or provided adapted to allow the liquid pent up to flow off when a pre-
determined level, say D, is attained in the the basin.
The action of such apparatus would be that upon operation by a suitable handle or
other means, an arm or part d' operating the water supply and simultaneously the
valve being opened which until then had pent up the contents of the soil pan, a
flush would take place and free egress be permitted to the contents of the basin by
the outlet passage into the valve box and thence to the soil pipe b¹.
On release of the operating means the after flush or flow of regulated after-sealing
liquid will be allowed to enter the basin, any surplus will pass off by the channel pro-
vided over line D.
With basins not trapped by a bend or retaining wall the forms of penning valve
and of the valve box can be modified so as to provide for efficient retention of a
sufficient depth of water, by elongating the valve and orifice leaving space in the
box between the outlet from the basin and valve seat, or an opening in a suitable
position above the valve which would then close the entire discharge orifice, or by an
overflow attachment or contrivance betwixt the outlet and the valve plate, a sufficient
height of water retained in the basin may be secured, such overflow discharging into
the valve box or otherwise. Also the orifice of such overflow channel at the point of
junction with the channel of overflow from the basin should be protected from
clogging by paper et cetera by a protecting lip, grating, comb or rearwardly pro-
jecting pins, an advantage accruing from the use of pins supported to project with
their free ends rearwardly is that the flow tends to clear them.
If it be preferred to hang the valve by a quadrant, or support it by a rod piston
wise for movement to and from its seat obtaining the pressure by an eccentric, toggle-
joint-lever or otherwise, the bearing parts in the valve box will be modified
accordingly.
The following description gives in detail a convenient method of carrying out my
improved connection of the outlet of the basin to the inlet of valve box.
The end of entry 62 to valve box is made to fit loosely over outlet (6) from basin
with a thread (10) turned on its outer surface, and the inner edge & bevelled off, a
thick ring of vulcanised India rubber (S) having (say) a flat inner and outer surface
and inclined sides being placed next the orifice 65 a washer of lead (9) is placed next
to this and of shape nearly square in section but with one edge slightly bevelled, i.e.
the inner edge next the rubber (8) over all these is a screw cap 6 with thread turned

page_text: inside to a fit over entry of valve box and loosely fitting over outlet to basin-this cap
may be supplied with studs or holes to facilitate gripping by a suitable instrument
which may be similar to that used for fire hose, to screw it up with. The mode of
fixing being first to pass the screw cap over the basin outlet, then the lead washer-
the india rubber packing and end of valve box-the screw cap is then brought back
to end of valve box and screwed up-the packing being compressed between the lead
washer and face of valve box entry.
The dotted line dx indicates the form of the valve d and its position when open.
Instead of a screw, a series of screws may be used the cap and end of valve box
being fitted with flanges-or the screw may be substituted by a bayonet joint.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination or arrangement and use of parts forming a Water Closet
apparatus comprising a pan or basin with curved part (1), (2), vertical rear wall (3)
(4), and outlet as (6) with outlet valve and valve chamber provided with overflow
opening and ventilating outlet for the soil pipe substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. The combination or arrangement and use in Water Closet Apparatus, of a pan,
or basin, having a curve as 1-2 forming its front and lower part, a rear wall 3-4
substantially vertical and an outlet passage therefrom to the soil pipe with valve
adapted when closed to pen up the flushing liquid to the desired sealing level and yet
permit of overflow of surplus liquid, as set forth.
..U
3. In Water ("
apparatus a pan or basin having an egg shape on plan, a long
*flat curve form of front and lower part, a rear wall substantially vertical and an outlet
passage, either straight and controlled by a valve, or upwardly curved with or without
a valve, so long as provision be made for sealing, substantially as set forth.
4. The means of effecting liquid tight connection between water closet pans or
extensions, and metal parts by means of lead washers and india rubber packing and
metal retaining cap as set forth.
5. The general arrangement or combination of parts of a water closet apparatus as
set forth.
1 11
1001 1
C
1
1000