Improvements in or relating to Lavatories, Sinks, Baths, Wash-tubs, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Lavatories, Sinks, Baths, Wash-tubs,
and the like.
I, RICHARD GEORGE HOWSON, of the Firm of George Howson & Sons Ltd., of
Eastwood Sanitary Works, Hanley, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: -
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to lavatories, sinks, baths,
wash-tubs and the like, the object being to provide improved means for auto-
matically cleansing and flushing such lavatories, sinks, baths, &c.
According to the invention I effect the automatic flushing and cleansing of
the overflow pipes of lavatories, sinks, etc., by arranging to cut off the supply
of air to the said overflow pipes, whereby, when the water is passing from the
lavatory down the waste pipe, it sucks the air from the overflow pipe thereby
setting up syphonage.
In carrying out my invention I advantageously provide the lavatory, etc., with
an overflow consisting of a pipe having an opening close to the bottom of the
inside of the lavatory and passing to the top of the lavatory and then to the
bottom of the outside, finally opening into the discharge or waste outlet. The
top or crown of the overflow pipe is provided with a countersink having a hole
the size of which is controlled by the size of the plug in connection with the
waste pipe.
With this construction the overflow can be made into an additional discharge
pipe by simply removing the plug from the waste hole and placing it into the
countersink of the overflow pipe, by doing which the plug will seal the overflow
and the water passing down the waste pipe will suck the air from the overflow
pipe and thereby cause syphonic action to take place, so that the overflow can
be kept perfectly clean.
In some cases, to obviate the necessity of removing the plug from the waste
hole and inserting it in the overflow hole as above mentioned, I provide two plugs
connected to the two ends of a suitable rod or the like which may be made of
any suitable material and is bent to suit the shape of the lavatory, sink, etc.,
and the position of the air hole in the overflow and of the waste hole in the
lavatory, sink, etc. The rod can work through a pillar or the like, suitably fixed
in position, in such a manner that by removing the waste plug the plug at the
other end of the rod is inserted into the air hole so as to seal it.
In this arrange-
ment the top of the rod pillar may be made into a jewel cup for the convenience
of anyone using the lavatory.
The air hole may be continued from the top of the overflow in the form of a
hollow pillar or tube which may be made of suitable material such as brass or
earthenware, is provided with a plug having a hole and is advantageously con-
nected to the plug of the waste outlet by a suitable rod or the like in such a
manner that when it is desired to empty the basin the action of pulling the plug
out of the waste outlet turns the plug in the pillar or tube so as to close the air

page_text: supply to the overflow which causes syphonic action to take place as hereinbefore
described.
It will be obvious that my invention can be applied to a lavatory of the kind
wherein the waste outlet enters the bottom of the overflow as is the case where
a standing waste is used, and also to other kinds of lavatories, etc.
Dated this 17th low of Santambua 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London.
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Lavatories, Sinks, Baths, Wash-tubs,
and the like.
I, RICHARD GEORGE HOWSON, of the Firm of George Howson & Sons Ltd., of
Eastwood Sanitary Works, Hanley, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturers, 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 or relating to lavatories, sinks, baths,
wash-tubs and the like, the object being to provide improved means for auto-
matically cleansing and flushing such lavatories, sinks, baths, etc.
According to the invention 1 effect the automatic flushing and cleansing of
the overflow pipes of lavatories, sinks, etc., by arranging to cut off the supply
of air to the said overflow pipes, whereby, when the water is passing from the
lavatory down the waste pipe, it sucks the air from the overflow pipe thereby
setting up syphonage.
In carrying out my invention I advantageously provide the lavatory, etc., with
an overflow consisting of a pipe having an opening close to the bottom of the
inside of the lavatory and passing to the top of the lavatory and then to the
bottom of the outside, finally opening into the discharge or waste outlet. The
top or crown of the overflow pipe is provided with a countersink having a hole
the size of which is controlled by the size of the plug in connection with the
waste pipe.
With this construction the overflow can be made into an additional discharge
pipe by simply removing the plug from the waste hole and placing it into the
countersink of the overflow pipe, by doing which the plug will seal the overflow
and the water passing down the waste pipe will suck the air from the overflow
pipe and thereby cause syphonic action to take place, so that the overflow can
be kept perfectly clean.
The air hole may be continued from the top of the overflow in the form of a
hollow pillar or tube which may be made of suitable material such as brass or
earthenware, is provided with a plug having a hole and is advantageously con-
nected to the plug of the waste outlet by a suitable rod or the like in such a
manner that when it is desired to empty the basin the action of pulling the
plug out of the waste outlet turns the plug in the pillar or tube so as to close the
air supply to the overflow which causes syphonic action to take place as herein-
before described.
In the accompanying drawing,—
Figure 1 is a vertical section through a lavatory basin having an overflow con-
structed according to the invention; and,
Figure 2 is a similar view of the modified construction of overflow.

page_text: a is the basin, 6 is the waste-pipe and c, el is the overflow pipe, the said overflow
pipe or passage opening from the bottom of the basin into the branch c which
passes upwards to the upper part thereof and then curves downwards into the
branch which opens into the waste pipe 6 in the usual manner. d is the air-
hole provided at the upper part of the syphon shaped overflow pipe c, c¹, the said
hole being of the same size as the waste outlet and e is the plug which normally
closes the opening into the waste-pipe b.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, when it is desired to empty the
basin and flush the overflow the plug e is removed from the opening into the
waste-pipe, that is to say, from the position illustrated in full lines in the figure,
and is inserted into the air hole d at the top of the overflow passage c, c¹ as shewn
in the dotted lines. By this means the water flowing down the waste-pipe b sucks
the air from the overflow pipe c¹ and causes the contents of the basin to be
discharged through the overflow by syphonic action.
When it is not desired to flush the overflow whilst emptying the basin the
plug e is of course not inserted in the air hole d so that no vacuum can be formed
in the overflow.
Figure 2 illustrates an arrangement whereby the necessity for removing the
plug e from the waste-pipe band placing it in the air-hole d is avoided; in this
arrangement the said plug e is mounted upon a rod f which is pivoted at its upper
end to the end of an arm g the other end of which is fitted to the plug of a cock h
screwed into the air hole d. With this construction when the plug e is removed
from the hole into the waste pipe 6 the rod f is raised so as to turn the plug of
the cock in order to close the air hole d, the result being similar to that above
described.
In some cases, to obviate the necessity of removing the plug from the waste
hole and inserting it in the overflow hole, as above mentioned, I provide two plugs
connected to the two ends of a suitable rod or the like which may be made of
any suitable material and is bent to suit the shape of the lavatory, sink, etc., and
the position of the air hole in the overflow and of the waste hole in the lavatory,
sink etc. The rod can work through a pillar or the like, suitably fixed in
position, in such a manner that by removing the waste plug the plug at the other
end of the rod is inserted into the air hole so as to seal it. In this arrangement
the top of the rod pillar may be made into a jewel cup for the convenience of
anyone using the lavatory.
Lavatories etc., having syphon overflows of the kind above described can be
partially emptied by replacing the plug in the waste hole thereby simultaneously
opening the air hole.
It will be obvious that my invention can be applied to a lavatory of the kind
wherein the waste outlet enters the bottom of the overflow, as is the case where
a standing waste is used, and also to other kinds of lavatories etc.
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. In lavatories, sinks, baths, wash-tubs and the like the combination with the
overflow of means whereby air can be allowed access to, or be cut off from, the
said overflow, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
2. In lavatories, sinks, baths, wash-tubs and the like the employment of a
syphon overflow opening into the bottom of the basin and into the waste pipe and
having an air hole at its upper part and means for closing the said hole, sub-
stantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore described.
3. In a lavatory, sink, bath, wash-tub and the like the employment of a syphon
overflow opening into the bottom of the basin and into the waste pipe and having
an air-hole at its upper part of the same size as the outlet to the waste pipe and
adapted to be closed by the waste pipe plug, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In a lavatory, sink, bath, wash-tub or the like the employment of a syphon

page_text: overflow pipe opening into the bottom of the basin and into the waste pipe and
having an air hole fitted with a plug or cock which is in connection by
a rod
or rods with the waste plug in such a manner that when the waste pipe is closed
the said cock is open and when the said plug is removed from the waste pipe the
cock is closed, substantially as herein before described.
5. Lavatories constructed substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2 respectively of the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 18th day of February 1890
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London.
Agents for the Applicant.