Improvements in Water Closets.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Closets.
I, JACOB ROSENTHAL, of IV. Heugasse, No. 18, Vienna, Austria, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement: --
My invention relates to water-closets having a hinged seat and a flushing
device, and has for its object an improved mechanism for automatically raising
the seat and operating the flushing device when the seat is vacated.
In the annexed drawing, in which my improved device is shown attached to a
water closet, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 2 is a right side, and Fig. 3
a left side elevation. In all figures similar letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts.
A is the stationary top part or covering board of the closet, and B is the seat
hinged thereto.
At one side, here on the left, a lever C C' is pivoted at c to the
stationary part A; one arm C¹ of this lever carrying a counter weight 1, while
the other arm C is provided with a slot into which engages a pin d¹ fastened
in the hinged seat B.
By means of this counter weight and lever the seat B is always raised as soon
as the seat is vacated.
I am aware that different devices have been used for automatically raising the
seat of closets, but the improvement in mine consists in completely relieving
the hinges of the seat of all strain caused by the counterweight or its equivalent.
At the other side of the seat B an arm E is rigidly attached in such position
that, when the seat is turned down for use, its end will rest upon the end f of
lever F which is attached to the stationary part A of the closet. This lever F
is, by means of a cord or chain g, connected with the chain or other medium G
for operating the flushing apparatus.
The attachment of the lever F to the part A is in form of a universal joint,
that is to say, so that this lever is permitted to move in horizontal as well as in
vertical direction. For this purpose a bracket F¹ is fastened to the stationary
part A to which an arm f¹ is pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane. The move-
iment of this arm fl away from the seat is unlimited, while a suitable stop placed
at any point prevents this arm f¹ from approaching the seat beyond a position
parallel to the edge of the latter. The other end of the arm f¹ is pivotally con-
nected with the arm or lever F so as to permit this latter to swing in a vertical
plane.
The described mechanism operates in the following manner:-The seat of the
closet, upon being vacated, is swung upward by the action of the counterweight D
and the lever C C. This movement of the seat B is shared by the arm E rigidly
attached thereto, and the free end of this latter moving in a downward and for-
ward direction depresses the end f of the lever or arm which, by this movement
and by means of the cord or chain g operates the flushing apparatus. When the
seat B arrives in its upright position the free end of the arm E has become dis-
engaged from the end f of the arm F, so that this latter can return into its
CD:
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page_text: or
horizontal position under the influence of the return movement of the cord of the
flushing apparatus. When the seat is turned down again for use, the end of
the arm E coming underneath the end f of the arm will cause this latter to
give way laterally, this movement being permitted by the joint at F', until the
seat and the arm E have reached their horizontal position, when the arm
lever F can swing back into its original position underneath the end of the arm E.
This return movement of the lever will ordinarily be caused by the tendency of
the flushing cord or chain to return into its vertical position, but it may be
assisted by a spring f" placed at any suitable point for this purpose. Instead of
interposing an arm f between the bracket F¹ and the lever F in order to obtain
the two different movements thereof, the lever F may be attached to the bracket Fl
by a ball or other known universal joint. Or, the arm or lever F may be
hinged to the stationary part of the closet to swing in a vertical plane only, and
the horizontal movement may be given to the arm E upon the seat B, without
departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In waterclosets having a hinged seat and a flushing apparatus, the combina-
tion with means for raising the seat when it is vacated of an arm E attached to
the hinged seat, an arm or lever F hinged to a stationary part of the closet and
adapted to be depressed by the arm E when the seat is raised, and of means for
operatively connecting the arm or lever F with the flushing apparatus; substan-
tially as set forth.
2. In waterclosets having a hinged seat and a flushing apparatus, the com-
bination with means for raising the seat when it is vacated of an arm E attached
to the hinged seat an arm or lever Fattached to a stationary part of the closet
by means of a universal joint and adapted to be depressed by the arm E when
the seat is raised, and of means for operatively connecting the arm or lever F
with the flushing apparatus; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In waterclosets having a hinged seat and a flushing apparatus, the combina-
tion with means for raising the seat when it is vacated of an arm E attached to
the hinged seat, and jointed to have a lateral movement, an arm or lever F
attached to a stationary part of the closet so as to have a vertical movement and
adapted to be depressed by the arm F when the seat is raised, and of means for
operatively connecting the arm or lever F with the flushing apparatus; sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In waterclosets of the kind herein described a device for automatically raising
the seat when it is vacated, consisting of a lever C C₁ pivoted upon a stationary
part of the closet, having one arm provided with a counterweight, and the other
arm movably connected with the hinged seat; substantially as set forth.
Dated 8th August 1898.
GEORGE DOWNING & SONS,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agents.