Improvements in Spittoons.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 189;
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spittoons.
I, RAFAEL HERTZBERG of Helsingfors, Finland, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:
:-
It has been ascertained by recent scientific discoveries that the propagation
of tuberculous bacille is greatly assisted by expectorations of invalids.
The object of this invention therefore is, to prevent the expectorated matter
from drying in the spittoon and consequently adhering thereto, while at the same
time so long as it remains in the spittoon it is thoroughly covered up.
These results are obtained by providing a suitable vessel, partly filled with
water or other liquid, with a funnel shaped cover turned with its apex inwardly,
so that the liquid enters the latter and receives the expectorations; whereupon
the funnel is removed and the matter thrown away along with the water or
liquid containing it. And owing to the peculiar arrangement, the matter once
taken up by the liquid, is prevented from re-entering the funnel when the
spittoon is again used.
In the first form a hollow cylinder is removably arranged within a vessel also
of cylindrical shape, open at the top, and partly filled with liquid. The upper
edge of this hollow cylinder somewhat projects above the upper edge of the
vessel, and is slightly turned in, so that no water can be spilt unintentionally in
carrying the spittoon from place to place.
To the wall of the hollow cylinder is pivoted a funnel to which a spring also
attached to the wall of the cylinder, imparts the tendency to swing upwardly;
and this swinging motion of the funnel is so arranged that when it reaches the upper
limit of its stroke, at which point it comes in contact with the hollow cylinder, it
gets entirely clear of the liquid contained in the vessel. An upwardly projecting
drum or rod is also secured to the funnel and provided at its free end with a knob
or head. This arm is curved in such a manner that when depressed it places the
funnel almost entirely immersed in the liquid. When it is desired to use the
apparatus the knob or head is pressed down with the foot so that the funnel is
moved downwardly and liquid may enter the same through the opening provided
When the head is
for the purpose and wash away the expectorated matter.
released the spring forces the funnel upwards again and thereby causing the liquid
to flow out of it taking along with it the matter which is thus concealed from the
view.
In another arrangement the funnel is retained in a vertical position within a
vessel. For this purpose the funnel is provided with arms which are bent outwardly
over the edges of the vessel in such a manner that the funnel can be almost entirely
immersed in the liquid contained in the said vessel. These arms move between
two projections provided upon the external surface of the vessel and serve to guide
the funnel. Into the path of these arms project the free ends of arms which are jointed
to the vessel and to which a spring imparts a tendency to swing upwardly.
The
junction of the arm to the vessel may be effected by means of other arms or links
which are rigidly attached to the vessel while they are connected to the spring arms
by a pivoted joint. When the levers are pressed downward the funnel will be
carried down by its own weight and in thus descending fill with water; by releasing
the arms the spring is allowed to press them upward again and the funnel is emptied
as above described.
In another example a bent arm is fixed to a vessel which is partly filled with
water or other liquid. A socket or sleeve is adjustably arranged on the said arm;
this sleeve forms part of an arm rigidly connected with the funnel.
By means of a

page_text: spring a tendency to move upward is imparted to the said sleeve and therefore also
to the funnel while by means of a tube provided with a knob and passed over the
arm or rod the funnel may be moved downwards when required.
To prevent any matter that may be contained in the liquid from returning into
the funnel when the apparatus is used frequently a preferably perforated door or
valve may be attached to the bottom of the funnel. So long as the apparatus
remains at rest this valve or door hangs down by virtue of its own weight, while by
the descent of the funnel it is caused to rise and by closing the bottom thereof,
prevent the matter from again entering it.
For the same purpose a ring may be applied to the lower end of the funnel while
another ring is provided at the bottom of the vessel. The top ring is arranged in
proximity to the funnel orifice, whereas the bottom ring is situated near the edge of
the vessel. The top ring which may be perforated, or not, as desired, is adapted to
intercept the matter floating at the surface of the liquid; while the action of the
bottom ring is this, that as the water issues from the funnel it enables the
heavier particles to be washed past it while during the return flow of the water
into the funnel it prevents such matter from Howing back with the water.
Such being the purpose to be accomplished, it is preferable that the bottom
ring should be bevelled inwardly while having a vertical external surface.
The arrangement may be reversed in such a manner that instead of the
funnel being movable and the containing vessel stationary the latter may be
movable and the funnel permanently held in position.
The devices herein described for intercepting the expectorated matter besides
being applicable to the various modifications of my improved spittoon may also
be applied to existing apparatus of the same class.
Dated this 19th day of June 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spittoons.
1, RAFAEL HERTZBERG of Helsingfors, Finland, 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 :-
It has been ascertained by recent scientific discoveries that the propagation
of tuberculous bacillæ is greatly assisted by expectorations of invalids.
The object of this invention therefore is to prevent the expectorated matter
from drying in the spittoon and consequently adhering thereto while at the same
time so long as it remains in the spittoon it is thoroughly covered up.
These results are obtained by providing a suitable vessel partly filled with
water or other liquid with a funnel shaped cover turned with its apex inwardly
so that the liquid enters the latter and receives the expectorations, whereupon the
funnel is removed and the matter thrown away along with the water or liquid
containing it. And owing to the peculiar arrangement the matter once taken
up by the liquid is prevented from re-entering the funnel when the spittoon is
again used.
In the accompanying drawings the spittoon constructed in accordance with
my invention is illustrated in several forms.
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a vertical section and a plan of one form of
my improved spittoon.
Figs. 3 and 4 are two sectional elevations taken at 90° to each other and
illustrating another form of spittoon embodying my improvements and
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a third form of spittoon arranged according
to my invention.
In the form Figs. 1 and 2 a hollow cylinder is removably arranged within

page_text: a vessel a also of a cylindrical shape open at the top and partly filled with
liquid. The upper edge of this hollow cylinder somewhat projects above the
upper edge of the vessel a and is slightly turned in so that no
spilt unintentionally in carrying the spittoon from place to place.
water can be
To the wall of the hollow cylinder is pivoted a funnel c to which a spring e
also attached to the wall of the cylinder imparts the tendency to swing upwardly,
and this swinging motion of the funnel is so arranged that when it reaches
the upper limit of its stroke at which point it comes in contact with the hollow
An
cylinder, it gets entirely clear of the liquid contained in the vessel a.
upwardly projecting arm or rod d is also secured to the funnel and provided
at its free end with a knob or head. This arin d is curved in such a manner that
when depressed it places the funnel c almost entirely immersed in the liquid. When
it is desired to use the apparatus the knob or head is pressed down with the foot
so that the funnel is moved downwardly and liquid may enter the same through the
When
opening provided for the purpose and wash away the expectorated matter.
the head is released the spring e forces the funnel c upwards again and thereby
causes the liquid to flow out of it taking along with it the matter which is thus
concealed from the view.
C
In another arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the funnel c¹ is retained in a
vertical position
within a vessel u¹. For this purpose the funnel e' is provided with
arms which are bent outwardly over the edges of the vessel in such a manner that
the funnel e' can be almost entirely immersed in the liquid contained in the said
vessel. These arms move between two projections m provided upon the external
surface of the vessel ' and serve to guide the funnel. Into the path of these arms
project the free ends of arms which are jointed to the vessel a' and to which a
spring e imparts a tendency to swing upwardly. In the example illustrated the
junction of the arm n to the vessel a' may be effected by means of other arms or
links o which are rigidly attached to the vessel while they are connected to the
spring arms by a pivotted joint k. When the levers are pressed downward the
funnel e will be carried down by its own weight and in thus descending fill with
water by releasing the arms n spring e' is allowed to press them upward again and
the funnel c is emptied as above described in reference to Figs.
and 2.
In the example illustrated in Fig. 5 a bent arm is fixed to a vessel a² which is
partly filled with water or other liquid. A socket or sleeve is adjustably arranged
on the said arm this sleeve forms part of an arm n rigidly connected with the
funnel c². By means of a spring e a tendency to move upward is imparted to the
said sleeve and therefore also to the funnel e, while by means of a tube provided
with a knob we and passed over the arm or rod t the funnel c² may be moved down-
wards when required.
So
To prevent any matter that may be contained in the liquid from returning into the
funnel when the apparatus is used frequently a preferably perforated door or valve p
may be attached to the bottom of the funnel e as represented in Figs. 3 and 4.
long as the apparatus remains at rest this valve or door hangs down by virtue of its
own weight, while by the descent of the funnel it is caused to rise and by closing
the bottom thereof, prevent the matter from again entering it.
For the same purpose a ring may be applied, as shown by Fig. 5, to the lower
end of the funnel while another ring is provided at the bottom of the vessel.
The top ringe is arranged in proximity to the funnel orifice whereas the bottom
ring is situated near the edge of the vessel a². The ring which may be
perforated or not as desired is adapted to intercept the matter floating at the surface
of the liquid while the action of the ring is this that as the water issues from
the funnel it enables the heavier particles to be washed past it while during the
return flow of the water into the funnel it prevents such matter from flowing back
with the water. Such being the purpose to be accomplished, it is preferable
that the ring should be bevelled inwardly while having a vertical external
surface.
The arrangement may be reversed in such a manner that instead of the funnel

page_text: being movable and the containing vessel stationary the latter may be movable and
the funnel permanently held in position.
The devices herein described for intercepting the expectorated matter besides
being applicable to the various modifications of my improved spittoon may also be
applied to existing apparatus of the same class.
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 1
claim is :-
1. A spittoon in which a funnel is arranged within a vessel containing water in
such a manner that when at rest the said funnel is clear of the surface of the liquid
but when in use is forced into and immersed in the same so that the expectorated
matter is taken up by the water or liquid entering the funnel and as the funnel
rises out of the liquid again is washed away substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a spittoon a pivoted funnel such as e within the liquid reservoir a which
funnel owing to the action of a spring e has a tendency to rise so that it issues from
the liquid as soon as the pressure upon the knob or head on the outwardly
projecting arm of the funnel is discontinued substantially as described and
illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a spittoon a vertically adjustable funnel such as c within a vessel a' which
funnel being carried downwardly by its own weight plunges into the liquid as soon
as the arms a pivoted to the vessel a' and held up by springs are turned down
substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. In a spittoon a funnel such as c² whose arm is provided with an eye or
sleeve adapted to slide and be adjusted upon an arm t fixed to the vessel a² and
capable of being moved upwardly by means of the spring e² and downwards by
means of a tube provided with a knob substantially as described and illustrated
in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a spittoon a valve or door such as p perforated or unperforated and so
connected with the funnel that as the latter rises it opens so as to allow the liquid
together with the expectorated matter to flow out whereas when the funnel descends
it closes and prevents the passage of the said matter substantially as described and
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
6. In a spittoon the employment of a ring such as a on the under side of the
funnel near the orifice thereof preferably perforated and adapted to intercept or
stop the lighter matter floating on the surface of the liquid and a ring such as a on
the bottom of the vessel to retain the heavier matter by its bevelled inner side and
vertical outer side substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 5 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of March 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.