Improvements in Earth-closets.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1894-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Earth-closets.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co, The
General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by Dr. Joseph Ulbing, of Baden, near Vienna, in the Empire of Austrin,)
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 earth-closets, and it comprises the combination with a
closet of peculiar construction of an earth-strewing apparatus, together with a
mechanism, set in operation by the door of the closet, to set in action the various
arrangements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation, with partial section along the line C-D of Figure 2
of an earth-closet constructed according to my invention:
Figure 2 is a front elevation with partial section along the line A-B of
Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a detail view of the mechanism for actuating the strewing cylinder
oi dium; and,
Figure 4 is a plan of the closet pan.
The invention consists essentially of fom parts, namely, (1) the pan a, with its
support b, which carries a segnoutal slide or bottom c, together with the earth-
pipe d on the rear side, (2) the strewing cylinder or drum T, with a saucer-shaped
depression e and casing G, (3) the earth-chest R which swings ou a horizontal
axis f, and is furnished with a sack-like continuation L, the lower end of which
is secured around the flange g of the casing G of the dium and (4) an operating
mechanism which 18 set in action by the door of the closet.
The pan a of the closet is of oval form from back to front and is bellied
outwardly at the sides and back Below, it has a large oval opening for discharge,
which is closed by the slide o bottom c, which has its axis of rotation at c¹ in
the support . At the rear, near the discharge opening, there enters the earth
pipe d, the upper end of which joins on to the casing G, which is suitably
connected with it, as shewn in the drawing. The casing G has above an opening h
of oval form, with a flange-like im g, to which the sack-like tube L, which forms
the connection between the casing G and the earth-chest R, 18 secured. In the
casing G 18 1otably mounted upon a shaft the strewing drum T, which has a
trough-like depression e arranged to receive a given quantity of earth. The
earth-chest, which may suitably be made of thin sheet metal, and is of rectangular
form with the corners well rounded off, cularges in its cross section as its lower
part is reached, in order to facilitate the passage of the earth from the reservoir
into the sack-like tube. This chest is hung on a bolt, on which it swings when
the apparatus is set in action.
The operating mechanism consists of a shaft m, set in action by the closet
door, which shaft by means of levers and rods, fulfils the following functions:-
When the door is opened, after the closet has been used, (1) the bottom or
slide c of the closet pan is let down forward, and the soil, together with the earth
which was automatically strewn on the slide before the use of the closet, is forced
off and thrown into the cesspool or sewer, (2) the drum is automatically rotated
through 120° upon its shaft, so that the trough-shaped recess e conies into a
position immediately under the opening of the casing G of the druin, and the

page_text: earth from the sack-like tube is able to fill it. This motion is executed by means
of the lever n and a vertical od k which is attached to it; this rod k, which is
guided on the wall, has a finger or tooth o in the vicinity of the shaft of the drum,
and this tooth can engage at one part of its travel with a disc p having fingers or
teeth and mounted on the shaft of the drum, and in its upward and downward
motion turns the drum once in one direction, and in its retain stroke, once in the
opposite direction. Since the tooth o can move yet a little farther over the teeth
in the disc, it is possible so to arrange it that it shall set the strewing action in
operation at any desired point in the opening of the door. (3) The oscillation of
the chest R is similarly given use to, at the same time, by a lever q ou the shaft m
and a rod which is connected with it, the contents of the sack-liko tube being
thereby subjected, without pressure or shaking, to a change of form, as the result
of which the earth from the chest, or from the tube, slides into the casing of the
drum, .e. the trough-shaped recess in the drum T, which would not be the case if
the chest were fixed, or in the absence of the flexible sack-like tube.
When the closet door is shut, the contrary movements are set up, namely
1. The closure of the closet pan by the slide c
2 The rotation downwards of the trough m the diuin, with its charge of earth,
whereupon the latter passes down the oblique plane of the pipe d into the pan of
the closet, .e. onto the surface of the slide c, and,
3 The oscillation of the caith-chest Rm the contrary direction.
To balance the whole apparatus a levers with an adjustable counterpoise is
keyed upon tho axis of the sliding bottom c of the pan
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said ven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An earth-closet in which a shaft m is operated by the opening and closing of
the closet door, the said shaft changing the position of a segmental slide or pan-
bottom by means of levers and traction rods, and of a cylinder T which closes
the mouth of the earth-chest, by means of rods and fingers, substantially as set
forth.
2. In an earth-closet an earth-chest R suspended and rotating on a horizontal
axis with a flexible connection to the strewing cylinder T which chest is caused
to oscillate by the mechanism which operates the slide or pau bottom and by a
traction 1od substantially as set forth."
3. In an earth-closet a balancing weight which tends to bing the mechanism
constantly to the position corresponding to the closed position of the closet door
aud slide or pan bottom, substantially as set forth.
4. The improved earth-closet herembefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying diawing.
Dated the 22nd day of December 1801
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.