Improved Syphon Tank for Flushing Water-closets, Lavatories, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1895-Accepted, 20th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Syphon Tank for Flushing Water-closets, Lavatories,
and the like.
I CHARLES SMITH of 739 Rochdale Road Manchester, Dentist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to flushing apparatus of the kind described in Specification
No. 12,065 dated 19th June 1893.
The objects of this invention are to enable the apparatus to give either a large
or a small discharge, and to dispense with the stand-pipe and dash-cap described in
the Specification above referred to.
According to this invention two pockets are formed on the bell in place of one
pocket, these pockets communicate with one another and with the interior of the
bell but instead of the pocket communicating through a hole directly with the bell,
communication is made with the upper end of the bell through a pipe or passage.
By this means the air is able to freely pass into and out of the bell and the
water in the syphon bend is not forced out when the bell is depressed.
The upper edges of the pockets are at different levels and when a small flush is
to be given the lower pocket only is submerged, but when the maximum flush is to
be given both pockets are submerged.
In order that one or both pockets may be submerged to start the syphon action,
the operating lever is bifurcated and pull chains, preferably of different lengths,
are attached to the two free arms. One of these arms is knee-jointed and a stop
is fixed below the jointed arm to prevent it from being pulled by its chain beyond
a certain distance necessary to submerge one of the pockets.
If the lever be released after submerging only one of the pockets, the syphon
action will cease sooner than if both pockets had been submerged.
When the maximum flush is required, the chain attached to the rigid arm is
pulled and both pockets are submerged; the jointed arm is hent about its joint by
engaging its stop, without interfering with the action of the rigid arm.
It will be understood that my apparatus is valveless, that the syphon action
cannot be maintained by a single pull, and that the water seal in the syphon bend
is restored if broken after a flush.
Dated this 19th day of September 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Syphon Tank for Flushing Water-closets, Lavatories,
and the like.
I, CHARLES SMITH, of 739, Rochdale Road, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Dentist, do thereby 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in syphon tanks for flushing water-closets,
such as described in Specification belonging to Letters Patent No. 12065, dated

page_text: 19th day of June, 1893, granted to Charles Stockwell and another, of which i am
the registered owner.
The objects of this invention are to enable the syphon tank to give either a
larger or a smaller discharge and to dispense with the stand pipe and dash cap
described in the said Specification.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to
be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. is a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 a plan partly in section of my
improved syphon tank for flushing water-closets, lavatories, and the like.
In carrying out my invention and referring to the figures generally, I form the
flushing tank with an upper and lower part a & respectively, furnished with a
discharge pipe or syphon c the open end of which projects above the normal level
of the water in the tank part a whilst the discharge end is led through the bottom
of the tank part bat a water tight joint and the bend of the syphon being sealed,
all similar as described and shown in the Specification hereinbefore referred to.
The side of the open end of the syphon pipe e is formed with a chamber d open
at the top and in height the same as and communicating by a small hole e with the
interior of the pipe c. To the tank part a is pivotted by means of a bracket the
counter balanced lever g and from the latter is suspended over the chamber d and
pipe c the bell h.
The lever g is formed in bifurcated fashion with two arms i, i¹, each furnished
with a bell pull handle k, k¹, the arm i¹ being hinged to work vertically and its
handle longer than the other so that a child can reach it. On the tank part a
is arranged a stop pin a¹ against which the arm when depressed is timed to
contact.
The bell is externally formed with two chambers or pockets & m of different
heights and open at the top at different levels, a small hole n being formed to
establish communication between the two chambers or pockets 1 & m at the
bottom. A small tube or passage o is arranged inside the short chamber or
pocket and a small hole n¹ is formed in the bell at or near the upper end of the
tube or passage whereby communication is established between the interior of
the bell and the aforesaid chamber or pocket.
At the bottom of the chambers or pockets & m is a hole p (or holes) com-
municating with the interior of the bell for the purpose of draining any surplus
water which may have been left in the bottom of the chambers or pockets after
syphonage action has ceased, whilst otherwise it assists the latter.
As usually the tank a, b, is fitted with a supply cock q, a ball r and overflow s.
The improved syphon tank described in function operates as follows;-
Assuming the movable parts are at rest, the water in the tank at its normal
level and the syphon properly sealed, as shown in Fig. 1, upon pulling the bell
pull the lever g is depressed, lowering the bell h over the pipe c and chamber
and at the same time the hinged arm connected with the other bell pull k¹ has
come into contact with its stop pin a¹ and bent its hinged joint.
During this operation a quantity of air is driven out of the bell partly by way
of the small tube or passage o and hole n' and partly through the hole p. One or
both of the chambers or pockets & m have now become submerged and upon
releasing the bell pull k and the ascent of the bell h the air in the latter becomes
rarefied and the water in the tank a, b, rises between the bell h and the pipe c and
chamber d into which it overflows and also through the hole p, pipe or passage o
and hole n' into the bell h. The syphoning is now set up and continues until the
requisite quantity of water has been discharged the chambers, or pockets / & m
discharging their contents before. reaching the lower edge of the bell h whereupon
syphonage action is broken.
The shorter chamber or pocket is shallower than the other and fills first during
the depression of the bell when the bell pull is operated by a child or anyone
using the smaller flush. Owing to the stop pin a' the bell' cannot be depressed'

page_text: its full distance. The chambers or pockets & m are timed to empty on the
release of the bell pull k' before the water has fallen to the bottom of the bell h
so that syphonage action has ceased before the water has reached the bottom of
the bell h.
If on the other hand the pull k is operated, the arm connected with the other
pull k comes into contact with its stop pin a' and bends so as to allow the bell
to become depressed to its full distance and the water to fill both chambers or
pockets. The air is then prevented from entering the bell h by way of the said
chambers or pockets, pipe o, holes p & n'.
I wish it to be understood that I may alter the form of the improved check
chamber or pocket as may be found most necessary in practice without departing
from the nature of my invention.
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;-
"In a syphon tank for flushing water-closets, lavatories and the like."
1st. The general construction and combination of parts constituting my improve-
ments operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. The bell formed with two chambers or pockets 1 & m of different capacity
and communicating with each other and the interior of the bell h for the purpose
of varying the amount of flush, all substantially as set forth.
3rd. In combination with the bell h and one of the chambers or pockets specified
in the preceding claim, a pipe or passage o communicating with the said chamber
or pocket and the interior of the bell h to allow the air to escape from the said
chamber or pocket on the depression of the lever g, all substantially as set forth.
4th. The bifurcated lever g having one arm knee-jointed for the purpose of
allowing the submersion of one or both of the chambers or pockets 1 & m, all
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of June 1895.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.