IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hume, of Birkenhead, in the County
of Chester, Plumber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WATER-CLOSETS."
Sealed the 17th May 1853, and dated the 19th November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hume at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th November 1852.
I, JAMES HUME, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS" to be as follows:-
An arrangements of the several parts of the machinery thereof,
that the contents of the basin of the water-closet can at all times be
discharged, even above the level of the closet, if required, without
being liable to return into the basin, as in the case of the single
action water-closets, and at the same time is worked with greater
ease than those now in use, and is particularly applicable for ships,
as it can be placed at any distance below the water line of the
vessel. The nature of this Invention will be readily seen on re-
ference to the annexed Drawings. Like letters refer to similar
parts.

page_text: A, basin of closet. B, cylinder of force pump. C, piston and
rod of ditto. D, guide rod for ditto. E, lever for working ditto.
e, upright upon which lever works. c', pull or handle to work
lever. F, G, H, & I, valves of pump. K, soil pipe. L, pipe to
supply water to basin. 1, cock to ditto.
When the pulle, is drawn upwards a downward motion is given
to the piston C, through the lever E, which causes the valve F, to
open, through which a portion of the contents of the basin A, is
drawn into the cylinder D, above the piston; at the same time valve
G, is opened, through which the contents of the cylinder under the
piston is forced into the soil pipe K. Upon returning the pull (e')
to its first position the piston is pressed upwards, closing the valves
F, and G, (as shown in the Drawings), and opening the valve H,
through which another portion of the contents of the basin is lodged
in the cylinder below the piston; at the same time the contents of
the upper part of the cylinder is forced through the valve I, into
the soil pipe. Water is supplied to the basin through the pipe L,
to which is fixed a stop cock, so that the supply can be regulated
by hand at pleasure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said James Hume in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES HUME, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Plumber,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Hume, Her special
licence that I, the said James Hume, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Hume, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,

page_text: and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Hume, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hume, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of improvements in that class of water-
closets where the soil and water are removed from the basin by
means of a pump; and in order that my said Invention may be most
fully understood, and readily carried into practice, I will proceed to
describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, in the various Figures of
which the same letters are used to indicate similar parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, an end elevation of a water-closet having my improve-
ments applied thereto; Figure 2, is a front elevation of the same;
Figure 3, shows a transverse section thereof; and Figure 4, shows a
longitudinal section. a, is the basin which may be of the form shown
or otherwise, and does not differ from those heretofore used. b, is a
double-acting pump, which is connected to the bottom of the basin
by means of the pipe and the valve chest c, and branch pipe c',
which passes to the upper part of the pump barrel or cylinder, as
is shown. d, e, are two valves in the valve chest, one opening into the
barrel or cylinder of the pump below the piston, and the other
opening into the branch pipe c'. The pump has a branched outlet
pipe f, as shown, there being two valves g, h, opening outwards; the

page_text: one g, is that through which the contents of the upper part of the
pump are discharged, and the other h, is that through which the
contents of the lower part of the pump barrel are discharged by the
pipe i, into the sea or other water or place. j, is the piston, and 7,
the piston rod, which is fixed to the rod m, which moves in guides,
and is put in motion by the handle n, attached to the lever o, the
other end of which is connected to the rod m, as shown. Water is
supplied to the basin by the pipe p, on which there is a cock or tap
7, with a handle and pointer with dial or plate to indicate when the
same is shut. After using this water-closet the contents of the
basin are pumped out, and water is then allowed to flow into the
basin.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
make no claim to any of the parts separately; but what I claim is,
the combination of apparatus herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hume, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES HUME. (L.S.)
Witness,
JOHN WALKER, Birkenhead, Witness.