Improvements in Closets or Receptacles for Human Excreta.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 16th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 18th Feb., 1887.
Improvements in Closets or Receptacles for Human Excreta.
I WILLIAM HADFIELD BOWERS of The Brookfield Chemical Works West Gorton
in the parish of Manchester Chemical Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSETS OR RECEPTACLES FOR HUMAN EXCRETA
to be as follows:
―
My invention relates chiefly to such closets or receptacles for human excreta as are
placed in connection with a drain which empties itself ultimately into a river when it
is of great importance that the river should not be polluted by the excreta finding their
way into the river and consists of forming the bottom part of such closet or receptacle
in which the excreta shall fall of a filter composed of charcoal or any other filtering
medium and placed on the top of the drain so that the soluble portion of the excreta
will be separated from the insoluble which will be left dry and in a convenient state
for removal and so that no insoluble matter from the excreta can reach the drain and
that the soluble matter from the excreta shall be as far as may be deodorized and
filtered and so rendered as far as may be innocuous before reaching the drain.
A suitable door is arranged in the wall of the closet so that the solid portion of the
excreta may be removed which when deprived of its moisture as above mentioned will
be in a solid and dry state most suitable for removal.
Any kind of a filtering medium will answer the purposes of my invention but
inasmuch a mere filtration will not effectually deodorise the excreta I prefer for the
upper and finer layer of the filter to use charcoal or coal ash or wood ash as those
substances will deodorise more than sand or gravel though sand or gravel would do
where filtration alone is desired.
According to my system the closet may be advantageously used as a receptacle for
the dirt and ashes of the house for which purpose the seat is to be hinged so as to lift
up and receive the ashes and dust of the house no separate hole being provided for
these.
The result will be that the ashes and dust will constantly cover the excreta and
thereby increase the filtering power of the apparatus.
WILLIAM HADFIELD BOWERS.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Closets or Receptacles for Human Excreta.
1, WILLIAM HADFIELD BOWERS of The Brookfield Chemical Works, West Gorion
in the Parish of Manchester, Chemical Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what inanuer the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates chiefly to such closets or receptacles for human excreta as are
placed in connection with a drain which empties itself ultimately into a river or other
natural outlet when it is of great importance that the stream should not be polluted by
the excreta finding their way into the stream and consists of forming the bottom part
of such closet or receptacle on which the excreta shall fall of a filter composed of
charcoal or any other filtering medium and placed on the top of the drain so that the
liquid portion of the excreta will percolate through and be separated from the solid
portion which will be left dry and in a convenient state for removal and so that no
solid portion of the exereta can reach the drain and that the liquid matter from the
excreta shall be as far as may be deodorized filtered and so rendered as far as may be
innocuous before reaching the drain.
A suitable door is arranged in the wall of the closet so that the solid portion of the
excreta may be removed which when deprived of its moisture as above mentioned will
be in a solid and dry state most suitable for removal.
Any kind of a filtering medium will answer the purpose of my invention, but in as
much as the solid portion of the excreta will not pass at all through the filter bed and
filtration alone will not effectually deodorize the fluid portion of the excreta. I prefer
for the upper and finer layers of the filter to use charcoal or coal ash or wood asli as
those substances will aid in deodorizing the solid portion of the excreia and will
deodorize the fluid portions of the excreta more than sand or gravel though sand or
gravel would do when filtration alone is desired.
According to my system the closet may be advantageously used as a receptacle for
the dust and ashes of the house for which purpose the seat is to be hinged so as to lift
up and receive the ashes and dust of the house, no separate hole being provided for
these. The result will he that the ashes and dust will constantly cover the excreta and
thereby increase the deodorizing as well as the filtering power of the apparatus.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is on the half on the left hand side thereof
(taken on the line X Y on Fig. 3) a longitudinal section and on the half on the righi
hand side thereof a side elevation. Fig. 2 is on the half on the left hand side thereof
a transverse section and on the half on the right hand side thereof an end elevation
and Fig. 3 is a plan of a closet or privy arranged according to my invention.

page_text: The same letters of reference indicate the same or similar parts throughout all the
figures of the drawings.
The seat S is hinged as a door or flap which can be raised to allow dust and ashes
to be thrown in under the seat and extending for some distance backwards is a pit P
made with its bottom sloping towards a drain D for running off the fluid that is
strained through the filtering materials with which the pit P is charged. By a door A.
access is given to remove the contents of the pit or the upper portion of them
containing the solid excreta.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
Providing a closet or privy with a drained pit charged with filtering medium
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.