Improvements in Syphon Flushing Cisterns.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec.. 1596-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Syphon Flushing Cisterns.
I, JOHN PATRICK O'DONNELL of 70 and 71 Palace Chambers, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as.follows:-
My invention has reference to improvements in syphon flushing cisterns, whereby
I obtain a more rapid discharge of the water from the cistern. In effect I provide
two suction pipes, giving as it were a double means of discharge, thereby reducing
the time for the discharge of the water and also rendering the action of the cistern
much more silent; the main idea, however, being that a more certain syphonic
action is given for discharging the water from the tank or cistern.
In carrying out my invention I take an ordinary cistern and standpipe, the
latter projecting slightly above the top of the cistern, and form a chamber
surrounding such standpipe, said chamber being approximately half the height of
the cistern.
The cistern, chamber and standpipe are formed of one casting.
Surrounding the standpipe I arrange a cylinder with two suction legs or pipes,
one on either side, joining at the top of the cylinder, such legs or pipes projecting
downwards so that they are on the outside of the chamber surrounding the
standpipe. Pins projecting from the cylinder and a fulcrum pin also projecting
from the handle casting form the meaus, by the usual handle or lever, of raising
the cylinder. The bottom of the cylinder is formed into a plate corresponding to
the shape and size of the chamber in which the cylinder works.
The usual ball tap and overflow pipe are provided and operate in the usual
manner.
The action of my invention is as follows:-
Assuming the cistern to be full, the movement of the handle or lever raises the
cylinder and consequently the two side suction legs or pipes, and as long as the
handle is in the pulled down position and the cylinder raised no action takes place;
but as soon as the handle is released and the cylinder drops by gravity the bottom
plate of the cylinder forces the water up between the cylinder and the standpipe
and down the latter, a syphonic action then ensuing sucks the water up each of the
side suction legs or pipes until the cistern is empty.
Dated this 9th day of March 1906
JOHN P. O'DONNELL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Syphon Flushing Cisterns.
I, JOHN PATRICK O'DONNELL, of 70 and 71 Palace Chambers, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil 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 :-
My invention has reference to improvements in syphon flushing cisterns, whereby

page_text: the standpipe. Pins projecting from the cylinder and a fulcrum pin also projecting
from the handle or lever casting form the means, by the usual chain connection to
said lever casting, of raising the cylinder or bell. The bottom of the cylinder is
formed into a plate corresponding to the shape and size of the chamber in which
it works.
The usual ball tap and overflow pipe are provided and operate in the usual
manner.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect I will describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which :-
Figure I is a plan and Figure 2 a sectional elevation of my improved flushing
cistern.
The same letters refer to the same parts in the two figures.
a is the ordinary cistern, provided with the standpipe 6 and internal chamber c
surrounding said standpipe, the whole being formed in one casting. d is the
cylinder or bell surrounding the standpipe b and provided with a bottom plate e
formed to fit in the chamber c; ff are the two suction pipes or legs formed in
one with the cylinder d and joining at its top, the said pipes projecting downwards,
outside the chamber c, to near the bottom of the main cistern a. g is the lever to
which the usual chain or pull is connected, for raising the cylinder or bell and
operating the cistern as hereinafter described; the said lever has fulcrum pins or
projections h h¹ which bear in notches formed in the sides of the cistern a. The
lever g has forked ends g' which engage with the pins k¹ formed on the sides
of the cylinder d. is a screwed neck to which the usual discharge pipe is
connected.
The action of my invention is as follows:-
Assuming the cistern to be full and that it is desired to discharge its contents,
the movement of the lever g by means of the usual chain connection or pull raises
the cylinder d with its suction pipes or legs ff, and as long as the cylinder d is in
its raised position no discharging action takes place; but as soon as the pull is
released, allowing the cylinder or bell d to drop by gravity, the bottom plate e of
the cylinder forces the water up between the cylinder d and the standpipe b (in the
direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 2) and down the latter to the discharge pipe,
a syphonic action being thereby set up and the water drawn up each of the suction
legs or pipes until the cistern is emptied.
The lever g may be fulcrumed at and worked from either end of the tank as
desired.
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 :-
1. In a syphon flushing cisterr, forming the dome, cylinder or bell surrounding
the stand-pipe and a syphon leg or pipe on either side in one casting, substantially

page_text: as and for the purposes herein set forth, and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. A syphon flushing cistern, substantially as herein described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Ninth day of November 1896.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
Mem. Inst. Mech. E.