IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Getley; of 6, Ivy Street, Birkenhead,
in the County of Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WATERCLOSETS."
Sealed the 12th January 1853, and dated the 5th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Getley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th October 1852.
I, SAMUEL GETLEY, of 6, Ivy Street, Birkenhead, in the County of
Chester, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in waterclosets, and
consists, first, of applying a cylinder within which a piston rod works,
having thereon a plunger, which when it descends allows water to pass
thro' it by a valve, but in ascending it acts as a solid plunger: The
piston rod has on it two valves, acting on either. side of a seat fixed
within the cylinder. By one of the valves the flow of water is presented
to the basin when in use; the other valve allows water to flow into the
basin immediately after use, tiH that valve is closed against the seat.

page_text: and the. speed or time of its closing is regulated by the speed at which
water is allowed to flow below the plunger; or in place of two valves
and one seat, two seats and one valve may be employed, and in place of
the regulating plunger being used on the same piston rod as that
which carries the valves or valve, it may be on a separate rod and work
in a separate cylinder. Secondly, the Invention consists in applying a
catch to retain the pan of a watercloset when up, and also a catch to
retain it when open for a time. Thirdly, this Invention consists of
employing an inclined slide in place of a valve or pan, such slide acting
in conjunction with a peculiar form of basin, it being formed with a
chamber at the back, within which the inclined slide acts. When the
slide is raised the water can flow freely downwards and away by the
pipe, whilst when the valve is closed the water will stand at a proper
length in the basin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Getley in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 5th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
SAMUEL GETLEY, of 6, Ivy Street, Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, 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 successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Samuel Getley, Her special licence that
I, the said Samuel Getley, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Samuel Getley, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, 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
WATERCIO3ETS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said

page_text: Samuel Getley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Getley, 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):
Figures 1, and 2, show two side views, of a watercloset constructed
according to the first part of the Invention. It is so constructed that
it may be used direct from the mains, where a constant supply of water
is maintained, or may be worked from a cistern raised a few feet above
the closet, and does not, as in the ordinary watercloset, require any
connection with the cistern, excepting a supply pipe for conveying the
water, as will be shewn by the following description having reference to
the Drawings connected therewith. The Drawing shows the parts in
the position whilst the closet is being used; after the closet has been
used the pressure is released from the rod A, which is attached to the
seat, and which by the weight of a person sitting thereon puts the
several parts of the apparatus for admitting the water to the pan in
motion; the apparatus is so arranged that the closet cannot be used
without the soil being discharged from the pan on the pressure being
removed from the seat; the lever B, which is connected with the piston
rod C, to which is attached by a slot one end of the lever D, carried by
the upright D', the other end of the lever D, being weighted when the
piston rod C, rises by the pressure being taken off at A, the weighted
end of the lever D), falls, and in so doing the weight on D, by means of
a catch E, strikes the lever F, thereby releasing the lever G, which is
attached to the pan containing the soil and water, the weight of which
(viz, the pan, soil, and water,) causes the lever G, to be depressed to
the catch or lever H, in which position it is held till released by the
rod I, (which is carried by the lever D,) striking upon it. The balance
weight or lever G, being heavier than the empty pan, brings back the
pan to its original position, where it is held by the catch or lever H,

page_text: till, next used. The catch E, on the end of the lever D, is made move-
able; it therefore-gives way on the lever D, rising, and passing the
lever without hindrance-returns to its original position. I will now
describe the means of regulating the quantity of water to the pan, and
also how the pan is returned to its original position. The lever D,
-being depressed forces the valve O, shewn in section at Figure 3, which
works in the cylinder, R; and is attached to the rod C; on the seat M,
which shuts off the supply of water to the pan whilst being used; on
the lever B, being released, as before described; the valve P, attached to
the rod C, comes in contact with, the piston L; it will be seen that the
valve O, being raised; the water passes from. the supply pipe J, through
the valve M, and pipe-K, to 'the pan of the watercloset. The means
by which the quantity of water is regulated to the pan is by the cock
Q; which allows the water to pass under the piston L, and valve P,
which veins in contact as before described, makes the piston L, solid.
It will be seen by this that the distance to which the cock Q, is opened
regulates the speed of piston L; on the water being admitted under the
piston L, by means of the cock Q, the weight of the lever D, raises the
rod C, to which is attached another valve N, which on the rod C,
rising brings it in contact with the under side of valve seat M; and
thereby shuts off the supply of water from the pan until it is again
removed by the pressure on the seat at A, as before described. It will be
seen that if the cock Q, were closed, the piston would retain its position,
as if it moved it would form a vacuum; therefore, by allowing the cock
-Q, to be opened much or little, I regulate the quantity of water to the
pan. The piston L, is moveable on the rod C, between the valves N,
and P. and by being so, on the 'pressure being applied to the seat the
piston rod C, moves easily, thereby allowing the water below to pass
through the piston L. I will now describe the means by which the rod
I; strikes the lever or catch H, and releases the lever G, to which the..
pan is attached. The rod I is so adjusted that on the rod C, rising
ras before described, it strikes the lever or catch H, a little before the
valve N..comes in contact with the seat M; and allows during the
further passage of trod C, sufficient water to pass through the seat M,
to fill the min

page_text: pan of a water-
The pans: used in connexion, with this arrangement are those com-
monly in use called the pan watercloset. I claim in the Invention
the arrangements and combination of the lever as before described, and
also of the valves and seats..in the cylinder. in. connexion with the
water regulater as described. I also claim, should I not use two valves
and one seat, the use of one valve. and two seats. Figures 4, and 5,
show two side views of another improvement in the
closet. I propose that the pan of the watercloset shall be made of
pottery ware, iron, or other suitable material, with a branch at the side,
as shown, to receive a valve, which valve will be made of copper.or
other suitable material; the edge being made to receive a lapping or
covering of gutta percha, vulcanized india-rubber, leather, or any
other suitable material, or any combination of them. The pan A, to
be made of the form shown, or any other suitable form, with a branch
B, on the side as shown, having an opening into the pan of the same
size as the soil pipe D, and to extend above such opening a suitable
distance for the working of the valve. The top of which opening is
enclosed. with a cover, to allow the rod which works the valve, to pass
through. The branch will be made a little taper to allow the valve
when closed to fit tight, and for greater freedom in rising. The valve
C, will be made to suit such branch pipe, with a groove to admit
of fixing à rim of gutta perchia, vulcanized india-rubber, or other
suitable matérial, which will adapt itself easily to the form of valve seat.
The rod: E attached to the valve passes through the cover to be attached
to the lever for working the same, as will be described hereafter. I
have also two guide rods G, attached to the lever and back of branch,
with two eyes fastened to back: of: valve to guide the valve to the same
seat each time of using
j
I will now describe the means by which I move the valve...On :the
top of the valve rod E, there is a' lever E, which moves freely on the rod
CE, the other end of which is moved by the lever 'H, one end of which
carries a weight and is heavier than the other,..with a catch on, the end
as before described, the other end being attached to the rod:J, which
is attached to a valve K, shown: in section at Figure 6, which moves
in cylinder L. and between the valve seat N, there is also another

page_text: -cylinder O, surrounded by a casing P, which casing is made higher
than cylinder O; to prevent the water overflowing inside of cylinder O.
"There is a piston M, with a valve Q, which moves on the rod R, which
rod R, is attached to the lever H. There is also a supply pipe
attached to the pipe Y, (froni cylinder L,) with overflow pipe from P,
to soil pipe D; from the bottom of cylinder O, there is a small pipe T,
with tap U, which pipe T, is turned over in casing P.
I will now describe the way of working the closet. The pressure is
applied to the rod W, which is attached to the seat of the watercloset,
which pressure is caused by a person sitting thereon; the rod W, presses
on rod V, which moves the rod J, causing the valve K, to move from
the under side of seat N, the other valve K, being pressed on top
side of seat N; on the weight being released froni the rod W, the lever
H, falls by being licavier at one end, and in so doing strikes the lever
F, and raises the valve C, which allows the soil and water to pass
through soil pipe .D.
I will now describe the method by which I regulate the supply of water
to the pau. The lever H, in falling at one end raises the other end, and in
so doing raises the valve K, from seat N, and allows the water from supply
pipe X, to pass through the seat N, and pipe Y, into pan A. There is
also another rod R, attached to lever H, to which rod R, is attached
a piston M, and valve Q; the valve is made fast on rod R, which rod
R, moves a short distance in the piston M. On the rod R, falling it
prèsses the valve Q, on the piston M, there being water underneath the
piston, the water is let out of cylinder by a small tap U, as described
with former cylinder, and by the opening or closing of which we regulate
the quantity of water which flows into the pan A. The lever H, on the
water leaving cylinder O, passes the lever F, which lever F, having
the valve C, attached, falls to its original position till next used. On
the pressure being again applied at W, the lever H, rises, and by the
catch being moveable in end of lever H, passes the lever F, freely. The
lever F, is released a little before the valve K, reaches the inner side
seat N, to allow a sufficient quantity of water to pass into pan A, after
the valve C, has returned to its position.
:
...I claim the pan with branch and valve: attached, and also the regu-

page_text: lating and supply cylinder, and the arrangement and combination of
the levers, as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Getley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
MAXWELL SCOTT.
SAMUEL GETLEY. (L.S.)