Improvements in Apparatus for Water Closets.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Water Closets.
I, LOUIS MATHIEU, of 3 Avenue Saint Roch, Toulon, France, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for water closets, and will
be readily understood on reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a plan, of a water closet pan with my
improvements applied thereto.
According to my invention, I provide, between the pan A and the waste or soil
pipe, an intermediate space or chamber D, which is closed at its ends by two
valves B and C furnished with counterweights E and F capable of keeping them
closed, except at the moment that the working of the apparatus requires that they
be open.
The axis of rotation of each valve carries a toothed sector, and the
operating handle of the apparatus is at the upper part of a rack rod G which works
in a guide H. One side of the rod G is toothed while the opposite side is partly
plain and partly toothed. The first gears with a working pinion on the axis of the
cock I for flushing the pan, and the second operates, either directly or through
gearing, the sectors mounted upon the axes of the valves.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the handle is in its normal position, the toothed sector of the upper valve B,
being in front of one of the plain parts of the rod, this valve is kept closed by its
counterweight. The lower valve C is, on the contrary, in engagement with the
rack rod which keeps it open. This position is shown in full lines in the
drawings.
On commencing to lift the operating handle, the upper valve B remains closed
under the action of its counterweight, but the lower valve C, obeying the action of
its counterweight, closes, as the movement of the rack permits it, until a period is
reached where, the upper valve still remaining closed, the lower valve is also
closed, and its counterweight keeps it closed. The upper valve is now operated
by the rack rod, and opens and allows the contents of the pan to fall into the
intermediate space or chamber D between it and the lower valve. At this time,
the flush cock I is opened by the rack on the rod G just before the upper valve
opens, so as to ensure the better cleansing of the pan.
On lowering the handle, the movements take place in the contrary order, and
the upper valve again closes under the action of the counterweight, as permitted by
the movement of the rack. The lower valve remains closed so that, for a time,
both the upper and lower valves are completely closed. In the continued move-
ment, the rack passes out of engagement with the upper valve which is kept closed
by its counterweight. The rack then enters into engagement with the sector of
the lower valve, opens this latter, and thus allows the discharge of the contents of
the pan into the waste or soil pipe.
At this time the apparatus has returned to its original position, and the flush
cock is again closed, but only after the closing of the upper valve, so that this
latter, once closed, remains covered with water, thus rendering the closure air-tight
and ensuring that the apparatus shall be inodorous.
It will thus be seen that it is impossible for both the valves to be opened, even
partially, at the same time, hence the apparatus may advantageously be employed

page_text: on board ships, especially in proximity to the water line, without fear of the
motion of the sea throwing water inside to the inconvenience of the passengers, or
in case of a violent rolling, or of accidental inclination, to the risk of the security
of the ship.
$
In this latter case the apparatus can even be rendered doubly secure by fixing,
by a screw, pin, or other fastening device, the rack rod to the desired height to
ensure the simultaneous closing of both valves and the interruptions of the entrance
of flush water.
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. Apparatus for water-closets having two valves whose movements are only:
independent of each other to a certain extent, and which valves are so connected
with a single operating handle that neither can be opened even partially, before
the other is completely closed, the said handle serving also to work the flush cock
and being operated by simply lifting or lowering it like the handle of an ordinary
water closed, substantially as described.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
apparatus for water closets, substantially as herein before described and as shown 'in
the annexed drawings.
Dated this 13th day of April 1895.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.