IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND WATER-SUPPLY APPARATUS THERE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 169, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND WATER-SUPPLY APPARATUS THERE-
A communication from abroad by James Edmund Boyle, Engineer,
of Brooklyn, and Henry Huber, Manufacturer of Plumbers' Supplies, of
New York, both in the United States of America.
FOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd February 1882.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street in the City of London Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS AND
WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS THEREFOR." [A communication from abroad by
James Edmund Boyle, Engineer, of Brooklyn, and Henry Huber, Manufacturer
of Plumbers' Supplies, of New York, both in the United States of America.]
This improved water closet is in soine respects similar to that shown in Figure 1
of the Drawings annexed to the Specification of Peters and Donald's Letters Patent
dated 7th April 1874 No. 1207.
The air pipe leading from the air space between the two traps extends up
through the service box or flushing chamber and terminates in the upper part
thereof or in an upward extension or prolongation thereof above the level of the
water in the supply tank or cistern which is supplied by the float valve or ball
cock. From this upper part or prolongation of the flushing chamber a check valvo
opens outward into a pipe which leads to the roof or open air. The inlet valve
which admits water from the supply tank to the flushing chamber is normally
closed and the outlet valve which admits flushing water from the chamber to the
flushing pipe leading to the bowl of the closet is normally open according to my
preferred arrangement, both valves being connected to a weighted levor which is
operated from the hinged seat of the closet. The outlet valve works against an
|upwardly projecting seat so that there is always water in the flushing chamber up

page_text: to the level of this seat and the seat and valve are enclosed in a tube which
extends from above the water level in the supply tank down to and dips into the
water in the flushing chamber being sealed therein. The valve stem passes
through a packing disc in this tube. An overflow pipe extends from just above
the normal water level in the supply tank down through the flushing chamber, and
terminates in a downward prolongation or extension thereof whereby its end is
sealed in a considerable depth of water. A vent tube extends from just above the
normal water level in the flushing chamber up to above the water level in the
supply tank and there opens into the pipe leading to the roof, or it otherwise
communicates with the open air.
When the seat is depressed the inlet valve is opened and the outlet valve is
closed whereupon water passes from the tank into the flushing chamber and fills it,
the air escaping therefrom through the check valve. Then when the seat is
released and rises the inlet valve closes and the outlet valve opens whereupon the
water flows from the flushing chamber down the flushing pipe to the bowl and in
so doing it produces a partial vacuum above it drawing the air from the air pipe
and from the space between the two traps and syphoning the water from the bowl
thereby drawing into the soil pipe the foul odours resulting from the use of the
closet. After the bowl has been syphoned once or more and the flushing water
thereby drawn forcibly through it the vacuum in the flushing chamber is broken
by the admission of air through the vent pipe whereupon the flushing water being
no longer retarded by suction above it rushes down with greater force and refills
the bowl.
I form the bowl and both the traps in one piece of earthenware and in order to
bring the lower trap above the floor without lifting the bowl and seat too high,
I arrange the belly of the bowl and upper trap to depend into the bend or lower
portion of the lower trap which trap extends thence beneath the bowl and its
crown is arranged at one side thereof.
In order to afford a ready connection between the air and flushing pipes and the
earthenware and to make the bowl and traps reversible I adopt the following
construction. Just above the bend in the soil pipe between the first and second
traps I form from the same piece of earthenware two horizontal tubular provisions
with open ends. One of these provisions communicates by an opening with the
air space between the traps and the air pipe is connected to a coupling entering its
rear open end and the other provision cominunicates through an opening with the
flushing rim of the bowl and the flushing pipe is connected to a coupling which enters
its rear open end. The front opon end of each provision is closed by a blind cap
and the blind caps and couplings are drawn toward each other and pressed firmly
against the provisions by two cross yokes, one engaging the couplings and the other
the caps and a bolt and nuts connecting the said yokes. The earthenware portion
of the closet may be set with the traps projecting either to the right or left from
the bowl as desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th August 1882.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS AND
WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS THEREFOR." (A communication from abroad by
James Edmund Boyle, Engineer, of Brooklyn, and Henry Huber, Manufacturer
of Plumber's Supplies, of New York, both in the United States of America.)
This improved water closet is in some respects similar to that shown in Figure 1
of the English Patent of Peters and Donald, No. 1207 of 1874. The Invention
consists in certain improvements fully herein-after described, designed to render
the operation of the closet more perfect and effective, and its construction and
setting cheaper.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figuro 1 is a side elevation of the water closet
and its supplying tank; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same cut along the
line 2-2 in Figure 1 and viewed from the front; Figure 3 is a front elevation of
the lower parts and a vertical section of a portion of the tank; and Figure 4 is a
fragmentary plan of the lower parts.
"
Referring to these several Figures, A. is the bowl of the closet, a is the exit
aperture thereof, B is the soil-pipe or passage leading therefrom, C is a bend or
trap formed in said passage so as to keep a quantity of water in the bowl to form
The belly of
a water surface," and D is a second trap formed below the first.
the trap C depends into the bend of the trap D, and the latter extends under the
bowl A beyond its centre to the requisite height, and curves thence back to where
it connects with the metal soil-pipe b³. This conformation is to enable both
traps C and D to be formed above the floor without raising the bowl A. (and
consequently also the scat S) too high. The bowl and traps should all be moulded
in one piece of earthenware, as shown, to avoid joints.
Between the traps C and D is an air-space d, and above this two horizontal
tubular heads t and t¹ with open ends are moulded in the same piece of earthen-
ware. The head t communicates through an opening with the air-space d, and to
it is coupled an air pipe e. The head t' communicates through an opening with the
flushing-rim k of the bowl A and to it is coupled a flushing-pipe . The front
ends of the heads t and t¹ are closed by blind-caps and these caps and the pipe
connections are retained in place by two cross-yokes u u which are drawn together
by a bolt v. By this means the pipe e and can be readily and securely connected
to the earthenware, and the bowl may be set either with the soil passage B at
its left, as shown, or at its right, according to the place it is to occupy.
Above the bowl and usually near the ceiling of the room is placed a service-tank E
supplied with water from a float-valve G. Adjoining or adjacent to this tank is
a closed flushing chamber F, from which the pipe extends down to the bowl. An
inlet valve h controls the admission of water from the tank E to the chamber F,
and an outlet or flushing-valvej controls the discharge of water from the chamber F
into the pipe . The seat i of the valvej projects up into the chamber F, so that
some water always remains in this chainber. The valves h and j are both
connected to a weighted lever p so that when one is open the other is always
closed. The lever p may be connected by a wire or cord g to levers operated by
the seat S, or to a pull handle or to the door of the closet. The valve and seat i
are enclosed in n tube n which extends from above the normal water level in the
tank E down to below the level of the seat i, so that its lower end is scaled in the

page_text: water in the chamber F. The stem of the valve j is packed in this tube at n¹.
Thus the entrance of air into the chamber F through the tube n is prevented.
The chamber F is extended upwards by a tube b, and the air-pipe e extends up
through this tube and opens therein above the level of the water in the tank E.
From the top of the tube b a pipe fleads to the roof, or otherwise communicates
with the outer air. Another pipe fi also leads to the roof from the soil-passage B
beyond the trap D. A check-valve g opens outward between the tube b and pipe f
From above this check-valve a vent tube c'extends down into the chamber F, and
terminates therein slightly above the lowest water level.
The chamber F is extended downward by a tuber and an overflow-pipe m
whose open upper end is just above the water-level in the tank E, extends down
into this tuber its lower end dipping deeper into the water in the chamber F than
the dip of the trap C, whereby it is deeply sealed and entrance of air through it
into the chamber is prevented.
Figure 2 shows the normal position and condition of the parts, or that assumed
when not in use. When the seat S is depressed, the inlet-valve h is opened and
the outlet valve j is closed, whereupon water passes from the tank E into the
flushing chamber F and fills it, the air escaping therefrom through the check-
valve g. Figure 3 shows the condition of the parts after the chamber F is filled
and while the seat S is still depressed. Then when the seat is released and rises,
the inlet-valve h closes and the outlet valve j opens whereupon the water flows
from the flushing-chamber F down the Blushing pipe to the bowl A, and in so
doing it produces a partial vacuum above it in the chamber F drawing the air from
the air pipe e and from the space d and syphoning the water from the bowl A,
thereby drawing into the soil pipe B the foul odors resulting from the use of the
closet. After the bowl has been syphoned once or more, and the flushing water
thereby drawn forcibly through it the vacuum in the chamber F is broken by the
admission of air through the vent pipe c whereupon the flushing water being no
longer retarded by suction above it rushes down with greater force and fills the
bowl above its normal level, causing a thorough afterwash therethrough. The
result is that all the excrement and other matter is carried out of the bowl, and
the latter is refilled with clean water.
The most important feature of this Invention is the breaking of the vacuum
by the tube cafter the sufficient continuance of the syphoning from the bowl,
so that when the bowl is finally filled it will not be again syphoned out.
This Invention is susceptible of considerable formal or structural modification
without departing from its essential features. Thus the tube c may extend from
where it opens in the chamber F to any point where it will have ultimate
communication with the outer air; or it may be entirely dispensed with and a
float valve be arranged to admit air to the chamber F when the water level
therein has fallen to the requisite point, or any other practical means may be
employed for breaking the vacuum at the proper time. If an automatic closet is
not desired the lever p may have the weight on its opposite arm, so as to stand
normally in the position opposite to that shown, and be so arranged in connection
with a pull handle as to be tilted into the position shown, when the handle is
lifted. The chamber F will then fill while the closet is not in use, and will be
discharged while the pull handle is upheld.
The lever p and valves h and j are the ordinary waste-preventing tank-valves
long used with hopper closets and form no novel part of this Invention.
:-
Having thus fully described this Invention as communicated to me, I declare
that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:-
First: The herein before described improvement in water closets wherein the
descent of the flushing water is made to syphon the bowl, the said improvement
consisting in the means whereby the vacuum in the flushing chamber is broken
after the bowl has been syphoned and before all the water has escaped from the
flushing chamber, whereby the flushing-water is caused to till the bowl,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: Second: In a watercloset the combination with the air-pipe e opening into the
upper part of the flushing-chamber F with the said chamber, the flushing pipe
leading therefrom, the valve j and the vent-tube c opening in the chamber near its
bottom and leading thence to the outer air, substantially as set forth and for the
purpose described.
Third: The novel construction and arrangement of the several parts enclosed in
or constituting the flushing-chamber F adapted and combined substantially in the
manner set forth.
Fourth: The construction of the earthenware portion of the closet, comprising the
bowl and the soil-passage or trap leading therefrom with the tubular heads t and t'
to facilitate the connection of the pipes e and l, substantially as set forth.
Fifth The coupling for the pipes e and whereby they are connected to the
tubular heads t and t, substantially as set forth,
Sixth The described construction of the bowl A and traps C and D, all moulded
in one piece, with the belly of the trap C depending between the two legs of the
trap D and the crown of the latter arranged to one side of the belly of the trap C,
and close beneath the bowl, substantially as described and for the purpose set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Fifth day of August in the year of our Lord, One
thousand, eight hundred and eighty two.
J. C. MEWBURN. (L.S.)