IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATERCLOSETS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF WATERCLOSETS."-A communication from abroad by John Keane,
of New York City, and George Hunter Brown, of Washington
Hollow, both in the State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 9th June 1869, and dated the 3rd March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd March 1869.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OP WATERCLOSETS," to be as follows:-
The
This Invention relates to an improved automatic apparatus for
regulating the flow of water to the basins of waterclosets.
Invention consists in adapting to the supply cock a pinion, which is

page_text: caused to turn and open the cock by means of a sector rack on one end
of a lever which has its fulcrum on a central standard. Fixed to this
standard is a cylinder containing a spiral spring, the tendency of the
said spring being to throw up the end of a second lever having its
fulcrum on the same central standard. Upon this second lever, which
is slotted, an adjustable socket is placed to receive the pressure from the
seat by means of a rod fixed to the under side of the seat, so as to
depress the short end of the lever and raise a weight on the long arm, at
the same time compressing the spiral spring. On a vertical slotted
standard is mounted a slide which moves up in the slot with the first
lever, and drops down by its own gravity. When the second lever is
forced down by pressure it is caught and latched to the slide and first
lever by means of a projection which passes down between another pro-
jection on the slide and a weighted latch pivotted on the same. While
the pressure remains on the seat (and on the second lever) the first lever
remains stationary or depressed. If the pressure is removed weights
and also the spiral spring will act to throw up the short arm of the
second lever and the long arm of the first lever with the slide; but
this action is retarded by means of a piston connected to the first lever
and working in a cylinder containing a liquid, by preference glycerine.
This cylinder is closed at each end, and the piston rod works through
a stuffing box in the head. On the outside of the cylinder is a channel
connected with the cylinder above and beneath the piston to allow of
the flow of the liquid. The liquid in the retarding cylinder acts as a
cushion to render the action of the levers soft and noiseless and to
prevent damage by sudden concussion. An arm is attached to the slide
for raising the lever of the watercloset pan and opening the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of 3

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence, that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATERCLOSETS," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by John Keane, of New York City, and
George Hunter Brown, of Washington Hollow, both in the State of New
York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or adminis
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one. of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, 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 William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for governing
the flow of water to and from the basins of waterclosets. The water
valve is worked automatically, and regulated by a retarding cylinder.
The Invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combi-
nation of parts herein-after more fully described.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 represents a side view of the
apparatus partly in section; Fig. 2 is a top or plan view; Fig. 3 is a
sectional view of the retarding cylinder detached, and Fig. 4 is a view
of the slide and slotted stand looking at the end of the apparatus from
the left.
A is the water supply cock; B, the supply pipe; C, the discharge pipe..

page_text: While the
When the pressure is
the weight I and the
The cock A is operated by means of the pinion wheel D, and the sector
rack E on the end of the weighted lever F which has its fulcrum at g
on the central stand H. I is a cylinder containing a spiral spring J, the
tendency of which spring is to throw up the end of the weighted
lever K, which has its fulcrum on the same central stand H; N'is an
adjustable socket placed in a slot in the lever K to receive the pressure
from the seat (when the closet is used) by the intervention of a rod
fixed to the under side of the seat. The weight of the person thereon
depresses the short end of the lever K, raises the weight L, and com-
presses the spiral spring J. On a vertical slotted stand is mounted a
slide R, which moves up in the slot q with the lever F, and drops down
by its own gravity. When the lever K is forced down (by the weight of
the person using the closet, as before stated) it is caught and latched to
the slide R, and thereby raises the other lever F by means of the pro-
jection which passes down between the projection u on the slide R
and the weighted latch V which is hung on a pivot at w.
pressure remains on the seat (and on the lever K) the lever F will
remain stationary or depressed, as seen in Fig. 1, the two levers being
connected by the catch by means of the slide R.
removed (by the person rising from the seat)
spring J will both act to throw up the short end of the lever K and the
long end of the lever F with the slide R. But this action will be
retarded by means of a piston (in the cylinder x) on the rod y, which is
connected to the lever F at z. The cylinder x contains liquid, and to
guard against evaporation, freezing, or congelation in cold weather
glycerine is used by preference to water. The cylinder x is closed at
each end, and the piston rod y works through a stuffing box in the head.
In the detailed view (Fig. 3) it will be seen that there is a channel a on
the outside of the cylinder x, which connects the spaces above and below
the piston in the cylinder. As the piston descends the liquid is forced
from beneath to the upper portion of the cylinder above the piston, and
as the piston is raised the liquid is forced in the contrary direction. The
time for the discharge of the liquid in either direction through the
channel a is regulated by the cock b. The sector rack E is so placed
that the elevation of the other end of the lever F will revolve and open
the cock D. This would cause a sudden rush of water into the basin of
the closet, as the action of the levers would be instantaneous in rising
and in opening the cock were it not for the retarding device already
described. The liquid in the retarding cylinder acts not only to retard

page_text: the flow of water and thereby make the wash more complete, but as a
cushion to render the action of the levers soft and noiseless, and to
prevent damage by any sudden concussion in any part of the apparatus.
The left-hand ends of the levers F and K move together and rise while,
the wash is taking place, and this rising motion is fast or slow according
to the position of the cock b. When the levers have been sufficiently
elevated or the wash sufficiently prolonged the lever, K is released from
the lever F in consequence of the peculiar arrangement of the pro-
jections t and u in regard to the latch V. It will be seen that while the
slide R rises vertically with the projection u, the projection t rises on a
circle, the radius of which circle is the distance of t from the fucrum g.
This deviation of t from a vertical line carries it from the catch and
releases the levers from the slide. When this takes place the weight m
depresses the lever F and gradually closes the cock and gives the after
wash; it is governed in its back or closing movement by the liquid
in the retarding cylinder x, as before described. d is a drip pan for
catching any water which may leak from the cock A; D¹, Fig. 2, is an
arm attached to the slide R for raising the lever of the watercloset pan
and opening the same. When the slide R is released by the latch V it
drops by its own weight and allows the pan to close by means of its
lever weight. It will be scen that while the person is on the seat the
apparatus is at rest in all its parts. The pressure being removed the
cock D is gradually opened and the wash is given while the pan of the
watercloset is opened by means of the arm D', the action in both cases
being governed by the retarding cylinder x. When the latch is released
the cock A is gradually closed and the after wash is given, while the
pan lever is governed by the weight attached to its lever.
This apparatus may be placed either in front or rear of the watercloset
basin as may be found most convenient. It is entirely automatic in its
movements and sure in its operation, durable, and not liable to get out
of order. Its advantages over any watercloset apparatus heretofore.
known are many, and must be obvious to all.
Having now described the Invention, which has been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured to
mo by Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First. Operating the supply water cock or valve A of waterclosets by
means of a pinion and sector rack in combination with a retarding
cylinder, as shewn and described.

page_text: Second. The combination of the levers F and K and the retarding
cylinder x, as shewn and described.
Third. The latching device consisting of the projections t and u and
catch V, arranged and operating as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The use of the arm D' for opening the pan of the basin, as
described.
Fifth. The combination of the spring J, levers F and K, pin D,
sector E, cylinder x, with its piston and rod y, and latch V for the
purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Third day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.