IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CLOSED CISTERNS OR TANKS FOR CONTAINING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carter, of 80"," Coleshill Street, Eaton Square, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO CLOSED CISTERNS OR TANKS FOR CONTAINING WATER OR OTHER
LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 14th January 1879, and dated the 15th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Carter at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th July 1878.
JOHN CARTER, of 80" a," Coleshill Street, Eaton Square, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CLOSED CISTERNS OR TANKS FOR
CONTAINING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
This Invention has for its object such improvements in and connected with closed
cisterns or tanks as will obviate the necessity of the cumbersome and, to a certain
extent, ineffectual "ball-cock" now so generally employed in open tanks, and at the
same time prevent the possibility of the water running to waste through the air-
supply pipe when the cistern or tank has been filled.
To effect these improvements the base of the air-supply pipe is expanded into or
securely attached to a conical or other shaped chamber, which in its turn is secured
to or made to form part of the top plate of the cistern or tank into which it opens.
Within this chamber I place a valve opening downward, and arranged so as to be
readily carried or floated upward to its seat, and closed by the water as it rises in
the cistern or tank and attempts to escape through the air-supply pipe. As the
water is drawn off from the cistern or tank the before-named valve will fall or open,
and thus admit the air through the air-supply pipe and permit the water to flow
out from the cistern or tank as required. By preference the chamber with its
contained valve is placed on the tank in sufficient proximity to a man-hole as to be
readily cleansed or repaired should it be found necessary.

page_text: Preferably to the bottom of the aforesaid tank I attach the feed pipe which is
connected with the water main or other source of supply. In this feed pipe, and
preferably above the main stop-cock, I place a second valve opening upward, but
closing automatically, and which will retain the water or other liquid supplied to
the tank and prevent its returning to the main should the supply not be continuous.
By placing this second valve below the ordinary house cocks or taps the feed pipe
may also be used as the supply pipe of the house or building.
I have also found it advantageous at one part of this pipe to place a screw or
ferrule joint, as this enables the pipe to be readily disconnected for cleansing or
other purposes. The advantages of this arrangement are obvious, as the one pipe
is made to act both for "feed" and " supply purposes, and by disconnecting at
aforesaid screw or ferrule joint may also be used as a waste or cleansing pipe, thus
saving the multiplicity of pipes now universally employed.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th January
1879.
JOHN CARTER, of 80%, Coleshill Street, Eaton Square, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CLOSED CISTERNS OR TANKS FOR CONTAINING
WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
This Invention has for its object such improvements in closed cisterns or tanks
as will obviate the necessity of the cumbersome, and, to a certain extent, ineffectual
ball-cocks" now so generally employed in open tanks, and at the same time
prevent the possibility of the water running over or to waste through the air-supply
pipe when the cistern or tank has been filled.
To better and more clearly explain the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be practically employed, I refer to the annexed Drawings,
in which,―
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of one of my closed cisterns or tanks, the air-
supply pipe A to which being shown partially in section, the base of said air-supply
pipe being in this case expanded into or attached to a conical-shaped chainber, as
shown, which chamber is secured to or made to form part of the top plate of the
cistern or tank. Within this chamber I place a valve B. The water from the main
or other source of supply having filled the cistern to its utmost capacity it attempts
to escape through the air-supply pipe, and would do so were it not for valve B,
which, from its own buoyancy, rises or is floated upward to its seat, and effectually
closes pipe A, and prevents the water running out or to waste. The valve being
above the level of the top plate of the cistern will fall and admit the air as soon as
the pressure upon it is relieved by a small quantity of the water being drawn off.
C represents a "man-hole," by preference placed in proximity to the chamber with
its contained valve for the purpose of cleansing when necessary.
Fig. 2 shows a sectional elevation of one of my cisterns or tanks adapted for
watercloset supply purposes, D being the induction and E the eduction pipe ; D
may be fitted with a check valve, as shown, to prevent the possibility of "back
flow" to the general cistern or other source of supply. To prevent waste of water,
should the handle of the watercloset be left up, I prefer to use an induction pipe of
smaller area than the eduction one; said induction pipe may be fitted with an
ordinary ball-cock or other arrangement, which must, however, act in exactly an
opposite manner from those now generally employed, namely, the float F on rising
must open instead of closing the induction pipe, said pipe by my arrangement never
being perfectly closed. To better explain the operation we suppose the cistern in
Fig. 2 to be empty, and the water gradually tricking in through the induction pipe,
the float F gradually rises admitting the water more rapidly. When the cistern is
full the float valve G rises to its seat, closing air-supply pipe H, and preventing the
egress of water through it. On the opening of pipe E the water immediately
rushes out in a much larger volume than it can possibly enter through the smaller
pipe D, the float F falls with the water and nearly closes the induction pipe, when
the automatic operation of filling the cistern is gradually repeated.
Fig. 3 represents one of the evident modifications of my improved cistern or tank,
and this form I prefer to use when large volumes of water are to be held for supply
or other purposes. The valve I in this case being placed at the base or bottom of
said cistern or tank, and being carried or floated upward to its seat by a float K, to "
which it is connected by a chain or other connecting device. It will be seen that
in this arrangement the cistern or tank has only to support upon its sides the
pressure of its contained water, the pressure from the main or other source of supply
being cut off at the entrance of the induction pipe to the cistern or tank. To
enable the cistern to be entirely filled I may expand the base of the air-supply
pipe L, as shown at A in Fig. 1, and thus permit the float K to rise up to or above

page_text: the level of the top plate of the cistern or tank before it closes valve I and cuts off.
the incurrent flow of water.
Preferably to the bottom of my cisterns or tanks I attach the feed pipe which is
connected with the main or other source of supply. This pipe may be of any con-
venient size or description, but I prefer to use generally a feed pipe fitted above the
main stop-cock M with a second or check valve N, which will prevent any "back
flow" of water from the cistern or tank should the supply from the main not be
continuous. By placing this valve N below the ordinary house cocks or taps the
feed pipe may also be used as the supply pipe of the house or building.
I have also found it advantageous at one point at least of this pipe, and preferably
above valve N, to place a screw or ferrule joint O, the advantages of the entire
arrangement being that the one pipe may be made to act not only for feed and
supply, but also for waste or cleansing purposes.
I do not intend to confine myself to the use of any particular shape or configu-
ration of cistern, or of valves, pipes, or cocks, as all these may be varied to meet
the requirements of economy or convenience; but what I consider new and original,
and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
-
First. The combination with a closed cistern or tank of a valve or valves, acting
as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination of a feed pipe with a valve for preventing the pressure
of the water from the main entering the cistern or tank.
Third. The combination of the feed pipe, as described, with a closed cistern or
tank, used as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Carter, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this 15th day of January, in the year of our Lord 1879..
TOWN CARTER
JOHN CARTER
(1.S.)