IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VALVES AND APPARATUS CON- NECTED WITH WATER CLOSETS, CERTAIN PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS COCKS OR VALVES FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hartley Higginbottom, Clerk of Works to the
Local Board of Health, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the County of Leicester,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VALVES AND APPARATUS CON-
NECTED WITH WATER CLOSETS, CERTAIN PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS
COCKS OR VALVES FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
County of Leicester,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VALVES AND APPARATUS CON-
NECTED WITH WATER CLOSETS, CERTAIN PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS
COCKS OR VALVES FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 3rd November 1854, and dated the 6th May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hartley Higgin-
bottom at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th May 1854.
I, JOHN HARTLEY HIGGINBOTTOM, Clerk of Works to the Local Board of
Health, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the County of Leicester, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VALVES AND APPARATUS
CONNECTED WITH WATER CLOSETS, CERTAIN PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS
COCKS OR VALVES FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved constructions of cocks and valves,
applicable to water closets, and other purposes where valves are required, and
to an improved form of pan, and consists of an improved form of sluice
valve, with ground metal faces, the diaphragm being kept pressed against the
face of the valve by the pressure of the water; it is attached loosely to the
actuating spindle, which passes through a stuffing box on the shell of the valve.
This valve is applicable to water closets and other purposes, such as for
running off oil or treacle.

page_text: Another portion of the Invention consists of a self-acting ball valve,
applicable to the service boxes of water closets, to prevent it overflowing.
This valve consists of a hollow ball attached to a tubular spindle, which works
through a nut in the top of the service box. A slot or lateral opening is
made near the bottom of the spindle, in order to allow the air to enter and
escape from the service box. An aperture is formed in the bottom of the ball,
to admit air therein and equalise the pressure outside and inside, and prevent
it from bursting in frosty weather. The improved pán is composed of
earthenware, and is formed with a syphon trap; the flushing water is admitted
all round the top of the pan, a lip being formed thereon for that purpose,
such lip being turned inside to form a species of tube or water duct
the under side; by this means the water is more effectually distributed over the
surface of the pan. The main objects attained.-by this improved pan are
facility of fixing and cheapness of construction.
open at
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hartley Higginbottom in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th November 1854....
14
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HARTLEY HIGGINBOTTOM, Clerk of Works to the Local Board of Health,
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the County of Leicester, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and, grant unto me, the said
John Hartley Higginbottom, Her special license that. I, the said John Hartley
Higginbottom, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Hartley Higginbottom, my executors, administrators, or 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 VALVES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH WATER CLOSETS;
CERTAIN PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS COCKS OR VALVES FOR OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hartley
Higginbottom, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,

page_text: 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 John Hartley Higginbottom, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 accompanying Drawings and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to certain improved constructions of cocks and
valves applicable to water closets and other purposes where valves are
required, and to an improved form of pan, and consists of an improved form
of sluice valve with ground metal faces, the diaphragm being kept pressed
against the face of the valve by the pressure of the water; it is attached
loosely to the actuating spindle, which passes through a stuffing box on the
shell of the valve or -cylinder, the actuating spindle having a cup of leather
thereon, which causes it to be self-opening. This valve is applicable to water
closets and other purposes, for main cocks, for gas; or for running off oil or
treacle.
:
2
Another portion of the Invention consists of a 'self-acting ball valve,
applicable to the service boxes of water closets, to prevent them overflowing.
This valve is also applicable for house service cocks. It consists of a hollow ball.
attached to a vertical tubular spindle, which works through a nut in the top of
the service box; a slot or lateral opening is made near the bottom of the spindle,
in order to allow the air to enter and escape from the service box; an aperture
is formed in the bottom of the ball, to admit air therein, and equalise the
pressure outside and inside, and so prevent it from bursting in frosty weather.
The improved pan is composed of earthenware, and is formed with a syphon
trap; the flushing water is admitted all round the top of the pan, a lip-being
formed thereon for that purpose, such lip being turned inside to form a species
of tube or water duct, open at the under side; by this means the water is
more effectually distributed over the surface of the pan. The main objects
attained this improved pan are greater facility of fixing, cheapness of con-
struction, and a better flushing action.
.
And in order that my said Invention may be more readily understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a front per-
spective view of the woodwork and exterior of a water closet seat; Figure 2.
.

page_text: is a side elevation of the same, with a portion of the woodwork removed, to
show the pan and position of the valves; Figures 3 and 4 are elevations of
the service boxes, the one representing a box fixed directly over the pan, and
the other is a box for the angle of a closet room, when not convenient to be
fixed elsewhere; Figures 5 and 6 represent respectively a front and side
elevation of the service box, with a portion broken away to show my improved
ball valve inside; Figure 7 is a full-sized detail of this ball valve; Figure 8
is a vertical section of the improved siphon pan; Figure 9 is a full-sized
elevation of my improved sluice valve for water closets; and Figure 10 is a
corresponding section of the same. This closet is one of the self-acting class, the
seat being made moveable. The service box A may either be placed directly
over the pan, as at Figure 3, in which case the main pipe B will descend at the
centre of the back of the seat. Should the service box be placed in an angle
of the closet chamber; as in Figure 4, the service pipe will descend at the.
corner of the seat, as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 1. The service box.
is furnished with a ball valve of a peculiar construction; the position of this
valve in the box is shewn in the Figures 5 and 6, and its construction will be:
readily understood on referring to the full-sized sectional detail, Figure 7. It
consists of a hollow copper or other metal ball float C, which is fitted on to:
the bottom of the tubular brass spindle D; the spindle is dotted at E, to admit
air into the service box when the water is out, and valve down in the position
shown. An india-rubber washer F is fitted into a suitable seating in the
bottom of the spindle, and when the water flows into the box from the main,
the ball rises and gradually stops the air aperture, by bringing the slots E
inside the nut G; thus, by preventing any further escape of air from the box,'
the entrance of the water therein will be stopped, and overflow prevented, by.
the india-rubber washer coming in close contact with the lower extremity of the
nut G. This nut is screwed on to the cover H of the box, and not only forms
an air-tight joint or stuffing box for the spindle to pass through, being lined with.
india-rubber or other suitable material, but serves to hold the ball up when
the box is empty, a shoulder or lip being brazed or cast in one piece on to the
top of the spindle for that purpose. An aperture I is made in the under side
of the ball, to admit of an equal pressure of air and water, both inside and
outside the ball, thereby preventing it bursting in frosty weather. J is a
sluice valve, shewn full size in Figures 9 and 10, which allows the water to
flow into the pan J' from the service box; and K is a cock, which on being
opened admits the water from the main by the pipe L to the service box; the
diaphragm M of the sluice valve is attached loosely to the spindle N, by a-pin
or stud O in the diaphragm, passing through an eye in the end of the spindle,

page_text: the pressure of the water keeping it hard up against the face of the seating
when closed, thereby forming a water tight joint. The spindle passes through
a stuffing box P, which is fitted with india-rubber or other suitable packing.
The syphon pan J', which is of earthenware, is more convenient to be fixed,
and may be made cheaper than any other, and is also a more efficient siphon
trap. A lip is formed round the upper edge of the pan communicating
with the flushing pipe R, by which means an efficient flushing action will be
obtained. The action of the valves J and K is as follows:-When the seat
of the closet is depressed, the sluice valve J is made to close by the aid of a
weighted lever connected to the moveable seat. This portion of the apparatus
is not shewn in the Drawings, as I do not confine myself to any particular
mechanical arrangement for actuating the valves. The closing of the valve J
simultaneously opens the cock K, which may also be connected with the lever
which actuates the sluice valve. A flow of water from the main pipe takes
place up the pipe L into the service box; when this box is full up to the ball
the valve is closed, by the india-rubber washer F. being brought in close
contact with the under side of the nut G, and thus an overflow is pre-
vented on the seat of the closet being released of its pressure; the supply cock
K is shut off by the action of a counter weight on the actuating lever, and the
sluice valve J is opened, allowing a rush of water to enter the pan. This
latter valve may be so arranged as to open at any given time following after
the other one K is closed, thereby preventing the paper being left in the
pan, which in ordinary self-acting closets is generally the case.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe or refer to; but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the peculiar construction and arrangement of ball valve for the
service boxes of water closets and other sanitary purposes, as herein-before
described.
Second, the application and use of the sluice valve, herein-before described,
in water closets, and for other sanitary purposes.
Third, the peculiar arrangement of valves J and K in the closet, and the
system of working them in conjunction with each other, as herein-before
described.

page_text: Fourth, the application and use of the pan herein-before described and
illustrated in the Sheet of Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hartley Higginbottom, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four.