Improved Apparatus for Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
We, FREDERICK RAWLINGS, of 6, Lower Downs Road, Wimbledon, and JOHN
JOSEPH RAWLINGS and WILLIAM ROBERT RAWLINGS, both of 82, Gloucester Road,
South Kensington, Sanitary Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
In the automatic cisterns now in general use and in which syphons are used
the difficulty experienced is to prevent the water escaping from the cistern
before the same is as full as desired.
We accomplish this result by having a float or floats attached to or around a
syphon or hanging from pulleys fixed in convenient places over the syphon or
at the side of the cistern. One or more of such floats is connected by rods, wire
or cord or other suitable connections to a cup arrangement. When the water in
the cistern is ascending the float or floats lift up the cup which slides into two
air chambers. Between the air chambers a passage connecting with the syphon
is formed. The inner side of the air chamber furthest from the syphon is made
longer than the outside of such chamber in order to protect the air chambers
from getting full of water. When the cup has been raised by the floats into the
said air chambers the syphon is effectually sealed. If preferred one air chamber
can be formed around the end of the syphon in which case the cup when raised
would fit in such air chamber, and around the end of the syphon. Where the
cup is connected with the float or floats by a wire or cord the cup passing through
the pulleys is made to descend on the end of the syphon, effectually sealing the
same when operated by the floats. In all the above cases the floats are open at
the top, and when the cistern is as full of water as desirable the length of the
rods or wire or other connections with the cup is such that neither the floats nor
the cup go higher, and the floats thereupon begin to fill with water and to sink.
In sinking, the cups are also operated and slide out of the air chamber or from
the end of the syphon, and immediately the syphon is full of water and the
cistern begins to rapidly empty.
The said float or floats cannot sink to the bottom owing to the cup (with which
they are connected) also touching the bottom or a pin or other similar contri-
vance being placed at a convenient place on the side of the cistern or to the
syphon. In the float or each of the floats if more than one is a small syphon
which when the cistern has nearly emptied itself, the water in the float being
much higher than the water in the cistern, begins to operate the small syphon
and empty the float of water ready again to act as a float. If desired, the float
can be closed in at the top in which case the float must have a notch at the
side. Pivotted to the top of the rods attached to the cup must be small arms
having small ball floats at one end. When the water rises to the large float,
the latter begins to rise, and the opposite end of the said arm nearest the large
float is so constructed as to lock therewith, whereupon the cup by means of rods
is operated as in the other cases so as to seal the syphon as the water rises. When

page_text: the water in the cistern has risen to its desired height the small ball floats then
are lilted by the water, and the opposite end of the arms slip out of the notch
above mentioned, and the rods are thereupon free or unlocked and the cup slides
from the position it occupied when sealing the syphon. The apparatus can be
made of any metal and fastened to the cistern; in the case of lead by solder in
the usual way; if in iron by flanges and bolts.
Improved Apparatus for Automatic sing
We, FREDERICK RAWLINGS, of 6, Lower Downs Road, Wimbledon, and JOHN
JOSEPH RAWLINGS and WILLIAM ROBERT RAWLINGS, both of 82, Gloucester Road,
South Kensington, Sanitary Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly des-
cribed and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the automatic cisterns now in general use and in which syphons are used
the difficulty experienced is to prevent the water escaping from the cistern
before the same is as full as desired.
We accomplish this result by having a float or floats C attached to or around
a syphon G or hanging from pulleys fixed in convenient places over the syphon
or at the side of the cistern as I in Figure 2. One or more of such floats is
connected by rods wire or cord E or other suitable connections to a cup arrange-
ment A. When the water in the cistern is ascending, the float C lifts up the
cun A which slides into two air chambers B and B. Between the air cham-
bers B1 and B2 a passage connecting with the syphon G is formed. Figure 4
shews the position of the parts when the cistern is full of water immediately
prior to the floats C being filled with water and thereby sinking and operating
the syphon. When the water in the cistern falls below the float C one or more
small syphons D are operated and empty the float C of water ready for the next
operation. The same process takes place in a like manner in Figures 2 and 3
by means of the syphons D therein shewn. The inner side of the air-chamber B2
Figure 1 is made longer than the outside of such chamber in order to protect
both of the air chambers from getting full of water. When the cup A has been
raised by the floats C into the said air chambers B and B the syphon G is effec-
tually sealed. If preferred one air chamber can be formed around the end of
the syphon as B in Figure 3 in which case the cup A when raised would fit in
such air chamber and around the end of the syphon. Where the cup or air
chamber B Figure 2 is connected with the float or floats C by a wire or cord E
passing through the pulleys I the cup or air chamber B is made to descend on
the end of the syphon G effectually sealing the same.
Fig. 5 is a variation of Figure 1, the top of the floats in this case being sealed.
Pivotted to the top of the rods E at J are small arms having small floats (prefer-
ably ball floats) at one end and the opposite end K is so constructed as to lock
with the float C. When the water nas risen sufficiently to elevate the floats H
the rods E are thereby unlocked from the float C and in consequence the cup A
sinks and the syphon operates. In order to prevent the return of air up the
discharge pipe of the cistern it is necessary to have an off set in the said discharge
pipe as shewn in the drawings, or the said discharge pipe should be made of less

page_text: diameter than the portion of same within the cistern. We have found that it
is best to make such discharge pipe about one half the size of the portion within
the cistern.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
our claim is;-
1. A combination of floats connected with air cups arranged substantially in
the manner hereinbefore described for operating a syphon for automatic flushing
cisterns.
2. Floats for automatic flushing cisterns emptied by means of smaller syphons
as herein before more particularly described.
3. Sealed floats for an automatic flushing apparatus locked and released by
means of smaller floats as hereinbefore described.
L
1 1000
TURNER & Co.,
61, Carey Street, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.