Improvements in Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
I, JOHN JAMES MARSLAND, Chief Assistant in the Firm of Messrs. Richardson
and Cruddas, Engineers &c., of the Byculla Ironworks, Byculla, Bombay, India,
and residing at Pareli Road, Byculla, Bombay, India, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in automatic flushing cisterns and has for
object the construction of a siphon for the intermittent discharge of the water in
the cistern when the level thereof reaches a given point, the action of the siphon
being thereupon antomatically started. The improved cisterns may be employed
for the purpose of the automatic cleansing of drains, water-closets, urinals and other
like sanitary apparatus.
According to my invention I arrange within a tank or cistern supplied by a slow
flow of water, a siphon of which the longer limb is oval in section and is extended
downward into a small chamber below the cistern, where its extremity dips into
water for about a quarter of an inch; a sufficient quantity of water being retained
in this small chamber by means of a weir or screen interposed between the said
chamber and the discharge pipe. The lower edge of the discharge pipe where it
connects with the small chamber, is arranged at a level slightly above the lower
end of the longer limb of the siphon.
The shorter limb of the siphon, which surrounds the portion of the longer limb
within the cistern, is likewise formed by an oval pipe, rounded or dished at the
upper part where it extends above the level of the mouth of the longer limb, an
annular space being thus formed between the longer and the shorter limbs, wherein
the water rises to the top of the long limb.
Within the mouth of the longer limb of the siphon I form a conical adjutage or
inverted cone of oval shape, the rim of the oval being slightly lower at the ends of
the minor-than of the major axis, and having also a slope towards the centre of
the siphon. This conical adjutage has openings in the form of louvres or Venetian
shutters made in its sides.
The siphon will discharge the contents of the chamber upon the water over-
lapping the rim of the adjutage even to the smallest degree, since, by means of
the louvres or venetians the drops accumulate, thereby wetting both the inside and
outside of the adjutage, until they coalesce at the bottom of the adjutage by
gravitation, and by reason of the peculiar forination of this inlet they are theu
dropped down the centre of the siphon without touching the sides of the same.
Or, by slightly. altering the shape of the shorter limb or cover and attaching a
lever and chain thereto, the siphon may be arranged to act as a "pull-off" one, in
which case by pulling the chain the lever will be caused to lift the shorter limb
which in rising raises a small quantity of water and this flowing over the adjutage
starts the action of the siphon as explained below.
The action of the siphon is as follows:-The water supplied to the cistern rises
gradually under the shorter limb until it reaches the parts of the oval rim of
the adjutage which are slightly lower than the remainder, as previously described,
where it overlaps and drops pass in and out of the louvres or Venetian openings,
and unite at the bottom of the adjutage, whence they drop perpendicularly down
the centre of the siphon into the water in the pipe, and thus produce the required

page_text: vacuum. Then the water rises in the shorter limb, expelling the air before it,
and eventually forms a complete vacuum, whereby the siphon is brought into
action and discharges the contents of the tank with great force. The siphon is
made of oval section so that the adjutage may not interfere with the free rush of
the water through the siphon when it is discharging.
Dated this Ninth day of January 1896.
Improvements in Automatic Flushing Cisterns.
1, JOHN JAMES MARSLAND, Chief Assistant in the Firm of Messrs. Richardson
and Cruddas, Engineers &c., of the Byculla Ironworks, Byculla, Bombay, India,
and residing at Parell Road, Byculla, Bombay, India, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in automatic flushing cisterns, and has for
object the construction of a siphon for the intermittent discharge of the water in
the cistern when the level thereof reaches a given point, the action of the siphon
being thereupon automatically started. The improved cisterns may be employed
for the purpose of the automatic cleansing of drains, water-closets, urinals and
other like sanitary apparatus.
In order that my invention may be better understood, reference is had to the
accompanying drawings illustrating my invention;
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an automatic flushing cistern constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 2 being a horizontal section of the siphon and adjutage.
In carrying out my invention I arrange within a tank or cistern A supplied by a
slow flow of water, a siphon of which the longer limb B is oval in section and is
extended downward into a small chamber C below the cistern A, where its extremity
dips into water for about a quarter of an inch; a sufficient quantity of water being
retained in the small chamber C by means of a weir or screen D interposed between
the chamber and the discharge pipe E. The lower edge of the discharge pipe E
where it connects with the small chamber C, is arranged at a level slightly above
the lower end of the longer limb B of the siphon.
The shorter limb F of the siphon, which surrounds the portion of the longer
limb B within the cistern A is likewise formed by au oval pipe,-rounded or
dished at the upper part where it extends above the level of the mouth of the
longer limb B, an annular space G being thus formed between the longer and the
shorter limbs, wherein the water rises to the top of the long limb B.
Within the mouth of the longer limb B of the siphon, I form a conical adjutage H
or inverted cone of oval shape, the rim a of the oval being slightly lower at the
ends of the major-than of the minor axis as shewn, and having also a slope towards
the centre of the siphon.
This conical adjutage H has openings I in the form of louvres or Venetian shutters
made in its sides, as illustrated on Fig. 1, for the purpose of assisting and starting
the action of the siphon as explained below.
The siphon constructed as above described will discharge the contents of the
cistern upon the water overlapping the rim of the adjutage H even to the
smallest degree, since by means of the louvre openings or venetians I the drops
are caused to accumulate-thus wetting both the inside and outside of the
adjutage H, until they coalesce at the bottom thereof by gravitation, and by

page_text: reason of the peculiar formation of the conical inlet, they are dropped down the
centre of the siphon without touching the sides of the same.
Or, by slightly altering the shape of the shorter limb or cover, and attaching
a lever and chain thereto, the siphon may be arranged to act as a "pull-off"
one, in which case by pulling the chain the lever will be caused to lift the
shorter limb, which in rising raises a small quantity of water, and this, flowing-
over the adjutage, starts the action of the siphon as explained below.
The action of the siphon is as follows:-The water supplied to the cistern A.
rises gradually under the shorter limb F until it reaches the parts of the oval
rim of the adjutage H which are slightly lower than the remainder, as previously
described, where it overlaps, and drops passing down are arrested by the inner
projecting edges of the louvres I, whence they flow not only through the
openings thus formed but also down the inclined faces of the projections, uniting
at the bottom of the adjutage H, from which they afterwards drop perpen-
dicularly down the centre of the siphon into the water in the pipe, and thus produce
the required vacuum. Then the water rises in the shorter limb F expelling the
air before it, and eventually forms a complete vacuum, whereby the siphon is.
brought into action and discharges the contents of the tank or cistern with great
force. The siphon is made of oval section so that the adjutage may not interfere
with the free rush of the water through the siphon when it is discharging.
. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a flushing siphon, au adjutage H provided with louvres or Venetian.
openings I, as and for the purposes described.
2. In a flushing siphon, forming the siphon limbs B and F, with an oval section,.
for the purpose and as described.
3. An automatic or other flushing siphon cistern constructed, combined, and.
arranged as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this Twentieth day of March 1896.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents..