Improvements in Mechanism for Starting the Syphons of Flushing Cisterns.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Starting the Syphons of Flushing
Cisterns.
I, WALTER BROWN HARVEY DRAYSON, of Belle Isle, York Road, King's Cross,
London, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in starting mechanism employed in that
kind of syphon flushing cisterns in which the syphonic action is started by means
of a piston or plunger moving in a part of the short leg of the syphon which is
shaped as a segment of a circle. In starting mechanism of this kind as heretofore
constructed, so far as I am aware, the bearings for the axis on which the piston
or plunger is mounted are independent of the syphon itself, and consequently the
adjustment of the piston or plunger in relation to the segmental part of the syphon,
or of the segmental part of the syphon to the piston or plunger, so that the said
piston or plunger shall move freely and truly in the said segmental part of the
syphon is troublesome, and therefore somewhat costly to effect. The objects of
the present invention are to provide means whereby these adjustments can be more
readily and cheaply effected, to generally simplify and cheapen the construction of
the starting mechanism, and to make the whole apparatus work more smoothly
and truly than by the old methods.
For these purposes I construct the short leg of the syphon with the circular
segmental part either in one piece therewith or connected thereto in any suitable
way; and I form or fix the bearings for the axis of the piston or plunger on the
said segmental part or on the lower part of the short leg of the syphon so that the
piston or plunger can be fitted into the segmental part in which it is to work and
the axis of such piston or plunger into its bearings with much less difficulty than
when the bearings are attached to the cistern or to some other part independent
of and separate from the syphon. According to this invention the syphon with
its starting piston or plunger can all be fitted up complete independently of the
cistern, and when finished can be fixed therein by any suitable means.
I prefer to make the cistern intended to receive the syphon and starting
mechanism with a recess in the bottom to receive the segmental part of the short
leg of the syphon, so that the mouth of such segmental part may always stand
somewhat below the bottom of the cistern in order that the cistern may be quite
emptied at each action of the syphon.
The upper end of the segmental part of the short leg of the syphon is preferably
provided with an enlargement to allow the water to pass the piston or plunger
after the syphon has been started.
The weight of the piston or plunger may be counterbalanced by means of weights
mounted on the axis in the usual way, or by any other suitable means, or if pre-
ferred the piston or plunger may be provided with flexible and, in some cases,
elastic edges which yield and bend forward after the syphonic action is started
and allow the water to pass the piston. This bending of the flexible or elastic
edges of the piston or plunger is caused by the suction of the water in the long leg

page_text: of the syphon drawing the water past the piston; and such suction at same time
assists the forward movement of the piston or plunger and helps to make the move-
ment of the mechanism more silent than heretofore.
Dated this 15th day of Anvil 1807
W. B. H. DRAYSON,
Per W. H. Beck, Agent,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
Improvements in Mechanism for Starting the Syphons of Flushing
Cisterns.
I, WALTER BROWN HARVEY DRAYSON, of Belle Isle, York Road, King's Cross,
London, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in starting mechanism employed in
that kind of syphon flushing cisterns in which the syphonic action is started by
means of a piston or plunger moving in a part of the short leg of the syphon which
is shaped as a segment of a circle. In starting mechanism of this kind as hereto-
fore constructed, so far as I am aware, the bearings for the axis on which the
piston or plunger is mounted are independent of the syphon itself, and consequently
the adjustment of the piston or plunger in relation to the segmental part of the
syphon, or of the segmental part of the syphon to the piston or plunger, so that the
said piston or plunger shall move freely and truly in the said segmental part of the
syphon is troublesome, and therefore somewhat costly to effect. The objects of the
present invention are to provide means whereby these adjustments can be more readily
and cheaply effected, to generally simplify and cheapen the construction of the
starting mechanism, and to make the whole apparatus work more smoothly and
truly than by the old methods.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of part of a flushing cistern with my
improved syphon starting mechanism applied thereto, and Figure 2 is an end view
of the syphon and its starting mechanism removed from the flushing cistern, and
as seen when looking from left to right in Figure 1.
I construct the short leg A of the syphon with the circular segmental part. B
either in one piece therewith as shown in the drawings or connected thereto in
any suitable way; and I form or fix the bearings C for the axis D of the piston or
plunger E on the said segmental part, or on the lower part of the short leg A of
the syphon so that the piston or plunger E, which is connected to the axis D) by
means of the curved arm El in the usual way, can be fitted into the segmental
part B in which it is to work, and the axis D of such piston or plunger into
its bearings with much less difficulty than when the bearings are attached to the
cistern or to some other part independent of and separate from the syphon.
According to this invention the syphon with its starting piston or pluger can all
be fitted up complete independently of the cistern as shown in Figure 2, and when 4
finished can be fixed therein, as shown in Figure 1, by a flange F and screws G for
example, or by any other suitable means.
I prefer to make the cistern H intended to receive the syphon and starting
mechanism with a recess J in the bottom to receive the segmental part B of the
short leg A of the syphon, so that the mouth of such segmental part may always

page_text: stand somewhat below the bottom H' of the cistern H in order that the said cistern
may be quite emptied at each action of the syphon.
The upper end of the segmental part of the short leg of the syphon is preferably
provided with an enlargement K to allow the water to pass the piston or plunger E
after the syphon has been started, or if preferred the piston or plunger E may be
provided with flexible and, in some cases, elastic edges L which yield and bend
forward after the syphonic action is started and allow the water to pass the piston.
This bending of the flexible or elastic edges of the piston or plunger is caused by
the suction of the water in the long leg A¹ of the syphon drawing the water past
the piston; and such suction at same time assists the forward movement of the
piston or plunger and helps to make the movement of the mechanism more silent
than heretofore.
The weight of the piston or plunger E may be counter-balanced by means of a
weight M mounted on the axis 1) in the usual way, or by any other suitable means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. The improvement in mechanism for starting the syphons of flushing
cisterns of the kind herein referred to, which consists in so constructing and
arranging the syphon with its segmental part, the piston or plunger working in the
said segmental part, the axis carrying the said piston or plunger, and the bearings
for the said axis that the whole of the said parts can be fitted together and
adjusted to one another independently of the cistern in which they are to be fixed,
substantially as described.
Second. The improvement in mechanism for starting the syphons of flushing
cisterns of the kind herein referred to which consists in so constructing the
syphon and the cistern that when the said syphon is in place, in the cistern the
mouth of the segmental part of the syphon in which the starting piston or plunger
works stands below the bottom of the cistern, substantially as described, and for the
purpose specified.
Third. The improvement in mechanism for starting the syphons of flushing
cisterns of the kind herein referred to, which consists in forming or fixing the
bearings for the axis of the piston or plunger on the segmental or lower part of
the short leg of the syphon, substantially as described.
Fourth. In mechanism for starting the syphons of flushing cisterns of the kind
herein referred to, constructing the starting pistons or plungers with flexible,
elastic or yielding edges, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 17th lo
1000
W. B. H. DRAYSON;
Per W. H. Beck, Agent,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
W. B. H. DRAYSON;
Per W. H. Beck, Agent,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.