Improvements (in and connected with the Flushing of Water Closets.
Year: 1893

page_text: The decision of the Chief Examiner, acting on behalf of the Comptroller, of the
13th day of March 1895, allowed, under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883,
an Amendment of this Specification.
Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct.. 1893-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements (in and connected with the Flushing of Water Closets.
I, JOHN MERRILL of Albany Road, Sheffield in the County of York,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:
--
My invention has for its object to provide separate closets automatically flushed
in a similar manner to trough closets, and well adapted for barracks and like
places.
I fix basins of any convenient shape on the top of and opening into a drain pipe
which I call the foot pipe, and I connect the inlets of basins by means of pipes to
an automatic flushing tank.
I do not carry any part of the flush to the end of foot pipe, but bring the whole
flush into the basins by means of the inlets. By this arrangement I get the whole
service of the flush to scour the basins, whereas if I took any part of the flush
direct to the foot pipe such water would be wasted so far as the basins are
concerned.
In order to effectually draw off the contents of the basins and foot pipe I utilize
the well known property of a trap to syphon itself out..
To do this I place at the outlet end of the foot pipe a trap consisting of a simple
upward bend which serves to keep the necessary water in the foot pipe and basins,
it being also bent over at its outlet end so as to act as the bend and short leg of the
syphon when the flush takes place.
I connect this trap to a vertical pipe of special construction which forms the long
leg. This pipe is made taper, the narrow and lower end being the outlet, and
being trapped in any convenient manner, the wider end being at the top. Inside
this wider end is placed or made the socket to receive the bent end of the short leg,
and this socket acts as a lip and throws the flush clear of the sides of the long leg,
and into the middle of the trap at outlet. The water thus falling clear of the side
carries the air with it through the trap, forming a partial vacuum in the short leg
thus rapidly and completely charging the syphon.
It should be understood that where water from the bend of syphon is allowed to
run down the side of long leg, there is always danger of partial syphonage being
set up. When the flush takes place the contents of the foot pipe and basins are
drawn rapidly out, and the water level of the basins and foot pipe lowered.
Consequently the action of the syphon would be quickly stopped by air being
drawn in at inlet of short leg if means were not taken to prevent this.
I therefore interpose between the foot pipe and outlet, a simple syphon trap, or
other convenient trap, and this remaius full until the foot pipe is emptied. In
order to retain the amount of water required to remain in the basins and foot pipe
without using after-flush chambers, (which only allow the after-flush to dribble into

page_text: without scouring the basins,) I connect an air pipe to the top of the outlet syphon
bend carrying it over the top edge of the flush tank and down a certain depth into
the inside.
When the flush tank is filled this air pipe is sealed by the water and consequently
it does not prevent the outlet syphon from acting, but when the flush takes place
and the water lowers, this air-pipe becomes unsealed, air is let into the outlet
syphon and destroys the syphonage.
The remainder of the water in cistern below the end of air pipe, goes to fill up
the basins and foot pipe to the required level.
The same principle may be applied to single closets whether flushed by hand or
automatically.
Dated the 6th day of January 1893.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and connected with the Flushing of Water Closets.
I, JOHN MERRILL of Albany Road, Sheffield in the County of York,
Manufacturer, 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 has for its object to provide separate closets automatically flushed
in a similar manner to trough closets, and well adapted for barracks, and like
places.
The annexed sheet of drawings clearly illustrates my invention.
I fix basins B, of any convenient shape on the top of and opening into a drain
pipe which I call the foot-pipe F. P, and I connect the inlets I, of basins B, by
means of pipes P, to an automatic or other flushing tank or cistern C.
I do not carry any of the flush to the end E, of foot pipe, but bring the whole
flush into the basins by means of the inlets I. By this arrangement I get the
whole service of the flush to scour the basins, whereas if I took any part of the
flush direct to the foot pipe such water would be wasted so far as the basins are
concerned.
In order to effectually draw off the contents of the basins B, and foot pipe F P,
1 utilize the well known property of a trap to syphon itself out.
To do this place at the outlet end of the foot pipe a trap T, consisting of a
simple upward bend which serves to keep the necessary water in the foot pipe and
basins as shown; it being also bent over at its outlet end so as to act as the bend
and short leg of a syphon when the flush takes place.
I connect this trap to a vertical pipe V P, of special construction which forms the
long leg. This pipe is made taper, the narrow and lower end being the outlet, and
being trapped in any convenient manner, the wider end being at the top. Inside
the wider end is a socket S, to receive the bent end of the short leg of T, and this
socket acts as a lip and throws the flush clear of the sides of the vertical pipe or
long leg, and into the middle of the trap T2, at outlet. The water thus falling
clear of the side carries the air with it through the trap T2, forming a partial
vacuum in the short leg and thus rapidly and completely charging the syphon.
With reference to the above it should be understood that where water from the
bend of syphon is allowed to run down the side of long leg, there is always danger
of partial syphonage being set up.
When the flush takes place the contents of the foot pipe F P, and basins B, are
drawn rapidly out, and the water level of the basins and foot pipe lowered.
Consequently the action of the syphon would be quickly stopped by air being

page_text: drawn in at inlet of short leg, if means were not taken to prevent this. I
therefore interpose between the foot pipe and outlet a simple syphon trap T, or
other convenient trap and this remains full until the foot pipe is emptied.
In order to retain the amount of water required to remain in the basins B, and
foot pipe F P, without using after-flush chambers, (which only allow the after-flush
to dribble into without "scouring '
"the basins,) connect an air pipe A P, to the
outlet syphon carrying it over the top edge of the flush tank C, and down a certain
depth inside below water level.
When the flush tank C, is filled, this air pipe A P, is sealed by the water and
consequently it does not prevent the outlet syphon from acting, but when the flush
takes place and the water lowers, this air-pipe eventuaily becomes unsealed, air is
let into the outlet syphon and destroys the syphonage.
The flush tank still continuing to act and the remainder of the water in the
cistern below the end of air pipe is utilised in filling up the basins and foot pipe to
the required level.
The same principle may be applied to single closets whether flushed by hand or
automatically.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is-
1. In connection-with-the flushing of water closets, a syphon trap-at-the-outlet
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.