Improvements in Flushing Apparatus of Water-closets.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flushing Apparatus of Water-closets.
I, JOHN SHANKS of Tubal Foundry Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of the
flushing apparatus, with the view to obtaining a more certain, quick, and reliable supply
of flushing water, and a better scouring action in the closet basin.
In carrying out my Invention I have the cistern made with a well or depressed
part, within and above which the siphonal parts are placed. A horizontal partition
forms the lower part of it into a shallow compartiment, and at the centre of the
partition there is fixed a central pipe with its bottom end projecting down below the
partition, and with its upper end which is flared or funnel-shaped extending to a
height above the level of the water in the cistern when full. The top of the
downlet pipe from the cistern to the closet projects up into the well compartment its
top edge being a little higher than the bottom edge of the central pipe. The well
compartment acts as a water trap and its area is so much in excess of that of the
downlet pipe that the siphonal action cannot clear it out but always leaves enough
water to seal the bottom of the central pipe. The central pipe is covered and enclosed
by a stationary bell or long inverted cup between which and the central pipe the
water of the cistern can pass freely when the siphonal action takes place. Covering
the stationary bell there is an outer movable bell which is raised when the closet
handle is drawn, this outer bell having its sides internally a very little larger than the
outside of the stationary bell. In the top of the inner stationary bell there is an air
valve which opens upwards when the outer bell is raised, the movement of the outer
bell drawing the air through the valve from the inner bell and thereby causing the
water to rise in the inner bell and start the siphonal action.
The closet basin is of either of the types known as "wash out" and "wash down."
The downlet pipe from the supply cistern communicates with a horizontal horn
or supply nozzle formed at the bottom of a pocket or chamber formed on or fixed to
the basin. The pocket extends from the supply nozzle up to the top of the basin and
there communicates with a fan or spreader of considerable width and made with the
ends open. The main flushing or scouring action takes place through a horizontal
slit or a horizontal row of two or more holes which are formed through the basin shell
directly in front of the inlet into the pocket so that the water passing through the slit
or holes has the full force due to its descent from the cistern. The slit or holes are
just beneath the level at which water is retained in the bottom of the basin, and it is
an advantage of the improved construction that the water-retaining part of the bottom
can be made deeper than in existing closet basins of the same class.
The pocket
continues full of water until the supply stops and then the water in it runs into the
basin to form the after flush or quantity to fill up the bottom of the basin.
Dated this Fourth day of April 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flushing Apparatus of Water-closets.
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Foundry, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, 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 ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of the
flushing apparatus of waterclosets, with the view of obtaining a more certain, quick,
and reliable supply of flushing water, and a better scouring action in the closet
basin.
In carrying out my Invention I employ improved siphonal apparatus in the water
supply cistern, and an improved construction of the water inlet parts of the closet
basin; and apparatus made with my improvements is shown on an accompanying
sheet of explanatory drawings.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a vertical section of the cistern and its siphonal
apparatus. Figure, 2, is a vertical section of the improved closet basin, figure, 3,
being a horizontal section of a part of the water inlet passages. Figure, 4, is a
vertical section of a slightly modified form of the closet basin. In these drawings
the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they
are repeated.
The cistern, 5, figure, 1, is made with a well or depressed part, 6, within and above
which the siphonal parts are placed. A horizontal partition, 7, forins the lower part
into a shallow compartment, 8; and upon below the partition, and with its upper
the partition, 7, there is fixed a central
pipe, 9, with its bottom end projecting
end, which is flared or funnel-shaped, extending to a height above the level of the
water in the cistern, when full. The top, 10, of the downlet pipe from the cistern to
the closet projects up into the well compartment, S, its top edge being a little higher
than the bottom edge of the central siphonal pipe, 9. The well compartment, 8, acts
as a water trap and its area is so much in excess of that of the downlet pipe, that the
siphonal action cannot clear it out, but always leaves enough water to seal the bottom
of the central pipe, 9.
The central siphonal pipe, 9, is covered and closed by a stationary bell or inverted
cup, 11, with openings at its bottom so that the water of the cistern can pass freely
between it and the central pipe, when the siphonal action takes place. Covering the
stationary bell, 11, there is an outer movable bell, 12, which is raised by means of a
forked lever, 13, acting on pins on opposite sides of the bell, when the closet handle
is drawn, this outer bell, 12, having its sides internally a very little larger than the
outside of the stationary bell 11. Or instead of the lever, 13, a counterweighted
lever may be used so as to raise the bell, 12, when the closet handle is let go. In the
top of the inner stationary bell, 11, there is an air valve, 14, which opens upwards
when the outer bell, 12, is raised, this movement of the outer bell drawing the air
through the valve, 14, from the inner bell, 11, and thereby causing the water to rise
in the inner bell and start the siphonal action.
The closet basin, 15, figure, 2, is shown as of the "wash out" type, but if pre-
ferred may be of the "wash down" type. The downlet pipe (10) from the supply
cistern, communicates with a horizontal horn or supply nozzle, 16, formed at or near
the bottom of a pocket, or chamber, 17, formed on or fixed to the basin, 15, and
shown in horizontal section in figure, 3. The pocket, 17, extends from the supply
nozzle, 16, up to the top of the closet basin, and there communicates with a fan or
spreader, 18, of considerable width, and with slits or separate perforations along its
bottom, its ends being made open or continued in an open bottomed rim, 19, round
the basin. The main flushing or scouring action takes place through a horizontal
slit, or a horizontal row of two or more holes, 20, (as seen in figure, 3) the slit
or holes being formed through the basin shell directly in front of the inlet nozzle, 16,
and so that the water passing through the slit or holes has the full force due to its

page_text: descent from the cistern. The position of the slit or holes, 20, is, by preference, just
beneath the level at which water is retained in the bottom of the basin, 15, and it is
an advantage of the improved construction that the water-retaining part of the bottom
can be made deeper than in existing closet basins of the same class. The
pocket, 17, continues full of water until the supply stops, and then the water in
it runs into the basin to form the after flush or quantity to fill up the bottom of
the basin.
Instead of the supply nozzle, 16, being exactly,horizontal as shown in figure, 2, it
may be inclined as shown in figure, 4, but still leading into the lower part of
the pocket, 17, and directing the main current of the water towards the slit or
holes, 20.
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 I
claim is :-
1. In water supply cisterns for waterclosets the improved combination of parts
forming the siphonal apparatus and consisting of a bottom water trap compartment of
large area, a central siphon pipe, a fixed bell covering the central pipe and having at
its top an air valve opening upwards, and an outer movable bell, all arranged and
operating substantially as herein before described.
2. Formning or fixing on a watercloset basin of the "wash out" or "wash down
type, a pocket communicating at its top with a fan or distributing spreader, and
having at its bottom which is of considerable width a horizontal slit or a horizontal
row of holes leading into the basin, whilst tbe inlet nozzle for the water is at the
outer lower part of the pocket, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of December 1889.
TRAMIND TTITAIR
HAN
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.