IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING WATERCLOSETS, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonas Nichols, of St. Mary Street, Southampton,
Hants, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
VENTILATING WATERCLOSETS, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE
TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
Sealed the 28th March 1873, and.dated the 18th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonas Nichols at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th January 1873.
I, JONAS NICHOLS, of St. Mary Street, Southampton, Hants,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING WATERCLOSETS, A PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
'
.
My Invention relates to a simple, effective, and economical means of
ventilating waterclosets, whereby the noxious gases arising therefrom

page_text: are conducted into an adjacent chimney flue, or into the external
atmosphere.
According to my Invention I fit round the upper edge or flange of
the pan or basin of waterclosets a copper or other suitable metal ring of
a trough-like section provided with a suitable lip or flange for the
purpose of securing it to the pan or basin. This metal ring terminates
at one portion thereof in a tube to which like pipes are connected, into
which the noxious gases from the closet are caused to enter and
are by them conducted into an adjacent chimney or into the external
atmosphere.
India-rubber or other suitable packing rings are interposed between
the metal flange of the ring and the pan or basin of the closet, and
between the metal ring and the scat of the closet, so as to prevent any
escape of the noxious gases between the seat and the closet pan.
The lid or cover of the closet is fitted on its under side with a valve
provided with a packing of india-rubber, which when the lid is closed
fits tightly to the hole in the closet seat, and is held firmly therein by a
peculiar spring catch or fastening herein-after described. The noxious
gases arising from the closet when the lid or cover is closed enter the
trough shaped ring before referred to, and are thence conducted by the
tubes or pipes connected therewith into an adjacent chimney flue, or
direct into the external atmosphere, as most convenient.
The spring catch or fastening before referred to consists of a lever
handle jointed to a metal frame or well let into the lid or cover of the
closet, which handle when out of use lies in the frame or well so as not
to project above the surface of the lid. When it is desired to raise the
lid of the closet the handle which forms the long arm of a lever is
raised, causing the lower cnd or short arm of the lever to bear against
and force back a spring catch, so as to release it from a metal flange or
projection let into the seat of the closet, and with which when the lid is
closed it engages and holds the lid securely down, thereby preventing
any escape of the noxious gases into the apartment in which the closet
is fitted.
The fastening above described is equally applicable to the securing of

page_text: The above described appliances may be easily fitted to existing water-
closets without in any way interfering with their general arrangement
or appearance.
pan
In lieu of fitting a metal ring to the pan of the closet as before
described, an annular recess may be formed around the upper edge of
the itself with an arm outlet, and a pipe or pipes connected thereto
for conducting the noxious gases away as herein-before described, a
packing ring of india-rubber being interposed between the top of the
pan and the seat of the closet to prevent the escape of the gases.