Improvements in Waterclosets and Means for Disinfecting the same.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Waterclosets and Means for Disinfecting
the same.
I DETLER DIETRICH LENSCH, Manufacturer, of Hannover, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, and German Empire 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 :-
This invention relates to means whereby the lid or flap or closing device for the
seat of a water closet is raised on the person using the same standing or stepping
upon a treadle arrangement and to a slide operating a locking device for keeping the
same in position during the use of the said closet; also to means, for disinfecting after
use, contained in or upon the aforesaid lid, flap or closing device.
The constructing of the closet is shown on the accompanying Drawings in which
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively an elevation and plan; Figs. 3 and 5 show the parts to
the right and left of the closet hopper shown in plan in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows the
flushing devices and the operation of this latter from the treadle is shown in the
diagram Fig. 10.
Fig. 11 shows the motion of the valves for the closet-hopper. Fig. 9 is a section
through the glycerine-pump which serves for regulating the movements of the valve
and for regulating the quantity of water for the flush.
Figs. 7, 7 and 8 show by one horizontal and two vertical sections the arrangement
of the disinfecting device upon the valve k.
Figs. 12 to 16 show another disinfecting arrangement, Fig. 12 being a plan, the
top of the disinfecting box being removed-Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through
the lid of the closet and the disinfecting arrangement-Fig. 14 is a rear view-
Figs. 15 and 16 are transverse sections through the box for the disinfecting powder.
The closet is arranged in the following manner :-
The front of the box or shell a, a¹ of the closet, which box is composed of wooden
boards and sufficiently stayed by angle irons e. f and f¹, there is a pedal or treadle b
fixed upon angle irons c-The latter have at a bearings in the angle irons e in such
manner that the treadle is free to move up and down.

page_text: The upper flap, valve, or lid of the closet-pan or hopper is capable of turning upon
a rod or bar by hinges i at the rear and its rotation is caused by the movements of
the treadle for which purpose links h are inserted between the flat bars g and g¹ firmly
rivotted to the angle irons c and the hinges i.
C
By reference to Figs. 3 and 11 it will be seen that when treadle & descends by
reason of a person stepping upon it, the parts i and pass into the position h¹¹
shown in dotted lines so that the lid k, will thereby be brought into the perpendicular
position ¹. A counterweight d connected with the iron c causes the lid k to close
automatically after the closet has been used. The centre of motion of the weighted
lever n is in the iron f, see Figs. 4 and 5.
The distance between the scat surface a and the treadle is fixed and therefore not
suited to all persons using the closet.
Now in order to maintain the lid k in its perpendicular position whilst the closet is
being used, even if no pressure is exerted by the feet upon the treadle b, a slide o is,
by a connecting rod p connected with the bar c.
This slide o projects to a certain extent from the seat surface when the closet is not
in uso The slide o participates in the movements of the treadle and when the closet
is in use it projects from the seat surface by a few millimetres only-In this position
the slide is retained by the pressure of the thighs of the person seated upon the seat a
and this prevents the lid & being inclined forward.
The valve m pivoted below the hopper of the closet, see Fig. 11 is also operated by
the bars 9 and that in such a manner that it assumes the horizontal position m' closing
the hopper from below, only when the closet is being used. To this end the
connection is placed between the bar g and the lever n upon the pivot of the
valve.
Now in order to prevent the filling of the chamber containing the closet with the
ill-smelling gases contained by the hopper, the hopper or pan is so screwed to the
seat a as to be air tight and a rubber tube inserted in the valve k makes a hermetic
joint between the lid k and the seat a.
The casing u inserted in the lid k, and the parts belonging thereto (see Figs. 7, 7*
and 8) serves for receiving the disinfecting powder.
The disinfection of the hopper is effected by the movement of the lid k itself in the
following manner :-
ޑ
In the rear portion of the casing u, tightly closed by a lid, is placed an inclined
plate. In this plate there is an aperture by which the disinfecting powder passes to
the tube and from the latter to the hopper or pan. The size of the aperture in the
inclined plate can be regulated by means of a slide which is actuated by a thumb-
screw w passing through the sides of the casing, and this determines the quantity of
disinfectant used. As the disinfectant absorbs moisture with avidity and may receive
this by the flush of the closet any cohesion into lumps of the powder particles must
be sought to be prevented by causing the powder particles to be displaced relatively
to one another in the box or casing. For this purpose the disinfecting device is con-
structed in the following manner. On the outer end of a lever à journalled on the
bottom of the box u a ball is mounted and with the lever λ two hars or rods λ²X²
are connected which engage with two double levers n having bearings in journals π.
Now when lid k is by the movement of treadle b brought into perpendicular position,
the ball will by reason of its weight move in the direction of the arrow shewn in
Fig. 7, the lever A assumes the position shown in dotted lines and at the same
time the double levers n actuated by the rods turn on the pivots in the direction of
the arrows in Fig. 8 and the shovel-like shape of these levers n causes the requisite
turning over of the powder and they will also push a portion of the powder towards
the aperture in the inclined plate. When the lid k descends the ball & and all the
other portions re-assume their normal position in the casing or box.
S
The flushing device (see Figs. 6 and 10) consists of the following parts:
The connecting rod p an angle lever is connected by means of the bar 9. The
centre of motion of the lever is on the front a¹ of the closet shell. Upon the latter
is also placed the spindle upon which works a weighted lever t.
When the treadle

page_text: moves up or down the lever t is raised and lowered by means of the lever with
which it is connected by a links this allowing the flushing water to reach the closet-
hopper through the pipe v, valve u and pipe to. The amount of water admitted
varies according to the greater or less speed with which the pedal moves and this is
regulated by a glycerine pump coupled with the bar o and attached to the front a¹ of
the closet-casing the construction of said pump appearing in Fig. 9. The lever t is
guided in a loop or bracket .
To allow ready access to all the parts of the closet a large aperture is left in the
front a', of the closet shell which as a rule is kept closed by a flap.
According to the modification shown in Figs. 12-16 a box 1 is inserted into the
lid k. This box serves as the reservoir for the disinfecting powder and is at 2
furnished with an aperture capable of being entirely or partially closed or opened by .
a slide arrangement. This slide arrangement consists in a disc 3 mounted upon a
lever 4 connected with a lever 5. The lever 5 engages with a notch 6 of the rod 7
within the box 1 so that the lever 5 may open or close the aperturo 2-Within the
box 1 for the disinfectant a double shovel or stirrer 9 is provided and it is connected
with the screw 8. The screw 8 has one bearing in the funnel 10 and the other at 11.
Over the screw passes an arm 12 pivoted at 13 in a forked piece 14. The forked
piece 14 lies behind the point of rotation 15 of the lid, the latter is fitted with rubber
rings 16 for the purpose of making a tight joint. When the lid opens the slot 17 in
the arm 12 engaging with the screw causes the latter to rotate thereby causing
rotation of the double shovel within the box for the disinfectant. The disinfectant
contained in the latter is by this means stirred up and poured through the funnel 10
into the closet. The quantity of disinfectant poured in varies with the size of the
aperture 2, or with the extent to which this is covered up. The double shovel 9 has
the advantage that the same passes the disinfectant through the aperture 2 even should
the same have attracted some moisture. To prevent the disinfectant passing through
the funnel 10 upon the lid the screw 8 has a thread at 18 engaging with a corre-
sponding female thread in the funnel 10 so that no disinfecting powder can fall upon
the lid k.
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 a water closet the employment of a slide such as o connected to and operated
by a treadle such as whereby the falling down of the lid k during the use of the
closet is prevented, in combination with the disinfecting mechanism provided in the
casing a on the lid and consisting in the lever with the balls, the rod λ and the
shovel-like double levers n the action of which can be regulated by the slide & and
thumb screw w substantially as described.
E
2. In a water closet, the modification of the disinfecting mechanism before
described in which the lid is opened and closed and the double stirrer 9 rotated in the
box to deliver the disinfectant through the adjustable opening 2 into the closet
substantially as described.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting my improved
water closet and combined disinfectant supplier substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated thin 0th Jan of Man. 1000
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.