Improvements in Flushing Tanks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1898
Improvements in Flushing Tanks.
I, VICTOR FRANÇOIS, Manufacturer of Sanitary Appliances, 5, Rue du
Trésor, Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved flushing tank characterised by its extremo
simplicity and by the suppression of the noise produced by the siphonic action
in flushing tanks as hitherto devised.
The principle of my improved flushing tank is based upon the employment of one
or more movable or floatable obturators, preferably spherical in shape, which allow or
intercept the flow of water from the tank and also, at times, the inlet of feed water
to the said tank.
In the annexed drawing, I have shown, by way of examples, two different
constructions of my improved tank, but it is to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the same.
Fig. 1 shows in section a first construction in which a float is not made
use of.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line A-B of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, with the parts shown at the time the ball
is leaving its seat and opens the outlet.
Fig. 4 shows in section a second construction in which a float is made use of and
which is more particularly intended for open tanks.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the device for regulating the ball
cock.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a is the tank which, in this instance, is closed.
b is the water feed-pipe which should always be smaller in diameter than the
diameter of the outlet c. d is a ball of any suitable material, but of less density
than the liquid in which it is immersed, in order that it may float. Its diameter
exceeds that of the outlet pipe c, against the top end a¹ of which it is seated in
order to intercept the flow of water from the tank. e is a reversed disk-shaped
valve provided at its upper face with a central-stem el, the length of which is
sufficient for causing the said stem, when the valve e is pressed against its seat f,
Lo raise the ball d above the seat a¹. g is the chamber or casing for the valve e.
lg g are abutments for limiting the stroke of the valve e. h is a lever pivotted
watertight on an axis h* in the casing g, and acting to raise the valve e. At the free
end of the lever h is a hole h¹ for connecting a chain or other pull device of any
approved kind.
The operation is as follows. Assuming the tank a to be substantially full of
vater, as shown in Fig. 1, a pull is exerted downwardly upon the lever h, whereby,
he valve e is raised and pressed against its seat f, whilst at the same time the
tem el causes the ball d to rise from its seat ¹. Water at once passes under
he ball d and fills the space between the said ball and the valve e, whereupon the
all, being immersed from all sides, will rise, by virtue of its lightness, to the surface
of the liquid and finally open the outlet c; the water instantly rushes past the
ID017

page_text: valve e which is thus restored to its original position upon its abutments g¹. The
tank will empty, the ball d will return to its seat a¹, and water will be allowed to
fill the tank again through the pipe b. As the ball d again rests upon its seat a¹, it
is held thereon by the action of the column of water which presses against it without
surrounding it completely.
Referring to Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, the tank a in this instance is an open one.
The ball d is guided by a sort of hood i within which it may move vertically, to a
sufficient extent for its being prevented from being returned to its seat a¹ by the
water rushing out of the tank. The hood i itself is guided by means of ribs j, and
may be moved up or down by a lever k to one end of which it is hooked, the said
lever being itself operated by a chain or other suitable device.
7 is the feed-water valve which is closed by a ball m fastened to a lever n which
is loose on an axis 12 fastened to a projection of the said valve. On the said
axs 12 is also loose an arm o, at the free end of which is fastened a float o'. p is a
support capable of being adjusted upon the arm o and provided with a set screw pl
(Figures 5, 6 and 7) for setting it in any desired position. It is also provided with
two stops and r for limiting the movement of the lever n. As the lever n is
capable of being rocked within the above mentioned limits, it follows that the float
o will cause the valve m, to open or close.
The operation will be readily understood. If the lever k is pulled, it causes the
hood to rise, whereby the ball d is raised from its seat a¹ and as the ball is
immersed from all sides, it rises to the top of the hood wherein it remains until the
tank is empty, after which it drops down again upon its seat a¹, whilst the tank is
again becoming filled.
It will be readily understood that the arrangements of the parts of the herein
described constructions may vary at will, without departing from the spirit of my
invention. For instance, the hood i may be stationary and the ball d may be
actuated within the same, either from below as in Fig. 1 or by pulling or other-
wise.
I, VICTOR FRANÇOIS, Manufacturer of Sanitary Appliances, 5, Rue du Trésor,
Paris, France, 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 relates to an improved flushing tank characterized by its extreme
simplicity and by the suppression of the noise produced by the siphonic action in
the flushing tanks as hitherto devised.
The principle of my improved flushing tank is based upon the employment of
one or more movable or floatable obturators, preferably spherical in shape, which
allow or intercept the flow of water from the tank and also, at times, the inlet of
feed water to the said tank.
In the drawing accompanying my provisional application and to which I now
refer, I have shown, by way of examples, two different constructions of my
improved tank, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the same.

page_text: Fig. 1 shows in section a first construction, in which a float is not made use of.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line A B of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, with the parts shown at the time the
ball is leaving its seat and opens the ontlet.
Fig. 4 shows in section a second construction in which a float is made use of and
which is more particularly intended for open tanks.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the device for regulating the ball cock.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a is the tank which, in this instance, is closed. b is
the water feed-pipe which should always be smaller in diameter than the diameter
of the outlet c. d is a ball of any suitable material, but of less density than the
liquid in which it is immersed, in order that it may float. Its diameter exceeds
that of the outlet pipe c, against the top end a¹ of which it is seated in order to
intercept the flow of water from the tank. e is a reversed disk-shaped valve
provided at its upper face with a central-stem e¹, the length of which is sufficient
for causing the said stem, when the valve e is pressed against its seat f, to raise the
ball d above the seat a¹. g is the chamber or casing for the valve e. g¹, g¹, g¹ are
abutments for limiting the stroke of the valve e. h is a lever pivotted watertight
on an axis h in the casing g, and acting to raise the valve e. At the free end of
the lever h is a hole h' for connecting a chain or other pull device of any approved
kind.
The operation is as follows: Assuming the tank a to be substantially full of
water, as shown in Fig. 1, a pull is exerted downwardly upon the lever h, whereby
the valve e is raised and pressed against its seat f, whilst at the same time, the
stem el causes the ball d to rise from its seat a². Water at once passes under the
ball d and fills the space between the said ball and the valve e, whereupon the ball,
being immersed from all sides, will rise, by virtue of its lightness, to the surface of
the liquid and finally open the outlet c; the water instantly rushes past the valve e,
which is thus restored to its original position upon its abutinents g¹. The tank will
empty, the ball d will return to its seat a¹, and water will be allowed to fill the
tank again through the pipe b. As the ball d again rests upon its seat a', it is
held thereon by the action of the column of water which presses against it without
surrounding it completely.
The
Referring to Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the tank a in this instance is an open one.
ball d is guided by a sort of hood within which it may move vertically, to a
sufficient extent for its being prevented from being returned to its seat a¹ by the
water rushing out of the tank. The hood i itself is guided by means of ribs j, and
may be moved up or down by a lever k to one end of which it is hooked, the said
lever being itself operated by a chain or other suitable device.
is the feed-water valve which is closed by a ball m fastened to a lever n which
is loose on an axis 12 fastened to a projection of the said valve. On the said
axis 12 is also loose an arm o, at the free end of which is fastened a float o¹. p is a
support capable of being adjusted upon the arm o and provided with a set screw pl
(Figs. 5, 6 and 7) for setting it in any desired position. It is also provided with
two stops q and r for limiting the movement of the lever n. As the lever n is
capable of being rocked within the above mentioned limits, it follows that the
float o will cause the valve m to open or close.
The operation will be readily understood. If the lever is pulled, it causes the
hood to rise, whereby the ball d is raised from its seat a and as the ball is
immersed from all sides, it rises to the top of the hood wherein it remains until the
tank is empty, after which it drops down again upon its seat a¹, whilst the tank is
again becoming filled.
It will be readily understood that the arrangements of the parts of the herein
described constructions may be varied at will, without departing from the spirit of
my invention. For instance, the hood i may be stationary and the ball d may be
actuated within the same, either from below as in Fig. 1, or by pulling or
otherwise.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare
that what I claim is o
1. An obturator d of any desired shape and material, of less density than the
liquid which it is intended to retain, so that, when separated from its seat a¹, it may
float until the lowering of the liquid causes it to become seated again, substantially as
described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.
,
2. A regulating cock characterized by the combination of two rods n, o of whi h
the one n is connected to the ball m and the other o is connected to the float
both rods being made to co-operate by means of two stops rq, the distance ap
of which is such that one of the said rods has a certain play with reference to t: >
other, substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 19th day of September 1898.
F. WISE HOWARTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.