IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Guthrie Sutherland, of Leith, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER
CLOSETS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.'
»
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Guthrie Sutherland
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June 1879.
ANDREW GUTHRIE SUTHERLAND, of Leith, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSETS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
.
This Invention has for its object the construction of waterclosets and apparatus
connected therewith in an improved, simple, and inexpensive manner, so as to
avoid waste of water and so as to prevent the diffusion of noxious gases inside of
the building in which the apparatus is situated.
The basin of the improved apparatus is by preference of earthenware, although
it might also be of enamelled castiron or other suitable material, and whilst its
upper edge is formed with the usual flange projecting inwards this flange is made
also to project outwards, and a rebate is formed for it in the outer castiron shell
or trunk which extends to the top of the basin. The basin is held in its place in
the trunk by the outwardly projecting part of its top flange sitting in the rebate,
and is secured by a flat metal rim fixed over the flange to the top edge of the
trunk. The trunk is made with an enlargement or pocket at one side, which
pocket contains all the valve mechanism of the watercloset with the exception of
a vertical spindle which projects through the cover and has a handle fixed on it
externally. The handle has to be moved through a convenient horizontal angle
in order to work the valve mechanism, it might however be arranged to be moved
through a vertical or other angle, if preferred, or an ordinary lifting handle might
be connected to the valve mechanism."
The main discharge outlet of the basin is formed in an inclined position at the
bottom and a cylindrical ring of vulcanized rubber forms the valve seat, up against
the lower edge of which a disc-shaped valve closes; this rubber ring being fixed
on the discharge nozzle by a metal ring clamped upon it. A screw pin which

page_text: draws the flanged ends of the metal ring together serves also as the centre of a
curved lever carrying the valve disc, and this disc is movable on a centre on its
carrying lever to allow of its assuming such a position as to bear equally on the
rubber valve seat. The valve lever has jointed to it one end of a link, the other
end of which is jointed to a weight arranged to slide in a guide formed for it in
the trunk pocket, and to the upper part of the weight there is connected a chain
which passes round a guide pulley to a lever formed or fixed on the handled
spindle. The turning of the spindle makes the chain raise the weight and open
the main discharge valve, and when the handle is let go the weight closes the
valve; the link connecting the weight to the valve lever being in such a position
when the valve is closed that any reasonable force applied to the valve to open it
cannot move the weight, so that the valve is as it were locked in its closed
position.
When the handled spindle is turned to open the main discharge valve it at the
same time opens the water-supply valve, an arin on the handled spindle acting on
an arm on a spindle passing through the shell of the water-supply valve. The
valve is a conical valve opening against the pressure, a stem on the outer side of
it being connected by a link to a short lever or arm on the valve spindle, the
arrangement being such that the valve cannot produce concussion in the pipes by
closing too suddenly. When the handled spindle is let go it leaves the water-
supply valve open, to be afterwards closed on the basin becoming filled with water
to a suitable height. The basin is formed with an overflow outlet at the proper
height, this outlet being made with a trapbend to prevent gas from 'passing from
the trunk into the basin. When the water reaches the height of the overflow
outlet it passes out thereby into a dish set on a centre at its outer part. A. lever
fixed to the dish is connected by a weighted link to a lever fixed on the water-
supply valve spindle, and the dish lever and the link form a toggle combination
which keeps the valve open until the water entering the dish makes it tip and
move the parts out of their stable position, whereupon the weighted link ensures
the closing of the valve. The lead service pipe is by preference fixed to the shell
or body of the water-supply valve without solder, the external screw coupling being
made conical and the end of the lead pipe being expanded inside of it into a
conical form, and there being an internal conical piece between which and the
internal conical part of the coupling the pipe end is held.
A pipe is by preference connected to the part of the basin above the water level
for the purpose of ventilating the interior of the basin, this pipe being led to the
outer atmosphere or to a passage or flue communicating therewith.
The improved watercloset and apparatus hereinbefore described, together with
the usual trap bend fitted to the bottom of the trunk, occupies so little space in
height that the flooring does not require to be cut excepting for the passage of the
main discharge pipe, and the entire apparatus is self contained and portable,
requiring only the water-supply pipe and discharge pipe connections to be made.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Guthrie Sutherland in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th December 1879.
Andrew Guthrie SUTHERLAND, of Leith, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER CLOSETS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH.
"
My said Invention has for its object the construction of waterclosets and
apparatus connected therewith in an improved, simple, and inexpensive manner,
so as to avoid waste of water, and so as to prevent the diffusion of noxious gases
inside of the building in which the apparatus is situated.
My Invention and the manner of performing the same will be most readily
understood by my particularly describing watercloset apparatus as made with my
improvements, and as shown on a Sheet of explanatory Drawings which is here-
unto appended, reference numerals being employed in those Drawings to mark the
various parts, the same numerals being applicable to the same parts wherever they
are repeated.
Figures 1 and 2 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings are vertical sections of
the watercloset apparatus showing certain parts in different positions, whilst some
parts are in section in Figure 2 which are in elevation in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a
sectional plan of some of the details.
The basin 4 of my improved apparatus is by preference of earthenware, although
it might also be of enamelled castiron or other suitable material, and whilst
its upper edge is formed with the usual flange 5 projecting inwards, this flange is
made also to project outwards, and a rebate is formed for it round the top 6 of the
outer castiron shell or trunk 7. The basin 4 is held in its place in the trunk 7 by
the outwardly projecting part of its top flange 5 sitting in the rebate, and is secured
by a flat metal rim 8 fixed over the flange to the top edge 6 of the trunk. The
trunk 7 is made with an enlargement or pocket 9 at one side, which pocket 9
contains all the valve mechanism of the watercloset with the exception of a vertical
spindle 10, which projects through the cover 11 of the pocket 9, and has a handle 12
fixed on it externally. The handle 12 has to be moved through a convenient hori-
zontal angle in order to work the valve mechanism; it might however be easily
arranged to be moved through a vertical or other angle if preferred, or an ordinary
lifting handle might be connected to the valve mechanism. The spindle 10 is
short, its lower end resting in a footstep bearing conveniently formed for it on the
top of the body or casing 13 of the water supply valve.
The main discharge outlet 14 of the basin 4 is formed in an inclined position at
the bottom, and a cylindrical ring 15 of vulcanised rubber forms the valve seat, up
against the lower edge of which a disc-shaped valve 16 closes, this rubber ring 15
A screw
being fixed on the discharge nozzle by a metal ring 17 clamped upon it.
pin 18 which draws the flanged ends of the metal ring 17 together serves also as
the centre of a curved lever 19, carrying the valve disc 16, and this disc is movable
on a centre 20 on its carrying lever 19 to allow of its assuming such a position as
to bear equally on the rubber valve seat 15. The valve disc 16 is shown closed in
Figure 1 and open in Figure 2. The valve lever 19 has jointed to it one end of a
curved link 21, the other end of which is jointed to a weight 22, arranged to slide
between a pair of guide ribs 23 cast in the pocket 9; and to the upper end of the
weight 22 there is connected a chain 24, which passes round a guide pulley 25 to a
lever 26, formed or fixed on the handled spindle 10. The turning of the spindle 10
inakes the chain 24 lift the weight 22 and open the main discharge valve 16, and
when the handle 12 is let go the weight 22 closes the valve 16, the link 21 con-
necting the weight to the valve lever 19 being in such a position when the valve 16

page_text: is closed that any reasonable force applied to the valve 16 to open it cannot move
the weight 22, so that the valve is as it were locked in its closed position.
When the handled spindle 10 is turned to open the main discharge valve 16 it
at the same time opens the water-supply valve, an arın 27 on the spindle 10 acting
on an arm 28 on the spindle 29, passing through the shell 13. The valve 30 is a
conical valve, opening against the pressure, a stem 31 on the outer side of it being
jointed to a short lever or arm 32 on the valve spindle 29, the arrangement being
such that the valve cannot produce concussion in the pipes by closing too suddenly.
When the handled spindle 10 is let go it leaves the water-supply valve 30 open, to
be afterwards closed on the basin 4 becoming filled with water to a suitable height.
The basin 4 is formed with an overflow outlet 33, which is provided either with a
small trapbend, or, as shown in the Drawing, with a valved nozzle 34, to prevent
gas from passing from the trunk 7 into the basin 4. When the water reaches the
height of the nozzle 34 it passes thence into a dish 35, set on a centre 36 at its
outer part. A lever 37, fixed to the dish 35, is connected by a weighted link 38
to a lever 39 on the water-supply valve spindle 29, and the dish lever 37 and
link 38 form a toggle combination which keeps the valve open until the water
entering the dish 35 makes it tip and move the parts out of their stable position,
whereupon the weighted link insures the closing of the valve. The lead service
pipe 40 is by preference fixed to the shell or body 13 of the water-supply valve
without solder, the external screw coupling 41 being made conical, and the end of
the lead pipe 40 being expanded inside of it into a conical form, and there being an
internal conical piece 42, between which and the internal conical part of the
coupling 41 the pipe end is securely held.
Instead of the tumbling dish 35 and parts connected therewith for regulating
the closing of the water-supply valve, any suitable one of the various known regu-
lating contrivances may be employed. Amongst such contrivances I prefer to use
a cylinder and piston worked with air or water. The piston is connected to the
valve lever so as to be drawn up quickly when opening the valve, the air or water
then passing freely to the underside of the piston, but preventing the too quick
return of the piston and closing of the valve in consequence of having to return or
pass out through a small passage, the effective size of which can be varied by means
of an adjusting scrow.
A pipe 43 is by preference connected to the part of the basin above the water
level for the purpose of ventilating the interior of the basin, this pipe being led
to the outer atmosphere, or to a pussage of flue communicating therewith.
The improved watercloset and apparatus herein before described, together with
the usual trap bend fitted to the bottom of the trunk, occupies so little space in
height that the flooring does not require to be cut, excepting for the passage of the
main discharge pipe, and the entire apparatus is self contained and portable,
requiring only the water supply pipe and discharge pipe connections to be made.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the saine, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original and
claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1. Making the watercloset basin with a top flange projecting outwards as well as
inwards, and fixing the basin by setting the outer part of its top flange in a rebate
formed for it in the top of the trunk, and covering the joint with a flat metal ring,
as hereinbefore described.
2. Making the discharge outlet of the basin in an inclined position at the bottom,
combined with the adaptation thereto of a cylindrical rubber valve-seat piece, held
on by a metal ring, which also carries the fulcrum of the discharge valve lever, as
hereinbefore described.
3. The combination of parts comprising the discharge valve, with its lever con-
nected by a link to a weight arranged to slide up and down in guides, as herein-
hefore described.

page_text: 4. The combination of parts comprising the vertical handled lever for working
the valve mechanism with its two levers, one connected to the main discharge-
valve details, and the other for acting on the water-supply valve, as herein before
described.
5. The tumbling dish worked by overflowing water, with its lever and weighted
toggle link for regulating the closing of the water-supply valve, as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Guthrie Sutherland, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
A. G. SUTHERLAND. (L.S.)