IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMODES OR PORTABLE WATERCLOSETS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Prangley, of Salisbury, in the County
of Wilts, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMODES OR PORTABLE
WATERCLOSETS."
Sealed the 16th May 1871, and dated the 24th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Prangley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th November 1870.
I, WILLIAM PRANGLEY, of Salisbury, in the County of Wilts, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMMODES OR PORTABLE WATERCLOSETS," to be as follows :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in commodes or
portable waterclosets.
For this purpose the pan of the commode is formed at the top with
a V shaped trough around it, and around each of the sides of the V trough
recesses are formed thus . The lid of the pan is formed with a wedge-
shaped ring projecting from its under side to enter the trough at the top
of the pan. The lid is also formed with lugs standing out from its outer
circumference. When the lid is placed on the pan these lugs are
received in L shaped slots in the outer circumference of the pan, and the
lid is turned partly round to bring the lugs into the undercut portion of

page_text: the slots; wedges or filling pieces are then placed behind the lugs to
prevent the lid from being turned back, and so the lid is securely
retained. Before the lid is placed over the pan of the commode a small
quantity of water is poured into the trough before mentioned, and when
the wedge projection on the lid enters the trough the water displaced by
it rises up in the trough and enters the recesses or grooves formed
around its sides; the pan is thus hermetically closed. I prefer that the
commode pan should be placed into a square box or case covered over
with a suitable lid; the lid is hinged to the back of a seat which comes
above the top of the pan, and this seat is hinged to the back of the box,
so that when the seat is turned up the pan can be lifted out. The
corners of the box or case are fitted to receive bottles to contain a small
supply of water for forming the water joint for the lid, and also, if
desired, for containing disinfecting fluids.
"the
The commode or portable closet above described I call
universal," as it is complete in itself. It will be seen that it can be
applied to the ordinary commode stand or frame at a small cost, and that
there is no possibility of any effluvia escaping from it. On an emergency
it can be used with comfort and safety in any room, closet, or private
carriage on a low scat, hassock, or footstool, and in a fitting compartment
may be taken advantage of during a journey by railway. It is invaluable
in the rooms of invalids, and for hospitals, infirmaries, colleges, schools,
hotels, baths, nurseries, ships' cabins, and such like is an indispensable;
and it is so compact that it may be kept in the drawer of a wardrobe or
other piece of bedroom furniture ready for instant use, as it requires but
momentary preparation. In price it is within reach of every cottager,
and when once purchased entails no after expense. No sleeping apart-
ment in a respectable establishment will in futuro be considered
furnished without one. It is an immeasurable boon to persons travelling
who may be suffering from "diarrhoea" or "violent relaxation" of the
bowels from any cause.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Prangley, Her special licence
that I, the said William Prangley, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Prangley, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMODES OR
PORTABLE WATERCLOSETS," upon the condition (amongst others) that Ì,
the said William Prangley, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals;
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Prangley, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in commodes or
portable waterclosets.
For this purpose the pan of the commode is formed at the top with
a V shaped trough around it, and around each of the sides of the V trough
recesses are formed thus
wedge-shaped ring projecting from its under side to enter the trough at
the top of the pan. The lid is also formed with lugs standing out from
its outer circumference. When the lid is placed on the pan these lugs
are received in L shaped slots in the outer circumference of the and
the lid is turned partly round to bring the lugs into the undercut portion
of the slots; wedges or filling pieces are then placed behind the lugs to
prevent the lid from being turned back, and so the lid is securely
retained. Before the lid is placed over the pan of the commode a small
quantity of water is poured into the trough before mentioned, and when
✓. The lid of the pan is formed with a
pan

page_text: the wedge projection on the lid enters the trough the water displaced by
it rises up in the trough and enters the recesses or grooves formed
around its sides; the pan is thus hermetically closed. I prefer that the
commode pan should be placed into a square box or case covered over
with a suitable lid. The lid is hinged to the back of a seat which comes
above the top of the pan, and this scat is hinged to the back of the box,
so that when the seat is turned up the pan can can be lifted out. The
corners of the box or case are fitted to receive bottles to contain a small
supply of water for forming the water joint for the lid, and also, if
desired, for containing disinfecting fluids.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shown a commode or
portable watercloset constructed as above described.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the commode or closet with the lid and seat
turned back on their hinges; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same
when closed; Figure 3 is a vertical section of the pan; and Figure 4, a
corresponding section of the lid; Figure 5 shews an edge view of part of
the lid with one of its projecting lugs.
A is the exterior box or case, having hinged to it at the top the
seat A', to which is hinged the lid A*; B is the earthenware pan, having
around it at the top a groove or trough B' with recesses B² around its
sides, as before stated; C is the pan lid, having a wedge-shaped
projection C¹ on its under side to enter the groove B¹; C³ are lugs
standing out from two opposite sides of the lid; these lugs enter L shaped
slots in the outer circumference of the pan; B³ are lips projecting from
the pan at the points where these slots are formed. The lips B³ are
shewn at Figures 1 and 3. The upper surface of each of the lugs C² is
inclined, as shown, so that when the lid has been placed on to the pan
and the lugs C2 have passed to the bottom of the vertical portions of
the slots the inclines on the top of the lugs may by turning the lid
partly round act with corresponding inclines at the top of the undercut
portions of the slots, and thus cause the lid to be drawn firmly down on
to the top of the pan. When the lid has thus been fixed on to the pan
wedges or filling pieces D are dropped behind them, as shewn in the plan
view, Figure 1; E is a bottle for containing the small portion of water
required for charging the trough B'; and F is a larger bottle for con-
taining a reserve supply of water for refilling the bottle E each time that
it is emptied. Other bottles for containing disinfecting fluids may
similarly be placed at the other corners of the box or case A. The

page_text: commode or portable closet above described I call "the universal," as it
is complete in itself. It will be seen that it can be applied to the
ordinary commode stand or frame at a small cost, and that there is no
possibility of any effluvia escaping from it. On an emergency it can be
used with comfort and safety in any room, closet, or private carriage, on
a low seat, hassock, or footstool, and in a fitting compartment may be
taken advantage of during a journey by railway. It is invaluable in the
rooms of invalids, and for hospitals, infirmarys, colleges, schools, hotels,
baths, nurseries, ships' cabins, and such like is an indispensable, and it is
so compact that it may be kept in the drawer of a wardrobe or other
piece of bedroom furniture ready for instant use, as it requires but
momentary preparation. In price it is within reach of every cottager,
and when once purchased entails no after expense. No sleeping
apartment in a respectable establishment will in future be considered
furnished without one. It is an immeasurable boon to persons travelling
who may be suffering from "diarrhoea" or "violent relaxation" of the
bowels from any cause.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First. The combined arrangement herein-described of a commode or
portable watercloset.
Second. The combined arrangement herein described for closing over
the pan of a commode or portable watercloset with a lid hermetically
sealed with a water joint.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Prangley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
W. PRANGLEY. (L.S.)