Improvements in or connected with Intermittent Siphonic Flushing Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Intermittent Siphonic Flushing
Apparatus.
We, HERBERT FOX STANDING, Schoolmaster, and CHARLES Fox DIXON,
Sanitary Engineer, both of Virginia Road, Leeds, in the County of York, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;
This invention refers to intermittent siphonic flushing apparatus, whereby on
liquid being collected in a tank and rising to a predetermined level, the entire
contents are swiftly withdrawn and utilized for flushing or for other purposes.
In apparatus of the above description it is essential for the discharge to be
full and unimpeded, and various siphonic apparatus have been utilized with the
object of attaining this result. The chief difficulty however with the siphonic
apparatus hitherto employed, has been to suddenly withdraw or release the air
confined between the incoming fluid and the fluid in the trap, and several devices
have been contrived for the purpose, such as auxiliary bends and valves, or con-
tracting a portion of the siphon leg: but all these devices have been complicated
and liable to become choked, and some have impeded the efficient flow of the
discharge.
Now the object of this invention is to construct siphonic apparatus in such a
manner that when the liquid rises to a predetermined level in the tank, the air.
which during the rise of the liquid has become compressed, releases itself in an
entire and sudden manner, thus starting the siphon which can then discharge
the contents of the tank in an unchecked flow. The above described result is
attained by constructing the discharge arm of the trap with a horizontal pending
edge, such as may be obtained by a horizontally cut off tube, and the said dis-
charge arm is surrounded by a shield forming a portion of the trap and which
may be constructed to any suitable height. An inverted bell, arm, or cover
communicates with the upper portion of the seal, the base of the said bell being
situated at the height down to which the liquid is to be withdrawn.
When the tank is empty, the horizontal edge or base of the discharge arm of
the trap is sealed by the contents of the shield, the bell at the same time being
empty. The inflow of the liquid gradually fills the tank, and the air in the bell is
compressed by the head of water and presses on the surface of the siphon seal,
thus forcing the liquid up the discharge arm of the trap. This compression con-
tinues until the liquid in the seal is depressed to the level of the horizontal edge
of the discharge arm of the trap, and the surface of the seal is depressed a short
distance further into a concave form until the pressure of the compressed air
overcoming the attraction of the horizontal edge, bursts suddenly under the
same, and allows the entire body of air to rush up the discharge arm of the trap
and at the same time to start the siphonic action with its full force. The con

page_text: tents of the tank are thus discharged without check, until the siphonic action
is broken by the entry of air below the bell.
Datad this 10th day of December 1898.
BREWER & SON,
London; and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or connected with Intermittent Siphonic Flushing
Apparatus.
We, HERBERT FOX STANDING, Schoolmaster, and CHARLES FOX DIXON,
Sanitary Engineer, both of Virginia Road, Leeds, in the County of York, 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 follow-
ing statement:―
This invention refers to intermittent siphonic flushing apparatus, whereby on
liquid being collected in a tank and rising to a predetermined level, the entire
contents are swiftly withdrawn and utilized for flushing or for other purposes.
In apparatus of the above description it is essential for the discharge to be
full and unimpeded, and various siphonic apparatus have been utilized with the
object of attaining this result. The chief difficulty however with the siphonic
apparatus hitherto employed, has been to suddenly withdraw or release the air
confined between the incoming fluid and the fluid in the trap, and several devices
have been contrived for the purpose, such as auxiliary bends and valves, or con-
tracting a portion of the siphon leg; but all these devices have been complicated
and liable to become choked, and some have impeded the efficient flow of the
discharge.
Now the object of this invention is to construct siphonic apparatus in such a
manner that when the liquid rises to a predetermined level in the tank, the air,
which during the rise of the liquid has become compressed, releases itself in an
entire and sudden manner, thus starting the siphon which can then discharge
the contents of the tank in an unchecked flow.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood we will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which similar
letters refer to like parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a siphon constructed according to our inven-
tion, the tank to which the siphon is fitted being empty. Figure 2 is a similar
view of the same siphon with the tank partially full of water, and Figure 3
shews the siphon with the tank full and ready to discharge. Figures 4 and 5
are vertical sections shewing our invention applied to siphons of slightly modified
form.
Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2, and 3, A is the discharge arm of the
siphon, having a horizontal pending edge B at its base. C is a shield or casing
which surrounds the discharge arm and forms a portion of the trap, and the
upper end of the said shield C is covered by a bell D, the lower edge E of the
said bell being situated at a height down to which the liquid is to be with-
drawn.
When the tank is empty as seen at Figure 1, the horizontal edge B of the
discharge arm A is sealed by the contents of the shield C, the bell D at the same
time being empty. The inflow of the liquid gradually fills the tank, and the air
in the bell D is compressed by the head of water and presses on the surface G

page_text: of the siphon seal, thus forcing the liquid forming the seal up the discharge
arm A of the trap, whence it drains away as seen at Figure 2. This compression
continues until the liquid in the seal is depressed to the level of the horizontal
pending edge of the discharge arm of the trap, and the surface of the seal is
depressed a short distance further into a concave form as seen at Figure 3. until
the pressure of the compressed air overcoming the attraction of the horizontal
edge B, bursts suddenly under the same, and allows the entire body of compressed
air to rush up the discharge arm A and to start the siphonic action with its full
force simultaneously. The contents of the tank are thus discharged without
check, until the siphonic action is broken by the entry of air below the hell.
In the modified forms of our improved intermittent siphon, Figure 4 illus-
trates the shield C as carried up in uniform width to the upper portion of the
interior of the bell D, whilst at Figure 5 the discharge arm A instead of being
carried out through the side of the shield C, is carried through the upper portion
of the bell D. We have shewn these two modifications to illustrate some of the
many forms in which the invention may be employed, but it will be evident to
those conversant with siphonic apparatus, that the invention might be applied
to almost any existing form of siphon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In intermittent siphonic flushing apparatus the confining of the air between
the inlet and the seal, in such a manner that it is compressed by the head of
water in the tank and forces the seal down to a horizontal pending edge under
which the compressed air is suddenly allowed to escape, substantially as set forth.
2. The discharge arm A having a pending edge B contained in a seal, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The discharge arm A, having a pending edge B, in combination with a
shield C and bell D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 21st day of Avril 1899.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.