Improvements in Water-closet Valves.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
טע גט עבען UUSLI
Improvements in Water-closet Valves.
I, JOHN WILLIAM BRAGGER, of Watertown, in the County of Jefferson, and
State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 certain new and useful improvements in valves for
water-closets, and especially to a new and improved form of valve for flushing
closets and automatically closing itself quietly, and so constructed that it can be
adjusted to supply a sufficient quantity of water to thoroughly flush the closet at
the pressure of water at which it is located, and to overcome objections found in
many of the tanks now in use.
A further aim of my invention is to produce a device with a cylinder in which a
valve-operated plunger is designed to work, and which valve is operated by a valve
stem actuated by a lever connected to a plug, which latter is partially rotated when
it is desired to flush the closet, and at the same time the stem is raised by the lever,
as is also the plunger carrying the piston, and the water in the cylinder allowed to
escape. After the lever operating the turning plug is released, the valve in the
plunger in the cylinder closes, and as the plunger gradually lowers under the
pressure of the incoming water into the top of the cylinder, the plug is slowly
closed and the water which has passed through the automatically operated plug, is
carried away through a suitable duct to a trap, which, always being filled, will
prevent any sissing and noise which is caused by the water coming out in a spray
when the parts are closing. By the use of the trap, no perceptible noise will be
made as the air cannot enter and hence water cannot spray.
To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the same consists
further in the novel construction, combination and adaptation of the parts as will
be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically defined in the appended
claims.
I clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, which, with the
letters of reference marked thereon form a part of this Specification and in which
drawings,
Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through my improved automatically-operated
valve.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view longitudinally through the plug.
Reference being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a
cylinder which is a part of casting marked X and is provided with a screw-threaded
cap C and a plunger B working in said tank or receptacle. The centre of the
said plunger is perforated and the stem F adapted to operate the valve H works
vertically in said aperture. The valve H is held in place on the upper end of the
said stem by means of the nut I, and rests on a shoulder thereon and when the
valve is closed, it rests on a portion of the plunger surrounding its central aperture.
The hub of the stem of the piston is recessed out to receive a spring G, the other
end of the spring adapted to bear against the lower face of the plunger to bold the
valve against its seat and prevent water escaping from the receptacle A through
the holes K in the valve stem when the plunger is moving upwards only. D is a
turning plug mounted in a portion of the casting X and has an elongated transverse
aperture d, through which water is allowed to flow from the inlet D' which
communicates with a water main. The said turning plug is provided with a suitable

page_text: turning handle, and a lever E, the free end of which is recessed out on its upper
side, and rests underneath the lower end of the said valve stem.
A port J has
communication with the upper portion of the receptacle A at one of its ends, its
other end with a port in the turning plug D.
The aperture at J¹ entering the receptacle A is regulated by the screw L
allowing more or less water to pass through in to the receptacle as may be desired.
A cap M fits over the head of the screw L which is provided to retain any drippings.
which may ooze out around the adjusting screw.
Leading away from beneath the turning plug is a duct emptying into a trap N,
this duct being designed to register with the aperture in the turning plug, when
the plug is open. Leading into the trap is a small duct S which leads to an
aperture S into the chamber in which the lever E is located, and a suitable
screw is provided which may be adjusted to regulate the capacity of the outlet
leading into the duct S. A cap M' covers the head of the screw Q to prevent
drippings from about the adjusting screw.
The operation of my automatically operated valve is as follows: When it is
desired to flush the closet, the operator turns the handle of the turning plug so
that the aperture in the plug will register with the inlet and outlet ducts, and allow
the water to freely pass to the trap. As the plug is partially rotated, the lever E
causes the piston stem F to be raised, which forces the valve H open and the
plunger is caused to rise by the hub portions of the stem coming in contact with
the lower portions of the said plunger. As the plunger rises, the water in the
receptacle A is allowed to pass through the holes K into the chamber beneath,.
and consequently the pressure in the receptacle A is relieved. The waste water
thus passing through the apertures in the valve stem is conducted away through
the duct leading to the trap, and which latter being filled with water prevents air
entering the chamber carrying the lever E, and hence avoiding unnecessary spraying
and sissing. When the handle which turns the plug is released, the pressure above
the plunger will close the valve regulating the aperture in the plunger, and cause
the plunger to gradually lower and with it the stem which in turn causes the.
lever E to close the plug and shut off the stream of water passing through the
aperture therein. It is now the greatest sissing would occur if it were not for
trap. It will be observed that the duct or aperture through the plug is of a larger
diameter at its upper end than at its lower, so that when the handle to the plug is
released, the pressure of the water on the upper end of the aperture will cause the.
water to be forced through the duct J and into the receptacle A. The turning
plug which is held in place by means of the cap P and nut R, has suitable packing
washers and rings bearing against the portion of the plug having the largest
diameter, and a cap W covers the smaller end of the turning plug.
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. A device for flushing closets consisting of a cylinder having a plunger working
therein, a valve regulated aperture in said plunger combined with a turning plug
which is adapted to cause the said valve to be opened and the plunger raised when
it is partially rotated, substantially as shown and described.
2. A device for flushing closets consisting of a cylinder having a suitable inlet, a
plunger designed to work in said cylinder, a valve stem carrying a valve adapted
to be seated over an aperture in said plunger openings in the said stem through
which water is allowed to escape when the valve is opened, a spring for holding
the valve normally closed, and means for opening the valve, substantially as shown
and described.
3. In a water closet flushing device, the combination with a cylinder, a valve
regulated inlet thereto a plunger in said cylinder, a valve stem having a series of
recesses about its circumference, a valve-seated on a shoulder on said stem, means
for holding said valve in place, and a spring seated in a recessed portion of the hub

page_text: of the stem and adapted to bear against the under face of the plunger and means
for raising the plunger when the turning plug is rotated, substantially as shown
and described.
4. In a water closet flushing device, the combination with the cylinder, an inlet
thereto, plunger and piston carrying a valve which is spring-actuated, as described,
of a turning plug having an aperture designed to register with a supply and outlet
channel when the plug is open, of a lever secured at one end to the turning plug,
its other end resting beneath the lower end of the piston stem whereby when the
plug is rotated, the piston and plunger are raised, substantially as shown and
described.
5. An automatically operated flushing device for water closets_having in
combination with a cylinder A provided with a screw-cap a plunger B centrally
perforated and working in said cylinder, a piston stem working in said aperture, a
valve seated on a shoulder of the said stem, a nut for holding same in place, a
recessed portion of the stem carrying a spring designed to bear against the under
side of the said plunger, the walls of the recess designed to bear against the
plunger, when the piston stem is raised, a turning plug journaled in a casting X
having an aperture d, the lever E secured at one end to the plug, its other end
resting under the valve stem, and the ducts J and S, regulating screws L and Q
and the trap N all substantially as shown and described.
6. The regulating screws controlling the flow through the outlet apertures
combined with caps which fit over the outer ends of the screws and catch the
leakage, substantially as shown.
7. The plug and the casing in which it is placed combined with the washer
applied to the larger end of the plug and the cap which secures the washer in
position, substantially as set forth.
8. The plug and the casing in which it is placed combined with the washer, the
nut and a cap to catch the leakage substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of May 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.