Improvements in Traps for Use in Connection with Baths, Water- closets, or otherwise.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1889-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1889.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Traps for Use in Connection with Baths, Water-
closets, or otherwise.
I, LAMBERT THOMAS FOLLANSBEE, of No. 629 New Jersey Avenue, North West,
Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, Builder, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to traps for use in connection with baths, (or bath-tubs,)
water closets, etc.; and it has for its object to provide a trap which, in the event of its
becoming foul or choked up, can be readily and easily cleaned.
For brevity of description, I will describe my invention in connection with a bath
(or bath tub) alone, the change from which to use with a water-closet involving
nothing more than ordinary skill on the part of the plumber.
very common type of traps now in use is an S or U shaped lead pipe having
an opening in its under-side, at the bend, through which seliment may be drawn off,
this opening being closed by a screw plug. As the bath sits on the floor of the
room, the trap must necessarily be placed under the floor, which frequently gives rise
to a great deal of trouble; for if the trap becomes choked, a portion of the floor
must be taken up in order to get access to the screw-plug and to place a vessel under
the opening in the pipe to catch the contents of the trap. Then, again, if there
should be a leak at the plugged opening, the ceiling of the room below would be
injured before the leak would be discovered. These difficulties may be entirely
avoided by means of my invention, which I will now proceed to describe in
detail.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical sectional view of my improved
trap in position, the straight pipe or down-hanger in this view being shewn formed
integral with the bent pipe.
Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view of the trap, shewing the downlanger formed
independently of the bent pipe and attached thereto by a screw-thread connection.
Referring to the annexed drawings, A represents a bath (or bath tub) a portion
only of which is shewn.
B is the usual grated thimble, leading from the interior of the bath into the mouth
of the trap; and C is the stopper for the thimble.
Dis the pan usually placed under the bath.
E E' is the trap, which, when the straight part or downhanger is formed integral
with the bent part, as in Fig. 1, I prefer to make of lead pipe. The trap consists of
two branches, one of which, E, is bent into U or other like form, while the other
branch E is straight, and intersects branch E in the under side of its bend, its lower
end, which is slightly enlarged, as at e, to readily admit the stopper or piston, herein-
after mentioned, being provided with a screw tap, T.
When the trap is in position, one end of branch E extends upward through the
floor F, upon which the bath (or bath tub) is set, and is in communication with the
interior of the bath, the other end of the bent branch being connected to the dis-
charge-pipe G, under the floor. The straight branch or downhanger E' extends
downward through the ceiling H of the room below far enough to receive the
screw-tap T, which may, if desired, be made to resemble a rosette or other like
ornament.
A rod I, carrying at its upper end a stopper, S, for closing the upper end of the
downhanger E, is secured at its lower end in the screw-tap T. The stopper, on being
reciprocated in the downhanger, after the tap is unscrewed, serves as a piston,
tending to start the obstruction in the trap.

page_text: If preferred, the stopper and its carrying-rod may be dispensed with, and the water
in the trap allowed to fill the downhanger. By unscrewing the tap T, any obstruction
in the trap-such as matches, hair, and the like—can be readily removed without in
the least disturbing the floor or ceiling. As the screw-tap is below the ceiling, no
damage would result to the latter if there should be a leak at the former.
As stated above, the straight branch E of the trap may be formed separately
from the bent branch E. In this case I prefer to make the former of brass, and
connect it with the bent branch by means of a screw-thread connections as seen in
Fig. 2.
L. T. FOLLANSBEE,
Per L. W.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Traps for Use in Connection with Baths, Water-
Closets, or otherwise.
1, LAMBERT THOMAS FOLLANSBEE, of No. 629 New Jersey Avenue, North West,
Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, Builder, do hereby
declare, the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
My invention relates to traps for use in connection with baths, (or bath tubs,)
water closets, etc., and it has for its object to provide a trap which, in the event of its
becoming foul or choked up, can be readily and easily cleaned.
For brevity of description, I will describe my invention in connection with a bath
(or bath tub) alone, the change from which to use with a water-closet involving
nothing more than ordinary skill on the part of the plumber.
A very common type of traps now in use is an S or U shaped lead pipe having
an opening in its under-side, at the bend, through which sediment may be drawn off,
this opening being closed by a screw plug. As the bath sits on the floor of the
room, the trap must necessarily be placed under the floor, which frequently gives
rise to a great deal of trouble; for if the trap becomes choked, a portion of the floor
must be taken up in order to get access to the screw-plug and to place a vessel
under the opening in the pipe to catch the contents of the trap. Then, again, if
there should be a leak at the plugged opening, the ceiling of the room below would
be injured before the leak would be discovered. These difficulties may be entirely
avoided by means of my invention, which I will now proceed to describe in
detail.
Referring to the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved trap in position, the straight
pipe or down-hanger in this view being shown formed integral with the bent
pipe.
Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view of the trap, shewing the down-hanger formed
independently of the bent pipe and attached thereto by a screw-thread connection.
A represents a bath (or bath tub) a portion only of which is shewn.
Bis the usual grated thimble, leading from the interior of the bath into the
mouth of the trap; and C is the stopper for the thimble.
.
D is the pan usually placed under the bath.
EE is the trap, which, when the straight part or downhanger is formed
integral with the bent part, as in Fig. 1 I prefer to make of lead pipe. The trap
consists of two branches, one of which, E, is bent into U or other like form, while
the other branch E' straight, and intersects branch E in the under side of its
bend, its lower end, which is slightly enlarged, as at e, to readily admit the
stopper or piston, hereinafter mentioned, being provided with a screw tap, T.
When the trap is in position, one end of branch E extends upward through the

page_text: floor F, upon which the bath (or bath tub) is set, and is in communication with the
interior of the bath, the other end of the bent branch being connected to the dis-
charge-pipe G, under the floor. The straight branch or downbanger E extends
downward through the ceiling H of the room below far enough to receive the screw
tap T which may, if desired, be made to resemble a rosette or other like
ornament.
A rod 1, carrying at its upper end a stopper, S, for closing the upper end of the
downhanger E', is secured at its lower end in the screw tap T. The stopper, on
being reciprocated in the downhanger, after the tap is unscrewed, serves as a piston,
tending to start the obstruction in the trap.
If preferred, the stopper and its carrying-rod may be dispensed with, and tho
water in the trap allowed to fill the downhanger. By unscrewing the tap T, any
obstruction in the trap-such as matches hair, and the like-can be readily removed
without in the least disturbing the floor or ceiling. As the screw-tap is below the
ceiling, no damage would result to the latter if there should be a leak at the
former.
As stated above, the straight branch E' of the trap may be formed separately
from the bent branch E. In this case I prefer to make the former of brass, and
connect it with the bent branch by means of a screw thread connection & as seen in
Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
ог
1. A trap for use with a bath, water-closet, or otherwise, consisting of a U
other suitably-bent pipe and a straight pipo or downhanger communicating with the
interior of the bent pipe at the under-side of its bend, one end of the bent pipe
being when used with a bath or a water-closet in communication with the interior of
the bath or closet-bowl and its other end connected to the discharge-pipe, the straight
pipe or downhanger passing downward through the ceiling of the room below, and
provided at its end with a screw-tap, substantially as described.
2. A trap for use with a bath, water-closet or otherwise, consisting of a U or
other suitably bent pipe and a straight pipe or downhanger communicating with
the interior of the bent pipe at the under side of its bend, one end of the bent pipe
when used with a bath or a water-closet being in communication with the interior of
the bath or closet-bowl and its other end connected to the discharge-pipe, the straight
pipe or downhanger passing downward through the ceiling of the room below, and
provided with a stopper for closing its upper end, a screw-tap for closing its lower
end, and a rod connecting the stopper and the tap, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of June 1889.
L. T. FOLLANSBEE,
Per L. W.