IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-WASTE PREVENTERS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bartholomew, of Doulton's Sanitary Engineering
Works, Albert Embankment, in the County of Surrey, for an Invention of
'IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-WASTE PREVENTERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bartholomew at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1881.
WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW, of Doulton's Sanitary Engineering Works, Albert
Embankment, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER WASTE
PREVENTERS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in water waste preventers, and
is applicable to prevent waste of water in supplying water closets, and draw off
cocks of any kind where it is desired that a certain measure of water should be
delivered at each action of the apparatus, and that no more should pass until the
apparatus is again started by an external impulse.
The apparatus consists of a cistern of a capacity to contain the measure of water
to be delivered at one time; it is provided with a ball cock to fill it from another
cistern or from the main. An overflow may also be fitted, which however comes
into use only if the ball cock should get out of order. The delivery to the closet
or draw off is by a wide mouthed funnel connected through the bottom of the
cistern with the delivery pipe. This funnel has its mouth just above the water
level in the cistern, so that whilst the apparatus remains at rest no water can pass
down it. Under such circumstances the cistern fills, and the ball cock closes when
the water in the cistern is still below the mouth of the funnel. The funnel is
covered by a bell shaped vessel extending nearly but not quite to the bottom of
the cistern, and the mouth of the bell is partially closed around the neck of the
funnel (but still leaving an ample water way) by an inwardly projecting flange.
This bell is bung from one end of a lever having its fulcrum upon the side of the
cistern, and a shorter arm projecting over. A wire or pull is attached to the
shorter overhanging arm of the lever, so that this may be sharply pulled down
when the water should be delivered. The effect of this operation is to raise the
n

page_text: water contained in the bell, and cause it to overflow the wide mouth of the funnel
on all sides. This water flowing down into the delivery pipe establishes a siphon
like action, and the flow once started does not stop until the cistern is empty or
nearly so. The flange at the bottom of the bell is turned up around its inner edge
so that it may contain a certain amount of water, which acting as a weight aids
the return of the bell. The flange also aids in lifting the water when the bell is
drawn up.
When the apparatus is used in connection with a water closet having a moveable
seat, the depression of the seat may be caused to raise a weight which, when
the seat becomes free to rise, descends, and in so doing lifts the bell suddenly, and
so sets up the siphon like action.
An afterflow may be obtained by providing a receiver in connection with a
delivery pipe; this receiver fills with the first rush of water, and slowly empties
itself again by a small hole into the delivery pipe, so that the pan of the closet is
not under any circumstances left without water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Bartholomew in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th November 1881.
WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW, of Doulton's Sanitary Engineering Works, Albert
Embankment, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER WASTE
PREVENTERS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in water waste preventers, and
is applicable to prevent waste of water in supplying water closets and draw-off
cocks of any kind where it is desired that a certain measure of water should be
delivered at each action of the apparatus, and that no more should pass until the
apparatus is again started by an external impulse.
The apparatus consists of a cistern of a capacity to contain the measure of water
to be delivered at one time; it is provided with a ball cock to fill it from another
cistern or from the main. An overflow may also be fitted, which however comes
into use only if the ball cock should get out of order. The delivery to the closet
or draw off is by a wide mouthed funnel connected through the bottom of the
cistern with the delivery pipe. This funnel has its mouth just above the water
level in the cistern, so that whilst the apparatus remains at rest no water can pass
down it. Under such circumstances the cistern fills and the ball cock closes when
the water in the cistern is still below the mouth of the funnel. The funnel is
covered by a bell shaped vessel extending nearly but not quite to the bottom of
the cistern, and the mouth of the bell is partially closed around the neck of the
funnel (but still leaving an ample water way) by an inwardly projecting flange.
This bell is hung from one end of a lever having its fulcrum upon the side of the
cistern, and a shorter arm projecting over. A wire or pull is attached to the

page_text: shorter overhanging arm of the lever, so that this may be sharply pulled down
when the water should be delivered. The effect of this operation is to raise the
water contained in the bell and cause it to overflow the wide mouth of the funnel
on all sides. This water flowing down into the delivery pipe establishes a siphon
like action, and the flow once started does not stop until the cistern is empty or
nearly so. The flange at the bottom of the bell is turned up around its inner edge,
50 that it may contain a certain amount of water, which acting as a weight aids
the return of the bell. The flange also aids in lifting the water when the bell is
drawn up.
When the apparatus is used in connection with a water closet having a moveable
seat, the depression of the seat may be caused to raise a weight, which, when the
seat becomes free to rise, descends, and in so doing lifts the bell suddenly, and so
sets up the siphon like action.
An after flow may be obtained by providing a receiver in connection with the
delivery pipe; this receiver fills with the first rush of water, and slowly empties
itself again by a small hole into the delivery pipe, so that the pan of the closet is
not under any circumstances left without water.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a water waste preventer constructed according
to my Invention, and suitable for use to supply a water closet.
a, a, is a measuring cistern of a capacity adapted to the discharge which it is
desired to obtain; b is the ball cock by which the cistern is supplied; c is an
overflow pipe to carry off leakage in case the ball cock should get out of order;
d is the funnel mouth of the delivery pipe; it stands above the high water level of
the cistern; e is a lifting bell covering the funnel d; it is suspended from a lever f.
By a wire connected at the lever is caused to lift the bell to set the apparatus
in action. The bell being briskly raised carries up the water with it by suction
until it overflows the funnel d, and the flow thus resulting down the delivery pipe
sets up the siphon like action, which empties the cistern a. The bell e is flanged
inwards at c¹ so as to contract its mouth; it is thus rendered more efficient to carry
the water up with it in rising. The flange c¹ also retains a certain amount of
water, which when the cistern is empty serves as a weight, and aids in bringing the
bell down. Blocks are provided on which the bell rests at a short distance from
the bottom of the cistern, such that the water can freely enter the bell at the
bottom.
Figure 2 shews a similar arrangement, except that the bell is provided with a
loosely fitted moveable bottom e², which has a valve like action lifting to admit
water into the bell, but closing against the passage of water out from it. In this
arrangement the funnel mouth stands above the top of the cistern as the loose
bottom increases the lifting power.
Figure 3 shows the apparatus adapted to be worked automatically from the seat
of a closet. The seat when depressed thrusts the rod g upwards, lifting the
weight f, and depressing the bell e. When the seat of the closet is free to rise,
the weight f falls, lifting the bell and causing the delivery of the water, as already
described.
Figure 4 shows the apparatus with the additions which I make with a view to
obtain an after flow, or the slow discharge of a small quantity of water after the
main rush is past; this after flow will serve to fill the basin of a valve closet. It
will be seen that there is a small receiver beneath the bottom of the main
cistern a, which receives and retains for a time a part of the water rushing from
the cistern a, but it gradually runs into the delivery pipe by an aperture at h'. A
valve may also be provided, as is shewn at i, attached to the bell and lifting with
it. Such a valve serves to limit the main flow to the time during which the

page_text: lever is held up. When such a valve is provided, a perforation may be formed
at d to admit water to the interior of d before the bell e is lifted, or the water
line may be placed above d.
Figure 5 shews the apparatus in a form suited for flushing drains, and to obviate
the waste resulting from flushing drains by opening service cocks, and other
methods at present in use.
The measuring cistern a in this case is supplied by a slow continuous flow by a
tap or otherwise. Meanwhile the belle remains down, the weighted end of the
lever being supported by a finger upon an axis k¹. The axis ¹ carries a
pinion or toothed are gearing into a similar pinion or are upon the axis 1; m is a
ball lever also fixed to the axis l. The ball Boats up with the rise of the water,
and by turning the pair of axes gradually depresses the finger k until the end of
the lever f slips off from it. The weight then raises the bell; the siphon like
action is established, and the drain is effectually flushed by the sudden discharge
of the whole contents of the cistern. The finger is jointed, so that it offers no
impediment to the end of the lever f passing to its upper side, which it does
immediately, for the suction at once depresses the bell, and the outflow of water
causes the finger to rise.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim as my improvements
in water waste preventers,-
First. The measuring cistern a, the lifting bell e, and the delivery pipe d so
combined and arranged that the bell in rising carries up water with it, and sets up
a flow in the pipe d, thereby establishing a siphon like action, and causing the
discharge of the measured quantity of water, substantially as described.
Second. My improved water waste preventers, substantially as described and
illustrated by the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bartholomew, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW.
(L.S.)