IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER CLOSETS, AND IN VALVES OR TAPS FOR WATER-CLOSETS, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1856

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Harlow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents. with his Petition. on the 6th
June 1856.
I, ROBERT HARLOW, of Stockport, in the County of Lancaster, Brassfounder.
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WATER CLOSETS, AND IN VALVES OR TAPS FOR WATER-CLOSETS, AND
OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in causing the depression of the seat of the water-
closet to open a tap or valve, whereby water is admitted into a tube, the upper
end of which is furnished with a ball of vulcanized india-rubber, or other
suitable material, suspended to a short wire passing through a cap fixed to the
of the tube: this cap is made with holes to allow the air to escape as the
water rises in the tube, and these holes are closed by the pressure of the water
against the ball.
כ-i
My improvements in valves or taps consist in the application of a tube of
[Price 8d.]

page_text: vulcanized or other preparation of india-rubber placed around the spindle of
the valve and within the valve chamber, whereby the stuffing box is dispensed
with, and the valve raised off its seating when required; also in the application
of a ball clack, made of vulcanized india-rubber or other material, and placed
between the orifice of the pipe to be supplied and the end of the supply pipe.
When these improvements in valves or taps are used in combination with my
improvements in water-closets, the depression of the seat closes a valve, con-
structed in the manner herein-before firstly described, and at the same time
opens one of the valves. secondly described, thereby shutting off the com-
munication to the pan and admitting water to the tube. When the pressure on
the seat is removed, the first-described valve is opened to allow the water in
the tube to enter the pan. and the pressure being removed from the second
valve, the pressure of the water in the main pipe shuts off the communication
with the tube.
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Harlow in the Great Seal Patent Oflice on the
6th December 1856.
TO ALL TC WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I. ROBERT
HARLOW, of Stockport in the County of Lancaster. Brassfounder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria. by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June. in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six. in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Harlow, Her special license that I. the said Robert Harlow. my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Harlow,
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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER-
CLOSETS, AND IN VALVES OR TAPS FOR WATER-CLOSETS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Harlow, my executors,
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of

page_text: the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed. and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Robert Harlow, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed.
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement.
(that is to say) :-
The nature of my Invention consists. first. in an improved self-acting water-
closet, the seat of which. when depressed, opens a tap or valve to admit water
into a tube furnished above with a ball valve, which closes the air passages
when the tube is full, and when the pressure is removed from the seat the
water in the tube is admitted into the pan to cleanse it out.
Secondly, in the application of the improved ball valve above referred to, to
the cisterns of other water-closets, and to other purposes.
Thirdly, in the application of a tube of vulcanized or other preparation of
india-rubber placed around the spindle of valves or taps within the valve
chamber whereby the stuffing box is dispensed with, and the valve raised off
its seating when required.
And, lastly, in the application of a ball clack, made of vulcanized india-rubber
or other suitable material. placed between the orifice of the pipe to he supplied
and the end of the supply pipe.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawing, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a water-closet to which my improvements are
applied: Fig. 2 is a plan of the same: Fig. 3 is a section and plan, on an
enlarged scale, of my improved ball valve: and Fig. 4 is a section. also on an
enlarged scale, of my improvements in valves or taps.
In Figs. 1 and 2, a is the pan; and b, the seat, which is hinged at the back.
as in some other water-closets; c is the supply pipe, in communication with the
town's water pipes, or with a cistern placed sufliciently high to give the requisite
pressure; d, is the box of the compound tap or valve, shewn in Fig. 4; this
tap or valve is connected on one side by means of the pipe e with the pan a,
and on the other side by the pipe f with the tube g. The tube g is attached
by flanges to the wall, and above it is furnished with the improved ball valve h,
shown in Fig. 3: this valve consists of the inverted cone . the lower end of
which is screwed into the upper part of the tube . and the upper end of the
cone has a small hole to admit the wire by which the ball valve is suspended.

page_text: I prefer to make this ball valve hollow, of vulcanized india-rubber. but other
materials may be used. Holes are made in the sides of the cone to allow
air to escape from and to enter into the tube y, as will be explained hereafter;
a guard or cover is placed over the cone to prevent the escape of any water
that might pass through the air holes. The compound valve shown at Fig. 4
is composed of the following parts: Within the body of the valve is the
seating d' of the flat valve i, which is cast with or fixed to the spindle i'; this
valve is faced with a washer of vulcanized india-rubber, or other suitable
material. The spindle i¹ passes through the lid of the valve box, and is con-
nected to it by a tube . of vulcanized or other preparation of india-rubber;
this tube is attached by wire or otherwise to the spindle and to the boss of
the lid. consequently when the spindle is depressed, the tube elongates. to allow
the valve i to come down on the seating d, and when the pressure is removed
the elasticity of the tube raises the valve off its seating: by this means the
stuffing box usually required is dispensed with. The lower end of the spindle i¹
is made with four apertures, marked . to allow for the passage of water: this
part of the spindle fits in the guide piece or valve seating of the valve
box d, into which is screwed the plug . Between the upper surface of the
plug and the lower surface of the spindle is the ball clack j. made of
vulcanized india-rubber, or other suitable material. The supply pipe c is
screwed into the plug d³, and holes are bored in the plug to admit water
from the pipe e to the valve box d. The Drawings are represented with the
various parts in the positions they occupy when the front end of the seat is
slightly raised, and when the water from the tube g has passed along the pipe
f, between the valve seating d' and valve i, to the pipe e, and thence into the
pan a. As soon as pressure is applied to the seat, the head of the spindle i¹.
being in contact with the under side of the seat, is depressed. thereby com-
pressing the ball clack (which had previously been held against the valve
seating d by the pressure of the water in the pipe c). and allowing the water
from the supply pipe e to enter through the apertures . then through the
valve box d and pipe f into the tube g. the valve i being at this time closed
on to the seating d¹ by the pressure on the top of the spindle i¹. As long as
the water continues to rise in the tube g. the ball h, being suspended by the
wire from the cone h¹. allows the air to escape through the holes in the said
cone but when the water ascends to the top of the tube. the ball is raised by
the water, and is compressed within the cone, thereby closing the holes and
preventing the escape of the water. When the pressure is removed from the
seat the spindle again rises, the ball clack instantly closes the orifice of
the valve seating , and raises the valve i off the seating d', thereby opening

page_text: the communication between the tube g and the pan a, when the water that
was in the tube y flows into the pan to cleanse it out.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention. and the manner of
performing the same. I wish it to be understood that although I have shewn
my improvements in water-closets and in valves or taps combined. I do not.
limit myself to such combination, as the said improvements may be used
independently of each other; but what I do claim is.-
First, the improved self-acting water-closet, as described.
Secondly, the improved ball valve marked h, as described.
Thirdly, the application of a tube of vulcanized or other preparation of
india-rubber to the spindle of valves or taps, as described.
And, lastly, the application of the ball clack marked j. when and in the
manner and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, 1. the said Robert Harlow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal. this Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
KUBERI HARLOW. (L.S.)