IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING AND OTHER WATER-CLOSETS, AND IN FLUSHING APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Patrick Aitchison, Brassfounder, and Thomas Binks,
Plumber, both of Sheffield, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING AND OTHER WATER-CLOSETS, AND IN
FLUSHING APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Sealed the 25th November 1859, and dated the 27th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Patrick Aitchison and
Thomas Binks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 27th May 1859.
We, PATRICK AITCHISON, Brassfounder, and THOMAS BINKS, Plumber, both
of Sheffield, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING AND OTHER WATER-CLOSETS, AND IN
FLUSHING APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
Our Invention embraces a peculiar form of basin and an arrangement of
valves, whereby one motion acts directly and simultaneously upon both the
outlet and inlet valves, opening the latter and closing the former on the appli-
cation of pressure, and on the withdrawl of pressure closing the inlet and
opening the outlet. The neck or outlet of the basin is projected towards
either the front or back in such manner, that the centre of the outlet is over-
hung by the re-entrant angle or rim formed at the junction of the neck with
the front or back of the basin, as the case may be; this formation of basin
prevents the water in the soil pan from splashing upwards when the closet is
being used. The flushing apparatus consists of a service box in connection

page_text: with a cistern, a flushing pipe, and a discharging vessel. In the top of the
service box is fixed the inlet valve, and in the top of the discharging vessel the
outlet valve, the flushing pipe, which is perfectly vertical, connects both. The
inlet is closed by a weight downwards, and the outlet by pressure upwards;
the outlet valve is provided with a diaphragm of vulcanized india-rubber, or
other material, on each face, that on the top face large, to act on the valve
seat, but that on the lower face small, to close on a tube projecting upwards
from the bottom of the discharging vessel projecting downward from the outlet
valve, and passing through this tube is a lifting rod, to be acted upon from
below. From the top of the outlet valve and the under side of the inlet valve,
similar rods or guides also project and fit into the opposite ends of a small
tube placed between both valves; the length of this tube determines the
relative position of the valves, and is so regulated, that when the outlet valve
is closed, it raises and opens the inlet, to admit water into the service box and
flushing pipe, and when the inlet valve closes, it depresses and opens the out-
let and admits the water contained in the service box and flushing pipe to
flow through the discharging vessel into the basin. When applied to a self-
acting water-closet with moveable seat, a lever or arm, with the end beneath
the rod which passes through the bottom of the discharging vessel, is fixed to
the back of the seat, on the seat being occupied and the front depressed, the
arm raises the lifting rod, and with it the outlet and inlet valves, opening the
latter and closing the former. When the seat is vacated, the inlet closes, and
the outlet valve recedes from its seat, falling upon the neck of the tube in
the discharging vessel, leaving the discharging end of the flushing pipe open,
the water then flows through a mouth in the side of the discharging vessel
into the basin.
This apparatus may be applied to open cisterns with ball cocks, or to closed
cisterns with air pipes, and also to water-closets not self-acting, by the intro-
duction of a pull and lever or cranks to act on the lifting rod or projection
from the under side of the outlet valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Patrick Aitchison and Thomas Binks in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PATRICK
AITCHISON, Brassfounder, and THOMAS BINKS, Plumber, both of Sheffield, in
the County of York, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Patrick Aitchison and Thomas Binks, Her special license that we, the
said Patrick Aitchison and Thomas Binks, our executors, administrators, or
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 SELF-ACTING AND OTHER WATER-CLOSETS, AND
IN FLUSHING APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Patrick Aitchison and Thomas Binks, by an instru-
ment in writing under our hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of
one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Patrick Aitchison and Thomas Binks,
do hereby declare the nature of the 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):-
Our Invention embraces a peculiar form of basin and an arrangement of
valves, whereby one motion acts directly and simultaneously upon both the
outlet and inlet valves, opening the latter and closing the former on the appli-
cation of pressure, and on the withdrawal of pressure closing the inlet and
opening the outlet. The neck or outlet of the basin is projected towards either
the front or back, in such manner that the centre of the outlet is overhung
by the re-entrant angle or rim formed at the junction of the neck with the
front or back of the basin, as the case may be; this formation of basin pre-
vents the water in the soil pan from splashing upwards when the closet is being
used. The flushing apparatus consists of a service box in connection with a
cistern, a flushing pipe, and a discharging vessel. In the top of the service
box is fixed the inlet valve, and in the top of the discharging vessel the outlet
valve; the flushing pipe, which is perfectly vertical, connects both. The inlet
is closed by a weight downwards and the outlet by pressure upwards. The
outlet valve is provided with a diaphragm of vulcanized india-rubber or other
material on each face, that on the top face large, to act on the valve seat, but
that on the lower face small, to close on a tube projecting upwards from the

page_text: bottom of the discharging vessel; projecting downward from the outlet valve
and passing through this tube is a lifting rod, to be acted upon from below.
From the top of the outlet valve and the under side of the-inlet valve, similar
rods or guides also project and fit into the opposite ends of a small tube placed
between both valves; the length of this tube determines the relative position
of the valves, and is so regulated, that when the outlet valve is closed, it raises
and opens the inlet, to admit water into the service box and flushing pipe, and
when the inlet valve closes, it depresses and opens the outlet, and admits the
water contained in the service box and flushing pipe to flow through the dis-
charging vessel into the basin. When applied to self-acting water-closet
with moveable seat, a lever or arm with the end beneath the rod, which passes
through the bottom of the discharging vessel, is fixed to the back of the seat;
on the seat being occupied and the front depressed, the arm raises the lifting
rod, and with it the outlet and inlet valves, opening the latter and closing the
former. When the seat is vacated, the inlet closes, and the outlet valve
recedes from its seat, falling upon the neck of the tube in the discharging
vessel, leaving the discharging end of the flushing pipe open, the water then
flows through a mouth in the side of the discharging vessel into the basin.
This apparatus may be applied to open cisterns with ball cocks, or to closed
cisterns with air pipes, and also to water-closets not self-acting, by the intro-
duction of a pull and lever or cranks, to act on the lifting rod or projection
from the under side of the outlet valve. The arrangements embraced in our
said Invention are fully set forth and delineated in the accompanying Draw-
ings, similar parts in each Figure being marked by similar letters of reference.
Figure 1 is a transverse section, showing the connection of the whole appa-
ratus; Figure 2 is a sectional plan, full size, on the line a, b, (Figure 1)
showing the outlet and part of the basin; Figure 3 is a vertical section on the
line c, d, (Figure 2); Figure 4 is a section, showing the inlet valve e and the
outlet valve f, (Figures 1 and 3) full size; Figure 5 is a section, representing
the air valve g, (Figure 3) full size; Figure 6 is a plan, showing the inlet
valve e and the air valve g; and Figure 7 is a section, showing the adaptation
of the Invention to an open cistern. In Figure 1, the outlet valve f is repre-
sented open, and the inlet valve e closed; this represents the ordinary
condition of the valves when the closet is not in use. The seat his fixed on
pivots, or otherwise, in such manner, that when it is occupied, the front is
depressed and the back elevated; the cranked lever i (see Figures 1 and 3)
attached to the back of the seat then lifts the projection k and closes the outlet
valve f, as shown by Figures 3 and 4; the tube 7 (see Figures 1, 3, and 4)
is also raised, and with it, as Figures 3 and 4 also show, the inlet valve e; this

page_text: admits the water to flow into and fill the service or flushing box m and the
connecting pipe n (see Figures 1 and 3). In the flushing box provision is
made for the egress and admission of air by introducing the valve g.
When
the front of the seat h is relieved from pressure, the back falls, the lever i
ceases to act upon the projection k, the inlet e closes and the outlet f opens;
the water then flows through the mouthpiece o and flushes the basin, the
direction of its course being determined by the channels p, p, (Figure 2).
The basin is formed with a projection 9 (see Figure 1) to cover the centre of
the discharging syphon, but this projection may be either at the front, as
shown, or at the back of the basin. When cisterns are employed, the inlet
valve may be introduced, as shown by Figure 7, with a ball tap r and
air pipe s.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is or may be carried into effect, we declare that what we claim and
desire to have secured to us by the above in part recited Letters Patent is, the
arrangement of the inlet and outlet valves and the connecting tube, so as to be
acted upon simultaneously by a direct motion, the peculiar construction of the
basin, and generally the combination substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Patrick Aitchison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
T. F. CASIIN.
PATRICK AITCHISON. (L.S.)