Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism or Apparatus for Disinfecting or Deodorising Water Closets.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism or Apparatus for
Disinfecting or Deodorising Water Closets.
I, OSWALD BROOKE, of Englewood, Hastings, in the County of Sussex, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, to be as follows:-
11
The object of my invention is to deodorise or disinfect water closets by dis-
charging into the pan of the closet, after it has been used, or both before and after it
has been used, a small quantity of a liquid disinfectant or deodoriser, and my invention
consists in the arrangements and mechanism or apparatus for effecting this object
automatically by the action of the door of the closet, either when the door is opened,
or shut, or both when it is opened and shut, I prefer the latter.
When the closet has been used the pan will be flushed with water by the ordinary
arrangement, then the user on leaving the closet will open the door or both open
and shut the door and this will admit a small quantity of the liquid disinfectant
into the pan of the closet (which when properly used, should then only contain
water) which will thus be disinfected ready for the next user, who will add a further
quantity of the disinfectant on entering and closing the closet door, so that (as
arranged) there may be one, two or four small discharges of disinfectant into the
pan before each time of using, (at a time it is most required) and the last user
causes one or two discharges into the pan after it has been flushed with water, before
leaving as the user opens or closes or both opens and closes the door of the closet
to pass out. The liquid disinfectant according to my invention is placed into a small
cistern in any convenient position, so that the liquid may flow from the cistern by
gravity into the pan of the closet.
The liquid disinfectant passes from the cistern through any suitable cock or
valve which is connected with a lever acted upon by the door to cause the valve to
open and close.
The lever may be arranged in a variety of ways to be acted upon either when
the door opens or shuts or both.
The apparatus may be arranged to discharge a given quantity, and no more, of
the liquid disinfectant at each action of the door using two cocks or valves or other
means.
The door is or may be made to act upon a small pump or a diaphragm, the barrel
of the pump or the casing for the diaphragm being provided with a small inlet and
outlet valve, so that according to the stroke of the pump or diaphragm, a given
quantity of liquid disinfectant will be drawn from the cistern into the pump barrel
or diaphragm case and then discharged therefrom to the pan of the closet.
Or a wheel with small scoops cr buckets upon it may be used made to rotate in
the cistern for liquid disinfectant, step by step by a ratchet and pawl, actuated by
the movement of the closet door, so that this wheel would lift from the cistern and
discharge a small scoop or bucket full, and no more, at each movement of the
closet door as desired.
The apparatus may be modified in a variety of ways without departing from my
invention.
Dated this Wifth day of Donamber 1800
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.

page_text: •
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism or Apparatus for
Disinfecting or Deodorising Water Closets.
I, OSWALD BROOKE, late of Englewood, Hastings, in the County of Sussex,
now of the Junior Constitutional Club, London, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to deodorise or disinfect water closets by dis-
charging into the pan of the closet, after it has been used, or both before and after it
has been used, a small quantity of any suitable and preferred liquid disinfectant or
deodoriser, and my invention consists in the arrangements and mechanism or
apparatus for effecting this object automatically by the action of the door of the
closet, either when the door is opened or shut, or both when it is opened and shut-
I prefer the latter, or by the action of the mechanism for flushing the pan with
water, or movement of a hinged seat, or both.
When the closet has been used, the pan will be flushed with water by the ordinary
arrangement, then the user on leaving the closet, will open the door, or both open
and shut the door and this will admit a small quantity of the liquid disinfectant
into the pan of the closet (which when properly used, should then only contain
water) which will thus be disinfected ready for the next user, who will add a
further quantity of the disinfectant on entering and closing the closet door, so that
(as arranged) there may be one, two or four small discharges of disinfectant into
the pan before each time of using (at a time it is most required) and the last user
causes one or two discharges into the pan after it has been flushed with water,
before or at the time of leaving, as the user opens or closes or both opens and closes
the door of the closet to pass out. The liquid disinfectant according to my inven-
tion is placed into a small cisteru in any convenient position, so that the liquid may
flow from the cistern by gravity into the pan of the closet.
The most simple and effective mechanism not liable to get out of order and which
I prefer to use for delivering the disinfectant fluid from the small cistern consists of
a wheel with small scoops or buckets upon it, made to rotate in the cistern for liquid
disinfectant, step by step, by a ratchet and pawl, actuated by the movement of the
closet door or the water flushing mechanism or hinged seat, so that this wheel would
lift from the cistern and discharge a small scoop or bucket full, and no more, or one
or more parts of one or more buckets full at each movement of the closet door or
water flushing mechanism or hinged seat, but other apparatus may be used in place
of the bucket wheel, and such apparatus may be modified in a variety of ways
without departing from my invention, when operated by the closet door.
Figs. 1 to 5 illustrate one mode of carrying out my invention by the action of the
door of the closet when closing it, and these figures will also enable me to explain
other modifications or arrangements.
Fig. 1 is an elevation and section, the section being through the small cistern for
disinfectant liquid, and the bucket wheel in the line A-B Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is an elevation and section through the small cistern and bucket wheel in
about the line C-D Fig. 1, the fulcrum part of the pawl and the lever for the stud
of the pawl being shown in section.
Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the bucket wheel detached.
Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view of the lever acted upon by the closet door, and
Fig. 5 is a diagram to show the action of the bowl carried on the door upon the
lever shown by Fig. 4.
In the modification of my invention illustrated, the small cistern a, is made with
ears a', through holes in which nails or screws may be passed to secure the cistern
to the wall of the closet, over its door.
In Fig. 1, c, represents the moulding generally placed round the framing and

page_text: over the door of the water closet, upon the upper edge of which the lower edge
of the cistern a, rests.
d, represents a part of the top of the closet door, to which a plate d³, may be
secured by screws, and to this plate a cranked bracket , may be secured by a
screw d³, passing through a slot d', that permits the bracket to be adjusted upon
the plate d¹, vertically.
The cranked bracket is forked and carries the axis of an anti-friction bowl d³,
the operation of which will be hereinafter referred to.
In the small cistern a, there are two slotted projections a', to receive the two ends
of a spindle or axis e, which may be secured in its bearings when in position by a
screw e, upon one end of it, screwing against the bearing at that end. This spindle e,
is made to fit a hole in the boss of the bucket wheel, which can rotate freely
thereon (or may rotate with the spindle e,) being kept from moving endways by the
collar e, on the spindle e, on one side, and the bearing for that end of the spindle
on the other side.
The bucket wheel f, is a disc having a boss, and a periphery in which a series
of small buckets, are formed, twelve are shown in the example given in the
drawings, but there may be more or less. This bucket wheel enters a cavity a³,
in the bottom of the small cistern, so that the buckets f, may be filled (more
or less) with disinfectant up to the last two or three bucket fulls which may
remain in the cistern.
The bucket wheel rotates in the direction pointed by the arrow on Fig. 1,
and the buckets fill more or less, and discharge their contents in succession when
they arrive in their highest position into a trough or receiver g, coming under
the buckets, but being clear of the buckets and wheel.
The receiving trough 9, is supposed to be cast on, or secured to the side of
the cistern a, and there is a channel g', in it that communicates with a passage g²,
on the outside of the cistern which terminates where there is a tube junction
at 93, for a small pipe (not shown) which extends between the junction pipe g³,
and the pan or the water flushing pipe leading to the pan.
The small pipe is arranged to descend all along its length, so that the disin-
fectant will flow by gravity to the pan. If the cistern a, is filled with disinfectant
liquid higher than the level of the trough g, it will overflow into it and pass to the
pan of the closet.
The bucket wheelf, has a hole f³, in its periphery for each bucket, and in these
holes the end of a hook pawl h, can enter freely, which pawl is jointed to a
stud h', secured in the upper end of a lever i, the fulcrum end of which is
secured by a set screw upon a short shaft i, in bearings formed upon the under
side of the cistern a.
To the shaft, the lever j, (shown in plan by Fig. 4) is secured and this
lever is heavy enough to move the pawl h, and lever i, from its position shown
in full line to that in which it is shown in dotted line in Fig. 1 resting against
a projection a', from the side of the cistern forming a stop, see Fig. 1.
When the closet door is shut, the bowl d³, is in the position shown in full
line in Fig. 1, and has moved the pawl h, to the position in which it is shown
in Fig.
in full line, and the bucket wheel, has been rotated the space of
one tooth, or one bucket, but when the closet door d, is opened until the bowl do,
has arrived in the position shown by the dotted circle d, in Fig. 1, the lever j,
will have fallen by its own gravity and the lever i, and pawl h, will have
moved to the position shown in dotted line in Fig. 1, where the pawl h, will
have taken a fresh tooth or hole in the bucket wheel, consequently each time the
door is opened, the pawl h, takes a fresh tooth, and when the door is shut, it
moves the bucket wheel one tooth or bucket. The cistern a, may be placed
in any desired position over the door of the closet, in which the door when
sufficiently opened will fully operate the lever j.
.
In Fig. 5 a plan diagrammatic view, the cistern is supposed to be in the position

page_text: shown by dotted lines (a) and the lever j, as shown in plan view in full line,
so that if the door d, shown in full line as when shut, is opened to the extent
shown by the dotted line do, radiating from its hinge the lever j, will be sufficiently
operated, and if the apparatus is placed further from the hinge of the door, the
lever j, will be fully operated by opening and closing the door to a small extent
only. k, is a retaining pawl, having its fulcrum on a stud A', in the side of the
cistern, this pawl is to prevent the bucket wheel from rotating backwards.
If desired the small cistern a, may have a lid upon it to keep out dust, and
check evaporation, a slot or opening being left in the lid for the end of the
lever, to work through freely, or if desired the lever i, may be entirely boxed
up, by projections from the outside of the cistern to form a cavity for the lever i,
this cavity being enclosed by a plate secured thereto, the lid upon the cistern
covering the upper part of this cavity for the lever i, as well as the cistern.
Ratchet teeth, if desired, may be formed on one side of the periphery of the
bucket wheel, nearest the side of the cistern or upon the side of the disc part
of the bucket wheel, or on a separate wheel secured to the bucket wheel (or its
spindle, if it rotates with the wheel) and the pawl for actuating the wheel may
be jointed upon a lever having its fulcrum to oscillate upon the spindle e.
Instead of there being only one tooth for each bucket in the wheel there may be
a number of fine ratchet teeth for each bucket, but one tooth for each bucket is
preferred, as it does not require a very accurate uniform length of movement in
the pawl, as long as its movement is greater than that which is required for
one tooth and is less than the length required for two teeth.
If it is desired to place the cistern and its bucket wheel away from the closet
door and nearer to the pan of the closet but sufficiently above it, this may be
done and the lever j, may be arranged in a bracket over the door to be operated
by it as above explained, then by a lever corresponding to the lever i, its move-
ment may be transmitted to the lever i, Fig. 1, or one corresponding to it, by
wires, cords and bell crank or other levers or pulleys, the position and arrange-
ment of which will depend upon the position of the closet door in relation to the
position of the cistern and its bucket wheel.
Instead of the door acting upon a lever j, by a bowl, especially when the bucket
wheel and cistern is placed away from the door the upper edge of the door is or
may be arranged to act upon one arm of a beam lever (the lengthway of which
in its middle position is vertical) having its fulcrum upon a bracket or holder
secured above the door, so that the door in opening and closing will come
against the lower arm of the beam lever, and its upper arm being connected
with the pawl lever of the bucket wheel by a cord or wire, will give movement to
rotate the wheel,-but the lower arm of the beam lever is made in two parts, one
jointed to the other, so that in opening, the door will come upon the jointed part
which will give way and allow the door to pass without moving the beam lever but
when the door is shut the jointed part of the lever is rigid, as it will not turn out of
its straight position in that direction, and will thus move the beam lever and the
bucket wheel more or less as arranged. If desired in order to close the closet door
when left at liberty and to give a supply of disinfectant, a spring or weight is
applied to the door to close it automatically.
In some water closets, the valve for allowing water to pass from the supply
cistern to the pan, will discharge water as long as it is held open and when it is
allowed to close there is only the water that is in the pipe between the valve and
pan, and this ceases to flow in a second or two; in other arrangements the valve
allows a cistern filled with water to a given extent to be emptied into the pan and
no more and if the valve is held open the water ceases to flow to the pan before the
valve closes. With either arrangement the bucket wheel and small cistern is and
may be combined according to my invention in such manner that when the valve is
opened to flush the pan, the same movement will move the pawl (4) back to take a
fresh tooth and when the flushing valve is closed, a weighted lever will be allowed

page_text: to act to move the bucket wheel one tooth or bucket (or more) and discharge a
bucket (or two or more partially filled buckets) of disinfectant fluid to a pipe for
flushing the pan and this disinfectant fluid will arrive at, and will remain in the pan
after the flushing water ceases to flow
When using the bucket wheel and its cistern in combination with the mechanism
for actuating the flushing valve, the small cistern and its bucket wheel is or may
be placed and secured near the water flushing cistern, and at, or by preference with
the bottom of the bucket wheel cistern a, above the highest level of the water in
the flushing cistern, or cistern from which such water is supplied. A weighted lever
(though other arrangement of weight may be used) is then secured on the shaft i,
corresponding to the lever j, but it is placed on the shaft i, so as to project
horizontally therefrom, on the opposite side of the axis i, to that at which it is
shown in Fig. 1, this weighted lever having gravity sufficient to move the pawl,
from its position shown in dotted line to that in which it is shown in full line in
Fig. 1 (against a stop to limit its movement in that direction) and thus rotate the
bucket wheel one tooth, or more if fine teeth are employed.
The weighted end of the lever in this arrangement, is connected by a chain or
cord with the mechanism actuating the flushing valve, so that when the flushing
valve is lifted or opened to discharge the water, the weighted end of the lever will
be lifted and this will cause the pawl to take a fresh tooth (or fresh teeth) and
when the flushing valve is released and allowed to close, the chain or connection to
the weighted lever will become slack, and allow it to descend and rotate the bucket
wheel one tooth (or more fine teeth) and discharge a bucketful of disinfectant, which
will pass along the small pipe from the cistern a, into the pipe for the flushing
water and so on to the pan, and if the small pipe is arranged at a low inclination
between the cistern a, and the water flushing pipe, the disinfectant will only flow
at a slow velocity so as to arrive at the pan after the water has ceased to flow into
the pan and the disinfectant will thus remain in the pan until the next time the
closet is to be used, when it will be discharged with the water flush, and a fresh
quantity will be supplied when the flushing valve is allowed to close.
If required the upper end of a separate chain or cord may be attached so as to
lift the weighted lever by a convenient handle attached to the lower end of the
chain or cord by which means additional discharges of disinfectant may be made
when desired in addition to that given when the water flushing valve is actuated.
The bucket wheel is or may be arranged according to my invention so as to be
actuated by having the pawl lever i, combined by suitable connections with the
seat of the closet hinged to descend when sat upon and lift by a weight, weighted
lever or spring, when the user rises, the bucket wheel being turned one tooth (or
several fine teeth) or bucket, when the user sits down on the seat, thus discharging
disinfectant into the pan, and the bucket wheel according to my invention may also
be actuated by the movement of the seat as above described in combination with
the arrangements hereinbefore described for actuating the bucket wheel by the
movements imparted to the water flushing valve.
In this latter combination a separate pawl and connections with the seat is or
may be used to rotate the bucket wheel, which is rotated by one pawl from the
movement of the seat and by the other pawl arranged as hereinbefore described
from the movements imparted to the water flushing valve.
Thus combined a discharge of disinfectant fluid into the pan, will take place
when the seat is sat upon and after the pan has been flushed with water, consequently
there will be two charges of disinfectant in the pan, for each time of being used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is.
1. The combination of mechanism or arrangements whereby disinfecting fluid is
supplied to the pan of water closets by the opening or closing, or both opening and

page_text: closing (the latter by preference) the closet door, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The combination and arrangement of mechanism or apparatus substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of a rotary bucket wheel and cistern for
supplying disinfecting fluid, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
4. The combination of a rotary bucket wheel and cistern with mechanism for
actuating the valve for flushing the pan of water closets with water, substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described.
5. The combination of the bucket wheel and cistern with a hinged closet seat
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
6. The combination of the bucket wheel so as to be actuated from a hinged closet
seat and the mechanism for working the water flushing valve, substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described.
6
7. The combination of the rotary bucket wheel and cistern with mechanism for
actuating the valve for flushing the pan of water closets with water, an by a
pull" by hand, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this First day of September 1891.
PETER J. LIVS Y,
Agent.