IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF WATER TO PREVENT OR REDUCE WASTE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick George Underhay, of Crawford Passage,
Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF WATER TO PREVENT OR
REDUCE WASTE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick George
Underhay at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th May 1874.
I, FREDERICK GEORGE UNDERHAY, of Crawford Passage, Clerken-
well, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF WATER
TO PREVENT OR REDUCE WASTE," to be as follows:-
:―
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
drawing off water to prevent or reduce waste.
There are many purposes for which water is required, for example, for
the supply of waterclosets where a free flow is required for a short time,
and then should be arrested.

page_text: In such cases it happens sometimes from neglect and sometimes from
derangement of the apparatus that the flow is not stopped when the
requirement for it has ceased, and much water is thus wasted. To
prevent this waste is the object of my present Invention.
I cause the water after it has passed the draw-off cock, before it
arrives at the point of delivery into the pan of the closet or other
receptacle, to pass through a chamber, in the side of which is an orifice
admitting of the escape of some of the water into a second chamber in
which is a float, which rises as the water accumulates, and in rising it
closes a valve within the chamber or otherwise suitably placed to arrest
the passage of the water to the outlet. Near the bottom of the chamber
containing the float is another smaller orifice by which the water can
slowly run out from the float chamber. By this orifice the water which
has passed into the chamber slowly escapes so as after an interval of
time to admit of water being again drawn off to the pan of the closet or
other receptacle; or if the draw-off cock be kept permanently open in
consequence of neglect or wilful misuse or derangement of the apparatus
the loss of water will be limited to that which can escape by the
minute orifice at the bottom of the float chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, a
filed by the said Frederick George Underhay in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th November 1874.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
GEORGE UNDERHAY, of Crawford Passage, Clerkenwell, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frederick George Underhay, Her special
license that I, the said Frederick George Underhay, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick George
Underhay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF WATER TO PREVENT OR
REDUCE WASTE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Frederick George Underhay, 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 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 Frederick George Underhay, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
drawing off water to prevent or reduce waste.
There are many purposes for which water is required, for example,
for the supply of waterclosets where a free flow. is required for a short
time, and then should be arrested.
In such cases it happens sometimes from neglect and sometimes from
derangement of the apparatus that the flow is not stopped when the
requirement for it has ceased, and much water is thus wasted. To
prevent this waste is the object of my present Invention.
:
.:
I cause the water after it has passed the draw-off cock, and before it
arrives at the point of delivery into the pan of the closet or other
receptacle, to pass through a chamber, in the side of which is an orifice
admitting of the escape of some of the water into a second chamber in
which is a float, which rises as the water accumulates, and in rising it
closes a valve within the chamber, or otherwise suitably placed to arrest
the passage of the water to the outlet. Near the bottom of the chamber
containing the float is another smaller orifice by which the water can
slowly run out from the float chamber. By this orifice the water which
has passed into the chamber slowly escapes, so as after an interval of
time to admit of water being again drawn off to the pan of the closet or

page_text: other receptacle; or if the draw-off cock be kept permanently open in
consequence of neglect or wilful misuse or derangement of the apparatus
the loss of water will be limited to that which can escape by the minute
orifice at the bottom of the float chamber.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure
waste preventer constructed according to my Invention. In the form.
here shewn it is adapted to be used in connection with a waterclost. a is
a small chamber with which, at b, the water valve for admitting water.
to the pan is connected, and at c a connection with the pan of the closet
is made in the usual place behind the spreader. Thus when the water.
valve is opened water passes through the chamber a, and thence into the
pan; d is a flap valve covering the mouth of the passage, by which the
water enters the chamber a, and e is a lever with its fulcrum at e'. When.
the shorter arm of the lever e, which is suitably curved, as the Drawing
shews, is depressed by raising the longer arm, it presses against the back
of the valve d and holds it to its face, but when the longer arm of the
lever e falls the valve becomes free to open; f is a cylindrical float
suspended from the lever e; it is contained in the cylindrical vessel g,
which is just large enough to allow it to rise and fall freely. The rod by
which the float f is suspended passes through the top of the vessel g by
a hole which it loosely fits; h is a nozzle with a small hole in it by
which water is able to pass from the chamber a into the vessel g; i is an
air pipe on the vessel g, and % is an outlet from the vessel; the passage
through it is smaller than that in the nozzle h. A pipe conducts away
to any convenient place the water escaping by the outlet k. When tho
water supply valve of the closet is opened the vessel g commences to fill,
and if it remain open long enough the float f rises, and by means of
the lever e forces the valve d to its seat and stops the flow. Sufficient
time must then clapse for the vessel 9 partially to empty itself by the
outlet before a further supply can be obtained. Figure 3 shews a
similar apparatus arranged for drawing off water in public courts, alleys,
and such like places. The front or cover of the case in which the
apparatus is enclosed is removed. a is a chamber connected by a pipe b

page_text: with a draw-off valve on the supply pipe, and also with an outlet pipe c.
The valve may be of any convenient construction; it allows water to
pass when the lever handle b' is depressed; c' is a small air pipe on the
outlet c to allow it to empty itself; a flap valve d, lever e, and nozzle h
are contained in the chamber a, and the vessel y contains a float ƒ, all
as in Figures 1 and 2; i is an air pipe, and k is an outlet from the vessel
g, but in this case it in place of remaining always open is made of larger
size and provided with a cock, which is turned by depressing the handle
', being connected with this handle by rods and levers as is shewn.
When the valve on the water supply pipe is open the cock in connection
with the outlet k is closed, and vice versa. The action of this apparatus
is similar to that shewn in Figures 1 and 2, except that the emptying of
the vessel to allow a further quantity of water to be drawn depends
not on the lapse of time, but upon a second motion of the lever a'.
What I claim is the construction of apparatus for drawing off water
to prevent or reduce waste, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick George Underhay, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of November
in the year of our Lord Oục thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four.