IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSET APPARATUS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Farrand Clarke, of Moorgate Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERCLOSET
APPARATUS."
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Sealed the 3rd June 1873, and dated the 7th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Farrand Clarke
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th December 1872.
I, JOHN FARRAND CLARKE, of Moorgate Street, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATERCLOSET Apparatus," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a self-acting watercloset so arranged that
when the cover of the seat is lifted a cock or valve is opened to fill a
small "flushing" cistern with water from the supply cistern. When
the lid of the closet seat is closed the pan is flushed by the opening of a
valve in the flushing cistern, which is filled and emptied each time the.
closet is used. As the flushing cistern may be adjacent to the closet, .
and the main supply cistern be placed above it at any other part of the.

page_text: building, all communication between the closet and the main cistern is
cut off, so that the water in the latter, which may be used for general
purposes, cannot be contaminated by any noxious gases which might
escape from the closet.
To ensure the flushing of the closet after use the action of the seat
cover is also arranged to fasten and unfasten the door by means of a bolt
concealed in the door frame in such manner that no person can leave the
closet without its being flushed, or the opening of the door may be
caused to close the seat.
The supply of water from the main cistern to the flushing cistern is
governed by a ball-cock, or valve so controlled by the connections
through which the valve to flush the closet is operated, that when the
seat cover is raised the ball is lowered and the supply of water admitted
thereto. The ball however is free to rise and cut off the supply auto-
matically as the flushing cistern fills, the service valve remaining all the
time closed. As soon as the seat lid is shut the connections retain the
ball in its raised position, and at same time open the service valve to
empty the flushing cistern to flush the closet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Farrand Clarke in the Great Seal Patent 2
Office on the 7th June 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FARRAND CLARKE, of Moorgate Street, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 2
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Farrand Olarke, Her special
licence that I, the said John Farrand Clarke, my executors, adminis- 3
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Farrand Clarke,
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,

page_text: and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATERCLOSET APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Farrand Clarke, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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.
°
B
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the. said John Farrand Clarke, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thercon (that is
to say) :-
My Invention relates to a self-acting watercloset so arranged that
when the cover of the seat is lifted a cock or valve is opened to fill a
small "flushing" or measuring cistern with water from a supply cistern.
When the lid of the closet seat is closed the pan is flushed by the
opening of a valve in the flushing cistern, which is filled and emptied
cach time the closet is used. As the flushing cistern may be adjacent
to the closet, and the main cistern which supplies the building generally
be placed above it at any other part of the building, all communication
between the closet and the main cistern is cut off, so that the water in
the latter cannot be contaminated by any noxious gases which might
escape from the closet.
To ensure the flushing of the closet after use the action of the seat.
cover is also arranged to fasten and unfasten the door by means of a bolt
concealed in the door frame in such manner that no person can leave the
closet without its being flushed.
The supply of water from the supply cistern to the flushing cistern is
governed by a valve so controlled by the connections through which the
valve to flush the closet is operated, that when the seat cover is raised
water is admitted thereto, but is cut off when the seat is closed, the
valve by which the flushing cistern is emptied being at same time
opened.

page_text: Figure 1 represents in sectional elevation a watercloset arranged
according to my Invention. Figure 2 shows a part of the door viewed
from the inside. Figure 3 is a vertical section of the cistern, or cisterns
on line 1-1, Figure 1. The same letters of reference indicate the same
parts in all the Figures.
a is the watercloset seat; b is the "seat, cover, or flap, hinged at cas
usual, and to which is attached a curved arm d. This arm is fixed at a
suitable distance from the hinge c, and is curved to a circle described
from the centre on which the seat cover is hinged, and works through a
slot in the seat. To its extremity is attached a cord or chain k, which is
passed over pullies, as shown, and connected to the valve e in the upper
or supply cistern f. This cistern is filled by the ball cock g from the
house cistern, and serves to supply what I call the flushing cistern h
placed below it through valve e. This cistern ½ is closed, and contains
only sufficient water to flush the closet once. It is refilled each time
the closet is used, so that it is impossible for the water to run to waste,
or for more than a certain quantity to be used at each time, although
the house cistern may receive a constant supply.
The cistern is pro-
This valve stem
in cistern h, the
vided with a valve i and pipe leading to the closet pan.
is connected to one extremity of a lever 2, pivoted at
other end of which lever is connected to the valve e, so that when valve i
is open to flush the closet valve e is shut; and when valve e is open to
fill cistern. h valve i is shut. Thus arranged the action of the seat lid b
when raised is to open valve e and close valve i, and vice versa when
the lid is closed. The cord or other connection & also branches off to
the door, and passes down through a tube or channel m provided in the
door-frame to a bolt m² attached to its extremity and fitted to slide in a
socket n recessed in the door-frame. The door also carries an eye or
socket o through which the bolt m¹ drops, when the door is closed and
the seat raised. The door thus fastened cannot be opened except by
closing down the seat lid b, which at same time that it raises bolt m¹
shuts valve e and opens valve i, thereby ensuring the proper flushing of
the closet-each time it is used.
Having described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as my
Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters

page_text: Patent is, the combination and arrangement of apparatus consisting of
the flushing or measuring cistern h and supply cistern f, provided with
valves e and i, operated by the movement of the closet flap 6 in such
manner that one valve is closed when the other is opened, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
I also claim the combination with such apparatus of the bolt m², also
operated by the movement of the flap, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Farrand Clarke, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.