IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY CLOSETS
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Nimrod Walter at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th October
1874.
I, NIMROD WALTER, of Reigate, in the County of Surrey, Sanitary
Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DRY CLOSETS," to be as follows:-
This Invention of ash bin and closets is an improvement on all others
yet introduced, the arrangement being simple, complete, and inexpensive,
and supplying a requirement so long desired but not before attained.
The dry earth closets now in use are complicated and will not effectually
sift their own deodorant, nor will they restore a supply sufficient to carry
them on many days in proper action, it being a source of continual work
to fill the supply box and empty the receptacles, also from the liquid
mixing with the excrement the supply of deodorant having to over-
balance the deposit of excrement so as to absorb and make the focal
matter portable. Attempts have been made in various ways to divide the
liquid from the solid (which is the proper cause to adopt), but all have
as yet failed to accomplish it effectually. In this my improved dry

page_text: system, I construct a closet in a cottage garden, or yard, or other
required position; so as to abate all nuisances it is arranged to stand on
the line of house slop drains, which drains are generally four inch
glazed pipes; I carry this drain through the closet under the seat, out of
which I erect a pipe with a funnel head which is fixed to the riser in an
inclining position.. I cover this with an earthen grating or ribbed
strainer to prevent paper or other matter stopping up the pipe. To
prevent up draught or current I put in syphons on both sides of the
downright pipe; at the back or side of closet I put a glazed earthenware
catch pit covered with a grating forming a funnel, for the reception of
the contents of slop pail or phamber utensil; at the back or side of the
closet (but under the roof) I fix an ash bin or earth receptacle sufficient
to hold more than half a yard with a hopper or shoot to conduct the
deodorant under the closet seat; in that shoot or hopper I swing a
revolving fan being divided into compartments so as to regulate the
quantity of deodorant to the requirement of the closet; this fan or drum
works on a horizontal shaft or spindle and revolves so as to stir up
the deodorant and bring the required charge directly over the fresh
excrement each time the closet is used. I make this drum or fan
revolve by the shutting of the flap or lid by the rising off the seat or
flap, or by the shutting of the door, directly over the ash bin or
receptacle I hang a cradle made of slight iron or other material
attached to a chain or chains or cord. This cradle is made to vibrate
lengthways, crossways, or in the radius of a circle. I make a screen
or siere to fit in this cradle, which screen or sieve is loosely hinged
or attached at the front, back, or side, to the top of a cinder box,
This box can be under the roof to shut the ash bin and screen
in; I hang a door or flap on the outside of the closet; such door
or flap is attached by a line, cord, or chain to the opposite side of
the sieve to that hinged or hung to the cinder box. This flap is to
counterbalance the screen or sieve when the flap is shut. The sieve is
in a perpendicular position. The bin or receptacle cannot be used unless
the door is open, and by opening that the sieve or screen will fall back
into the cradle to receive the ashes or house refuse, when by-simple
action the cradle and sieve will vibrate, freely sifting the ashes or dust
into the bin, and leaving the cinders or other matter on the sieve; then
by 'shutting the door or flap the sieve is brought upright, emptying its
contents into the cinder box. All unburnable matters shall be thrown
into a small refuse bin. The pit or vault is not more than twelve inghes
-

page_text: below the ground level, and made water-tight. I have a door to open at
the back or side for emptying the pit; and further I provide for children
by having a double lid, so that the small hole occupies the same position
when shut down over the straining pipes as the large one. All the
appliances can be fitted to ordinary outdoor privies.
I also make ash bins separately for use in towns or where water-
closets are in use.