Improvements in Water Closet Cisterns.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 25th May, 1894
Improvements in Water Closet Cisterns.
I JOHN MERRILL of 30 Albany Road Sheffield in the County of York Engineer
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 provide improved apparatus for the flushing of
water closets urinals and the like.
In one form of the invention of which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal and Fig. 2 a cross
section I construct in the bottom of the cistern A a well B and above this I place
a cylinder C the top of which is connected with the bend of a syphon D the outlet
end of which passes through the bottom of the cistern A. The lever E projects
over the cylinder C and terminates in a cross piece F. To this cross piece I connect
a rod or angle piece G which passes down outside the two sides of the cylinder C
and along the bottom of the well B. To the lower side of this angle piece G
I connect an upright rod H which terminates just within the cylinder C in a flat
plate or displacer I. The cistern being filled by means of a ball cock in the usual
way when the outer end of the lever E is depressed the angle piece G which moves
freely outside the cylinder C is raised and carries with it the rod H and displacer I
which pass up inside the cylinder C lifting a sufficient quantity of water over the
bend of the syphon D to effectually charge it, when the cistern A is rapidly
emptied.
A second form of my invention is a self acting arrangement and is shewn in
Fig. 3.
The cistern J has at its outlet a valve K which is worked by the lever Land
this has at its extreme end a loop M which engages the rod of the ball cock N.
The lever L is connected by means of a rod or chain O with another lever P which
has a weight Q at one end and is preferably placed below the hinged seat R to
which it is attached by the bracket and pin S upon which it can work freely. The
fulcrum T is placed nearer the seat end of the lever P than the weighted end so
that a very small movement of the seat R gives an increased movement at the
weighted end. The lever L has also its fulcrum placed nearer to the chain end
than to the valve K and ball cock N and this also amplifies the movement so that
with a rise and fall of the seat of half an inch I get a rise and fall of the lever L
and the loop M of about three inches.
When the seat R is sat upon it moves downwards and depresses the short or seat
end of the lever P the weighted end being raised. The lever L being now set at
liberty allows the valve K to close and the ball cock N to open and fill the cistern J
the loop M being constructed to allow the ball cock N to cut off the water when the
cistern J is filled to its proper level.
When the user leaves the seat the short end of the lever P is released and the
weighted end falls carrying with it the chain O which actuates the lever L closing
the ball cock N and opening the valve K the contents of the cistern J being
discharged.
In order to get a rapid flush I construct an improved valve K which is shewn
enlarged at Fig. 4. Instead of the usual wings or spindle the use of which is to
keep the valve in its place and bring it home true on its seating I construct a
frame U outside the valve W which rises above the seating a greater height than
the lift of the valve. This frame U keeps the valve W in its place and brings it
true to its seat but it does not obstruct the passage of the water which has a
full way.

page_text: It is well known that where closets are used in common some men from fear of
contamination refuse to sit upon or touch the seat. As a consequence where the
apparatus has a seat action no flush takes place the soil &c. remaining in the basin.
In order to overcome this I connect the seat R Fig. 3 with the treadle V which I
place in such a position that it must be stood upon to use the closet and by this
means a flush is ensured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The construction of a syphon cistern with well, angle piece acting outside of
cylinder, and upright rod and displacer acting inside of cylinder, substantially as
and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 of my
drawings.
2. In a seat action arrangement the combination of a lever opening a valve and
closing a ball cock with a weighted lever actuated by a moving seat substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by Fig. 3 of my
drawings.
3. The combination of a treadle connected to a moving seat substantially as and
for the purpose described and illustrated by Fig. 3 of my drawings.
4. The construction of a valve having a full way in which the moving valve is
guided by an outside frame as and for the purpose described and illustrated by
Fig. 4 of my drawings.
Dated this 26th day of February 1894.