CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacques Elidat de Malbec, of Paris, France, and
of 7, Duke Street, Adelphi, London, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-CLOSETS."
Sealed the 26th February 1856, and dated the 11th December 1855.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Jacques Elidat de Malbec
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 11th December 1855, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACQUES
ELIDAT DE MALBEC, of Paris, France, and of 7, Duke Street, Adelphi,
London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER-CLOSETS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same,
and have made solemn declaration that I am the first and true Inventor thereof:
|_ NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jacques Elidat de Malbec, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accompanying.
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in water-closets, and prin- .
cipally to the closing apparatus or obturator, and the manner in which water
is supplied. The obturator consists of a nearly cylindrical basin S, of a valve H
of peculiar form, of a rocking mechanism A, B, F, enclosed in a case. . These
two last I chiefly claim as my Invention, as through them the water on the..
valve is made to close both the basin and the case-hole. The apparatus works

page_text: as follows:-On lifting the rod A, the rocking motion causes the valve H to be
opened, which is afterwards closed by the action of the counter-weight D.
Fig. 3 shows a more plain mechanism, consisting of a kneed rod; at 2 on the
said rod is a notch, which on lifting the rod is disengaged, and the valve drops
down by its own weight; for closing again the apparatus the rod is again
lifted, the notch being made to rest on its stop-piece.
The manner in which water is supplied constitutes also an improvement;
instead of the cock generally used, a self-acting motion is substituted.
The apparatus consists of a tank O, hermetically closed and contrived all
round the basin S. At N, a tube going from the bottom of the tank all
along the case communicates with the valve H; when this is down it will
be found lower than the level of water, so that water will flow down on it
and clean it. In the meantime a proportional quantity of air flies up the
tank, either through the same pipe, or, if the jet is to be continuous, through
another pipe X, also communicating with the valve, but passing nearly by the
top of the tank; as soon as the valve is shut, the air can no longer find its
way through the mouth of the tubes that are dipped into water, and all
flowing will cease. The tank, instead of being put round the basin, may as
well be arranged in any other place, but not higher than sixty feet; in such a
case, chiefly if there were any windings, two tubes are to be used, one of which,
the water tube, is to wash either the basin or the valve, or both at once by
being made bifurcated. Water is poured into the tank through the orifice I,
and is prevented from directly flowing into the valve by the plug n whilst the
cap or stopper is unscrewed, as the rod H', which is but a prolongation of it,
no longer presses against the arm of the lever L; the plug is made by the
weight M to fall on the mouth of the water pipe, which it closes, and it is only
when the stopper is screwed again that the rod H', by causing the plug to
rock, allows the tank and the valve to be set into communication again.
My system for supplying water may also be applied to wash-stands, but then
the cocks should be suppressed. Fig. 1 is a section through 1, 2, of Fig. 2;
Fig. 2 is a top view of the apparatus, the basin S being taken off; Fig. 3 is
a sectional. view of the valve, showing the mechanism and one of the case
partitions; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the said valve with such modifications
as have been pointed out, showing the whole mechanism and the said partition;
Fig. 5 is a top view of the valve. Like letters stand for like parts in. all
Figures.
A is a rod, bearing at one end a handle or knob a, and having at its lower end
a hole to which the lever B is articulated; B, oscillating lever round C,
connected on one side with the rod A, and on the other with the rod F, said

page_text: lever bearing at its prolonged end the counter-weight D; secured to the rod by
a set screw d; F, rod connecting the lever and the eyed rod f, fixed to the
valve; G, G, two side partitions of the tank O, enclosing what is termed the
case, in which case the whole mechanism works. At the ends of the two said
partitions there are two prolongation pieces 9, 9, which dip into the valve;
H, H, valve of a peculiar form (Fig. 5), which carries the eyed rod f and the
hinge h, h, to be articulated at the bottom of the tank 0; I, opening for the.
admission of water; this opening is hermetically shut by means of a screw
stopper, the compressing part of which is clothed with leather i, or india-
rubber; this stopper holds at its prolongation piece the rod H', which, dipping
into the tank O, is brought into contact with the extreme end of the lever L;
K, rotatory point of the lever L; M, counter-weight, causing the lever L to
rock when the rod does not rest on it; n, extreme end of the lever L, which
bears a plug or a round piece of leather that closes hermetically the mouth
of the tube N; N, tube through which water flows on the valve; ✗, tube
passing by the top of the tank, in order to give a passage for the air left free
after each oscillation of the lever and the valve; O, tank surrounding the
basin; U, chamber where reaches the extreme end of the emptying tube W,
the valve H works in the same chamber; S, side partition of the tank,
encasing the basin, the prolonged parts of said partition dipping all round into
the valve; S', porcelain, or any other suitable material, basin which can be
renewed whenever required.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of the said improvements
in water-closets, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein described, as such may be varied or modi-
fied without departing from the principle of action thereof; likewise I do not
confine myself to the strict figure or form of any apparatus or portions of
apparatus herein described; but I claim as new and of my Invention,―
First, using a self water-closing apparatus.
Second, supplying water by mere atmospheric pressure.
Third, conveying water on the valve for cleaning purposes.
Fourth, applying my improved process to wash-stands, &
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacques Elidat de Malbec, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
(L.S.) JACQUES ELIDAT DE MALBEC.