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the burners. When the water has reached the proper temperature and the faucet is closed, this operation automatically shuts off the burners, thus giving a flexible and inexpensive system.

Instantaneous Heaters. Another device is the instantaneous heater, a small appliance which may be placed at the point where hot water is to be used. It consists of a coil of brass, copper, or some other good conductor, through which cold water from the main is made to pass slowly, subjected to direct contact with a range of gas flames, Fig. 58. These burners are ignited from a small pilot light which is swung into

[graphic]

contact when hot water is required.

PRIVATE WATER SUPPLY

.

Compression Tanks. Where no public water service is available, a private supply becomes necessary. This may be secured by sinking a well and installing a compression tank in some convenient place to be filled by a hand or power pump. The pump forces the water into an air-tight tank until the air is compressed at one end to a considerable degree. The objection to a hand pump lies in the fact that it is necessary to keep the tank reasonably full to maintain the pressure, and the task of keeping it filled is a good deal of a nuisance, to say the least. A much better way is to install a pump deriving its power from electricity or gas which can be more or less automatically controlled, thus relieving the owner of the bother of watching the compression.

Fig. 58. Part Section of Instantaneous
Gas Heater
Courtesy of The Humphrey Company, Chicago

Special Systems. Other systems for the delivery of water under pressure are to be found, varying principally in adaptation, and most large firms handling pumps are ready and willing to make recommendations to fit particular cases.

PLUMBING FIXTURES

Water Closets. The standard fixture consists, in general, of a closet in one piece, supplied by a sure and quick flow of water, and emptied by a simple and ample discharge. The superintendent should see that the quality and pattern are as called for by the specifications, that they are perfect in every respect, and set up in a workmanlike manner.

Types. There are several types of closets from which to choose. The simplest of these is the short hopper. This consists of an earthenware bowl, Fig. 59, and a trap, the latter being sometimes made of earthenware and sometimes a lead or iron trap to which the bowl is bolted, Fig. 60. The contents are washed into the soil pipe by a discharge of water all around the top rim, which is curled over and perforated or brought to a narrow opening. An improvement of this form is the familiar pattern known as the wash-down closet, in which a deeper trap and a larger water area is formed than that made by the regular hopper and trap. This closet requires a large flush of water to remove the contents and is

[graphic]

Fig. 59. Simple Iron Hopper Courtesy of Crane Company, Chicago

somewhat noisy. To overcome this and to assist in the discharge as well, the plain siphon type, and the siphon jet type, Figs. 61 and 62, have been designed. In this closet a small inlet in the bottom of the basin is connected with the flush pipe, so that when the bowl is flushed a jet of water is projected upward, which assists in removing the contents of the basin and also in filling the outlet. The latter is contracted somewhat in order that the flow of water may fill it completely and produce on a large scale the vacuum previously described in connection with the S-trap, so that the pressure of the air upon the water in the basin helps to push out the contents. An

objection to the jet is found in houses which are to be left unoccupied during the winter, since the water which is to be thrown out

[graphic][merged small]

to form the jet remains in the bowl, even when the trap has been emptied, and requires especial attention to avoid being frozen.

Another form of siphon

closet produces the siphonic action without the jet by

making a sudden turn in the outlet pipe, which causes the flush of water to fill the pipe completely and to produce a vacuum with the same result as described. A type of closet called the washout closet was formerly much in vogue, Fig. 63, but it is not so positive in its action as the others and is

less popular than formerly.

[graphic][merged small]

Connections and Vents. Close attention should be paid to the connection between the closet and the soil pipe, since this connec

tion, except in the case of the hopper closet with metal trap, will come on the sewer side of the trap and must be made absolutely tight. Some of the best closets are constructed so that the connection shall be under water and any leak will at once betray itself.

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Fig. 62. Section Showing Typical Siphon-Jet Closet
Courtesy of Crane Company, Chicago

Another patented connection retains about a pint of water in a ring where the connection is made, which will appear upon the floor if the connection is not perfect. The connection from this point to the soil pipe is usually made with a lead bend, calked, by means of a brass ferrule, into the soil pipe.

All closets should be provided with a "local vent" outlet, a tube which extends from the upper part of the basin and to which a galvanized pipe may be attached and carried to the nearest warm flue for the ventilation of the basin; all traps, especially where the discharge of higher fixtures may create a vacuum in the soil pipe, should be vented to the main stack of vent pipes.

Fig. 63. Washout Closet

Tanks and Flushing. The usual way of providing for a sure supply of water to flush out the closet has been to fit up over it a copperlined tank supplied from the house service and regulated by a ball cock. The operation of flushing the closet is performed by pulling a chain or rod which raises a heavy plug from the upper end

of the flush pipe and causes a more or less prolonged flow of water, when the plug again seats itself and the tank is refilled, Fig. 64.

This operation, sim

ple in itself, is pro-
ductive of consider-
able noise, and there
are on the market
many devices aimed
to secure an ample
flow with a minimum
of noise. Another
form of tank, and
one especially valu-
able where height is
limited, is called the
low-down tank, Fig.
65, in which the loss
of power of gravity is made
up by enlarging the supply.
These are very satisfactory
in their operation.

A newer and increasingly popular form of flushing closets is by means of a valve, Fig. 66, which delivers water directly from the general service, or from a special supply, and then closes automatically. These valves are put upon the market by different dealers under various names, but are all nearly identical in principle. They were formerly installed where many closets were to be supplied

[graphic]
[merged small][merged small][graphic]

Fig. 65. Flushing Closet with Low-Down Tank
Courtesy of Crane Company, Chicago

or where the presence of any kind of tank was undesirable, but they are coming more into favor for general usage and are called specifi

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