Flush toilets

Abstract

A toilet comprises a pan, a trap which normally retains water as a gas seal, and an outlet. The trap is arranged for movement, during flushing of the toilet, in a manner which causes the retained water to transfer by gravity to the outlet. In one aspect, the trap comprises a length of flexible hose having a curved portion which retains water as the gas seal.

1 . A toilet comprising a pan, a trap which normally retains water as a gas seal, and an outlet, wherein the trap is arranged for movement, during flushing of the toilet, in a manner which causes said retained water to transfer by gravity to the outlet.  
     
     
         2 . A toilet according to  claim 1  in which the trap is a rigid conduit arranged for rotary or pivotal movement.  
     
     
         3 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 1  in which the trap is constituted by a length of flexible hose.  
     
     
         4 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 3  in which the hose normally forms a curve in which said water is retained and is arranged to be straightened during flushing by relative movement between the pan and the outlet.  
     
     
         5 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 1  in which the trap is moved by means linked to a flushing mechanism of an associated cistern.  
     
     
         6 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 5  in which the flushing mechanism is a conventional siphon or a bell mechanism of known type.  
     
     
         7 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 5  in which the flushing mechanism comprises a flexible hose having a partial loop which is moved to initiate flushing.  
     
     
         8 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 1  including means which upon initiation of flushing causes cleaning water to be supplied to the pan before or while movement of the trap commences.