Water-Closet Spray Attachment (Jerome Bonaparte Rhodes, No. 639,290)
The patent by Jerome Bonaparte Rhodes of Shreveport, Louisiana, describes an improvement in Water-Closets (Patent No. 639,290, 1899). The attachment consists of a tube so connected with the closet as to be used, when desired, to spray and wash the rectum, a function noted as “very important when that part of the human body is diseased.”
Inventor Background: Jerome Bonaparte Rhodes
Jerome Bonaparte Rhodes was an inventor focusing on sanitary and utility improvements for plumbing and hygiene, contributing to the advancements in modern sanitation infrastructure at the turn of the 20th century.
Invention and Mechanism
The invention is a manually controlled, hinged spray pipe attached to the inside of the toilet bowl, utilizing the existing water supply.
1. Spray Pipe Assembly
- Bracket (S): A bracket secured to the inner wall of the toilet sink or bowl (7) (or its rim 6).
- Spray-Pipe (10) and Spray Head (11): A pipe hinged between perforated lugs (9) on the bracket (S). The pipe terminates in a spray head (11).
- Water Supply: Pipe (4) supplies water from the main reservoir (1) to the rear end of the hinged spray-pipe (10).
2. Manual Actuation and Flow Control (Key Innovation)
- Operating Rods: A rod (12) is secured to the spray-pipe (10) and passes horizontally out through the toilet rim. An arm (14) is secured to the outer end of this rod, and a vertical lifting-rod (15) is pivoted to the free end of the arm (14).
- Operation:
- Spray Position: The operator pulls the lifting-rod (15) up. This rotates the hinged spray-pipe (10) into an upright or exposed position (Fig. 1), which simultaneously turns the water supply ON.
- Off Position: When the pipe (10) is down, lying close to the back of the bowl (Figs. 2, 3), the water supply is cut off.
- Function: The operation of raising the pipe and turning on the water are mechanically linked to a single action from outside the bowl. When the pipe is down, it is kept clean and out of the way.
Concepts Influenced by This Invention
Rhodes’s attachment is a direct conceptual precursor to the modern bidet and influenced the design of subsequent sanitary fixtures by pioneering integrated, clean-storage spray technology.
- Integrated Bidet Functionality: The core concept of an internal spray pipe (10) that is hinged or stored out of the way and activated by a user control (lifting rod 15) to spray the rectum is the foundation of the modern bidet .
- Linked Motion and Valve Control: The design that mechanically links the actuator’s position (pipe 10 up/down) to the valve’s state (ON/OFF) is a crucial principle in sanitary engineering. This influenced the design of many automatic faucets and spray nozzles where physical motion opens the valve, and spring tension (or gravity) closes it when the motion ceases.
- Hygiene by Retraction: The design ensures that in its normal state, the spray pipe (10) lies close to the back of the bowl and is covered, preventing it from becoming soiled during the ordinary use of the toilet. This influenced the development of modern self-cleaning or retractable bidet nozzles.
- Simple Retrofitting: The apparatus is described as an attachment secured by a bracket (S) and bolts, influencing the design philosophy of modern aftermarket bidet seats that attach to existing toilets.
