AU722651B2 - An improved biological toilet - Google Patents

Description

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. CI: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority:

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Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Terry Laurance Wiseman 617 Woodburn Road TERMEIL NSW 2539 Terry Laurance Wiseman ANDERSON-TAYLOR ASSOCIATES, Registered Patent Attorneys of 10 Harrison Avenue BONNET BAY N.S.W. 2226 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: AN IMPROVED BIOLOGICAL TOILET The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1, _t This invention relates to waste disposal apparatus. More particularly although not exclusively it discloses a toilet for receiving and breaking down human waste into non-toxic fertiliser products.

While it is well known to use various biological means including worms to break down human waste existing apparatus has no provision to facilitate removal of the resulting useful by-products. Prior art toilets of this kind typically comprise no more than a pit in the ground which is filled in after a period of use with no recycling of the broken down waste.

It is therefore an object of this invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantage and accordingly there is disclosed a worm digester toilet for receiving and breaking down human waste, said toilet comprising a waste receptacle, means for flushing out said receptacle to a bin digester where said waste is broken down by the action of worms into non-toxic components including worm castings and worm water, said bin being removable to enable emptying of said worm castings therefrom and further including tap means for S"periodic draining of said worm water.

The currently preferred form of this invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional elevation view of a worm digester toilet according to this concept, shows a schematic perspective view of the digester bin for the toilet of figure i.

shows a cross-sectional elevation view of a second embodiment of a worm digester toilet, and shows a schematic cross-sectional end view of the toilet and digester bin of figure 3.

oeooo ge o• o o• ooo ooo •ooo oooo• The preferred building structure for the toilet cubicle is shown schematically in figure 1. Its construction will not be described in detail here as this would be within the understanding and capabilities of a person skilled in the art. Basically however it comprises uprights 1, an elevated floor 2 and sloping roof assembly 3. There are gutters 4 along the bottom edges of the roof which drain through conduits 5 into an overhead reservoir 6 which may be a rubber water bladder or the like. This reservoir feeds a toilet cistern 7 by gravity flow through downpipe (not shown). Any overflow from the reservoir 6 also fills water storage drums 8 on each side of the cubicle which may be used to supply a hand wash basin 9. The toilet bowl 10 when flushed from the cistern 7 empties through the elevated floor 2 into a worm digester bin 11 via two outlet pipes 12 and 13. Although the invention is not limited to any particular type of worms those found to be most suitable include Tiger worms, Blue worms. Red Crawlers and Night Crawlers. The whole structure preferably sits on a raft slab 14 located at ground level For a user to gain access to the toilet any suitable form of ramp and handrail (not shown) may be provided from the surrounding ground level.

One currently preferred form of digester bin is best shown in figure 2. Preferably although not essentially it may be constructed of wood with a fibreglass lining. It may also be elongated so as to extend across the width of the toilet cubicle. In order to distribute the waste over the extended length of the bin there are as mentioned earlier two outlet pipes 12 and 13. A shut-off valve of any suitable design (not shown) may be also provided to divert the waste flow 16 from S. for example outlet pipe 12 to outlet pipe 13 once the left *side of the bin is full. The ends of the bin preferably are oooee fitted with mesh barriers 17 and vents 18 and a gusset 18A of 25 mm square galvanised steel tube is preferably fitted across the centre of the bin for reinforcement. A lid (not .shown) may also be provided with suitably placed apertures to receive the outlet pipes 12 and 13. The bin sits on gluts 19 so that the base is raised well clear of the slab 14 for ventilation purposes. Preferably the right end of the bin as eo shown sits about 25 mm lower than the left side to enable periodic drainage of the worm water through an outlet tap In accordance with this invention the bin when it becomes full of solid worm castings may be slid out from under the cubicle for emptying and then replaced for further use. To facilitate emptying of the castings doors 21 on brass hinges 22 and fitted with waterproof seals (not shown) may be provided in one side of the bin. With these folded down access to this solid material is considerably easier.

A second embodiment of the toilet is shown in figures 3 and 4. Here the same reference numerals are used but with the addition of the letter for those components which correspond to figures 1 and 2. The main additional preferred features which are fitted to this toilet include a combination charcoal/worm castings filter and water tank 23, 24 for further processing of the bin effluent, cistern cock and solar powered pump 25B for reusing the purified effluent as flush water, an effluent overflow pit 26, self loading dump bins 27 with pivoting shovel device 28 and a stop flush button 32.

With this modified version of the toilet the worm water effluent which drains from the outlet tap 20a is further processed by passing it through a central filter column 23 comprising alternate layers of worm castings and charcoal.

The purified water from this filter then col-lects in the surrounding tank 24 and is pumped back up to the toilet cistern 6a via a solar powered pump 25B and cock 25. Any excess water in the tank 24 goes to an overflow pit 26 filled with blue metal for dissipation into the ground.

A pair of dump bins 27 may be placed under the outlet pipes 12a and 13a of the toilet. A pivoting shovel device 28 is also mounted on a pedestal between these bins. As each side compartment 29 and 30 of the shovel in turn becomes full the shovel tilts under gravity to dump the waste into the adjacent bin. In doing so the other side compartment is then positioned directly under the pipe to receive waste. The shovel thus pivots between the two positions shown in figure 4 to fill both bins evenly. When the bins become full of worm castings they are removed for emptying by opening the side doors 31. The toilet according to this embodiment may also be fitted with a stop flush button 32 which prevents operation of the toilet flush mechanism, unless the seat is down.

It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiments described provides a novel and oeooo improved biological toilet. Clearly however the examples disclosed is only the currently preferred forms of this invention and a wide variety of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

For example the shape and configuration of the toilet cubicle .oe.oi and digester bin as well as the material used for their construction may be changed according to application.

o Preferably however the structural members for the cubicle are of treated pine, the roof of tin, the elevated floor of treated wooden decking and the outlet pipes of PVC.

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Claims (13)

1. A worm digester toilet for receiving and breaking down human waste, said toilet comprising a waste receptacle, means for flushing out said receptacle to a bin digester where said waste is broken down by the action of worms into non-toxic components including worm castings and worm water, said bin digester being removable to enable emptying of said worm castings therefrom and further including external tap means for periodic draining of the worm water from said bin.

2. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for flushing include an overhead reservoir replenished by rain water.

3. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said reservoir is located above said waste receptacle :i and feeds a flush water cistern adjacent said waste receptacle by gravity flow.

4. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 3 wherein said toilet further includes a cubicle comprising an elevated floor, said receptacle being located on said elevated floor and said digester bin being removably located under said .:.ooi elevated floor.

The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 4 wherein said receptacle empties into said bin through a plurality of outlet pipes terminating at different locations in said bin.

6. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 5 wherein a valve is provided to divert said waste flow from one of said outlet pipes to another.

7. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 6 wherein said bin includes a tap for the periodic draining of worm water therefrom.

8. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 7 wherein the base of said digester bin when said bin is in a position of use is sloped downwardly toward said tap.

9. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 8 wherein said bin digester includes a pair of dump bins with a pivoting shovel device mounted therebetween, said shovel device being adapted to tilt under gravity to fill both of said dump bins evenly.

The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 9 wherein said tap is connected to a filter column comprising alternate layers of worm castings and charcoal, the worm water emanating from said filter column being stored in a tank surrounding said column.

11. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 10 wherein a solar powered pump is provided to pump said water from said tank to the overhead reservoir for re-use in the toilet.

12. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 11 wherein a pit is provided for dissipation of any excess worm water into the ground.

13. The worm digester toilet as claimed in claim 12 wherein said elevated floor is suspended between uprights which sit on a concrete ground slab. Dated this day of Oe~,l' 1997 Terry Laurance Wiseman By his Patent Attorney MICHAEL ANDERSON-TAYLOR 4 o* a ooo** -9-