Saturday, September 14, 2024

History of the Toilet

In 1925, John Jacob Guggenheim founded the American Standard Company and set out to revolutionize the design of toilets, creating a top-selling model known as the Champion.

The Champion’s most notable feature was it’s strong flushing action, which used up to four gallons of water per flush. It also boasted a curved bowl that was designed to prevent clogs by making it harder for solid waste to get stuck in crevices between the bowl and tank.


In 1932, the wash-down toilet was introduced by Kohler Co., which included a small sink built into it’s tank. This allowed people to wash their hands without having to leave the bathroom or go outside.

History credits John Harrington with what we consider the birth of the toilet in 1596, costing "John" only 6 shillings and 8 pence (about $9.15).

However the toilet for its purpose was created centuries earlier and was not adopted on a large scale for another 200 years.

Mr. Thomas Crapper made a significant contribution to the history of plumbing the toilet. He patented a U-bend siphoning system for flushing the toilet pan in the late 19th century and is also credited with installing toilets for Queen Victoria.

He actually holds nine patents for improvements to drains, water closets, manhole covers and pipe joints. Crapper has racked up quite a few achievements.

It is a reasonable thought that the word "crap" to which many crude references relate today to the toilet, was derived from American World War I soldiers seeing the words "T. Crapper" printed on tanks and themselves coined the slang "crapper" meaning toilet.

The toilet remains an object of consistent tinkering. Most of us are just happy to have one handy when we need one. Perhaps we'll live to see the next evolution of the humble toilet in the coming years. —Source: Toiletable

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Listed by Inventiongen.com —
“This invention represents a fraction of the countless contributions made by American inventors, showcasing the nation’s commitment to innovation and progress across diverse disciplines,”

America truly is exceptional, and we’ve only just begun. ///