Speaking of old stuff- Steamhead

Steamhead

This is a Curtin "Victory" flush valve I found a couple days ago. It's similar to the ones used in American-Standard and Kohler one-piece toilets up to about 1960, except it has a threaded shank and an overflow pipe. The American-Standard tilting flush valve used in the 1960s thru about 1980 works pretty much the same way this one does, although it looks completely different. I've only seen this version once before, in two 1920's Cranes in an old mansion. This one looks much newer than that.

I was there to add main vents to the steam system, and the owner mentioned that one of his toilets- a 1980's vintage Mansfield- was difficult to flush. This is what I found in the tank. It has a regular flapper-type valve in it now, and the owner can flush it with his pinkie.

Previous home owner fancied himself an engineer, so there's a lot of bizarre stuff in that basement.

In the second picture, I propped the valve open with a pair of scissors so those of you who have never seen one can view it in the open position.

I wonder if you can still get replacment parts for these?

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John F. Cizmar

Curtin valve

Steamhead.
Your local supply house may be able to get these parts from Kissler, Wal-Rich, Tapco etc. It seems to me that Crane and Case used these valves in addition to the ones you mentioned. The supply house where I started my career used to stock parts for these valves and had complete units brand new. The tube unscrews to allow access to the disc and seat. The disc was/is made out of oiled leather.
John

jerryb

flushvalve

Steamhead Crestgood Supply CO. can supply any part you need.JB

Steamhead

Thanks!

This particular Curtin is going in my museum, but I'll keep that in mind in case I find any more of them- or if I decide to put this one in one of the antique tanks in my own house ;-). This one wasn't leaking- it was just way too hard to operate. You really need an old-style double-acting trip lever if you have this type of flush valve.

Do the suppliers you mentioned have online catalogs? Sounds like they'd be fun to look through if they have a lot of parts for old stuff..........

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eazyrider

IM A DIRECT DECENDANT OF THE INVENTOR OF THE CURTIN FLUSH VALVE

i was doing my family tree and found out that my family came from Lasalle illinois and they were plumbers and steam fitters..i was told this by a cousin i found doing the tree who told me about our relative inventing this valve..pretty kool i thought id share it..thanks eazyrider. h said it was invented in the early 1900s..

icesailor

Photo:

Was there a photo with that? I'd like to see it.

I like to see these old plumbing masterpieces and fix them.

I once had a high flush tank that was leaking by the goose neck cast brass tilt valve. The owner of the house was from NYC, and her father was an old retired plumber. He gave her the complete toilet to use in a fancy powder room on the first floor of her new house. The rubber gasket was all cracked and leaked terribly. I slathered it up with clear RTV and it is still going after 15+ years.

Nothing like a challenge.

Jean-David Beyer

Direct decendent of not so famous person.

One of my ancestors, my mother's grandfather, was an inventor. One of his inventions was the process of printing photographs in books, magazines, and newspapers. You know all those little dots? He invented that. He is even on a U.S. $0.32 postage stamp for it. He invented a lot of other stuff too. Nothing to do with heating, though.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Eugene_Ives



The U.S. government even named the SS Frederic E. Ives after him.