I'm working on a house which had a gut reno in 1934. Several tubs were installed with a combined drain and overflow, that is no overflow hole higher up. Drain function is controlled by a matching handle (marked "D" located with the "H" and "c" handles. There is a 2.5" vertical pipe open at top, running to the "D" linkage, and threaded into a "t" connecting with the tub drain, and then to a drum trap. The overflow function works.

I guess that the vertical pipe has two "chambers" separated by a baffle (?) one to house the linkage and rising tub water, and the other to drain provide the overflow function.

This was a very high end /top-of the line renovation for its day. This system was clearly specified by the architect. I think its American Standard (but possible Kohler).

Waste line from this strange assembly runs to drum trap, which has a 4" collar or cuff soldered on to the top probably making unscrewing the cap impossible. Collar fills with water but stops, just as the overflow function kicks in, then slowly drains.

Has anyone any knowledge of these systems?

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(Toilets have Curtin rotary valves, with supply high in the tank. But that's another story.)



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that collar looks like an extension to bring access to the trap cover up level with the floor tile??

there shouldn't be any water in it.

maybe someone drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the trap cover to slip a snake wire with no head into.

seen that done before.

slow draining water will come up thru that hole.

if you can get the cover off you can snake the outlet and it will drain much better.

cover and trap are brass so you have a 50/50 chance of removing it.

BTW the drain assembly around here is called a 'bayonette' drain.

Packy....thanks. I fear, but do not know, that the collar is soldered on in such a way as to make it impossible to unscrew the trap cover. TBD. I like the idea of a tiny hole to allow snaking, and I agree there should be no water w/in the collar.

I'll try to research the "bayonette" drain assembly. Seems to work OK, amazingly. But at 80 yrs old, it may fail...