Tumbler tank

nounStandard termPlumbing

A historic type of flush mechanism that tips over to release a sudden volume of water.

An older style of flushing cistern containing a pivoted inner chamber that slowly fills with water. Once the water reaches a specific level or the mechanism is triggered, the chamber becomes top-heavy and tips forward, dumping its entire contents rapidly into the flush pipe to clear the connected fixture.

Heard on the job

We found an original tumbler tank in the Victorian renovation, but the pivot pins are completely rusted out.

Also heard as

  • tipping tank