Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1074S0~
This inventiorl cor,lnrises an improved hydraulically
operated flush valve for toilet flush tanks and similar
devices.
The normal flush valves utilized in the operati~n
of flush tanks have certain drawbacks which frequently
prevent proper valve closure. This results in wate~
wastage and irritating noise, and may prevent the refill
of the flush tank for subsequent use. The flush va~ves
in ~eneral use consist of two components, the stationary
seat and the moving element of the valve. The valve seat
is formed, usually as a bevelled section, by ~he upper
portion of the flush tube which drains the water from the
flush tank into the toilet bowl, The movin~ component of
the valve generally consists of a flexible hollow ball or
an in~erted cone-shaped element usually open at the bottom
and so designed as to fit onto the valve seat when closed
to prevent water from discharging into the toil~t bowl.
When the moving element is in the raised or open position
the air in the hollow portion (or a float-type component)
~20 provides buoyancy. This keeps the movin~ element in the
,~open position until the water has drained from the flush
tank, at which time buoyancy is no lon~er provided to the
moving element which then drops into the closed posi~ion,
The movin~ element is usually guided into the proper seating
position by a vertical sliding rod arrangement, or by a
hin8ed system permitting an angular rotation throughout
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the opening and closing movements. The moving element is
opened by actuation of the flush tank operating handle
which raises the element by means of either a chain type
device or a guided sliding rod sytem,
The chief probl~ms in the use of these devices result
~rom the misali~nment or the sticking, binding or kinking
of the moving parts, causing improper closure of the ~alve,
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`:10745~
In addition there is no provision for adjustment of the
amount of water utilized in each flushing operation, so that
normally more water is released than necessary to effect com-
plete flushing of the toilet bowl and a considerable amount
of water and energy are wasted. Also, sufficient force must
be exerted in the operation of the flush valve to directly
overcome the hydraulic pressure on the moveable element,
and this for~e causes wear and frequent replacement of the
mechanically connected moving parts,
The present invention is designed to overcome the above
disadvantages by utilizing a hydraulically operated piston
and cylinder assembly positioned directly above the flush
tube and actuated by the movement of an inner valve, within
the assembly, connected to the flush tank operating lever,
The piston, with a sealing element attached to it, comprises
the moving component of the flush valve, There is no direct
mechanical connection between the operating lever and the
moving element of the flush valve, and a much reduced opera-
ting force is required. The vertical position of the cylinder
assembly can be adjusted so as to control the amount of water
released per flush valve operation, and the amount of water
released may be further controlled by small variations in the
len~th of time during which the operating lever i9 held in
the flushing position,
A specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in the accompanying drawings in which~
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the
individual elements of the flush valve, the flush tube, and
the overflow tube.
Figures 2A and 2B show the component parts of the flush
valve in the open and closed positions respectively.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the flush valve assembly,
B
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~074~
Fir;ure 4 is a plan view of the adJustable ada~-t~r to
be fi.tted to the inside arm of the flush tank o~)erating
lever,
Figure 5 is a perspecti.ve view of the adjustable
adapter to be fitted to the inside arm of the flush tank
operating lever.
Fi~ure 6 illustrates a suitable method of fastenin~
the seal.ing element onto the piston end, so that it is
readi.l.y replaceable when worn~
Referring to the drawin~s in detail, wherein like
number~ indicate like parts, ~he stationary cylinder 1 is
attached by a clamp 10 or other mounting device to the fl.ush
tank overflow tube 17, with its open end facing downward,
and i~s positioned directly above the flush tube 3 with its
vertical. axis coinci.de~t with the vertical axis of the flush
tube. The upper end of the flush tube is normally shaped
to perfnrm the function of the fixed seat of the flush
valve, The closed upper end of the cylinder I is fi.r.ted
with a tube 8 opening into the cylinder and extendin~ above
the level of the water in the flush tank when filled. This
tube 8 acts as a conduit for the flow of air into and out
of the interior of the cylinder and piston assembly, thus
permitting the free flow of water to and from the interior
as requi.red by the operati.on of the inner valve 6 and the
movement of piston 2. The tube 8 al.so acts as a ~uide for
rod (or tube) 7 which raises the inner valve 6 as required,
The pi.ston 2 moves vertically within cylinder 1, The upper
end of the piston is open, while the lower end is closed
except for a central circular openin~ 5. This opening 5
p~rmit.s the flow of water into the flush tube when inne~
valve ~ is rai.sed fro~ 9eat 5A fittin~ around the perimeter
of opening 5. On the bot~om side of the downward end o~ the
piston 2 is fa.stened the sealing element 4 which fits on~o
~074S~4
the flush tube valve seat when in the closed (down) position.
Annular sealing element 4 may be flat, bevelled, tapered
or conical, or have an extension on its lower side.
Sealing element 4 is designed for easy removal and replace-
ment when necessary due to wear. Figure 6 illustrates a
suitable method of attachment of ~he sealing element 4 to
the bottom of piston 2, Also piston 2 is provided with a
small opening in its cylindrical wall (the side wall),
approximately half way between the top and bottom of the
10 side wall, the purpose of which is described below.
The operation of the flush valve is described as
follows. In the closed position of the flush valve, piston
2 and sealing element 4 are in the down position and are
resting on the flush tube valve seat. Thus there is no flow
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of water throu~h the valve and the hydraulic force on the
circular area of the upper side of the closed end of piston t
2 is greater than the hydraulic force on the lower annular
portion of the outside of the piston end and thus the valve
,
remains tightly closed. When the operating lever of the flush
20 tank raises inner valve 6 (by means of an adapter described
, later) water within the piston is discharged into the flush
1 tube and is replaced by air entering through tube 8. Thus
-; there is no hydraulic pressure exerted on the upper of inside
end of piston 2, while the annular area of the bottom of the
~; end of the piston is still exposed to the hydraulic force
. ~
'5~ exerted by the height of water in the filled flush tank.
Therefore the piston moves upward into the cylinder and
sealing element 4 is raised off the flush tube valve seat.
The water in the flush tank thus discharges through the flush
30 tube, causing the flushing action in the toilet bowl.
When the water level in the flush tank recedes to a
level near the bottom of the piston 2 there is no longer
i~74S04
sufficient hydraulic force to keep the piston in the up
pOSitiO~l an~ the piston with the flush valve sealing element
drops onto the seat on the upper end of flush tube 3 thus
closing the f].-lsh valve. When the piston is in the down
posi.tion the opening 18 in the piston wall allow~ water,
whi.ch is flowing into the flush tank via the normal flush
tank inlet control valve, to enter the inside of the pi~ton
2 and fill it along with cylinder 1 and tube 8 to a level
equal to the level in the tank. Again the hydraulic force
- 10 on the upper side oE.the bottom end of the piston 2 is- -~`
greater than that on the lower annular side thereof and the
piston remains in the closed positi.on. When piston 2 is in
the up position, openin~ 18 is sealed by the wall of cylinder
1 and is no longer exposed to the water in the flush.tank,
and water cannot enter into the interior of the piston and
~ cylinder until the piston moves into the down position. Also
; inner valve 6 becomes closed when piston 2 is in the up
position, trapping the air within the cylinder and piston.
.~ Thus the piston 2 remains in the up position (with the flush
valve open) until the flush tank water level is too low to
:,. provide buoyancy, at which time the piston 2 moves into the
- down position and the flush valve is closed,
The vertical position of the otherwi9e fixed cyli.nder 1
: can be adjusted, and the position of piston 2 in the up
position can thus be adjustedc This allows control of the
: level of water in the flush tank at which the piston drops
to the down position and closes the flush valve. Thus the
amount of water released per flushing operation can be varied
suffici.ently to obtain maximum water saving possible without
3n prevent~n,P~ effective flushin~ action to take place, The
balance of hydraulic forces inside and outside the piston
can he further altered by varyin~ the duration of thc tlme
s
107~504
d~rin~ which the operatin~ 1eve.r i.5 helcl in the "flush"
position. This Roverns ~he arnount oE water released fr~m
the inside of pi.ston 2, If the water is only parti.~lly
dischar~ed therefrom, then the ~ght of the piston when in
the up positi.on will be increased, and the plston will return
to the down (fl~sh valve closed? position while the level of
water in t~e flush tank is hi~her than it would have been
had àll thè water in the piston been released. In this way
also the amount of water used per flush can be re~1lated,
Figures 4 and 5 ~llustrate a suitable adapter for
fittin~ onto the inner arm 13 of the operat~ng le~er 11 of
the fl~lsh tank. A loose-fitti.n~ sleeve 15 sli.des o~er arm
13, An L-shaped component 14 is ~lotted on one arm of the
L, while the other arm is shaped to slide into an opening in
the loose-fittin~ sleevelS. When the po9i.tions of the
sleeve 15 and the slotted arm of component 14 are in the
correct position to raise bushing 9 on rod (or tuhe) 7
without interferin~, Wittl the subseq~lent lowering o.f rod 7
,.... .
throu~h frict~on or bindin~, then set screw 16 is tight~ned
~ 20 holdin~ hoth parts in the correct position, Bushing 9
- is located a~ove the slot in compone~t 14, and the inner
~alve rod 7 fits loosely i.n the slot throu~hout ~t~ full
travel. The operati.on may be described as follows; When the
flush valve is in the closed position and the operating handle
is in the released position, component 14 rests on the t.op of
tube 8 and is slighdy below bushing 9. When the operati.ng
lever is actuated, arm 13 is raised causing component 14 to
lift bushin~ 9 and open valve 6. The operating lever is thus
able to apply a lifting force on inner valve rod 7, b~ is
unable to apply a downward force thereorl. Other suita~le
desi~,ns of operating lever adapters may also be used.
Il1ustrated in FiKure 6 is a suitable method of attaching
the flexi.hle seal~ng e1.ement 4 to the bottom end o~ piston 2.
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~07~ 4
The flexible up~er neck of the seal~ng element stretches to
fi.t tightly over collar 20 of piston 2 and provides a leak-
proof connection. The sealin~, element can be remavcd readily
and replaced when worn. The annular seating face of the
sealin~P~ element is sufficiently flexible to make a water -
ti~ht seal on the upper end of the flush tube 3 and will
allow for minor valve misalignment and a slighly i.rregular
valve seat surface formed by the upper and of flush tu~e 3.
Figure 6 shows one of a number of methods of attaching the
1~ sealin~ element 4 to piston 2,
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