Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flushing
device and more particularly to a flushing device for use in
tanks for flushing toilets.
The flushing device, in accordance with the present
invention, is an improvement over various well-known flushing
devices, It provides a positively acting and reliable flushing
action in a simplifîed structure employing a minimum number of
parts most of which are readily mo~ from plastic.
, ~ There are scores of prior flushing device designs
1~ which utilize various combinations of water inlet control
elements which cooperate with tank flushing valves, Most of
these prior flushing devices are based upon the use of relatively
j ~ large and comple~ inlet valve arrangements employing interconnected
~ i float controls together with correspondingly complicated and -~
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~ ~' expensive flushing valve and bowl leveling means, The flushing ~ ~
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~, davlce of the present invention incorporates a relatively simple
and reliable inlet valve adapted for having its principal
; ~ portions formed of plastic and further having a two stage valve -
` action using inlet water pressure for the second stage shut-off,
A cooperating flushing valve, similarly adapted for being formed
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of plastic, i9 positive in action and in combination with the
tank inlet valve includes a novel bowl leveling means.
Accordingly, an object of the pre~ent invention is
to provide an improved and simplified tank flushing device.
Another object o the present invention is to
` provide a tank flushing device combining simplicity with assured
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positive action and which is adapted for being manufactured
almost completely from ~olded plastic.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide an improved flushing device having a novel two stage
fluid control valve which is operated at least in part by the
pressure of the controlled fluid.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide a float controlled filling device wherein the float
has a differing degree of buoyancy for differing portions of
the filling cycle.
Another object of the present invention i9 to
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; provide an improved flush valve for a flushing device with a ~ ~;
friction mounting means adapted for use with a wide variety
of tank configurations.
' Another object of the present invention is to
provide an improved adjustable flush valve for a flushing device.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide an improved bowl leveling means in a filling means.
Other and further objects of the invention will be
obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments
about to be described or wlll be indicated in the appended claims,
and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one
skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.
Brief Description of the rawings
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been
chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is
!~' shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the
~ specification, wherein:
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FIG, 1 is a perspective view illustrating a
preferred embodiment of a flushing device in accordance with
- the present invention shown in its steady state condition
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' preparatory to a flushing cycle.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional detai?~é~,
views illustrating the fluid inlet valve for the flushing
device of the present invention in its closed and opened
positions, respectively.
~- ~ FIGS. 4 and 5 are vertical sectional views of the ~ ~
10 inlet valve and control float in closed and opened positions, -
, respectively.
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FIGS. 6 through 10 are vertical sectional views
of the flushing device illustrating the several phases o~ a -~
, flushing cycle.
Description of the Preferred ~mbodiment ~,
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical toilet flush tank 1
~-~ incorporating a flushing means 2 in accordance with the present
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, invention. The tank 1 i9 illustrated in its filled or steady
state condition preparatory to a flushing cycle. The water inlet
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~ 20 assembly 3 is illustrated at the right side of the tank 1. The
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inlet assembly 3 includes a float 4 for inlet valve operation
slldably mounted on the upper end of the inlet fitting 5. As
;~ will be more ~ully described below, the float 4 controls the
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, ~ water inlet assembly 3 during a flushing cycle in accordance
i: ' with the level of the water in the tank 1.
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;` Described generally7 the flushing operation is
; initiated by manipulation of the flush handle 6 which is turned
to raise the left end (FIG. 1) of the flushing lever 7 together
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~ 3
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with the flush valve 8 which is pivotally attached at 9 to the
lever 7. Raising the flush valve 8 opens the flush outlet 10
permitting the water to drain downwardly through the outlet 10 to
a connected toilet bowl to cause the usual siphon or overflow
flushing therein. The lowering water level in the tank 1 causes
the slidably mounted float 4 to drop on the inlet fitting 5 opening
an inlet valve 11 to start the tank 1 refilling. After being
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initially raised to start the flushing action, the flush valve 8
floats on the tank water and drops with the falling water level
; ~ 10 to the point where its sealing gasket 12 reseals the tank outlet 10.
Water continues to flow inwardly through the opened inlet valve
~ 11 filling the tank 1 and raising the float 4 upwardly to its inlet -
e valve 11 closing position. This position occurs when the level
of the water in the tank 1 has risen somewhat above the lower edge
of the bowl leveling slot 13 in the hollow flush valve 8 tube 14.
With the inlet water cut off, the water level in the tank 1 now
falls to a level corresponding to the bottom of the bowl leveling
~ ~ slot 13 while the float 4 remains elevated with the inlet valve 11
; closed preparatory to the initiation of another flush cycle.
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The preferred embodiments of the water inlet assembly
3 and the flush valve 8 will now be described in greater detail.
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The Tank Water Inlet Assembly
FIGS. 2 through 5 illustrate details of the preferred
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;~ inlet as~embly 3. The inlet assembly 3 includes the inlet fitting
;; 5 (FIGS. 4 and 5) mounted vertically Ln the tank 1 in an inlet
aperture 15 in the tank 1 bottom 16. The inlet fit~ing 5 includes
~,~ radial ~lange~ 17 positioned abo~e a threaded portion 18. A
nut 19 completes a watertight mounting of the inlet fitting 5
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on the tank bottom 16 by tightly fastening the inlet fitting 5
in the aperture 15 on a resilient annular sealing washer 20.
. ~ The reinforcing flanges 17 on the lower portion
of the inlet fitting 5 include float 4 stop surfaces 21. The .
inlet valve 11 is tightly fastened to the top of the inlet
fitting 5 by a suitable threaded or welded connection at 22. A
:` valve operating lever 23 is pivotally mounted at 24 on the valve
11 for control by the floa~ 4. The float 4 includes a cylindrical
inner sleeve 25 which slidably mounts it on the inlet fitting 5
10 for movement by the tank water between a ra~sed or valve closed ~.
postion, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, and a lowered or
valve open postion as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. The float
4 has a cylindrical ou~er shell 26 connected by an airt~ghti
1ange 27 to the inner sleeve 25 which combine to form an air
` chanber beneath a central b~llast member 28. Trapped air in
this open bottomed cha~ber causes the float 4 to rise to its
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valve shut-off postion as wa~er r~ses in the flush tank 1.
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The weight of the ba~t member 28 is adjusted to control the
. floating level of the float 4 to provide the valve shut-off at
; 20 a désired level of tank water in a manner to be described below.
. A ~loat cover 29 i9 attached to the float ou~er sleeve 26 by
suitable raised tabs 30 and the under surface of the ~loat cover
29 provides a camming surface for engaging the above referred to :~
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` valve operating lever 23q~ Water flowing from the valve 11 when
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~: it is opened accumulates in the chamber 40 above the flange 27 . :~
. and p~ses through the openings 31 at the float cover 29 as well
. . as downwardly between the inner float sleeve 25 and the inlet
. ~ fitting 5.
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The operation of the inle~ valve 11 will now be
described with particular reference to detailed FIGS. 2 and
3. FIG. 2 illustrates the inlet valve 11 in i~s closed
position corresponding to the filled tank situation~ as
illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6. The float 4 has been raised
by the water 32 in the tank 1 causing the interrelated inlet
valve 11 to close. The cover 29 of the float is illustrated in
its floating or raised position spaced upwardly from the top of
the inlet valve 11 (FIG. 4) with the valve operating lever 23
also in its raised or closed position. The lever 23 swings freely
on the pivot 24 as, in its preferred form, it includes a counter-
balancing portion 33 opposite to the float engaging portion,
When the float top 29 has been lifted by the tank water 32, its
downward force is removed from the lever 23 and the lever 23
tends to swing its ball engaging projection 34 upwardly by the
action of the couterbalancing portion 33. This permits the
valve ball 35 to be forced upwardly within the inlet valve
cavity 36 against its seal 37 in outlet 38, as illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 4. The pressure of the inlet water 39 passing through
an aperture 46 in a flexible valve diaphragm 41 tends to move
and to hold the ball 35 in this ra~sed and shut position. Water
39 in the cavity 36 above the diaphragm 41 is trapped causing its
pressure to increase to the inlet pressure and the diaphragm 41
to flex downwardly against the lower sealing surface 42 of the
inlet valve cavity 36. The flecible diaphragm 41 i9 g~ipped between
the upper valve body portion 43 and the lower valve body portion
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44 which is attached at 22 to the inlet fitting 5. When the
~;~ diaphragm 41 is in its downward or shut-off position, it seats
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against the lower sealing surface 42 closing off the several
valve outlet ports 45 pro~ided in the lower valve body portîon
44.
The float 4 characteristics are se~ in combination
with those of the inlet valve 11 operating lever 23 to permit
the ball 35 to seat at a desired tank water level. As will be
described more fully below, this inlet shut-off level is slightly
above the final or steady state water tank level thereby
permitting a toilet bowl leveling action.
FIGS. 3 and 5 illustrate the lnlet valve 11 in
its open or tank filling position, The valve 11 is opened to
the position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 by the action of the ;
float 4 on the operating lever 23 during a flushing operation.
The lowering of the water in the flush tank 1 after the flush
valve 8 is opened causes the float 4 and its top 29 to drop
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downwardly to the position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 causing
a corresponding downward movement of the projection 34 on the
inlet valve ope~ating lever 23. The projection 34 pushe~ the ;~
ball 35 downwardly and clear of the seat 37. Water in the
valve cavity 36 above the diaphragm 41 now flows upwardly through
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the outlet 38 releasing the downward fluid pressure on the
diaphragm 41 and exposing the lower surface of the diaphragm 41 ``
to the pressure of the incoming water. The water pres~ure in
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~ the inlet fitting 5 holds the diaphragm 41 in its raised position
'~ as only a small water flow passes through the diaphragm aperture
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46. The principal water flow through the inlet fitting 5 passes
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~`~ outwardly through the several valve outlet ports 45 and thence
through the float 4 into the tankul. The inlet valve 11 remains
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in this open position until the float 4 is raised by the
filling of the tank 1 to the level where the ball 35 is again
. forced against its seat 37 as permitted by the rising valve .
operating lever 23,
. The operation of the tank flushing valve 8 and
.. its cooperation with the above described inlet valve 11 and
float 4 action will now be described with particular reference
: to FIGS. 6 through 10.
FIG. 6 illustrates the tank 1 in its filled ~
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'. 10 preflush or steady state condition ready for a flushing cycle.
The float 4 is raised by the water level with its top 29
~ spaced upwardly from the inlet valve 11 causing the ball 35
:' to be in its shut-off position as shown in FIG. 2. -~
: The flushi~g valve 8 comprises the vertically
oriented hollow tube 14 which has its upper end pivotally -
connected at 9 to the flushing lever 7. The tank 1ushing handle ;~-
6 is pivotally mounted on the tank 1 wall so that couterclockwise
~: rotation (FIG. 6) of the handle 6 lifts the lever 7 and its
~~? `j interconnected flush valve tube 14. A resilient conical gasket
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12 is mounted on the lower end of the tube 14 for engagement with
. the generally cylindrical plastic valve seat 47 in the tank outlet
~:~ 10. The va~lve seat 47 i9 held in position by a resilient mounting
ring 48 which also seals the tank outlet against leakage. A
. float 49 adjustably positioned on the flushing valve tube 14 ~ ~
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~:~ controls the termination of the tank 1 draining operation. Once . :~
~: . the gasket 12 on the flush valve tube 14 has been lifted clear : .
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~ of the tank outlet 10, as illustrated in FIG, 7, the release of
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the unbalanced water pressure on the valve gasket 12 permits
; the entire flush valve 8 to float in the tank water as the
water drains through the ou~let 10. This floating action holds
the gasket 12 above the outlet 10 until the level of the tank
water drops to the point illustrated in FIG. 8, where the gaQket
12 again reseals the tank outlet 10 or valve seat 47. This
; occurs while water is flowing into the tank 1 through the opened
inlet valve 11. The water rises in the tank 1 as its pressure
holds the gasket 12 closed and the tube 14 down due to the
; ; 10 large area of the gasket 12 exposed to the water pressure within
the tank 1, The watericontinues to rise in the tank until it
moves the float 4 to its valve closing position already described
and as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.
~ ` The float 4 is designed and its b~last 28 set so
¦ that th~ inlet valve 11 closing position occurs with the level
; of tank water above its final position as shown in FIG. 6 by
the line 50, This temporarily increased water height in the
tank 1 provides the water to relevel the toilet bowl after the
s bowl has been drained by the prior flush action. The bowl
20 leveling water drains down into the toilet bowl through the
hollow flush valve tube 14 through a slot 13 provided in the tube
14 for this purpose. The lower edge of the slot 13 is positioned
to cut off the leveling flow when sufficient water has flowed
down into the toilet bowl. In place of the slot 13, an aperture
may be provided in the tube 14 wall at the desired cut-off level.
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The ~ube 14 also acts as a tank overflow means.
~; ~he novel construction of the float 4 which uses
the water in-flow to improve float movement and to facilitate
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the above described bowl leveling action will now be described.
; As seen in FIG. 2, the inlet water being fed into the tank 1
through the inlet valve 11 flows downwardly through the valve
outlets 45 into the hollow upper portion or chamber 40 of the
10at 4. The water flows downwardly from chamber 40 between the
inner float sleeve 25 and the inlet fitting 5 at a rate which
permits an accumulation of water in the float chamber 40. Excess
water then flows out of the top of chamber 40 through apertures
31. The added weight of th~s water stabilizes the float 4
action and holdss the float 4 down in its valve opened position
during the initial flush and the start of the tank refilling
period. Due to the co~inuing inflow of water through the inlet
valve 11, un~il valve cut-off, water remains in this chamber
40 as the float 4 moves upwardly to its valve closing pssition
as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, and as the level o~ the water
in the tank rises to its maximum or cut-off at line 50. Ars the
water level in the tank 1 now drops during the above described
bowl filling operation through slot 13, water also drains out of
float chamber 40 causing it to empty. This emptying of the float
~ 20 chamber 40 increases the float 4 buoyancy and holds the float 4
firmly in its raised valve closed position even though the level
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~ of the water in the tank now drops from its maximum postion to
'~ its final normal level position illustra~ed at ~1 in FIG. 6.
~-i The amount of water employed in the flush may be
controlled by ad~usting the position of the float 49 on the
flush valve tube 14. The float~ for example, may be frictionally
mounted on the tube 14. For a large volume of flush water, the
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float is positioned close to the flush valve as illustrated
in solid lines in FIGS. 6-8. Should a lesser amount of water
be desirab~e in the flushing operation, the float 49 may be
adjusted upwardly to the desired position such as the raised
position illustra~ed in FIGS. 9 and 10. In this position, the
float 49 would permit an earlier closing of the flush valve 8
leaving a larger amount of water within~ the tank as illustrated
by FIG. 9 showing a half tank flush with the flush valve 8
open and FIG. 10 showing the gasket 12 reseating to stop tank
drainage at the one-half full level.
It will be seen that a simplified and reliable
flushing means has been provided for a toilet tank. The means
includes a minimum number of parts with most of the principal
parts being adapted for being formed from molded plastic. A
positively acting and adjustable flushing means is provided
which is durable and efficient and which may be manufactured at
a relative low cost. The improved system, with -minimum number
~ , , . of working parts also provides a flushing system which is
relatively main~enance free and which has a long working life.
As various changes may be made in the -Eorm, con-
struction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing
any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter
herein i9 to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a
limiting sense.
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