Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2~9~030
VARIABLE TOILET FLUSHING APPARATUS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to flushing apparatus for
toilets, and in particular to apparatus which can be
operated to provide partial flushes using a predetermined
or selected volume of water.
5It is well known to conserve water by using
toilet dual flushing apparatus which provides a full flush
to eliminate solid wastes, but only a partial or mini flush
to eliminate liquid wastes. Water flows from an upper
holding tank through a drain to the lower toilet bowl. In
10previous flushing apparatus the drain has a single inlet
with a main valve and partial flushing is provided by
limiting the opening of the main valve. Examples of this
are shown in U.S. patent number 4,837,867 to Miller which
issued June 13, 1989, and the applicant's Canadian patent
15application serial number 2,042,621-7 filed May 15, 1991
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entitled "Dual Flush System for Toilets."
Most of the previous dual flush systems or
apparatus for providing partial or mini flushes have the
disadvantage that it is difficult and costly to mount them
on existing toilets. Also difficulties have been
encountered in accurately controlling the opening of the
single main valve to release different quantities of water
into the toilet bowl.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to
at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior
art by providing variable toilet flushing apparatus having
separate valves at different levels in the water holding
tank which facilitate operation to provide full and partial
flushes.
To this end, in one of its aspects, the invention
provides variable toilet flushing apparatus having an upper
water holding tank with a drain extending down to a lower
toilet bowl, and flush control means mounted on the tank,
having the improvement comprising the drain having an upper
and lower inlet, the upper inlet located at an upper level
in the tank, and the lower inlet located at a lower level
in the tank, the upper inlet having a first valve operative
to release water from above the upper level in the tank
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into the drain, the lower inlet having a second valve
operative to release water from above the lower level in
the tank into the drain, and the first and second valves
being operatively connected to the flush control means,
whereby the flush control means is operable to release a
selected quantity of water from the tank into the drain to
the toilet bowl.
Further objects and advantages of the invention
will appear from the following description, taken together
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Yigure 1 is a cutaway view of a toilet tank
showing flushing apparatus according to a first preferred
embodiment of the invention with the upper valve in the
open position,
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the same
apparatus with both valves in the open position,
Figure 3 is a similar view showing a second
preferred embodiment of the invention, and
Figure 4 is a similar view showing a third
preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference is first made to Figures 1 and 2 which
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show toilet flushing apparatus according to a preferred
embodiment of the invention. As is well known, flushing
occurs when water from an upper holding tank 10 is released
to flow down through a drain 12 to a lower toilet bowl (not
shown). Conventional apparatus with a float which is used
to refill the water holding tank 10 to a preset full water
level 14 has been omitted from the drawings for clarity.
An overflow pipe 16 extends from the drain 12 above the
full water level 14.
The flushing apparatus according to the invention
includes the drain 12 having an upper inlet 18 located at
an upper level 20 in the tank 10 and a lower inlet 22
located at a lower level 24 in the tank 10. In a new
toilet this drain 10 extends down directly to the toilet
bowl, but it may easily be mounted as shown with a rubber
seal 26 in the drain pipe 28 of an existing toilet. The
drain 10 has an upper valve 30 mounted on a bracket 32 to
pivot between a raised open position and a closed position
where it is seated in the upper inlet 18. This upper valve
30 is buoyant such that after it is initially raised or
pivoted upwards a small distance to overcome the water
pressure and suction of the water flowing between it and
the upper inlet 18, it will float in the open position
until sufficient water is released through the drain 10 to
lower the water to the upper level 20. After the valve 30
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floats down and i5 seated in the upper inlet 18, it is
retained in this closed position initially by gravity and
then also by water pressure after it is again covered by
inflowing water. The drain 10 also has a lower valve 34
mounted on a bracket 36 to pivot between the open position
shown and a closed position where it is seated in the lower
inlet 22. This lower valve 34 is also buoyant to float to
the open position after it is initially pivoted a small
distance. After sufficient water flows through the drain
12 to lower the water to the lower level 20 the lower valve
34 hangs down vertically from the bracket 36. As water
again flows in to refill the holding tank 10, it further
pivots the lower valve 34 to seat against the lower inlet
22 which, in this embodiment, extends at an angle of a few
degrees past vertical.
As can be seen, in this embodiment of the
invention, the flushing apparatus also includes a single
handle mechanism 38 which is pivotally mounted on the
toilet tank 10. The handle mechanism 38 has a lever 40
extending into the tank 10 connected to pivot with a handle
42 extending out of the tank. In this embodiment, an
elongated rocker bar 44 is pivotally connected to the lever
40. The rocker bar 44 has one end 46 connected by a first
flexible chain or cord 48 to the upper valve 30, and the
other end 50 connected by a second flexible chain or cord
2a~s~
52 to the lower valve 34. In other embodiments, other
suitable fle~ible connectors can be used to connect the
upper and lower valves 30, 34 to the lever 40.
In use, after the wa,ter holding tank 10 has
filled with water to the full level 14 the user presses the
handle 42 down to the position shown in Figure 1 for a
partial or mini flush. This pivots the lever 40 and lifts
the rocker bar 44 upwards. The greater water pressure
keeps the lower valve 34 closed, so the rocker bar 44
rotates counterclockwise and the first chain 48 lifts the
upper valve 30. As described above, the upper valve 30 is
buoyant and it then floats to the open position seen in
Figure 1. Water from the tank 10 is then released into the
drain 12 to the toilet bowl to provide a partial flush.
When the level of the water in the tank 10 has dropped to
the upper level 20 of the upper inlet 18 to the drain 12,
the upper valve 30 floats down to its closed position
seated in the upper inlet 18. The quantity of water
released to provide this partial flush is predetermined by
the dimensions of the toilet tank 10 and by the difference
between the full level 14 of the incoming water in the tank
and the upper level 20 at which the upper inlet 18 is
located.
In order to produce a full flush, the handle 42
is depressed further to the position shown in Figure 2.
2~98~30
This first opens the upper valve 30 as described above, and
then produces a sufficient force in the second chain 52 to
overcome the greater water pressure on the lower valve 34
to open it as well. Even though the handle 42 is released
and the handle mechanism 38 returns to its original
position, the buoyant upper and lower valves 30, 34 remain
floating in their open positions. Water from the toilet
tank 10 flows into the drain 12 until the water level drops
to the lower level 24 and provides a full flush. ~he
quantity of water released to provide this full flush is
similarly predetermined by the dimensions of the toilet
tank 10 and the difference between the full level 14 of the
incoming water in the tank and the lower level 24 at which
the lower inlet 22 is located. As the water level in the
tank drops during flushing, first the upper valve 30 floats
closed and then the lower valve 34 floats to the vertical
position from which it closes when water is again
introduced to refill the tank 10. Of course, the drain 10
can have a different configuration of upper and lower
inlets and valves, and other suitable mechanisms can be
provided to open them. For instance, a handle or other
device can be mounted on the top of the tank and lifted or
pushed rather than rotated to control operation of the
valves.
Reference is now made to Figure 3 to describe a
209~030
second preferred embodiment of the invention. As many of
the elements of this embodiment are the same as those of
the first embodiment described above, elements common to
both embodiments are described 3nd illustrated using the
same reference numerals. In this embodiment, a first
handle mechanism 54 is pivotally mounted on the upper right
of the toilet tank 10, and a second handle mechanism 56 is
pivotally mounted on the upper left of the tank 10. The
first handle mechanism 54 includes a handle 58 extending
out of the tank 10 and a lever 60 extending into the tank
10 which is connected by a first flexible chain or cord 62
to the upper valve 30. The second handle mechanism 56
similarly includes a handle 64 extending out of the tank 10
and a lever 66 extending into the tank 10 which is
connected by a second flexible chain or cord 68 to the
lower valve 34. In use, only one of the upper and lower
valves 30, 34 is opened at a time. If only a partial flush
is required, then the right handle 58 is pressed which
lifts the upper valve 30 to open it. Water from the tank
10 flows into the drain 12 until the water level drops to
the upper level 20 of the upper inlet 18 and the upper
valve 30 closes. In this embodiment, the quantity of water
released for a partial flush is adjustable. The upper
inlet 18 to the drain 12 is formed by a sleeve 70 which
extends into the drain 12. An 0-ring 72 is seated between
209g~30
them to prevent leakage, and a set screw 74 extends through
the drain 12 to hold the sleeve 70 in position. Thus, the
upper level 20 at which the upper inlet 18 to the drain 12
is located is adjustable by moving the sleeve 70. If the
sleeve 70 is raised less water is released for a partial
flush, and if it is lowered more water is released for a
partial flush. If a full flush is required, then the left
handle 64 is pressed which lifts the lower valve 34 to open
it. Water flows into the drain 12 until the water level in
the toilet tank 10 drops to the lower level 24 of the lower
inlet 22. As described above, when this happens the
buoyant lower valve 34 hangs vertically down from the
bracket 36, and when water flows in it further pivots the
lower valve 34 to seat it in the closed position in the
lower inlet 22. In other embodiments, the upper and lower
inlets 18, 22 to the drain 12 can extend at other angles
and the upper and lower valves 30, 34 can have other
appropriate mechanism to control their operation.
Reference is now made to Figure 4 to describe
another preferred embodiment of the invention. This
embodiment is the same as the embodiment in Figure 3 except
that the upper valve 30 does not have a float and thus is
not buoyant, and the flexible chain 62 has been replaced by
a rigid rod 76. Thus, the amount and duration of the
opening of the upper valve 30 is controlled directly by the
209~30
right handle 58. When the handle 58 is pressed down the
valve 30 opens, and when it is released the valve 30
closes. This allows the operator to release only a portion
of the water above the upper level 20 in the tank to
provide a smaller partial flush. The quantity of water
selected can be different each time depending on the
requirements.
While the description of the toilet flushing
apparatus has been given with respect to preferred
embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications
are possible without departing from the scope of the
invention as understood by those skilled in the art and as
defined in the following claims.
