Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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AN INLET VALVE ARRANGEMENT FOR A TOILET CISTERN
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to plumbing and more specifically to toilet cisterns.
It relates in
particular to an inlet valve arrangement for a toilet cistern which is
configured to regulate and
control the flow of water via an inlet into the toilet cistern.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
A conventional flush toilet functions by operating a flushing mechanism to
expel water out of
a toilet cistern through an outlet, following which the toilet cistern fills
up again with water via
an inlet that is connected to a pressurized water supply. Although newer inlet
valve
arrangements have been designed, traditionally a ball valve or float valve
arrangement was
used to regulate water flow into the cistern and to close off the inlet once a
water level in the
cistern reached a required maximum level. A common problem experienced with a
conventional flush toilet is that the outlet tends to leak, either due to a
malfunctioning flush
mechanism which leaves the outlet open, or due to a worn, damaged or
improperly fitted
outlet seal. As a result water continuously drips or leaks from the cistern
into the toilet bowl
hence lowering the water level in the cistern which consequently results in
the inlet valve
opening to allow water into the cistern via the inlet thereby to maintain the
water level in the
cistern. In additional to water loss, which has a detrimental financial and
environmental
impact, this creates an annoying continuous flow into the cistern.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an inlet valve
arrangement for a toilet
cistern which, at least partially, alleviates some of the problems associated
with the prior art.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, there is provided an inlet valve arrangement
for a toilet
cistern, the valve arrangement including:
- a connector which is connectable to an inlet water supply;
- a valve body which is connected to the connector and defines a valve
inlet; and
- a sealing mechanism which includes:
* a sealing member which is displaceable relative to the valve body
between an
open position in which water is permitted to pass through the valve inlet and
a
closed position in which the sealing member seals off the valve inlet in order
to
prevent water from passing through the valve inlet; and
* an over-centre linkage which is connected to the sealing member,
wherein the
over-centre linkage is movable, in over-centre fashion, between a first
position
in which the sealing member is in its open position and a second position in
which the sealing member is in its closed position in which it seals off the
valve
inlet.
The over-centre linkage may include a stop which is configured to engage the
valve body
when the linkage is in its second position to hold the sealing member in its
closed position
such that it can withstand a back force applied to it by the inlet water
supply.
The valve arrangement may include a release member which is configured to move
the over-
centre linkage from its second position to its first position in order to open
the valve inlet. The
release member may be coupled to a flush mechanism of the cistern such that
when the
flush mechanism is activated, the release member is activated and moves the
over-centre
linkage to its first position in order to ensure that the valve inlet is open.
The valve
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arrangement may further include a float which is configured to engage the over-
centre
linkage and to urge it from its first position to its second position in
response to a rising water
level within the cistern.
The sealing member may be slideably displaceable within the valve body between
its open
and closed positions. The over-centre linkage may include two members,
adjacent ends of
which are pivotally interconnected. A first member of the two members may be
pivotally
connected to the sealing member whilst a second member of the two members may
be
pivotally connected to the valve body.
The release member may be connected to the over-centre linkage at the
intersection of the
pivotally interconnected ends of the two members. The release member may
operatively
depend through an aperture in the valve body. To this end, the valve
arrangement may
include an elongate actuation lever, one end of which is pivotally connected
to the valve body
and a distal end of which is configured to engage the flush mechanism, the
lever being
arranged in abutment with the release member.
The float may be pivotally connected to the valve body by way of a float
mounting which
includes a protruding tab which is configured to engage a free end of the
second member of
the over-centre linkage in order to move the linkage from its first position
to its second
position as the water level rises in the cistern.
The valve arrangement may include a reservoir which is operatively arranged
below the
valve body and is configured to collect and temporarily hold water entering
the cistern via
the inlet, the reservoir having an operatively lower discharge orifice for
discharging water
held in the reservoir into the cistern. The arrangement may be in the form of
a toilet cistern
ball valve arrangement. Accordingly, the float may be in the form of a
convention ball-shaped
float connected to a rod.
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The invention extends to a toilet cistern which includes an inlet valve
arrangement as
described above.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a valve
control
apparatus, for controlling an inlet valve of a toilet cistern including a
float, comprising:
- a float engaging member;
- retaining mechanism for retaining the float in a retained position;
- a release mechanism for releasing the float from the retained position;
- wherein the apparatus is attachable to an inlet valve arrangement of a
toilet cistern
such that the float engaging member engages the float of the inlet valve, the
retaining
mechanism retains the float in the retained position, and the release
mechanism
engages a flushing mechanism of the toilet cistern and releases the float from
the
retained position when the flushing mechanism is used.
The float engaging member may engage a float arm associated with the float.
The apparatus may include attachment means for attaching the apparatus
proximate to an
inlet valve of a toilet cistern.
The retaining and release mechanism may be an over-centre mechanism associated
with
the float engaging member and retains the float in the retained position when
the float moves
the over-centre mechanism beyond its centre position, and releases the float
when the
flushing mechanism is used.
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The retaining mechanism may include a ratchet with a linear rack and a pawl,
wherein the
rack engages the float engaging member and prevents movement of the float in a
first
direction, retaining the float in the retained position, and the pawl is
disengaged when the
flushing mechanism is used to permit movement of the float in the first
direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of a non-limiting
example only,
and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a three-dimensional representation of an inlet valve
arrangement in
accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a three-dimensional representation of the inlet valve
arrangement of Figure
1 , as seen from an opposite side;
Figure 3 is a side view of the inlet valve arrangement of Figure 1 ;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the valve arrangement in
a closed
position taken along lines IV-IV in figure 2;
Figure 5 is an exploded three-dimensional view of the valve arrangement;
Figure 6 shows a three-dimensional view of the valve arrangement including
a water
holding reservoir;
Figure 7 shows a longitudinal cross sectional view of the valve arrangement
in an open
position;
Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a valve
control
apparatus in a first and second position; and
Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a valve
control
apparatus.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the figures, reference numeral 10 refers generally to an inlet valve
arrangement, in
accordance with the invention, for use in a toilet cistern to regulate and
control the flow of
water into the toilet cistern via an inlet and to reduce water wastage in the
event of a leak at
an outlet of the cistern (not shown). It will be appreciated that the valve
arrangement 10 is
mounted inside the cistern toward an operatively upper region of a wall of the
cistern, a
pressurised water supply being connectable to the valve arrangement 10.
The inlet valve arrangement 10 includes a connector 12 in the form of a screw-
threaded
spigot. The connector 12 has a threaded outer surface for engaging with a
threaded inner
surface of an inlet water supply conduit (not shown). The connector 12
protrudes through a
hole in the wall of the cistern. A valve body 14 is connected to the connector
12, the valve
body 14 having a first part 14.1 which defines a valve inlet 16 (see figure 7)
through which
water enters a cistern and a second part 14.2 connected to the first part
14.1. The valve
arrangement 10 further includes a sealing mechanism which comprises a sealing
member
18 in the form of a circular cylindrical plunger which is slideably received
in a sleeve 9 forming
part of the first part 14.1 of the valve body 14. The sealing member 18 is
movable between
an open position (figure 7) in which water is permitted to pass through the
inlet 16 into the
cistern and a closed position (figure 4) in which the sealing member 18 is
configured to seal
off the valve inlet 16 preventing influx of water. The sealing mechanism
further includes an
over-centre linkage 20 which comprises first 21 and second 23 members,
adjacent ends of
which are pivotally interconnected at point X (see figure 4). One end of the
first member 21
is pivotally connected to the sealing member 18. On an opposite side of point
X, the second
member 23 is pivotally connected to the second part 14.2 of the valve body 14.
The over-
centre linkage 20 is pivotally displaceable in over-centre fashion between a
first position in
which the sealing member 18 is in its open position and a second position
(illustrated in figure
4) in which the sealing member 18 is in its closed position.
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In the first position, the over-centre linkage 20 is in a non-extended
condition and does not
force the sealing member 18 into sealing engagement with the inlet 16. The
sealing member
18 is therefore in an open position. The valve inlet 16 is therefore open and
water is able to
enter the toilet cistern via the valve inlet 16. With reference to figure 7,
water entering the
cistern through the valve arrangement 10 flows through the inlet 16 down and
along an inlet
tube 17 into the cistern.
In the second position, the over-centre linkage 20 is in an extended or over-
centre condition
(see figure 4) in which it exerts sufficient force on the sealing member 18 to
prevent influx of
water through the inlet 16. The second member 23 includes a pair of adjacent,
downwardly
facing projections which serve as stops 22 (see figure 5) to prevent over
displacement of the
linkage 20. The stops 22 bear against an inner surface of the second part 14.2
of the valve
body 14 when the linkage 20 is in its second position. The valve arrangement
10 further
includes a release member 24 whereby the arrangement 1 0 is moved from its
second
(closed position) to its first (open) position.
The toilet cistern includes a flush mechanism (not shown) which, when used,
allows water
to be expelled out of the cistern into a toilet bowl via the cistern outlet.
The release member
24, which is in the form of a depending stub, is connected to the over-centre
linkage 20 at
point X and depends therefrom through an aperture provided in a lower part of
the valve
body 14. The release member 24 is coupled to the flush mechanism of the toilet
cistern via
an elongate actuation lever 25 which is pivotally connected to the first part
14.1 of the valve
body 1 4. As can be seen in figure 4, the lever 25 is arranged in abutment
with the release
member 24. A free end of the lever 25 bears on top of the flush mechanism such
that
operation of the flush mechanism displaces the distal end of the lever 25 in
an upward
direction which in turn cause the lever 25 to nudge the release member 24
upward which
displaces the over-centre linkage 20 from its second (closed) position to its
first position
(open) position, causing the sealing member 1 8 to displace to the open
position, and
allowing water to enter the toilet cistern via the valve inlet 16.
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The valve arrangement 10 includes a float in the form of a conventional ball-
shaped float
which is connected to a rod (not shown). The float is connected to the valve
body 14 via a
float mounting 26 which is pivotally connected to the second part 14.2 and
includes a
protruding tab 27 which is configured to engage a free end of the second
member 23 of the
over-centre linkage 20 in order to move the linkage 20 from its first position
to its second
position as a water level rises in the cistern. As water enters the toilet
cistern, the float is
configured to rise with the rising water level. The resulting upward
displacement of the float
urges the float mounting 26 into engagement with the second member 23 which in
turn
causes the over-centre linkage 20 to be displaced from its first position to
its second position,
such that when the toilet cistern has been filled with water to a sufficient
level, the float is
substantially horizontal and the over-centre linkage 20 locked into its second
position in
which the sealing member 18 seals off the inlet 16 and prevents water from
entering the toilet
cistern via the valve inlet 16. Despite that the water level in the cistern
may drop due to a
leaking cistern outlet, the sealing member 18 will remain in its closed
position and the inlet
will remain closed and prevent influx of water into the cistern until the
flush mechanism is
again activated which will, in turn, open the inlet valve 10. The advantage of
this configuration
is that it prevents constant leakage and water wastage when a toilet is left
unattended for
lengthy periods, for example, over holiday periods when premises are vacated.
It is of no
concern that the leaking cistern may be empty of water, because prior to use,
the flush
mechanism can be pulled which will result in the cistern filling up with
water.
The valve arrangement 10 further includes a water collection member or
reservoir 29 (see
figure 6). The reservoir 29 is attached or attachable around the connector 12
of the valve
arrangement 10 and is configured to collect a volume of water as the water
enters the toilet
cistern via the valve inlet 16. The reservoir 29 includes an opening or
orifice (not shown) for
allowing the collected water to exit the reservoir into the toilet cistern.
Exiting of a reserve
volume of water temporarily held in the reservoir 29 into the toilet cistern
whilst the inlet water
flow is retarded due to the fact that the float is approaching the horizontal,
assists in lifting
the float and hence the linkage 20 past the over-centre point.
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The applicant believes that the inlet valve arrangement 10 is an improvement
upon
conventional toilet cistern inlet valves and will assist in saving water by
stemming the flow of
water in a leaking cistern.
In practice, a conventional toilet cistern will include an inlet valve
arrangement which
includes a connector 12, body 14, valve inlet 16, sealing member 18 , and
float mechanism
(not shown). The float mechanism is associated with the valve such that the
valve is closed
when the water in the cistern reaches a predetermined level. It is desirable
to retrofit an
apparatus to a conventional inlet valve which provides the functionality of
the inlet valve
arrangement 10 described above and may be achieved through a valve control
apparatus
100 and 110 as described herein.
A first embodiment of the valve control apparatus 100 (shown in figure 8), for
controlling an
inlet valve of a toilet cistern, specifically an inlet valve with a floating
cup ballcock type inlet
valve, includes float engaging member 101 which is movable relative to the
apparatus and
is attached to an over-centre mechanism which includes arms 102 and 103. The
float
engaging member 101 engages at least part of the float, or an arm attached to
the float. As
the float rises with the water level in the cistern, the float engaging member
101, moves
relative to the apparatus with the water level and changes the configuration
of the over-
centre mechanism (102 and 103). Once the over-centre mechanism is moved beyond
its
peak or centre position, the float will be retained in this position
regardless of the water level
in the cistern.
At least one of the over-centre members (102 or 103) is attached to the
floshing mechanism
of the toilet. This may be achieved by attaching the member 102 to a lever of
the flushing
mechanism using rope, cable, wire, or another linkage, attached through hole
104. Once the
flushing mechanism is used, the flushing action on the member 102 forces the
over-centre
mechanism back past its peak or centre position to release the float.
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A second embodiment of a valve control apparatus 110 is shown in figure 9.
This
embodiment 110 may be attached to a conventional valve body at recess 111,
which fits
over a conventional inlet valve. The apparatus 110 includes a float arm
engaging member
112, which engages part of a float arm associated with a conventional valve.
The engaging
member is attached to a retaining mechanism which includes a ratchet with a
linear rack 113
and a spring-loaded pawl 114. The rack 113 prevents movement of the float in a
first direction
115 to retaining the float in the retained position. The pawl 114 is attached
to a lever of the
flushing mechanism using rope, cable, wire, or another linkage, and is
disengaged when the
flushing mechanism is used to permit movement of the float in the first
direction 115.
