Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Disinfection
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-10-02
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Disinfection
C222S522000, C285S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295657
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for introducing additives into a fluid flow and, more specifically, to an adjustable mounting arrangement for installing an additive injector which combines sanitizing, deodorizing, lubricating or winterizing additives with the flush-water flow into a tankless toilet of the type used in pleasure boats and travel trailers.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Conventional household toilets have a flush-water holding tank typically mounted above the toilet bowl. The holding tank is filled to a preset level with water so that, when the toilet is flushed, a substantial quantity of water is available to provide a thorough flushing action. Marine toilets typically installed in pleasure craft have no tank. Instead, a flushing pump is used to propel flushing water though a water supply conduit which extends from an intake opening in the boat's hull. In this way, seawater rather than fresh water can be used to flush the toilet, reducing the size and weight of the toilet and avoiding unnecessary consumption of the on-board supply of fresh water.
Although the conventional “tankless” marine toilet performs its basic functions satisfactorily, it has significant shortcomings. Standing water in the toilet system often creates odors which are particularly unpleasant in the small and poorly ventilated confines of the craft's cabin space. The use of seawater for flushing, rather than fresh water, aggravates the problem because seawater typically contains salt, microorganisms, plant life, and other contaminants which often intensify the odors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,707 issued to Frederick C. Prue on Sep. 2, 1992, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an highly effective additive injector that can be used to deodorize, lubricate and clean a tankless marine toilet system. That arrangement as described in the Prue patent is typically connected in the flush water intake as indicated generally at
11
in
FIG. 1
of the drawings. The injection unit
11
is serially connected with a flush water conduit
13
which carries flushing water from a through-the-hull intake port
15
to a toilet bowl
19
. A gate valve
20
connects the conduit
13
to the intake port
15
. When closed, the valve
20
prevents sea water from entering the toilet system via the intake port
15
.
Waste from the toilet bowl
19
flows through a drain conduit
21
and then passes either through a gate valve
23
to a through-the-hull outlet port
25
, or alternatively through a gate valve
27
to a collection tank
31
. When the waste is to be expelled through the outlet port
25
, the gate valve
23
is open and the valve
27
is closed. When the waste is to be placed in the collection tank
31
, valve
23
is closed and valve
27
is opened. Collection tank
31
is provided with a vent
33
and a waste removal conduit
35
which extends to a deck plate
37
which provides access to the collection tank for waste removal. In order to provide an adequate flow of flushing water, a hand-operated flushing pump of the type illustrated at
35
in
FIG. 1
may be serially connected with the flush water conduit
13
adjacent the toilet bowl
19
. Other pumping mechanisms may be employed, both in the flush water intake and in the outlet drainage conduits, to provide the desired flows.
While the additive injection unit as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,707 and shown in
FIG. 1
has proven to be highly effective, it is often difficult to securely install. The marine toilet and the input water line into which the additive injector must be installed are typically placed in a cramped environment, and adjoining bulkhead or cabin walls can be oriented in many different ways, making it difficult to properly secure the injector while positioning it in an orientation which best promotes proper functioning and access.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved additive injection unit which is easy to install and use for sanitizing, deodorizing, lubricating and/or winterizing a marine toilet system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an additive injection unit which may be readily mounted in the a desired position by securing it to an existing structure which may have any one of a wide variety of orientations.
It is a further object to provide an improved marine toilet additive injection unit including integral adjustable mounting means for securing the unit in the proper position within an existing marine toilet system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention takes the form of an improved additive injection unit for a toilet system which includes an elongated housing defining a passageway for carrying a water stream directed to a toilet and for injecting an additive into said water stream, the unit being mountable in a variety of toilet system environments by the provision of first and second mounting members attached to each end of said housing, each of the mounting members being rotatable with respect to the housing and defining a mounting surface adapted to bear against and be supported by a base structure.
In accordance with the invention, the housing advantageously takes the form of a substantially T-shaped hollow chamber and defines a transverse cylindrical passageway and a perpendicular cylindrical branch passageway, with the mouth of the branch passageway forming the access opening through which an additive may be introduced. Each of the mounting brackets includes a hollow cylindrical section shaped to fit over and conform to one end of the transverse passageway. A resilient O-ring positioned between each of mounting brackets and the housing for providing a friction fit between the mounting brackets and the housing which permits the mounting brackets to both rotate and move axially with respect to the housing.
The additive injection unit preferably includes a cap for covering the access passageway to retain fluids within the housing while permitting access to the interior of the housing when removed. The rotatable mounting brackets permit the housing to be rotated with respect to the base structure to position the access opening above the transverse passageway to reduce spillage when the cap is removed. These and other features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by considering the following detailed description. In the course of this description, frequent reference will be made to the attached drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 215987 (1879-05-01), Spofford
patent: 685694 (1901-10-01), Schamp
patent: 1593268 (1926-07-01), Roberts
patent: 1910765 (1933-05-01), Hanlan
patent: 2303913 (1942-12-01), Collinge et al.
patent: 4873727 (1989-10-01), Homan
patent: 4920582 (1990-05-01), Alker
patent: 5142707 (1992-09-01), Prue
patent: 5240292 (1993-08-01), Roszin
patent: 5404594 (1995-04-01), Ring et al.
patent: 468282 (1937-06-01), None
Call Charles G.
Eloshway Charles R.
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