Flush valve

Details Flush valve Flush valve

2000-02-03

2001-03-13

Recla, Henry J. (Department: 3751)

Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons

Flush closet

Tank only

C004S390000, C004S395000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06199221

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flush valve. More particularly this invention concerns such a valve used in a toilet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A standard toilet has a bowl and at a location somewhat above the bowl a tank that normally is full of water that can be released into the bowl to flush the bowl, either through direct displacement or siphon action The tank has a floor with an outlet port that is normally blocked by a ring mounted on an overflow tube whose upper end is above the normal liquid level in the tank. For flushing the overflow tube is raised, thereby allowing the water in the tank to rush out the outlet port while a float attached to the overflow tube holds it up off the outlet port until the tank is substantially empty, whereupon the tube reseats itself and the tank is slowly refilled by a float-controlled fill valve.
Such systems are relatively failure prone. The seal at the outlet port can degrade and allow some leakage with the concomitant waste of water, or it can fail altogether
80
that the tank cannot fill. The overflow tube must align perfectly with the outlet port so that any problem with the mechanism can result in the flush valve not closing properly.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved flush valve.
Another object is the provision of such an improved flush valve which overcomes the above-given disadvantages, that is which is certain to have a long leak-free service life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A flush tank having a downwardly open outlet and a valve for filling the tank with a liquid has a flush valve having according to the invention a tube fitted to the outlet and having an upper end vertically displaceable in the tank. A float fixed to the tube upper tube end has a buoyancy changeable between a high buoyancy capable of holding the tube upper end above a liquid level in the tank and a low buoyancy insufficient to hold the tube upper end above the liquid level. An actuator connected to the float can temporarily change the float from high buoyancy to low buoyancy and thereby sink the tube upper end below the liquid level and cause the liquid in the tank to flow through the tube out of the outlet.
Thus the flushing action is simply initiated by temporarily submerging the upper tube end, whereupon water will rush down it and out through the outlet. There is no valve at the outlet; instead the system works with what is in effect a movable overflow. The resultant structure is extremely simple and therefore likely to have a long service life, something that is useful in a standard toilet that must be expected to flush thousands of times without
According to the invention the tube is generally cylindrical and stiff and is provided with a roll-up membrane having an upper end secured around the tube near the float and a lower end secured to the tank at the outlet. Alternately the tube is an accordion-type cuff having a lower end fixed to the tank around the outlet and an upper end secured around the tube near the float. The pleats of the accordion structure can be reinforced with wire
In accordance with the invention the float has a lower part annularly surrounding the tube and an upper part formed as an upper space having a large upwardly open mouth level with the upper end of the tube and a small opening below its mouth opening into the tube. The lower part can be a foam ring molded unitarily of plastic with the tube. Alternately the lower part is a downwardly open annular lower space. The upper space can annularly surround the tube at the upper edge and be formed by an annular outer wall and an annular inner wall concentric therewith and forming a part of the tube. The small opening is a hole formed below the upper end in the inner wall, more particularly a plurality of upwardly open slots formed in the inner wall.
In another system the upper part is formed as a funnel having an upper edge level with the upper tube end and a lower end in the tube and forming the opening. This funnel is coaxial with the tube. The actuator can include a vertically displaceable rod having a lower end extending down through and generally blocking the opening in only an upper position of the tube. Thus the tube will drop very quickly at the start of the flush for maximum flushing action, but will slow somewhat once the rod pulls out of and unblocks the lower end of the funnel
The actuator includes as described above a vertically displaceable actuating rod extending along an upright axis and having an externally accessible upper end and a transversely extending formation engageable vertically downward against the float to submerge same. A spring urges the rod upward. In this system the tube upper end can form a slot through which the rod extends. The rod extends along and is rotatable about a vertical axis, and the rod is provided with a transversely extending stop that can pass axially and vertically through the slot in one angular position of the rod corresponding to a full flush and that is axially engageable with the tube at the slot in another angular position of the rod corresponding to a partial flush. Thus when the tube descends in the partial-flush other position of the rod it comes to rest on and is stopped by the stop.
To adjust the volume of water dispensed in the partial-flush position interengaging formations on the rod and stop axially displace and arrest the stop on the rod. These formations can be screw-threads
The transversely extending formation on the rod includes a pair of opposite horizontal arms projecting from the rod. Furthermore the tank has a top wall and the rod has a It button projecting from the top wall and fixed to the upper rod end. In this case the rod is rotatable about its axis in the button and is provided with a pointer. The button is provided with indicia alignable with the pointer to indicate angular position of the rod. Thus the user can select full or partial flush simply by turning the rod to align it with the appropriate indicia.


REFERENCES:
patent: 386918 (1888-07-01), Demarest
patent: 3280407 (1966-10-01), Aaron
patent: 3461465 (1969-08-01), Fisher
patent: 4017913 (1977-04-01), Judd
patent: 1 097 917 (1961-01-01), None
patent: 2187768 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 644497 (1962-09-01), None

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