Fluid handling – Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems – By float controlled valve
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-20
2001-03-13
Walton, George L. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
By float controlled valve
C137S437000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199581
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to fill valves with floats, and, in particular, to toilet tank fill valves having a conveniently adjustable valve stem to vary the position of the valve within the toilet tank.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Toilet tank fill valves with ballcocks are well known and in common usage. However, the conventional valve assemblies have suffered from several disadvantages, including noise, clogging of the diaphragm valve due to foreign bodies, unwieldy design due to the presence of a conventional ballcock, while also complicating adjustment of the valve within the tank. Prior known toilet fill valves may employ a ball float depending from an actuator arm or a float reciprocally mounted to the mounting tube for actuation of the fill valve when the fluid level drops below a predetermined level. As the water level reaches a full position, the buoyancy of the float will cause the fill valve to shut off. It is desirable for the valve to fill the reservoir as quickly as possible by maintaining a near maximum fluid flow until shut off of the valve.
In order to accommodate different tank sizes, particularly tank depths, the fill valves are provided with means for adjusting the position of the valve and/or float. Early fill valves merely adjusted the angle of the actuator arm associated with the ball float. In fill assemblies with reciprocating floats, the height of the valve above the tank floor needs to be adjusted. More recently, fill assemblies have been provided with adjustable standpipes to optimize the position of the fill valve for proper water depth. However, these adjustment assemblies have been found to be awkward and clumsy, in some instances, requires removal from the tank to adjust the length of the standpipe.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior known reservoir fill assemblies by providing an efficient fill valve for filling the tank and an easily adjustable standpipe for optimizing the position of the fill valve within the tank.
The invention relates to an adjustable standpipe for a water level control valve with a float for use in tanks such as flush tanks for toilets. The valve is mounted on the upper end of a vertical standpipe through which flush water is supplied. An outlet or discharge tube surrounds an inlet tube and is concentric therewith. The diaphragm valve member is disposed at the top or upper end of the standpipe and functions to open and close the water inlet passage in the standpipe. The diaphragm valve member is disposed in a housing and together with the housing defines a vent valve chamber above the diaphragm.
A float member is preferably an inverted cup shape and is slidably mounted on the discharge pipe. The float is linked to a stem actuator member which is pivotally mounted on the housing. When the water level in the tank drops, as for example when the toilet is flushed, the float member drops and the link pivots to actuate the fill valve. When the water level in the tank rises it will carry the float with it. The stem actuator member then disengages the vent valve thereby closing the fill valve.
In order to properly position the valve and therefore the float within the tank, the fill assembly is provided with means for adjusting the length of the standpipe to accommodate different tank depths. The standpipe includes mating inlet and outlet tubes which direct water to the fill valve and into the tank, respectively. The fixed outlet tube incorporates a plurality of discrete camming grooves defining the positions of adjustment. The slidable outlet tube has a set of slots adapted to receive a flexible locking ring which selectively engages the camming grooves of the fixed tube to lock the slidable tube relative to the fixed tube. The locking ring is movable between a retracted position allowing adjustment of the standpipe and an inserted position preventing movement. The adjustment assembly provides convenient adjustment yet positive locking against movement. In a preferred embodiment, the locking ring has a triangular tooth to ensure insertion of the locking ring into the grooves to fix the position of the fill tube. In a still further embodiment, a locking clip is formed on the inner diameter of the adjustable tube which selectively interacts with the grooves of the fixed pipe to alter the length of the standpipe.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4186765 (1980-02-01), Anderson
patent: 4646779 (1987-03-01), Johnson
patent: 4945944 (1990-08-01), Chen
patent: 5211204 (1993-05-01), Mikol
patent: 5255703 (1993-10-01), Johnson
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patent: 5421361 (1995-06-01), Johnson
patent: 5439025 (1995-08-01), Johnson
patent: 5715859 (1998-02-01), Nichols-Roy
patent: 5904176 (1999-05-01), Li
patent: 5964247 (1999-10-01), Johnson
Brass-Craft Manufacturing Company
Doigan Lloyd D.
Walton George L.
Zarins Edagr A.
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