Valve Operator Embodying Time-delayed Closing Means

Abstract

A flush tank valve operator comprising an open-bottomed vessel buoyantly responsive to differential pressure of fluid media caused by the water level rising in the flush tank and provided with valve means for releasing super-atmospheric air within said vessel to atmosphere directly or through delayed response means comprising a resiliently expandable chamber provided with a bleed port.

Description

This invention relates to an operating mechanism for a flush tank and comprises a pneumatically controlled buoyant operator for the tank drain valve wherein an air valve for releasing pneumatic pressure and enabling the flush tank to drain and operably flush a plumbing fixture can be remotely disposed, and can be provided with time-delay response means. Such response means may comprise a resilient, expandable chamber provided with a bleed port to atmosphere into which the air valve exhausts and expands the chamber causing linkage means to operably retain the air valve open until pressure is equalized in the chamber with atmosphere.

It is an object of this invention to provide for time delayed valve operation for a plumbing fixture.

It is another object of this invention to provide delayed closure of valve means by restricting flow of air to atmosphere from a pneumatically controlled valve operator.

It is another object of this invention to provide a door actuated valve for use in flushing urinals.

Other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of one embodiment of this invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional front and side elevations, respectively, of another embodiment of this invention;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional elevations in schematic and detail views, respectively, of another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation in partial cross-section of a urinal installation comprising an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevation of a flush tank drain check valve of this invention.

In FIG. 1 valve operator 9 comprises air valve 10, such as is commonly used on wheel-mounted vehicle tire, the valve being mounted in casing 11 for controlling flow of air from passage 12 into chamber 13. Stem 14 of valve 10 is biased by lever 15, pivotally mounted to rotate about fulcrum 16. In the position shown stem 14 is in depressed position enabling air to pass from passage 12 into chamber 13. Air pressure in passage 12 when initially greater than in chamber 13 is equalized by opening valve 10. Valve 10 is maintained in open position after pressure is equalized by lever 15 being held in biased position as shown by hook 17 affixed to diaphragm 18, the diaphragm being operably deflected and extended as shown in response to super-atmospheric pressure in chamber 13. Diaphragm 18 is flexible, and preferably comprises extensible and resilient material such as rubber, but may comprise firmer material such as metal or synthetic resinous material with or without fibrous reinforcement. If the latter materials are used it is desirable that the material be of slightly concave configuration so that an increase in pressure in chamber 13 above atmospheric will cause flexion of diaphragm 18 into convex configuration similar to that shown. With diaphragm 18 is distorted position as shown in FIG. 1, hook 17 biases lever 15 to the right as shown thereby to retain valve 10 open by depressing stem 14. Diaphragm 18 may be pneumatically sealed in casing 11 by any suitable means such as by O-ring gasket 20 as shown. Both casing 11 and the periphery of diaphragm 18 are appropriately configured to receive O-ring 20.

Plunger 21 is spring loaded by means of spring 19 disposed in counterbore 22 of casing 11. O-ring 23 is provided near the lower extremity of plunger 21 as shown to seal chamber 13 and to prevent inadvertent removal of plunger 21 from the top of casing 11. Shoulder 24 is provided to limit the normal upward travel of O-ring 23 which is operably engaged on plunger 21. Centrally disposed in plunger 21 is bleed passage 25 which is vented to atmosphere as shown through bleed port 26. The upper portion of bleed passage 25 is threaded to receive adjustable needle element 27 which can be operably positioned to restrict the orifice size of passage 25 thereby to provide such delay in time as desired for reduction of pressure in chamber 13 to substantial atmospheric enabling diaphragm 18 to resume undistorted configuration, and to relieve the force of lever 15 biasing stem 14 of valve 10. Spring loading of stem 14 returns the stem to elevated position thereby closing valve 10.

Valve operator 9 may be installed adjacent a door so that when the door is opened plunger 21 is operably biased to contact and depress plunger 21 into contact with lever 15 which in turn depresses stem 14 and opens valve 10 releasing air from passage 12 through valve 10 into chamber 13. Diaphragm operably flexes and is extended in response to the pressure differential there across which occurs when valve 10 is opened. Closing of valve 10 is functionally delayed while a pressure differential exists across the diaphragm providing a period of time during which passage 12 is vented and an associated flush tank of a urinal is drained of water. Valve 10 operably closes before re-filling of the tank commences, however.

The force which is required to operably bias or flex diaphragm 18 is necessarily small because super-atmospheric pressure in passage 12 may be not more than about 1/4 p.s.i.g. and the force exerted on diaphragm 18 if the diaphragm is, for example, 3 inches in diameter, is about 1 3/4 pounds. The diaphragm should remain flexed or biased until not more than a few or fractional ounce of pressure remains. Thus, the dwell time during which valve 10 remains open is a combined function of the pressure in chamber 13, the pressure differential necessary to bias diaphragm 18 and the orifice size of passage 25. Needle element 27 should be adjusted to provide the period of time desired for valve 10 to remain open.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 is shown a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1 wherein valve operator 29 comprises casing 31 provided with diaphragm 18', hook 17', lever 15' and air valve 10', all similar to the corresponding elements of operator 9 of FIG. 1. Valve 10' is actuated by permanent magnet 32 rotatably mounted on shaft 33. Magnet 32 contacts and biases lever 15' when ferromagnetic member 34 is moved to the right from the position shown by a door to the room being opened, member 34 being operably mounted on the door. Member 34 may consist of any suitable material such as a steel plate, and lever 15', casing 31 and other parts of valve operator 29 may be made of any suitable diamagnetic material such as stainless steel, brass, plastic, etc. Air is released from chamber 13' through port 36 in which adjustable needle valve 37 is operably disposed. Battery operated or line current operated electro-magnetic means may be substituted for either or both of magnet 32 and member 34, if desired.

In FIG. 4 is shown in schematic drawing the device of FIG. 2 designed for installation adjacent the door of a toilet booth. A manually actuated flush control valve is disposed in the piping circuit with the door controlled valve and allows a toilet to be flushed either in ordinary manner or by the door actuated control valve. Toilet 40 is provided with flush tank 41 in which inlet valve 42 of conventional design is provided. Valve 42 may be float operated or may be of other operable design. Overflow tube 43 is rigidly connected to tank 41 and supports open-bottomed cylindrical member 44 to which tubing connector 45 communicates through the top thereof. Tubing 46 provides a passage for air from the internal volume of member 44 to manual valve 47, which is spring biased to remain closed. The diameter of tubing 46 communicating member 44 with valve 47 should be of relatively large diameter, such as one-half inch diameter for example, while tubing 48 communicating member 44 with remotely located valve 29 may be of much smaller diameter than tubing 46. Plate member 34 associated with valve 29 is affixed to the door of a toilet booth; other suitable location for the installation may be provided. Open-bottomed buoyant vessel 51 is disposed within member 44 and is free to rise vertically therein in response to buoyant force. When seated in member 44, vessel 51 seals drain pipe 52 in operable manner. In operation, either valve 29 is actuated by the door of the toilet booth being opened or valve 47 is manually actuated so as to communicate the internal volume of member 44 with atmosphere and enable atmospheric pressure to obtain therein, either within a momentary period of time if valve 47 is actuated or after a prolonged period of time if valve 29 is actuated in the manner described with respect to FIG. 2. With release of superatmospheric air-pressure within member 44, water rises and floats vessel 51 lifting it from its seat on drain pipe 52 and enabling tank 41 to be drained, the flow capacity of drain pipe 52 to drain tank 41 being in excess of the flow setting of fill valve 42 to fill the tank. With evacuation of water from tank 41, vessel 51 again will seat on pipe 52 and tank 41 begins to be re-filled. Within the period of time required to evacuate the tank of water and to begin to refill, both valves 47 and 29 will close so that air trapped in member 44 will be compressed by rising water and a condition of super-atmospheric pressure will obtain in member 44 causing the water level therewithin to be at a lower elevation than elsewhere in tank 41 where air is at atmospheric pressure. The configuration of vessel 51 is such that the lower neck portion thereof is of such diameter, and extends upward to an elevation sufficient, preferably, to remain above the water level in member 44 when vessel 51 is operably seated on drain pipe 52 and tank 41 is operably filled with water. Under such conditions the force exerted by super-atmospheric air pressure within member 44 is sufficient to firmly seat vessel 51 against the buoyant force tending to lift it from its seat. Only when valve 47 or valve 29 is actuated will vessel 51 rise within member 44 in operable manner.

Member 44, vessel 51, and valve 47 of FIG. 4 are shown in greater detail in FIG. 5. Neck portion 55 is provided with annular gasket 56 configured preferably with the upper and lower peripheral extremities as sealing surfaces to enable the gasket to be reversed in position for prolonged effectiveness. Two or more recessed grooves of slightly different diameters may be provided as shown to receive gasket 56 for providing optimum seating on drain pipe 52. As shown member 44 may be adjustably secured to overflow pipe 43 by means of thumb set screw 57 or by other operable means. Valve 47 comprises inlet passage 60 which is sealed closed by O-ring gasket 61 on member 62. Member 62 is retained in closed position by compression spring 63 seated on the base of handle 64. Stem portion 65 of handle 64 is received in cavity 66 of member 62 and enables passage 60 to be opened to atmosphere by member 62 being tilted so as to lift gasket 61 free of the base of valve 47. Member 62 is tilted by handle 64 being moved laterally from its axis. Air is released to atmosphere through port 67.

In FIG. 6 is shown a modified embodiment of a flush valve of this invention comprising actuating means for filling a flush tank with water. Urinal 70, which may represent one or several urinal fixtures, is connected to flush tank 41' by pipe 71. Vessel 51' in tank 41' is of configuration similar to that of vessel 51 of FIGS. 4 and 5 with the exception that neck portion 55' is received within drain pipe 52' and makes a sliding fit therewith. Ports 73 are provided in neck portion 55' enabling water to flow into drain pipe 55' with gasket 56' provided to seal against leakage of water from tank 41' into pipe 55' when vessel 51' is seated on pipe 55'. Member 44' is configured in similar fashion to member 44 of FIGS. 4 and 5, but is not supported in tank 41' except by means of rigid tubing connector 74 which extends upward through fill valve means 75. Connector 74 is disposed within valve means 75 in a manner such that upward movement of connector 74 closes valve means 75 and downward movement of the connector opens valve means 75. Thus, when tank 41' is being filled and water rises into member 44' compressing air captured therein so as to cause vessel 51' to be seated and member 44' to rise, valve means 75 will be closed in a manner similar to that of a conventional float operated valve. An air valve such as valve 29 of FIG. 4 may be provided to actuate the flush tank mechanism, but is not shown for convenience in FIG. 6. Member 44 is supported in tank 41' by means 75 with its base above the water surface when tank 41' is operably drained.

In FIG. 7, check valve 76 is shown configured in a manner similar to that of the lower portion of vessel 51 of FIG. 5, but is truncated and configured with threaded recess 77 disposed in the top thereof. Recess 77 is adapted to receive the threaded end of a rod such as is provided in a conventional linkage of a float operated toilet tank mechanism. Check valve 76 may comprise, preferably, more rigid material than resilint rubber as conventionally employed for such tank check valves which can be threaded directly without requiring a metal or plastic insert to molded into the material to receive the linkage rod. Suitable material may include acrylo-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, polyamide such as nylon, polypropylene, or other suitable synthetic resin, or may include metal such as brass or stainless steel. Gasket 56' is provided for sealing the drain opensing, and preferably multiple grooves 78 are provided of slightly differing diameters for receiving gasket 56' to provide optimum fit for sealing a drain opening. Gasket 56' as shown may be inverted when worn to provide prolonged effectiveness for the gasket.

The described embodiments of this invention are illustrative and equivalent means, applications and modifications will be suggested to persons skilled in the art, but it is understood that the scope of invention is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. Flush valve means comprising in combination

a. a hollow vessel adapted to be disposed internally of a flush tank of a plumbing fixture, said vessel being configured with an open bottom adapted to be disposed at an elevation intermediate the levels of water in the tank when filled with water and when drained,

b. an enclosed passage means opening into the upper portion of said vessel,

c. an air valve for controlling flow of air through said passage means comprising time-delay release means configured with an expandable chamber into which air is received from said vessel and provided with a flexible diaphragm biasable in response to differential pressure thereacross, a bleed orifice through which air is discharged to atmosphere, and bias loading means for biasing said chamber to unexpanded configuration, said air valve being closed when unactuated and with no pressure differential across said diaphragm,

d. means for actuating said air valve,

e. a bouyant member disposed to extend upward into said vessel, said buoyant member being configured to be sealably seated upon a drain opening in the flush tank by pneumatic force created in said vessel by water rising in the flush tank trapping air in said vessel providing super-atmospheric pressure equal to the hydrostatic head differential between levels of water within and without said vessel in the flush tank,

said fixture being operably flushed by said air valve being actuated enabling air of super-atmospheric pressure within said vessel to escape thereby enabling said buoyant member to be water-borne and rise in said vessel from seating contact with a drain opening, said buoyant member being again seated by gravity when water is evacuated from the tank.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said chamber comprises a resilient extensible diaphragm and operable linkage which retains said valve open while said diaphragm is operably extended.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein said air valve is actuated by force transmitted mechanically.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein said air valve is actuated by means comprising magnetic coupling.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein said air valve comprises means causing said valve to be self-closing upon removal of external force.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein said hollow vessel is fixed within said tank.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein buoyant movement of said vessel in said tank operably biases flow control means for admitting water into said tank.