Toilet Flush Tank Mechanism

Abstract

A mechanism operative to selectively discharge substantially all or only a major portion of the water within the flush tank of a toilet. The mechanism includes a single operator shiftable in a first direction from a rest position for discharging substantially all of the water in the flush tank and in the opposite direction for discharging only a minor portion of the water within the flush tank. The mechanism is constructed whereby it may be readily incorporated into existing flush tank mechanisms by the addition of certain components and substitution of other components for some of the components of conventional flush tank mechanisms.

Description

The flush tank mechanism has been designed to provide a means whereby substantially all or only a minor portion of the water within a flush tank may be discharged therefrom.

There is presently a nationwide move to conserve water and reduce the quantity of water which must be handled by sewage filtration plants.

In accordance with this goal, the mechanism of the instant invention provides a means whereby selected quantities of water within an associated flush tank may be discharged therefrom, it being understood that smaller quantities of water will be discharged when the waste within the associated toilet bowl requires that only a small amount of flushing water be used. In this manner, considerable quantities of water may be saved and the load on sewage filtration plants may be reduced.

The main object of this invention is to provide a toilet flush tank actuating mechanism which may be selectively used to discharge different quantities of water from the flush tank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flush tank mechanism in accordance with the preceding objects and which will be capable of utilizing a conventional flush tank actuator.

Yet another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a flush tank mechanism which may be designed so as to discharge the full quantity of water from the flush tank when operated in the conventional manner, thereby enabling persons unaware of the selected discharge feature of the mechanism to be assured of actuating the flush tank in a manner to discharge the maximum quantity of water therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flush tank mechanism which may be readily incorporated into existing flush tank mechanisms with a minimum of added and replacement components.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an improved flush tank mechanism which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, elevational view of a conventional toilet bowl flush tank with the improved actuating mechanism of the instant invention not particularly associated therewith, portions of the flush tank and the cover therefor being broken away and illustrated in vertical sections;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one component of the flush tank mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second component of the flush tank mechanism; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third component of the flush tank mechanism.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the flush tank of a conventional toilet. The tank 10 includes an upwardly opening tank member 12 and a removable cover 14. The bottom of the tank is referred to by the reference numeral 16 and has an outlet opening (not shown) formed therethrough. The upper end of an outlet pipe 18 is secured through the outlet opening and the outlet pipe 18 includes a valve seat 20 at its upper terminal end.

Formed integrally with the upper end of the outlet pipe 18 is an overflow standpipe 22 and the upper end of the standpipe 22 projects to an elevation spaced above the upper water level 24, and there also being a lower water level 26 in the tank member 12.

The front wall 28 of the tank member 12 has an opening (not shown) formed therethrough and a shaft portion (not shown) having a lever-type handle 30 on its outer end is journalled through the opening formed in the front wall 28.

An elongated operating arm 34 has one end 36 apertured as at 38 and the shaft upon which the handle lever 30 is mounted has one end of a second operating arm 40 secured to its end remote from the handle lever 30 in any conventional manner (not shown). The second operating arm 40 is generally horizontally disposed and parallels the inner surface of the front wall 28. The end of the arm 40 remote from the handle 30 includes a V-shaped terminal end defined by endwise outwardly projecting arm elements 44 and 46. The arm element 44 extends upwardly and outwardly from the adjacent end of the operating arm 40 and the arm element 46 extends outwardly and downwardly from the operating arm 40.

The upper end of the standpipe 22 has a mounting bracket 48 supported therefrom. Bracket 48 projects horizontally outwardly from the upper end of the standpipe 22 and has the apertured end portion 50 of the operating arm 34 oscillatably supported therefrom for angular displacement about a transverse axis extending in the front to rear direction relative to tank member 12. The end portion 36 of the operating arm 34 includes an outwardly projecting and rearwardly extending abutment pin 54 terminating rearwardly in a right angulated end portion 56 projecting toward the handle lever 30 and the abutment pin 54 is received in the apex of the V-shaped terminal end 42 carried by the operating arm 40. Accordingly, as can be seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings, when the handle lever 30 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to swing the terminal end 42 of the operating arm 40 upwardly, the operating arm 34 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawing so as to elevate the left-hand end of the arm 34 and to lower the right-hand end of the arm 34. However, when the handle lever 30 is rotated in a clockwise direction from the solid line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the free end of the operating arm 40 is depressed and the operating arm 34 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction so as to lower the apertured end portion 36 of the operating arm 34 and to raise the opposite end portion 58 of the operating arm 34 which is also apertured as at 60.

The flush tank 10 further includes a conventional water inlet mechanism (not shown) controlled by a valve including a float arm 62 having a float ball 64 mounted on its free end. This mechanism is conventional in substantially all flush tanks presently in use in this country and it is believed to be sufficient to state that water is admitted into the tank member 12 until the free end of the arm 62 is raised to the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings by the float ball 64 being buoyed up by the water within the tank member 12. When the arm 62 is thus positioned, the valve controlling the ingree of water into the tank 12 is closed.

A first flapper valve 66 is provided and oscillatably supported from a lower mount 68 carried by the lower end of the standpipe 22. The flapper valve 66 includes a hollow float portion 70 whose function will be hereinafter more fully set forth and it will be noted that the flapper valve 66 is swingable from the lower limit position thereof illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings seated against the seat 20 and closing the upper end of the pipe 18 and the raised open limit position illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

The flush tank mechanism further includes a second flapper valve 70 oscillatably supported from a mount 72 supported from the standpipe 22 at an elevation above the mount 68. The second flapper valve 70 is similar to the flapper valve 66 in that it includes a hollow buoyant portion 74 corresponding to the portion 70. Further, the flapper valve 70 is siwngable from the upper limit position thereof illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings to the lower limit position thereof illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the lower limit position being defined by engagement of an abutment 76 carried by the flapper valve 70 engaging the stand-pipe 22 below the mount 72.

The free end of the flapper valve 70 has an upstanding passage 78 formed therethrough and the free end of the flapper valve 66 has an anchor eye 80 carried thereby.

An upstanding lightweight pull rod 82 includes a hook 84 on its lower end engaged with the anchor eye 80 and a Y-shaped upper terminal end 86 including upwardly diverging arms 88 and 90 defining eyes 92 and 94, respectively, at their upper ends. A first length of flexible chain 96 is secured between the aperture 60 in the end portion 58 of the operating arm 34 and the eye 92 at the upper extremity of the arm 88. A second length of chain 98 is secured between the aperture 38 formed in the end portion 36 of the arm 34 and the eye 94 carried by the upper end of the arm 90. Further, the chain 98 is slidingly received through the passage 78.

A first abutment element 100 is carried by the upper end portion of the arm 90 and a second abutment element 102 is carried by the free end of the flapper valve 70. At least one of the elements 100 and 102 is constructed of magnetic material and the other of the elements 100 and 102 is constructed of ferrous material. Accordingly, the elements 100 and 102 magnetically attract each other when disposed in closely adjacent relation.

In operation, and assuming that the water within the tank member 12 is disposed at the lever 24, when it is desired to empty substantially all of the water within the tank 12 to the outlet pipe 18, the handle lever 30 is swung is a clockwise direction from the solid line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings to the lefthand phantom line position. This angular displacement of the handle 30 results in the free end of the operating arm 40 being depressed and far right-hand end of the operating arm 34 being elevated. This elevation of the righthand end of the operating arm 34 exerts an upward pull on the chain 96 and upward pull on the rod 82 in a direction at least slightly inclined to the right wherein the abutment 100 will be positioned as illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings and the lower flapper valve 66 will be raised to the upper open phantom line position. At this point, buoyancy of the portion 70 of the flapper valve 66 is sufficient to maintain the flapper valve 66 in the phantom line position with the rod 82 also in its raised phantom line position illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, even when the handle lever 30 is allowed to return to the solid line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1. Of course, the opening of the flapper valve 66 will cause the water within the tank member 12 to be discharged through the outlet pipe 18 until the water level drops to a point exposing at least the upper portion of the portion 70 of the flapper valve 66 whereupon the reduced buoyancy of the portion 70 and the further lowering of the water level within the tank member 12 will cause the flapper valve 66 to again seat against the seat 20 and close the upper end of the outlet pipe 18. In this manner, substantially all of the water within the tank member 12 is discharged through the outlet pipe 18. As soon as the flapper valve 66 has been closed, the water entering the tank member 12 due to the free end of the float arm 62 being lowered will cause the tank 12 to be filled with water to the level 24 before the ingress of water into the tank 12 is terminated by float ball 64 being raised to the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1.

When, however, it is desired to discharge only a minor portion of the water within the tank member 12, the handle lever 30 is angularly displaced from the solid line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 to the righthand phantom line position, whereupon the free end of the arm 40 will be raised and the adjacent end of the arm 34 will be raised. This, of course, will cause an upward pull on the chain 98 and draw the abutment 100 up into contact with the abutment 102 whereupon the abutments 100 and 102 will be maintained in contact with each other by their mutual magnetic attraction. Of course, when the abutment 100 is thus elevated into contact with the abutment 102, the rod 82 will also be elevated and the flapper valve 66 will again be opened to the phantom line position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. However, as the water level within the tank member 12 drops from the level 24 to the level 26, the upper portion of the portion 74 of the flapper valve 70 will be exposed, thus reducing the buoyancy of the portion 74 and causing the free end of the flapper valve 70 to bear downward on the abutment 100 carried by the upper end of the rod 82. As the rod 82 is lowered to a point with the flapper valve 66 spaced just above the seat 20, the abutment 76 carried by the flapper valve 70 will abut the standpipe 22 to prevent further lowering of the flapper valve 70. However, with the water level within the tank still disposed above the flapper valve 66 and the latter disposed closely adjacent the seat 20, the flapper valve 66 will be urged sharply downwardly into seated engagement with the seat 20 by the water pressure thereabove and the rush of water there passed toward the seat 20. This rapid downward movement of the flapper valve 66 will, of course, close off the upper end of the outlet pipe 18 and also downwardly displace the abutment 100 from the abutment 102 thereby increasing the air space between the abutments so as to terminate their mutual attraction for each other.

Accordingly, it may be seen that by rotating the handle lever 30 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawings only a minor portion of the water within the tank member 12 is discharged therefrom before the flapper valve 66 is again seated against the seat 20 and the lowering of the float ball 64 causes the flow mechanism to again raise the water level in the tank member 12 to the level 24.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a flush tank of the type including (1) a lower outlet for draining water from the tank, (2) a byouant flap-type valve member supported within said tank for up and down swinging out of and into position closing said outlet, (3) means operative to automatically fill the tank with water to an upper level therein and (4) an actuator supported from said tank for selective shifting between either of two actuating positions from a rest position, a control mechanism disposed in said tank and operatively associated with said valve member and actuator to raise said valve member from said outlet in response to shifting of said actuator to a first actuating position for subsequent lowering buoyant the bouyant valve member to its closed operative position as the water level in said tank is lowered past the level of the raised valve member, said control mechanism also including means operatively associated with said valve member to raise the latter from said outlet in response to shifting of said actuator to the second actuating position thereof, and to exert a downward force on said valve member sufficient to overcome the positive buoyancy thereof as the level of water in said tank is lowered past a low water level spaced below said upper level and appreciably above said outlet, the last mentioned means including a rocking arm oscillatably supported intermediate its opposite ends of said tank and to which said actuator is connected to oscillate said arm between limit positions of oscillation thereof in response to shifting of said actuator between its actuating positions, one way connecting means operatively connecting the opposite end portions of said arm to said valve member for raising the latter in response to said arm being pivoted to either of said limit positions of oscillation thereof, a vertically shiftable float guidingly supported in said tank for movement between upper and lower positions, said connecting means including a rigid portion thereof engaged with said valve member and engageable with said float upon shifting of said actuator to one actuating position thereof and lowerable with said float to urge the valve member downwardly toward said outlet as said water level drops to said lower level, said rigid portion, when said actuator is shifted to its other actuating position thereof, being shifted away from engagement with said float.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said rigid portion and said float include mutually magnetically attractable abutment portions for retaining engagement of said rigid portion with said float until said valve member is shifted into its final closed position.

3. In combination with a flush tank of the type including (1) a lower outlet for draining water from the tank, (2) a bouyant flap-type valve member supported within said tank for up and down swinging out of and into operative position closing said outlet, and (3) means operative to automatically fill the tank with water to an upper level therein, a control mechanism for said tank including means operative (1) in a first manner to elevate said valve member from said outlet for buoyant retention of said valve member in said raised position thereof until the level of water in said tank drops sufficiently to a lower level with the buoyant valve member lowered into engagement with said outlet and (2) in a second manner to elevate said valve member from said outlet for buoyant retention in the raised position thereof and thereafter apply a downward force on said valve member sufficient to overcome the positive buoyancy thereof in response to the level of water in said tank dropping from the upper level to an intermediate level spaced above said lower level, said control mechanism including a rocking arm oscillatably supported intermediate its opposite ends of said tank and to which said actuator is connected to oscillate said arm between limit positions of oscillation thereof in response to shifting of said actuator between its actuating positions, one way connecting means operatively connecting the opposite end portions of said arm to said valve member for raising the latter in response to said arm being pivoted to either of said limit positions of oscillation thereof, a vertically shiftable float guidingly supported in said tank for movement between upper and lower positions, said connecting means including a rigid portion thereof engaged with said valve member and engageable with said float upon shifting of said actuator to one actuating position thereof and lowerable with said float to urge the valve member downwardly toward said outlet as said water level drops to said lower level, said rigid portion, when said actuator is shifted to its other actuating position thereof, being shifted away from engagement with said float.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said rigid portion and said float include mutually magnetically attractable abutment portions for retaining engagement of said rigid portion with said float until said valve member is shifted into its final closed position.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said float comprises an elongated member pivotally supported at one end for oscillation in a vertical plane and including buoyant means at its other end, said rigid portion being engageable with said other end of said elongated member.