GB2270108A - Apparatus for temporarily blocking an outlet pipe from a water tank - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus (2) for temporarily blocking an outlet pipe (4) from a water tank (6), which apparatus (2) comprises a bung member (8) which is movable between a non-expanded condition in which it is adapted to be inserted from inside the water tank (6) into an open end (10) of the outlet pipe (4) and an expanded condition in which it is adapted to block the outlet pipe (4) such that water in the water tank (6) cannot flow past the bung member (8), mechanical control means (14) for operating the bung member (8) from above the level of water normally held in the water tank (6), and air vent means (16) for allowing air to pass to the outlet pipe (4) when the bung member (8) is in its expanded condition in order to facilitate draining of the outlet pipe (4). <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARILY BLOCKING AN OUTLET PIPE FROM A WATER TANK This invention relates to apparatus for temporarily blocking an outlet from a water tank.

Main water storage tanks are usually stored in the lofts of houses and other buildings. Often the water tank does not have an isolating device such for example as a gate valve. If a gate valve is fitted, the gate valve often leaks. If it is desired to change a tap washer in a room such as a bathroom or a kitchen, or if it is desired to renew the isolating device such for example as the gate valve, it is often necessary to drain down the water tank.

Sometimes problems with hot water tanks or central heating systems may also make it necessary to drain down the main cold water storage tank. Such draining down is time consuming and therefore costly if being done by a tradesman. The draining down is also messy and wasteful of water.

An alternative to draining down the water tank is for a person such for example as a plumber to put their hand and arm into the water tank to reach the outlet pipe from the water tank. The person can then try and bung up the open end of the outlet pipe, for example with some form of rolled cloth or bung. In winter, water in cold water storage tanks is often icy cold and is thus unpleasant to persons working in such water. Furthermore, persons working in lofts often have dirty hands. The dirt on their hands gets into the water and this water may be subsequently used in bathrooms for persons to clean their teeth. Clearly it is not desirable for persons to be cleaning their teeth with contaminated water.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for temporarily blocking an outlet pipe from a water tank, which apparatus comprises a bung member which is movable between a nonexpanded condition in which it is adapted to be inserted from inside the water tank into an open end of the outlet pipe and an expanded condition in which it is adapted to block the outlet pipe such that water in the water tank cannot flow past the bung member, mechanical control means for operating the bung member from above the level of water normally held in the water tank, and air vent means for allowing air to pass to the outlet pipe when the bung member is in its expanded condition in order to facilitate draining of the outlet pipe.

With the apparatus of the present invention, the bung member is thus able to be inserted from above the water in the water tank and there is no need for a person to put their hands in the water. Thus possible contamination of the water in the water tank is reduced to a minimum.

Still further, there is no need for a person to get cold by having to dip their hands in freezing water in winter.

Still further, the control means is simple to operate and the outlet pipe is easily able to be drained because of the air vent means, which prevents a vacuum tending to form in the outlet pipe as it is draining. When the appropriate repair has been done, it is then only necessary to operate the control means to enable the bung member to be removed from the open end of the outlet pipe. The water system will then again be ready for use and there will be no need to refill the tank. Furthermore, by having avoided draining the water tank in the first place, water will have been saved, time will have been saved, and dirt and sludge that often collects in the bottom of water storage tanks in lofts will have been saved from flowing through the outlet pipe and possibly blocking up taps or helping prematurely to wear tap washers.

Preferably, the bung member his an expansible flexible portion. The expansible flexible portion may be positioned between a fixed abutment member and a movable abutment member such that movement of the movable abutment member towards the fixed abutment member causes radial expansion of the expansible flexible member, and such that movement of the movable abutment member away from the fixed abutment member enables the expanded flexible member to return to its non-expanded condition.

The expansible flexible portion is preferably a rubber ring. Other types of expansible flexible portions and materials other than rubber may be employed.

The apparatus may be one in which the control means comprises a tube which is fixed at one end to the bung member, an operating lever which is positioned at the other end of the tube, and a mechanical linkage connecting the bung member and the operating lever, and the control means being such that movement of the operating lever one way causes the bung member to move from its non-expanded condition to its expanded condition, and movement of the operating lever the other way causes the bung member to move from its expanded condition to its non-expanded condition.

The apparatus may be one in which the tube has a straight portion and a curved portion, and in which the mechanical linkage comprises a rod which extends along the straight portion of the tube, and a flexible member which extends along the curved portion of the tube. The flexible member may be a wire or a chain.

The air vent means may be formed by a passage through the bung member, and by the bore of the tube. Other types of air vent means may however be employed.

The apparatus of the invention may include a stop member for limiting the amount of insertion of the bung member into the outlet pipe. The stop member may be a plate member.

The apparatus of the invention may include fixing means for fixing the mechanical control means along a side of the water tank. The fixing means may be one or more clips.

The apparatus of the invention can be made from any suitable and appropriate materials. Generally metals such for example as stainless steel or aluminium will be employed.

for the tube, where the tube is employed. The tube can also be made of a plastics material but the plastics material should be chosen to be relatively rigid where the tube has the curved portion since, otherwise, applying force to the control means may tend to straighten the curved portion.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 shows apparatus of the invention in use for temporarily blocking an outlet pipe from a water tank; Figure 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end part of the apparatus as shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a cross section through the end part of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown apparatus 2 for temporarily blocking an outlet pipe 4 from a water tank 6. The apparatus 2 comprises a bung member 8 which is movable between a non-expanded condition in which it is adapted to be inserted from inside the water tank 6 into an open end 10 of the outlet pipe 4, and an expanded condition in which it is adapted to block the outlet pipe 4 such that water 12 in the water tank 6 cannot flow past the bung member 8.

The apparatus 2 further comprises mechanical control means 14 for operating the bung member 8 from above the level of the water normally held in the water tank 6.

The apparatus 2 still further comprises air vent means 16 for allowing air to pass to the outlet pipe 4 when the bung member 8 is in its expanded condition, in order to facilitate draining of the outlet pipe 4.

The bung member 8 has an expansible flexible portion in the form of a rubber ring 18. The rubber ring 18 is positioned between a fixed abutment member 20 and a movable abutment member 22. Movement of the movable abutment member 22 towards the fixed abutment member 20 causes radial expansion of the rubber ring 18. Movement of the movable member 22 away from the fixed abutment member 20 enables the expanded rubber ring 18 to return to its nonexpanded condition.

The mechanical control means 14 comprises a tube 24 which is fixed at one end 26 to the bung member 8. The tube 24 is fixed at the other end 28 to an operating lever 30. The lever 30 acts as a cammed lever which moves backwards and forwards about a pivot 32. The mechanical control means 14 further comprises a mechanical linkage which connects the bung member 8 and the operating lever 30, and which comprises a rod 34 and a wire 36. The rod 34 extends along a straight portion 38 of the tube 24, whilst the wire 36 extends along a curved portion 40 of the tube 24. When the operating lever 30 is moved one way, then the rod 34 and the wire 36 pull the movable abutment member 22 towards the fixed abutment member 20 in order to cause radial expansion of the rubber ring 18.When the operating lever 30 is moved the other way, the radially expanded rubber ring 18 is able to push the movable abutment member 22 away from the fixed abutment member 20 so that the rubber ring 18 can return to its normal non-expanded tubular shape.

The air vent means 16 is formed by a passage 42 through the bung member 8, and also by the bore 44 of the tube 24.

The apparatus 2 includes a stop member in the form of a plate member 46 which is for limiting the amount of insertion of the bung member 8 into the outlet pipe 4. The bung member 8 includes a rubber seal 48 positioned between the plate member 46 and the fixed abutment member 20. A sealing member 50 such for example as a rubber sealing washer is provided the end 26 of the tube 24 and abuts against the plate member 46. The rubber seal 48 and the sealing member 50 ensure that water 12 cannot leak from the water tank 6 past the bung member 8 when it is in its expanded pipe-closing position in the outlet pipe 4.Air is however able to pass along the bore 44 of the pipe 24 and through the passage 42 of the bung member 8 and into the outlet pipe 4 as it is being drained, in order to stop a vacuum being formed in the outlet pipe 4 and all the water in the outlet pipe 4 then possibly not draining away.

As shown in Figure 1, the water tank 6 has a ball valve 52 and a mains water inlet pipe 54. The water tank 6 also has an outlet pipe 56 leading to a hot water storage cylinder 58. The outlet pipe 4 is shown by way of example as being provided with a gate valve 60 and a bath or basin tap 62.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the apparatus 2 shown in Figure 1 could be inserted into the outlet pipe 56 rather than the outlet pipe 4. Also, the wire 36 could be a chain. Further, other designs for the bung member 8 may be employed, together with other designs for the mechanical control means 14.

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus for temporarily blocking an outlet pipe from a water tank, which apparatus comprises a bung member which is movable between a non-expanded condition in which it is adapted to be inserted from inside the water tank into an open end of the outlet pipe and an expanded condition in which it is adapted to block the outlet pipe such that water in the water tank cannot flow past the bung member, mechanical control means for operating the bung member from above the level of water normally held in the water tank, and air vent means for allowing air to pass to the outlet pipe when the bung member is in its expanded condition in order to facilitate draining of the outlet pipe.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the bung member has an expansible flexible portion.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the expansible flexible portion is positioned between a fixed abutment member and a movable abutment member such that movement of the movable abutment member towards the fixed abutment member causes radial expansion of the expansible flexible member, and such that movement of the movable abutment member away from the fixed abutment member enables the expanded flexible member to return to its non-expanded condition.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the expansible flexible portion is a rubber ring.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the control means comprises a tube which is fixed at one end to the bung member, an operating lever which is positioned at the other end of the tube, and a mechanical linkage connecting the bung member and the operating lever, and the control means being such that movement of the operating lever one way causes the bung member to move from its non-expanded conditionn to its expanded condition, and movement of the operating lever the other way causes the bung member to move from its expanded condition to its non-expanded condition.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the tube has a straight portion and a curved portion, and in which the mechanical linkage comprises a rod which extends along the straight portion of the tube, and a flexible member which extends along the curved portion of the tube.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the flexible member is a wire or a chain.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the air vent means is formed by a passage through the bung member, and by the bore of the tube.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including a stop member for limiting the amount of insertion of the bung member into the outlet pipe.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the stop member is a plate member.

11. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including fixing means for fixing the mechanical control means along a side of the water tank.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the fixing means are one or more clips.

13. Apparatus for temporarily blocking an outlet pipe from a water tank, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.