GB2278183A - Water supply apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A water supply manifold (10) comprises a first inlet (21) connected to a water supply conduit, an isolating valve connected to the manifold at aperture (23), a first outlet (29) connected to a water meter, a second inlet (31) receiving a return flow from the water meter, a second outlet (27) connected to supply a metered flow of water from the manifold, a non-return valve connected between the second inlet (31) and the second outlet (27), and a blanked third outlet (33) for use a test point connected upstream of the non-return valve and communicating with the first inlet (21). The isolating valve, meter and test point are arranged at the apices of a triangle to provide a compact arrangement allowing adequate access via a tubular boundary box. <IMAGE>

Description

WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS The present invention relates to water supply apparatus for use in the provision of a metered supply of water, for instance to residential or similar (in terms of water consumption) premises.

Water authorities are increasingly providing a supply of water to each separate residence in a street by means of a so called boundary box provided with an isolating valve from which box the supply to the residence is taken. The boundary box marks a demarcation in responsibility for the quality of the supply, the authority being responsible for providing a satisfactory water pressure and flow rate at the boundary box and the occupant or owner being responsible thereafter.

Increasingly, boundary boxes are equipped with meters to measure water consumption. To allow removal of the meter for repair or replacement without a flow of water back from the premises into the boundary box a non-return valve is often provided immediately downstream of the meter which of course remains in position if the meter is removed.

To allow the resolution of a dispute as to whether poor flow or pressure experienced downstream of the boundary box is due to the quality of the supply for which the authority has responsibility or is due to some cause beyond the boundary box such as leakage for which the occupant is responsible, one may wish to connect a stand pipe to the supply at the boundary box from which to make measurements.

This can be done by removing the meter and connecting the stand pipe to the meter connection point in place of the meter. This however does not enable one to rule out the possibility that the meter is itself the cause of the problem.

It has therefore been proposed to provide a separate test point downstream of the meter but upstream of the non-return valve to allow the connection of a standpipe without the removal of the meter. It is found however that when there is a meter, a separate test point and an isolating valve all contained typically in line in a boundary box, access to each of these components becomes undesirably difficult. Generally, the boundary box is constituted by a length of 160 mm o/d pipe and the components must be accessible down this pipe.

The present invention accordingly provides a water supply installation comprising a water supply manifold having: a) a first inlet connected to a water supply conduit, b) an isolating valve downstream of said inlet, c) a first outlet connected to a water meter downstream of said isolating valve, d) a second inlet downstream of said first outlet and connected to receive a return flow from said water meter, e) a second outlet downstream of said second inlet and connected to supply a metered flow of water from said manifold, f) a non-return valve connected between said second inlet and said second outlet, and g) a blanked third outlet for use as a test point connected upstream of said non-return valve to communicate with said first inlet, wherein said isolating valve, meter and test point are arranged at the apices of a triangle.

Preferably the test point is connected in the manifold downstream of the meter. If the test point connects upstream of the meter, then it is not possible to test that the flow through the meter is itself satisfactory although it does enable one to conduct a test of the supply up to the meter without the inconvenience of removing the meter.

Preferably, the first outlet is upwardly directed and said second outlet is either sideways or downwardly directed to suit the boundary box installation requirements.

Preferably the non-return valve comprises a tubular valve carrier extending from at or adjacent said second inlet to downstream of said connection to said third outlet, and a valve unit carried in said valve carrier, wherein there is at least one transverse aperture in said valve carrier upstream of said valve unit communicating with said third outlet.

The invention includes a manifold for use in water supply apparatus comprising: a) a first inlet for connection to a water supply conduit, b) a valve seat for cooperation with a suitable valve member to shut off communication with said first inlet, c) a first outlet downstream of said valve seat for connection to a water meter to supply water to be metered thereto, d) a second inlet downstream of said first outlet and being for connection to a said water meter for receiving a metered supply of water therefrom, e) a second outlet downstream of said second inlet and being for connection to supply a metered flow of water from said manifold, f) a non-return valve connected between said second inlet and said second outlet, and g) a third outlet for use as a test point connected upstream of said non-return valve to communicate with said first inlet, wherein said valve seat, said first outlet and said third outlet are arranged at the apices of a triangle.

The invention will be further described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a manifold according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a partially cross-sectioned elevation view of the manifold of Figure 1 installed in water supply apparatus according to the invention.

The manifold 10 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a cast metal body having a first tubular limb 12 and a second tubular limb 14 connected by a hollow bridge 16 having a projecting nose 18. Said first limb 12 has at its lower end a threaded male connection 20 bounding a first inlet 21 for connection to a water supply pipe. At its opposite end, limb 12 has a female threaded connection 22 bounding an aperture 23 for connection to the head work of an isolating valve 24 (Figure 2). The second tubular limb 14 of the manifold 10 has at its upper end a female threaded connection 28 defining a first outlet 29 and coaxially within that a female threaded tubular seating 30 for making connections to a water meter via a tubular valve carrier 39 further described below which defines a second inlet 31.At its lower end the second limb 14 is provided with a male threaded connection 26 bounding a second outlet 27 for connection to a water supply conduit to lead to the rising main of a dwelling. On the upper surface of the nose 18 there is a female threaded connection 32 defining a third outlet 33 and receiving a blanking plug (not shown).

The use of the manifold in a water supply apparatus is illustrated in Figure 2. The head works of the isolating valve 24 co-operate within the manifold with a valve seat (not shown) in a conventional manner. The valve seat is coaxial with the headworks 24 and the thread 22. The bridge 16 is internally divided into a first conduit 17a and second conduit 17b. Conduit 17a extends from downstream of the valve seat of the isolating valve 24 to connect with the first outlet 29.

A water meter 35 has a male threaded tubular inlet engaged with the female thread 28 of the first outlet 29. A concentric tubular outlet passage 37 extends from the water meter. Tubular non-return valve carrier 39 is threadedly engaged in the female thread 30 and has at its upper end a tubular portion 41 of reduced external diameter providing said second inlet 31 received within the tubular outlet passage 37 of the water meter and sealed thereto by an O-ring 43. Below this, the tubular carrier member 39 has a radially enlarged flange, part of which is shaped to form a nut 45. Below the second inlet 31, the tubular carrier member 39 extends down to seal via an O-ring seal 47 against the manifold body at the upstream end of the second outlet 27.A pair of oppositely directed transverse apertures 49 in the wall of the tubular valve carrier communicate with the passageway 17b in the bridge 16 and this in turn communicates through the nose 18 with the third outlet 33 but does not communicate back with the first limb 12 of the manifold.

A non-return valve unit 51 is received in the lower end of the valve carrier 39 and is sealed therein by an O-ring 53.

The manifold accordingly has a first inlet 21 at the threaded connection 20, a site 23 for receiving an isolating valve headworks, a first outlet 29 defined by the threaded connection 28 and a second inlet 31 defined by the upper end of the tubular valve carrier 39. It further has a second outlet 27 defined by the threaded connection 26 and a third outlet 33 for use as a test point defined by the threaded connection 32.

As shown in Figure 1, the connecting point 23 for the isolating valve 24 and the first outlet 29 for connection to the water meter and the test point at the third outlet 33 are arranged at the corners of a triangle. This arrangement enables each to be spaced from the other by the maximum extent within the cylindrical wall of a typical boundary box and provides substantially improved access to each component. In use, the water supply from a location downstream of the meter may be tested by shutting off the water supply using the isolating valve 24, removing a blanking plug from the third outlet 33 and connecting a standpipe and suitable test apparatus thereto. No back-flow is received from the pipe connected to the second outlet 27 owing the action of the nonreturn valve unit 51. One then reactivates the water supply using the isolating valve 24 and conducts the necessary measurements.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiment, many modifications and variations thereof are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. A water supply installation comprising a water supply manifold having: a) a first inlet connected to a water supply conduit, b) an isolating valve downstream of said inlet, c) a first outlet connected to a water meter downstream of said isolating valve, d) a second inlet downstream of said first outlet and connected to receive a return flow from said water meter, e) a second outlet downstream of said second inlet and connected to supply a metered flow of water from said manifold, f) a non-return valve connected between said second inlet and said second outlet, and g) a blanked third outlet for use as a test point connected upstream of said non-return valve to communicate with said first inlet, wherein said isolating valve, meter and test point are arranged at the apices of a triangle.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said test point is connected in said manifold downstream of said meter.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said first outlet is upwardly directed and said second outlet is downwardly directed or sideways directed.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said non-return valve comprises a tubular valve carrier extending from at or adjacent said second inlet to downstream of said connection to said third outlet, and a valve unit carried in said valve carrier, wherein there is at least one transverse aperture in said valve carrier upstream of said valve unit communicating with said third outlet.

5. Water supply apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. A manifold for use in water supply apparatus comprising:a. a first inlet for connection to a water supply conduit, b. a valve seat for cooperation with a suitable valve member to shut off communication with said first inlet, c. a first outlet for connection to a water meter to supply water to be metered thereto, d. a second inlet downstream of said first outlet and being for connection to a said water meter for receiving a metered supply of water therefrom, e. a second outlet downstream of said first outlet and being for connection to supply a metered flow of water from said manifold, f. a non-return valve connected between said second inlet and said second outlet, and g. a third outlet for use as a test point connected upstream of said non-return valve to communicate with said first inlet, wherein said valve seat, said first outlet and said third outlet are arranged at the apices of a triangle.

7. A manifold for use in water supply apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.