US2177121A - Flushing device for water closets - Google Patents

Description

(Jet. 24, 1939. S -OTT 2,117,121

FLUSHING DEVICE FOR WATER GLOSETS Filed June 15, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN+URZ h a g Oct. 24, 1939. w. scoTT FLUSHING DEVICE FOR WATER CLOSETS 2 Sheets-Shet '2 Filed June 15, 1937 r z 1 I X/ Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE William Scott,

Application June 15,

5 Claims.

This invention relates generally to flushing devices'for water closets, and more particularly to a flushing device which has no discharge valve.

It is a common experience that present-day 5 flushing devices frequently fail to completely stop the discharge of water after the flushing of a closet with the result that larger or smaller quantities of water continuously splash into the closet bowl. Not only is the continuously discharging or leaking water from the flushing device wasted, but it causes a monotonous splashing noise which may become very annoying. Leakage of a flushing device is most frequently caused by an imperfectly seating discharge valve in the bottom of the water tank of the flushing device. The usual attempt by laymen to reseat the valve properly is mostly futile in that leakage therethrough usually recurs after a few flushings of the closet bowl, and the valve is in the 20 end usually replaced at a cost.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide an improved flushing device which dispenses with any valve through which water must pass on its way from the supply tank to the closet bowl.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a flushing device which, on a single manipulation even before the tank is entirely refilled with water after a previous flushing 3 of the closet bowl, automatically flushes the latteras soon as the tank is refilled with water.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a flushing device which is of simple and durable construction and which can be produced at a comparatively small cost.

These and other objects of the present invention, together with means whereby the latter may be carried into efiect, will best be understood from the following description of an illusarative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings. The particular device described and shown has, however, been chosen for purposes of exemplification only, as it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention, as defined byjthe claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise embodied without departure from the spirit and scope thereof,

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional View of a flushing device, embodyingth-e present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said flushing device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary section, taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figs. 1 and 2. I p v Fig. 4 is a section through certain controlling Medford, Mass.

1937, Serial No. 148,294

mechanism of the flushing device, the section being taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Figs, 5 and 6 are sections similar to that shown in Fig. 4, showing certain elements of said control mechanism in different positions of operation, however.

Fig. 7 is an exploded plan view of certain connected elements of said control mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the elements of 10 Fig. '7 in their assembled relation.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another element of said control mechanism. 7

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. l, the reference numberal I0 designates the usual water tank which may be made of any suitable material, such as porcelain. Extending through the bottom II of said tank is a threaded pipe union I2 which is secured to said bottom by a nut I3. Pressed between the tank bottom I I and an annular flange I5 of the union I2 is a packing I! of any suitable material. Screwed or otherwise secured to the union I2 is the long limb I9 of a syphon 20, the short limb 2| of which extends into close proximity to the tank bottom II. The limbs I9 and 2I are joined at the top in any suitable manner by a return bend 22 which may be of any suitable construction. For reasons which will appear obvious later, it is preferable to construct the syphon in such manner that the continuous passage through the return bend 22 and the limbs I9, 2| is of substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout. It can be noticed in Fig. 1 that the water in the tank is normally at the level 24 substantially at the summit 25 of the syphon 20. A pipe I8 is also secured in anysuitable manner to the union I2 and is adapted to conduct water from the tank It to the closet bowl (not shown). Extending through the tank bottom I I is another 4 threaded pipe union 26 which is secured thereto by a nut 21. Pressed between the tank bottom I I and an annular flange 29 of the union 2B is a packing 28. Screwed or otherwise secured to the union 26 is a pipe 30 which carries at its upper end a control mechanism 3|, commonly called a ballcock. Also secured to the union 26 is another pipe 3lla which is in permanent communication with any suitable source of water under pressure, such as tap water. The control mechanism 3I comprises a valve casing 32 (see Fig. 4) which is suitably secured to a hollow member 33, threaded at 34 to the upper end of the pipe 30. The valve casing 32 is provided with a central chamber 35 which is closedat the bottom by the member 33, and two opposite chambers 36 and 31 which are in communication with said central chamber at 38 and 39, respectively. It can be observed in Fig. 4 that the opposite chambers 36, 3'! are situated on different levels for reasons which Will appear obvious later. Suitably secured to the valve casing 32 and communicating with chamber 36 thereof is a pipe 49 which extends'into closer'proximity to the tank bottom than the short limb 2| of the syphon 26. Also the entrances 38 and 39 to the chambers 36 and 31, respectively, and thus establish communication between thecentral valve chamber 35 and the adjacent valve'chambers 36 and 3! respectively. Secured to the bottom of the member 42 by means of a screw 41 is the valve proper 46 HWhich is preferably a leather disc. The member 33 provides a seat 48 for said valve 46. Resting against the hub 43 of member 42 is a short stud 49 which is axially slidable in a neck portion 56 of the valve casing 32, and provided with a latervfland'serves as a stop for further rotation of the element 55 in clockwise direction beyond the poally projecting finger or lug 5| which is guided .for movement longitudinally of said stud in a slot 52 in said neck portion 50. The neck portion 50 is provided with integral, spaced arms 53 on which is mounted a stub shaft 54, rotatably supporting two elements 55 and 56. 'The arms 53 straddle said elements 55, 56 to prevent axial movement of the latter on their supporting shaft 54. Element 55 is in the form of a lever, having one arm 51 in engagement with the top surface 58 of the stud 49, and having its other arm 59 provided with a laterally projecting lug 63 which engages the adjacent arm 53 of the valve casing sition shown in Fig. 5. The other element 56 has a depending cam lug 6| which is in alignment with the earlier mentioned finger 5| of the stud 49. A rod 62, carrying at one end a conventional float or ball 63, is adjustably connected with the element 56 in the following manner. As best shown in Fig, 7, element 56 is provided with a hub 64, having a'frusto-conical surface 65 against which a frusto-conical surface 66 of the rod 62 is clamped by means of a thumb screw 61, extending through the hub 63 of rod 62 and being threaded into the hub 64 of element 56. Upon loosening the screw 61, the float 'carrying rod 62 may be angul'arly adjus'ted relative to the element 56, and said rod 62 is again secured to the element 56 in any angularly adjusted position relative thereto by merely tightening said screw 61.; Ele'm'ent56 is provided with an integral arm ,56awhich is so manipulated during angular adjustment of the float-carrying rod 62 that the valve 46 cannot leave itsseat 46 and admit water into the tank I 6. The element 56 is further provided with spaced arms 69 (Figs. 3, 7 and 8 which support a pin 16 on which a lever H is rotatably 'mounted. Lever H is engaged on opposite sides by the-arms 69 and thus prevented from axial movement on its supporting pin 10. Mounted on -.the front wall of the tank It) in a manner to be Axially slidable in the central or described hereafter is a bracket 12 which pivotally supports at 73 a bell crank lever 14, having one arm connected with the free end of the lever H by a link l5 in the manner best shown in Fig. 3. Extending through an opening 16 in the front wall of the tank |6 is the threaded, hollow shank ll of a knob 78 which is secured to said front wall by nuts 19, received by said shank H and firmly drawn against the base 86 of the earlier -mentioned bracket E2, thus also securing the latter to said front wall. Located in an annular recess 8| of the knob 13 is a pre-loaded compression spring 62 which bears against a push button 63, having a long shank 64, extending through the hollow shank ll of the knob 16 and thread-' levers ll and 34. In the normal position of the lever H as shown in Fig, 3, i. e., when the push button 63 is not manipulated, a part of said lever a l near its pivotal support it is in operative alignment with a shoulder 36 of the element 55, andsaid lever 1| is raised out of operative alignment with said shoulder 66 and into the position shown in Fig. 5 on manipulation of the pushbutton 63 Thepressure of the water in the sup- 7 ply pipe 36 (Fig. 4) tendsto raise the valve 46 from its seat 43 and, consequently, to shift the valve carrying member 42 into the position shown in Fig, 5. However, this water pressure is insufficient to actually raise the valve 46 from its seat 43 inasmuch as the float 63, due to its favorable leverage, exerts a greater valve-closing force against the stud 49 through intermediation of I the element 55 and lever H which normally locks said element to the fioat-carrying rod 62.

. On manipulating the push-button 83, the lever H is rocked out of locking engagement with the shoulder 86 of the lever element 55 so that the latter is suddenly free to rotatefrom the position shown in Fig. 4 into the position shown in Fig; 5,,

and the water pressure in the supply pipe 36 will then quickly raise the valve 46 from its seat 43 and shift the'valve-carrying member 42 and the thereon resting stud 49 into the position shown in Fig. 5 in which the port 45 of said element 42 is in full communication with the valve 1 chamber 37, while the other port 44 of said element 42 is out of communication with the other valve chamber, 35. Thus, upon manipulating the push button33, the. valve 46 is quickly opened and water under pressure passes into'the valve .chamber 37! and throughthe U-shaped pipe 4| into the short limb 2| of the syphon 20 (Fig. 1).

When the suddenly released water under pressure discharges into the short limb 2! of the syphon 26, the latter is primed and immediately starts to syphon most of the water in the tank therefrom. Obviously, the air in the return bend 2'2 and in the longer limb l9 of the syphon must first be removed therefrom before said syphon can perform its syphonic action. This is quickly 4 accomplished by the stream of water under pressure from the U -shaped pipe 4! which passes into and through the short limb 2 I, and through the return bend 22 of the'syphon 26, and escapes through the long limb H! of said syphon. This stream of water immediately starts a flow of the water column in the short limb 2| of the syphon into and through the return bend 22 thereof and out through the longer limb IS. The mass of water first rushing through the return bend 22 and through the longer limb I9, though not at 'first filling said return bend and said longer limb, displaces part of the air therein and carries the remaining air with it due to the high velocity of said water mass which operates on the injector principle. While a comparatively high pressure of the tap water is essential for a quick start of the syphonic action of the present flushing device, it has been found from experience that the water pressures in most communities, though varying to a considerable extent, are sufficient to start syphonic action of the flushing device promptly upon manipulation of the pushbutton 83. Once the syphon becomes operative, most of the water in the tank is quickly discharged therefrom and the water level in the tank drops accordingly fast and carries with it the float 63. While the float 63 thus follows the rapidly dropping water level in the tank, the lever rides for a short distance on the peripheral portion 90 of the lever element 55 and finally drops by gravity upon the diametrically smaller peripheral portion 9| of said element 55 and into operative realignment with the shoulder 86 thereof. Immediately after the float 63 begins to drop with the water level in the tank on a syphonic discharge of water therefrom, the cam lug 6| of the rod 62 engages a cam surface 92 of the earlier mentioned finger 5| of the stud 49 and starts to depress said stud and the valve carrying member 42 against the pressure of the tap water to which the valve 46 is permanently subjected. This gradual depression of the valvecarrying member 42 results in a gradual throttling of the passage between the port 45 of said element 42 and the valve chamber 31 and, consequently, in a gradually diminishing flow of water through the U-shaped pipe 4| and into the short limb 2!- of the syphon 20. At the end of a syphonic discharge of water from the tank this passage has been throttled to the approximate extent illustrated in Fig. 6, and the valve 46 has approached its seat 48 to a corresponding extent.

Also, while the passage between the port 45 of the valve-carrying member 42 and the valve chamber 3! is thus gradually throttled, the other port 44 of said member 42 moves gradually into communication with the other valve chamber 36 and admits water from the supply pipe 38 to the auxiliary fillertube 46. Thus, near and at the end of a syphonic discharge of water from the tank I6, less water from the supply pipe 30 is admitted to said tank, and the admitted water is furthermore partly diverted through the auxiliary filler tube 48. By this provision, the water level in the short limb 2| of the syphon 20 is little disturbed near and at the end of a syphonic discharge. The water level in the tank near the end of a syphonic discharge falls below a plurality of perforations or vents H10 in the short limb 2! of the syphon (Fig. 1), whereupon air enters said short limb 2| through said vents and gradually breaks the continuous water column in the syphon without giving rise to the rattling noise which usually occurs at the end of a syphonic discharge through a syphon which is suddenly, rather than gradually, vented. To further insure gradualventing of the syphon, the open end of the short limb 2| is made sloping as shown in Fig. 1. After the syphon ceases to draw water from the tank, the water level in said tank immediately starts to rise again, carrying with it the float 63. Inasmuch as the lever 1| is then in operative alignment with the shoulder 86 of the lever element 55 (Fig. 6), the latter soon follows the float-carrying rod 62 in its counterclockwise rotation as viewed in Fig. 6 when said lever 7| engages said shoulder 86 and commences to depress the stud 49 and the valve-carrying member 42. Engagement between the lever 1| and the shoulder 86 takes place substantially when the cam lug 6| of the rod 62 permits the valve-carrying member 42 to assume its entirely open position, and when the tank I0 is approximately half refilled with water. In the entirely open position of the valve 46 only the port 45 of the valve-carrying member 42 is in full communication with the valve chamber 31, while the other port 44 of said member 42 is intercepted from communication with the other valve chamber 36. Thus, immediately after a concluded syphonic discharge of water from the tank, water from the supply pipe 38 is admitted in limited quantities to both pipes 46 and 4| through the partly depressed valve-carrying member 42, and said member 42 is permitted gradually to move substantially into the fully open position shown in Fig. 5 and admit gradually increasing quantities of water to the pipe 4| and gradually decreasing quantities of water to the pipe 40, when the water level in the tank starts to rise again. When the member 42 arrives substantially in its fully open position, the lever element 55 resumes control over said member 42 and commences to depress the same again. During such depression of the member 42, the passage between its port 45 and the valve chamber 31 is gradually throttled and constantly decreasing quantities of water are admitted to the U-shaped pipe 4| until of water per time unit is discharged into the tank until the water level therein nearly reaches its normal level 24. This is due to the fact that the other port 44 of the valve-carrying member 42 moves gradually into full communication with the valve chamber 36 as the passage between the port 45 and the valve chamber 31 becomes throttled. When the rising level in the tank nearly reaches its normal level 24, the passage between the port 44 of the member 42 and the valve chamber 36 is gradually throttled until the valve 46 comes to rest against its seat 48. Thus, while the water under pressure from the supply pipe 36 is delivered, due to the gradually throttled passage between the port 45 and the valve chamber 3i, in gradually decreasing quantities into the short limb 2| of the syphon substantially during the latter half of the refilling of the tank with water, the port 44 in the valve-carrying member 42 provides sufiicient communication between the central or distributing valve chamber and the auxiliary filler pipe 48 to divert water into the latter in sufficient quantities to substantially compensate for the continuous decrease in the quantity of water delivered to the pipe 4| until the water level in the tank nearly reaches its normal level 24. From then on less and less water per time unit is admitted to the tank until the valve 46 finally comes to rest against its seat 48 and the water level in the tank reaches its normal maximum level 24.

The present flushing device is of simple and durable construction which can be manufactured at a small cost. The assembly of the flushing device is very simple and requires hardly any skill because the syphon parts l9, 2| and 22 may be assembled as a separate unit, and the entire control mechanism 3| may be assembled in a separate unit, whereupon said pre-assembled units may be readily installed in the tank. Those parts of the flushing device which are submerged in water are preferably made of corrosion-resistive material. Thus, the valve casing may be a bronze casting and most other parts of the control mechanism 3| may be made of corrosionresistive steel. Also, it is advisable to provide a slight clearance between the relatively sliding surfaces of the elements of said control mechanism as the ordinary tap water in most communities contains traces of alkalies which will deposit in the control mechanism. These deposits would in time interfere with the movement of certain elements of said mechanism if the relatively sliding surfaces of the control mechanism would have practically no clearance.

While the present flushing device has the advantagethat it is entirely valveless between the tank and the closet bowl and, therefore, has eliminated any possibility for the leakage of water into the closet bowl as frequently caused engaged the shoulder 86 of the lever element 55 during the refilling of the tank However, the reflushing of the closet will not take place until the tank is refilled. Obviously, when thus manipulating the push-button 83, the lever H is immediately withdrawn from looking engagement with the shoulder 86 of the lever element 55, and the valve 46 will then be forced by the pressure of the water from the supply pipe 381 into the entirely open position shown in Fig. 5,. with the result that the water in the tank rises quickly to its normal level 24 and the continuing water stream into the short limb 2! of the Syphon starts a new syphonic action.

It is also fully within the purview of the pres ent invention to dispense with the auxiliary filler pipe 48, the valve chamber 36 and the port 44 in the valve-carrying member 42 so that all the water for refilling the tank is discharged into the short limb 2| of the syphon. The gradually closing valve 46 and the gradually throttled passage between the port 45 of the valve-carrying member 42 and the valve chamber 31 admit such small quantities of water into the short limb 2| of said syphonwhen the water level in the tank approaches and finally reaches its normal level 24, as to preclude a self-starting syphonic .discharge of the water from the tank.

I claim:?

1. In a flush tank'apparatus, the combination of a valveadapted to be normally urged open by I Water under pressure from a'source; a fixed pivot;

two elements independently rotatable on said pivot, one element engaging the valve and the.

other element carrying a float; a member locking said elements in close proximity to their pivot for combined rotation in valve-closing direction only during the ascent of said float; and means including a push button for releasing said memher from interlocking engagement with said elements.

2. The combination in a flush tank apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which one of said elements has a radial shoulder and said member,

pressure from a source; two pivotally mounted I elements, one engaging the valve and the other carrying a float and having a portion partially closing the valve and permitting reopening of the same during the latter part of the descent and the corresponding early part of the ascent, respectively, of said float; a member interlocking said elements for combined rotation in valveclosing direction only during another part of the ascent of said float; and means for releasing said member from interlocking engagement with said elements.

4. The combination in a flush tank apparatus as set forth in claim 3, in which thevalve com-- prises a casing having a lateral Water outlet and a longitudinal slot, and a cup-shaped valve member slidable in said casing and having a lateral port in axial'alignment with said outlet and a' laterally projecting finger extending through said slot and being engaged by said portion of said other element.

5. The combination in a flush tank apparatus as set forth in claim 3, in which the valve comprises a casing having a lateral water outlet and a longitudinal slot, and a cup-shaped valve member slidable in said casing the bottom of which cooperates with a vent to control the fiow of water, said valve member having a lateral port in axial alignment with said outlet and a laterally projecting finger extending through said slot and being engaged by said portion of said other element. I

WILLIAM SCOTT.

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