AP155A - Improvements in fluid outlets. - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention is concerned with fluid outlets and sets out to provide such outlets, which incorporate an automatic shut-off valve. More particularly, the invention is directed to the provision of such outlets adapted for use in water supply regulation applications. It is known that in areas where water is in short supply that there is need for water outlets that will minimize water wastage. As a result of this need, several water outlets o-f differing design have been proposed and developed. Most o-f these, so far as the inventor is aware, proceed on the basis that the valve in the mechanism has to be held open against spring pressure when depressed to allow fluid to flow. In more sophisticated mechanisms there is s form of time interval so that, when once depressed, the outlet will measure out a given quantity of water before shutting off automatically.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUID OUTLETS

This invention is concerned with -fluid outlets and sets out to provide such outlets which incorporate an automatic shut-o-f-f valve. More particularly, the invention is directed to the provision o-f such outlets adapted for use in water supply regulation aplications.

It is known that in areas where water is in short supply that there is need for water outlets that will minimise water wastage. As a result of this need, several water outlets of differing design have been proposed and developed. Most of these, so far as the inventor is aware, proceed on the basis that the valve in the mechanisim has to be held open against spring pressure when depressed to allow fluid to flow. In more sophisticated mechanisims there is a form of time interval so that, when once depressed, the outlet will measure out a given quantity of water before shutting off automatically.

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The inventor's further researches have indicated that all known fluid outlets of the kind in question have this spring arrangement which will induce a shut-off of the flow. However, there is invaribly a time delay and it has been observed that there is a tendency to override the shut-off spring by forcibly holding the valve open until the receptacle is filled, at which stage the pressure on the mechanisim is removed and the time delay before automatic shut-off tends to result in the wastage of water since the container is already full to overflowing or has been removed before the valve override mechanisim has been released.

It is particularly with this problem that the inventor is concerned and he has accordingly devised what he believes to be a novel outlet which rs simple in construction by comparison with the prior art and which achieves its intended purpose.

According to the invention, there is provided a fluid outlet which comprises in working combination a principal housing incorporating fluid inlet and outlet means; within the body of the housing a piston coupled to an external actuating means; said piston being adapted to move within predetermined limits within the body of the housing; a secondary free floating cylinder adapted to' move within a chamber and oc'er the piston and further including a resiliently flexible sealing element adapted to engage a seat generally located within the region of the fluid outlet means.

o rad original

Further according to the invention, a -fluid outlet as defined above characterised by its method of operation wherein turning of the external actuating means clockwise will move the piston up in the cylinder and the vacuum created between the piston and the cylinder causes the cylinder to be lifted from the seat allowing fluid to flow from the inlet through to the outlet.

If the operating means is held in this position, the cylinder slowly falls under the force of gravity as fluid seeps between the piston and the cylinder wall, thereby releasing the vacuum and thereby creating a delayed shut-off of the outlet despite the fact that the actuating mechanisim is retained in the. depressed condi t i on .

In addition, if the operating means is released at any time during the operating cycle, a spring located within the operating means causes the outlet to shut-off immediately, thus allowing smaller quantities of fluid to be released through the outlet at will.

The spring also ensures that the outlet is closed at all times other than when the operating means is actuated.

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BAD ORIGINAL i

In order to facilitate the further understanding of the invention, one presently preferred embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description should not be interpreted as limiting the inventive concept.

FIG. lisa part-sectioned fromt and side elevation of a water outlet in accordance with the invention; and FIG. 2 is a part-sectioned front and side elevation of

	the unit means .	of	Fig.	1 showing	the	external actuating
	Referr i ng	to	both	drawings,	reference numeral 10
	indicates	general 1y	the external	body of the device

which is provided with an upper capping member 11 and a lower capping member 12, both of which members are sealed into the body 10 by seals 13 and 14 respectively to form a watertight closure along with body 10.

An inlet body 10 c Ii am ber

IS, the ring 1?

ov e r1 i e s for fluid 15 is provided in the wall of the and communicates with a chamber 16 within which is located a piston 17 and associated cylinder lower end of cylinder 18 resting upon a sealing which over!ies a seat 20 which, in turn, an outlet for fluid 21 located in the lower

capping member 12.

* bad original

An actuating mechanisim 22 comprising a lever located on a spindle 23 is housed in the body 10, the spindle 23 being adapted to couple with piston 17 in a manner so that, when the lever 22 is displaced from a substantially vertical position towards an horizontal position in the direction of arrow 24, the piston 17 is raised in the direction of arrow 25 thereby opening chamber 16 to allow fluid to pass from inlet 15 through chamber Ιό over seat 20 and out to outlet 21.

Simultaneously, raising of piston 17 tends to create a vacuum in the annulus 26 between cylinder 18 and lower portion of piston 17, this vacuum tending to restrain the descent of cylinder 18 towards sealing member 1? but not totally inhibiting such descent due to a seepage of fluid into the annulus from chamber 16 which will erode the partial vacuum created by actuating lever 22.

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It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the mechanisim as proposed and described above yields a fluid-controlling outlet means having novel features not presently disclosed in the prior art and showing advantages over existing mechanisims of the kind in question.

BADORIGINAL

In use, the unit max be coupled to a water main via inlet 15 whereafter it is read/ for use. In the normal circumstances, actuating mechanisim 22 will be in the substantially vertical position relative to the unit and piston and cylinder assembly 17 and 18 will rest upon seal 17, thus closing off seat member 20 and preventing fluid from leaking through outlet 21.

So soon as lever 22 is moved in the direction of arrow piston 17 and its associated cylinder 18 are raised within annulus 26 and the bottom of cylinder 18 is withdrawn from sealing ring 1?, thus allowing fluid to flow from inlet 15 through channel 16 over seat 20 and out of outlet 21. Simultaneously, a vacuum or partial vacuum is drawn in the annulus 26 surrounding cylinder 13 which tends to retain the cyl inder in the upward direction following arrow 25.

However, pressure seepage of fluid passing from 15 through to 21 tends to seep past the piston shaft and into the annulus, thus eroding the partial vacuum and allowing the piston 17 and associated cylinder 18 to descend under action of gravity until the bottom of cyl inder 16 seals off against seal 1?, thus closing outlet 2y and preventing further outflow of fluid through outlet 21.

Claims (4)

1. A fluid outlet comprising in working combination, a principal housing incorporating -fluid inlet and outlet means; within the body o-f the housing a piston coupled to an external actuating means; said piston being adapted to move within predetermined limits within the body o-f the housing; a secondary -free floating cylinder adapted to move within a chamber and over the piston and further including a resiliency flexible sealing element adapted to engage a seat generally located within the region of the fluid outlet means.

2. A fluid outlet as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by its method of operation wherein turning of the external actuating means clockwise will move the piston up in the cylinder and the vacuum created between the piston and the cylinder causes the cylinder to be lifted from the seat allowing fluid to flow from the inlet through to the outlet; the cylinder slowly falls under the influence of gravity as fluid seeps between the piston and the cylinder wall, thereby releasing the vacuum, irrespective of the position of the actuating me c han i s i m

3. A fluid outlet -as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised by the provision of a spring located within the operating means which causes immediate shut-off of the outlet should the operating means be released at any time during the operating cycle.

BAD ORIGINAL

4. A fluid outlet substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.