AU2004100412B4 - Diverter - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): EBONY WOOD PTY LTD Invention Title:

DIVERTER

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2

DIVERTER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a diverter for diverting the flow of liquid from an inlet to one of a number of outlets.

BACKGROUND

A diverter is used to select the flow of liquid into one of two or more pipes. A pipe providing the liquid is connect to an inlet of the diverter and pipes carrying the liquid away are connected to outlets of the diverter. One type of diverter is known to have a junction which splits the flow of liquid into two outlet pipe sections and a sliding mechanism which closes over one of the pipe sections while the other one is open. By moving the position of the slider the inlet is connected to the other outlet while the first outlet is closed. A disadvantage of this type of diverter is that the slider can become stuck or jammed and this design uses numerous parts.

Another known diverter has a ball valve where a ball having a channel therein rotates within the body of the diverter to connect the inlet to one of two outlets via the channel. However the ball can be positioned so that the inlet is blocked off which can damage a pump connected to the inlet. This can be prevented by use of movement limiters but these can break or degrade which ultimately allows the ball valve to be positioned to seal off the inlet. Another disadvantage of this type of diverter is that the ball presents a relatively large surface area which moves relative to the body of the diverter. This increases the chance of the ball jamming.

H:\mcamp\keep\speci\P53200 DIVERTER INNOV.doc 31/05/04 3 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a different diverter to those currently available.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a diverter valve comprising: a body; an inlet to the body; a first outlet to the body in liquid communication with the inlet, the first outlet being on a first side of the inlet; a second outlet to the body in liquid communication with the inlet, the second outlet being on a second side of the inlet substantially opposite to the first side; a substantially planer paddle located between the outlets and facing the inlet, the paddle pivotable between a first position in which the second outlet is closed and a second position in which the first outlet is closed, the paddle being mounted to the inside of the body by an axle, the axle extending through a side wall of the body so that the position of the paddle may be changed between the first position and the second position by rotation of the axle.

In a preferred embodiment, the inlet and the outlets of the body form a T shaped junction, with the outlets being substantially in-line with each other, wherein the paddle is constrained by the side walls of the body to move only within the outlets. Preferably the body is formed of a standard off-the-shelf T piece.

Preferably the paddle is disposed at an angle to the inlet when in the first position or the second position so as to deflect liquid into the first outlet or the second outlet respectively. Preferably the angle is approximately 450.

H:\mcamp\keep\speci\P53200 DIVERTER INNOV.doc 31/05/04 4 Preferably the inlet and outlets are circular in cross section, perpendicular to their length. Preferably the paddle is oval shaped so as to make contact with an ellipse formed on the inside of the selected outlet for closure which is disposed at an acute angle to the length of the outlet.

Preferably the diverter further comprises a handle integrally formed with or connected to the axle that pivots about the axis of rotation of the axle.

Preferably the diverter further comprises a locking mechanism for locking the handle in a first position when the paddle is in the first position and for locking the handle in the second position when the paddle is in the second position.

Preferably the centre of the inlet and outlets are in the same plane. Preferably the axle is positioned at the centre of the T shape.

DESCRIPTION OF DIAGRAMS In order to provide a better understanding of the present invention preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of a diverter in accordance with the present invention with a paddle of the diverter in a first position A; Figure 2 is an end view of the paddle of the diverter of Figure 1 in a second position B; Figure 3 is an end view of the paddle of the diverter of Figure 1 in a third position C; Figure 4 is a side view of the diverter of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view of the diverter of Figure 2; Figure 6 is a side view of the diverter of Figure 3; H:\mcamp\keep\speci\P53200 DIVERTER INNOV.doc 31/05/04 Figure Figure Figure 7 is a top view of 8 is a top view of 9 is a top view of Figure 10 is an isometric 1; Figure 11 2; Figure 12 3; Figure 13 1; Figure 14 2; Figure 15 3; Figure 16 1; Figure 17 Figure 1; Figure 18 isometric isometric isometric isometric isometric isometric 5 the diverter of Figure 1; the diverter of Figure 2; the diverter of Figure 3; view of the diverter of Figure view of the diverter of Figure view of the diverter of Figure view of the diverter of Figure view of the diverter of Figure view of the diverter of Figure view of the diverter of Figure is a plan view of the paddle of the diverter of is a plan view of the axle and handle of the diverter of Figure 1; and Figure 19 is a side elevation of the axle and handle of the diverter of Figure 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings there are shown a diverter which comprises a T shaped body 12 of PVC pipe formed with an inlet 14 and outlets 16 and 18. The inlet 14 and outlets 16 and 18 are circular in perpendicular cross section. The body 12 may be formed of a standard off-theshelf T joint. Positioned within the inside of the body 12 of the diverter 10 is a paddle 20. The paddle 20 is pivotally mounted to a side wall of the body by an axle 22.

H:\mcamp\keep\speci\P53200 DIVERTER INNOV.doc 31/05/04 6 The paddle 20 may be pivoted to a first position A which blocks off passage of liquid into the second outlet 18 thereby allowing fluid flow from the inlet 14 to the first outlet 16. The paddle 20 may be pivoted to a second position B which blocks off fluid flow into the first outlet 16 thereby allowing fluid flow from the inlet 14 to the second outlet 16. In position A the paddle 20 is at about a 450 angle to outlet 18. In position B the paddle is at about an angle of 450 to outlet 16. In pivoting the paddle 20 between positions A and B it moves through position C where neither outlet is blocked and the paddle is more or less parallel with the outlets 16 and 18.

The paddle 20 is substantially a planar oval/elliptical shape. It is secured by the axle 22 to the middle of the T. The planar shape allows flow of water through approximately a 900 bend from inlet 12 to one of the two selected outlets 16 or 18. The elliptical shape of the paddle allows it to make continuous contact with the circular cross sectioned pipe forming the first and second outlets. This means that when in either the first or the second positions the paddle makes continuous contact with the side wall thereby blocking off the respective outlet.

In waste water applications the diverter need not be water tight, so a small amount of leakage to the closed off outlet is allowable.

The axle 22 of the diverter is connected to a handle 26 which allows a user to pivot the handle about the axle thereby moving position of the paddle. The handle 26 may be integrally formed with the axle 22 as shown or it may be coupled. The handle may be slightly resiliently deflectable such that it nestles within a slot of a circular projection 28 from the body 12 thereby locking the position of the handle and thus the paddle in place.

The handle may be flexed so as to move it out from this H:\mcanmp\keep\speci\P53200 DIVERTER INNOV.doc 31/05/04 7 slot and rotated to move it to the second position where a second slot may be provided to receive the handle 26 thereby locking it in the second position.

The paddle may be constructed with a keyed hole extending through the centre of the paddle in a line perpendicular to the length of the paddle as shown in Figure 17. The axle may be keyed 32 so as to engage with the keyhole 30 through the paddle so that rotation of the axle 22 causes pivoting of the paddle 20. The axle 22 may engage in a small depression or blind hole on the inside of the side wall of the body. Opposite the depression may be a hole through the side wall which allows the axle 22 to pass through. The size of the hole through the side wall may be sufficiently small to allow minimal leakage.

In any event it may be positioned on the top surface of the diverter so that liquid flowing there through never reaches the hole and even if it does such leakage will be minimal.

The diverter may be assembled as follows. The body 12 of a standard off-the-shelf T joint may have a hole drilled through one side at the centre of the T. A hole sufficiently deep to cause a depression in the inside of the opposite side wall, but preferably not deep enough to pass through the opposite side wall, may also be drilled.

The paddle 20 is tilted and positioned within the body such that as indicated in Figure 4. The keyed hole through the diverter 20 is aligned with the hole in the side wall. A circular projection is either moulded into the body or is glued to the outside of the body so that it surrounds the hole through the side wall. The projection has two slots so that they may receive the handle when shown in positions A and B of Figures 4 and 5. The axle 22 is inserted through the hole through the side wall and then through the keyed hole 30 in the diverter such that the key 30 enters the keyway of the keyhole 30. The end H:\mcamp\keep\speci\P53200 DIVERTER INNOV.doc 31/05/04 8 of the axle engages the depression on the inside of the body 12. The key 32 and keyway in the keyed hole 30 are aligned so that the handle 26 is positioned as shown in Figure 4. The axle is preferably glued in the keyway so it cannot be removed and also prevents the paddle from being removed. The handle also rests in one of the slots in the circular projection.

When it is desired to change the diverter to divert fluid from the inlet 14 to outlet 16 to divert fluid from inlet 14 to outlet 18 the handle is moved from position A to position B through position C. When it is desired to change the diverter back, the handle is moved from position B through position C back to position A.

The present invention provides advantages over the prior art because the inlet is never blocked off and the mechanism is very simple with reduced change of fouling or jamming.

The present invention is intended to be formed of PVC pipe although it will be appreciated that it may be formed of other materials. The present invention is particularly suitable to 40mm PVC pipe but it may find application in other diameters. Modifications and variations as it will be apparent to a skilled person tend to fall within the scope of the present invention.

H:\mcamp\keep\speci\P53200 DIVERTER INNOV.doc 31/05/04

Claims (4)

1. A diverter valve comprising: a single piece shaped body having, an inlet, a C-i first outlet in liquid communication with the inlet and a second outlet in liquid communication with the inlet, wherein the first outlet is on a first side 10 of the inlet, and the second outlet is on a second side of the inlet substantially opposite to the first side wherein an inside wall surface defining the outlets is substantially constant in cross section; a substantially planar paddle located between the outlets and facing the inlet, the paddle pivotable between a first position in which the second outlet is closed and a second position in which the first outlet is closed, the paddle being mounted to the inside of the body by an axle, the axle extending through a side wall of the body so that the position of the paddle may be changed between the first position and the second position by rotation of the axle.

2. A diverter valve according to claim 1, wherein the paddle is constrained by the inside wall of the body to move only within the outlets.

3. A diverter valve according to claim 1, wherein the inlet and the outlets are circular in cross section perpendicular to their length, wherein the paddle is oval shaped so as to make contact with an ellipse S- 10 c formed on the inside of the selected outlet for closure which is disposed at an acute angle to the d) closure which is disposed at an acute angle to the length of the outlet, wherein the axle is positioned \O at the centre of the "T-shape".

4. A diverter valve according to claim 1 wherein the diverter further comprises a handle integrally formed _with or connected to the axle that pivots about the axle. A diverter valve according to claim 4, wherein the diverter further comprises a locking mechanism for locking the handle in a first position when the paddle is in the first position and for locking the handle in the second position when the paddle is in the second position.