AU600119B2

AU600119B2 - A flow control device for reservoirs

Info

Publication number: AU600119B2
Application number: AU14605/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Michael Granger
Original assignee: I R & F Investments Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Ir & F Investments Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1987-04-27
Filing date: 1987-04-27
Publication date: 1990-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 2008-04-13
Also published as: AU1460588A

Description

S COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA-~ Patents Act 1952 INE NUNORE UL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE US ti01 l Application Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: o a0 0 0 0 0 00 0 000 0 0.4 00000 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 80 0 004 *0 0 a 6 990009 Priority: Related Art: I This document contains the amendments made undcr LJ loll 49 and is correct for prinitng.

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service:- I R F Investments Pty Ltd "Three Pines", 75 Hummerston Road, Kalamunda, in the State of Western Australia, Commonwealth of Australia Ian Michael Granger Wray Associates Primary Industry House 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth Western Australia 6000.

4 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "A FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR RESERVOIRS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 1 2 THIS INVENTION relates to an apparatus for controlling fluid levels in a reservoir.

Fluid control devices are well known in the art and have been used to maintain the level of fluid in a desired reservoir at a particular level. Previously, these devices have used assemblies which were mounted at a position inside or outside of the reservoir and were used to adjust the level of the fluid in said reservoir to a particular predetermined level. A disadvantage of these known flow control devices is that they are generally bulky, are rigidly fixed to the reservoir and are able to adjust the level of fluid to one preset level only.

o .o The present invention has been devised with the general objective of overcoming this disadvantage by providing a simple and easy to use flow control apparatus, with the advantage that with the level of fluid in the reservoir o can be adjusted to any set value and the apparatus is not afixed to the reservoir and can be positioned at any convenient place within the reservoir.

04 ~With this and other objects in view, the invention resides broadly in one form in an apparatus for controlling liquid 0000 levels in a reservoir comprising a buoyant assembly provided with 'a fluid flow control means, a weight member adapted to be located at the base of the reservoir and a connecting member connecting said buoyant assembly with A *said weight member wherein the flow from said fluid flow control means is related to the degree of submersion of the buoyant assembly in the liquid, said buoyant assembly *being unable to support the weight of both the weight member and buoyant assembly until at least the buoyant assembly is sufficiently submerged to close the fluid flow control means.

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kFlc 0 1 -2a According to a preferred feature of the invention said buoyant assembly is capab'le of supporting the weight and connecting member on said fluid flow control means being closed 00 0 &00 6 00a Go *L 4., 4 It I If I II II 3 The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment.

A description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the buoyant assembly according to the embodiment; Fig. 2 is a sectional and elevational view along line 2.2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation along line 3.3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the embodiment in use.

The embodiment is intended for use with reservoirs to control the level of fluid within reservoir without in fact being fixed to the reservoir. The embodiment may be used with swimming pools, water tanks or like reservoirs.

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*4 2 S S The embodiment comprises a buoyant assembly 11 which is fixed by a flexible connecting member 12, which may take the form of a chain, to a weight 13 the length of the connecting member 12 is such that when the weight 13 is located on the bottom of the reservoir and the connecting member 12 is fully extended, the buoyant member is located at the desired fluid level of the reservoir. In addition, the buoyancy of the buoyant assembly 11 is such that it is able to support both the connecting member 12 and weight 13 in the fluid whereby if the fluid level in the reservoir rises above the desired level the weight 13 will be lifted from the bottom of the reservoir. The buoyant assembly 11 is formed with a central opening which accommodates an inlet housing 14 which is fixed to the buoyant assembly. The inlet housing is box shaped and is

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r- i 4 formed with openings 15 in its end wall 16 and lower wall 17. One end wall 16a of the reservoir supports an inlet valve 18 which is to be connected to a flexible fluid conduit (not shown) the inlet valve is controlled through a pivotable arm 19 having a float 20 at the free end thereof whereby as a result of upward movement of the float 20 within the housing 14 the inlet valve is moved towards the closed position until the float member reaches its maximum position within the housing 14, at which position the inlet valve 18 is closed.

In use where the embodiment is to be used with a swimming pool or like reservoir the embodiment is deposited into n the swimming pool with the weight 13 located on the bottom of the swimming pool, the inlet valve 18 is then connected to a water hose and fluid is allowed to enter the swimming pool through the inlet valve 18. While the water level within the swimming pool remains at a level below its desired level, the buoyant assembly will float on the surface of the water supporting substantially its own weight together with that of the housing 14 and the inlet valve 18 and some of the weight of the connecting member 12. As the water level approaches the maximum desired level the weight 13 will serve to cause the buoyant S assembly to sink lower into the water within the swimming pool which will result in the float member 20 associated with the inlet valve 18 moving to a higher position in relation to the buoyant assembly. The mass of the weight 13 is such that the float 20 is able to rise to its maximum position within the housing 14 to close off the inlet valve 18 before the weight 13 is lifted form the bottom of the reservoir. As the water level within swimming pool falls below the desired level the float will lower in relation to the buoyant member 11 to allow further water to enter the pool to lift the water level within the swimming pool to the desired level. In the event that the pool receives fluid from some other -Pr i 5 source such as rain, an overflowing drain or the like which will cause the water level to rise above the desired level, the buoyant assembly 11 will remain on the surface of the water and will lift the weight from the bottom of the reservoir. This latter feature ensures that the inlet valve 18 does not become covered by the fluid within the reservoir.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiment described above. In particular, the embodiment need not be restricted to the particular arrangement of components described in relation to the embodiment or to the particular application of the embodiment. Furthermore, the embodiment need not utilise the housing 14 described 'in relation to the embodiment since the inlet valve may be fixed directly to the buoyant assembly 11 to be supported directly therefrom.

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Claims

3. The apparatus of claims 1 or 2 wherein said fluid flow control means is at least partially disposed within said housing.
4. An apparatus as claimed at any one of the preceding cl.ims wherein said fluid flow control means comprises an S' inlet valve adapted to be connected to a fluid source and a float means capable of adjusting the fluid flow through the inlet valve. :oo 5. The apparatus as claimed at any of the preceding claims wherein said connecting member comprises a flexible member.
6. The apparatus as claimed at claims 4 or 5 wherein said fluid flow through said inlet valve is controlled s2 0
7- through a pivotal arm having a float at the free end thereof, whereby as a result of upward movement of said float within said housing, said inlet valve is urged to the closed position. 7. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the buoyant assembly is capable of supporting the weight member and the connecting member on said fluid flow control means being closed.
8. A method for controlling the fluid level in a reservoir comprising the apparatus of any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said weight member is located at the base of the reservoir, said fluid flow control means is connected to a .a 0 fluid source whereby upon entry of said fluid through said bo no fluid flow control means into said reservoir, said buoyant •0 assembly floats substantially on the surface of the fluid 0*9 until said spacing between said buoyant assembly and said connecting member is maximized whereupon said buoyant *00000 assembly is urged below the level of the fluid resulting in an increase in the level of the fluid in said housing which acts on said float means to reduce the flow of fluid o.0 through said inlet valve. *oo S0 9. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 0r; DATED this FOURTEENTH day of MAY 1990 I R F INVESTMENTS PTY LTD Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia PUAA/ Patent Attorneys for Applicant