GB2050462A

GB2050462A - Controlling Water Closets and Their Seats

Info

Publication number: GB2050462A
Application number: GB8011263A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-04-28
Filing date: 1980-04-03
Publication date: 1981-01-07
Also published as: JPS56429A; ES480071A1; DE3014714A1; IT8021663A0; SE8003142L; NL8002182A; BE882996A; IT1141497B; FR2455133A1

Abstract

The seat 3 and lid 4 of a water closet are counterbalanced by weights 16, 17 in auxiliary water tanks 7, the tanks 7 having inlets 20, 21 from the cistern 5, and drain outlet valves 22, 23. An electrical circuit, Fig. 7 (not shown) controlled by push buttons (8, 9, 11) seat switch (13) and timers (RT9, RT13) is arranged to actuate (a) the float-controlled inlet valve of the cistern 5, (b) the cistern flush discharge valve 12, and (c) the auxiliary tank drain valves 22, 23. The draining or filling of the auxiliary tank changes the effective counterbalance weight to cause the raising or lowering of the seat or lid, and the electrical circuit is adapted to cause automatic flushing of the water closet a short time after use. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Water Closet This invention relates to a water closet of the type comprising a bowl, a lid rotatable around a first shaft, a seat rotatable around a second shaft, a water tank, a passage adapted to allow the water to flow from the tank to the bowl, a first valve adapted to open and close said passage, a handle for manually operating said first valve and a float capable of opening and closing a second valve for the admission of water to the tank.

For obvious reasons of hygiene, it is desirable to ensure that water closets, particularly those for public use, should be flushed each time they are used and it is also of interest that after use the water closet should be recovered with its lid.

The above advantages are achieved with a water closet of the above described type, characterised fundamentally in that it comprises two counterweights, one of said counterweights being fixedly attached to said first shaft and the other being fixedly attached to said second shaft, said counterweights each being located in the interior of respective auxiliary water tanks which are independent one from the other, each of said auxiliary tanks being provided, on the one hand, with a filling duct at the upper end thereof placing the auxiliary water tank in communication with the water tank, said upper duct having an inlet orifice located slightly below the maximum water level in the water tank and, on the other hand, with a lower drain pipe communicating with the bowl, each of said lower pipes having a solenoid valve for the opening and closing thereof, and in that it is provided with electrical means for operating said solenoid valves and for operating said first and second valves.

Said first and second valves and the solenoid valves located in the lower pipes of said auxiliary tanks are connected in an electrical circuit with a power supply, said electrical circuit comprising a contactor for operating each of the four valves, as well as first and second timing relays and also a first pushbutton switch adapted for controlling the electric supply to a first contactor for operating the solenoid valve corresponding to the lid, a second pushbutton switch adapted for controlling the electric supply the first contactor, to a second contactor for operating the solenoid valve corresponding to the seat and, through the first timing relay, to a third contactor for operating said first valve, a third pushbutton switch adapted for controlling the electric supply to said third contactor and to said two timing relays, a fourth pushbutton switch adapted to control the electric supply through said second timing relay to the third contactor and the electric supply to a fourth contactor being controlled for operation of said second valve by said float which in the lowermost position thereof causes said fourth contactor to open said second valve at the same time as it drives the remaining three contactors to close their respective valves at the same time and in the uppermost position of the float, said second valve is caused to close, so that the closing of said second pushbutton switch energises said first timing relay so that the latter, on expiry of a preset time, causes opening of said first valve and that closing of said third pushbutton switch energises said second timing relay so that on expiry of a certain time after reopening of said third pushbutton switch, said second timing relay causes the opening of said first valve and that the closing of the third pushbutton switch causes the zeroing of said timing relays.

Brief Description of the Drawing Further objects and features of the invention will be disclosed in detail in the following description, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front elevation view, partly in section, of a water closet according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the water closet of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates the lid of a water closet having been moved to the open position by hydraulic means; Figure 4 illustrates the lid and the seat of a water closet having been moved to the open position by hydraulic means; Figure 5 is a cross sectional view along the line V-V of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view along the line VI--VI of Figure 4;; Figure 7 is a simplified single wire electrical diagram of the electrical circuit of the water closet according to the invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment A water closet according to the invention comprises a bowl 1 having a base 2, a fold-down lid 4 and a seat 3 rotatable around a first shaft 19 and a second shaft 18, respectiveiy, a water tank 5, a control box mounted on the lid 6 of the water tank 5 and side auxiliary tanks 7, each of which is independent from the other.

The said controls comprise a first pushbutton or switch 8, operation of which causes the lid 4 to be raised, as will be explained hereinafter, a second pushbutton or switch 9, operation of which causes the lid 4 and the seat 3 to be raised, as will also be explained hereinafter, a conventional knob 10 for causing manual opening of a first valve 1 2 located in the passage (not shown) allowing for flow of water from the tank 5 to the bowl 1, to flush the water closet, a third pushbutton or switch 11, operation of which causes opening of said first valve 12 by electrical means, as also will be explained hereinafter.

Between the seat 3 and the upper surface of the bowl 1 there is a fourth pushbutton or switch 1 3 which closes on application of a weight to the seat 3, such as when a user of the water closet sits on the seat and which reopens on removal of such weight.

In the interior of the tank 5 there is a float 14, the position of which is associated with the height of the water level N in the tank and which causes operation of a second valve 15 for admission of water to the tank.

In the interior of each of the auxiliary tanks 7 there is a counterweight, the counterweight 1 7 being fixedly attached to the first shaft 19 of the lid 4 and the counterweight 1 6 being fixedly attached to said second shaft 1 8 of the seat 3.

Each of said auxiliary tanks 7 is provided with an upper filling duct 20, 21 placing the respective auxiliary tank 7 in communication with the tank 5, said upper ducts 20, 21 having their respective admission orifice located slightly below the maximum water level in the tank 5. Each of the tanks 7 has a lower drain pipe communicating preferably with the bowl 1, each lower drain pipe being provided with a solenoid valve 22, 23.

Moreover, the tanks 7 are provided with means (not shown) for the admission and discharge of air.

The weight P of the counterweights is superior to that of the corresponding seat or lid but is such that the resultant of its weight and the lift F appearing when the counterweight is submerged in the water of the auxiliary tanks is less than the weight of the corresponding lid or seat.

Figure 7 illustrates the electrical circuit with which the water closet of the invention is provided. Said electrical circuit is connected to a power source 24 located outside the apparatus and is provided with a main switch 25, a fuse 26 and a transformer 27 supplying low voltage current for operation of the water closet. A feed cable 28 connects the power source 24 to the water closet control box.

The electrical circuit comprises the contactors K12, K15, K22 and K23 corresponding to the first valve 12, to the second valve 15 and to the solenoid valves 22 and 23 respectively, and the first timing relay RT9 and the second timing relay RT13. The contactors are used to operate the respective valves in accordance with the signals received from the pushbutton switches 8, 9, 11 and 13, from the float 14, from the timing relays and from other contactors. The purpose of the contactors, apart from relieving the valve operating currents, which are too high to flow directly through the timing relays, is to coordinate the diverse process operations and avoid return currents between parts of the circuit.These members, as well as the timing relays and the electrical operation of the valves are conventional and are, therefore, not described in detail.

The first switch 8 controls the current supply to the first contactor K23 corresponding to the solenoid valve 23. The second switch 9 controls the current supply to said first contactor K23, to the second contactor K22 corresponding to the solenoid valve 22 and also, through the first timing relay Rug to the third contactor K12 corresponding to the first valve 12. The third switch 11 controls the current supply to said third contactor K12 and also to the two timing relays.

The fourth switch 13 controls the current supply to the third contactor K12 through the second timing relay RT13.

In turn, when the tank 5 has been emptied, the float 14 is lowered and then the fourth contactor K15 causes the opening of the second valve 15 and, at the same time, drives the other three contactors so as to cause them to close the corresponding valves at the same time. When the tank 5 is full, the float rise limit switch contact is operated by the float 14, whereby the second valve 1 5 is closed.

Both timing relays are also connected directly to the feed cable 28. When the first timing relay RTs is energised by the second switch 9, it causes current to be fed after a preset time (for exampie, three minutes) to the third contactor K12. In turn, closing of the fourth switch 1 3 energises the second time relay Rut3, such that after a short time delay (for example, thirty seconds) after reopening of the fourth switch 13 current is fed to said third contactor K12. Finally, the closing of the third switch 11, apart from feeding current to the third contactor K12, via its connection with both timing relays causes said timing relays, if they had been energised, to return to the position they occupied prior to being energised by closing of switches 9 and 13.

From the rest position, that is, with the tank 5 and auxiliary tanks 7 full and, therefore, all the valves closed and the lid 4 and seat 3 down, the water closet may be operated, alternatively, in any of the following ways: a) conventionally, by manually lifting the lid 4 or the lid 4 and the seat 3 and manually operating the first valve 12 by way of the conventional knob 10.

b) switch 8 is closed, whereby the first contactor K23 opens the valve 23 the tank 7 corresponding to the lid 4 is drained and the lid lifts as a result of the disappearance of the lift F against the counterweight 1 7. As the user sits down on the seat 3, the third switch 13 is closed and shortly after the user stands up again, the second timing relay RT13, via the third contactor K12, opens the first valve 12, whereby the tank 5 is discharged. The float 14 drops, causing the fourth contactor K15 to operate, whereby the second valve 1 5 is opened and the remaining valves are closed through the remaining three contactors. The tank 5 is filled and via this tank the auxiliary tank 7 that had been drained is also filled until the second valve 1 5 closes and the lid 4 is lowered.

c) switch 9 is closed, whereby the contactors K23 and K22 open valves 23 and 22, the two auxiliary tanks 7 are drained and the lid 4 and seat 3 are raised. On expiry of the preset time delay of the first timing relay RTs, the first valve 12 is closed, whereby the toilet resumes its initial rest position.

d) the third switch 11 is closed after using the water closet, whereby, on the one hand, valve 12 opens, causing the water closet to return to its original state and, on the other hand, the timing relays are set to zero if any of the switches had previously been closed.

Claims

1. A water closet of the type comprising a bowl, a lid rotatable around a first shaft, a seat rotatable around a second shaft, a water tank, a passage adapted to allow the water to flow from the tank to the bowl, a first valve adapted to open and close said passage, a handle for manually operating said first valve and a float capable of opening and closing a second valve for the admission of water to the tank, characterised in that it comprises two counterweights, one of said counterweights being fixedly attached to said first shaft and the other being fixedly attached to said second shaft, said counterweights each being located in the interior of respective auxiliary water tanks, which are independent one from the other, each of said auxiliary tanks being provided, on the one hand, with a filling duct at the upper end thereof placing the auxiliary water tank in communication with the water tank, said upper duct having an inlet orifice located slightly below the maximum water level in the water tank and, on the other hand, with a lower drain pipe communicating with the bowl, each of said lower pipes having a solenoid valve-for the opening and closing thereof, and in that it is provided with electrical means for operating said solenoid valves and for operating said first and second valves.

2. The water closet of claim 1, characterised in that said first and second valves and the solenoid valves located in the lower pipes of said auxiliary tanks are connected in an electrical circuit with a power supply, said electrical circuit comprising a contactor for operating each of the four valves, as well as first and second timing relays and also a first pushbutton switch adapted for controlling the electric supply to a first contactor for operating the solenoid valve corresponding to the lid, a second pushbutton switch adapted for controlling the electric supply the first contactor, to a second contactor for operating the solenoid valve corresponding to the seat and, through the first timing relay, to a third contactor for operating said first valve, a third pushbutton switch adapted for controlling the electric supply to said third contactor and to said two timing relays, a fourth pushbutton switch adapted to control the electric supply through said second timing relay to the third contactor and the electric supply to a fourth contactor being controlled for operation of said second valve by said float which in the lowermost position thereof causes said fourth contactor to open said second valve at the same time as it drives the remaining three contactors to close their respective valves at the same time and in the uppermost position of the float, said second valve is caused to close, so that the closing of said second pushbutton switch energises said first timing relay so that the latter, on expiry of a preset time, causes opening of said first valve and that closing of said third pushbutton switch energises said second timing relay so that on expiry of a certain time after reopening of said third pushbutton switch, said second timing relay causes the opening of said first valve and that the closing of the third pushbutton switch causes the zeroing of said timing relays.

3. The water closet of claim 2, characterised in that said fourth pushbutton switch is caused to close on a weight being applied to said seat, said pushbutton switch reopening on removal of said weight from said seat.

4. A water closet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.