GB2065738A

GB2065738A - Disinfecting apparatus for w.c. cisterns

Info

Publication number: GB2065738A
Application number: GB8039845A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CREMARK CHEM Pty
Current assignee: CREMARK CHEM Pty
Priority date: 1979-12-14
Filing date: 1980-12-12
Publication date: 1981-07-01
Also published as: ES8202612A1; ES497680A0

Abstract

A disinfectant reservoir 10 hung in a w.c. cistern has a composite siphon tube outlet 22-16-20 for automatically dosing the water each time the cistern empties, the siphon tube having a first end portion (26) opening at a low point 30 in the reservoir (10), a second end portion (20) opening outside and below the base of the reservoir (10), and an intermediate portion (16) between the two end portions, the portions 16, 20 being telescopic so that the opening of the second end portion (20) below the base of the reservoir is variable between a number of positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dosing device This invention relates to a device for dosing water, and particularly cistern water for toilet use, with an anti bacterial and/or a colouring agent or the like.

Dosing devices of the above type for use in toilet cisterns are well known. One such device consists of a reservoir for the dosant, means to suspend the device in a cistern and a siphon tube which extends between the reservoir and the water in the cistern in which it is to be used so that a dropping water level in the cistern will create a negative pressure in the tube to trigger a siphonic action which draws dosant from the reservoir to the water in the cistern. A problem with the device described above is that during installation of the device in a cistern adjustments have to be made to the device to assure correct metering of the dosant.This is accomplished by varying the length of the suspension means and/or siphon tube by cutting it to a desired length so that the dropping water level in the cistern will clear the ends of the tube to break the siphon when the required amount of dosant has been drawn into the water.

The installation and adjustment of the device in a cistern is a simple matter for a person experienced in installing the devices but an inexperienced person such os a housewife who installs the device will find difficulty in correctly adjusting the device and more often than not will incorrectly adjust the device so that the dosant is unnecessarily wasted or too little to be effective is drawn into the cistern water.

It is the object of this invention to provide a dosing device which will minimize the problem mentioned above.

According to the invention a dosing device comprises a reservoir and a siphon tube, the siphon tube having a first end portion opening at a low point in the reservoir, a second end portion opening outside and below the base of the reservoir, and an intermediate portion between the two end portions, the opening of the second end portion below the base of the reservoir being variable between a number of positions.

Preferably, the second end portion is telescopically variable in length.

In one form of the invention the second end portion comprises two tubes slideably engageable with each other.

In another form of the invention, the siphon tube may comprise a first tube, one end of the first tube opening at a low point in the reservoir and the other end opening into the bore of a tubular sleeve, and a second tube in communication with the bore and slideably engaged with the sleeve so that the combined length of the sleeve and second tube may be varied.

Preferably the second tube has means on its outer wall to increase the frictional engagement of the second tube with the sleeve. The means preferably comprises a flexible O-ring which is located in a groove formed in the outer wall of the second tube. The sleeve is preferably attached to the reservoir.

In use the dosing device will contain a dosant and the level of the dosant in the reservoir must be above the opening of first end portion and below the intermediate portion of the siphon tube.

The reservoir may include a formation which is fixed to the reservoir for engaging the rim of a cistern to locate the device in the cistern. The formation is preferably integral with the reservoir.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing which is a sectioned side elevation of a dosing device of the invention.

A dosing device of the invention is shown in the drawing to consist of a reservoir 10 and a siphon tube indicated generally at 12.

The reservoir 10 is made from a plastics material, is open topped and carries a hook shaped formation 14 which extends over substantially the length of one of its edges. The formation 14 is dimensioned to engage the rim of a domestic cistern to locate the device in the cistern. The siphon tube 12 includes a sleeve 16 which passes through and is fixed to the base of the reservoir 10. The upper end of the sleeve 16 is closed and its lower end open.

A second tube 20 is frictionally and telescopically engaged with the inner wall of the sleeve 15. The second tube 20 has an O-ring 18 located in a groove in its outer wall. The O-ring increases the frictional engagement of the second tube 20 with the sleeve 16.

The final component of the siphon tube is an open ended flexible tube 22. One end 24 of the tube 22 passes through the closed end of the sleeve 16. Its other end 26 is located in a formation 28 open on one side 30. The formation 28 locates the end 26 against lateral movement yet alows free flow of liquid from the reservoir into the tube. The formation 28 is integral with the base of the reservoir. It is important that either the closed end of the sleeve 16 or at least a portion of the tube 22 be located permanently above the full dosant level in the reservoir. It is important, in maintaining siphonic action, that the connections between the components of the siphon tube 12 be as air tight as possible.

In use, the device of the invention is simply located in a cistern by hanging it on the ends of the cistern by means of the formation 14. The tube 20 is then merely extended or retracted relative to the sleeve 16 to an extent sufficient to bring an index mark on the tube 20 into line with the full water level in the cistern and the reservoir is then filled with the dosant. As water is drained from the cistern the dropping water level in the tube 20 creates a negative air pressure in the siphon tube to draw dosant drom the reservoir 10 into the cistern until the lower end of the tube 20 is cleared by the falling level of the cistern water to break the siphonic action in the tube 12.

The reservoir 10, hook shaped formation 14, sleeve 16 and formation 28 may be a single integral unit which may be moulded out of a suitable material such as plastic. The second tube 20 may also be moulded out of a suitable material such as plastic.

Claims

1. A dosing device comprises a reservoir and a siphon tube, the siphon tube having a first end portion opening at a low point in the reservoir, a second end portion opening outside and below the base of the reservoir, and an intermediate portion between the two end portions, the opening of the second end portion below the base of the reservoir being variable between a number of positions.

2. A dosing device according to claim 1 wherein the second end portion is telescopically variable in length.

3. A dosing device according to claim 1 wherein the siphon tube comprises two tubes slideably engageable with each other.

4. A dosing device according to claim 1 wherein the siphon tube comprises a first tube, one end of the first tube opening at a low point in the reservoir and the other end opening into the bore of a tubular sleeve, and a second tube in communication with the bore and slideably engaged with the sleeve so that the combined length of the sleeve and second tube may be varied.

5. A dosing device according to claim 4 wherein the second tube has means on its outer wall to increase the frictional engagement of the second tube with the sleeve.

6. A dosing device according to claim 5 wherein the means comprises an O-ring located in a groove formed in the outer wall of the second tube.

7. A dosing device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir contains a dosant the level of the dosant being above the opening of the first end portion and below the intermediate portion of the siphon tube.

8. A dosing device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir includes a formation which is fixed to the reservoir for engaging the rim of a cistern to locate the device in the cistern.

9. A dosing device according to claim 8 wherein the formation is integral with the reservoir.

10. A dosing device according to claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.