GB2134145A - Water closet - Google Patents

Abstract

A W.C. basin 1 is provided with water inlet openings 1e, a waste outlet opening 1d and a rim which supports a lavatory seat and cover 1b. A movable member is mounted, e.g. slidably, in an aperture in the basin wall so that when moved internally of the basin the lowermost portion of the basin and the outlet opening are covered. A water supply valve 2b which can be manually or automatically operated, is mounted so as to flush the basin via pipe 2c and apertures 1e and also via pipe 2d opening inside the cover 3. The movable member is preferably tubular, the drive for moving the member can be a rack 5i and intermeshing gear 5a-h arrangement operated by a foot pedal 5f. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A lavatory system This invention relates to a lavatory system.

One commonly used lavatory system is that having a water cistern which upon flushing the lavatory empties water stored in the cistern into the lavatory basin. Usually, the amount of water used during such a flushing operation is approximately fourteen to sixteen litres and the flushing operation is noisy.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lavatory system in which the amount of water used and the noise of the flushing operation is substantially reduced.

According to the present invention there is provided a lavatory system including a lavatory basin having a body with inlet and outlet openings in the body, a movable member mounted for movement relative to the body of the basin, means for moving the movable member to engage the outlet opening and cover waste in the basin in the region of the outlet opening and water supply means connected with the movable member for effecting flushing operation of the basin when the movable member is in engagement with the outlet opening.

In one preferred embodiment the movable member is slidably mounted in an aperture in the wall of the lavatory basin. Conveniently, the aperture is circular and the movable member is tubular of corresponding dimensions to form a tight fit within the aperture. The tubular movable member is closed at its outermost end. A water supply is connected to the closed end of the movable member for supplying water thereto, preferably upon operation of a tap of a control valve.

Preferably, a lining element extends through the aperture and around the movable member.

The lining element conveniently has a portion extending forwardly towards the region of the outlet opening of the lavatory basin and can be fixed relative to the body of the basin. It is preferred that the portion of the lining element around the movable member is substantially tubular with an elongate slot therein extending in the axial direction thereof. The elongate slot allows the movable member to be driven backwards and forwards by a mechanically operable device located externally of the lavatory basin.

The means for moving the movable member conveniently takes the form of a mechanism such as a rack with an intermeshing gear drive to move the rack and hence the movable member to which the rack is connected at the closed end of the movable member. Conveniently, the drive gear is interconnected with a foot pedal to rotate the drive gear upon the depression of the foot pedal.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which, Fig. 1 is a top view of a lavatory system according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a part sectional view along the line A-Aof Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a part sectional view along the line B-B of the lavatory system of Fig. 1; Figs. 4a and 4b illustrate, respectively, a side elevational view and one end of a movable cover member of the lavatory system of Figs. 1 to 3; Figs. 5a and Sb illustrate, respectively, a part sectional side elevational view and one end view of a lining element of the lavatory system of Figs.

1 to 3; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the movable cover element in an alternative position; and Fig. 7 is a top view illustrating drive gear for moving the movable cover member of the lavatory system of Figs. 1 to 6.

Referring initially to Figs. 1 to 3 there is shown a lavatory system having a basin 1 with body 1 a and a seat and cover arrangement 1 b which is pivotly mounted on the body 1 a in the usual manner. A front wall of the body 1 a slopes sharply downwardly to a leading edge 1 C at which an aperture is defined in the wall of the body. The front wall of the body continues to slope downwardly from the aperture at the leading edge 1 C towards an outlet opening 1 d of the body. As is readily seen in Fig. 3 the outlet opening 1 d is circular.

The usual hollow upper rim of the lavatory basin is provided with a series of apertures 1 e which serve to interconnect the hollow inner part of the rim with the inside of the lavatory basin so that the walls of the basin can be cleaned with water which passes through the hollow rim and apertures 1 e and collects in the region of the outlet aperture 1 d within the lavatory basin.

Water is supplied to the basin 1 through a supply tube 2a and control valve 2b. The hollow rim of the basin is filled with water through an interconnecting pipe 2c which extends from a flexible main water supply tube 2dfor supplying water for flushing the basin as will be hereinafter described.

The main water tube 2d is connected, at its end opposite to that connected to the control valve 2b, to a tubular cover device 3 through an inlet aperture 3a at a closed end of the tubular cover device. The opposite end 3b of the cover device 3 is open, while externally of the device, at its closed end, there is provided a bifurcated lug arrangement 3c for use as hereinafter described.

The device 3 is provided with an inner wall portion 3dwhich acts as a guide for the water passing through the inlet 3a.

Located in the aperture defined at the leading edge 1 C is a lining element 4 which corresponds to the external shape of the cover device 3. The cover device slides within the lining element 4 which acts as a guide for the cover device.

As will be seen from Fig. 5, the lining element 4 comprises an elongate portion 4a of semi-circular cross-section connected to a tubular portion having a sealing ring 4b located on its inner surface for engagement with the outer surface of the cover device 3, a rear opening 4c and an axially extending elongate slot 4d through which the bifurcated lug arrangement 3c is arranged to project during movement of the cover device 3 relative to the lining element 4 which is fixed relative to the wall of the basin.

Referring now to Fig. 7 there is illustrated therein a gear drive mechanism 5 which is operable to move the cover device 3. The gear drive mechanism comprises a box structure 5a open at its top. Between two opposed sides of the box is mounted a rotatable shaft Sb on which is fixed a drive gear Sc and a smaller gear 5d. This latter gear is meshed with a larger gear wheel 5e fixed to a rotatable shaft 5g also mounted on the box structure. One end of the rotatable shaft 5g extends from the housing 5a and is attached by means of a bar to a foot pedal 5f.At the opposite end of the rotatable shaft 5g is provided a spring 5h which provides a strong biasing force to maintain foot pedal 5f and cover device 3 in the position shown in Fig. 2.

The drive gear wheel 5c, as seen in Figs. 2 and 6 intermeshes with a toothed rack which extends parallel to the axis of the cover device 3 and which is fixedly connected to the cover device by the bifurcated lug 3c.

In describing a flushing operation of the lavatory system according to the presnt invention it is assumed that waste has collected in the channel defined by the semi-circular portion 4a of the lining 4 in the region of the outlet 1 d.

Initially, the control valve 2b is turned to its on position allowing water to be supplied from the main water tube 2a to the side tube 2c and the flexible main water supply tube 2d. Water therefore flows throught the hollow rim of the basin through the apertures 1 e to cleanse the walls of the basin and wash any waste matter to the bottom of the basin. Simultaneously, water passes through the water tube 2d into the cover device 3 and down the channel 4a clearing waste from the channel towards the outlet 1 d. While water is being applied the operator depresses the foot pedal Sfof the gearing 5 whereupon gear wheel Sc rotates forcing the rack 5i to move downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6.Since the rack 5i is permanently connected to the cover device 3 via the lugs 3c, the cover device 3 is moved correspondingly until it engages with the opening 1 d of the basin as illustrated in Fig. 6.

With the cover device 3 in the position shown in Fig. 6 waste matter laying in the basin in the region of the outlet opening 1 d is covered over by the cover device and the water that flows through the water pipe 2d and the cover device 3 forces the waste matter from the basin through the outlet 1 d leaving the bottom of the basin clean.

Upon release of the foot pedal Sfthe bias or return spring 5h acts upon the rotatable shaft 5g and returns the foot pedal 5f to the position shown in Fig. 2. Such action causes a reverse rotation of the gear wheel Sc which therefore moves the rack Stand cover device 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The control valve 2b is then moved to its off position.

Advantageously, the lavatory system according to the present invention operates more quietly than hitherto known and with a higher efficiency since the main flushing function and drainage occurs whilst the cover device is in engagement with the basin body in the region defining the outlet opening 1 d. Furthermore, the particular construction used with this lavatory system obviates the need for providing a water cistern.

In the embodiment of the lavatory system just described above water was initially provided by manual operation of the control valve 2b prior to movement of the cover device 3. However, if the walls of the basin are clean the cover device 3 can be moved into the position shown in Fig. 6 prior to the application of the water supply. A small amount of water may remain at the bottom of the basin after the flushing operation is completed and the cover device is returned to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The seal ring 4b located in the tubular portion of the lining element 4 serves not only to provide a seal around the cover device 3 but aiso acts to control the ease with which the cover device 3 will move back and forth relative to the lining element 4. To assist in providing sufficient force for effecting such control the lining device is made of a hard material.

While the movement of the cover device has been described as being effected by a mechanical arrangement it is understood the drive may be effected electrically or any other way.

Furthermore, the operation of the control valve 2b for controlling the flow of water to the basin may be operated automatically by any suitable means.

The flexible main water supply tube 2d is conveniently a length of rubber hose, but may be made of any other suitable flexible material.

Claims (15)

1. A lavatory system including a lavatory basin having water inlet and waste outlet openings, and an upper rim on which a seat and cover are arranged to be mounted; a movable member mounted for movement within the basin to cover a bottom portion of the basin and the outlet opening; means external of the basin for moving the movable member; and water supply means located for flushing underneath the movable member in its closed position covering the opening for cleaning the basin.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable member is slidable relative to the basin.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable member is mounted in an aperture through the basin wall.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the aperture is circular.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the movable member is of a tubular construction and is a tight fit in the aperture.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable member has a closed outer end.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the water supply means is mounted on the closed end of the movable member.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, including a control valve constituting part of the water supply means mounted on the closed end of the movable member.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control valve is operable automatically.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the water supply means includes a rubber hose interconnecting a supply of water to the control valve.

11. A system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10, including a seal located in the aperture between the basin and movable member.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the seal comprises a lining member having a first portion which is arcuate and extends across the lowermost part of the basin towards the outlet opening for guiding the movable member towards the outlet opening, and a second portion which is tubular and extends outwardly of the basin.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second tubular portion of the lining member includes an axially extending slot through which extends a drive mechanism for moving the movable member.

14. A system as claimed in claim i 3, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a rack and intermeshing gear arrangement.

15. A system as claimed in claim 13, or 14, including a foot pedal connected to the gear for operating the drive mechanism.

1 6. A lavatory system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.