GB2266122A

GB2266122A - Syphoning off water with the aid of a pump

Info

Publication number: GB2266122A
Application number: GB9208046A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Lawton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-11
Filing date: 1992-04-11
Publication date: 1993-10-20
Also published as: GB9208046D0

Abstract

Water is syphoned off for re-use by the initial operation of a manually operated siphon pump 11, located at or near ground level external to a house, and having non-return valves 4, 14 and suction 9 and delivery 5, 12 pipes. Once the syphon is established water flows via the suction pipe 6, 9 from a source within the house, such as bathwater 10, through the valve 14, the chamber 13, a passage (8), 1 and the valve 4 to the delivery pipe 5, 12 for use in the garden or for other purposes. The siphon pump is constructed so that a low number of pumping cycles creates a siphon when the lift height of the water is 2 metres to enable the suction pipe 9 to be fed through an upper window. The non-return valves may be in the form of balls or flaps. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVED MEANS FOR RE-USING WATER Thi invention relates to improved means for re-using water.

Water for ablutions is generally discharged into a drainage system after its primary use. During periods of bans on the use of hose pipes for watering gardens ablution water could be used for this purpose.

One of the problems of using bathwater is the difficulty of moving it from the bath to the point of use. Water in the bath could be transferred to the garden by siphon through the bathroom window.

Several types of siphon pumps are available. These are mainly for use in the tranfer of liquids from carboys and the like into other containers.

These pumps have a hollow rubber ball or flexible bellows which are compressed by hand. On release the ball or bellows regains its original shape drawing liquid up a suction pipe. A second compression forces the liquid through a discharge pipe. When there is sufficient water in the discharge pipe a siphon will start provided the outlet is lower than the inlet; direction of the flow is controlled by non-return valves. The height these pumps can lift water is dictated by the suction created as the ball or bellows tries to regain original shape after compression. The volume of water they can lift at each cycle is dictated by the interior volume of the ball or bellows.

One method of using a siphon system for re-using bathwater would be to have a suction pipe from the bathwater exiting through a window to connect with a hand operated siphon pump located external to the house at or near ground level. A hose pipe could be connected to the outlet of the siphon pump to transfer the water to the garden. The siphon pump would have to be capable of lifting the bathwater as much as 2 metres.

It would be advantageous to have the siphon effected with a relatively small number of pumping cycles and with little effort required to operate the pump.

According to the present invention there is provided an improved means for re-using water comprising a manually operated siphon pump, located external to a house at or near ground level, having opposing non-return valves and suction and delivery pipes the whole of which is used to create a siphon whereby water is drawn via the suction pipe from a source within the house, such as bathwater, and fed through the delivery pie for use in the garden or other for other purposes.

The siphon pump is so constructed that a low number of pumping cycles using an easily applied force is sufficient to create a siphon when the ft height of the water is 2 metres, provided that the outlet is at a level low enough to permit a siphon to work.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through the siphon pump.

Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section of the siphon pump at the ball locating plate level.

Fig. 3 is an illustration of the use of the improved means for re-using water.

Referring to the drawings Fig.3 shows the suction pipe 9 extending from the bathwater 10 to the siphon pump 11 at ground level. The suction pipe is connected to the inlet spigot 6 of the siphon pump. The hose pipe 12 is connected to the outlet spigot 5. A clip (not shown) secures the suction pipe to the bath plug chain.

Operation of the siphon pump will create alternate suction and compression in the reception chamber 13.

During the suction stroke air will be drawn from the suction pipe via the non-return valve 14. This causes water in the bath 15 to rise in the suction pipe. Air is prevented from entering the reception chamber from the hose pipe by the non-return valve 4.

On the compression stroke air in the reception chamber is forced through the discharge port 8 which is connected to the ball valve 4 by channel 7.

The expelled air exhausts into the hose pipe. The ball locating plate 3 limits the vertical movement of the balls in the valves.

Flap valves may be used in place of the non-return ball valves with appropriate re-configuration.

Repeated operation of the siphon pump will draw sufficient water into the suction pipe to create a siphon provided that the discharge is at a level far enough below the intake to permit a siphon to work.

Water will then flow from the bath through the hose pipe until the siphon is broken or the flow otherwise interupted.

The siphon pump shown in Fig.l has a bore and stroke of 11.34 cm2 and 5cm respectively, but other configurations can be used. Six strokes of the siphon pump would fill a lOsm dia. pipe for a length of 4.33 metres.

This should be sufficient to start a siphon where the vertical distance between the water and the window exit is less than 2 metres. A few more strokes may be necessary to overcome friction.

A 2kg. pull on the piston assembly would create a suction of 0.1764kgcm2 in the reception chamber. This could support a 1.76 metre column of water in the suction pipe.

The siphon pump shown in Fig.l would therefore satisfy general conditions of a siphon system used in siphoning water from a bath through the bathroom window for the purpose of watering the garden or > ,for other purposes. A greater or lesser number of strokes and a higher or lower force on the piston assembly would cater for varying conditions.

The siphon pump could be used to increase the discharge pressure when the siphon is working.

Claims

1. ,,I improved means for re-using water comprising a manually operated siphon pump, located at or near ground level external to the house, having opposing non-return valves and suction and delivery pipes the whole of which is used to create a siphon whereby water is drawn via the suction pipe from a source within the house, such as bathwater, and fed through the delivery pipe for use in the garden or for other purposes

2. An improved means for re-using water as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the siphon pump is so constructed that a low number of pumping cycles using an easily applied force is sufficient to create a siphon when the lift height of the water is 2 metres, provided that the outlet is at a low enough level to permit a siphon to work

3. An improved means for re-using water as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, Wherein a clip is used to secure the suction pipe to the bath plug chain