GB2270737A - Adjustable float - Google Patents

Abstract

A float assembly (10) for use with a float valve comprises an enclosure in halves (12, 14) joining at a seam (16), one half (12) carrying a mounting (18) and means attach able to the mounting to enable the float to he adjustably swivelled with respect to an arm of the float valve. The float is preferably spherical and is made by injection moulding, from plastics, two complementary hemispherical parts which are joined together to form the seam (16). The mounting means (18) is located adjacent the seam to enable the mounting means (18) to be moulded and demoulded. The means attachable to the mounting to enable adjustment of the float assembly comprises a threaded socket having a spigot (24) located in a bone of the mounting. The socket may be locked in the desired position by virtue of a nut (28) and friction ribs (22, figure 2) The socket has a threaded bore (32) which receives the end of the arm of the float valve. <IMAGE>

Description

FLOAT ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a float assembly and in particular relates to a float assembly for use with all float valves in cisterns such as flushing cisterns for WC's.

Flushing cisterns are generally provided with a ball float valve to regulate the correct amount of water within the cistern. With the many different shapes and sizes of cistern, and fittings within the cistern such as the syphon, it is often difficult to fit the ball valve float because it is impeded by or catches on the side of the cistern or wall of the fittings within the cistern. In older arrangements where the ball valve arm to which the float attaches was made of a relatively malleable metal such as brass, it was common for a plumber, manually to bend the arm in such a manner that it avoided obstruction. More modern cisterns have plastic arms and unless these are made adjustable, which is relatively more expensive, it is not possible to adjust them in the traditional manner.

The invention seeks to provide a float assembly which is in itself adjustable and which may therefore be used with an arm which is not itself adjustable.

According to the present invention there is provided a float assembly for use with a ball float valve which comprises an enclosure in two halves joining at a seam, one of the halves carrying a mounting adapted to receive an arm, characterised in that means attachable to the mounting are provided to enable the float to be adjustably swivelled with respect to the arm.

Most ball valve floats are spherical and are made by injection moulding from plastics material two complementary hemispherical parts which are joined together by welding or gluing. The join forms a distinct seam round the spherical ball. One of the hemispheres traditionally carries means for mounting to a ball valve arm, such as a thickened area carrying a threaded portion into which the end of the ball valve arm can screw. The location of the thickened area conventionally is at the north (or south) "pole" if the seam is thought of as the "equator".

Providing adjustment of the type hereinafter described to this form of ball construction would be difficult or impossible owing to difficulties in demoulding the hemisphere from its mould.

The preferred construction of the present invention, by moving the mounting means adjacent the seam or "equator", enables an adjustable mounting both to be moulded and successfully demoulded in an injection moulding system as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The mounting in a preferred embodiment may comprise a lug extending generally parallel with the seam or "equator" having a hole therein generally perpendicular to the seam or "equator" and parallel with the north/south axis. The presence of the hole would make demoulding difficult if the lug were located at the traditional 'north pole' position, as the axis of the hole would then be transverse to the demoulding direction. It is possible that this could be overcome by some sort of retractable plunger arrangement to produce the hole, or by forming a slot rather than a hole to enable demoulding, or by forming the hole after demoulding in a separate operation. All of these expedients are less satisfactory and/or more expensive, and it is currently preferred to locate the lug adjacent the seam.Furthermore the presence of friction ribs on the sides of a- preferred form of the lug (as described hereinafter) would add to demoulding problems in the 'north pole' position.

Ajustable swivel means may be provided with this form of mounting means having, for example, a female threaded portion to receive the end of the ball valve arm, so that the float can be adjustably swivelled with respect to the arm. By altering the orientation of the arm thread within the mounting threaded portion the swivelling can be carried out in any desired plane thus giving both up/down and side to side adjustment of the float with respect to the arm, eliminating the need for the arm to be adjusted itself and, advantageously, eliminating the need for the valve to have up/down adjustment means to regulate the water level.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a float assembly in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a view in direction of arrow A of Figure 1 with the swivel assembly omitted; Figure 3 is a top elevational view corresponding to Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a float assembly generally designated 10 comprises injection moulded hemispheres 12, 14 meeting in a seam 16 where they are welded together to produce an airtight enclosure. A mounting in the form of a lug 18 is moulded into the hemisphere 12. The lug 18 has a central orifice 20 together with raised ribs 22 radially extending about the orifice 20 on the outside surface thereof (see Figure 2).

The lug 20 is designed to co-operate with a two-piece adjustable swivel mechanism as can be seen in Figure 1. This comprises a spigot 24 of a size to fit comfortably within the orifice 20 carrying threads at 26 to receive a nut 28. The spigot is integral with a socket 30 having a female threaded portion 32 designed to receive the male thread of a ball valve arm. The socket portion 30, on its face from which the spigot 24 protrudes, is generally flat but carries radially directed ribs designed to co-operate with the ribs 22 on the lug 18 and lock the socket 30 against rotation with respect to the lug 18 when the nut is tightened.

In use, the ball valve is formed as shown in Figure 2 with a plain hemispherical portion 14 and the portion 12 carrying the lug 18 welded together at the seam 16. The socket 30 and nut 28 are then assembled about the lug 18. While the nut 28 is loose the socket 30 can be swivelled about the longitudinal access of the spigot 24. When the male threaded portion of a ball valve arm (not shown) is located within the female threaded portion 32 of the socket 30 the assembly 10 can be swivelled about the axis of the spigot 24 to any desired position. By turning the socket 30, and thus the ball assembly 10, about the threaded end of the ball valve arm, the swivelling action can be achieved in any desired plane from up and down to side to side.By this means the action of a universal joint is virtually simulated and the position of the ball with respect to the arm can be varied so as to fit the vast majority of cisterns and their fittings.

The hemisphere 12 carrying the lug 18 can be moulded (and demoulded) by the injection moulding method and thus the float as a whole can be injection moulded which is the desirable process of manufacture. This latter feature is achieved by locating the lug adjacent the equator rather than its traditional position at the north (or south) pole of the float ball.

The area 34 adjacent the lug 18 is thickened to provide the necessary strength and is tapered back to the normal wall thickness of the hemisphere 12. The nut 28 can be a wing-nut as illustrated capable of manual tightening, or may be a conventional nut tightened by means of, for example, a spanner.

The float assembly of the invention is illustrated as a conventional spherical ball but it would be appreciated that it is equally applicable to other shapes, for example cylindrical.

The float assembly of the invention provides a simple and inexpensive solution to the problem of providing adjustability within a conventional cistern without needing to bend the float valve arm. Moreover, the adjustability extends to adjusting the water level without the necessity for a separate adjustment to be provided at the ball valve.

Claims (6)

1. An assembly for use with a ball float valve which comprises an enclosure in two halves joining at a seam, one of the halves carrying a mounting adapted to receive an arm, characterised in that means attachable to the mounting are provided to enable the float to be adjustably swivelled with respect to the arm.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the ball valve float is spherical and is made by injection moulding, from plastics material, two complementary hemispherical parts which are joined together to form the seam round the spherical ball characterised in that the mounting means is located adjacent the seam whereby to enable an adjustable mounting both to be moulded and successfully demoulded by injection moulding.

3. An assembly as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the mounting comprises a lug extending generally parallel with the seam having a hole therein generally perpendicular to the seam and parallel with the north/south axis.

4. An assembly as claimed in any claims 1 to 3 in which friction ribs are present on the sides of the lug.

5. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which ajustable swivel means are provided having a female threaded portion to receive the end of the ball valve arm, so that the float can be adjustably swivelled with respect to the arm.

6. A float assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.