GB2294746A - Filling system for a bath - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for filling a bath with a set quantity of water comprises an inlet valve 15 timing means 24 for controlling operation of the inlet valve 15 and remotely operable means 22, 23 for controlling operation of the timing means 24. Upon operation of either of the switches 22, 23 comprising the remotely operable means, the drain 12 is closed by a solenoid valve 33 and the valve 15 is opened to dispense water, mixed by mixer valve 16 from a hot 19 and a cold 17 water supply. The valve 15 is head open for a preset time interval measured by the timer 24, after which interval the valve is closed. Subsequent operation of the switches 22, 23 opens the drain 12 to empty the bath. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Filling System for a Bath Description of Invention This invention relates to preparing a bath for use by a person, by introducing a predetermined quantity of water into the bath. This process is commonly, and will herein be referred to for convenience as, "filling the bath", but it will be appreciated that in normal use the bath will rarely or never be completely filled.

It has been proposed that bath filling be accomplished by use of a timing device linked to a water valve, such that the amount of water dispensed is determined by the water pressure and the setting of the timer. It still remains necessary for the user to close the outlet of the bath when required by inserting the plug into the outlet opening; thus the process of filling the bath cannot be remotely controlled.

This invention has as its object the provision of a system for filling a bath, which can fill the bath with a desired quantity of water, according to the requirements of the user, and which is operable from a position remote from the bath.

According to the invention I provide a system for filling a bath with a predetermined quantity of water, comprising a water inlet valve, a timing means for controlling operation of said valve, and remotely operable means for controlling operation of said timing means.

Preferably the system further comprises closure means for selectively opening and closing an outlet of the bath, operation of which means is also controlled by said remotely operable means.

Preferably the closure means comprises a plug member moveable relative to an outlet aperture of the bath.

Preferably the plug member is moveable by remotely operable actuating means to a closed position relative to the outlet aperture and bv spring means in an opposite direction to an open position relative to the outlet aperture.

It is preferable that the plug member should be moveable by the spring means to its open position so that if any failure should occur the system is brought to a safe condition such that the bath will not fill with water and possibly overflow.

Preferably said actuating means is electrically operable. Conveniently the actuating means may comprise at least one electromagnetic device, e.g. a solenoid. Preferably there are two such devices, arranged to be electrically connected in parallel with one another for bringing said plug to its closed position, and subsequently connected in series with one another for maintaining the plug in its closed position.

The change from the connection of the two electromagnetic devices in parallel with one another to the connection in series with one another may be controlled by a further timing means, which may control operation of a relay to effect the change in the mode in connection.

When the two electromagnetic devices such as solenoids are connected in parallel with one another to an electrical supply, together they exert a greater force than when they are connected in series with one another. Such greater force is useful to bring the plug to its closed position against the force exerted by the spring means biasing it to the open position. Once closed and the bath filled with water, a lesser force is required to be exerted to hold the plug in the closed position and the connection of the electromagnetic devices such as solenoids in series with one another prevents excessive generation of heat in them.

Preferably the electromagnetic devices which operate the plug member are connected in an electrical circuit operating at a low voltage (e.g. 12 volts). This improves safety, since the actuating means will in many cases he disposed in the vicinity of the outlet of the bath and thus likely to make contact with water if a leak should occur.

Preferably the system is arranged to close the outlet of the bath and fill the bath when the electrical circuit is switched "on", and to allow the bath to empty when the electrical circuit is switched "off'. The remotely operable means for controlling the timing means and closure means may then simply comprise an electrical on-off switch. Two switches may be provided, connected in a two-way switching circuit, with one switch arranged to be operated from a position near to the bath which is to be filled and the other switch disposed at a location from which filling of the bath may be required to be controlled, for example a bedroom. The electrical circuit of the system could itself be arranged to be switched "on" by a time switch, to prepare the bath for use at a predetermined time of day.

The temperature of the water with which the bath is filled may be controlled by a mixing valve, e.g. a thermostatic mixing valve, drawing hot and cold water from different sources in the required proportions.

These and other features of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the disposition of the principle components, and the electrical circuit, of a system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of means for operating closure means of the bath; and Figures 3 and 4 are respective partly sectioned views of the actuating means for the closure means of the bath.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, a bath is indicated at 10. The bath has an outlet 11 closable by a plug 12, and a tap 13 is provided for admitting water to the bath. In a pipe 14 leading to the tap 13 there is a valve 15 which is a motorised solenoid-operated valve, and preceding the valve 15 there is a mixing valve 16 which preferably is thermostatically controlled and which draws hot and cold water respectively by way of pipes 17, 18 and mixes them in the required proportions to deliver water at a predetermined temperature to the valve 15.

Also shown in Figure 1 is a hot water storage cylinder 19 and cold water header tank 20.

A mains electrical power supply has in its "live" cable a fuse 21 and a twoway switching arrangement comprising two switches 22, 23. Switch 22 is arranged to be operated from a position in the vicinity of the bath; the switch may be an air-operated switch to comply with electrical regulations, whilst switch 23 is disposed at a location from which filling of the bath may require to be controlled, e.g. a bedroom. Switch 23 incorporates a warning light to indicate when the twoway switching arrangement is switched on. It would be possible to provide a time switch operable at a preset time to cause the bath to be filled as described hereafter.

Connected in parallel with one another following the switch 23 are a timer 24, the primary winding 25 of a transformer 26, and contacts 27 of the timer 24 which are connected in series with the operating solenoid 28 of valve 15. The arrangement is such that when switched on by appropriate operation of either of the switches 22, 23, the contacts 27 of timer 24 are closed, causing valve 15 to be opened, for the length of time to which timer 24 is set, e.g. a time in the range 0-10 minutes according to how much water is required to be into the bath. After such time, the contacts 27 are opened and remain open as long as the switches 22,23 are switched on. When switched off, the timer resets.

The secondary winding 29 of transformer 26 is connected by way of a rectifier 30 to an electrical circuit which includes the windings of two solenoid actuators 31, 32. The armatures of the actuators 31, 32 are mechanically connected by a linkage shown diagrammatically at 33 in Figure 1, and described in greater detail hereafter, to the plug 12. The electrical circuit connecting the rectifier to the actuators includes a relay 34 and a timer 35, the contacts of the relay 34 being arranged to connect the actuators 31, 32 either in parallel with one another or in series with one another. The timer 35 is arranged so that when the circuit is first electrically energised the actuators are connected in parallel with one another, whilst after a predetermined time the timer operates to cause the relay to connect the actuators in series with one another.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, this shows diagrammatically an arrangement of the plug 12 in relation to an outlet fitting provided at the outlet 11 of the bath. The plug is arranged to be lifted away from a part 35 of the outlet fitting to open the outlet, and to be lowered into engagement with the part 35 to close the outlet. A generally vertically orientated operating member within the fitting engages the plug to control such movement, the operating member itself being engaged by a shaft (not shown) connected by way of a crank 36 to a connecting link 37. The connecting link 37 is itself pivotally connected to a crank member 38 on an output shaft 39 extending from a housing 40 within which are disposed the actuators 31, 32 and the other components described hereafter.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, within the housing 40 there are disposed the solenoids 41, 42 of actuators 31, 32, the armatures of the actuators being indicated at 43, 44 respectively. As is well known, when the solenoids are electrically energised the armatures are drawn into the solenoids. The armatures are connected, by way of pivotally-connected connecting rods 45, 46, to cranks 47, 48 on the shaft 39. The connecting rods 45, 46 are of plastics or other nonmagnetisable material so that there is no tendency for the pivotal connections thereof to lock up when they are subjected to a magnetic field as when the solenoids are energised.Also disposed within the housing 40 is a spring 49 connected to a further crank 50 on the shaft 39, the spring being arranged to cause the shaft 39 to move angularly in the opposite direction to that in which it is caused to move when the solenoids 41, 42 are electrically energised. The housing 40 also contains an electrical connection block, and an appropriate waterproof cable entry opening is provided where indicated at 51.

The connection of the actuator components within the housing 40 to the plug of the bath is such that the spring 49 causes the plug to be raised to open the outlet of the bath. Energisation of solenoids 41, 42 causes the plug to be lowered into engagement with the outlet of the bath. Thus, when there is no electrical energisation, which may be intentional as when switches 22, 23 are switched "off" or might be the case if a fault occurs, the outlet of the bath is maintained in the open condition so the bath empties and thereafter cannot be overfilled and caused to overflow.

It will thus be appreciated that the invention provides a system whereby a bath may be filled ready for use, in response to the operation of an electrical switch which may be at a remote location.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (16)

CLAIMS:

1. A system for filling a bath with a predetermined quantity of water, comprising a water inlet valve, a timing means for controlling operation of said valve, and remotely operable means for controlling operation of said timing means.

2. A system according to Claim 1 further comprising closure means for selectively opening and closing an outlet of the bath, operation of which closure means is also controlled by said remotely operable means.

3. A system according to Claim 2 wherein the closure means comprises a plug member movable relative to an outlet aperture of the both.

4. A system according to Claim 3 wherein the plug member is movable by actuating means to a closed position relative to the outlet aperture and by spring means in an opposite direction to an open position relative to the outlet aperture.

5. A system according to Claim 4 wherein said actuating means is electrically operable.

6. A system according to Claim 5 wherein the actuating means comprises at least one electromagnetic device.

7. A system according to Claim 6 wherein there are two said electromagnetic devices, arranged to be electrically connected in parallel with one another for bringing said plug to its closed position and subsequently connected in series with one another for maintaining the plug in its closed position.

8. A system according to Claim 7 comprising a further timing means for controlling thz connection of said two electromagnetic devices from being in parallel with one another to being in series with one another.

9. A system according to any one of Claims 5 to 8 wherein said electrically operable actuating means is connected in an electrical circuit operating at a low voltage.

10. A system according to Claim 9 wherein the system is arranged to close the outlet of the bath and fill the bath when the electrical circuit is switched on and to allow the bath to empty when the electrical circuit is switched off.

11. A system according to Claim 10 wherein said remotely operable means for controlling the timer means and closing means comprises an electrical on-off switch.

12. A system according to Claim 11 comprising two switches connected in a two-way switching circuit, one switch being operable from a position near the bath and the other switch at another location.

13. A system according to any one of Claims 10 to 12 wherein said electrical circuit comprises a time switch for switching it on.

14. A system according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a mixing valve drawing hot and cold water from respective sources in the required proportions to fill the bath with water at a desired temperature.

15. A system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawing.