GB2352762A

GB2352762A - Primary water feed and expansion unit for a water supply system

Info

Publication number: GB2352762A
Application number: GB9914533A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Seddon
Original assignee: ALBION WATER HEATERS Ltd
Current assignee: ALBION WATER HEATERS Ltd
Priority date: 1999-06-23
Filing date: 1999-06-23
Publication date: 2001-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-23
Also published as: GB2352762B; GB9914533D0

Abstract

A primary water feed and expansion unit (32) for a water supply system, the unit comprising a water inlet, a water outlet, means for mounting the unit on a tank (30) and an access hole through the unit whereby in use on the tank the interior of the tank can be accessed via the access hole.

Description

PRIMARY WATER FEED AND EXPANSION UNIT

Field of the Inventio

The present invention relates to primary water feed and expansion units. Background to the Inventio

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings that follow, a known combination cold water supply and heating tank 2, primarily for domestic use is shown. The combined tank 2 comprises a cold section 4 and a hot section 6. The cold section 4 has a mains water inlet 8 and a feed 10 to the 15 hot section 6. An expansion chamber 12 is provided between the hot 6 and cold 4 sections. The water in this circuit is known as secondary water. The cold section 4 is sealed by a tight-fitting lid 18. 20 The hot section 6 has a primary water inlet 14 and primary water outlet 16 feeding a heating coil (not shown) in the hot section 6. 25 The combined tank 2 is often located in an airing cupboard in a home. The primary water circuit requires a feed and expansion tank 20 (not to scale), often located in the loft cavity of a house, or between floors. Typically, a shelf or platform is required to mount and support the 30 tank 20. The primary water feed and expansion tank 20 comprises a mains water inlet 22 and a feed and expansion chamber 24 in fluid communication with the primary water circuit.

It will be appreciated that other elements of the system although not shown are still present, such as the ballcock for controlled filling.

This arrangement has several disadvantages, including the need f or a path to be f ound f rom the primary water f eed and expansion tank 20 to the primary water circuit, the extra space required for the primary water feed and expansion tank 20, the extra time and materials used in fitting the primary water feed and expansion tank 20; and the difficulty encountered in maintenance with the combined tank 2 and the primary water feed and expansion tank 20 being spaced apart.

Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to provide an improved primary water feed and expansion unit.

Su=iary of the Inventio According to the present invention in a first aspect there is provided a primary water feed and expansion unit for a water supply system, the unit comprising a water inlet, a water outlet, means for mounting the unit on a tank and an access hole through the unit whereby in use on a tank the interior of the tank can be accessed via the access hole.

Embodiments of the present invention enable the conversion of non-integrated primary water feed and expansion systems to integrated ones.

Suitably, the unit comprises a water storage tank.

Suitably the mounting means comprises a lid for a tank. Preferably, the water storage tank covers part but not all of the lid. Suitably, the uncovered part of the lid includes an access hole. Suitably, the water storage tank includes an access hole.

Suitably, a close-fitting lid is provided for the or each access hole.

According to the present invention in a second aspect, there is provided a combination tank with a primary water feed and expansion unit according to the first aspect of the present invention.

Suitably, the second aspect of the present invention can be modified according to the first aspect of the present invention.

Suitably, the primary water feed and expansion unit is located on top of the combination tank. Suitably, the primary water feed and expansion unit acts as a lid to the combination tank.

Suitably, the unit is releasable from the combination tank.

Suitably, the unit is separate from the combination tank.

Brief Description of the Prawings

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings that follow; in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a known combination tank-based water supply system.

Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation of a primary water feed and expansion unit according to the present invention on a combination unit.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the primary water feed and expansion unit shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the primary water feed and expansion unit of Figure 2.

Descrintion of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings that follow, there is shown a combined tank 30 similar to that shown in Figure 1, and in relation to which corresponding reference numerals have been used for similar parts.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 2 it is noted that in place of the lid 18, there is provided a primary water feed and expansion unit 32 mounted over the cold section 4 of the combined tank 30.

In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings that follow, the primary water feed and expansion unit 32 is shown in more detail. The unit 32 comprises a circular base 34 with a depending lip 36. One half of the base 34 has a Dshaped tank 38 mounted thereon while the other is blank except for an access hole 40 with a corresponding close fitting lid 42. The D-shaped tank 38 also includes an access hole 44 with corresponding close-fitting lid 46.

The D-shaped tank 38 includes a mains water inlet 48 (which will normally have an associated ball-cock (not shown) for controlled filling), a water outlet SO acting as the primary water feed and expansion chamber, an overflow 52 and, in the upper surface, a vent 54 to atmosphere.

As can be seen in particular in relation to Figure 2, the circular base 34 acts as a lid for the cold section 4 of the combined tank 30.

The D-shaped tank acts as the water reservoir for a primary water feed and expansion tank 54 (Figure 2) for the primary water circuit.

The unit 32 is typically made from 0.7mm copper, but can be from other materials such as plastics.

To use the unit 32, the lid 18 of the existing tank 2 is removed and replaced by the unit 32. The base 34 of the unit 32 is placed over the top of cold section 4 to act as a lid thereon. The outlet 50 can then be plumbed into the primary water circuit. The other fittings are plumbed in as is known.

Previously, access to the cold section 4 (for instance to replace or do maintenance work on the ball-cock or other interior fittings of the cold section 4) is achieved by removing the lid 18. Using the unit 32, access for maintenance is achieved through access hole 40 by removing lid 42.

Thus using the unit 32 there is considerable saving in terms of labour and space whilst still enabling maintenance of the inside of cold section 4. The requirement for a shelf or platform for the primary water feed and expansion tank is also removed. Thus access to the cold section is obtained through the unit 32.

It is noted that the standard primary feed and expansion tank (as shown schematically in Figure 1 represented by numeral 20) cannot normally be located on the cold section 4 because to do so it has to be placed on lid 18 and then access to the cold section 4 would not be possible in any practicable way.

The unit 32 is separate and separable from the tank 2. it is mounted on top of the tank 2 and can if necessary be removed (lifted) therefrom.

The base 34 need not be circular, but will be shaped to act as an at best partial and preferably full lid to whatever shape is required for the corresponding cold section 4.

Access to the cold section 4 can be provided by any suitable means. In place of the access hole 40 and lid 42 a hole and hatch can be used, a sliding panel over a hole or even a piercable plastics cover (that can be replaced) over a hole. The access hole 40 need not be circular and can be located wherever is most convenient.

The "close- fitting" lids referred to are in accordance with regulatory requirements, in the United Kingdom being those of the Water Research Council. Typically this requires the lid to stay in place if the unit is inverted and to be substantially dust-proof to show that contamination is avoided. An interference fit lid is typically used to satisfy these requirements.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

Claims 1 A primary water feed and expansion unit for a water supply

system, the unit comprising a water inlet, a 5 water outlet, means for mounting the unit on a tank and an access hole through the unit whereby in use on a tank the interior of the tank can be accessed via the access hole.
2. A primary water feed and expansion unit according to claim 1, in which the unit comprises a water storage tank.
3. A primary water feed and expansion unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the mounting means comprises a lid for a tank.
4. A primary water feed and expansion unit according to claim 3, in which the water storage tank covers part but not all of the lid.
5. A primary water feed and expansion unit according to claim 4, in which the uncovered part of the lid includes an access hole.
6. A primary water feed and expansion unit according to claim 5, in which the water storage tank includes an access hole.
7. A primary water feed and expansion unit according to claim 6, in which a close-fitting lid is provided for the or each access hole.
8. A combination tank with a primary water feed and expansion unit according to any one of claims 1-7.
9. A combination tank according to claim 8, in which the primary water feed and expansion unit is located on top of the combination tank.
10. A combination tank according to claim 8 or claim 9, in which the primary water feed and expansion unit acts as a lid to the combination tank.
11. A combination tank according to any one of claims 8 to 10, in which the unit is releasable from the combination tank.
12. A combination tank according to any one of claims 8 to 11, in which the unit is separate from the combination tank.
13. A primary water feed and expansion unit for a water supply system, which unit is substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying figures.
14. A combination tank with a primary water feed and expansion tank according to claim 13.