GB2428769A

GB2428769A - Flow diverter for fitting to a catchpot-assisted float controlled valve such as a ballcock valve regulator

Info

Publication number: GB2428769A
Application number: GB0519700A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dennis Raymond Henson
Original assignee: HENSON DELAYED VALVES Ltd
Priority date: 2005-07-30
Filing date: 2005-09-28
Publication date: 2007-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-28
Also published as: GB2428769B; GB0519700D0; GB0515756D0

Abstract

A float controlled valve is described for controlling the flow of liquid into a container. The valve has a bottom discharge outlet through which liquid issues when open. Liquid clings to the rim of the outlet when the valve is only partially open, causing it to trickle down as a liquid curtain. A flow diverter comprises a gutter below the valve outlet which collects the curtain of liquid. A fluid path communicates between the gutter and a catchpot attached to part of an arm and float assembly associated with the valve, to supply liquid from the gutter to the catchpot. The gutter forms a closed loop with a central opening through which liquid will pass when the valve is more fully opened and the liquid issues as a solid stream rather than as a hollow cylindrical curtain. The opening directs liquid into the container instead of into the catchpot. The catchpot empties after the valve has been closed. The increased buoyancy assists in keeping the valve closed. A flow diverting device for fitting to a catchpot-assisted float controlled valve, comprises an upwardly open gutter defining a central opening, a liquid path for conveying liquid from the gutter to the catchpot, and means for attaching the device to an arm to which the catchpot and float assembly are mounted. The valve is typically employed to control the flow of liquid into a container. As the liquid level in the container drops the valve begins to open and liquid trickles out of the discharge outlet. The liquid is collected in the gutter and conveyed to the catchpot in preference to the container This accelerates the downward movement of the float and the opening of the valve.

Description

1 2428769 Title: Improvements to a Balicock Valve Regulator

Field of Invention

This invention relates to bailcock valve regulators and in particular to a flow diverter for use in such regulators.

Background to the Invention

Float valves commonly referred to as balicock valves are well known and comprise a valve, lever/arm and float (usually ball shaped). Their purpose is to automatically fill tanks/containers with water/liquid. They open as soon as the level of liquid in the tank/container drops and are noisy, relatively slow in operation and take time to finally stop flowing. When only a small quantity of water/liquid is drawn off from the container, the valve opens only slightly causing liquid to trickle in and is very slow to close. Various ways to overcome this problem have been proposed by using electrical valves, pressure vessels or complicated valve arrangements. Electrical valves need plumbing in and are relatively expensive. Pressure vessels are bulky, need plumbing in and maintenance.

Valve arrangements need plumbing in and are relatively expensive.

GB Patent Specification 2,302,394 describes a bailcock valve regulator which delays the opening of the valve to allow liquid into a container until the level of liquid in the container has dropped to a predetermined level, well below the level to which the valve will allow the container to be filled when the valve is opened.

This regulator works well with a BS Part 1 top discharge type of valve and stops it from functioning when only small quantities of water/liquid are drawn off.

The regulator of GB 2,302,394 also opens and shuts relatively quickly, firmly, and smoothly and thus it prevents water hammer and is of particular advantage when the water supply to the valve is pumped by a demand operated electric pump.

The regulator of GB 2,302,394 incorporates a small reservoir on the float arm which is referred to as a catchpot but in practice this type of regulator was not found to be suitable for BS Part 1 bottom discharge types of valve.

In particular such valves have higher flow rates, which is undesirable for use with a catchpot. Ideally all the liquid should discharge into the catchpot when the valve is partially open, but only a restricted amount should discharge into the catchpot when the valve is at full bore flow.

It has been noted that BS Part 1 bottom discharge float valves have restricted seats, and in these types of valve, liquid seems to cling around the rim of the discharge outlet and descend as an annular curtain when the valve is partially open.

It is an object of the present invention to use this channelling of liquid around the rim of the outlet.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a float controlled valve for controlling the flow of liquid into a container having a bottom discharge outlet through which liquid issues when the valve is opened, and to the rim of which the liquid clings when the valve is only partially open, causing it to trickle down as a liquid curtain, wherein there is provided a flow diverter comprising a gutter below the bottom discharge outlet which is adapted, in use, to collect the said curtain of liquid, and a fluid path which communicates between the gutter and a catchpot which is attached to or forms part of an arm and float assembly associated with the valve, to supply liquid from the gutter to the catchpot, and wherein the gutter forms a closed loop which defines an opening through which liquid will pass when the valve is more fully opened and the liquid issues as a stream rather than as a curtain, which opening operates to direct liquid into the container instead of into the catchpot.

In use, the catchpot empties after the valve has been closed and the increased buoyancy so created assists in keeping the valve closed.

The gutter collects substantially all of the liquid issuing from the valve outlet when the valve is partially open, but as soon as the valve is more fully opened, substantially all of the liquid issuing from the valve outlet passes into the container through the opening defined by the gutter.

The invention also lies in a device for fitting to a catchpot- assisted float controlled valve, comprising an upwardly open gutter defining a central opening, a liquid path for conveying liquid from the gutter to the catchpot, and means for attaching the device to an arm to which the catchpot and float assembly are mounted.

In such a device the discharge outlet is usually circular and in that event the gutter is an annular member having a similar diameter to that of the outlet so that the curtain of liquid which issues from the valve outlet when the valve is partially open will be generally received in the gutter when fitted to the valve.

The invention also lies in a method of accelerating the opening of a float-controlled valve which controls the flow of liquid into a container and includes a catchpot wherein as the liquid level in the container drops the valve begins to open and liquid trickles out of the discharge outlet, comprising the step of collecting the liquid in a gutter and conveying it into the catchpot in preference to the container, so accelerating downward movement of the float and the opening of the valve.

The invention also lies in a method of accelerating the downward movement of a float attached to a hinged arm of a downwardly discharging float controlled valve which controls the flow of liquid into a container after the level of liquid on which the float floats has dropped to a level at which the valve will begin to open, comprising the steps of locating a flow diverting gutter below the outlet of the valve which defines an upwardly open liquid collecting chamber around a central opening, and positioning it so that a curtain of liquid which issues from the valve when it is only partly open, enters the gutter in preference to the central opening, and retaining liquid collected by the gutter in a reservoir linked to the arm to increase the weight of the arm and exert a downward force tending to submerge the float, thereby speeding up the opening of the valve.

The invention therefore provides an annular chamber for location around the bottom discharge outlet of a BS Part 1 type of valve to collect liquid that trickles from the outlet when the valve is partially open and some of the full flow liquid from the outlet when the valve is fully open, a fluid path communicates between the annular chamber and a catchpot, and a main discharge path is provided through an opening defined by the annular chamber to direct the main liquid flow from the valve directly into a container, wherein the catchpot is attached to or forms part of a float arm associated with the valve which controls the supply of liquid to the container.

The invention also lies in a float valve when fitted with a diverter as aforesaid.

The invention also lies in a liquid storage container when fitted with a float valve and catchpot with flow diverter as aforesaid, to control the flow of liquid into the container.

The liquid is typically - but not necessarily, water.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the interior of a container (tank), a float contolled valve, a catchpot and flow diverter, in which the valve controls the flow of liquid into the tank and has a bottom discharge outlet conforming to British Standard 1212 In the drawings:- Fig 1A shows a top view and, Fig lB is a side view of a flow diverter for fitting to a BS Part 1 bottom discharge valve, and Fig 1C shows the assembly of the diverter a float valve and a catchpot attached to a tank wall, Fig 2 illustrates how the valve begins to open as a small quantity of liquid is drawn from the tank, Fig 3 illustrates the valve fully open, Fig 4 illustrates what happens as the level rises, and as the valve begins to close and Fig 5 shows the valve fully closed and the catchpot empty.

As shown in Figs 1A - 1C a flow diverter consists of a trickle chamber 1 to collect water/liquid from the region of the rim of the valve outlet 17. A feed pipe 3 passes from the chamber to divert liquid from trickle chamber 1 to a catchpot 7. A discharge pipe 5 passes through the base 4 of the chamber 1 to discharge the main body of full flow water/liquid into a tank, 12 only one wall of which is shown. The flow diverter is affixed to valve outlet 17 for example by a fixing bolt 2. The device works in conjunction with a bottom discharge BS 1212 Part 1 float valve, or similar types of valve, when fitted with a catchpot arrangement such as shown.

Referring to Figures 2 to 5 in turn:- In Fig 2 float arm 9 is shown falling in the direction of arrow 15, so that the valve 6 is just beginning to open and liquid is trickling into annular chamber 1, and via feed pipe 3 into the catchpot 7.

In Fig 3 arm 9 has fallen further in the direction of arrow 15, valve 6 is open and, liquid is pouring into tank 12 down discharge pipe 5. Feed pipe 3 is now at maximum flow into catchpot 7, and liquid is overflowing from catchpot 7. Siphon 10 is discharging, and the level of liquid in tank 12 is rising. The float 8 is low in the liquid, due to the weight of the water in 7.

In Fig 4 tank 12 is almost full, siphon 10 is draining the catchpot 7 so that float 8 can begin to rise in the liquid, and valve 6 is almost closed. Trickle chamber 1 is now draining into, and through, the catchpot.

In Fig 5 the tank 12 is full, valve seat 13 is closed by valve piston 14, catchpot 7 is empty and the trickle chamber 1 is drained.

The Flow Diverter described works as follows: As water/liquid is drawn from the tank 12 the lever arm 9 will fall in the direction of arrow 15 (see Fig 2) thereby partially opening the valve 6. Liquid is then discharged as a trickle around the rim of the valve outlet 17 into the trickle chamber 1, and runs down a feed pipe 3 under gravity, into catchpot 7, which retains the liquid. The weight of the liquid causes the float arm 9 and catchpot to fall further, thus fully opening the valve 6 (see Fig 3).

The main body of the liquid from valve outlet 17 now passes through the central discharge pipe 5 into tank 12 and more liquid, now at full bore pressure, passes through feed pipe 3 into catchpot 7. By the time the catchpot 7 is full and overflowing into tank 12, a siphon will also be discharging into tank 12. The level of liquid will rise in the tankl2 but the float 8, now burdened with the increased weight of the full catchpot 7, will ride lower in the liquid than if the catchpot was empty.

When the tank 12 is almost full (Fig 4) the float 8 will rise in the opposite direction of arrow 15, lifting the arm 9 and partially closing valve 6. This reduces the incoming flow to a trickle and to a curtain of liquid, and the flow of liquid now stops discharging through pipe 5 and enters the catchpot. However by this time the amount trickling down feed pipe 3 under gravity is less than the amount being discharged into tank 12 by the siphon 10, and the catchpot 7 will rapidly empty, thereby reducing the burden upon the float 8 which quickly rises shutting valve 6.

The flow diverter proposed by the invention has the following features: It will divert the trickled liquid from the valve outlet 17 via the feed pipe 3 to the catchpot 7 when the valve 6 is partially open; It will divert full flow liquid from the valve outlet 17 to the discharge pipe 5 and the feed pipe 3 when the valve 6 is fully open; It will by increasing and decreasing the weight of liquid in the catchpot 7, in use, assists in the opening and closing of a bottom discharge float valve; It will, in use, assist in the firm and smooth closing of the valve; It will, in use, allow the level of the liquid in the tank 12 to be higher than would have been the case had the flow diverter not been fitted; It will in use, allow a quantity of liquid to be drawn off from the tank 12 before the valve 6 opens; It will, in use, ensure a rapid final closing of the valve 6; and It will, in use, speed up the opening of the valve 6.

Claims

1. A float controlled valve for controlling the flow of liquid into a container having a bottom discharge outlet through which liquid issues when the valve is opened, and to the rim of which the liquid clings when the valve is only partially open, causing it to trickle down as a liquid curtain, wherein there is provided a flow diverter comprising a gutter below the bottom discharge outlet which is adapted, in use, to collect the said curtain of liquid, and a fluid path which communicates between the gutter and a catchpot which is attached to or forms part of an arm and float assembly associated with the valve, to supply liquid from the gutter to the catchpot, and wherein the gutter forms a closed loop which defines an opening through which liquid will pass when the valve is more fully opened and the liquid issues as a stream rather than as a curtain, which opening operates to direct liquid into the container instead of into the catchpot.

2. A float controlled valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in use, the catchpot empties after the valve has been closed and the increased buoyancy so created assists in keeping the valve closed.

3. A float controlled valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gutter collects substantially all of the liquid issuing from the valve outlet when the valve is partially open, but as soon as the valve is more fully opened, substantially all of the liquid issuing from the valve outlet passes into the container through the opening defined by the gutter.

4. A flow diverting device for fitting to a catchpot- assisted float controlled valve, comprising an upwardly open gutter defining a central opening, a liquid path for conveying liquid from the gutter to the catchpot, and means for attaching the device to an arm to which the catchpot and float assembly are mounted.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the discharge outlet is circular and the gutter is an annular member having a similar diameter to that of the outlet so that the curtain of liquid which issues from the valve outlet when the valve is partially open will be generally received in the gutter when fitted to the valve.

6. A float controlled valve when fitted with a device as claimed in claim 4 or 5.

7. A liquid storage container when fitted with a float control valve as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 or 6.

8 A method of accelerating the opening of a float-controlled valve which controls the flow of liquid into a container and includes a catchpot wherein as the liquid level in the container drops the valve begins to open and liquid trickles out of the discharge outlet, comprising the step of collecting the liquid in a gutter and conveying it into the catchpot in preference to the container, so accelerating downward movement of the float and the opening of the valve.

9 A method of accelerating the downward movement of a float attached to a hinged arm of a downwardly discharging float -controlled valve which controls the flow of liquid into a container after the level of liquid on which the float floats has dropped to a level at which the valve will begin to open, comprising the steps of locating a flow diverting gutter below the outlet of the valve which defines an upwardly open liquid collecting chamber around a central opening, and positioning it so that a curtain of liquid which issues from the valve when it is only partly open, enters the gutter in preference to the central opening, and retaining liquid collected by the gutter in a reservoir linked to the arm to increase the weight of the arm and exert a downward force tending to submerge the float, thereby speeding up the opening of the valve.