US1115791A

US1115791A - Flush-tank.

Info

Publication number: US1115791A
Authority: US
Inventors: Warren F Drew
Original assignee: Rotico Fitting & Supply Co
Current assignee: Rotico Fitting & Supply Co
Priority date: 1912-10-18
Filing date: 1912-10-18
Publication date: 1914-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 1931-11-03

Description

W. F. DREW.

FLUSH TANK. Y v APPLICATION FILED 0UT.18, 1912. 1,1 1 5,791. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A i 77?. e z Inventor: b A

Atm/f THE NORRIS PETERS Co., PHOTOYLITHO., WASHING rDN, D. C4

W. F. DREW.

FLUSH TANK. APPLICATION FILED 00121-8, 1912.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor: @M

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THE MORRIS PETERS Cv.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, DA c W. P. DREW.

PLUSH TANK.'

- APPLIUATION FILED 00T. 1,1 15,791 1B 1m Patented Nov. 3, 1914 a SHEETS-SHEET s.

N N Q Y Q w w El i.' l E r THE MORRIS PETERS C0.. PHOTOALITHO.. WASHINCFUN, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

WARREN F. DREW, OF'BORIDENTOWN, NEW JERSEY, `.ASSIGNOR- TO ROTICO FITTING &

SUPPLY COMPANY, NEW YORK, N.

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLUSH-TANK.

` Specification of Letters 'Pa-tent.

Patented Nov. 3,1914.

T all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WARREN F. DREW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bordentown, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented' certain new and useful Improvements in` Flush-` Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fiush tanks intended for use in connection with water` closets and for similar purposes, and its nov-` elty consists in the construction and adaptation of the parts as will be hereinafter more .fully pointed out.

Flush tanks as usually made are provided with an outlet valve, an overflow pipe, and

a water supply system. The overiiow pipe is of necessity connected with the outlet pipe below the outlet valve opening, and consequently leads directly to the connections to the sewer and, being always open, affords an opportunity for the escape into the flush tank of sewer gas, should such gas existin the drainage system. It has alwaysbeen desirable to provide such an `overflow pipe with a valve but, in the usual constructions, this has proven to be impracticable and the danger from the back-flow of sewer gas into the building has commonly not been avoided and the opening into the overflow pipe has not' been closed. Usually also the outlet apertures of such tanks have been placed at the side of the tank slightly labove the bottom, this for convenience in `construction or erection. T"Vhen outlet apertures are placed in this position, it is very diiicult to clean the tanks and if the water supplied therein is of such a nature that sediment is deposited therefrom, such sediment usually accumulates until the tanks are thoroughly dirty and then they have tobe cleaned out through a special outlet opening or by hand, as the case may be.

The purpose of my invention is to over come these disadvantages and I do this by placing the outlet aperture at the bottom of the tank and in a plane below the level of such bottom. This aperture is opened and sealed by a valve which is so connected to the devices forming the water supplying means that the one valve serves as a flush valve down into the water-closet bowl, as a reflush valve adapted to supply a small amount of water` to such bowl necessary to form a water seal, and also as an overflow1 `F ig. 1 showing the rwhen the water in the Application filed October 1S, 1912. Serial No. 726,406.

valve, so that under normal conditions, when the tank is full of water, there is no oppor-Y trinity7 for gases from the drainage system or sewer to pass back into the tank and consequently into the room in which it is placed. f

i In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central ver? tical section through the tank and the valve, other parts being shown in elevation, and the position of the parts being that which 1s assumed when the tank is almost full of water; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to position of the parts tank has been lowered to a point where the valve is about to autor the parts shown in Figg; Fig. 5 similar to Fig. 1 showing the postionof the parts when the water inthe tank has been raised to such a point vthat the valve is about to be opened to permitl` of the refiushing of the water closet bowl with which it is connected; and` Fig. 6 is a plan'k view of some of the parts beneaththe pla-ne ofthe une e-e in Fig. 5. f f

1n the drawings, 10 is a iiush tank of any suitable form and construction and intended to be set in a relatively low position i1nmediately over and at the back of the watercloset bowl to be supplied therefrom.` It has an outlet aperture indicated at l2 in its bottom. This aperture is surrounded by an annular Hange plate 13 set into the bottom and which is'provided with a suitable valve seat comprisinga recessed annular rubber gasket 130.

Leading into anysuitable place .in the tank there is provided a water supply pipe' 15 terminating in an elbow-fitting 16 which is connected to a rotary valve indicatedat y 17, and which in turn 1s connected to an'v inlet pipe 18 to which at a proper placve'is se,-l cured a fioat, for instance, a hollow metal globe 19. The valve 17 may be `of any usual form provided it is so arranged that it iskr adapted to be opened to supply water from* the pipe 15 to the pipe 18 when the latter l l 1s lowered, and is adapted to be 'closed to shut olf such supply whenthepipey 18 is raised to a predetermined point. 'valvey suitable for such use is' described in Letters' Patentof the United States No. 1,007,009,

issued October, 1911; n

A. valve 2O is provided to control the valve CIK aperture 12 in the bottom of the tank It comprises a tubular body 21 having` a circumferential annular llange 22 and internally provided with a transverse plate 23 provided with upwardly projecting ears 241, to which is pivoted a valve stem 25 in the form of a flat bar. The valve is also provided on opposite sides with a pair of lugs or brackets 26, 'from each of which outwardly projects a shoe 27. Similar shoes 28 are secured to or made integral with the body 21. rlhese shoes are recessed and are adapted slidably to engage a pair of

upright guides

29, 29 suitably secured to the bottom of the tank or to the flange plate 13. A cross bar 30 connects the upper ends of these posts and serves to rigidly space them apart. rEhis also serves in connection with the upper ends ot the lugs 26 as a stop to limit the upward movement of the valve 20.

.Projecting through the outer wall of the tank 10 at any suitable place is a push rod 33, the inner end of which is adapted to engage one arm 31 o1c an elbow lever, the other arm 35 of which is adapted to pass through and loosely engage an aperture 36 in a depending link 37 which, at its lower extremity, is connected by a pivot 38 to a latch lever 39 which in turn is connected by a pivot 10 to the valve stem 25. This lever 39 is adapted to loosely rest against the upper side of the cross bar 30 and its extremity 390 is restrained against vertical movement by a stop member 41 having an inwardly projecting flange 42 adapted to loosely the upper portion of that end of the lever. rlf'he arm 34 is pivoted to a bracket 45 suitably secured to the outer wall of the tank. The arrangement of these parts is such that when the push rod 33 is moved in wardly it contacts 1 with the arm 34C, and thereby moves upward the elbow lever which in turn moves upward the link 3T, and this in turn moves the latch lever until the latter is in a vertical position when its foot or end 390 rests upon the cross bar 30 and serves as ay support for the link and the elbow lever. 1t will be noted that the foot or end 390 'of the latch lever 39 has a sliding cam movement on the seat or cross bar 30 when the latch lever is turned. This movement has raised the valve 20 to its uppermost position and completely moved it away from the annular flange pla-te 13 so that any water in the tank will flow out freely therefrom.

liuitably and detachably secured to the in let pipe 18 by a strap 4:50 and set screw #l5 is a trip 47` arranged in the same vertical plane as a latch 50 secured to the latch lever 39. This connection is made by cutting out an aperture 51 in the latch, through which projects a screw 52 from the latch lever 39. thumb nut 53 serves to make the connection secure. By this means the latch may be adjustably secured to the latch lever and moved to such position as may be most convenient' under dillerent circumstances ol' equipment. l

Assuming that the push button has been actuated as above stated, and that the valve has thus been raised to allow the water to escape from the tank, as the level of the water is lowered, the 'float 19 is thereby lowered and allows the inlet pipe 18 slowly to fall. As the trip 17 is in the plane of the latch 50, when the trip contacts with the latch, the weight of the pipe 18 causes the latch to be depressed and this moves the latch lever 39 away from the cross bar 30, upon which it has been supported, and allows the valve 20 to drop by gravity into its seat, thus closing the tank and forming an automatic means by which, when the valve is lifted and the water runs out and is lowered in the tank, the valve is closed at a predetermined point determined by the position of the trip L17 on the inlet pipe 18, and olf the latch 50 on the latch lever 39.

ln the lowermost position of the inlet pipe 18, the valve 17 is opened and permits the water to flow from the inlet pipe into the tank. As the level of the water is raised, the trip 47 is brought into contact with the pivot 38 connecting the link 37 with the latch lever 39, and this constitutes an element that is moved upwardly by the float. When thus moved, it slightly lifts the link, and through it the valve stem 25, and raises the valve enough to, allow a small quantity of water to ilow through the aperture in the bottom of the tank just sufficient to reflush the water-closet bowl and serve as a seal. es the water continues to rise and the inlet pipe 18, under the inuence of the buoyancy of its float 19, also continues to rise, the pipe 18 is brought to a position where the supply of water is cut ol-l. Should it occur, however, or any reason, that through a derangement of the parts this water supply is not cut olf and the level of the water in the tank continues to rise, then the continued elevation of the pipe 18 will bring the trip 37 into contact with an arm GO adjustably secured by a screw and thumb nut to the link 37, and this engagement being continued the link will be lifted sutliciently to open the valve 20 and allow the water to escape therefrom until it reaches its norma-l level.

lt will thus be seen that the parts are so arranged that the movement of the inlet pipe 18 up and down, varying with the supply ol' water to the tank, will serve in turn to actuate the valve 20 as a reliush valve and as an overllow valve, and that after the push rod 33 has been actuated and the level of the water lowered, that the lowering of the pipe 18 acting against the latch 50 will cause the same valve 20 to act as a shut-ott valve. lt should also be noted that by holding the push rod at its innermost position, a complete emptying of the tank can be readily accomplished, and vits thoroughcleansing thus secured. Wh at l claim is: y

l. The combination witha flush tank having an outlet, of a valve controlling the outlet, a lock for holding the valve open,means for manually moving the valve to an open position and operating the lock to positively hold said valve open, a float movable downwardly with the level of the water in the tank and having means engaging and op- @rating the lock to permit the valve to again close, and means carried by the float and engaging the moving means of the valve to cause said i'loat as it rises to again open the valve and again release it as the tank refills.

2. The combination with a flush tank having an outlet, of a valve controlling the outlet, a lock for holding the valve open, means for manually moving the valve to an open position and operating the lock to positively hold said valvexopen, a 'loat movable down- -wardly with the level' of the water in the tank and having means engaging and operating the lock to permit the valve to again close, and means carried by the float and detachably engaging directly with the valve opening means to cause the lioat as it rises to reopen the valve for a short period and then release it to permit it to again close as the tank refills.

3. The combination with a liush tank having an outlet, of a valve controlling the outlet, a lock for holding the valve open, means for manually moving the valve to an open position and operating the lock to positively hold said valve open, a float movable down` wardly with the level ot the water in the tank and having means that engages and operates the lock to permit the valve to again close, a device moving with the float, and an element connected with the valve operating means and movable into the path of said device when the valve closes, said device engaging and then disengaging the element upon the rising of the iioat to reopen the valve and again permit it to close.

4l. The combination with a tank having an outlet, of a valve controlling the outlet, a float that rises and falls with the level of the water in the tank, said iloat having an arm that moves with it, means for manually operating the valve and automatically holding it open, said means including a device that is moved into the path of the arm beneath the same when the valve is opened and is struck `by saidv arm as itimoves downwardly to release the valve to permit it to close, and another device forming a part of the said operating means and moving into the path of tliearm above the same when the valve closes, said arm engaging the latter device and reopening the valve when the Hoat rises.

5., The combination with a tank havingy an outlet, yof ya valve controlling the outlet, a float thatl rises and falls with the level of the iwater inthe tank, said float having an arm that moves with it, means for manually operating the valve and automatically holding it open, said means including a latch lever vpivoted between its ends, the latch lever having a portion on one side ofits pivot that moves into the path of thelfloat arm beneath the same when the valve is opened and is engaged by said arm to swing said lever and release the valve, and said lever having a portion on the other side of its pivot that movesinto the path of the armand above the same when the valve is released, said arm engaging the latterportion of the latch lever and reopening the valve when the float rises.

6. The combination with a valve, of an operating device, a swinging lever latch pivotally connected to the valve and to the operating device and having an extension provided with a free bearing portion, and a stationary seat on which the extension of the lever latch has a cam bearing during the opening of the valve and` on which said eX- tension bears when the valve is open.

7. The combination with a valve, oli' an operating device, a swinging lever latch pivotally connected between its ends tothe valve, and having one end connected to the operating device, anda stationary seat on which the other end of the lever latch has a slidable cam bearing to lift the valve when the latch is turned. y

8. The -combination with a vertically moving valve, of a vertically moving link located above the same, a swinging lever pivoted between its ends to the valve and having one end pivoted to the link, and ay stationary seat beneath the lever on which the other end of said lever has a sliding cam bearing, said lever being movable to a substantially upright position. with said end resting' thereon to hold thevalve open.

9. The combination with spaced guides, oil a valve slidably mounted between the same, a seat supportedby the guides, an operating device, and a swinging connection betweenthe valve and operating device having a cam bearing on the seat.

10. The ycombination with spaced guides, of a connection between the upper ends of the guides constituting a seat, a valve slidably mounted between the guides, an operating link, and a swinging lever latch pivoted between its ends to the valve and having' one end pivoted to the link, the other end of said lever latch having a sliding cam bearing on the seat.

l1. The combination with a valve, of an operating device, a swinging lever latch pivsok otally connected to the valve and to the 0perating device and having an extended free cam bearing portion, a stationary seat on which said bearing portion turns during the opening of the valve and on which it rests when the valve is open, a device projecting from said bearing portion, and a float that engages said device to nio-veit from its position to release thc valve.

12 The combination with a valve, of an operating device therefor, a swinging lever latch pivotally connected between its ends to the valve and having one end pivoted to the operating device, a stationary seat on which the other end of the lever latch has a sliding cam hearing and on which it rests when the valve is open, said latter end having an extension projecting laterally therefrom, and a float that is arranged to strike said extension and Swing the lever latch to a position to release the valve.

13. The combination with a valve member, of a seat member, a lever latch pivoted between its ends to one member and having at one end a sliding cam bearing on the other member, andan operating device connected to the lever latch to turn the same and thereby effect the said cam action.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN F. DREW.

. W'itnesses:

MARY H. LEWIS, ALAN C. MCDONNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.