US1620648A - Means for actuating flush-tank valves - Google Patents

Description

W, U. GRIFFITHS MEANS FOR ACTUATING FLUSH TANK VALVES March 15 1927.

Filed March 24, 1926 I N VEN TOR. a. fv

By v

ATTORNEY.

strata wiLLIAiu Gn'iir'rns; or 'P'HInAnELPniA rnNsYnvliNrA.

1 Fon ACTQUATI'NG' nijnen-'TANK VALVES.

Application-internal@ 24,1926. seriarno. 96,927.

My invention relates to means for opening or"'controlling theyval'ves of lushtanks 'for water closet apparatus. Y e

The lgeneral object of the Ainvention is to provide means offthe vcharacter indicated which not only lis noveljin construction but which `is extremely s'impleand'ota charac4 ter such that it is not likely'to get out of order after it has been installed.

In order that the inventionmay bex'readily understood and its "practical advantages fully appreciated l.reifen-nice may be had to the'accompanying .drawing in which I `have illustrated 'one forni 'of 'a convenient "mechanical embodiment of the invention. However', 'it will be understood. that the invention Yis y susceptible of vembodiment vin other forms of'construction than that shown and that changes i'n thev` `details otconstruction may be made `within the scopeoi3 the claiinswithout departing from the invention.

In thedrawing:

Fig/1* is a view linside elevation of a flush tank `for ,water v clos-et apparatus :provided with the invention, themeans' embodying the" invention beingshown in` dash `lines anda portion'of a side `o 'the :tankbeing broken away Vfor the? purpose of shwing the valve structure "the valveof which is to be opened'and closed; e

Fig; 2 is a view" in elevation looking'from the inside'of 'the tank toward the: Tear' side of the valveop'eratingineans;

Fig. '3. is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3"-3 ofl Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is` a"horiz`ontal *sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

'Referring to the drawingr'l ydesignates a Aflush tank having an Outl'et at vv2 which is adapted td be closed by-a'ball valve 'having astem 4 vwhich isguided in'asleeve 5" at the outer end ofan'arm 6 supported upon an 4overflow 'pipe 7 ofusualconstruction, The upper end of. the `ste1n`4 isf'pro'vildied with an' enlargement or eyel9 byimeans of wliiclr a `connecting link 10 isrpreventedlfrom becoming disengaged from `the 'i said stem. Theupper endfof the said' Vconfnecting link is connected to the outer endfportion Otan arm 11 which'extends*rearwardly`fromr a shaft 12 mounted in bearings 13 at'tlielower end ofra depending arin'14., 'The' arm '.11 is.' kprovided with a lplurality of" openings 15 intowhich the upper end "of `the `connecting link 10 may be inserted in order to vary the distance'of thel 'point oi'conne'c'ftion from the taken axis of rotation of the shaft 12. The shaft 12.Inay beadjus'ted longitudinally within the bearings 13.

,The arm 14 is provided at its upper end with an enlargement 16 having a forwardly extending hollow projection or boss 17 which is polygonal in cross section. The said boss projects into an opening 18 in the side 19 of the tank 1 which is ofcorresponding polygonalshape. The outer end of the opening 18 1is 'concealed by a knob 2O having a central opening 21` extending therethrough. The inner end portion ,of the said opening ofll'ess `diameter than theyremaining portion thereof whereby shoulders are formed at 22. AA bushing` 25 extends through the inner portion of the opening 21 of smaller diameter 'and also through theA opening 18 as well as through the opening through thefupper end portion *16. of the arms 14. Thel outer* end of vthe said bushingis provided with a flanged head, as indicated at` 26, which is adapted to contact withy the shoulder22. The inner end of the bushing is screw threaded for engagement with a nut27 by means ojlwhicli the arm 14 vis adapted to be clamped-against the inner surface of the side '19 while "the knob-'2O is adapted to be clamped upon the `outer surface of the said'side" in opposing relation to the portion 16 vof the arms 14. VThe shoulders 22 of the knob 2O and `the wall 19 are clamped between .the iianged'head 26 upon the bushing 25 `and nut 27. u

. A reciprocable or linearlyA movable rod 3() is slidably mounted within2 the bushing 25. To"the.vouter end of the said rod 'a .finger piece or knob 31 is secured. The inner portion of the said knob isol'ifa size toiit loosely within the opening 21. The outer portion of the saidknob isenlargedso'asto form a shoulder 32 which is adapted to be Aseated normally againstuthe outer end of the knob 20. AThe inner end portion of the rod 30 eX- (lil Cri

split pin 40 the shaft 12 may be adjusted longitudinally through the bearings 13. The rear or inner end portion of the rod 30 is retained in engagement with the slot 35 by means of a washer 43 and a pin 4:4, the washer being located between the upper end portion of the arm 36 and the said pin and the latter operating to retain the washer in place. Normally, when the valve 3 is in closed position` the arms 11 and 36 occupy the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing. When it is desired to operate the said arms to effect opening movement of the valve 3 the knob 31 is pulled outwardly to cause a like outward movement of the rod 30. Such outward movement causes a like movement of the arm 36 to a position as indicated in dash and dot lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing and simultaneously causes pivotal movement of the shaft 12 so that the arm 11 rigidly connected therewith is moved into the position also indicated in dash and dot lines in said Fig. 3. It will be noted that the arm 11 moves upwardly thereby transmitting through the connecting link 10 a lifting force to the valve 3 to cause upward movement thereof into open position. Upon release of the knob 31 upon the emptying or discharge of the water from the tank 1 so as to permit descending movement of the valve 3, the combined weight of the latter, the connecting link 1() and of the arm 11 is sufficient to cause rotatable movement of the shaft 12 and of the arm 36 toward the rear. By reason of the contact of the upper end `portion of the arm 36 with the washer L13 the rod 30 together with the knob 3l are moved inwardly so that they are returned to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided a simple constructioncomprising a minimum number of parts constructed and combined in such manner that the likelihood of breakage is reduced to a minimum, and wherein the valve operating means is not likely to get out of order after having been installed.

Having thus described my invention.l what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. In means for actuating a flush tank valve, the combination of a rotatable shaft having an inwardly extending arm and also having an upwardly extending arm, the latter being provided with an opening therethrough adjacent its upper end` means for connecting the first named arm to the valve to be actuated, a bearing for the said shaft mounted upon a side of the said tank, and a reciprocatory rod extending through and supported by th-e said side of the tank and having its inner end extended through and slidably engaged with the opening in the second named arm, substantially as, described.

. said shaft.

2. In means for actuating a flush tankx valve, the combination of a flush tank, a shaft bearing mounted upon the inner side of a wall of said tank,la shaft mounted in said bearing, said shaft having an inwardly extending arm, connections between the said arm and the valve to be actuated, and the said shaft also being provided with an upwardly and inwardly extending arm which is provided with an opening Vadjacent its upper end, arod slidably mounted within an opening through the said side of the tank, said rod extending through the opening in the last mentioned arm, means for retaining the said rod in engagement with the said opening, and means whereby the said rod may be reciprocated to eect rotation of the 3. In means of the character described, the combination of a valve, a rotatable shaft, operative connections between the said valve and shaft, a bearing for supporting the said shaft, which bearing is mounted upon a side of the said tank, the said shaft being provided with an upwardly and inwardly extending arm having an opening through its upper end portion, a rod extending from the outside of the said wall through an opening therethrough, said rod being supported by the said wall and extending through the opening in said arm, means for retaining the said rod in engagement with the said opening, and means whereby reciprocatory movem-ent of the said rod may be effected to actuate the arm with which it is connected to thereby effect'rotation of the said shaft.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a iiush tank one wall of which is provided with an-opening eX- tending therethrough, an arm having an opening therethrough in alinement with the opening through the said wall, a bushing member extending through the said openings, means for retaining the said bushing and the said arm in position, the said arm being provided with a bearing in its outer end, a shaft mounted in said bearing, a valve,

connections between the said valve and shaft,

an arm extending upwardly and inwardly from the said shaft, said arm being provided with an opening through the upper end portion thereof, a rod slidably mounted in said bushing, the inner end of said rod eX- tending through the opening through the said last mentioned arm, means for retaining the said rod in engagement with the said opening, and means whereby outward sliding movement of the said rod within the said bushing may be effected to open the said valve.

In testimony that I claim lthe foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this L1th day of March, A. D., 1926.

VILLIAM U. GRIFFITI-IS.

Images