US2155520A - Vacuum breaker - Google Patents

Description

. J. P. woL'FF 2155520 VACUUM BREAKER April 25, 1939.

Filed May 2l 1938 l m v ,4 TTORNE V5' Patented pr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES rATl-:NT OFFICE VACUUM BREAKER Joseph P. Wolfi", Detroit, Mich.

Application May 21, 1938, Serial No. 209,240 11 claims. (o1. 137-111) This invention relates to vacuum breakers and particularly to that type employed in connection with plumbing fixtures to prevent back siphonage of water of any other liquids from a receptacle into a supply of potable water, the principal object being the provision of a device of this type that is simple in construction, eicient in operation and economical to produce.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a vacuum breaker adapted to receive a solid stream of water and so constructed and arranged as to divide such stream into a plurality of minor streams constantly open to atmospheric air, and then combining such minor streams for l5 discharge from the vacuum breaker; to provide a lvacuum breaker of the type above described in which means are provided for combining the smaller streams and discharging them from the vacuum breaker in such a manner as to form a hollow tube of. water for discharge into a receptacle; the provision of a vacuum breaker adapted to receive a solid stream of water at its inlet end and to divide such solid stream of water into a plurality of smaller streams of Water arranged for a combined ofw in a generally conical formation; the provision of a vacuum breaker as last described in which the flow of the separate streams of water in conical formation is such as to effect a swirling of the separate streams and a combining thereof at the discharge end of the vacuum breaker whereby to effect an ultimate delivery of the water in a substantially circumferentially continuous but hollow stream; the provision of a vacuum breaker as above described in which the separate streams are at all times in open communication with the atmosphere; the provision of a Vacuum breaker particularly resistant to a reversal in the direction of normal flow of water therethrough; the provision of. a

4o vacuum breaker devoid of movable parts; and the provision of a Vacuum breaker so constructed and arranged as to render reversal of flow therethrough upon a reversal of pressure between opposite ends thereof substantially impossible under 45, any condition.

The above being among the objects of the present invention the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference 50 to the accompanyingl drawing, and then claimed,

having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention and in which like numerals refer to likev parts throughout the several different views,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a water closet illustrating a preferred application of the present invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical view taken centrally through the vacuum breaker illustrated in Fig. 1 and showing a fragment of the control valve and water closet bowl at opposite ends thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the vacuum breaker shown in Fig. 2 with the drip trough and protecting shield removed therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig, 2; and, l

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken o-n line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

The danger of back siphonage of contaminated water to a potable water supply through plumbing fixtures is well recognized by those skilled in the art and particularly by sanitary engineers. Wherever there is a connection between a supply of potable water and a relatively open body of water in any receptacle such as a vat, water closet bowl, sink, pail or the like, back siphonage or withdrawal of the contaminated water in such receptacle into the pipe line containing the supply of potable water may occur at any time that the pressure of water in the supply line falls below a positive pressure unless a vacuum breaker or equivalent means is providedl in the connection between the supply line and the receptacle. The failure or reversal of the pressure in the water supply line may Loccur because of a number of reasons among which are the breaking of water mains or services, improperly designed or undersized Water supply distributing systems in buildings and particularly taller buildings, heavy demands in extended dry periods reducing normal working pressure in city mains, fire pumping apparatus connected to a re plug, the turning off of the water supply at the foot of a pipe riser, and a number of. other occurrences which will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. Back siphonage is likely to occur in a number of plumbing fixtures and especially in water closets which do not have to become plugged or clogged, although such plugging is not an infrequent occurrence, and the danger always exists. Many types of water closet bowls are so constructed as to provide submerged sipnon jets which accelerate the flushing operation of the toilet by initiating the flow of the discharge into the waste line. In other types of plumbing fixtures the discharge end of the valve or other valve controlled fitting is often submerged as a matter of design as, for instance, in bottom inlet types of bath tubes, and occurs in any oase where a hose, tube or other conduit is attached to the discharge end of a faucet or nozzle and the opposite end of the hose or the like is submerged in a tank, basin, pail or other open body of water.

Such back siphonage may be prevented from occurring by providing means for introducing into the discharge end of the supply line adjacent such plumbing fixture, whenever such reversal of pressure occurs, air in suiiicient quantities to relieve the vacuum and thus relieve the force which causes back siphonage. A number of devices of different designs have heretofore been suggested for the purpose of breaking the vacuum in a supply line for the purpose above described, but as far as I am aware none of these have proven satisfactory. The bulk of the devices heretofore suggested have `incorporated in them a movable valve or other device the displacement of which is necessary for the proper functioning of the device. Because of the fact that devices of this type when once installed are seldom inspected in service until actual failure, and thisapplies particularly to residences,v the movable parts of the devices often become corroded and stuck to such an extent as to render them inoperative and, therefore, ineffective for the purpose intended, Y

` To overcome the defects of the hereto-fore suggested constructions embodying movable parts, the present invention provides a vacuum breaker construction in which all movable parts are eliminated, thus providingv a construction which requires no servicing whatever and which will remain fully operative throughout its entire life. Vacuum breakers devoid of moving parts have also been suggested heretofore, but as far as I am aware these vacuum breakers have not proven satisfactory under all conditions of installation.

For instance, in many cases, as in connection with water closets, it is desirable to place the control valve, which must necessarily be on the upstream side of the vacuum breaker, as close as possible to the bowl, and it has been found that where these vacuum breakersvas previously suggested are placed, for instance, six inches or less from the surface of the water in the closet bowl, back siphonage may still occur under some circumstances.

The construction provided by the present invention is such as to permit the installation of the vacuum breaker within a very short distance of the surface of the water in the receptacle into which it is discharged. This advantage is obtained by separating the water flowing into the vacuum breaker into a plurality of separate streams which are constantly open to the atmosphere, and converging these streams at the discharge end of the device for discharge through a restricted opening. Preferably in thus discharging these separate streams through a restricted opening the streams lare combined at the discharge opening into a solid or substantially solid stream swirling about the axisof the dischargeopening, this having the effect of ultimately forming the discharged water from the vacuum breaker into a hollow stream for delivery to the receptacle to be supplied therefrom. Experienoe has indicated that with this construction, when properly designed, air may iiow into the vacuum breaker in such quantities as to relieve the vacuum in the supply line under the most adverse conditions with such rapidity and to such an extent, particularly with the aid of the restricted discharge port or opening restricting reversal of ilow of water through the vacuum breaker, that when the vacuum breaker is positioned above the level of the water in the receptacle by the distance above stated it is impossible for any back siphonage to occur.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention, a typical installation of a vacuum breaker is illustrated in Fig. 1 in which the numeral I indicates generally a closet bowl of any suitable or conventional construction having a water supply line I2 leading thereto controlled by a valve I4, a vacuum breaker indicated generally at I6 being interposed between the valve I4 and the closet IIJ.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, it will be noted that the, vacuum breaker includes a hollow cylindrical inlet end portion I8 and a hollow cylindrical outlet portion 20 which are arranged in axially aligned and axially spaced relation and are preferably of the same diameter.

YAt its downstream end the end portion IB is provided with a radially outwardly directed annular flange 22 in turn terminating at its radially outer edge in a downwardly directed relatively short cylindrical sleeve 24. A disc-like plate member 26 of a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the sleeve 24 is received within the lower end of the sleeve 24 and is fixed at its margins thereto.

The outer edge of the disc 26, as best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, is peripherally notched to provide in conjunction with the sleeve 24 a plurality, shown as eight merely by way of illustration, preferably equally angularly spaced openings 28 therein. A tube 30, preferably but not necessarily of rectangular sectional configuration as shown, and which may be of constant crosssectional configuration throughout its length, as shown, or may vary in cross-sectional configuration over its length to obtain any desired longitudinal contour, is fixed and sealed at its upper end to the disc 26 and sleeve 24 about the margins of each of the openings 28, and each' tube 30 extends downwardly therefrom in angularly inwardly directed relation with respect to the axis of the vacuum breaker. In other words the tubes 30 are positioned as though grouped in equallyangularly spaced relation about the surface of an imaginary cone, the apex of which is directed downwardly and the axis of which is coincident with the axes of the members I8 and 20.

In the broader aspects of the invention the tubes 30 may be arranged with their center lines arranged in planes radial with respect to the axes of the members I8 and 2U, but in order to obtain the benefits of one desirable feature of the present invention the axes of the tubes 30 are preferably all skewed with respect to such plane in the same direction about the axes of the members I8 and 2U. In other words the axes of the tubes 30 may be considered to be somewhat spirally arranged with respect to the axis of the imaginary cone about whose surface they may be assumed to begrouped. As will be appreciated, this spiral arrangement of the tubes 30 will have the e'ect of vconducting the water which flows through them in a more or less spiral path about the axis of such imaginary cone and thus having the effect of causing a swirling of such water.

The radially outer walls of the tubes 30 merge at the lower ends of the tubes into the large end of a hollow frusto-conical member 32 arranged CII with its small end in downwardly directed relay tion, with its axis coincident with the axis of the member 2l] and extending from a point above the upper end of the member 20, which it closes, to a point adjacent the lower end thereof. The lower marginal edges of the member 32 are materially spaced radially inwardly of the walls of the member 20 and form a discharge port 34 of restricted cross-sectional area for the vacuum breaker.

Although not necessary in the broader aspects of the present invention but desirable in order to permit a more ready now of air into the tubes 30 when necessary to break a vacuum in the supply line I2, the radially inner walls of the tubes 30 are cut-away at their lower ends, as indidated at 36, for a short distance above the upper end of the member 32. Likewise while not essential in the broader aspects of the present invention that circumferential wall of each tube 30 more advanced in the direction of downward turning of the spiral arrangement thereof about the axis of the vacuum breaker is preferably extended as at 38 down the inner surface of the frusto-conical member 32 to a point adjacent the discharge end thereof as best indicated in Fig. 2. This aids in minimizing any tendency of the water flowing through the vacuum breaker from piling up at the bottom of the cone 32 and attempting to reverse its direction of ow.

The construction thus far described is that shown in side elevation in Fig. 3 in which it will be noted that a relatively large opening 40 is provided in the vacuum breaker circumferentially thereof between each adjacent pair of tubes 30 and axially between the disc 2B and the upper end of the frusto-conical member 32. It will also be understood that the construction thus far de scribed and illustrated in Fig. 3 comprises the main elements, with the preferences noted, going to make up a device in accordance with the present invention, these features being broadly an inlet such as I8 adapted to receive a solid stream of water, means such as the disc 26 for diverting the flow of the incoming water away from the center thereof, means including openings such as 28 and tubes such as 3D for dividing the flow of water into a plurality of separate streams collectively arranged in conical relation and means, shown in the frusto-conical member 32, arranged to re-combine the separate streams and to discharge them from the vacuum breaker.

It will be understood from the foregoing that a solid stream of water flowing into the inlet end of the inlet connection I8 is obstructed in its direct path of flow by the disc member 26 which diverts it to the outer edges thereof and specifically to the various openings 28 through which it flows into the corresponding tubes 30. The water in flowing in individual streams through the various tubes 38 flows downwardly and inwardly and, as described, preferably in a spiral path of diminishing radius to the interior surfaces of the frusto-conical member 32 where a'continuous flow in a spiral path is preferably assured by the extensions 38 of at least one side wall of each of the tubes 3D, and is discharged therefrom through the port 34 formed by the small end of the member 32. It may be stated that it is preferable to so proportion the cross-sectional area of the discharge port 34 that the various streams of water discharged through the various tubes 3l) will combine at or slightly below the discharge port 34 into a momentarily solid stream. This stream, however, because of its swirling action in passing downwardly beyond the point of convergence of the various streams flowing through the tubes 30 will, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, expand radially outwardly in its downward flow into contact with the inner walls of the inlet connection 42 for the toilet seat l0 and will flow downwardly through the same as a hollow cylindrical stream. The advantage of this feature of the construction is that such hollow stream will more readily collapse under a reversal of pressure in the vacuum breaker than would a solid stream, and consequently would require a greater reversal of force to effect a reversal of flow of water through the vacuum breaker. Additionally the discharge port 34 being relatively restricted and the shape and arrangement of the member 32 providing the discharge port 34 being such as to provide a maximum obstructing effect upon any tendency towards reversal of flow through the discharge end of the vacuum breaker, it will be appreciated that the resistance offered to such reversal of flow through the discharge end is material.

It will also be appreciated from the above description that the water delivered through the vacuum breaker during normal operation, and consequently any water within it upon reversal of the supply pressure, is fully open at all times to the atmosphere through the openings 40 between the tubes 38, thus insuring all water between the interior of the vacuum breaker and the receptacle, where the receptacle is open to atmospheric pressure, being subjected at all times to atmospheric pressure. This feature thus permits the water to seek its level under the force of gravity and to substantially prevent, under the most adverse conditions, any tendency toward a reversal of ilow of water from the receptacle upwardly through the discharge end of the vacuum breaker upon the creation of a suction or vacuum in the supply line. Even under such adverse conditions, in view of the fact that the interior of the vacuum breaker is constantly open to atmospheric air, the combined areas of the various tubes 38 will be suicient to immediately relieve any suction or vacuum which may occur in the supply line l2 and prevent any effects thereof from being transmitted through the discharge end of the vacuum breaker to the contents of the receptacle into which the supply line is adapted to discharge.

Because of the fact that the water flowing through the vacuum breaker is constantly open to the atmosphere through the various openings 4l), the rush of water in various streams from the tubes 33 and their combining in the member 32 will often be audible exteriorly of the vacuum breaker unless some means are provided for mufliing the same. Furthermore it has been found that when the vacuum breaker is operating under the most adverse conditions, as for instance when it is positioned exceptionally close to the normal level of water in a receptacle fed therethrough and the valve controlling a supply of water through the vacuum breaker is operated in quickly repeated cycles, an occasional drop or small amount of spray may find its way out through the openings 40. To prevent loss of such occasional drop or spray of water and to mufe the sound of the rush of water through the vacuum breaker the following mechanism is provided. An annular upwardly directed trough member t4 is positioned in surrounding relation with respect to the member 20, with its inner bottom edge in approximately flush relationship with respect to the upper edge of the cone 32, and is 'I5 sealed thereto at its inner margin. A downwardly and outwardly directed annular shield 46 is sealed at its upper end to the sleeve member 24 and extends outwardly and downwardly therefrom, its lower end being of a maximum diameter less than the maximum diameter of the trough 44 so that any spray or drops of water striking the same will drain downwardly into the trough 44 where it may drain back into the interior of the member 2i) through one of the openings 40. A second outwardly and downwardly directed shield member 50 is secured at its upper end with respect to the vacuum breaker as by being secured to the upper end of the shield 46 as indicated, or in any other suitable manner, and extends outwardly and downwardly therefrom in generally radially outwardly spaced relation with respect to the shield 46, its outer end preferably extending downwardly into at least axially flush relationship with respect to the upper edge of the trough member 44 and into radially outwardly spaced relation with respect thereto so as to shield the interior of the vacuum breaker against direct passage of foreign material thereinto from the outside thereof. The construction thus far described, including the trough member 44 and shields 45 and 50 are sufficient in and of themselves to form a more or less maze-like passage communicating the air exteriorly of the Vacuum breaker with the air interiorly thereof which will act to muiile the transmission of any audible sound between the inside and the outside of the vacuum breaker, This muflling effect may be increased, however, by providing a mass of loose fibrous sound absorbing material such as 52 in the space between the shields 46 and 50 as indicated.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit or substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vacuum breaker, in combination, an inlet connection adapted to receive a solid stream of water, means for separating said stream into a plurality of smaller streams, and means for directing said smaller streams for flow over the surface of an imaginary cone toward the apex thereof.

2. In a Vacuum breaker, in combination, means for receiving a solid stream of water, means for diverting water away from the center of said stream and dividing it into a plurality of separate streams, means for guiding said separate streams for ow over the surface of an imaginary cone spirally of the axis thereof, and said separate streams being in constant open communication with the atmosphere exteriorly of said vacuum breaker.

3. In a vacuum breaker, in combination, an inlet connection adapted to receive a solid stream of water and an outlet connection, means for diverting the flow of said solid stream of water from the center thereof and dividing it into a plurality of separate streams arranged circularly about said center, and means for diverting said streams downwardly and inwardly towards the center of said outlet connection providing openings affording constant open communication between at least a portion of said streams and the atmosphere exteriorly of said vacuum breaker.

4. A Vacuum breaker comprising, in combination, an inlet connection adapted to receive a solid stream of water and an outlet connection,

means for diverting said solid stream of water away from the center thereof and into a plurality of separate streams of water, a downwardly converging frusto-conical member associated with said outlet connection, and means for discharging said separate streams of water into said frusto-conical member, the interior of said vacuum breaker being in constant open communication between said separate streams with the atmosphere.

5. In a vacuum breaker, in combination, an inlet connection adapted to receive a iiow of water and an outlet connection providing discharge for said water, means for separating the flow of water entering said inlet connection into a plurality of separate streams arranged in circular formation, means for directing said separate streams of water downwardly and inwardly with respect to said vacuum breaker, and means cooperating with said outlet connection adapted to re-combine said separate streams for discharge from said vacuum breaker.

6. A vacuum breaker comprising, in combination, an inlet conection and an outlet connection, means for separating water flowing into said inlet connection into a plurality of circularly arranged separate streams, means in constant open communication with the atmosphere exteriorly of said vacuum breaker receiving and guiding said separate streams downwardly and inwardly with respect to the axis of said Vacuum breaker, and means associated with said outlet connection for receiving and combining said separate streams for discharge from said outlet connection.

7. A vacuum breaker comprising, in combination, an inlet connection with an outlet connection, means for separating water flowing into said inlet connection into a plurality of separate streams arranged outwardly with respect to the axis of said vacuum breaker, a downwardly converging frusto-conical member arranged centrally of said vacuum breaker in downwardly spaced relation wth respect to the last mentioned means, and a plurality of means providing between them constant open communication between the water interiorly of said vacuum breaker and the atmosphere exteriorly thereof for receiving and guiding said separate streams into the interior of said frusto-conical member.

8. A vacuum breaker comprising, in combination, an inlet connection and an outlet connection, means for separating water owing into said inlet connection into a plurality of separate streams arranged outwardly with respect to the axis of said vacuum breaker, a downwardly converging frusto-conical member arranged centrally of said vacuum breaker in downwardly spaced relation with respect to the last mentioned means, and a plurality of means providing between them constant open communication between the water interiorly of said vacuum breaker and the atmosphere exteriorly thereof for receiving and guiding said separate streams into the interior of said frusto-conical member, the last mentioned means being so constructed and arranged as to effect a rotary motion of said separate streams about the axis of said vacuum breaker.

9. A vacuum breaker comprising, in combination, an inlet connection and an outlet connection, means for separating water flowing into said inlet connection into a plurality of separate streams arranged outwardly with respect to the axis of said vacuum breaker, a downwardly converging frusta-corneal member arranged central- V ly of said vacuum breaker in downwardly spaced relation with respect to the last mentioned means, and a plurality of means providing between them constant open communication between the water interiorly of said vacuum breaker and the atmosphere exteriorly thereof for receiving and guiding said separate streams into the interoior of said frusto-conical member, the last mentioned means comprising tubes directed spirally of the axis of said vacuum breaker.

10. A vacuum breaker comprising, in combination, an inlet connection and an outlet connection, means for separating water owing into said inlet connection into a plurality of separate streams arranged outwardly with respect to the axis of said vacuum breaker, a downwardly converging frusto-conical member arranged centrally of said vacuum breaker in downwardly spaced relation with respect to the last mentioned means, a plurality of means providing between them constant open communication between the water interiorly of said vacuum breaker and the atmosphere exteriorly thereof for receiving and guiding said separate streams into the interior of said frusto-conical member, the last mentioned means comprising tubes directed spirally of the axis of said vacuum breaker, and a wall portion of at least part of said tube being extended downwardly into the interior of said frusto-conical member.

11. A vacuum breaker comprising, in combination, an inlet connection and an outlet connection, means for separating water flowing into said inlet connection into a plurality of separate streams arranged outwardly with respect to the axis of said vacuum breaker, a downwardly converging frusto-conical member arranged centrally of said vacuum breaker in downwardly spaced relation with respect to the last mentioned means, a plurality of means providing between them constant open communication between the water interiorly of said vacuum breaker and the atmosphere exteriorly thereof for receiving and guiding said separate streams into the interior of said frusto-conical member, the last mentioned means comprising tubes directed spirally of the axis of said vacuum breaker, and a radially inner wall portion of each of said tubes being removed axially above the upper end of said frustoconical member.

JOSEPH P. WOLFF.

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