US2250291A

US2250291A - Vacuum breaker for water systems

Info

Publication number: US2250291A
Application number: US286025A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward W N Boosey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-07-22
Filing date: 1939-07-22
Publication date: 1941-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 1958-07-22

Description

'E. wQN. BQOSEY 2,250,291

VACUUM BREAKER FOR WATER SYSTEMS Filed Ju1y22, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q l v Q "a "3 w r-"al k INVENTOR- fan are 14f A/Boosqy ATTORNEY.

July 22,- 1941 E. w. N. BOQSEY- VACUUM BREAKER E03 wATERsYsTEMs Filed .nil zz', 19:59

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I LNVENTOR. Edward l'MM-Boosey BY 2 i ATTORNEY Patented July 22, 1941 onrreo stares PATENT orrice 2,250,291 VACUUM BREAKER FOR WATER SYSTEMS Edward W. N. Bocsey, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 22, 1939, Serial No. 286,025

3 Claims. (Cl. 137-111) This invention relates to vacuum breakers for introduction in a water system to a building wherein water may be discharged to a container, sink or the like for the cleansing of devices tending to contaminate the water, the vacuum breaker functioning to prevent the drawing of the contaminated water into the system.

In many cases as, for instance, in hospitals where'bed pans, surgical instruments and all classes of devices require to be cleansed, they are usually washed in water supplied through a conduit opening to a tank below the liquid level therein and the opening of a faucet at a point below the valve controlling the flow of water to the tank tends to cause a vacuum and suck the contaminated water into the Water supply lines.

The object of the invention therefore is to provide a new and improved device of simple construction without moving parts and automatically functioning to prevent a vacuum in the water supply line in its normal condition of use.

The structure embodying the invention may be of various forms as is indicated in the accompanying drawings in which- A Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing my improved vacuum breaker in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is an alternative structure corresponding in general to that shown in Fig. l. r v

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional elevation of an alternative form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the location of the vacuum breaker in a water system and the container to which the water is discharged. 7

Fig. 5 shows an alternative form of construction of my improved vacuum breaker and its association with a sink. v

In its preferred form, as shown in Fig. 1, the vacuum breaker consists of a cast body i. At one side the body is provided with a tubular threaded extension or hub 2 toreceive the pipe line 3 of the water system and at its lower end and diametrically opposite to the extension 2 is a similar extension or hub 4 to receive the conduit 5 extending into the container for the cleansing of contaminated elements. The conduit like portion extending in a vertical line from the extension 2 to the extension 4 has provided therein a hollow cone 3 of approximately the fulldiameter of the conduit 3 at its upper end and having a restricted discharge aperture 7 at the lower end adjacent the threaded extension l. On one side of the conduit formed between the extensions 2 and 4, the body is provided with an upwardly inclined passageway 8 which opens at one end to the con- 'the lower end of the cone element 6. The channel or passageway 8 opens at its opposite end to a chamber 9 and is provided with an upper curved wall If) tending to deflect any material flowing in the channel 8 downwardly in the chamber 9 which has an outlet H at its bottom for connection of a conduit. The chamber 9 at its upper end is formed with an open ended extension l2, the upper edge being provided with a series of spaced lugs l3 and a cap I4 is placed on the upper end of the lugs and is secured in place by a screw [5 which extends downwardly into the chamber l2 and into a threaded aperture in the terminal end 16 of the curved wall Ill. The spaces between the lugs provide openings to atmosphere.

In Fig. 1 the bottom wall ll of the device is provided with a threaded aperture II and. a hollow space 18 is provided between said wall I1 and the bottom wall of the channel 8 asshown while the vertical wall l9 forms one side of the channel between the chamber 9 and the threaded aperture H. The aperture II is threaded to receive a pipe 29 which may be positioned over the container and through which any drip in the vacuum breaker may fall back into the container or it may be positioned to discharge outside of the container.

In the tubular extension 2, there is provided a bar 28 extending diametrically across the extension and is centrally threaded to receive a screw 2|. The screw is provided with a preferably rounded head 22 at the lower end and is provided at its upper end with a slot 23 enabling the screw to be threaded upwardly or downwardly in the bar to position the head 22 nearer to or farther from the outlet aperture of the cone 6. Water systems differ in pressure or in head and if a high head prevails, the end 22 of the screw is positioned lower in the cone restricting the area of the passageway and if a low or medium water head prevails, the. member 22 is raised to provide for a freer flow of water through the device.

An alternative structure for restricting the passageway may be provided as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1. This consists of a screw Zla extendingthrough a threaded aperture provided in the wall I and cone Band permitting the screw to be introduced to a greater or less distance across the interior of the lower end of the cone. This is desirable as it permits adjustment of the area of the water passageway from the exterior of the device.

The operation of the device will be more readily understood from Fig. 4 wherein is shown a container 24 into which the conduit 5 enters at its bottom or adjacent the bottom. The conduit 3 above the vacuum breaker is provided with a valve 25 and is connected in a conduit portion 25 of the water system. A branch conduit portion 21 forms part of the water system and has a valve 28 below the valve 25 in the conduit 3.

Normally with the conduit 5 connected in the water system and opening to the container below the liquid level if the valve 28 be opened while the valve 25 is still open, liquid in the container 24 will be drawn into the water system and thus discharged through the faucets or drinking fountains connected therewith.

The apparatus when positioned in the system as indicated in Fig. 4 functions to prevent siphonage of the contents of the tank or container 24 into the water system by permitting air from atmosphere to pass into the channel 8 and thence to the upper end of the conduit 5 which opens below the liquid level in the container 24. Thus any suction produced in the line 26, as by the opening of the valve 29, is relieved by the inflow of air through the device into the upper end of the conduit 5 and thence to the main conduit 26 thereby preventing'entrainment of the liquid in the container 24 into the water system.

Itis sometimes desirable to provide a vacuum breaker in which any liquid that may be discharged into the chamber 9 passes back into the conduit 5 instead of to a separate conduit 29 as is the case with the structure shown in Fig. 1. If an outlet such as the conduit 29 is not desired or is not possible due to some different arrangement of parts, I provide the structure shown in Fig. 2.

In the form of structure shown in Fig. 2, I provide a channel 30 of tapered or conical form having a small opening 3| opening to the lower extension 4 corresponding to that shown at 4 in Fig. 1 and a larger opening 32 open to the bottom of the chamber 9 corresponding to the chamber 9 in Fig. 1 and with this construction it is desirable to carry the wall 6 of the cone member to a point opposite the opening 3| as is indicated at 33 in Fig. 2. With this arrangement, any water that might tend to accumulate in the chamber 9 is passed back into the container to which the pipe 5 opens. Thus any water, due to splash, that might pass upwardly through the channel 8 into the chamber 9 may flow therefrom through the passageway 30 to the conduit 5.

In Fig. 3 is shown another form of construction of the invention. In this structure there is a conduit like portion formed by the threaded axially aligned portions 40 at the upper end and 4| at the lower end and preferably integrally formed with the conduit section 49 is a coned element 42 having a small terminal aperture 43 within the body 44. This body is formed at one side of the tubular portions 40 and 4| with an extension 45 at the terminal upper end of which is a tubular portion 46 having the apertured or slotted upper edge providing for intake of air. A cap 41 is provided for the tubular portion 46 supported in place by the screw 48 and the tubular portion opening at its bottom on one side through an aperture 49 in communication with the passageway 45.

Preferably a splash wall 50 is provided in the passageway 45 spaced from the upper and lower walls of the passageway and also spaced from the aperture 49 and thus providing secondary passageways 5| at the bottom and 52 at the top.

-from the bottom.

I also provide a dividing wall 53 between the bottom end of the cone member and the portion 4| to which the conduit 54 is connected and leading to a container. The dividing wall 53 is apertured at 55 in axial alignment with the opening 43 of the cone. The wall 56 of the chamber 44 is upwardly inclined and the dividing wall 53 has an upwardly inclined portion 51 parallel therewith and terminating short of a vertical wall 58 of the extension 45. This wall 53 provides a lower passageway 59 which opens to the passageway 45 of the extension and any water that may splash upwardly into ,the device on delivery of water into the container or otherwise can pass upwardly and through the passageway 5| to the chamber 46 and air may pass from the upper end of the chamber 46 through the passageway 52 to the opposite side of the wall 51 and thence to the cone. Thus there is an air and water passageway definitely provided in this structure and is serviceable in many cases particularly where this form of vacuum breaker is placed close to the liquid surface of a container. The function, however, is identical with that first described and is to be incorporated in a water system in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 1.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 5, I have indicated the adaptability of the device for use in conjunction with a sink 60 in which a certain volume of water is usually maintained and wherein the level of liquid may be provided by extending the outlet 5| thereinto a certain height This form of device is well adapted for use in such arrangement as it can all be positioned beneath the drain board 62 on which are positioned the articles to be washed in the sink. In this case, the body of the vacuum breaker is indicated at 63 as having an inlet 64 on one side with which the valve controlled pipe 65 of the water supply system is connected. Within the body of the device and preferably open on one side to the inlet 65 is a coned element 66 having an aperture 61 at a. right angle to the axis of the inlet pipe in the hub 64 and axially aligned with the axis of the apertured end of the cone is another threaded hub 68 for receiving an outlet pipe 69 opening to the bottom of the sink 60. The body 63 has opposite the inlet portion a conduit 10 which extends through the side wall of the sink 60 or is open to the sink above the normal liquid level therein thus providing for inflow of air under conditions as hereinafter stated. As in previous instances, means is provided to control the area of the passageway through the coned element 66 and in this in stance such means consists of a threaded bolt like element ll having a coned lower end I2 which may be brought nearer to or farther from the outlet aperture 61.

With the device as shown in Fig. 5, by opening the valve 12 in the inlet line, water may be injected through the cone and the pipe 69 into the sink but if some other valve in the water system connected with the pipe 63 is opened at a point in a plane vertically below the valve 12, suction will tend to be produced in the line 65. In view of the conduit 10 opening to atmosphere within the sink, air will be drawn into the device and pass through the aperture 61 to the line 65 and prevent suction of the liquid from the sink through the line 69 and into the water system.

Either of the devices shown therefore serve to prevent a vacuum in a water system connected therewith and thus prevent flow of contaminated liquid from a container into the water system proper and thereby prevents contamination of Water flowing to drinking fountains and faucets wherever they may be used in a building. The device is not only serviceable particularly for hospitals and such structures wherein considerable contamination of liquid in a container for washing or cleaning various articles may commonly occur but is also useful in any water system where a conduit to a receptacle 'of some character extends to below the liquid level in the receptacle. Its purpose therefore is to assure non-contamination of water in a water system, a portion of which opens to a liquid body that may be contaminated.

From the foregoing description, it is believed evident that the device is of simple and inexpensive construction; that by this construction, I have been able to dispense with all moving parts which often fail to function, and that the various features and objects of the invention are attained by the construction described, it being pointed out that various changes in the form and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A vacuum breaker for connection in the conduit of a water system discharging to a liquid container, comprising a chambered body having vertically aligned openings for connection in the conduit, and a hollow coned element therein tapering in the direction of the discharge through the conduit and having an open smaller end, the

body having a chambered portion including a passageway of inverted U form open at one end adjacent the small end of the cone and at its opposite end to the chambered element and the chambered element having an opening to atmosphere above said U shaped passageway and an opening therebelow for discharge of liquid from the chambered portion.

2. A vacuum breaker for connection in a conduit of a water system discharging to a liquid container, comprising a body having axially aligned hubs on one side thereof for connection in and forming part of the conduit, a coned element opening at its base to the inlet hub of the body and extending toward the opposite hub, said body having a passageway on one side thereof opening to the body between the aligned hubs and a chambered portion to which said passageway opens, said chambered portion having an opening to atmosphere in its upper section and an opening in its lower section providing for discharge of liquid therefrom.

3. A vacuum breaker for connection in a water discharge conduit of a water system wherein the said conduit has a discharge opening below the liquid level in a container, comprising a chambered body having a passageway on one side through which liquid is discharged from the conduit, a passageway on the other side leading to atmosphere, and a passageway below said last named passageway through which liquid may flow from said other side of the body to the first named passageway, the arrangement providing for flow of air to the water-discharge conduit in the event of reduction in pressure therein to thereby prevent flow of liquid from the container to the water discharge conduit;

' EDWARD W. N. BOOSEY.