US2804088A - Valve - Google Patents

Description

vAllg- 1957 w. T. KENNEDY, JR 2,804,088

VALVE Filed May 24, 1955 3 Walter .Tliezaaacir efi A TTURNEY.

United States Patent 2,804,088 VALVE Walter Truesdale Kennedy, Jr., Washington, D. C. Application May 24, 1955, Serial No. 510,877 4 Claims. (Cl. 137448) (Granted under Title 35, U. s. Code 1952 sec. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to valves, and more particularly to float controlled valves designed for use in fluid reservoirs, such for example as toilet flush tanks.

In many fluid reservoirs havingautomatically controlled inlet valves, it has been customary to employ a type of valve known in the trade as a ball-cock valve. Many difficulties have been encountered in the use of such valves, especially when used in toilet flush tanks. In spite of elaborate precautions taken to reduce water noises and wasted water, such difiiculties have persisted. Further more, many of the valves employed heretofore have been relatively complicated and expensive to construct and maintain in operating condition.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved float controlled valve.

Another object of the lnvention is to provide a new and improved valve assembly which may be easily in stalled and removed from a flush tank, and having a sim' plified structure-inwhich the component parts are readily replaceable. i V

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, when studied in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a toilet flush tank having mounted therein a valve embodying the invention, with the front wall of the tank broken away to show its internal construction;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the toilet flush tank shown I in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the valve embodying the invention shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, horizontal section taken along line 6-6 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section, corresponding to Fig. 6, showing a portion of a modified valve housing embodying the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a toilet flush tank 10 designed to function as a water reservoir for a conventional toilet bowl 12, of which only a fragment is shown. In the usual manner, the tank 10 communicates with the bowl 12 through a flush valve 14, to which a vertical overflow pipe 16 is connected. In Fig. l the water level in the tank 10 is located near the upper end of the overflow pipe 16, which is the normal condition of the tank when it is full. The flush valve 14 maybe actuated to discharge the supply of water in the tank 10 for the purpose of flushing the toilet bowl 12, by manually operating a handle 18 mounted pivotally section takcnalong line 44 of 32 which extends ice on the front wall of the tank 10 and connected 'to the flush valve 14 through a linkage mechanism 20. The flush valve 14 automatically closes itself when the water level in the tank 10 falls to a predetermined low point located a short distance above the bottom of the tank After each flushing operation, the water needed to refill the tank it? enters through a supply pipe 22, which communicates with the tank 10 through a valve assembly 24 embodying the present invention. The operation of the valve assembly 24 is controlled by a float 26, which rises and falls in accordance with the water level in the tank 10. The float 26 is threaded onto the upper end of a vertical rod 28, and the lower end of this rod is joined pivotally and loosely to one end of a lever arm 30. The other end of the lever arm 30 is secured to a rock shaft through a cylindrical valve housing 34 for the valve assemble 24. The vertical rod 28 extends slidably through a horizontal guide arm 36 mounted on the top of the valve housing 34. By means of a pair of setscrews 38-68, a pair of stops 4040 are *adjustably secured to the vertical rod 28 on opposite sides of the arm 36. The stops 40--40 limit the upward and downward movement of the vertical rod 28, as it rises and falls with the float 26 during changes in the water level in the tank 10. The leverage provided by the lever arm 30 effectively translates the vertical movement of the float 26 into oscillatory movement of the rock shaft 32.

The cylindrical valve housing 34 generally resembles an inverted cup in configuration. It is provided with a relatively large interior chamber 42 and an exteriorly threaded bottom end 44. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the bottom end 44 threadedly engages a hexagonal head 46 of an adapter 48, which extends through the bottom of the tank 10. A washer 50 is compressed between the threaded bottom end 44 and the hexagonal head 46, and another washer 51 is compressed between the head 46 and the bottom wall of the tank 10. The adapter 48 is secured tightly in sealing engagement with the wall of the tank 10 by the cooperation of the head 46 with a nut 52 which is threaded onto the projecting outer end of the adapter 48. In turn the adapter 48 is joined to the supply pipe 22 by a union 54 (Fig. l).

The interior chamber 42 in the cup-shaped housing 34 may be of any suitable shape, but is shown for convenience as generally cylindrical and open at its bottom end. When the housing 34 is viewed in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 6, it is apparent that its exterior is circular in configuration, and that its interior is likewise circular except for a flat wall 56 formed on one side of the chamber 42. The rock shaft 32 extends through the housing 34 in the transverse midpoint of the flat wall 56, but somewhat below the longitudinal midpoint thereof. The inner end of the shaft 32 is secured to one end of an elongated valve 58, which is movable in sliding engagement with the flat wall 56. Oscillation of the shaft 32 swings the valve 58, and thereby causes it to slide back and forth across the flat wall 56 alternately between an open position and a closed position. In its closed position the valve 58 covers an exit port 60 which extends through the flat wall 56 a short distance above the shaft 32, and in its open position the valve 58 uncovers the port 60 thereby permitting water to flow therethrough. In Fig. 3 the valve 58 is drawn in full lines in its closed position, and it is drawn in broken lines in its open position.

At all times water under pressure is free to flow from the supply pipe 22 into the chamber 42. When the valve 58 is open, the water is free to flow through the chamber 42 and out into the tank 10 through the exit port 60. The water flows into the chamber 42 through a restricted inlet port 62 formed in the adapter 48, and thence through the open bottom of the chamber 42. Of course, instead of 3 having the port 62 formed in the adapter 48, the bottom of the chamber 42 could be closed and have the port 62 formed therein. However, such structure is more complicated to manufacture.

It should be observed that the restricted inlet por t-62 is smaller in cross-sectional area than is :the exit port 60, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby reducing water noises caused by turbulence, such as hissing. Furthermore, the chamber 42 is sufliciently large in volume to provide -a cushioning effect whenever the valve 58 is operated suddenly, thereby materially reducing other water noises, such as hammering. 7

Unlike conventional toilet flush tanks, in the tank 10 the float controlled valve 58 embodying the invention is located at the bottom of the tank. This location is desired in order to have the exit port -60 open directly into the water in the tank 10 Well :below the lowest water level reached in the .tank at .any time during normal flushing operations. Hence, the jet of water which issues from the port when the valve 58is openis always entirely underwater. Thus, in valves embodying the invention splashing and dripping noises cially during refilling operations.

In some cases it may be considered desirable to install a siphon tube 64 extending from the valve assembly .24 to the open top of the vertical overflow pipe 16. The siphon tube 64 communicates with the exit port 60 through the top of the housing 34. The tube 64 is bent as 'required to provide adequate clearance for the vertical movement of the float 26. The purpose of the tube 64 is to supply a small quantity of water to the toilet bowl 12 after the flush valve 14 has closed, to refill the bowl 12 while the tank 10 is being refilled.

The water in the supply pipe 22 is usually maintained under high pressure, which may be as high as 60 pounds per square inch. Of course, the same pressure conditions normally prevail within the chamber 42. Under such conditions, special precautions must be taken to prevent leaks in the valve assembly 24, and to insure'tha't the valve 58 is capable of moving freely when actuated. Thehig'h water pressure in the chamber 42 causes the valve 58 to be thrust against the flat wall 56 with considerable force. In order to reduce the friction between the wall 56 and the valve 58, their meeting faces are preferably composed of a smooth, hard material having a low coeflicient of friction, especially when wet. For this purpose the wall '56 and the valve 58 may be constructed from a suitable hard metal or plastic having such characteristics, and their meeting faces should preferably be polished to a high degree. One well-known plastic material 'having these characteristics is polytetrafiuorethylene.

In order to prevent leakage around the valve 58, this valve is hollowed out to provide a pair of spaced, closed flanges or rims 6666, shown most clearly in Fig. '5, located at opposite ends of the face of the valve 58 in sliding contact with the flat Wall 56. As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and '6, one of the flanges '66 66 surrounds the inner end of the shaft 32, and member surrounds the exit port 60 when the valve 58 is closed. The flanges 66-66 produce tight water seals in the portions of the fiat wall 56 which they cover, because all of the force exerted by the high water pressure in forcing the valve 58 against the flat wall 56 is concentrated in the small contact area defined by these flanges. Furthermore, by reducing the contact area between the wall '56 and the valve'58,-the flanges 66-66 function to reduce friction between these members.

The pivot point of the valve 58 is located between the inlet port "62 and the exit port 60. This pivot point is at the 'lower end of the valve 58, where it is secured to the rock shaft 32, and the upper end of the valve '58 is swingable between its open and its closed positions. Due to this arrangement, the flow of water through the chamber '42 from the inlet port 62 to the exit port 60 are effectively eliminated, espetime thereafter.

assists the valve 58 in overcoming friction during its initial movement towards its closed position.

Both the valve housing 34 and the adapter 48 may be formed by casting, molding or-stamping from any suitable material such as metal or plastic. In fact, these members may be formed from a clear, transparent plastic, such as polymerized methyl methacrylate, thereby rendering the interior of the valve .assembly 24 visible through the walls thereof. Moreover, 'due to the simplified structure of valve assemblies embodying -the invention, their component parts may be formed rapidly and inexpensively by utilizing plastics in their construction.

The flat wall 56 may be formed as an integral part of the housing 34, or this wall may be formed separately and be inserted into the housing. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the flat wall 56 is an integral part of the housing 34. Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the invention in which a cylindrical valve housing 70, corresponding to the housing 34, is provided with a separately formed flat wall 72 on one side of its interior chamber 74. A cooperating valve 76 is mounted in sliding contact with the wall 72 to control the of water through a port 7-8 formed therein. In this embodiment of the invention the wall 72 and the valve 76 may 'be constructed from a material different from the "material of which the housing 70 is composed. As one possible example, the housing 70 may be composed of polymerized methyl methacrylate, while the wall 72 and the 'valve 76'may be composed of polytetrafluorethylene.

"Operation When the toilet flush tank 10 is full, the float 26 is at rest floating at the water level near the top of the tank, as shown in Fig. 1. At this time both the flush valve -14and the float controlled valve '58 embodying the invention are closed. The toilet bowl 12 may be flushed by manually actuating the handle 18 to open the flush valve .14., thereby'allowing the water contained in the tank 10 to flow into the bowl 1 2. As the water level falls in the tank 10, the float .26 .moves vertically downward, and thereby causes the lever arm 30 and the valve 58 to pivot from their ,positions shown in full lines in Fig. 3, to their positions shown in broken lines therein. This action causes the valve 58 to uncover the exit port 60 to open this valve, and water is then free to flow from the supply pipe 22 through "the chamber 42 into the tank 10.

The float controlled valve -58starts to open very soon after the water level in the tank10 begins to fall, and this valve becomes fully opened in a very short period of As soon as the float 26 has moved downwardly a distance equal to the interval between the pair of stops 4040 secured to the vertical rod 28, the valve 58 is fully opened. Hence, the valve 58 permits water to flow into the tank 10 at its maximum rate of flow very soon after the tank begins to empty. Valves embodying the invention operate much [faster than the conventional ball-cock valves which have usually been employed heretofore in toilet flush tanks. This characteristic of valves embodying-the invention makes it possible toemploy smaller TflLlSh tanks'to achieve the same degree of flushing etficiency. Furthermore, the rapid action of such valves enables the flow of the waterto be timed more accurately, thereby preventing waste of water.

After the waterlevelrin the tank -10falls to a predetermined low point located a short distance above .the bottom of the tank :10, the .flush valve 14- automatically .closes itself. This -lowcst,.=level .reached by the water in the .tank 10 is well above the exit port 60 in the valve housing .34, so that the jet of incoming water issuing from this port is entirely underwater. This arrangement effectively eliminates any splashing or dripping noises which might be created whilethe tank is being refilled.

With the flush valve '14 closed while the float controlled valve 58 remains open, the water, level in the tank rises rapidly. Eventually the water level reaches the float 26 and carries the float upwardly also. As the float 26 rises, it pulls the vertical rod 28 upwardly, thereby pivoting the lever arm 30 to swing the valve 58 to its closed position. Due to the fact that the pivot point of the valve 58 is located on its lower end where it is connected to the rock shaft 32, and the upper end of the valve 58 is swingable to cover the port 60, the initial movement of the valve 58 towards its closed position caused by the lever arm 30 is assisted by the upward flow of the water through the chamber 42 towards the port 60. This action shuts the float controlled valve 58, and completes a full cycle of flushing and refilling operations.

Valves embodying the invention are operative over a 1 wide range of water pressures. However, the invention is particularly useful when the water supplied is under a high pressure. In such case, the hollowed out portions of the valve 58 formed by the circular flanges or rims 6666 thereon reduce the contact area between the valve 58 and the flat wall 56, so that the friction between these members is reduced, thereby permitting the valve 58 to slide across the wall 56 despite the high water pressure. The force exerted by the high water pressure against the valve 58 holds the valve in place against the wall 56, and insures the formation of tight water seals around the shaft 32 and the port 60. The effectiveness of these water seals is increased by having all of the force exerted by the high pressure water against the valve 58 concentrated in the limited contact area defined by the flanges 6666. Under these circumstances it is desirable for the wall 56 and the valve 58 to be constructed from materials having a low coeflicient of friction.

A feature of the invention is the ease with which the valve assembly 24 may be installed and removed from the tank 10. Due to the presence of the adapter 48, the assembly 24 may be removed without disconnecting the water supply pipe 22. This may be accomplished merely by unscrewing the housing 34'from the hexagonal head 46 of the adapter 48.

Another feature of the invention is the ease with which the valve 58 may be removed and replaced. This operation is facilitated by the fact the length of the rock shaft 32 is less than the distance between opposite sides of the chamber 42. Hence, after the housing has been unscrewed from the hexagonal head 46 and the lever arm 30 has been disconnected from the shaft 32, it is merely necessary to push the entire shaft 32 into the chamber 42 and let the shaft 32 and valve 58 fall out of the bottom end 44 of the housing 34. Thus, the valve 58 may be readily replaced when it becomes worn. Likewise, when the flat wall 56 becomes worn it may be replaced by simply substituting a new housing for the housing 34. In the case of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7, it is obvious that the flat wall 72 is capable of being slid out of the housing 70 for replacement when it becomes worn.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with particular reference to toilet flush tanks, it is evident that the principles of the invention may be utilized in other fluid systems. Numerous changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

I claim:

'1. A valve assembly for controlling the flow of water into a tank, which comprises a housing mounted in the bottom of the tank and having an internal chamber open at its bottom end, an adapter secured to the housing and extending through the bottom of the tank to connect the open end of the chamber with a water supply pipe, one side of said chamber having a flat wall through which an exit port extends directly into the tank, a valve having a pair of closed flanges mounted in sliding contact with the flat wall and swingable between a closed position covering the exit port and an open position uncovering said port, one of said flanges forming a water tight seal surrounding the exit port when the valve is closed, a rock shaft extending through the flat wall below the exit port and having one end secured to the valve within the other of said flanges, a lever arm secured to the other end of the shaft, and means operatively connected to the lever arm for swinging the valve between its open and is closed positions in response to changes in the water level in the tank.

2. A float controlled valve assembly for a toilet flush tank, which comprises a housing having a chamber mounted in the bottom of the tank and having a re stricted inlet port in communication with a water supply pipe, one side of said chamber having a flat wall through which an exit port extends directly into the tank below the lowest point reached by the water level in the tank, said exit port being larger in cross-sectional area than said inlet port, an elongated valve having a pair of closed flanges at opposite ends thereof mounted in sliding contact wtih said flat wall, said valve being swingable between a closed position in which one end thereof covers the exit port and an open position in which said port is uncovered, a rock shaft secured to the other end of the valve and extending through the flat wall below the exit port, one of said flanges forming a water tight seal surrounding the exit port when the valve is closed and the other flange forming a water tight seal surrounding the rock shaft, a lever arm secured to the shaft exteriorly of the housing, and a vertically movable float operatively secured to the lever arm for swinging the valve between its open and its closed positions in response to changes in the water level in the tank.

3. A float controlled valve assembly for a toilet flush tank, which comprises a cup-shaped housing mounted in the bottom of the tank and having a generally cylindrical internal chamber open at its bottom end, an adapter connected to the housing at the open end of the chamber and extending through the bottom of the tank in communcation with a water supply pipe, one side of said chamber having a flat wall through which an exit port extends directly into the tank below the lowest point reached by the water level in the tank, an elongated valve having a pair of closed flanges spaced at opposite ends thereof and mounted in sliding contact with said flat wall, the meeting faces of said flanges and said wall being composed of polished polytetra-fluorethylene, said valve being swingable between a closed position in which one end thereof covers the exit port and an open position in which said port is uncovered, a rock shaft secured to the other end of the valve and extending through the flat wall below the exit port, one of said flanges forming a water tight seal surrounding the exit port when the valve is closed and the other flange forming a water tight seal surrounding the rock shaft, a lever arm secured to the shaft, and a vertically movable float operatively secured to the lever arm for oscillating the rock shaft to swing the valve between its open and its closed positions in response to changes in the water level in the tank.

4. A float controlled valve assembly for a toilet flush tank, which comprises a housing having a chamber mounted in the bottom of the tank and having an inlet port in communication with a water supply pipe, one side of said chamber having a flat wall through which an exit port extends into the tank in spaced relation to the inlet port, said exit port being larger in cross-sec tional area than said inlet port, an elongated valve having one end pivoted on the flat wall at a point between the inlet port and the exit port, the other end of said valve being swingable between a closed position covering the exit port and an open position uncovering said port, a rock shaft secured to the pivoted end of the valve and extending through the flat wall below the exit port,

age 64 ,058

said valve being hollowed out to form a pair of closed References Cited in the file of this patent flanges'spaced at opposite endsof the valve'and mounted v iii-sliding contact with the flat wall toreduce the contact I UNITED STATES PATENTS area between said wall and the valve and to provide 48*l,3' 1'-7' Turner Aug. 23, 1892 watertight seals around the rock shaft and around' the 5 830,235 Knight Sept. 4, 1906 exit port when thevalve is closed, a lever' arm secured" 1 ,413,210 Wilson Apr. 18, 1922 to the rock shaft, and a float operatively connected to 1,4943786' Kawalle May 20, 1924 the lever arm for swinging thevalve between its open- 1,641,240 Stockholder Sept. 6, 1927 and its closed, positions in response to changes in the' 1,882,600 Hollingshead et al. Oct. 11, 1932 waterl'evelin the tank. 10 1,88-71235' Cornelius; Nov. 8, 1932

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