US2915761A - Pneumatic chambered flushometer - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8, 1959 J. D. LANGDON PNEUMATIC CHAMBERED FLUSHOMETER Filed Aug. 19. 1957 mvEN'roR' PNEUMATIC CHAMBERED FLUSHOMETER Jesse D. Langdon, Long Beach, Calif.

Application August 19, 1957, Serial No. 678,799

4 Claims. (Cl. 431) This invention relates to flush valves primarily for use with water closet bowls and the like, and new and useful improvements with the following objects and purposes in view.

The primary object is to combine a fluid pressure accumulation chamber with a flush valve, including means to permit entry of pressure fluid into said pressure chamber in the shape of both atmosphere and liquid on completion of each evacuation cycle of the valve.

Another object is to establish pneumatic pressure in the accumulation chamber by trapping atmosphere above a body of liquid flowing into the chamber under pressure by providing an outlet common to both accumulation chamber and valve, said outlet becoming an air inlet at the end of each flushing cycle.

Another object is to provide the accumulation chamber with an outlet of greater capacity than the inlet, whereby liquid flowing from the inlet is insuflicient to fill the outlet passage to capacity when the valve is open thereby permitting atmosphere to enter the accumulation chamber from the opposite direction to that of liquid passing from the inlet of lesser capacity than that of the outlet.

A still further object is to provide means to retard the closure of the valve until accumulated liquid has been completely evacuated from the accumulation chamber thereby permitting atmosphere to bypass the liquid stream flowing through the outlet from an inlet of lesser capacity.

A still further object is to trap and accumulate atmosphere in a pressure chamber provided above the outlet and create an ample volume of pneumatic pressure above a liquid level entering an accumulation chamber when the valve is closed, said pneumatic pressure acting to retard liquid entry into the chamber during the filling cycle and accelerate liquid evacuation from said chamber in proportion to pressure change occuring in said chamber during evacuation of liquid.

A still further object is to teach a formula of ratio and proportion between the flow capacity of the accumulation chamber, an inlet and an outlet whereby the volume of air supplied to and contained within the chamber is great enough with respect to liquid volume accumulated within said chamber to completely evacuate said chamber except for liquid flowing from the inlet in volume suflicient to fill the outlet of greater capacity than the inlet thereby permitting atmosphere to enter the chamber simultaneously with the outflow of liquid emanating from the inlet.

Other and further objects and purposes will appear during progress of the specification as illustrated by the drawing depicting one form of reduction to practice which may be changed within the scope of the claims.

The figure of the drawing shows a flushometer valve .including a casing 1 provided with a pressure fluid accumulation chamber 2 having a liquid supply inlet 3 and outlet 4 providing liquid discharge means and air inlet means. a tiltable valve member 5 normally closing said United States Patent 0 outlet 4, manual actuating means 18, being provided to open the valve 5, valve retarding means 6 including a float 14 within a float chamber 15 provided with a drain passage 11 around stem 9 provided to delay closure of said valve 5 until liquid is sufliciently evacuated to permit atmosphere to enter the chamber 2 located intermediate of said inlet 3 and outlet 4 and above said outlet, said inlet 3 providing a liquid pressure supply element for said chamber 2 and being of less flow capacity than said outlet 4, said chamber 2 forming a passage of at least greater flow capacity than the combined capacity of both the liquid supply inlet 3 and said outlet 4, the valve retarding means 6 is operative to delay closure of the outlet valve 5 until said chamber 2 has been evacuated of liquid, said outlet 4 being of greater capacity supply inlet 3, said pneumatic pressure effective to accelerate liquid flow from said chamber to gush forth from said outlet when the valve is opened.

The essence of the invention lies in the combination with any controlled valve mechanism of a fluid accumulation chamber for both atmosphere and liquid provided With inlet 3 and outlet passage 4 and a tiltable valve 5 for closing and easy opening of said outlet passage, said inlet 3 being of less liquid flow capacity than said outlet 4, said accumulation chamber 2 being located above said outlet 4 and providing a passage capacity at least as great as the combined flow capacity of said inlet 3 and said outlet 4 together with valve control means concomitant and adapted to hold said valve 5 open until said accumulation chamber 2 has been evacuated of liquid, said valve 5 being held open, said inlet 3 being of ber 2 provided with an inlet 3 and an outlet 4 of greater pressure fluid flow capacity than the inlet 3. The chamber 2 having at least as much fluid flow capacity as the inlet 3 and outlet 4 combined.

A tubular member 12 extended vertically through the chamber 2 houses valve retarding means 6 indicated by a bracket line embracing indicating numerals of several "elements, housing 12, partition 13, a restricted drain passage 11 for float chamber 15 containing float 14.

The tubular member includes the outlet 4 and houses a tiltable outlet valve 5 resting on seat 23 normally closing the outlet and being provided with a stem 7 pivotally attached near the peripheral edge of the valve 5 to permit the valve 5 to tilt open progressively for easy opening against pressure, the stem 7 standing vertically and being provided with a transversely disposed eye 8 extended laterally from stem 7 and toward the axial line -of the valve 5 permits independent movement of stem 9 'and valve 5. A second stem 9 is disposed vertically and reciprocally through a partition 13 providing a bottom for float chamber 15. Journal orifice 11 provides a restricted opening formed by a clearance space around stem 9, serving to drain liquid slowly through the partition forming the bottom 13 of float chamber 15 provided with a port 21 near the upper end of float 14 when valve 5 is seated and located below the maximum liquid level in chamber 2. The stem 9 is extended through chamber bottom 13 and is integral with a float 14 located in float chamber 15. Stem 9 is provided with eyes -1041 at opposite ends, the lower end of stem 9 extends downwardly through eye 3 and terminates in eye 10 of larger diameter than the eye 3. The upper end of stem 9 is extended through an eye 16a of stem 16 and terminates in an eye 16a of larger diameter than the eye 16a.

This construction depicts the stem 16 extended through a cap 17 and a hole in the proximate end of an actuator lever or handle 18 fulcrumed by cap 17. The upper end of stem 16 being enlarged at 16b and providing one of a series of universal joints together with eyes 10a, 16a, 8 and 10 enchaining handle 18, stem 16 stem 9, stem 7 and valve 5 together forming manual actuating means for the device.

The drawing further depicts:

A casing provided with a chamber 2 for the accumulation of fluid under pressure such as air and liquid; the tubular housing 12 is extended vertically through chamher 2, the lower end of the housing providing outlet 4- of greater capacity than inlet 3 having a flow capacity insuflflcient to fill said outlet 4 when valve 5 is held open. The tiltable valve member 5 normally rests on an annular valve seat 23 closing said outlet 4. The valve member 5 is provided with stem 7 pivotally secured oif center to the upper side of and for the purpose of easy progressive opening of outlet 4 by tilting valve 5. The laterally extended portion of the stem 7 being provided with a horizontally disposed eye 8 and pointing toward the axial line of valve 5. Stem 9 is extended vertically through the center of and secured to the float chamber and reciprocates through eye 8, partition 13 and eye 16a of stem 16 which is extended upwardly through cap 17 and operably secured to a valve actuating lever or handle 18. A set-nut i9 is threadedly secured over the lower end of the tubular housing 12. A cap 17 is threadedly secured to the upper end of the housing 12. Gaskets are provided between the cap 17 and the nut 18 and the respective outside wall portions 12 of the chamber 15 which is suitably flattened to provide a leak proof seal against the leakage of pressure fluid When the cap 17 and nut 19 are convergently adjusted.

When the end of handle 18 is depressed, the rod 16 is raised together with the float l4 unseating valve 5 enough to enable the float 14 to raise the eye 8 toward the partition 13. The housing 12 is provided with port means 21 communicating between the chamber 2 and the float chamber 15 at a point below a predetermined liquid level in chamber 2 and above the float 14 permitting liquid to enter and fill the float chamber 15 with liquid effective to support the float 14 in raised position holding valve 5 in raised position. The clearance opening 11 provided around the stem 7 permits liquid to be evacuated slowly from the float chamber 15 thereby pro viding means to delay closure of valve 5, ultimately low-= ering the float 14 and valve 5 to close outlet 4.

The stem 9 is provided with a vertically disposed eye 10 and is extended upwardly through the eye 8 of stem 7 and reciprocates through the opening formed by the clearance space disposed through the partition 13. The clearance space 11 around the stem 9 eflective to drain the float chamber 15 of liquid contents after the chamber .2 has been evacuated and while the valve 5 is still unseated. The stem 7 is pivotally secured near the edge of and causes valve 5 to be initially tilted when opening, before being lifted by pressure to position shown by broken lines.

The housing 12 is provided with outlet ports 2222 above the annular valve seat 23, the ports communicating with outlet 4. The housing surrounds the partition 13 forming the bottom of the float chamber 15 containing the float 14 which is integral with the stem 9 which terminates in a vertically disposed eye 10a after being extended through the horizontally disposed eye 16a of stem 16 forming sliding connections between the valve 5 and handle 18 to permit the independent closing move ment of the valve 5, float 14 and the handle 18 after the handle 18 is released and after accumulated liquid has been discharged from the outlet 4 and a new charge of air has entered the chamber 2 during the delayed closure of valve 5 permitting liquid to be discharged from, and atmosphere to enter chamber 2 prior to closing outlet 4.

Atmosphere is permitted to enter the chamber 2 through outlet 4 until water is drained out of the float chamber 15 after evacuation of chamber 2. When the valve 5 seats, closing outlet 4, water entering through inlet 3 cannot rise in chamber 2 so long as water is draining out of float chamber 15 delaying closure of valve 5 until float is lowered by the evacuation of liquid from chamber 2.

When the valve 5 seats closing outlet 4, water entering through inlet 3 again rises in chamber 2 creating pneumatic pressure therein anew up to that of the liquid supply pressure.

Experimentation seems to prove that for practical pur poses the chamber 2 should have a flow capacity equal to at least the combined capacity of the inlet 3 and the outlet 4.

For use in flushing a water closet bowl, best results are obtained by providing the chamber 2 of at least 20 times the flow capacity of the inlet 3 and outlet 2 combined.

Having described the invention, the construction and operation thereof, the following claims are made:

1. A pneumatic chambered flushometer comprising an outer casing formin an accumulation chamber for containrnent of pneumatic and liquid pressure elements, a pressure sealed tubular valve control unit mounted in the casing, extended downwardly through said accumulation chamber and having a discharge end concomitant the lower casing wall, a liquid outlet communicating with said discharge end, said casing being provided with a liquid inlet of substantially less flow capacity than said outlet, a horizontally disposed partition in said control unit forming upper and lower chambers, a float in the upper chamber, port means communicating between said accumulation chamber and said float chamber, a tiltable valve in the lower chamber, stem means on said float projecting upwardly and downwardly from opposite sides of said float, valve actuating means secured to the upper stern and supported by a cap closing the upper end of the tubular unit, the lower float stem being slidably extended through an aperture in the partition, restricted drain means provided at the lower end of said float chamber, said lower float stem secured to a valve stem extended laterally from the axial line of and having a downturned stem portion ivotally secured to said valve at a point eccentric to the valve axis, said valve being free to assume a horizontal attitude after being raised from its seat, port means being provided communicating between said accumulation chamber and said valve chamber below the open position of said valve, said port means providing passage means communicating with said liquid outlet, whereby when said valve is actuated, said float rises, the valve being tilted, is raised above said port means, permitting the outflow of liquid through said port means to pass beneath and support said valve in horizontal position during the discharge of liquid and until a pneumatic pressure element is permitted to bypass liquid flowing through said outlet from said inlet and enter said casing, liquid being drained from said float chamber around said lower float stem until said float is lowered to permit seating of said valve, whereupon the pneumatic element is compressed by liquid entering through said iniet.

2. A device of the nature defined by claim 1, wherein, the confines of the aperture surrounding the float stem portion extended downwardly through the float chamber bottom formed by the partition, is enlarged forming the restricted drain passage between said float chamber and the outlet, the stem portion reciprocating through said restricted drain passage, whereby the drain passage is automatically cleaned by the movement of the stem.

3. A device as defined by claim 1, wherein, the float chamber is ported to communicate with the accumulation chamber at a point at least as far above the partition between the two chambers as the distance between the top of the valve chamber and the port means of said valve chamber, whereby the liquid level in said float chamber will raise the float in position to support the valve in open position above the ports of said valve chamber, thereby permitting liquid under pressure to pass beneath and support said valve in open position supplementing the effect of said float.

4. A device as defined by claim 1, wherein, the port means through the surrounding wall of the valve chamber constitutes liquid passage means positioned low enough to permit liquid flowing toward the outlet to pass beneath said valve when in open position thereby supplementing the float to support the valve when raised.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,502,262 Labiche Mar. 28, 1950 2,524,474 Randel Oct. 3, 1950 2,639,438 Hertzberg May 26, 1953 2,629,879 Bennett Mar. 3, 1958 2,839,761 Heidman June 24, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 392,061 Great Britain May 11, 1933

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