US3032778A - Actuating mechanism for plumbing fixture - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1962 J. P. MAGOS ET AL ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR PLUMBING FIXTURE 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1959 y 8, 1962 J. P. MAGOS ET AL 3,032,778

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR PLUMBING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JZxP @W 1 United States This invention relates to a combined water closet or bowl and mechanism therefor. More specifically, it is concerned with the type of closet construction in which preferably the water supply tank therefor is located behind the wall of the bathroom and is actuated by means of a handle and lever arrangement mounted either upon the closet bowl proper or adjacent thereto. In most cases, the water closet is the kind termed by the trade as the wall.- hung type and therefore makes it desirable to provide for the flushing tank being behind the wall and positioned at such predetermined height to provide the desired flushing'of the closed bowl or urinal.

To accomplish the benefits of this type of operating mechanism, a more positive and direct operating mechanism than heretofore used is employed.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a closet flushing construction in which a substantial part of the actuating mechanism is capable of being located behind the wall between studding and is of a sturdy and durable character. It is one in which its installation is comparatively easy to make and is virtually trouble-free thereafter because of the positive. linkage employed relative to the tank. H

Another object is to provide for a closet bowl flushing mechanism in which theflush actuating mechanism employed returns to its normal position without requiring special resetting. v

A further object is to provide for an actuating mechanism in which the mounting thereof relative to the flushing tank is resilient, is free from objectionable noise and vibration and is easily maintained in a desirable operating condition throughout substantially its life.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent upon proceeding with the specification read in light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a reduced fragmentary sectional view of a wall mounting showing one preferred application of our invention;

FIG. 2 is a magnified view of the lever mechanism employed;

FIG. 3 is a front reduced view of a wall-mounted bowl assembly embodying our invention; and

FIG. 4 is a magnified fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the actuating mechanism in relation to the closet bowl.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a wall-mounted water closet or bowl generally designated 1 is shown mounted upon the wall W of a bathroom or the like by the usual means, such as bolts (not shown), applied to the holes 2 and 3. The closet tank, generally designated 4, is preferably elongated and of substantial depth to provide suflicient capacity for proper flushing of the bowl and is suitably mounted between the usual studs or up-rights (not shown) supporting the wall from the rear. The closet tank has the usual discharge outlet including a flapper valve 5 for effecting predetermined water discharge therefrom, having a construction for example of the type shown in Crane Co. flapper flush valve Patent No. 2,756,437, granted July 31, 1956. As indicated, the flapper valve 5 is actuated by a chain or suitable linkage 6 attached thereto. The chain is attached at its upper limit to a transverse arm 7 atet 3,032,778 Patented May 8, 1962 forming an angular portion of the substantially vertically extending actuating link rod generally designated 8. The latter rod at its lower end portion may be suitably offset as indicated at 9 to permit adjustability in lever mounting relative to the studding and also allowance for desired leverage with respect to the pivotally mounted lever 11. The rod 8 is fixedly attached to the said pivotally mounted lever 11 by means of the clamp 12 and the set screw 13 threadably bearing against the rod 8 to connect the offset portion 9 of the rod 8 with the horizontally disposed lever 11. The latter lever, as more clearly shown in the plan section of FIG. 4, is journalled on an angular portion 14 thereof within the bowl housing 10 and is received within the threaded shouldered bushing 15 bearing against the interposed washer 16 mounted over the bowl aperture 17. A threaded retaining nut 18 within thebowl housing 10 holds the bushing 15 firmly in position within the bowl aperture 17. At its outer end, the angular lever portion 14 of the rod lever 11 is provided with a knurled end portion 19 over which the actuatmg handle 21 is frictionally held in place. The said handle has the elongated lever portion 22 for such actuation. Mounting the flushing handle 21 on the side of the bowl eliminates the need for a special wall opening.

It will be clear that upon depressing the lever portion 22 of the handle 21, the pivotally movable lever 11 will be actuated and the rod 8 will thereupon be moved axially upwardly and thus causing the chain 6 to be moved similarly, thereby lifting or peeling ofi the flexible flapper valve 5 from its tank seat 23. This activation or me flapper valve permits the water contained within the tank 4 (supplied thereto by inlet means not shown) to discharge into the downwardly extending pipe 24, thence into the elbow portion 25, and into the inlet bowl passage 26 more clearly shown in FIG. 4 for the bowl flushing function. v

In providing for the quiet return of the lever to its original position without objectionable noise and vibration impact, a spring 27 is employed, being clamped between the fixed washer or shoulder 28 at its upper limit and being supported at its lower end portion upon the tank angularly formed apertured bracket 29 to receive the upper portion of the rod 8. The said spring also maintains the pivotally movable lever 11 in the normally horizontally disposed position illustrated. The bracket member 29 is attached to the upper wall portion of the tank 4 by means of a bolt and nut assembly 31.

Under most conditions of installation, it is desirable to provide the wall W with a suitably large apertured portion 32 within which the lever 11 is moved pivotally from its bearing portion 14 in the threaded bushing 15 under the actuation of the handle 21 as previously described.

While a wall-mounted bowl installation is illustrated and described, it will of course be appreciated that a floor-mounted closet bowl may be used if desired, without adversely affecting the advantages flowing from the use of the operating mechanism and its comparatively widespread adaptation. It will thus be apparent that the actuating mechanism and the novel manner of its installation is capable of being employed with a wide variety and number of flushing devices wherein the operation of a flushing tank concealed behind a wall may be conveniently accomplished.

Therefore, it is the desire to be limited insofar as the broadness of the invention is concerned to the claims as hereinafter appended interpreted in light of the art.

We claim:

1. A concealed plumbing fixture actuating mechanism suitable for assembly behind an apertured wall and between the wall studding, the combination of a plumbing fixture outside the wall having at the rear portion thereof an opening for receiving a source of water supply and discharge means therefor, the said fixture having a housing providing a second opening at the rear portion thereof disposed at side relation to the first named opening, the said source of supply including open container means mounted in the wall behind and above the said fixture, conduit means in the Wall connecting the container means with the said fixture, axially movable link rod means behind the wall with a shoulder portion thereof resiliently mounted on an outer projecting transversely extending portion of the said container means and cooperating with the said second opening of the said fixture to provide a connection b'etwen said link rod means and the second opening of the fixture adjacent an outer wall surface thereof, resilient means interposed between said shoulder portion of the said link rod means and said transversely extending portion of said container means, valve means for said container mean's having afie'xible connection with an overlying angular portion of the said link rod means extending over the said container means to permit predetermined axial movement of the link rod means relative to the container means,'the said valve means closing the said conduit means predeterrninately pivotally movable lever means adjustably connected with the said link rod 'means to permit predetermined positioning of the latter means axially in relation to the lever means, the said link rod means at said shoulder portion bearing against an end portion of said resilient means and having a portion extending through the transversely extending portion of said container means, the said lever means being mounted pivotally on a side portion of the said fixture in a plane transversely to the said link rod means to predeterminately eifect said axial movement of said link rod means to open the said valve means, and actuating means on an outer upper surface of the said fixture to effect predetermined pivotal movement of the lever means and move the link rod means axially upwardly.

'2. A concealed plumbing fixture actuating mechanism suitable for'assembly behind a wall between the wall studding, the combination of a plumbing fixture outside the -10 wall having an enlarged portion at the rear thereof with an opening therein for receiving a source of water supply and discharge means therefor, the said source of Supply including container means mounted in the wall behind and above the said fixture to provide a space therebe tween, conduit means in the wall space connecting the said container means with the said fixture, a bracket on an upper portion of the container means, a spring on the bracket, link rod means behind the wall having a portion thereof received within the bracket and connecting the said container means with a portion of the said fixture adjacent an outer Wall surface thereof, the said spring engaging an upper shoulder portion of the link rod means to normally support said link rod means, valve means within said container means having a connection with an angular extension of the said link rod means to permit predetermined axial movement of the link rod means relative 'to the container means, the said spring resiliently limiting the said movement of the link rod means axially in a direction toward the said fixture, the said valve means closing vthe said conduit means predeterminately and pivotally movable lever means cooperating with the said link r'od means to effect open movement of the said valve means, and actuating means connected with an outer end portion of the lever means to pivotally move said lever means upon predetermined movement of said actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 391,714 Israel .Oct. 23, 1888 481,498 Kremelberg Aug. 23, 1892 505,601 Hankenhof Sept. 26, 1893 591,016 Scott Oct. 5, 1897 1,213,886 Kozik Jan. 3, 1917 1,585,557 Miller May 18, 1926 2,043,821 Williams June 9, 1936 2,449,948 Milne Sept. 21, 1948 2,744,261 Gram May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,734 Italy May 23, 1952

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