US3084350A

US3084350A - Toilet bowl disinfectant injector

Info

Publication number: US3084350A
Application number: US64084A
Authority: US
Inventors: Anderson Russell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-10-21
Filing date: 1960-10-21
Publication date: 1963-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1980-04-09

Description

INVENTOR RUSSELL A NDERSO/V ATTORNEY April 9, 1963 R. ANDERSON TOILET BOWL DISINFECTANT INJECTOR Filed Oct. 21, 1960 United States Patent 3, -84,350 TQELET BUWL DISINFECTANT INJESTGR Russell Anderson, Eon 135, Scranton, Pa. Filed Oct. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 64,984 1 Claim. (Cl. 4--225) This invention relates to flush tanks of the type generally used on toilet bowls and consists more particularly in new and useful improvements in a device for automatically injecting a predetermined quantity of a chemical disinfectant or deodorant into the toilet bowl at the conclusion of each flushing operation.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a toilet bowl disinfecting device which is extremely simple in construction and one which can be used with conventional toilet equipment without requiring major altera tions therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is completely housed within the conventional flush tank, yet is easily accessible by simply removing the lid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet bowl disinfecting device which is truly automatic in operation and is capable of adjustment to regulate the amount of disinfectant injected into the toilet bowl.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a flush tank equipped with the disinfectant injecting device of the present invention, the lid of the flush tank being omitted for clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2. of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the auxiliary disinfectant container and control valve.

In the drawings, 5 generally represents a conventional flush tank mounted adjacent a toilet bowl 6, partially shown in FIGURE 2 and having the usual flushing outlet valve 7 which discharges from the tank 5 into the bowl 6 through an extension 8. The valve 7 is closed by a conventional bulb 9 carried at the lower end of a vertically shiftable rod 10, actuated in the usual manner by a handle 11 connected thereto by a connecting rod 12. An overflow pipe 13 or" conventional form is associated with the outlet valve assembly 7. A water inlet pipe 14 (FIG. 1) is equipped with the usual valve 15 which is controlled by float assembly 16 connected thereto by rod 17.

The chemical disinfectant reservoir of the present invention is preferably formed as an auxiliary compartment 18 integrated wtih the main flush tank 5. This reservoir 13 is disposed adjacent the rear wall of the tank 5 and extends from end to end thereof, having a bottom 19 which preferably slopes from its boundaries to a centrally located discharge valve 20.

The valve 29 is connected to a conduit 21 discharging into the open upper end of the overflow pipe 13 which communicates with the bowl 6 in the conventional manner, the discharge end of conduit 21 being disposed alongside of the usual refill tube 15a, leading from inlet valve 15. A disinfectant discharge valve body 22 opens and closes the valve and is carried at the lower end of an actuating stem 23 which is pivotally mounted at 24 on a rocker arm 25 which, in turn, is pivotally supported at 26 on a vertical bracket 27, rigidly fastened by anv suitable means as at 28, to the front wall of the reservoir 3,34,350 Patented Apr. 9, 1953 18. The opposite end of the rocker arm 25 is pivoted as at 29 to the upper end of an auxiliary float rod 30, the lower end of which carries an auxiliary float ball 31 disposed adjacent the bottom of the flush tank 5 and normally below the liquid level therein. The vertical position of the rod 30 is maintained by a guide arm 32 connected to the upper end of the conduit 21.

In order to insure the proper seating of the valve body 22, I preferably provide an annular guide ring 22a which bounds the seat of valve 20 in a vertical position and may be provided with a series of radial inlet ports 22b to facilitate the passage of disinfectant from the reservoir 18 to and through the valve 20.

As seen in FIGURE 2, the lower end of the rod 30 is threaded and by means of lock nuts 34 and 35, the float ball 31 is vertically adjustable on the rod 30 so that its relative position with respect to the lowest level of water in the flush tank 5 may be adjusted to regulate both the time of operation ofthe disinfectant discharge valve 2il-22 and the extent of opening thereof, as will later appear. Also, as a further means of adjustment, the valve stem 23 is threaded at both ends as at 36 and 37 to regulate the degree of opening and closing of the valve 2tl--2Z.

In order to limit the downward movement of the rod 30 and float ball 31, I preferably provide a collar 30a which is adjustably secured to the rod 30 by a set screw or the like and is adapted to abut a fixed collar 32a attached to the guide arm 32, and slidably embracing the shaft 30.

In operation, the reservoir 18 is filled with a desired chemical deodorant or disinfectant and under normal conditions, the water in the flush tank 5 is at the upper level X below the top of the overflow pipe 13, and the discharge valve 7-9 is closed. Under these conditions, the buoyancy of the auxiliary float ball 31 maintains the latter in its upper position shown in dotted lines in FIG- URE 2, thus having rocked arm 25 in clockwise direction to maintain the disinfectant discharge valve 2tl-22 in closed position, preventing any discharge of disinfectant from the reservoir 18. Upon flushing the bowl by opcrating the handle 11 in the conventional manner, the discharge valve 7'9 is opened to permit the discharge of the water from the flush tank 5 through the connection 8 into the bowl 6, whereupon the main float assembly 16 drops until the bulb 9 has seated itself in the valve 7 to permit the building up of a water level in the tank 5.

During the flushing operation, the auxiliary float ball 31 remains in elevated position with the valve 2022 closed until the water level reaches its lower limit Y, whereupon the float ball 31 drops to'its lowest position shown in full lines, rocking the arm 25 in counterclockwise direction to lift the valve body 22 from its seat 20. The opening of this valve 20-22 permits disinfectant to flow from the reservoir 13 through conduit 21 from which it is discharged into the overflow tube 13. As soon as the water level rises in tank 5, the elevation of the ball 31 and rod 30 again rocks the rocker arm 25 in clockwise direction to close the valve 29-42, thereby preventing any further discharge of disinfectant into the bowl.

It will be understood that the refill tube 15a feeds water into the bowl 6 through the bypass or overflow tube 13 to the lip of the trap in the bowl. Valve is closed as the disinfectant is entering the bowl through the overflow tube 13. The disinfectant stays on top of the water in the bowl. Thus, when the next flush takes place, this disinfectant on the water swirls, cleansing the bowl. The refill tube 15a washes the disinfectant into the bowl through the overflow tube 13.

It will thus be seen that by adjusting the vertical position of the ball 31 on the lower end of the rod 30 and adjusting the position of the valve body 22 on the stem 23 in the reservoir 18, a very accurate regulation of the time and extent of operation of the auxiliary valve body 22 can be maintained. In other words, the vertical position of the ball31 with respect tothe lower-level Y of the water in the flush tank 5, determines when the auxiliary valve body 22 opens and the length of its discharge period. Also, said adjustment of the vertical position of, the float ball 31, together with the adjustment of the valve body 22 on the stem 23, determines the extent of opening of the valve body 22 withrespect to the valve seat 20.

By regulating the operation of the disinfectant discharge so that it will not function until the completion of the flushing operation, disinfectant is not introduced into the bowl until after the flush tank has been emptied so that disinfectant is not wasted. Furthermore, by the means of adjustment previously described, the amount of disinfectant injected may be adjusted from a quantity of A2 ounce to 1 ounce, depending upon the desire of the I operator.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the artwithout furtherdescription, it being bornein mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claim.

I claim:

In a toilet flush tank and bowl assembly including a main tank having a manually controlled flushing valve leading to a toilet bowl and defining the lowermostlimit of the liquid level in said tank, a water inlet valve in said tank, a main float for controlling said inlet valve and defining the uppermost limit of the liquid level in said tmk, and an overflow tube from said tank to said bowl having its inlet opening normally disposed above said upper limit; a disinfectant injection system for depositing a quantity of disinfectant on topof the water in said bowl at the conclusion of each flushing operation, said system comprising a disinfectant reservoir in said tank, a conduit leading from said reservoir to the inlet opening of said overflow tube, a discharge valve controlling the flow of disinfectant through said conduit, a rocker arm pivotally connected to said discharge valve at one end, an actuating rod pivotally connected to the opposite end of said rocker arm and depending vertically in said tank to a point in relatively close proximity to said lower liquid level limit, an auxiliary float fixed to the lower end of said actuating rod, normally lying below the liquid level in said tank and thereby normally under a sustained upward force of buoymcy to maintain said discharge valve in closed position, said auxiliary float being responsive to the drop of the liquid level in said tank to said lowermost limit, solely at the conclusion of the flushing thereof and after the closing of said flush valve to open said disinfectant discharge valve for activating said injection system, and at the inception of the refilling. of said tank to close said disinfectant discharge valve, and means on said actuating rod for adjusting the position of said auxiliary float thereon for regulating the start of descent of said rod and auxiliary float with respect to the level of the liquid in said tank, and for regulating the timing of the activation of said auxiliary float upon the rise of the liquid level during the refilling :of said tank, to thereby control the timing of the closing of said disinfectant discharge valve and the volume of disinfectant discharged into said bowl.

References Cited in the file of this'patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 294,327 'Nobes Feb. 26, 1884 633,390 Schell Sept. 19, 1899 1,220,398 Cox et a1 Mar. 27, 1917 2,243,454 Collinge et al May 27, 1941 2,504,309 Donovan Apr. 18, 1950 2,736,039 Majo Feb. 28, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 137,996 Great Britain Jan. 29, 1920 312,420 Great Britain May 20, 1929