US3202396A - Pilot operated diaphragm flush valve - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 24, 1965 J. J. DELANY ETAL PILOT OPERATED DIAPHRAGM FLUSH VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 11, 1961 m T v m W? 25 J. C N mm M ATTORNEY Aug. 24, 1965 .1. J. DELANY ETAL PILOT OPERATED DIAPHRAGM FLUSH VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 11 1961 YNVENTCR Jay/v 1, 5; MW

5;; Wm/ c. 51 71651,

ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates generally to flush valves of the diaphragm type.

More specifically the invention relates to a solenoid actuated bleeder valve mechanism by means of which the operation of the flush valve is initiated and terminated. This application is a continuation of our copending application Serial No. 118,139, now abandoned, which was filed June 19, 1961, and which is a continuation-in-part of our then copending application Serial No. 646,694 which was filed March 18, 1957, and upon which Patent No. 3,011,751 was issued December 5, 1961.

The flush valve of the present invention comprises generally a hollow casing consisting of a lower body section and a removable upper cap section between which a flexible diaphragm is firmly clamped thereby providing a pair of opposed lower and upper chambers.

The body section is provided with an inlet port into the lower chamber for the admission of water thereinto, and a discharge port from the lower chamber for the emission of water therefrom. An open ended cylindrical sleeve which is mounted in the lower body section extends upwardly from the discharge port through the lower chamber into position for the diaphragm to seat upon and close the upper end thereof and thereby prevent the discharge or" water from the lower chamber. The diaphragm is provided with a restricted b -pass member, which provides constant communication between the upper and lower chambers, through which water is adapted to slowly -llow from the lower chamber into the upper chamber. When the water pressure in the upper and lower chambers is equal the diaphragm will be maintained in firm contact with the upper end of the cylindrical sleeve due to the area of the diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the water in the upper chamber being greater than the area of the diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the water in the lower chamber.

In order to initiate operation of the flush valve, the water pressure in the upper chamber is reduced below the water pressure in the upper chamber to such an extent that the water under pressure in the lower chamber will raise the diaphragm out of engagement with the upper end of the cylindrical sleeve. Water under pressure will then flow into the lower chamber and out therefrom through the cylindrical sleeve and discharge port as long as the diaphragm is maintained up out of engagement with the upper end of the sleeve. As soon as the water pressure in the lower and upper chambers is again equalized the diaphragm will be forced down into engagement with the upper end or": the sleeve thereby stopping the how of water under pressure into and out of the lower chamber.

In order to reduce the water pressure in the upper chamber down below the pressure in the lower chamber to initiate operation of the fiush valve and to subsequently equalize the water pressure in the upper and lower chambers to terminate operation of the flush valve a solenoid actuated bleeder valve mechanism, which constitutes the subject matter of this application is provided.

The bleeder valve mechanism, which includes auxiliary and main bleeder valve means which are adapted to be successively actuated by a solenoid when energized, comprises a ported member lhich is carried by the diaphragm and a closure member which is carried by a plunger member which is connected to and extends downwardly from the solenoid core.

The ported member of the bleeder valve mechanism comprises an externally threaded stud having a frusto-conical head, an outwardly extending annular flange about the base of the frusto-conical head and an axial bore which extends from end to end or" the stud. The stud is inserted through a central aperture in the diaphragm and is threaded into a slidably mounted disk which is normally disposed within the upper end of the cylindrical sleeve and is provided with a plurality of spaced downwardly extending guide legs which slidably engage the inner-wall of the sleeve. A circular disk washer, the diameter of which is greater than the outside diameter of the cylindrical sleeve is interposed between the upper surface of the diaphragm and the under surface of the annular flange whereby the diaphragm is firmly clamped to the disk throughout the entire upper surface thereof.

The solenoid, by which the operation of the flush valve is initiated, comprises a soft iron core which is slidably mounted in an open ended tube which is secured to the upper end of the cap section and extends upwardly therefrom in axial alignment with the cylindrical sleeve and the axial bore in the ported member stud, and a coil which is disposed about the free end of the tube between a pair of opposed disks which are carried by the tube and lit snugly in a housing which encloses the solenoid and is removably secured to the cap section.

A plunger member which is adapted to be raised by the solenoid to initiate operation of the flush valve comprises an elongated stem of lesser diameter than the diameter of the solenoid core extends downwardly therefrom and out through the lower end of the tube, and a cylindrical body portion which is secured to the lower end of the stem and is provided with a downwardly extending conical tip.

The closure member of the bleeder valve mechanism comprises a lower cup shaped section having a bottom wall and an internally threaded side wall, and an upper inverted cup shaped section having a top wall and an externally threaded side wall which is threaded into the lower cup shaped section to provide a chamber therebetween. The bottom wall of the lower section is provided with a central downwardly and outwardly flaring conical aperture which is complementary to the frustoconical head of the ported member stud; and the top wall of the upper section is provided with a central circular aperture. A seat washer which is mounted in the lower section and firmly clamped between the bottom wall of the lower section and the lower end of the side wall of the upper section is provided with a central bleeder port which is disposed in axial alignment with the conical and circular apertures in the lower and upper sections respectively.

The closure member is carried by the plunger member for movement therewith with the plunger body portion disposed within the chamber provided by the lower and upper cup shaped sections and the plunger member stem extending out through the circular aperture in the top wall of the upper cup shaped section. The diameter of v the body portion of the plunger member is less than the diameter of the closure member chamber and greater than the diameter of the circular aperture in the top wall of the upper cup shaped section, and the length thereof is less than the height of the closure member chamber; and the diameter of the plunger member stem is less than the diameter of the aperture in the top wall of the upper cup shaped section of the closure member. The construction and arrangement is such that the closure member can shift laterally and tilt in all directions during the raising and lowering thereof by the plunger member. Also the '-When the flush valve is in normal non-flushing condition the closure member, carried by the plunger mem-- her, is disposed in engagement with the ported member, secured to the diaphragm, with the conical aperture in the bottom wall of the lower cup shaped section disposed about the frusto-conical head of the ported member stud and the seat washer in contact with'the' entire flat top surface of the frusto-conical head. The lower conical tip of the plunger member body portion is seated in the bleeder port of the seat washer of the closure member and the diaphragm is seated on the upper end of the cylindrical sleeve. The closure member, the seat washer thereof, the conical tip of the plunger member, and the diaphragm'are all'normally firmly maintained in the aforesaid positions by the pressure of the water in the upper flush valve chamber.

;;In order to initiate flushing the solenoid is momentarily energized by momentarily closing a control switch which may be done eithermanually'as desired or periodically by a timer mechanism. The solenoid when energized will raise the plunger member which in turn will raise bore in the ported member stud, thereby slightly reducing the pressure of the water in the flush valve upper chamber; Further movement of the plunger member raises the closure member up out of engagement with the ported member, Water will then flow out from the flush,

valve upper chamber through the bore in the ported member'stud faster than water enters the chamber through the by-pass in the diaphragm which reduces the pressure of the water in the upper chamber to such an extent that the total downward pressure of the water in'the upper chamber upon the top'surface of the diaphragm is less than the total upward pressure of the water in the lower chamber upon the bottom surface of the diaphragm. The pressure of the water in the lower chamber will then raise the diaphragm, and the ported member carried thereby, up' out of engagement with the upper end of the sleeve so that water may then flow freely out of the lower chamberthrough the sleeve and discharge port until the diaphragm is again seated on and closes the 'upper'end of the sleeve. The initial bleeding of water from the upper chamber through the bleeder port and ported member plug bore reduces thev pressure of the water in the upper chamberto such an extent that less power is required to raise the closure member up out of engagement with the portedmember than would otherwise be required.

. As soon as the solenoid is disengaged the plunger mem ber and closure member drop by gravity until the closure i As water is flowing out from the lower chamber wate is slowly injected into the upper chamber through theby-pass in the diaphragm until the pressure of the water in ,the upper chamber is substantially the same as the pressure of the water in the lower chamber at which time the pressure of the water in the upper chamber will force the. diaphragm down into engagement with the upper end of the sleeve thereby stopping any further discharge of water from the lower chamber until the solenoid is again momentarily energized.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved bleeder valve mechanism for a solenoid operated diaphragm type flush valve which is of simple construction, is inexpensive to manufacture and is very efiicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder valve mechanism of the aforesaid character which is so constructed and arranged that the closure section thereof may shift laterally and tilt in all directions and thereby find its seat during closing regardless of slight variations in manufacture and/or assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder valve mechanism of the aforesaid character which is so constructed and arranged that it may be readily removed for replacement and repair.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder valve mechanism of the aforesaid character that is so constructed and arranged, and operates in such a manner as to require a minimum of power for operation.

Having stated the principal objects of the invention, other and more limited objects thereof will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which:

FIGJl is a central vertical section through a diaphragm type flush. valve having a bleeder valve mechanism constructed according to our invention incorporated therein with the various elements being shown in non-flushing.

position;

FIG. 2' is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical.

section through the bleeder valve mechanism and the associated parts of the flush valve showing the various elements innon-flushing position;

PEG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the plunger and closure members raised to their uppermost posi tion and the diaphragm and ported member raised up from the upper end of the outlet sleeve as assumed at in its raised position. a

The construct-ion and operation of the invention havthe start of flushing; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2, and 3 showing the plunger and closure member after they have dropped down by gravity into engagement with the portedmember ingbeen generally described, it will now be specifically 7 described in connection with the drawing by the use of reference characters in which the numeral 1 indicates generally a flush valve of the diaphragm type having a bleeder valve mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 2 incorporated therein. The flush valve 1 comprises a casing 3 having a recessed internally threaded upper end and a cap 4, having an externally threaded recessed lower end, which is screwed into the internally threaded upper end ofthe casing 3. A flexible diaphragm 5; which is firmly clamped between the lower end of the cap 4, and an annular shoulder 6 formed in the casing 3 adjacent the base of the internally threaded section thereof, defines a pair of opposed lower and upper chambers 7 ands respectively.

The casing 3 is provided with an inlet port 9 through which Water is admitted to'the lower, or 'low pressure, chamber 7; and a discharge port Iii-through which water is initially discharged from the upper, or high pressure, chamber 8,'and then from the chamber 7 during flushing. An open ended tubular sleeve 11, which is threaded into the upper end of the discharge port 10, extends up through the chamber 7 and is adapted to have the diaphragm 5 seat on the upper end thereof and thereby pre-.'

As long as the water pressure in the lower and upper chambers is substantially the same the diaphragm 5 will be maintained in firm contact with the upper end of the sleeve 11 due to the area of the top surface of the diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the' water in the upper chamber being greater than the area of the bottom surface of the diaphragm exposed to the pressure of the water in the lower chamber. In order to initiate flushing the water pressure in the upper chamber is reduced until the total upward pressure upon the bottom of the diaphragm exceeds the total downward pressure upon the top of the diaphragm at which time the upward pressure upon the diaphragm will raise it up from the upper end of the sleeve 11 thereby permitting water to fiow into the lower chamber 7 through the inlet port 9 and out therefrom through the sleeve 11 and the discharge port it For this purpose the solenoid operated bleeder valve mechanism 2 is provided.

The bleeder valve mechanism 2, which includes auxiliary and main bleeder means which are adapted to be successively operated by a solenoid 14, comprises a plung er member 15 which extends downwardly from the solenoid core 16, a ported member, generally indicated by the numeral 17, which is carried by the diaphragm 5, and a closure member, generally indicated by the numeral 13, which is carried by the plunger member 15 for movement therewith.

The ported member comprises an externally threaded stud 19 having a frusto-conical head 21 an outwardly extending annular flange 21 about the base of the frustoconical head 20, and an axial bore 22 which extends from end to end of the stud 19. The stud 15 is inserted through a central aperture in the diaphragm 5 and threaded into a slidably mounted disk 23 which is normally disposed within the upper end of the cylindrical sleeve 11 and is provided with a plurality of spaced downwardly extending guide legs 24 which slidably engage the inner wall of the sleeve 11. A circular dish washer 25, the diameter of which is greater than the outside diameter of the sleeve 11, is interposed between the upper surface of the diaphragm 5 and the under surface of the annular flange 21, whereby the diaphragm 5 is securely clamped to the disk 23 throughout the upper surface thereof and is adapted to be firmly pressed into engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 11.

The actuating solenoid 14 comprises the soft iron core 15 which is slidably mounted in an open ended tube 26 which is secured to the cap 4 and extends upwardly therefrom in axial alignment with the bore 22 in the stud 19. The solenoid coil 27 is disposed about the free end of the tube 26 between a pair of spaced opposed disks 28 and 29 which are mounted on the tube 27 and fit snugly within a housing 39 which encloses the solenoid 14 and is removably secured to the cap 4 by suitable means, not shown.

The plunger member 15, which is secured to the lower end of the solenoid core 16 and extends downwardly thereform and out through the lower end of the tube 26, comprises a stem 31, of lesser diameter than the core 16, which terminates at the lower end thereof in a cylindrical body portion 32 which is provided with a downwardly extending conical tip 33.

The closure member 18 of the bleeder valve mechanism comprises a lower cup shaped section 341 having a bottom wall 35 and an internally threaded side wall 36; and an upper inverted cup shaped section 37 having a top wall 38 and an externally threaded side wall 39 which is screwed into the lower cup shaped section 34 to provide a chamber 41 therein. A seat washer 41 which is mounted in the lower cup shaped section 34, and is firmly clamped between the bottom wall 35 of the lower cup shaped section 34 and the lower end of the side wall 39 of the upper cup shaped section 37, is provided with a central bleeder port 42. The bottom wall 35 of the lower cup shaped section 34 is provided with a downwardly and outwardly flaring conical aperture 43 which is complementary to the frusto-conica'l head 21 of the ported member stud 19 and is disposed in axial alignment with the bleeder port 42 in the seat washer 41. The top wall 33 of the upper cup shaped member 37 is provided with a central circular aperture which is disposed in axial alignment with the bleeder port 42 and conical aperture 3.

The closure member 18 is mounted upon the plunger member 15, for movement therewith, with the body portion 32 of the plunger member 15 being disposed within the chamber ill, provided by the cup shaped sections 34 and 37, and the stem 31 of the plunger member 15 extending out through the aperture 44 in the top Wall 33 of the upper inverted cup shaped section 37. The diameter of the cylindrical body portion 32 is less than the diameter of the closure member chamber 49 and greater than the diameter of the plunger stem 31; and the length thereof is less than the depth of the chamber 40. The diameter of the circular aperture 14 in the top wall 38 of the upper cup shaped section 37 is greater than the diameter of the plunger stem 31 and less than the diameter of the plunger body portion 32. The closure member 18 can therefore shift laterally and tilt in all directions upon the plunger member 15, and water can enter the closure member chamber 4d through the aperture 44 in the top wall 38, of the upper cup shaped section 37, around the plunger stem 31. Also the plunger member 15 can be raised a short distance, until the upper surface of the body portion 32 engages the bottom surface of the top wall 38 of the upper cup shaped section 37, before it starts to raise the closure member along therewith.

During non-flushing the closure member 18 is disposed in engagement with the ported member 17 with the conical aperture :13 in the bottom wall of the cup shaped member 34 disposed about the frusto-conical head 21 of the ported member plug 19 and the bottom surface of the seat washer 41 in contact with the top surface of the head 19; and with the lower conical tip 33 of the plunger member body portion 32 seated in the bleeder port 42 in the seat washer 41, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this condition the emission of water from the upper flush valve chamber 8 is prevented and the downward pressure of the water in the chamber 3 maintains the diaphragm 5 in firm contact with the upper end of the sleeve 11 thereby preventing the discharge of water from the lower flush valve chamber 7.

When the solenoid 14 is momentarily energized, to init-iate flushing, it raises the plunger member 15, and with it the closure member 18, up from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. During the initial upward movement of the plunger member 15, until the body portion 32 thereof engages the top wall 38 of the inverted cu-p shaped section 37 of the closure member 13, water will flow out from the upper chamber 8 of the flush valve through the aperture 1 1, chamber 4% bleeder port 42, and bore 22, faster than water flows into the chamber 3 through the constantly open by-pass 12 in the diaphragm 5. This initial bleeding of water from the chamber 8 reduces the pressure therein to such an extent that less power is required to raise the closure member 18 up from the ported member 17 than would otherwise be necessary, thereby permitting the use of a less powerful solenoid. After the closure member 18 has been raised up out of engagement with the ported member 17 water will how out from the upper chamber 8 through the bore 22 until the downward pressure of the water in the upper chamber 8 upon the diaphragm 5 is less than the upward pressure thereon of the water in the lower chamber 7 of the flush valve 1. The diaphragm 5 will then be raised, by the pressure of the water in the lower chamber 7, up out of engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 11 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. The diaphragm 5 is provided with an annular corrugation 45 to permit the raising and lowering thereof up out of and back into engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 11. Water then entering the lower chamber 7 will flow out therefrom through the sleeve 11 and discharge port 10 until the diaphragm 5 is again seated upon and closes the upper end of the sleeve 11.

After the diaphragm 5 and ported member 17 carried thereby have been raised up from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3 and the solenoid 14 tie-energized, the plunger member 15 and the closure member 18 will drop down by gravity from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4 with the seat washer 41 again engaging the upper surface of the stud 19 and'the conical tip 33 of the plunger member body portion 32, seated in the bleeder port 42 thereby,

closing all outlets from the chamber 8. The shiftable and tiltable feature of the closure member 18 upon the plunger member 15 assures the accurate seating of the closure member 18 with respect to the ported member 17 and plunger member 15 with respect to'each other regardless of any variations in manufacture and assembly. r During flushing water constantly slowly enters the upper chamber 8 from the lower chamber 7 until the water pressure in the upper chamber 8 is the same as the water pressure in the lower chamber 7, at which time the downward pressure of the water in the upper chamber 8 upon the diaphragm forces it, down into closing engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 11 thereby terminating flushing.

The duration of flushing is dependent upon the distance the plunger member 15 and closure member 18 are raised up from their normal non-tlushing position .as shown in FIGS. 1- and 2, the higher they are raised the longer the flushing period. Adjusting means are therefore provided by which'the upper limit of movement of the plunger member 15, and consequently the closure member 18, may be adjusted as desired. To this end a plug 46 having a concavity 47 in the lower end thereof is slidably mounted in the upper end of the tube 26 above the solenoid core 16, and an adjusting screw 48, which is adapted to be engaged by the upper end of the plug 46 as it is moved upwardly in the tube 26 by the solenoid core 16,

is mounted in a threaded aperature in the top wall of the housing 30. The concavity 47 is adapted to accumulate vertigus or other products of corrosion which may be scraped from the inner wall of the tube 26 by the movement of the core 16 therein.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that we have provided a very simple and efiicient mechanism for accomplishing the objects of the invention; and it is to'be understood that we are'not limited to the specific construction shown and described herein, as various modifications may be made therein within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: V

1. In a'flush valve mechanism of the character described comprising a hollow valve body, a flexible diaphragm mounted in said valve body in position to define a lower chamber and an upper chamber, said valve body being provided with a discharge port and an inlet port into said lower chamber and an open ended tubular sleeve which extends upwardly through said lower cham-- her and provides an outlet passageway between said chambers and said discharge port, a cylindrical disk which is slidably mounted in the upper end of said tubular sleeve and is provided with a plurality of spaced downwardly extending guide members which slidably engage the inner wall of said tubular sleeve, said diaphragm being secured to said cylindrical disk, said diaphragm being provided with a restricted by-pas's member which provides constant communication between said lower and upper chambers, said diaphragm being adapted to seat upon and close the open upper end of said tubular sleeve, and a bleeder valve mechanism by which'the pressure in said upper chamber is adapted to be reduced as said flush valve mechanism is actuated; said bleeder valve mechanism comprising a closure member made up of a lower cup shaped member having an internally threaded cylindrical side wall and a bottom wall, a downwardly and outwardly flaring frusto-conical opening formed in said bottom wall, an upper inverted cup shaped member having a top wall and an exteriorly threaded cylindrical side wall which is threaded into said lower cup shaped member to provide a closure member chamber, a centrally disposed circular aperture extending through the said top wall of said upper cup shaped member, a seat washer clamped in said lower cup shaped member between the bottom wall thereof and the lower end of the said cylindrical side wall of said upper cup shaped member, a bleeder port extending through said seat'washer in axial alignment with the said frusto-conical opening 'in the said bottom wall of said lower cup shaped member; a centrally disposed cylindrical stud carried by said diaphragm, an axial bore in said cylindri-' cal stud providing communication between said' upper chamber and said outlet port, said cylindrical stud having an upwardly extendingfrusto-conical head which is com,- plementary to the said frusto-conical opening, a plunger by which said closure member is mounted in said upper chamber for up and down movement therein whereby said seat washer is adapted to be moved into engagement 'with said frusto-conical head with said frusto-conical aperture envelopingsaid head, mounting means by which said plunger is mounted'for vertical reciprocation in axial alignment with said frusto-conical head; said plunger comprising a cylindrical body portion which is disposed within said closure member chamber, a cylindrical stern extending upwardly therefrom through the said circular aperture into said mounting means, and a downwardly extending conical tip which is adapted to open and close said bleeder port, the diameter of said bottom portion being less than the inside diameter of said closure member chamber and greater than the diameter of the said circular aperture in the top wall of said upper cup shaped member and the height of said body portion being less than the depth of said closure member cham ber, and the diameter of said cylindrical stem being less than the diameter of the said circular aperture through which said stern extends, whereby said closure member may shift laterally and tilt in any direction as said closure member is moved into engagement with said frustoconical head. 7

2. A flush valve mechanism as defined by claim 1 in which said mounting means comprises an elongated vertically disposed cylindrical tube having a solenoid thereof slidably mounted in said elongated tube above the upper end of said core and anadjusting screw which is carried by said housing and is adapted to engage the upperend of said plug to thereby limit the upward movement of said plug, said core and said plunger.

4. A bleeder valve mechanism for a flush valve having anupper chamber and a lower chamber with a flexible diaphragm interposed therebetween; said bleeder valve mechanism comprising a closure member made up of, ja lower cup shaped member having an externally 7 threaded cylindrical side wall and a bottom wall, a downwardly and outwardly flaring frusto-conical aperture formed in said bottom wall, an upper inverted cup shaped member having atop wall and an exteriorly threaded cylindrical side wall which is threaded into said lower member between the bottom wall thereof and the lower end of the said cylindrical side wall of said upper cup shaped member, a bleeder port extending through said seat washer in axial alignment with the said frusto-conical opening in the said bottom wall of said lower cup shaped member; a centrally disposed cylindrical stud carried by said diaphragm, an axial bore in said cylindrical stud providing communication between said upper chamber and an outlet port; said cylindrical stud having an upwardly extending frusto-conical head which is complementary to the said frusto-conical opening, a plunger member by which said closure member is mounted in said upper chamber for up and down movement therein whereby said seat washer is adapted to be moved into engagement with said frusto-conical head with said conical aperture enveloping said head, mounting means by which said plunger is mounted for vertical reciprocation in axial alignment with said frusto-conical head; said plunger comprising a cylindrical body portion which is disposed Within said closure member chamber, a cylindrical stem extending upwardly therefrom through the said circular aperture into said mounting means, and a downwardly extending conical tip which is adapted to open and close said bleeder port, the diameter of said body portion being less than the inside diameter of said closure member chamber and greater than the diameter of the said circular aperture in the top wall of said upper cup shaped member and the height of said body portion being less than the depth of said closure member chamber, and the diameter of said cylindrical stem being less than the diameter of the said circular aperture through which said stem extends, thereby said closure member may shift laterally and tilt in any direction as said closure member is moved into engagement with said irustoconical head.

References Salted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,555,525 9/25 Simmons 137--630.14 X 2,604,905 7/52 Myer 251-38 2,625,953 1/53 Miller 25l30 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner. MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A FLUSH VALVE MECHAMISM OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A HOLLOW VALVE BODY, A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED IN SAID VALVE BODY IN POSITION TO DEFINE A LOWER CHAMBER AND AN UPPER CHAMBER, SAID VALVE BODY BEING PROVIDED WITH A DISCHARGE PORT AND AN INLET PORT INTO SAID LOWER CHAMBER AND AN OPEN ENDED TUBULAR SLEEVE WHICH EXTENDS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID LOWER CHAMBER AND PROVIDES AN OUTLET PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID CHAMBERS AND SAID DISCHARGE PORT, A CYLINDRICAL DISK WHICH IS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR SLEEVE AND IS PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING GUIDE MEMBERS WHICH SLIDABLY ENGAGE THE INNER WALL OF SAID TUBULAR SLEEVE, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING SECURED TO SAID CYLINDRICAL DISK, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING PROVIDED WITH A RESTRICTED BY-PASS MEMBER WHICH PROVIDES CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID LOWER AND UPPER CHAMBERS, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING ADAPTED TO SEAT UPON AND CLOSE THE OPEN UPPER END OF THE SAID TUBULAR SLEEVE, AND A BLEEDER VALVE MECHANISM BY WHICH THE PRESSURE IN SAID UPPER CHAMBER IS ADAPTED TO BE REDUCED AS SAID FLUSH VALVE MECHAMISM IS ACTUATED; SAID BLEEDER VALVE MECHANISM COMPRISING A CLOSURE MEMBER MADE UP OF A LOWER CUP SHAPED MEMBER HAVING AN INTERNALLY THREADED CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL AND A BOTTOM WALL, A DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FLARING FRUSTO-CONICAL OPENING FORMED IN SAID BOTTOM WALL, AN UPPER INVERTED COP SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A TOP WALL AND AN EXTERIORLY THREADED CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL WHICH IS THREADED INTO SAID LOWER CUP SHAPED MEMBER TO PROVIDE A CLOSURE MEMBER CHAMBER, A CENTRALLY DISPOSED CIRCULAR APERTURE EXTENDING THROUGH THE SAID TOP WALL OF SAID UPPER CUP SHAPED MEMBER, A SEAT WASHER CLAMPED IN SAID LOWER CUP SHAPED MEMBER BETWEEN THE BOTTOM WALL THEREOF AND THE LOWER END OF THE SAID CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL OF SAID UPPER CUP SHAPED MEMBER, A BLEEDER PORT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SEAT WASHER IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL OPENING IN THE SAID BOTTOM WALL OF SAID LOWER CUP SHAPED MEMBER; A CENTRALLY DISPOSED CYLINDRICAL STUD CARRIED BY SAID DIAPHRAGM, AN AXIAL BORE IN SAID CYLINDRICAL STUD PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID UPPER CHAMBER AND SAID OUTLET PORT, SAID CYLINDRICAL STUD HAVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING FRUSTO-CONICAL HEAD WHICH IS COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL OPENING, A PLUNGER BY WHICH SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS MOUNTED IN SAID UPPER CHAMBER FOR UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT THEREIN WHEREBY SAID SEAT WASHER IS ADAPTED TO BE MOVED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL HEAD WITH SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL APERTURE ENVELOPING SAID HEAD, MOUNTING MEANS BY WHICH SAID PLUNGER IS MOUNTED FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATION IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL HEAD; SAID PLUNGER COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL BODY PORTION WHICH IS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER CHAMBER, A CYLINDRICAL STEM EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM THROUGH THE SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE INTO SAID MOUNTING MEANS, AND A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CONICAL TIP WHICH IS ADAPTED TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID BLEEDER PORT, THE DIAMETER OF SAID BOTTOM PORTION BEING LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER CHAMBER AND GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE IN THE TOP WALL OF SAID UPPER CUP SHAPED MEMBER AND THE HEIGHT OF SAID BODY PORTION BEING LESS THAN THE DEPTH OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER CHAMBER, AND THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL STEM BEING LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE THROUGH WHICH SAID STEM EXTENDS, WHEREBY SAID CLOSURE MEMBER MAY SHIFT LATERALY AND TILT IN ANY DIRECTION AS SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS MOVED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FRUSTOCONICAL HEAD.

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