US3360804A

US3360804A - Toilet tank flush valve

Info

Publication number: US3360804A
Application number: US479099A
Authority: US
Inventors: Myron J Ament
Original assignee: Wallace Murray Corp
Current assignee: Wallace Murray Corp
Priority date: 1965-08-12
Filing date: 1965-08-12
Publication date: 1968-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1985-01-02

Description

J- AMENT TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVE Jan. 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 12, 1965 YIFIG.I

FIG. 3

INVENTOR. MYRON J. AMENT 2 G F O Y 2.3 2 3 7 w.m 3

A TTOR NE Y3,

Jan.2, 1968 M. J AMENT v 3,360,804

TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVE Filed Aug. 12, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

INVENTOR MYRON J. AMENT BY M M//n% ATTORNEY United States Patent FLUSH VALVE Pa., assignor to Wallace-Mur- New York, N.Y., a corporation of ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flush valve assembly for a flush tank comprising; an arm mount including a lower portion adapted for attachment to the inside of the flush tank, a lever arm pivotally connected at one end to the mount and pivotal in a plane generally perpendicular to the bottom of the tank, stop means defining the extreme upper pivoted position of the arm, a buoyant valve member connected to the arm and alignable with a cooperating valve seat provided in the tank, and means to connect an actuating chain to the arm adjacent the other end thereof so that an upward force on the chain will disengage the valve from the valve seat during a flushing operation; wherein the arm mount includes means for securing the flush valve assembly to the flush tank independently of means which may be used for securing the flush tank to a toilet bowl.

This invention relates to a toilet tank flush valve assembly, and more particularly to an improved flush valve assembly which may be installed in newly manufactured or existing toilet flush tanks to overcome the characteristic hard flushing caused by the force required to actuate conventional toilet tank flush valves.

Prior flush valve assemblies for toilet tanks have often included complicated linkage arrangements for operating the flush valve in performing a toilet flushing operation. These prior assemblies are often hard flushing, namely, undue pressure or force must be applied to the flush handle to operate the flush valve. Further this hard flushing characteristic becomes particularly disadvantageous when wear and corrosion inhibit the eflicient and free operation of the flush valve assembly after a relatively short period of time.

In addition, most commercially available flush valve assemblies cannot be installed in the flush tank before the tank is positioned in place on the toilet bowl. Thus, with these prior flush valves, after the tank and bowl have been installed in the bathroom, the labor cost of thereafter fitting the flush valve and associated tank equipment must be allowed for. Mass production techniques, and the attendant economies flowing therefrom cannot be utilized when utilizing these prior art flush valve assemblies since the tank equipment cannot be factory installed. Prior assemblies are further disadvantageous in that they are not universally adaptable to use within flush tanks of varying designs both of new tank designs or of the multitude of existing installed tank designs.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved flush valve assembly which provides for low force flushing in contrast to the hard flushing characteristics of toilet tank flush valve assemblies heretofore available.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved flush valve assembly which may be installed in conventional or standard flush tanks without requiring modification of the tank, and which may be adapted for installation in existing installed flush tanks of varying design.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved flush valve assembly which may be factory installed in the flush tank and temporarily retained therein before the flush tank is placed on the toilet bowl.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved flush valve assembly for toilet tanks which is economical to manufacture, easy to install in standard flush tanks, and which is simply constructed of non-corrosive parts so that its operation is not inhibited by wear and corrosion.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be come apparent from the following description of specific embodiments thereof.

Generally described this invention comprises a flush valve assembly for a flush tank comprising an arm mount adapted for attachment to the inside of said flush tank, a lever arm pivotally connected at one end to said mount to be pivotal in a plane generally perpendicular to the bottom of said tank, stop means defining the extreme upper pivoted position of said arm, a buoyant valve member connected to said arm intermediate the ends of said arm and cooperable with a valve seat provided in the tank when said arm is pivoted to its lowermost position, and means to connect an actuating chain to said arm adjacent to the other end of said arm whereby an upward force on said chain will disengage said valve member from the valve seat to initiate a flushing operation.

This invention may be described more specifically by reference to the accompanying drawings disclosing specific embodiments. In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of this invention showing the valve assembly mounted within a flush tank, shown in section, having the outlet seat and the tank overflow cast integrally with the tank,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective exploded view of the valve assembly shown in FIGURES 1 and 2,

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of a modification of this invention showing the valve assembly mounted within a flush tank having a conventional outlet, portions of the tank, outlet, toilet bowl, etc., being shown in section, and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4.

The drawings illustrate two embodiments of the invention. The first embodiment, as shown in FIGURES 1 through 3, is adapted for use in flush tanks where there is a known predetermined spacing between the flush tank water outlet and the mounting apertures by means of which the tank is bolted to the toilet bowl, such as when the flush valve assembly is to be installed as original equipment by the tank manufacturer. The modification of the valve assembly shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 is adapted for use with flush tanks having different spacings between the flush outlet and the tank mounting apertures, as in applications where the valve assembly is to be employed to replace a worn original-equipment valve or installed in a flush tank after the tank is in place in the bathroom.

Referring initially to FIGURES 1-3 of these drawings, the flush valve assembly is shown installed in a flush tank T. The bottom wall 1 of flush tank T includes a pair of mounting apertures 2 through each of which a conventional bolt may extend to secure the tank to the top of a toilet bowl in the known conventional manner of fastening a tank to the toilet bowl. The bottom wall 1 also includes a flush outlet 3 through which the flush water flows during the flushing operation.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, the outlet 3, a valve seat 10 and an overflow tube 11 are cast integrally as parts of the flush tank T during the casting operation, the overflow tube conveniently communicating with outlet 3 through the opening shown in FIGURE 1. In tank T the lateral spacing between the mounting apertures 2 and the flush outlet 3 is known within normal manufacturing tolerances and thus the flush valve assembly can be sized to mate with the predetermined spacing of these openings and, as will be described, factory installed incident to manufacture of the tank at a cost saving over separate shipment of the tank and valve assembly followed by jobsite installation of the assembly.

The flush valve assembly includes an arm mount 4, which is preferably bifurcated, as seen clearly in FIG- URE 3. The lower end of this mount 4 is provided with a flange 16, and a threaded shank 5 extending downward- 1y below the flange. An aperture 8 extends through flange 16 and shank 5, as seen in FIGURE 2. The function of aperture 8 will be disclosed in more detail hereinbelow.

The flush valve assembly further includes a lever arm 20 pivotally mounted near its one end 21 to the upper portion of arm mount 4 by means such as pins 22. This arm 213 and the above-described arm mount 4 are preferably constructed of a light-weight material, such as a suitable plastic to resist wear and corrosion under constant submersion in water. Arm 20 has a generally rectangular cross section to provide a substantially flat undersurface 23.

As seen from FIGURES 1 and 3, the other end 24 of arm 20 is provided with means to connect a flush actuating chain 25 to the arm. In this particular embodiment, such connecting means comprises a slot 26 formed in the end 24 of arm 20 leading to a pocket in which one of the links of chain 25 may be detachably engaged. As seen in FIGURE 3, slot 26 is substantially vertical to permit the chain 25 to extend directly upward toward a conventional flush mechanism, not shown. By this connection between arm 20 and actuating chain 25 it is apparent that an upward force on the chain through actuation of a conventional flush lever and handle mounted on the tank will cause the arm 20 to pivot about the pins 22 to begin the flushing operation.

The tank flush valve assembly also includes stop means, generally indicated by the reference numeral 30, to limit the upward pivoting of arm 20 caused by an upward pull on the chain 25. This stop means 30 comprises a pair of oppositely-

inclined abutment surfaces

31 and 31 which are preferably integrally formed with the upper portion of the legs of arm mount 4 below the pivot pins 22. Thus, abutment 31 will engage the end 21 of arm 20 when the arm has pivoted upwardly to its maximum desired position and prevent further rotation of the arm. If desired, each of the legs of the end 21 of the arm may be provided with a downward projection 32 which cooperates with the stop means 30 to limit the rotation of arm N. The cooperation between projection 32 and abutment 31 is illustrated in phantom in FIGURE 1. The provision of oppositely-inclined abutments 31 and 31' permits the mount 4 to be reversible relative to the arm 20, so that it can be readily installed in a flush tank in either direction and still provide an effective upper limit stop position for arm 20.

The flush valve assembly has a conventional buoyant valve member 40 connected to arm 20 by a screw 41 intermediate the

ends

21 and 24 of the arm. This buoyant valve member may be of rubber or plastic to be flexibly resilient in mating with the cast valve seat in shutting off outflow of water from tank T. It also is, as is usual, hollow to contain air in rendering it buoyant and may be open at the bottom end such that any Water entering the hollow valve member when the flush valve is opened will readily drain through the tank outlet 3 when the valve member seats in closing. To allow adjustment for flush tanks of different spacing between outlet 3 and aperture 2, the arm 20 is provided with a plurality of holes 42 through which the screw 41 may extend, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The necessary lateral spacing between the buoyant valve member 40 and the arm mount 4 thus can be provided by connecting the valve member to arm 20 through the proper hole in the arm.

Preferably the distance between buoyant valve 46 and end 24 of arm Ztl is greater than the corresponding distance from valve 40 to pivot pins 22 at the end 21 of the arm, as seen from FIGURE 1. With this relationship the arm 20 provides a substantial moment arm through which the actuating force applied to the chain 25 operates to unseat the valve 40 in initiating the flushing operation. This moment arm avoids to a material extent the hard flushing characteristic of flush valve assemblies heretofore available.

To install the assembly of FIGURES 13 in a flush tank, the buoyant valve 4-0 is first connected to the arm 20 through the proper hole 42 by means of screw 41. The proper hole is determined by the lateral spacing between the flush outlet 3 and the mounting aperture 2 in the flush tank T with which the flush valve assembly is to be used. The threaded shank S on the lower portion of the arm mount 4 is then inserted through one mounting aperture 2 of tank T and retained therein by the nut 6, as shown on FIGURE 1. Nut 6, which may be plastic like arm mount 4, is tightened to bring the flange 16 of the arm mount into engagement with the upper surface of bottom wall 1 of the tank T to secure the valve assembly to the tank. A suitable gasket '7 may be inserted between the wall 1 and the flange 16 to insure against water leakage from the tank through mounting aperture 2.

This connection of the flush valve assembly to the tank T, as provided by nut 6, is sufliciently secure to temporarily retain the flush valve assembly in proper position within the tank T while being moved, as in bu ing shipped to the location where it is to be mounted on top of a toilet bowl. Thus the flush valve assembly can be assembled with the tank at the factory and the cost of separately packaging and shipping the tank and assembly is saved as well as saving the cost of a plumber in mounting and adjusting a separately shipped flush valve with a tank at the bathroom location.

At the bathroom location, after the tank T is mounted on a conventional toilet bowl, not shown in FIGURE 1, the tank T can readily be secured to the bowl by extending a standard flat-head bolt 9 through the aperture 8 in the threaded shank 5 of the arm mount 4. This fiathead bolt 9 is shown in phantom in FIGURES 1 and 2, and preferably includes a resilient washer 15 positioned under the head of the bolt to make the connection fluid tight. This bolt and a similar bolt inserted through the other aperture 2 in the bottom wall 1 of tank T will extend down through the mounting holes conventionally supplied in the top of the toilet bowl with appropriate washers and nuts applied to these two fastening bolts to draw the tank down and secure it to the toilet bowl top. When so assembled, the bolt 9 firmly fixes the arm mount 4 to the wall 1 of tank T and the holding effect of nut 6 on shank 5 of the arm mount is no longer necessary although the nut 6 is left in place between the tank T and toilet bowl top while the holding power of bolt 9 retains the flush valve assembly in place during use.

The flush valve assembly in accordance with FIGURES 1-3 of this invention can thus be readily installed in a standard flush tank T Without modifying the flush tank. Even when affixed to the tank at the factory and before the tank is associated with the toilet bowl it does not interfere with the conventional connections to be made between the fiush tank and the toilet bowl. In addition, since the installation of this flush valve assembly does not require the flush tank to be initially positioned on the top of a toilet bowl, the valve assembly installation can be accomplished by factory mass-production techniques, such as in the factory where the flush tanks are manufactured, with consequent cost savings as have previously been men tioned.

Another embodiment of the flush valve assembly of this invention is illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5. This flush valve assembly embodiment is adaptable for installation in flush tanks having different lateral spacing between the mounting apertures and flush outlet of the tank due to different manufacturing and casting specifications of different manufacturers. This embodiment is, therefore, particularly useful as a replacement flush valve in existing installed flush tanks. In FIGURES 4 and 5 similar elements of the flush valve assembly are indicated by the same reference numerals as hereinbefore used with the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3.

As shown 011 FIGURE 4, the flush valve assembly comprises an arm pivoted to an arm mount 4 by pins 22 on the spaced legs of mount 4. A buoyant valve 40 is secured to arm 20 by a screw 41. The end 24 of arm 25) is provided with an actuating chain 25 connected to the arm by means of the slot 26 leading to a pocket in the arm end 24- which fastens the chain end to the arm. The arm mount 4 also includes stop means 30 to limit upward pivoting of arm 20 in the same manner as hereinbefore described.

In this embodiment the above-described threaded shank 5, shown in FIGURES 1-3 on arm mount 4, is eliminated and replaced by a flat base 50 which joins the spaced legs in making up the arm mount 4. As shown on FIGURE 5, this base member 50 is provided with a slot 51 which extends generally parallel to the arm 20 when such arm is mounted on arm mount 4. This elongated slot 51 permits the valve to be adapted to flush tanks of various design, as fully described hereinbelow.

The flush tank T in which the flush valve assembly of the FIGURE 4 and 5 embodiment is to be installed is illustrated in FIGURE 4 as including a flush outlet 3' positioned in the bottom wall 1 of the tank. The tank T' differs from the tank T of FIGURE 1 in that a simple opening is provided in the tank bottom wall without a cast seat associated with such opening and there is no overflow tube cast integrally with the tank T.

A conventional flush valve seat 60 is shown positioned in fluid-tight connection within outlet 3 to provide an outlet passage for the flush water, and to provide a valve seat for the buoyant valve 40. This flush valve seat will also have the conventional passage leading from beneath the valve seat laterally within the tank and communicating with an overflow tube supported on the metal casting usually forming the valve seat and passage. These features of a flush valve seat such as at are conventional in the art and therefore are not illustrated on FIGURE 4. The flush valve seat 60 is secured in the tank outlet with the usual internally threaded ring nut and gaskets to seal against water leakage.

Tank T also includes spaced mounting apertures 2' in its bottom wall 1, which may vary in diameter, and in lateral spacing from flush outlet 3, ticular specifications of the tank manufacturer. The lateral spacing between the mounting apertures 2 and the flush outlet 3 may also be varied by the specific design or type of flush valve 60 installed in the tank outlet opening. Therefore, this embodiment of the invention provides a flush valve assembly adaptable for mounting within existing installed flush tanks and is particularly suitable as a replacement part.

To install the assembly of FIGURES 4 and 5 in flush tank T, the lower surface of base member 50 is positioned above one of the mounting apertures 2', and a short flathead bolt 70 is extended through the slot 51 and the aperture 2. An elongated nut 71 is then screwed onto the bolt 70, as shown on FIGURE 4, to temporarily retain the valve assembly in place in the Tank T. A suitable gasket 72 is placed between the bolt head and the base 50 to make the connection fluid-tight. The entire valve assembly may then be shifted laterally to adjust the assembly so that the buoyant valve 40 is properly positioned relative to the valve seat provided by the flush valve seat 60. After proper positioning of the buoyant valve 40 is obtained, the nut 71 is tightened to complete the installation.

It will be apparent that this embodiment of the invenaccording to the partion may be installed in flush tanks before the tank is placed on a toilet bowl, and is thus capable of being installed by mass production techniques in the factory. The elongated nut 71 will retain this valve assembly in place within the tank T during storage, or during shipment to the location at which the tank T is to be assembled with a toilet bowl.

To assemble tank T including this valve assembly to a toilet bowl 90, a standard gasket 91 is first placed between the tank and the bowl to make the assembly fluid-tight. The nut 71 then passes through this gasket and a threaded stud 73 is engaged with the lower end of elongated nut 71. As shown on FIGURE 4, this stud 73 extends downwardly through the top of toilet bowl and is secured to the bowl by conventional means such as nut 74. Alternatively, if the tank T is in position on bowl 90 before the flush valve assembly is placed within the tank, the valve assembly can be secured in place by merely using a standard bolt 80, shown on the left side of FIGURE 4, through the slot 51 of base 50. The valve assembly in accordance with this invention thereby permits the use of conventional connections between the flush tank T and toilet bowl 90 and is adjustable for use in a variety of toilet assemblies.

To initiate the flushing operation using either of the above-described embodiments, actuating chain 25 is pulled upwardly by actuation of the usual flushing lever and handle, not shown. This upward force is communicated to end 24 of arm 20 and the arm is pivoted upwardly in a plane substantially normal to the bottom of the tank. Due to the substantial lever-arm distance between end 24 and the flush valve 40, a substantial pivotmg force is thereby created which readily disengages valve 40 from its valve seat to begin the flushing operation.

Once the buoyant flush valve 41 is disengaged from its valve seat, the normal buoyancy of the valve 40 will cause it to float upward and remain disengaged from the valve seat until the tank is nearly empty. This buoyancy is most effective by reason of the fact that arm 20 is constructed of a light-weight material, such as a suitable plastic.

As the flushing water is flowing through the flush outlet in the tank, the stop means 30 operates to limit the upward pivoting of valve 40 and arm 20 by the engagement of projection 32 with abutment 31 occurring when arm 20 reaches its upward position, as shown in phantom in FIGURE 1 is retained in an inclined position. Valve 40 is thereby maintained in a position from which it may readily return by gravity to engage the valve seat 10 after the flushing operation is completed, thereby insuring rapid and positive seating of the buoyant valve. Further, because of the simplicity and plastic construction of the flush valve assembly of this invention, wear and corrosion normally occurring within the flush tank will not prevent the valve 40 from positively engaging its valve seat.

After water discharges from the flush tank through the flush outlet 3, valve 40 and arm 20 will float downwardly on the lowering water level until the buoyant valve is again seated in the valve seat. The flushing cycle is thus completed.

Although the above description has made reference only to specific embodiments of this invention, the scope of the invention is not limited thereby, but is defined solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flush valve assembly for a flush tank comprising:

an arm mount including a lower portion adapted for attachment to the bottom wall of the flush tank through an outlet aperture with the upper portion of said mount extending upwardly into said tank, said lower portion of said mount including means to secure said assembly to the bottom of the flush tank and further including an opening through which a mounting bolt may extend to secure the flush tank to the top of a toilet bowl,

a lever arm pivotally connected at one end to the upper portion of said mount and pivotal in a plane generally perpendicular to the bottom of the tank,

stop means including an abutment means positioned on said arm mount below the pivotal connection of said arm thereto, said abutment means being angularly inclined in the direction of pivoting of said arm and engageable with said one end of said arm for limiting the upward rotation thereof,

a buoyant valve member connected to said arm intermediate the ends of said arm and alignable with a cooperating valve seat provided in the tank, and

means to connect an actuating chain to said arm adjacent to the other end thereof, whereby an upward force on said chain will disengage said valve from the valve seat during the flushing operation.

2. A flush valve assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said abutment comprises a first surface angularly inclined in the direction of pivoting of the arm and a second surface adjacent to the first surface and inclined in an opposite direction so that said arm mount is reversible with respect to the arm.

3. A flush valve assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said one end of said arm includes a projection extending downwardly for engagement with said abutment.

4. A fiush valve assembly for a flush tank comprising:

an arm mount including a lower portion adapted for attachment to the bottom wall of the flush tank through an outlet aperture with the upper portion of said mount extending upwardly into said tank, said lower portion including means to secure said assembly to the bottom of the flush tank and further including an opening through which a mounting bolt may extend to secure the flush tank to the top of a toilet bowl,

stop means including an abutment means positioned on said arm mount and engageable with one end of said arm for limiting the upward rotation thereof,

a buoyant valve member connected to said arm intermediate the ends thereof and alignable with a cooperating valve seat provided in the tank, and

means to connect an actuating chain to said arm adjacent the other end thereof, whereby an upward force on said chain will disengage said valve from the valve seat during the flushing operation.

5. A flush valve assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said means to secure said assembly to the bottom of the flush tank comprises a shank adapted to extend through the tank aperture provided in the bottom wall of the flush tank and means engageable with said shank toretain said shank within said aperture.

6. A flush valve assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said means to secure said assembly to the bottom of the flush tank comprises a base on the lower end of said arm mount, said base including a slot to receive a bolt adapted to extend through the aperture in the bottom of the flush tank to secure said base to said tank, said bolt being laterally slidable within said slot so that the position of said valve assembly is adjustable within said tank.

'7. A flush valve assembly for a flush tank comprising:

an arm mount including a lower portion adapted for attachment to the bottom wall of the flush tank through an outlet aperture and further including an upper bifurcated portion extending upwardly into said tank, said lower portion including means to secure said assembly to the bottom of the flush tank and further including an opening through which a mounting bolt may extend between said bifurcated upper portion to secure the flush tank to the top of a toilet bowl,

a lever arm pivotally connected at one end to the bifurcated upper portion of said mount and pivotal in a plane generally perpendicular to the bottom of the tank, said one end of said arm being bifurcated to permit a mounting bolt to be inserted downwardly between said bifurcated upper portion of the mount,

stop means defining the extreme upper pivoted position of said arm,

8. A flush valve assembly for a flush tank comprising:

an arm mount including a lower portion adapted for attachment to the bottom wall of the flush tank through an outlet aperture with the upper portion of said mount extending upwardly into said tank, said lower portion including means to secure said assembly to the bottom of the flush tank independently of means which may be used for securing the flush tank to the top of a toilet bowl,

stop means defining the extreme upper pivoted position of said arm,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,174 10/1952 Barling et al. 467 2,649,772 8/1953 Smith 137-445 2,680,248 6/1954 Stewart 467 2,744,261 5/1956 Gram 467 2,776,437 1/1957 Detjen 4-57 2,781,521 2/1957 Schmidt et al. 457 2,810,915 10/1957 Zinkil 4--57 2,822,552 2/1958 Zinkil et a1 457 2,833,302 5/1958 Smith 137445 2,878,485 3/1959 Brown 457 2,992,806 7/1961 Kanter et al. 4-57 3,209,374 10/1965 Waltz 4185 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.