US3561013A - Water tank for toilet flushing - Google Patents

Abstract

WATER TANK FOR TOILETS OR SIMILAR INSTALLATIONS WHERE PERIODICAL FLUSHING IS NEEDED, WITH AN AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING FILLING VALVE AND WITH A DISCHARGE DEVICE, OPERATING ACCORDING TO THE SIPHON PRINCIPLE UNDER ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.

Description

Feb.l 9,Y 1971 E. F. LOPEZ I WATER TANK FOR TOILET FLUSHING Filed April 25. 196s hUnited States Patent O 3,561,013 WATER TANK FOR TOILET FLUSHING Emilio Fernandez Lopez, Uruguay, Mexico (249 W. 14th St., New York, N.Y. 10011) Filed Apr. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 732,474 Int. Cl. E03d 1/07 U.S. Cl. 4-42 9 Claims ABSTRAT oF THE DISCLOSURE Water tank for toilets or similar installations where periodical flushing is needed, with an automatically operating filling valve and with a discharge device, operating according to the siphon principle under atmospheric pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to water receptacles which are periodically discharged and which are automatically refilled and in particular to a new discharge device and to a new refilling valve in the water receptacle.

Water receptacles, especially tanks for toilet flushing, are known having a discharge valve conventionally consisting of a rubber ball, and having a refilling valve which is controlled by a float in such manner that the float opens the valve when the water level in the tank drops and closes the valve gradually with the rising water level. The ball valve mechanism is primitive and consists of several parts which are loosely linked together, causing occasional jamming and malfunctioning. The refilling valves which are known, close against the water pressure in the water supply line and are known to have the tendency to leak.

These problems are intended to be solved by this invention.

SUMMARY The invention consists in such novel features, construction arrangements, combinations of parts and improvements as may be shown and described in connection with the apparatus herein disclosed by Way of example only and as illustrative of a preferred embodiment. The nature of this invention is to use certain laws of physics iu the functions of the structure in a favorable way. Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the sarne being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel water tank for toilet flushing, in which the discharge element operates without a valve.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a discharge element for a Water tank, which is leak-proof sealed in the bottom of the tank and which has no virtually displaceable members.

Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide a discharge element which operates according to the principle of a Siphon using the atmospheric pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the novel water tank an automatic lling valve which is opened against the pressure in the water supply pipe line and which is eventually tightly closed by the water pressure.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a filling valve in a water tank, which is secured in the closed position by a toggle linkage operated by a oat.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a water tank for toilet fiushing with discharge and automatic lilling means which are of simple and sturdy yet very effective structure and which can be economically produced.

3,561,013 Patented Feb. 9, 1971 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing, in which FIG. l shows a water tank for toilet flushing, sectioned in a longitudinal vertical plan.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the automatic filling valve, taken along the line 2 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the water discharge element, taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in more detail to the drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is in FIG. 1 a water tank 11 which has a valveless discharge element consisting of an outer tube 12 and an inner tube 13. Outer tube 12 has a closed upper end 14 and an open lower end 15. Inner tube 13 has an open upper inlet end 16 and an open lower discharge end 17. Inner tube 13 which has a substantially smaller diameter than outer tube 14 is permanently attached on one side to the inner wall of outer tube 14 (as shown in FIG. 3) by any suitable operation, such as soldering, brazing, Welding, riveting or the like. Tubes 12 and 13 may be made of any rigid material, such as steel, nonferrous metal or plastic. Lower end 17 of tube 13 is tightly held in an elongated sleeve 18 of a diaphragm 19 which has a strong ring-shaped border 20. A flange 21 seals diaphragm 19 firmly by its border 20 against the bottom of tank 11 by bolts 22. Diaphragm 19 may consist of rubber or of rubber-like elastic plastic or other suitable material. Tank 11 has an oversize opening 23 through which tube 13 freely passes. Upper end 16 of tube 13 is bent at an angle of approximately 35 degrees for reasons which will be explained below. A lever arrn 24 is attached at lower end 15 of tube 12. An operating lever 25 swings freely on a short shaft 26 and is connected with the end of lever arm 24 by a link 27. Shaft 26 extends outwardly of tank 11 where a hand-operated lever 28 is attached thereto.

The automatically operated water filling Valve 30 has a body 31, preferably made of metal, which has a lower tube-like part 32. The upper part 33 of valve 30 has a horizontally orientedl cavity 34 which is open on one side of upper part 33. Cavity 34 is connected by a passage- Way 35 with lower part 32. At passageway 35, a shoulder 36 is formed against which a valve seat 37 is placed. Valve seat 37 consists of a ring made of rubber, rubberlike plastic or other suitable elastomer. Valve seat 37 is held in place by a tube-like inert 38 in part 32. Insert 38 has an intermediate bottom 39 which is perforated for acting as strainer. Lower part 32 is threaded on the outside, upper part 33 has a flange 40, so that valve 30 can be inserted in a bore 41 of tank 11 and can be firmly secured by a screw nut 42.

A small plunger 43 is axially movable in upper part 33. A small rod 43 is attached to plunger 43 and ends in a valve cone 44 which is seated against seat ring 37. Two parallel walls 45 extend upwardly from upper part 33. Between 4walls 45, a socket 46 is swingably mounted on a pin 47. Plunger 43 has a small bore parallel to pin 47. A short link 48 is fitted into the small bores in the plunger and in the socket for movably connecting the two parts. A rod 49 is inserted in socket 46, extending upwardly of valve 30. Rod 49 is bent at right angle at its upper end where it carries a float 50, which may contain a small loosely movable weight material 51 such as dry sand or steel shot. The water supply pipe line 52 is inserted in the lower end of tube-like part 32 and is held therein by means of gasket ring 53 and screw nut 54.

The operation of the water tank may be performed as follows:

When the tank has been filled to such a water level that the water reaches the edge of the inner tube 13, as shown in FIG. l, a discharge occurs by depressing hand lever 28. Thus lever arm 24 is lifted so that inner tube 13 is urged to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. This is possible because diaphragm 19 is elastically flexed whereas sleeve 18 keeps lower end 17 of tube 13 in a leakproof condition. 'I'he water of the tank starts immediately to gush down through tube 13 and due to the atmospheric pressure on the water and due to the fact that the discharge end 17 0f tube 13 is at a lower level than the water in the tank, the water will continue gushing down until the water level will be down to the lower edge of outer tube 15. At this point, air can enter tube and breaks the siphoning effect stopping the further discharge. Due to the elasticity of diaphragm 19, tube 13 will resume its original position shown in full lines.

In the meantime, float 50 has leaned over, partly due to the sinking level of the water, partly due to the weight of the shifting material 31 inside the float. Thus plunger 43 is pushed downward by link member 48. The leverage proportion between the hinge point of pin 47 and the point of suspension of link 48 is such that valve 44 which is connected by rod 43' with plunger 43, is lifted off seat 37 against the water pressure in the supply line 52. Water can now enter freely into tank 11 from below the level of the water which remained in the tank, refilling the same with a minimum of noise. When the water level again reaches float 50, it will start resuming its redressed position whereby link 40 pulls plunger 43 upwardly. Thus valve 44 is pulled against seat 37 with the ow of the water, and when valve 44 closes against seal 37, the pressure of the water below valve 44 which is substantially higher than the pressure of the water in the tank above it, aids in leakproofingly seating valve 44.

It is obvious that a rapid discharge of the water contents is effectuated because the discharge line is fully open at once Iwhen the siphoning effect takes place; an equally rapid refilling takes place because the refilling valve remains fully open until the tilted float 50 is reached by the rising water level, and only during the last phase of refilling a gradual slow-down of the water flow occurs.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefor in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. A water tank for flushing, comprising a valveless discharge device comprising an outer tube having a closed upper end and an open lower end, an inner tube having an upper portion extending within said outer tube and a lower portion having an open discharge end, said lower portion extending from said lower end of said outer tube, and a flexible diaphragm; said upper portion of said inner tube having an open inlet end spaced from said closed end of said outer tube and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer tube, said inner tube being permanently attached at the outer wall surface thereof to the inner wall of said outer tube, said inner tube being bent intermediate said ends thereof at an angle of substantially 35 degrees and having said lower portion inserted in said flexible diaphragm, and an automatic refill valve having a valve seat and a vertically movable valve member therein sealingly pressed against said seat by the pressure of the refilling fluid when said valve is in closed position.

2. A water tank according to claim 1, the said bend in said inner tube being adjacent said lower open end of said outer tube.

3. A water tank according to claim 1, lever means attached to the outer wall of said outer tube, operating means connected to said lever means for deecting said inner tube by way of said outer tube in said diaphragm for causing the water in said tank to be discharged through said inner tube in a Siphon-like manner by atmospheric pressure.

4. A water tank according to claim 1, a plunger connected with said valve member, a float having a rod attached thereto and means articulatedly connecting said rod `with said plunger for moving said plunger vertically up and down by the movement of said float.

5. A Water tank according to claim 1, lever means attached to the outer wall of said outer tube, operating means connected to said lever means for deflecting said inner tube by way of said outer tube in said diaphragm for causing the water in said tank to be discharged through said inner tube in a Siphon-like manner by atmospheric pressure.

6. A water tank according to claim 3, a plunger connected with said valve member, a float having a rod attached thereto and means articulatedly connecting said rod with said plunger for moving said plunger vertically up and down by the movement of said float.

7. A water tank for toilet flushing comprising a valveless discharge element consisting of an outer tube and of an inner tube, said inner tube being permanently attached by the outer wall surface thereof to the inner wall of said outer tube, and a diaphragm; said inner tube sealingly inserted in said diaphragm, a refill valve having a valve seat and a vertically movable valve member therein sealingly pressed against said seat by the pressure of the refilling water when said valve is in the closed position, and a float operatively connected with said valve member.

8. A water tank for toilet flushing according to claim 7, lever means attached to the outer wall of said outer tube, operating means connected to said lever means for defiecting said inner tube by way of said outer tube in said diaphragm for causing the water in said tank to be discharged through said inner tube in a Siphon-like manner by atmospheric pressure.

9. A water tank for toilet fiushing according to claim 8, a plunger connected -with said valve member, a float having a rod attached thereto and means articulatedly connecting said rod with said plunger for moving said plunger vertically up and down by the movement of said float.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,970 5/ 1904 Jackson 4-42 1,203,106 10/1916 Fulton 4-42 1,335,715 3/1920 Scheier 4-42 1,386,948 8/1921 Renner 4-50X 2,899,686 8/ 1959 Tchoubritch et al. 4-42 3,358,295 12/1967 Wolfgram 4-42 FOREIGN PATENTS 286,026 7/ 1927 Australia 4--42 29,700 10/ 1907 Great Britain 4-42 370,107 12/1906 France 4-42 1,113,616 12/1955 France 4-47 1,451,438 7/1966 France 4-42 89,425 11/1896 Germany 4-47 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner

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