US3595261A - Automatic shutoff valve - Google Patents

Automatic shutoff valve Download PDF

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Publication number
US3595261A
US3595261A US3595261DA US3595261A US 3595261 A US3595261 A US 3595261A US 3595261D A US3595261D A US 3595261DA US 3595261 A US3595261 A US 3595261A
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United States
Prior art keywords
valve
diaphragm
tank
liquid
chamber
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Expired - Lifetime
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English (en)
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Samuel Abbott
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VENAVCO Inc
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VENAVCO Inc
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Publication of US3595261A publication Critical patent/US3595261A/en
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
    • E03D1/00—Water flushing devices with cisterns ; Setting up a range of flushing devices or water-closets; Combinations of several flushing devices
    • E03D1/30—Valves for high or low level cisterns; Their arrangement ; Flushing mechanisms in the cistern, optionally with provisions for a pre-or a post- flushing and for cutting off the flushing mechanism in case of leakage
    • E03D1/32—Arrangement of inlet valves
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/7287—Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
    • Y10T137/7339—By weight of accumulated fluid

Definitions

  • SAMUEL ABBOTT ATTCR N EYS AUTOMATIC snu'rorr VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION provided which stores water to be used when the toilet is flushed. A certain specific water level in a water closet is desirable and this water level must be reestablished after the toilet is flushed and the water closet is drained. Normally a water closet is in fluid communication with the water main in a residence so that water would continually flow into the water closet but for some valving mechanism.
  • Prior Art The prior art devices for maintaining a desired water level in a water closet are generally float operated.
  • these float-operated devices of the prior art are normally composed -of brass or copper because the valving mechanism operates at least some of the time in water and ferrous metals are prone to rust.
  • the nature of a float-operated device, such as the typical ball cock valve is that the float follows the water level and gradually closes off the valve as the water approaches the desired level. Because of the noise problem associated with water flowing into a water closet, the water inflow is normally arranged to take place rather rapidly. However, as the valve that is operated by a float approaches its seat, the water flow is gradually diminished or tapered off and an offensive noise is nevertheless generated.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic shutoff valve for use in maintaining a desired water level in a water closet.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic shutoff valve which is highly resistant to corrosion.
  • my valve includes a chamber into which the water rising in the water closet enters.
  • the chamber is open at the bottom to admit the rising water and closed at the top to cause air to be compressed above the water.
  • the top closure of the chamber includes a diaphragm which deflects between two extreme positions in response to a predetermined pressure. Deflection of the diaphragm to its upward extreme moves a pilot valve to close off flow to one portion of the main valve. When this occurs, the main valve very quickly shifts to a closed position shutting off further water flow.
  • all of the metallic linkage normally associated with float-operated ball cock or check valves is eliminated.
  • the piston and seat in my valve are contained in an area that is constantly submerged in water. This has the advantage that any noise of the moving valve parts is deadened by the water and their tendency to corrode diminishes.
  • an automatic shutoff valve generally designated by numeral 10
  • the water 11 in the water closet l2 empties into the toilet bowl when flushing is initiated through the drain 16 that is normally closed by the valve 18.
  • the valve 18 is pulled from its seat on the end of the drain 16 by rotation of a conventional flushing handle 20 that acts through an extension arm 21 and chain 24 to cause an upward pivoting of valve 18 around pivot 22.
  • valve body 28 When the water closet is full, my valve is in the closed position as illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • a threaded adapter 26 is secured to the end of pipe 14,
  • the main valve body 28 is screwed onto the adapter 26.
  • the valve body 28 has a central passage 30 formed therein in which a valve member 32 is slidable.
  • the valve member or piston 32 has an upper portion 34 slidable on the inside walls of passage 30 and a tapered valve surface 36 adapted to engage a seat 38 on body 28.
  • the valve member 32 has a centrally disposed passage 40.
  • a circular plug 42 is fitted into one end of the passage 40 and provides a valve seat for a pilot valve 44.
  • the pilot valve 44 is carried on one end of an elongated member 46 with the other end of the member 46 being carried by a diaphragm 48.
  • the diaphragm 48 is the upper wall of a chamber 50 formed within a cup-shaped member 52.
  • Apertures 54 and 56 are formed in a bottom wall of the cup-shaped member 52 and provide a path for fluid communication between the inside of the water closet I2 and the chamber 50. Therefore, the chamber 50 has the same water level therein as the water closet when the water closet is nearly filled.
  • valve mechanism functions when the toilet is flushed.
  • flushing is initiated as the handle 20 is rotated about an axis 58 which causes the arm 21 to move in a counterclockwise fashion about the axis 58. This pulls the chain 24 upwardly and rotates the valve 18 around the pivot 22 opening the end of the drain 16. The water within water closet 12 then rushes out through drain 16 thereby flushing the toilet.
  • valve member 32 With the valve member 32 in the open position, water passes through the passage 30 and enters an inlet 64. At the same time, it continues to provide a pressure through the passage 40 to the back side 62 of the valve member 32. Water then flows freely to outlets 66 and 68 causing the filling of water closet 12 to commence. As shown in FIG. 1, a pipe 70 connected to the outlet 68 actually causes the refilling of the water closet while a pipe 72 connected to the outlet 66 passes water to an overflow pipe 74 to assist in the flushing of the toilet.
  • the valve 18 is buoyant and moves back onto its seat on the drain 16 after the water runs out of the drain l6 and the level in water closet 12 has receded. As the valve 18 reseats, the water from the pipe 70 begins to fill the water closet 12. The valve 18 stays seated because its buoyant portion is in drain 16 and is not exposed to the water 11.
  • valve member 32 Any fluid trapped on the back side 62 of the valve member 32 is either vented through the guide passage 76 for the elongated member 46 or it leaks back through the clearance between the valve portion 34 and the wall ofthe valve body 28. Thereafter, the flow is cut off to the outlets 66 and 68 and the rise in water level ceases, thus preparing the valve mechanism for another operating cycle.
  • FIG. 4 another embodiment of my invention is shown and like numerals are applied to structures similar to those shown in the previous embodiment.
  • the basic difference between the embodiment of FIG. 4 and the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 is in the location of the pilot valve 44 and the provision of a cross passage 78 projecting from passage 40 to provide the force on back side 62 of valve member 32 to cause an opening thereof.
  • This design permits a side-by-side relationship between pilot valve 44 and valve member 32 which makes my valve less subject to chatter when operated at very high water pressures,
  • the elongated member 46 engages the actuating diaphragm which seals cup-shaped member 52 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • the present invention provides an automatic shutoff valve for use in maintaining a water level in a water closet or other liquid level control environment of a type superior to prior art devices. More specifically, the operation of the pilot valve 44 and valve member 32 is such that there is full flow to the outlets 66 and 68 from the inlet until the water level reaches a very specific desired limit. At this point, the diaphragm 48 very quickly shifts the valve from an open to a full closed position eliminating the normal noise associated with prior art systems as the float-operated ball cock valves slowly close the space between a valve-operating member and a valve seat.
  • the structure of my invention lends itself to an all-plastic construction and therefore the deleterious effects of the adverse environment in which the valve operates are essentially eliminated.
  • valve portions of the prior art are eliminated completely.
  • my valve can be installed in any standard water closet to operate with standard toilet-flushing equipment. Therefore, my shutoff valve can be installed in a water closet after some other valve structure has malfunctioned because its only point of connection to the water closet is at the mounting pipe.
  • the cup-shaped member 52 and diaphragm 48 may be replaced by a bulbous or doughnut-type float valve attached to the end of the elongated member 46 bringing about the same result in almost as effective a fashion.
  • the travel of the pilot valve is so slight that if a float were attached to the end of the elongated member 46, the pilot valve could be raised in much the same fashion as in the present invention and when the pilot passage 40 is closed off, the valve member 32 would be forced to its seat in order to shut off the incoming water flow. It is understood that the operation of such an embodiment would be slightly slower than the snap action generated in the two embodiments shown in the present invention, but it would be totally within the skill of one skilled in the art to provide such an arrangement.
  • An automatic shutoff valve for maintaining the level of liquid (11) in a toilet flush tank, said valve comprising A, a valve body (10) for positioning in the flush tank;
  • valve body B. a passage (30) formed in the valve body, said passage having a fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet to the tank;
  • valve member (32) movable in the passage between valve open and valve closed positions, thereby selectively isolating said inlet and outlet;
  • valve-actuating means (48,46,44) including 1. a stationary chamber (50);
  • valve body, valve member and diaphragm are plastic.
  • An automatic shutoff valve according to claim 4 wherein said elongated member is adjustable with respect to said diaphragm so that the response time of the valve can be selectively varied.
  • valve member has a passage (40) in the center thereof through which said elongated element passes, said passage communicating fluid under pressure to the back side (62) of said valve member to maintain said valve member in a valve open position under certain operating conditions.
  • An automatic shutoff valve according to claim 6 wherein said elongated member has an enlarged end (44) adapted to seat on the end (42) of said passage to prevent further fluid communication to the back side of said valve member thereby allowing said valve member to shut off fluid to the outlet from the inlet.
  • valve assembly for maintaining the level of liquid (11) in a toilet flush tank (12) wherein the flow of liquid into said tank is controlled by a valve
  • improvement comprising means for actuating said valve including a stationary chamber (50) within said tank, said chamber having A. a flexible diaphragm (48'),

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Sanitary Device For Flush Toilet (AREA)
  • Float Valves (AREA)
  • Self-Closing Valves And Venting Or Aerating Valves (AREA)
US3595261D 1969-03-13 1969-03-13 Automatic shutoff valve Expired - Lifetime US3595261A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US80681669A 1969-03-13 1969-03-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3595261A true US3595261A (en) 1971-07-27

Family

ID=25194906

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US3595261D Expired - Lifetime US3595261A (en) 1969-03-13 1969-03-13 Automatic shutoff valve

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3595261A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2006216A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2038032A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1303862A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IE (1) IE34045B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1147639A (en) * 1912-08-14 1915-07-20 Edward Harry Nolan Supply-valve.
US1589786A (en) * 1924-10-11 1926-06-22 Andrew C Bradshaw Float valve for flush tanks
US2744536A (en) * 1954-04-30 1956-05-08 Wilbur G Buckner Shut-off valve
US3285277A (en) * 1963-11-15 1966-11-15 Twentieth Century Products Cor Toilet tank supply valve assembly
US3344804A (en) * 1964-07-08 1967-10-03 Whirlpool Co Liquid level control

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1147639A (en) * 1912-08-14 1915-07-20 Edward Harry Nolan Supply-valve.
US1589786A (en) * 1924-10-11 1926-06-22 Andrew C Bradshaw Float valve for flush tanks
US2744536A (en) * 1954-04-30 1956-05-08 Wilbur G Buckner Shut-off valve
US3285277A (en) * 1963-11-15 1966-11-15 Twentieth Century Products Cor Toilet tank supply valve assembly
US3344804A (en) * 1964-07-08 1967-10-03 Whirlpool Co Liquid level control

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IE34045L (en) 1970-09-13
GB1303862A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-01-24
DE2006216A1 (de) 1970-10-08
FR2038032A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-12-31
IE34045B1 (en) 1975-01-08

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