US3787901A

US3787901A - Toilet and waste storage system

Info

Publication number: US3787901A
Application number: US00164261A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Rollo; R Wagner; E Kubiak
Original assignee: GEN AM TRANSPORT
Current assignee: GEN AM TRANSPORT; Chamberlain Manufacturing Corp
Priority date: 1971-07-20
Filing date: 1971-07-20
Publication date: 1974-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-29
Also published as: NL7210066A; JPS5035347B1; CA962402A; DE2236020A1; BE786439A; ES404980A1; FR2149096A5; GB1381628A

Abstract

A system, that receives and treats human body waste added to a toilet, includes a toilet bowl with a bottom outlet, a storage tank, a heater for the tank to evaporate water from and thereby reduce volume of waste in the tank, a conduit communicating with the bowl outlet, a valve closing and opening that communication, means to open the valve, means to close the valve, transfer means between the conduit and the tank, and valved conduit means to provide a predetermined amount of flush water upon opening of the valve between the bowl outlet and the conduit. The transfer means is operative for a predetermined period of time after closing of the valve between the outlet and the conduit. The heater is operative when waste in the tank rises to a predetermined level and thereafter until solids content in the waste reaches a predetermined value. Operation of the transfer means is prevented when the level of waste in the tank exceeds a higher level. Flush water may be added to the bowl without opening the valve between the bowl outlet and the conduit.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Wagner et al.

[ TOILET AND WASTE STORAGE SYSTEM [75] Inventors: Robert F. Wagner, bombard;

Edward J. Kubiak, Oakbrook; Edward J. Rollo, Jr., Des Plaines, all of 111.

[73] Assignee: General American Transportation Corporation, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: July 20, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 164,261

[52] US. Cl 4/10, 4/77, 4/79 [51] Int. Cl E0311 l/00 [58] Field of Search 4/79, 115, 118, 76, 10,77, 4/78, 80, 81; 210/97 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,536,196 10/1970 Zeff 210/97 3,577,569 5/1971 Sargent 3,713,177 1/1973 Tufts 2,678,450 5/1954 Simpson et al. 3,340,545 9/1967 Sargent.. 3,369,260 2/1968 Sargent et al 3,535,712 10/1970 Zeff et al. 211,917 2/1879 Levake et a1. 3,579,651 5/1971 Russo 3,611,447 10/1971 Howard 3,673,614 7/1972 Claunch 4/77 X 3,698,019 10/1972 Culp 4/10 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-Donald B. Massenberg Attorney, Agent, or Fir m-Claron N. White [5 7] ABSTRACT A system, that receives and treats human body waste added to a toilet, includes a toilet bowl with a bottom outlet, a storage tank, a heater for the tank to evaporate water from and thereby reduce volume of waste in the tank, a conduit communicating with the bowl outlet, a valve closing and opening thatcommunication, means to open the valve, means to close the valve, transfer means between the conduit and the tank, and valved conduit means to provide a predetermined amount of flush water upon opening of the valve between the bowl outlet and the conduit. The transfer means is operative for a predetermined period of time after closing of the valve between the outlet and the conduit. The heater is operative when waste in the tank rises to a predetermined level and thereafter until solids content in the waste reaches a predetermined value. Operation of the transfer means is prevented when the level of waste in the tank exceeds a higher level. Flush water may be added to the bowl without opening the valve between the bowl outlet and the conduit.

21 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures -.1 TOILET AND WASTE STORAGE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention .This invention relates to a toilet and waste storage system or apparatus, including a toilet bowl, that is useful in facilities that can store a relatively large quantity of flushing water or that can be connected to a relatively large source of flush water, but the facilities are located where the flushed waste cannot be transferred from the toilet bowl directly toward a conventional sewage treatment system. In such facilities the toilet system previously developed includes a storage tank in which flushed waste is accumulated but servicing of the tank is required after a short period of use of the toilet.

2. Description of the Prior Art U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,340,545, 3,369,260, 3,570,018, and 3,577,569 relate to water closets, i.e. toilets. All are assigned to Thetford Engineering Corporation, Ann Arbor, Michigan, or to Thetford Corporation, Ann Arbor, Michigan, (presumably the same company after a change in name). They disclose a combination of toilet bowl, 'a slide gate valve closing the bottom outlet of the bowl, a conduit communicating with the outlet when the valve is open, a foor pedal on a lever connected by linkage to the slide valve to open it when the pedal is depressed, and spring means to return the lever to its normal position for closing the valve.

vThe combination of the system shown in three of these patents further includes a valved conduit containing a rotary valve that is opened by the movement of the linkage when the pedal is depressed and is closed when the spring raises the pedal. The valved conduit is connected to a source of flush water. The conduit, that communicates with the bowl outlet, may communicate with a sewer line but more probably in the contemplated use communicates with a storage or temporary retention tank for direct transfer of flushed waste to it from the bowl during the flushing operation.

When such a toilet of these patents is used with a temporary storage tank, such as an installation in a marine or land vehicle or even a mobile home lacking a connection with a sewer line, the retention tank is relatively small. As a result, after a limited number of uses of the toilet, the tank is filled. Then the toilet is effectively inoperative until the tank is emptied. For such toilets, except that of U. S. Pat. No. 3,577,569, the

amount of flush water used each time is controlled by the length of time the user holds the flush pedal in the depressed position. In the toilet shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,577,569 there is a construction to provide a fixed volume of flush water.

The combiantion of the other patent (U. S. Pat. No. 3,570,018) is a portable toilet unit having two sections held together by clamps. The top section includes the bowl and a fresh water compartment. A retention tank is mounted as the other section below the toilet bowl etc. to receive directly the flushed waste. The number of uses of such toilet before the tank is filled is even more limited and is dependent also on the length of time the flush pedal is held inthe depressed position.

Thetford Corporation sells toilets, e.g., their Model 60 Commode. That toilet has two foot pedals, each mounted on a pair of levers. The second pedal can be depressed, without depressing the first pedal, to add water to the. bowl prior to use of the toilet for defecation. This water addition wets the sidewalls and provides a pool of water above the bottom outlet. After human waste is added, the user depresses the first pedal to open the valve closing the bottom outlet of the bowl. During the depression of the first pedal it engages the lever for the second pedal to cause depression of the second pedal whereby flush water is added to the bowl. That commode is a modification of that shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,369,260. The modification is primarily the incorporation of a second pedal and its lever and the link means operating the open-or-closed rotary valve is connected for movement of the lever of that pedal rather than to-the link moved by the first pedal to open the gate valve. A second spring is added to returnv the second pedal to the raised position and thereby move the rotary valve to its closed position. The construction in Model 60 Commode of the gate valve, its housing, and its actuating mechanism (the link and the first pedal) is that shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,369,260.

In other toilet systems, such as that disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 2,678,450, the waste in the toilet bowl is flushed from the bowl to a trap door. The door is opened shortly after flush water is turned on. The door is closed shortly after the flush water is turned off. The flushed waste is dumped directly to an incinerator in which flushed waste is received by a then whirling basket to separate liquid from solids. The toilet itself is preferably of the retractable concealed type. When the toilet is moved to the concealed or closedposition, the retraction initiates the flushing operation and then initiates the opening of the trap door. After the flush water is turned off, the trap door is closed to prevent escape of obnoxious odors from the incinerator into the toilet bowl and ultimately to the toilet room. Some gas from incineration may flow upwardly through the opened trap door into the room via the toilet bowl during the flushing operation when the bowl communicates directly with the incinerator.

In the systems disclosed in U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,535,712 and 3,536,196, granted to the assignee of the present application, flushed waste is transferred from the bowl directly to an intermediate tank. When the level of waste accumulated in that tank reaches a predeter-. mined height, flushed waste is transferred automatically to a retention or storage tank in which water is evaporated to reduce waste volume. For a retention or storage tank having a specific volumetric capacity, the

water reduction by'evaporation in the storage tank of the system permits a larger number of uses than other systems in which flushed waste is transferred directly from the toilet bowl to the storage tank of such other systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION is particularly useful for mobile applications where an extended service interval requirement is warranted. Such applications include installation in marine, aircraft, highway, and railroad equipment, such as passenger cars, cabooses, and locomotives. The system is also applicable for installation in mobile homes and even homes that would otherwise have their toilets connected to septic tanks. The system preferably utilizes only a relatively small amount of water for flushing. For many applications the volume of flushing water for each flushing operation is required to be a small volume.

The toilet and human waste storage system of this invention comprise: a toilet bowl having a bottom outlet; a conduit mounted to communicate with said outlet to receive human waste from said bowl; a valve mounted between said outlet and said conduit; means to close said valve to prevent communication between said outlet and said conduit; means to open said valve toprovide said communication between said outlet and said conduit; a storage tank; heater means mounted on said tank to evaporate water from human waste in said tank; means to transfer waste in said conduit to said tank, said transfer means being in communication with said conduit and said tank and being constructed to initiate its transfer function only after said means to close said valve has operated; and a valved conduit system communicating with said bowl to provide a predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl, said valved conduit system being constructed to be operated, to provide the flushing water, by the operation of said means to open said valve between said outlet and said conduit.

Because the system uses a predetermined, limited amount of flush water to minimize the amount of evaporation of water from flushed waste in the evaporative storage tank and to permit the use of a relatively small storage tank even though the time between service removal of waste is substantial in the light of expected fr'equency'of use of the toilet, the system of the present invention preferably and in most instances necessarily includes automatic feed means to supply disinfectant to the flush water.

As seen below in the description of the preferred embodiments of the system, flush water is fed to the toilet bowl in two increments for each cycle of a flushing operation. In this case the second increment of flush water'is added to the bowl after the valve closes communication between the outlet of the bowl and the conduit, that receives the flushed waste and from which flushed waste is thereafter transferred by the transfer means-to the storage tank. Thus the second increment of flush water of a flushing cycle is transferred with the first increment of the next flushing cycle and human waste received in the bowl before that next flushing cycle. Furthermore, the last portion of the first increment of flush water flows into the toilet bowl after the valve is closed. The system of the preferred embodiments of the invention includes means to feed automatically a concentrate containing disinfectant and dye into the flush water of the first increment during the latter part of the feeding of flush water by the valved conduit system to the toilet bowl. The amount of dye-disinfectant concentrate that is automatically fed to the flush water is sufficient to provide more disinfectantthan is required to be incorporated in the next flushed waste to be received by the conduit from the bowl and remaining in the conduit after operation of the transfer means. This manner of adding disinfectant provides a wetting of the sides of the toilet bowl with water containing a higher concentration of disinfectant so as to minimize, if not prevent, putrefaction of waste on the sides or in the pool forming on the gate valve. It also insures an ad equate concentration of disinfectant in the flushed waste in the conduit before and after operation of the transfer means that permits or moves flushed waste to the evaporative storage tank.

The system of the invention preferably includes levelsensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank, and means operatable by said level-sensing means to effectuate affect operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said level-sensing means.

For the preferred embodiments of this invention, various components of the system, as described below, are constructed in a specific manner. As seen also below, the system can include an incinerator connected by a valved conduit to the storage tank so that the flushed waste, after sufficient reduction of its volume and after sufficient accumulation of flushed waste of reduced volume, can be readily transferred to the incinerator for further treatment. Such is the case when the storage tank and heater means of the system merely provide volume reduction by boiling the flushed waste rather than being constructed to operate as an incinerator for evaporating water and further reducing solids to ash and gas.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the toilet and waste storage system of this invention are illustrated in the drawings in which generally similar parts are identified by the same numerals and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of the especially preferred embodiment of the system of the invention and shows, included as a part of the system, an incinerator connected to the storage tank that functions in this embodiment to remove water without incineration.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic view of a part of the system showing two footpedals, one of which is uperated to open the valve below the bowl and the other of which is operated to add water to the bowl, and showing the valved conduit system tofeed automatically flush water to the bowl in two increments when only the second pedal is depressed directly or by depression of the first pedal and then released.

FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic drawing of the control system for the automatic operation of the toilet and waste storage system in which two toilets etc. are used with one storage tank, heater means, etc.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan of components mounted generally within the shroud for the bowl and showing two foot pedals and a part of the rotary valve and other components moved or affected by the depression or return of one or both of these pedals.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the components shown in FIG. 4 and includes entirely the four-way rotary valve shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the second preferred embodiment of the system of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, the system of the invention includes a toilet generally indicated at 11 having a bowl 12 with conventional flush ring. The toilet 11 has a toilet seat and a cover (not numbered). The toilet has two foot pedals l3 and 14 (FIG. 4). The toilet 11 to be described is a modification of a toilet sold by said Thetford Corporation as Model 60 Commode. Thus toilet 11 has the construction shown in said U. S. Pat. No.

3,369,260 insofar as it contains a gate valve to close the bottom outlet of the toilet, a housing for the gate valve, means to mount the housing on the toilet at its bottom outlet, a rotary valve, and components for opening and closing both valves operated by a foot pedal are concerned. The toilet 11, although like Model 60 Commode, differs from the construction shown in that patent by the presence of a second foot pedal mounted on a lever, which is constructed and positioned such that the depression of the f rst foot pedal to move the gate valve depresses the second foot pedal to move the rotary valve for flow of flush water to the bowl while the gate valve is open. However, this construction of toilet 11 differs from Model 60 Commode in a number of respects, as seen from the description that follows.

Instead of a rotary valve with a rotor having a single straight passageway as used in Model 60 Commode and construction shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,369,260, the rotary valve of. the preferred embodiments of the invention is a conventional four-way valve generally indicated at 14' (FIG. 2) having a rotor 15 with

arcuate passageways

16 and 17. The valve 14' has a housing 18 with two pairs of ports. The pairs of ports are in planes normal to each other. The ports of each pair are at the same plane but. on opposite sides of housing 18. As a restilt, when the rotor 15 is at one position its two passageways communicate with the four ports of housing 18. When rotor 15 is turned 90, the passageways also communicate with the four ports but each passageway then communicates with the one port other than one with which it communicates before the turning of rotor 15. As seen below, with this, construction a quantity of flush water passes through valve 14' each time rotor 15 is turned through 90 degrees and each time it is returned'to its initial position. Although there is this communication through a passageway of rotor 15, the amount of flush water is limited to a predetermined volume in view of other components to which valve 14' is connected.

The toilet 11 has a shroud 19 within which is located toilet bowl 12 and most of the actuating mechanism to flush the toilet. The toilet bowl 12 has a bottom outlet 20 closed by a gate valve member 21 (FIG. 4) of a gate ber 21 is in the form of a flat plate of a size to slide horizontally in a cavity formed in the valve housing. One end of member 21 is integrally formed with an upright cylindrical boss extending upwardly through a circular opening-in the housing that is in two parts secured together. These parts are shaped so that they provide a passageway directly below the bowl outlet. The boss of member 21 is hollow and is formed with an inner tubular projection which is readily supported on a pin shape projection carried by the lower part of the housing so that upon pivotal movement of the boss on the projection, member 21 is moved between a position closing the passageway below the bowl'outlet and a position to one side of the passageway. A bracket 22 secured to the top part of the valve housing is provided with an opening through which extends an upwardly extending pin shape projection on the boss of member 21. With this construction there is two point pivot support of the boss permitting rotatable movement of the boss about its vertical axis. An upright pin 23 is carried by that boss 23A.

The pedal 13 is mounted on

arms

25 and 26 of the pair of levers pivotally mounted on a pin 27 supported at its ends by a pair of downwardly extending flanges 28 of bracket 22. The pedal 14 is mounted on an arm 30 of another lever that is also pivotally mounted on pin 27. The arm 30 has its distal end portion offset from the main part of the lever and pedal 14 is mounted on that offset portion while the proximal portion of arm 30 is partly below pedal 13. When pedal 13 is depressed, it moves down onto arm 30. Further depression of pedal 13 results in a depression of pedal 14 and, of course, of arm 30 to move the lever having arm 30 about pin 27 while the

levers having arms

25 and 26 are moved about pin 27. By this construction pedal 14 can be depressed without concomitant depression of pedal The depression of pedal 14 and its release serves to provide two increments of a predetermined amount of flush water. The depression of pedal 13 provides for the movement of gate valve member 21 away from the position closing bowl outlet 20 during a flushing operation by one increment of water introduced through the simultaneous depression ofpedal 14. Upon the release of the downward force on pedal 13 a spring 31 (FIG. 4) connected, at one of its ends through a link 32 moved by the other arm 33 of the lever having arm 26, turns that lever to raise pedal '13 to its initial elevated position. As seen below, this return movement of the lever causes gate valve member 21 to pivot to its initial position closing bowl outlet 20. The upward movement of pedal 13 permits upward movement of pedal 14. That movement is caused by a spring 34 connected at one of its ends to the other arm 35 of the lever having arm 30. This return of pedal 14 to-its normal raised position by movement of the lever having arm 30 also returns rotor 15 of four-way valve 14' to its initial position for feeding a second increment of flush water to toilet bowl 12.

The other end of spring 31 is connected to a downward turned portion 37 of a support plate 36 at a corner of plate 36. The portion 37 is at a corner of one end of plate 36 and is able to be downwardly turned because of an intermediate slot 39'extending from one edge. The plate 36 supports rotary valve 14'. The

' spring 34 is connected at its other end to bracket 22.

The depression of pedal 13 stretches spring 31 so that spring 31 returns pedal 13 to the raised position as soon as the downward pressure on pedal 13 is released. Similarly, spring 34 is stretched when pedal 14 is depressed and spring 34 contracts to raise pedal 14 when the downward force on pedal 14 is removed.

A conduit 40 is connected to the bottom of the housing for gate valve member 21. Conduit 40 is located to be in alignment with the passageway in that housing closed by valve member 21, and of course, in alignment with bottom outlet 20 of toilet bowl 12. Instead of conduit 40 being connected directly to a storage tank below for direct dumping of flushed waste, as is the normal use for Model 60 Commode, conduit 40 is connected at its other end to a macerator pump 42 operated by a motor MTR-l. The pump 42 has its outlet connected to a pipe 43 connected by a check valve 44, pipe 45, elbow 46, pipe 47, elbow 48, pipe 49, elbow 50, and pipe 51 to a storage tank 55 having a vent pipe 56. The pump 42, check valve 44 and these pipes and elbows with motor MTR-l constitute means to transfer waste in conduit 40 to tank 55 when motor MTR-l is operated. This is the especially preferred embodiment of the invention. That embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 in a construction in which tank 55 is mounted on a floor 2 so that it is at a higher elevation than conduit 40 below toilet 11 mounted on a floor F1. In the other preferred embodiment of the invention conduit 40 also extending through an opening infloor F2 communicates with storage tank 55 that is below it through a valve 57 opened and closed by its motor MTR-l (FIG. 6).

The tank 55 has a bottom outlet for removing flush waste after concentration of solids in accordance with the present invention. In the case of further treatment of the concentratd flushed waste at the site, as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom outlet of tank 55 communicates with avalve 60 that is connected by piping to a pump 61 for transferring such concentrated waste to an incinerator generally indicated at 62 and having a vent pipe 63. In incinerator 62 concentrated flushed waste is converted to gas and solids. This additional equipment is not shown in the embodiment presented in FIG. 6, in which concentrated flushed waste is withdrawn through valve 60 to a pipe 64 for disposal at another location.

The tank 55 is surrounded by a lagging material 66. On the outside of the sidewall of tank 55 there are

mounted heaters

1H, 2H, 3H, and 4H at different elevations with1I-I being above the other heaters and the other heaters being located at successively lower elevations. Also mounted adjacent to these heaters are temperatu're control switches ITCS, 2TCS, 3TCS, and 4TCS to monitor the temperature adjacent heaters 1H through 4H, respectively.

Inside tank 55 there are mounted two level sensors having probes LSP 1 'and LSP-2. Both probes in this preferred embodiment are above the elevation of heater ll-I. Probe LSP-l is at a higher elevation than LSP-2. The function of these probes is described later in connection with FIG. 3.

A link 70 is connected at one of its ends by a pin 71 to arm 35 of the lever having pedal 14 mounted on it. The other end of link 70 is pivotally connected to a link 72 that is fixedly mounted at its other end on a rod or shaft 73. The rod 73 is mounted on a downward extension 74 of rotor 15 of valve 14'. The link 70 is moved to the right (as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5) when pedal 14 is depressed. This pivots link 72 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 4. This turns shaft 73 and rotor 15 90 from the position of rotor shown in FIG. 2, when pedal 14 is fully depressed. When spring 41 returns pedal 14 to its raised position, link 70 is moved to the left (as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5) for pivotal movement of link 72 to turn shaft 73 and rotor 15 to their initial, normal positions.

When rotor 15 is at its normal position, shown in FIG. 2,passageway 16 of rotor 15 communicates with two of the ports of the housing of valve 14 that are connected to

pipes

80 and 82. At the same time passageway 17 provides communication between the other two ports of the housing of valve 14' that are connected to

pipes

81 and 83. Pipe-80 is connected to a pressurized water source. With rotor 15 in this position the Water SQIJFCe is connected to pipe 82. When pedal 14 is depressed,'rotor 15 is turned through 90 degrees to communicate pipe with pipe 81 by passageway 17 and pipe 82 then communicates by passageway 16 with pipe 83. Pipe 83 transfers water through a check valve 85, pipe 86, anti-siphon valve 87, and pipe 88 to the flush ring'of toilet bowl 12.

The

pipes

81 and 82 are connected to openings adjacent each end of a hollow cylindrical housing 90 in which is located a piston 91 for movement between these openings to provide two chambers in housing 90. The end of housing 90 adjacent to which pipe 81 is connected has an end assembly 92 including a diaphragm 93 to provide a third smaller chamber separated by diaphragm 93 from the adjacent chamber in housing 90 that is on the same side of piston 91. The end assembly 92 has two ports at opposite sides of its chamber. One port is connected by a pipe 94, a check valve 95 and a pipe 96 to a vessel 97 containing a concentrated aqueous solution of dye and disinfectant of conventional formulation. The other port of end assembly 92 is connected by a pipe 98, a check valve 99, and a pipe 100 to pipe 88.

This overall construction including valve 14', housing 90 with its piston 91 and end assembly 92 provides the valved conduit means to provide a predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl upon the depression or raising of pedal 14 or upon the opening or closing of valve member 21 between bowl outlet 20 and conduit 40 due to the depression or raising of pedal 13 and resultant simultaneous depression or raising, respectively, of pedal 14. This transfer of flush water in appredetermined amount occurs by the rotational repositioning of rotor 15 as described below.

With rotor 15 in its initial position water is fed by

pipes

80 and 82 to one chamber of housing 90. At this time the other chamber of housing 90 is at ambient pressure because the other opening of housing 90 communicates by pipe 81, passageway 17, pipe 83, check valve 85, pipe 86, valve 87 and pipe 88 to toilet bowl 12. Due to the pressure of the water in pipe 80 and flowing into the one chamber of housing 90 piston 91 is moved to the right (as viewed in FIG. 2) so that the left-hand chamber enlarges and fills with water under pressure.

When rotor 15 is turned clockwise through 90 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 2 by depression of pedal 14, water in the left-hand chamber of housing 90 flows to bowl 12 at ambient pressure. The flow is continued by the movement of piston 91 to the left by pressurized water entering the right-hand chamber from pipe 81 and the water pressure increases sufficiently to cause bowing of diaphragm 93, as shown, to force aqueous concentrate out of the chamber in end assembly 92. This concentrate under pressure passes through valve 99, pipe 100 and pipe 88 to bowl 12. In pipe 88 it is mixed with the later portion of flush water forced from the left-hand chamber of housing 90.

When rotor 15 is turned 90 degrees by the raising of pedal 14, pipe 80 again communicates with pipe 82 to introduce water into the left-hand chamber of housing When this cycle of turning of rotor 15 clockwise and i then counterclockwise is effected by the direct depres- 9 sion and release of pedal 14, bowl 12 is provided with two increments of predetermined quantity of flush water that form a pool of flush water at the bottom of bowl 12 without valve member 21 being moved. This fill operation is performed by the user before defecation in the toilet. Thereafter for a flushing operation pedal 13 is depressed to open valve member 21. This automatically depresses pedal 14 to provide a first increment of flush water. With valve member 21 open the pool of water and added contents are flushed by the first increment to conduit 40. When pedal 13 is released, it raises to close valve member 21. The pedal 14 is automatically raised to turn rotor 15 to its normal position whereby the second increment of flush water is added to form with the last portion of the first incre-. ment a pool in the bottom of bowl 12.

As stated earlier, the construction of the actuating mechanisms for opening and closing valve member 21 and for turning a rotary valve to add flush water are those of the Model 60'Commode. However, the rotary valve is a different type because it is also a part of a control system that provides flush water in two increments of predetermined amount. This control system includes a hydraulic cylinder having housing 90 and piston 91. Each movement of the rotary valve of the system of the present invention provides an increment of flush water, whereas the construction of Model 60 Commode provides only flush water while the foot pedal for a fill operation is depressed. The system of the present invention also provides an automatic feed of concentrate of dye and disinfectant to the flush water and this, in the preferred embodiment being described, is during the addition of flush water resulting from movement of the rotary valve to one of its two positions. e

The system of the invention includes a microswitch lMSW having a button 101 that is depressed by a rod 102 connected at its other end tov link 32 that is engaged by arm 33 of the lever having pedal 13 mounted on its arm 26. This is an additional difference between the system and Model'60 Commode. When pedal 13 is depressed, rod 102 is moved to the right (as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5) by the movement of link 32 that opens valve member 21. This moves rod 102 out of engagement with button'lOl-qWhen pedal 13 is released, rod 102 is moved with link 32 to the left until rod 102 engages button 101. As seen in greater detail below this initiates the operation of motor MTR-l for a predetermined period of time so that flush waste in conduit 40 is transferred to tank 55.

The microswitch IMSW is mounted on a support plate 110 by bolts 111 and nuts 112. The support plate 110 is fixedly mounted on bracket 22. The support plate 110 has an upwardly inclined intermediate portion 113 to provide an upper offset end portion that provides part of .the support of plate 36 on which valve 14 is mounted. The inclined portion 113 has a guide opening 114 through which rod 102 passes in a supporting manner. The support plate 36 at its other end has a downwardly offset portion that is secured on top of switch lMSW by bolts 111 to provide the other por tion of support of plate 36.

FIG. 6 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of the invention. Toilet '11 and associated equipmentincluding valve member 21 and its housing, pedals 13 .and 14, actuating linkages, rotary valve 14', housing 90 with its piston 91 and end assembly 92 with the valving arrangement shown in FIG. 2 are the same as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5. In this embodiment conduit 40 does not have its bottom end connected to macerator pump 42. Instead it is connected to a valve 57 that is operated by motor MTR-l for a predetermined period of time upon the engagement of button 101 of switch lMSW by rod 102, as in the especially preferred embodiment. The storage tank 55 is directly below valve 57 so that, when it is opened, flushed waste in conduit 40 is dumped directly to tank 55. Thenvalve 57 is closed. This embodiment similarly differs from the unmodified construction of an assembly conventionally using Model 60 Commode because there is no immediate dumping of flush waste from conduit 40 when valve member 21 is opened during the operation of flushing toilet bowl 12. Instead the transfer from conduit 20 occurs after valve member 21 isclosed.

The storage tank 55 shown in FIG. 6 also has the four sets of heaters, four sets of temperature control switches and the two level-sensing probes LSP- l and LSP-Z shown in FIG. 1 for the first embodimentnThe tank 55 has vent pipe 56 and bottom outlet valve 60 to which is connected a pipe 121 that can be used for direct dumping when tank 55 is serviced. It can be connected to incinerator 62 by pump 61 (FIG. 1) for further treatment.

Referring "to FIG. 3, there is shown the automatic control system for the operation of the apparatus of the present invention. In this illustration two identical toilets, constructed each with associate equipment shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, are-provided. By their transfer means flushed waste from their conduits 40 are transferred to the same tank 55. The second toilet system has its motor designated MTR-2 instead of MTR-l. Similarly its microswitch is designated 2MSW instead of lMSW. For convenience the switches IMSW and 2MSW are shown as foot pedal'switches because they are operated through the movement of pedal 13.

The electrical control system includes line L1 and L2 that are connected to a volt alternating current. The lines include a circuit breaker lCB that provides a main disconnect for the control system. To the left of line Ll in'FIG. 3 there are numerals that designate circuits or subcircuits. Some subcircuits are in series with other subcircuits to provide circuits between line L1 andL2. Others are in parallel with components of main circuits that are connected to lines L1 and L2. To the right of line L2 appear numerals that designate circuits or subcircuits containing contacts affected by those circontacts 1M-1 and 1M2 are closed. Similarly subcircuits 3 and 4 provide a circuit including motor MTR-2 in series with normally open contacts 2M-l and 2M-2 of a relay containing in circuit 9 a starter coil 2M for motor MTR-Z.

A circuit 5 has microswitch lMSW in series with a solid-state, time-delay circuit lTDR having a normally open contact lTDR-l that is closed after circuit ITDR is activated upon the closing of switch lMSW. After a predetermined delay contact lTDR-l latches open.

Similarly a circuit 6 has microswitch 2MSW in series with a solid-state, time-delay circuit 2TDR having a normally open contact ZTDR-l that similarly is closed for a predetermined period of time when circuit 2TDR is activated by the closing of microswitch ZMSW and then latches open after that period of time.

A subcircuit 7 is in series with a subcircuit 8 between lines L1 and L2 to provide a circuit containing normally open'contact lTDR-l, a coil 1M of a starter relay having normally open contacts lM-l and 1M-2 (mentioned above), and a normally closed contact ZLR-l of the relay, having a coil 2LR and other contacts described below. By virtue of subcircuit 8 in series with subcircuit 7 the circuit further includes a normally closed contact 1TR-1 of a time-delay relay having a coil lTR that is in circuit 1 l. A subcircuit 7a includes a coil lLR of a relay and is in parallel with coil 1M and thus is in series with the other components of subcircuit 7 and contact lTR-l of subcircuit 8 to provide a circuit in which coil lLR is energized when coil 1M is energized and motor MTR-l is operating. This prevents the energization of coil 2M that is the starter coil of ,the relay for motor MTR-2, as seen below.

Similarly a subcircuit 9a includes a coil 2LR of a relay and is in parallel with coil 2M that is in a subcircuit 9 in series with contact 2TDR-l and a normally closed contact lLR-l of the relay having coil lLR.

Thus coil 2LR is in series with contacts 2TDR-l,

1LR1 and lTR-l to provide a circuit. The energization of coil 2LR opens contact 2LR-l to prevent the operation of motor MTR-l when motor MTR-2 is operating. This interlock provided by

subcircuits

7, 7a, 8, 9a and 9 prevents the operation of pump motor MTR-l 2TDR-l that is in series in circuit 14 between lines L1 and L2 with a coil MHR of a master heater control reor MTR-Z when the associated microswitch lMSW or 2MSW closes to transfer flushed waste from conduit 4 of that toilet if the other motor is operating.

In addition the operation of both motors is prevented whenever contact lTR-l is open. This occurs when there is energization of a coil lTR of a thermal delay relay having contact lTR-l. A circuit 10 includes in series a fuse IFU and a highlevel sensing control having probe lLSP in tank 55 and having a normally open contact lLSP-l that is in series with coil lTR in circuit 11. Circuits l0 and 11 provide a high-level sensor circuit system. When probe ILSP is wet, contact lLSP-l closes to energize coil lTR. After a delay contact lTR-l of circuit lTR opens. The delay is present to prevent mere sloshing of fluid onto probe lLSP from opening contact lTR-l. The sloshing merely creates a momentary wetting of the probe. This false indication of fluid level is precluded from opening contact lTR-l.

A subcircuit 11a is in parallel with coil lTR and includes a red light that provides a visual warning that the maximum level permitted for flushed waste in tank 55 has been reached after numerous additions of flushed waste even though there has been substantial evaporation of water from the waste.

A circuit 12 between lines L1 and L2 includes in series a fuse 2FU and a level sensing control that includes and is operated by level-sensing probe 2LSP. This level sensing control has a normally open contact ZLSP-l that is closed when probe 2LSP is wet by concentrated flushed waste in tank 55 accumulating sufficiently to reach that elevation within the tank.

The contact 2LSP-l is in series in a circuit 13 between lines L1 and L2 with a coil 2TDR of a thermal delay relay. This relay has a normally open contact lay. The coil 2TDR, when energized, closes contact 2TDR-1 after a delay. This delay is present so that the momentary wetting of probe 2LSP by sloshing of fluid in tank 55 does not result in a closing of contact ZTDR-l. That contact closes only when the level of flushed waste in the tank accumulates to the extent that the four heaters are to be turned on for evaporating water from the flushed waste.

The 4

heaters

1H, 2H, 3H and 4H are in circuit 15 and subcircuits 15a, 15b, and 150, respectively. In series with these heaters are normally open contacts 1CR-l, zcR-i, 3CR-1, and 4624, respectively. In series with heater 1H and contact lCR-l are a circuit breaker 2GB and a normally open contact MHR-l of the relay having coil MHR in circuit 14.The circuit breaker 2GB and contact MHR-l, that are in series with heater 1H and contact lCR-l, are also in series with heater 2H and contact 2CR-1 (subcircuit 15a), with heater 3H and contact 3CR-l (subcircuit 15b) and with heater 4H and contact 4CR-l (subcircuit 15c). With this construction each heater is under afsepswitches lTCS,- 2TCS, 3TCS, and 4TCS, respectively.

In series with these switches in these circuits are coils lCR, 2CR, 3CR, and 4CR, respectively, of relays having normally open contacts 1CR-2, 2CR-2,' 3CR-2, and 4CR-2 that are also in series with these coils in these circuits. These contacts provide conventional holding subcircuits for these coils that are energized by normally open push button switches lPB, ZPB, SP8, and 4PB, respectively, that are in

subcircuits

16a, 17a, 18a, and 19a, respectively, connected to line L1 and parallel with those contacts for the holding subcircuits.

The realys having coils lCR, ZCR, 3CR, and QCR control the operation of the heaters because their coils are deenergized whenever the associated temperature control switches open. The normal sequence of opening of these temperature control switches is in the following order: switch 4TCS; switch STCS; switch 2TCS;'

and then switch lTCS.

Circuits 20 through 23 contain normally closed contacts 4CR-3, 3CR-3, 2CR-3-,' and 4CR-3 of the re-,

lays having coils 4CR, 3CR, ZCR, and lCR, respectively. Each of these normally closed contacts is in series in a circuit with a red light that is ofi until the associated relay is de-energized, at which time the normally OPERATION i I When pipe is connected to the pressurized flush water source, the left-hand chamber of housing is filled with water. Piston 90 is movedby the water to the right-hand end of its limit of travel. The circuit breakers 1GB and 2CB have been closed. The depression of pedal 13 results in movement, by water entering the right-hand chamber of housing 90, of piston 91 to the left-hand end of its limit of travel. This piston forces water out of the left-hand chamber of housing 90 into bowl 12 during which there is an addition of aqueous concentrate of dye and disinfectant by the water pressure in the right-hand chamber causing bowing of diaphragm 93. The depression of pedal 13 also opens valve member 21. Thus the first increment of flush water passes to conduit 40. The flow of flush water automatically stops until pedal 14 is released. Then another increment of predetermined amount of flush water is added to bowl 12 due to the return rotation of rotor 15 to permit flow of pressurized flush water into the left-hand chamber of housing 90 for return movement to the right of piston '9lforcing water as a second increment from the other chamber to the bowl. This completes a cycle of a flushing operation of the system.

Before the toilet is ready for use for defecation pedal -14 is depressed and raised twice to provide 4 more increments of flush water in the bowl. After defecation,

pedal 13 is depressed until flush water stops its rapid flow into the bowl. Because pedal 13 opened valve member 21, this liquid and waste moves to conduit 40. The pedal 13 is again allowed to be raised. Valve member 21 closes and then the contents in conduit 40 are transferred by the transfer means to tank 55 by motor MTR-l or MTR-2 (of the second toilet) operating for a predetermined period of time, e.g., 10 seconds, to operate macerator pump 42 (FIG. 1) or open and keep open valve 56 (FIG. 6). At this time the rotorhas been returned to its initial position so that a second increment of water is moved to the bowl from housing 90 by the forced return movement of piston 90. This completes a fill-and-flush cycle of operation. Mm The flushed waste accumulates in'tank 55 until its level is sufficiently high to wet probe LSP-2 at a level above all four heaters 1H through 41-1. The wetting of the probe ZLSP causes closing of contact 2LSP-l. If contact 2LSP-1 is closed for a sufficient time, relay having coil ZTDR closes contact ZTDR-l to energize coil MHR. This' results in the closing of contact MI-IR-l. v V

Initially push button switches IPB through 4PB were momentarily closed to energize coils lCR through 4CR because temperature control switches lTCS through 4TCS are normally closed. These coils remain energized due to the normally open contacts of those relays that are in series with the coils but in parallel with the push button switches. The normally open contacts of relays having coils lCR through CR are now closed. They are in series'with the heaters so that the closing of contact MHR-l results in operation of each of the heaters to heat the liquid material in tank 55. Water is evaporated from the flushed waste that becomes concentrated as regards solids content. When the level of liquid of concentrated solids drops below that required to wet Pr be .L H tbqhs tsr astqmat sallxsbutqfft With each use of the toilet additional flush waste is added to tank 55, and each time the level of liquid in tank 55 wets probe LSP-2 heating is resumed for further water removal by evaporation. I h

For a urination cycle of use, pedal 14 is not depressed and raised twice before use of the toilet as is the case for a defecation cycle. After urination, pedal 13 is depressed for a flushing operation and then released to close valve member 21 and automatically add an increment of flush water to the bowl.

As more and more flushed waste is concentrated in tank 55 the solids content increases and its rate of heat transfer decreases. The sludge may appear first in the lower portion of tank 55. If so, when any solids content of waste at the level of heater 4H is sufficiently high to affect adversely transfer of thermal energy from heater 4H, the temperature adjacent that part of heater 41-1 increases sufficiently to open temperature control switch 4TCS at that elevation. This results in de-energization of coil 4CR and thereby the opening of contact 4CR-2 in circuit 19. At the same time contact 4CR-3 closes and the red light in series with it in circuit 20 lights to show that this heater is off. When the solids content at the next higher elevation at which heater 31-! is located becomes sufficiently great, a similar temperature rise results in the opening of switch 3TCS to turn on the red light in circuit 21 and to shut off heater 3H. In a similar manner heater 2H is turned off by the opening in that case of switch 2TCS when the solids content of material in tank 55 at that elevation becomes sufficiently great. In addition, alarm AL operates to indicate that the level of higher solids content material has reached that elevation. However, at this time heater lI-I may be still operating, if switch lTCS has not opened, and does so until the solids content of the material at its elevation is sufficiently great to cause the opening of switch lTCS. After this event none of the heaters is operating.

With further use of the system, the flushed waste can be continually added until probe LSP-l is wet for more than a momentary period of time. When that occurs, switch '1LSP-l is closed resulting in the opening of contact lTR-l that prevents any energization of starter coil IM or 2M for motor MTR-l or MTR-2 even though switch MSW-l or MSW-2 is closed by rod 102 upon the closing of valve member 21 for the completion of a flushing operation.

The system of the present invention is effective to provide a large number of uses, either defecation or urination, of toilet 11 before it is necessary to service tank 55.

The following illustrates the period of time that the system of the present invention would collect, reduce, and store wastes before it will require a complete system drain and rinse. This period is based on use in a tugboat with a total input from nine-man crew in a 24- hour period of 11.02 gal/day. That volume is based on published data that the average man generates specific volumes of urine and feces per day and is based on the use of 1 pint of flush water per operation involving urination and 3 pints of flush water per operation involving defectation. Of this total input 2.78 gal. is urine, 0.36 gal. is feces, and 7.88 gal. is flush water. With an evaporator tank 55 having a 30-gallon capacity it is assumed there is a 20-gallon control level. At the above waste input levels it has been determined that the daily volume of retained sludge percent reduction) is approximately O.40 gaL/day. (This includes urine solids, feces solids, and paper). Therefore with a 20-gallon control level the service interval before full reduction would be: 20 Gal. 0.40 gal/day 50 days.

In a third embodiment of the system of the present invention, that is similar to that shown in FIG. 6 and described above with respect to FIG. 6, the system does not include valve 56, motor MTR-l, the heaters 1H through 4H for tank 55, the temperature control switches lTCS through 4TCS, the level sensor having probe LSP-2. In this embodiment waste is flushed directly through conduit 40 to tank 55 while valve member 21 is open. The system in this embodiment may include the high-level sensor control having probe LSP-l but merely to turn on a light to give a warning that the capacity of tank 55 is being approached.

The system of the third embodiment includes the specific valved conduit system that is a part of the present invention and that is shown in FIG: 2 and described above. That system provides a predetermined amount of flush water in a manner such that a relatively small amount of flush water is used for a flushing operation. For example, the two increments of flush water by turning and returning rotor 15 adds a pint of flush water to tank 55. This small amount of flush water is provided even though pedal 14 is held in depressed position for a long period of time. The tank 55 is merely a temporary storage tank. Because of the small volumes of flush water used, the time between servicing the tank is longer than with previous systems with a storage tank of the same capacity. For example, when tank 55 has a 30-gallon capacity and nine persons daily use the system for urination and defecation, it has been estimated that it would be necessary to drain tank 55 each time after almost four days. i

As stated earlier, this estimate is based on the use by the system of one pint of flush water for each of four usages per day per person. Three pints of flush water per usage per day per person for a total of 0.875 gal. per day per person. The one pint and three pints are based on the feeding of one-half pint of flush water for each movementof rotor 15. For the urination disposal there is only the flush operation by depressing and releasing pedal 13 and thereby pedal 14 that provides two increments, each one one-half pint of flush water. The second increment is actually fed to the bowl after valve element 21 is closed. Of course the second increment of the previous use is present as a pool of water in the bottom of the bowl before this urination and it is dumped with the first increment of the flushing operation after the urination use. The three pints of flush water from usage for defecation is based on an additional two pints of flush water being added to the bowl by two depressions and releases of pedal 14 before use of the toilet.

U. S. Pat. No. 3,577,569 discloses a system that provides automatically a limited amount of flush water by depressing a pedal that turns a rotary valve to open it. In that system the rotary valve has a construction shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,340,545 so that the return movement of the rotor of that valve does not provide a second increment of flush water to the bowl. Thus the release of the foot pedal for closing of the gate valve at the bottom of the bowl does not provide a pool of flush water at the bottom of the bowl after closing of the gate valve except for the amount that drains into the bowl if there is prompt closing of the gate valve after a slug of flush water has been expelled from the metering system to the toilet bowl.

In the third embodiment of the present system a pre determined amount of flush water as a second increment is added automatically to the bowl after the gate valve is closed. This occurs regardless of the length of time that the foot pedal is depressed. This second increment insures the presence of a sufficient height of flush water at the bottom of the bowl between uses of the toilet. That pool precludes the chances for odors from tank below, storing waste for several days, passing into the bowl and thus into the room in the event that there is a vapor leak at the gate valve. Thus it is seen that in this embodiment the valved conduit system, of the present invention and especially preferred for other embodiments of the present invention, has this advantageous use when the storage tank is not an evaporative type of tank.

With a toilet system not having the valve conduit system of the present invention but having an uncontrolled use of flush water per flushing operation esti- V mated servicing of a 30-gallon tank on the tug boat would be every day. However, space available can preclude the use of a larger tank. The use of the first or second embodiment of the system of the invention includes an evaporative tank, such as tank 55, with the heaters etc. provides substantially longer period of use of the toilets between servicings. Such system of the invention further includes many components for automatic control of the heaters as well as the presence of components for automatically transferring flushed waste to the evaporative tank. In that construction the transfer means functions automatically but only when the gate valve below the toilet bowl is closed. 5 The foregoing has presented preferred embodiments of the system of the present invention. Many variations will be obvious to one skilled in the artin view of the foregoing description and the drawings. The embodiments have been presented solely for the purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limitation of the invention that is limited only by the claims that follow.

We claim: 1. A toilet and waste storage system which comprises: a toilet bowl having a bottom outlet; a conduit mounted to communicate with said outlet to receive waste from said bowl; a valve mounted between said outlet and said conduit; means to close said valve to prevent communication between said outlet and said conduit; means to open said valve to provide said communication between said outlet and said conduit; a storage tank, i means to transfer waste in said conduit to said tank, said transfer means being in communication with said conduit and said tank and being constructed to level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank; and

means operatable by said level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said level-sensing means.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said transfer means includes:

a motor;

switch means controlling the operation of said motor;

and means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means so as to operate said motor. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein: said valve is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said conduit; said means to open said valve includes:

a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; I a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and a link connected to the other leg and to said valve,

whereby pivotal movement of said lever by depressing said foot pedal moves said valve from its first position to its second position; and said valved conduit means includes:

a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end; a piston in said housing for movement within the housing between the openings to provide first.

and'second chambers;

a rotary four-way valve having:

a housing with two pairs of first and second ports with the pairs being in planes normal to each other and with the ports of each pairbeing at Ithe same plane but on opposite sides of the housing; andi a rotor turnable 90 about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passageways at the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairscommunicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair;

a conduit to communicate said first port of said one pair with a source of pressurized flush water;

a conduit'communicating said second port of said one pair with said toilet bowl;

a conduit communicating said first port of said other pair with one of said openings of said cylindrical housing containing said piston;

a conduit communicating said second port of said other pair with the other opening of said housing containing said piston;

link means connected to said rotor, to turn it between said firstand second positions upon each operation of said link means, and operated by each movement of said other leg of said lever when siad' foot pedal is depressed or raised; and

spring means connected to said other leg of said 6 a second lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a second foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever; and spring means connected to said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after removal of force depressing said second pedal, said link means being connected to said other leg of said second lever to opeate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and second levers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to depress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor, but depression of said second pedal provides no concomitant depression of said first pedal and thus no opening of said valve between said outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit, whereby said valved conduit system without depression of said first pedal but by depression of said second pedal can function to provide the predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl without opening said valve between said bottom outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit.

6. The system of claim 5 and further including: first level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank; and means operatable by said first level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said first levelsensing means. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein: said storage tank has an opening to provide said communication with said transfer means and that opening is at an elevation above the exit end of said firstmentioned conduit; said transfer means includes:

macerator pump means operated by said motor;

and conduit means connecting said pump means to said tank at its said opening and including a check valve to prevent flow of fiuid toward said pump means from the direction of said tank; said means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means includes a rod connected to said link means for movement therwith to engage said switch means when said first pedal is raised; and said switch means when engaged by said rod permits operation of said motor for a predetermined period of time. 8. The system of claim 7 and further including: second level-sensing means mounted in said tank at a level above said first level-sensing means to detect a predetermined level of waste in the tank; and

detect excessive temperature at each elevation that occurs when the waste due to water removal substantially reduces rate of heat transfer from the heater; and

separate circuit means for each heater and said associated temperature-sensing switch means to shut off that heater upon detection of excessive temperature adjacent to it. i

10. The system of claim 8 and further including:

a seocnd combination of the components specified except for said storage tank, said heater means, both of said level-sensing means and both of said means operatable by said level-sensing means,

whereby a second transfer means receives waste from the second bowl and transfers it to said tank by operation of a second motor; and

circuits controlling operation of each motor, each circuit containing a contact that is opened with and during operation of the other motor so that both transfer means can not operate at the same time 11. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said storage tank is below said conduit and said valve to provide gravity fiow of waste from said bowl to said transfer means when said valve is open and gravity flow fo waste from said transfer means to said tank when said transfer means is operated; and

said transfer means includes:

a motor-operated valve between the exit end of said conduit and said tank;

a second conduit communicating said motoroperated valve with said tank;

a motor to operate said motor-operated valve; and

means to provide power to said motor to open said motor-operated valve only after said means to close said valve between said first-mentioned conduit and said bowl has operated.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:

said valve between said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said first-mentioned conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said first-mentioned conduit;

said means to open said .valve between said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit includes:

a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs;

a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and

a link connected to the other leg and to said firstmentioned valve, whereby pivotal movement of said lever by depressing said foot pedal moves Said first-mentioned valve from its first position to its second position; and

said valved conduit means includes:

a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end;

a piston in said housing for movement within the housing between the openings to provide first and second chambers;

a rotary four-way valve having:

a housing with two pairs of first and second ports a rotgr turnable about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passageways at the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairs communicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair;

a conduit communicatingsaid second port of said one pair with said toilet bowl;

link means connected to said rotor, to turn it between said first and second positions upon each operation of said link means, and operated by each movement of said other leg of said lever when said foot pedal is depressed or raised; and

spring means connected to said other leg of said lever to raise said foot pedal after removal of force depressing said pedal.

13. The system of claim 12 and further including:

a second lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs;

a second foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever; and

spring means connected to said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after re moval of force depressing said second pedal,

said link means being connected to said other leg of said second lever to operate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and secondlevers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to depress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor,- but depression of said second pedal provides no concomitant depression of said first pedal and thus no opening of said valve between said outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit, whereby said valved conduit system without depression of said. first pedal but by depression of said second pedal can function to provide the predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl without opening said valve between said bottom outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit.

14. The system of claim 13 and further including:

first level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank;

means operatable by said first level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said first level-sensing means;

said means to provide power to said motor that operates said rnotor-operated valve includes:

switch means controlling the operation of said motor for said motor-operated valve; and a rod connected to said link means for movement therewith to engage said switch means when said first pedal is raised, so that said switch means when engaged by said rod permits operation of said motor for said motor-operated valve for a predetermined period of time second level-sensing means mounted in said tank at a level above said first level-sensing means to detect a predetermined level of waste in the tank; and means operatable by said second level-sensing means to stop operation of said transfer means when the amount of waste in said tank reaches a predetermined maximum volume. 15. The system of claim 1 wherein: said transfer means includes:

a motor; switch means controlling the operation of said motor; and means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means so as to operate said motor; said valve is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said conduit; saidmeans to open said valve includes:

a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and a link connected to the other leg and to said valve,

a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end; i

a rotary four-way valve having:

a housing with two pairs of first and second ports with the pairs being in planes normal to each other and with the ports of each pair being at the same plane but on opposite sides of the housing; and

a rotor turnable 90 about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passage-ways at .the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairs communicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair;

a conduit communicating said second port of said one pair with said toilet bowl;

a conduit communicating said first port of said other pair'with one of said openings of said cylindrical housing containing said piston;

spring means connected to said other leg of said lever to raise said foot pedal after removal of force depressing said pedal,

said system further including an assembly communicating with said bowl to provide an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant to thebowl during movement of said piston in one of its two directions of movement, said assembly comprising:

an end assembly mounted on said housing to close one end of said housing, said end assembly being hollow to provide a third smaller chamber and including a diaphragm separating said third smaller chamber from the adjacent chamber in said housing and said end assembly further including two ports;

a vessel for containing a supply of an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant; second valved conduit communicating one of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said vessel and including a check valve; and third valved conduit communicating the other of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said bowl and including a check valve, whereby the build-up of water pressure in the chamber of th housing between said piston and said diaphragm bows the diaphragm to force aqueous concentrate through said third valved conduit to said bowl and upon communication of that chamber with the bowl and movement of said piston toward said diaphragm said aqueous concentrate flows from said second valved conduit into said third chamber.

16. The system of claim 15 and further including:

a second foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever;

spring means connectedto said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after removal of force depressing said second pedal, said link means being connected to said other leg of Said second lever to operate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and second levers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to depress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor, but depression of said second pedal provides no concomitant depression of said first pedal and thus no opening of said valve between said outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit, whereby said valved conduit system without depression of said first pedal but by depression of said second pedal can function to provide the predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl without opening said valve between said bottom outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit;

first level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank; and

means operatable by said first level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said first level-sensing means,

and wherein: v

said storage tank has an opening to provide said communication with said transfer means and that opening is at an elevation above the exit end of said firstmentioned conduit;

said transfer means includes:

macerator pump means operated by said motor;

and

conduit means connecting said pump means to said tank at its said opening and including a check valve to prevent flow of fluid toward said pump means from the direction of said tank;

said means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means includes a rod connected to said link means for movement therewith to engage said switch means when said first pedal is raised; and

said switch means when engaged by said rod permits operation of said motor for a predetermined period of time.

17. A toilet and human waste storage system which comprises:

a toilet bowl having a bottom outlet;

a conduit mounted to communicate with said outlet to receive waste from said bowl;

a valve mounted between said outlet and said conduit;

means to close said valve to prevent communication between said outlet and said conduit;

means to open said valve to provide said communication between said outlet and said conduit;

a storage tank connected to said conduit; and

a valved conduit system communicating with said bowl to provide a predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl, said valved conduit system being constructed tobe operated, to provide the flushing water, by the operation of said means to open said valve between said outlet and said conduit, said valved conduit means includes:

a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end;

a rotary four-way valve having:

a housing with two pairs of first and second ports with the pairs being in planes normal to each other and with the ports of each pair being at the same plane but on opposite sides of the housing; and V a rotor turnable 90 about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passageways at the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairs communicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair;

a conduit communicating said second port of said one pair with said" toilet bowl;

18. The system of claim 17 wherein:

said valve is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said conduit; and

said means to open said valve includes:

a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs;

a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and

a link connected to the other leg and to said valve,

whereby pivotal movement of said lever by depressing said foot pedal moves said valve from its first position to its second position.

19. The system of claim 18 and further including an assemblycommunicating withsaid bowl to provide an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant to the bowl during movement of said piston in one of its two directions of movement, said assembly comprising:

a vessel for containing a supply of an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant; a second valved conduit communicating one of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said I vessel and including a check valve; and a third valved conduit communicating the other of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said bowl and including a check valve, whereby the build-up of water pressure in the chamber of the housing between said piston and said diaphragm bows the diaphragm to force aqueous concentrate through said third valved conduit to said bowl and upon communication of that chamber with the bowl and movement of said piston toward said diaphragm said aqueous concentrate flows from said second valved conduit into said third chamber.

20. The system of claim- 19 and further including: a seocnd lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs;

a second foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever; and spring means connected to said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after removal of force depressing said second pedal, said link means being connected to said other leg of said second lever to operate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and second levers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to depress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor, but depression of said second pedal provides no conclose said valve between said outlet and said conduit.

UNIT EI) STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,787 ,90l D d January 29, 1974 Inventor) Robert F. Wagner et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line '26, "foor" should read foot-.

Line 55, "combiantion" should read --combination-.

Column 5, line 6, "although like" should read --like. Column 7, line 7, "2" should read Fl-.

Line 8 "Fl" should read -F2. Line l0, "F2" should read --Fl--. Line 17, "concentratd" should read --concentrated. Line 55, "41" should read -3l--. Column 12 line 43, "realys" should read -relays--.

Line 51, "4CR-3" (second occurrence) 'should read -lCR-3--. Column 13, line 34 "piston 90" should read --piston 9l- Column 17, line 63, "siad" should read -said.' vColumn 18,- line 9, "opeate" should read -operate.

- Line 49, "therwith" should read -therewith.

Line 58, "level-sesning" should read --level 4 sensing. Column 19, line- 10, "seocnd" should read -second--.

' Line 25 "fo" should read --of--. Column 22 line 36, "th" should read --the---. Column 24 line 66, "seocnd" should read second- Signed and sealed this 16th day of July 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, 11R. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents Column 4, line 7 "affect operation" should read --operation-;

Claims

1. A toilet and waste storage system which comprises: a toilet bowl having a bottom outlet; a conduit mounted to communicate with said outlet to receive waste from said bowl; a valve mounted between said outlet and said conduit; means to close said valve to prevent communication between said outlet and said conduit; means to open said valve to provide said communication between said outlet and said conduit; a storage tank; means to transfer waste in said conduit to said tank, said transfer means being in communication with said conduit and said tank and being constructed to initiate its transfer function in response to the completion of the operation of said means to close said valve; and a valved conduit system communicating with said bowl to provide a predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl, said valved conduit system being constructed to be operated, to provide the flushing water, by the operation of said means to open said valve between said outlet and said conduit.

2. The system of claim 1 and further including: heater means mounted on said tank to evaporate water from human waste in said tank; level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank; and means operatable by said level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said level-sensing means.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said transfer means includes: a motor; switch means controlling the operation of said motor; and means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means so as to operate said motor.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein: said valve is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said conduit; said means to open said valve includes: a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and a link connected to the other leg and to said valve, whereby pivotal movement of said lever by depressing said foot pedal moves said valve from its first position to its second position; and said valved conduit means includes: a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end; a piston in said housing for movement within the housing between the openings to provide first and second chambers; a rotary four-way valve having: a housing with two pairs of first and second ports with the pairs being in planes normal to each other and with the ports of each pair being at the same plane but on opposite sides of the housing; and a rotor turnable 90* about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passageways at the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairs communicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair; a conduit to communicate said first port of said one pair with a source of pressurized flush water; a conduit communicating said second port of said one pair with said toilet bowl; a conduit communicating said first port of said other pair with one of said openings of said cylindrical housing containing said piston; a conduit communicating said second port of said other pair with the other opening of said housing containing said piston; link means connected to said rotor, to turn it between said first and second positions upon each operation of said link means, and operated by each movement of said other leg of said lever when siad foot pedal is depressed or raised; and spring means connected to said other leg of said lever to raise said foot pedal after removal of force depressing said pedal.

5. The system of claim 4 and further including: a second lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a second foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever; and spring means connected to said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after removal of force depressing said second pedal, said link means being connected to said other leg of said second lever to opeate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and second levers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to depress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor, but depression of said second pedal provides no concomitant depression of said first pedal and thus no opening of said valve between said outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit, whereby said valved conduit system without depression of said first pedal but by depression of said second pedal can function to provide the predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl without opening said valve between said bottom outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit.

6. The system of claim 5 and further including: first level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank; and means operatable by said first level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said first level-sensing means.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein: said storage tank has an opening to provide said communication with said transfer means and that opening is at an elevation above the exit end of said first-mentioned conduit; said transfer means includes: macerator pump means operated by said motor; and conduit means connecting said pump means to said tank at its said opening and including a check valve to prevent flow of fluid toward said pump means from the direction of said tank; said means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means includes a rod connected to said link means for movement therwith to engage said switch means when said first pedal is raised; and said switch means when engaged by said rod permits operation of said motor for a predetermined period of time.

8. The system of claim 7 and further including: second level-sensing means mounted in said tank at a level above said first level-sensing means to detect a predeteRmined level of waste in the tank; and means operatable by said second level-sesning means to stop operation of said transfer means when the amount of waste in said tank reaches a predetermined maximum volume.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said heater means includes separate heaters mounted at different elevations in said tank and said system further includes: separate temperature-sensing switch means associated with each of said separate heaters and mounted on said tank at said different elevations to detect excessive temperature at each elevation that occurs when the waste due to water removal substantially reduces rate of heat transfer from the heater; and separate circuit means for each heater and said associated temperature-sensing switch means to shut off that heater upon detection of excessive temperature adjacent to it.

10. The system of claim 8 and further including: a seocnd combination of the components specified except for said storage tank, said heater means, both of said level-sensing means and both of said means operatable by said level-sensing means, whereby a second transfer means receives waste from the second bowl and transfers it to said tank by operation of a second motor; and circuits controlling operation of each motor, each circuit containing a contact that is opened with and during operation of the other motor so that both transfer means can not operate at the same time.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein: said storage tank is below said conduit and said valve to provide gravity flow of waste from said bowl to said transfer means when said valve is open and gravity flow fo waste from said transfer means to said tank when said transfer means is operated; and said transfer means includes: a motor-operated valve between the exit end of said conduit and said tank; a second conduit communicating said motor-operated valve with said tank; a motor to operate said motor-operated valve; and means to provide power to said motor to open said motor-operated valve only after said means to close said valve between said first-mentioned conduit and said bowl has operated.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein: said valve between said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said first-mentioned conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said first-mentioned conduit; said means to open said valve between said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit includes: a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and a link connected to the other leg and to said first-mentioned valve, whereby pivotal movement of said lever by depressing said foot pedal moves said first-mentioned valve from its first position to its second position; and said valved conduit means includes: a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end; a piston in said housing for movement within the housing between the openings to provide first and second chambers; a rotary four-way valve having: a housing with two pairs of first and second ports with the pairs being in planes normal to each other and with the ports of each pair being at the same plane but on opposite sides of the housing; and a rotor turnable 90* about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passageways at the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairs communicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair; a conduit to communicaTe said first port of said one pair with a source of pressurized flush water; a conduit communicating said second port of said one pair with said toilet bowl; a conduit communicating said first port of said other pair with one of said openings of said cylindrical housing containing said piston; a conduit communicating said second port of said other pair with the other opening of said housing containing said piston; link means connected to said rotor, to turn it between said first and second positions upon each operation of said link means, and operated by each movement of said other leg of said lever when said foot pedal is depressed or raised; and spring means connected to said other leg of said lever to raise said foot pedal after removal of force depressing said pedal.

13. The system of claim 12 and further including: a second lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a second foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever; and spring means connected to said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after removal of force depressing said second pedal, said link means being connected to said other leg of said second lever to operate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and second levers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to depress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor, but depression of said second pedal provides no concomitant depression of said first pedal and thus no opening of said valve between said outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit, whereby said valved conduit system without depression of said first pedal but by depression of said second pedal can function to provide the predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl without opening said valve between said bottom outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit.

14. The system of claim 13 and further including: first level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank; means operatable by said first level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said first level-sensing means; said means to provide power to said motor that operates said motor-operated valve includes: switch means controlling the operation of said motor for said motor-operated valve; and a rod connected to said link means for movement therewith to engage said switch means when said first pedal is raised, so that said switch means when engaged by said rod permits operation of said motor for said motor-operated valve for a predetermined period of time ; second level-sensing means mounted in said tank at a level above said first level-sensing means to detect a predetermined level of waste in the tank; and means operatable by said second level-sensing means to stop operation of said transfer means when the amount of waste in said tank reaches a predetermined maximum volume.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein: said transfer means includes: a motor; switch means controlling the operation of said motor; and means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means so as to operate said motor; said valve is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said conduit; said means to open said valve includes: a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and a link connected to the other lEg and to said valve, whereby pivotal movement of said lever by depressing said foot pedal moves said valve from its first position to its second position; and said valved conduit means includes: a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end; a piston in said housing for movement within the housing between the openings to provide first and second chambers; a rotary four-way valve having: a housing with two pairs of first and second ports with the pairs being in planes normal to each other and with the ports of each pair being at the same plane but on opposite sides of the housing; and a rotor turnable 90* about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passage-ways at the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairs communicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair; a conduit to communicate said first port of said one pair with a source of pressurized flush water; a conduit communicating said second port of said one pair with said toilet bowl; a conduit communicating said first port of said other pair with one of said openings of said cylindrical housing containing said piston; a conduit communicating said second port of said other pair with the other opening of said housing containing said piston; link means connected to said rotor, to turn it between said first and second positions upon each operation of said link means, and operated by each movement of said other leg of said lever when said foot pedal is depressed or raised; and spring means connected to said other leg of said lever to raise said foot pedal after removal of force depressing said pedal, said system further including an assembly communicating with said bowl to provide an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant to the bowl during movement of said piston in one of its two directions of movement, said assembly comprising: an end assembly mounted on said housing to close one end of said housing, said end assembly being hollow to provide a third smaller chamber and including a diaphragm separating said third smaller chamber from the adjacent chamber in said housing and said end assembly further including two ports; a vessel for containing a supply of an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant; a second valved conduit communicating one of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said vessel and including a check valve; and a third valved conduit communicating the other of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said bowl and including a check valve, whereby the build-up of water pressure in the chamber of th housing between said piston and said diaphragm bows the diaphragm to force aqueous concentrate through said third valved conduit to said bowl and upon communication of that chamber with the bowl and movement of said piston toward said diaphragm said aqueous concentrate flows from said second valved conduit into said third chamber.

16. The system of claim 15 and further including: a second lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a second foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever; spring means connected to said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after removal of force depressing said second pedal, said link means being connected to said other leg of said second lever to operate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and second levers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to dePress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor, but depression of said second pedal provides no concomitant depression of said first pedal and thus no opening of said valve between said outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit, whereby said valved conduit system without depression of said first pedal but by depression of said second pedal can function to provide the predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl without opening said valve between said bottom outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit; first level-sensing means mounted in said tank to detect a predetermined minimum level of waste in the tank; and means operatable by said first level-sensing means to effectuate operation of said heater means only when the height of the waste in the tank is sufficient to be detected by said first level-sensing means, and wherein: said storage tank has an opening to provide said communication with said transfer means and that opening is at an elevation above the exit end of said first-mentioned conduit; said transfer means includes: macerator pump means operated by said motor; and conduit means connecting said pump means to said tank at its said opening and including a check valve to prevent flow of fluid toward said pump means from the direction of said tank; said means initiated by the operation of said means to close said valve to operate said switch means includes a rod connected to said link means for movement therewith to engage said switch means when said first pedal is raised; and said switch means when engaged by said rod permits operation of said motor for a predetermined period of time.

17. A toilet and human waste storage system which comprises: a toilet bowl having a bottom outlet; a conduit mounted to communicate with said outlet to receive waste from said bowl; a valve mounted between said outlet and said conduit; means to close said valve to prevent communication between said outlet and said conduit; means to open said valve to provide said communication between said outlet and said conduit; a storage tank connected to said conduit; and a valved conduit system communicating with said bowl to provide a predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl, said valved conduit system being constructed to be operated, to provide the flushing water, by the operation of said means to open said valve between said outlet and said conduit, said valved conduit means includes: a hollow cylindrical housing with an opening adjacent each end; a piston in said housing for movement within the housing between the openings to provide first and second chambers; a rotary four-way valve having: a housing with two pairs of first and second ports with the pairs being in planes normal to each other and with the ports of each pair being at the same plane but on opposite sides of the housing; and a rotor turnable 90* about its axis between first and second positions and having arcuate passageways at the same transverse plane, whereby at the first position of the rotor the first ports of the pairs communicate with each other and the second ports of the pairs communicate with each other, whereas at the second position of the rotor the first port of one pair communicates with the second port of the other pair and the second port of said one pair communicates with the first port of said other pair; a conduit to communicate said first port of said one pair with a source of pressurized flush water; a conduit communicating said second port of said one pair with said toilet bowl; a conduit communicating said first port of said other pair with one of said openings of said cylindrical housing containing said piston; a conduit communicating said second port of said other pair with the other opening of said housing containing said piston; link means connected to said rotor, to turn it between said first and second Positions upon each operation of said link means, and operated by each movement of said other leg of said lever when said foot pedal is depressed or raised; and spring means connected to said other leg of said lever to raise said foot pedal after removal of force depressing said pedal.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein: said valve is constructed and mounted for movement in a horizontal plane between a first position at which it closes communication between said outlet and said conduit and a second position at which it opens communication between said outlet and said conduit; and said means to open said valve includes: a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a foot pedal mounted on one of said legs; and a link connected to the other leg and to said valve, whereby pivotal movement of said lever by depressing said foot pedal moves said valve from its first position to its second position.

19. The system of claim 18 and further including an assembly communicating with said bowl to provide an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant to the bowl during movement of said piston in one of its two directions of movement, said assembly comprising: an end assembly mounted on said housing to close one end of said housing, said end assembly being hollow to provide a third smaller chamber and including a diaphragm separating said third smaller chamber from the adjacent chamber in said housing and said end assembly further including two ports; a vessel for containing a supply of an aqueous concentrate of disinfectant; a second valved conduit communicating one of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said vessel and including a check valve; and a third valved conduit communicating the other of said ports of said housing of said end assembly with said bowl and including a check valve, whereby the build-up of water pressure in the chamber of the housing between said piston and said diaphragm bows the diaphragm to force aqueous concentrate through said third valved conduit to said bowl and upon communication of that chamber with the bowl and movement of said piston toward said diaphragm said aqueous concentrate flows from said second valved conduit into said third chamber.

20. The system of claim 19 and further including: a seocnd lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends to provide two legs; a seocnd foot pedal mounted on one of said legs of said second lever; and spring means connected to said other leg of said second lever to raise said second foot pedal after removal of force depressing said second pedal, said link means being connected to said other leg of said second lever to operate said link means for turning said rotor with each movement of said second lever and said first and second levers being mounted adjacent each other and constructed so that during depression of said first pedal it engages and moves with it said one leg mounting said second pedal to depress said second pedal and to operate said link means to turn said rotor, but depression of said second pedal provides no concomitant depression of said first pedal and thus no opening of said valve between said outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit, whereby said valved conduit system without depression of said first pedal but by depression of said second pedal can function to provide the predetermined amount of flush water to the bowl without opening said valve between said bottom outlet of said bowl and said first-mentioned conduit.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said valve conduit system is also constructed to be operated, to provide the flushing water, by the operation of said means to close said valve between said outlet and said conduit.