US3890652A - Flush water valve assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A flush water valve assembly adapted for plumbing appliances including an upstanding fixed guide and valve seat member mounted centrally in a water passage opening of the bottom wall of a flush tank reservoir and a cylindrical movable flush valve member slidably mounted around said fixed member and adapted to open to provide thereby a flush water passage from said reservoir to a receiving appliance and to close for refilling of said reservoir.

Description

[ June 24, 1975 United KingdommmmHamil:

425,210 3/1935 United Kingdom.......,....... 1,003,563 9/1965 Primary Examinerl-lenry K. Artis Assistant Examiner.lames E. Bryant, lll Attorney, Agent, or Firm Watts, Hoffmann, Fisher & Heinke Co.

[57] ABSTRACT A flush water valve assembly adapted for plumbing appliances including an upstanding fixed guide and valve seat member mounted centrally in a water passage opening of the bottom wall of a flush tank reser FLUSH WATER VALVE ASSEMBLY Howard A. Fulton, Big Prairie, Ohio Mansfield Sanitary, lnc., Perrysville, Ohio Aug. 15, 1973 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS h c r a e United States Patent Fulton [75] Inventor:

[7 3] Assignee:

[22] Filed:

[21] Appl, No.: 388,389

[52] US. [51] Int. 1 1

voir and a cylindrical movable flush valve member slidably mounted around said fixed member and adapted to open to provide thereby a flush water passage from said reservoir to a receiving appliance and to close for refilling of said reservoir.

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FLUSH WATER VALVE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND 1. Field of Invention This invention relates to the art of sanitary plumbing systems and particularly to the field of water flush appliances for toilets, urinals and like fixtures.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art with which applicant is familiar in the sanitary plumbing field is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,601 to Harry F. Smith to provide a means to make use of all water in the tank reservoir during each flush period and also the prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,239 to Fulton et al. to provide means to make use of all water in the tank reservoir during the flush period. Also the U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,428 to Braswell which follows U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,693,601 and 2,945,239 with the addition of weight and float means that are not required to accomplish the results obtained herein.

SUMMARY In contrast to the prior plumbing art in the field of water flush appliances, the present invention avoids the disadvantages found in such art in the following respects: the invention provides a controlled flush unit with a guide means to position the flush valve for sealing engagement with its valve seat.

A great advantage of the present invention is in the reduction of the cost of maintenance service now required in the prior and present art from the leakage of water from the tank reservoir and replacement of parts.

Other advantages are in the reduction of the cost of manufacture and assemblage of parts, labor cost of installation and reduction of required parts to accomplish the improved results.

Other advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing will appear in the following description and the accompanying drawings of the invention.

THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the flush valve invention prior to assembly and showing the upstanding fixed guide and valve seat member to receive the movable cylindrical flush valve member with part thereof broken away shown in alignment therewith;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the assembled invention as shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the valve partly in section and taken from the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The flush water valve assembly as adapted for plumbing fixtures with the flush valve guide in place as an essential part of the new valve is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The flush valve thereof is shown in place in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

The invention comprises an upstanding fixed guide and valve seat member A and a cylindrical movable flush valve member B slidably mounted on said member A.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the like parts of the invention are designated by like numerals throughout. The water tank or reservoir in which the invention is used is not shown since it forms no part of the invention except however that a water outlet passage portion 2 of the bottom wall 10 thereof is shown in phantom in FIG. 2.

The fixed guide and valve seat member A is mounted in the bottom wall 10 of a water tank or reservoir (not shown) and in a central opening water outlet passage 11. The said member A preferably made of a solvent resistant plastic comprises a threaded tubular nipple 12 mounted in said outlet passage 11 and having an integral outwardly sloping flange 13 with its upper face 13(a) forming a valve seat 14 adjacent its upper edge and said nipple 12 has a sealing ring washer 15 mounted thereon adjacent the lower face I3(b) of the flange 13.

The said nipple 12 has a radial positioned spider l6 fixedly mounted therein in alignment with the said flange lower face 13(b).

A vertical upstanding valve guide 17 extending upwardly through said cylindrical movable flush valve member B to a point somewhat above the top of said valve member B. Preferably a distance of l l6 inches has been found to be satisfactory when said valve member B is seated on said valve seat 14, and said valve guide 17 having equally spaced apart vertical valve guide blades 18 having slidable frictional engagement within said cylindrical movable flush valve member B is fixedly mounted on said spider 16 in axial alignment with said nipple 12 and spider 16 as is best shown in FIG. I. Preferably a valve guide 17 having four blades 18 positioned with a angle between the blades 18 and extending upward adjacent the top of said valve member B when seated has been found to be very satisfactory. In addition thereto said vertical blades 18 may have horizontal alternately spaced bosses 19. The outer vertical edges 20 of said blades 18 converge from their top end 21, preferably 1/16 of an inch to their midpoint and then diverge to the spider 16 at the bottom end 22. The said valve guide 17 has an axially aligned opening 23 extending downwardly from the top of said blades 18 a short distance preferably one inch in length and with a shoulder 24 thereon at its midpoint adapted to receive a vertical positioned water refill tube 25 of 1% inch OD.

The said refill tube 25 has an externally threaded area adjacent its top 26 to receive an internally threaded circular ring cap 27. The said ring cap 27 has a diameter equal to the OD. diameter of the tubular portion of the said valve member B thereby to limit the upward movement of said valve member B when the valve thereof is open. The said ring cap 27 has a ring opening 28 to receive the usual after flush water refill tube 29 for water passage over said blades 18 through said opening 11 to replenish and restore the water supply for the plumbing fixture to its customary level prior to the flushing action.

The cylindrical movable flush water valve member B is best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing and comprises movable cylindrical tube means and a ring tubular float means, both made of solvent-resistant plastic and a resilient elastomeric flush valve means.

The said movable cylindrical tube means includes an upstanding tube 40 frictionally slidable along the said guide blades 18 of said member A and having a bead collar 41 and a flush lever hook 42 fixedly mounted thereon adjacent the top open end 43. The said flush lever hook 42 is adapted to receive a flush lever (not shown) for lifting said movable tube 40 and open the said valve means.

The ring tubular float means includes an inner tube portion 44 having an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of said tube 40 and an outer tube portion 45 in axial alignment with said tube portion 44 and having a diameter of 3% inches has been found to be satisfac tory. The top surface 46 of said ring means lying between the end of said tube 44 and said tube portion 45 is closed to form a float chamber 47 while the bottom surface 48 therebetween is open. The said outer tube portion 45 has an outwardly extending flange 49 for mounting the said flush valve means thereon.

The resilient elastomeric valve means includes a resilient flat ring 50 adapted to cover the bottom of open surface 48 of said ring float means, and said ring 50 has a ring opening 51 therein with a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the said movable tube 40 and an integral upstanding flange S2 to receive the bottom end of said movable tube 40. The outer edge of said flat ring 50 has an integral inwardly directed U-shaped flange 53 adjacent said outwardly extending flange 49 of the said ring float means to receive said flange 49. The said flat ring 50 also has an annular integral depending and flaring flush valve 54 in axial alignment with said valve seat 14 of the said member Av If desired the said flat ring valve 50 may have one or more spaced apart openings 55 therein to maintain equal atmospheric pressure on said flush valve 54.

It will be seen that the said members A and B may be assembled for installation or service replacement of the valve 50 if required by simply removing said ring cap 27 of member A.

In operation when a flush lever is actuated the said lever causes the movable flush water valve member B to rise to the cap 27 of the member A and the valve 54 to open for water passage. The water in the tank or reservoir is then free to leave the tank through the exit passage in the said nipple 12 in the opening 11 in the tank bottom wall 10.

The said float chamber 47 will retain the said valve 54 in its open position until the water level of the tank is lower than the said valve 54 whereupon it closes by gravity.

Thereafter the refill water flows through tube 25 and along said guide blades 18 to replenish the water in the plumbing fixture as stated above.

Having thus described this invention in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, and having set forth the best mode contemplated of carrying out this invention, I state that the subject matter which I regard as being my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in what is claimed, it being understood that equivalents or modifications of, or substitutions for, parts of the above specifically described embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in what is claimedv I claim:

1. A flush water valve assembly of the class described comprising:

a. a flush water valve seat means having an integral radial spider in axial alignment therewith fixedly mounted in the flush water outlet passage of the bottom wall of a water reservoir tank and an upstanding vertical valve guide blade means fixedly mounted on said spider in axial alignment therewith,

b. a cylindrical movable flush valve means having an upstanding cylindrical tubular element extending above the water level in the reservoir prior to the flush release and slidably mounted on said valve guide blade means and in frictional engagement therewith, a ring float chamber having a flat bottom surface mounted on the lower end of said tubular element and an elastomeric flush valve means removably mounted over the bottom surface of said ring float means in water seal alignment with said valve seat means and having a valve opening hook means adjacent to the top of said tubular element,

c. said guide blade means having integral guide blades spaced apart and extending upwardly from said spider to just below the top of said tubular ele ment prior to the flush release thereof,

d. said guide blades having like recesses along the adjacent inner top edges thereof extending downwardly and having shoulders therein adjacent their midpoint and forming an axially aligned opening therein,

e. a water replenishing after flush trap seal refill tube fixedly mounted in said opening adjacent said shoulders and extending above the tops of said tubular element and guide blade means,

f. a nippled cap ring valve control means removably mounted on the upper end of said water refill tube and having a substantially flat upper surface and an integral nipple on its lower surface, the said cap ring having an outside ring diameter of at least equal to the outside diameter of said tubular element thereby limiting the upward movement thereof when the valve is open and a nipple and ring inside diameter sufficient for mounting on said refill tube and to receive an after flush water supply refill tube for replenishing the water supply in the trap of the plumbing fixture.

2. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 1 in which the nippled cap ring control means is adjustably mounted on said water refill tube for optimum flush water valve opening.

3. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 2 in which the upper portion of said refill tube is externally threaded and the ring and nipple opening is internally threaded and adjustably mounted on said water refill tube.

4. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 1 in which the guide blades of the valve guide blade means have spaced apart horizontal bosses integrally mounted thereon.

5. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said horizontal bosses on the adjacent guide blades are alternatively spaced apart.

Claims (5)

1. A flush water valve assembly of the class described comprising: a. a flush water valve seat means having an integral radial spider in axial alignment therewith fixedly mounted in the flush water outlet passage of the bottom wall of a water reservoir tank and an upstanding vertical valve guide blade means fixedly mounted on said spider in axial alignment therewith, b. a cylindrical movable flush valve means having an upstanding cylindrical tubular element extending above the water level in the reservoir prior to the flush release and slidably mounted on said valve guide blade means and in frictional engagement therewith, a ring float chamber having a flat bottom surface mounted on the lower end of said tubular element and an elastomeric flush valve means removably mounted over the bottom surface of said ring float means in water seal alignment with said valve seat means and having a valve opening hook means adjacent to the top of said tubular element, c. said guide blade means having integral guide blades spaced apart and extending upwardly from said spider to just below the top of said tubular element prior to the flush release thereof, d. said guide blades having like recesses along the adjacent inner top edges thereof extending downwardly and having shoulders therein adjacent their midpoint and forming an axially aligned opening therein, e. a water replenishing after flush trap seal refill tube fixedly mounted in said opening adjacent said shoulders and extending above the tops of said tubular element and guide blade means, f. a nippled cap ring valve control means removably mounted on the upper end of said water refill tube and having a substantially flat upper surface and an integral nipple on its lower surface, the said cap ring having an outside ring diameter of at least equal to the outside diameter of said tubular element thereby limiting the upward movement thereof when the valve is open and a nipple and ring inside diameter sufficient for mounting on said refill tube and to receive an after flush water supply refill tube for replenishing the water supply in the trap of the plumbing fixture.

2. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 1 in which the nippled cap ring control means is adjustably mounted on said water refill tube for optimum flush water valve opening.

3. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 2 in which the upper portion of said refill tube is externally threaded and the ring and nipple opening is internally threaded and adjustably mounted on said water refill tube.

4. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 1 in which the guide blades of the valve guide blade means have spaced apart horizontal bosses integrally mounted thereon.

5. The flush water valve assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said horizontal bosses on the adjacent guide blades are alternatively spaced apart.

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