EP0606678A1

EP0606678A1 - Device with control of the speed of return for regulating and controlling the flow of water from flushing cisterns in sanitary installations

Info

Publication number: EP0606678A1
Application number: EP93203594A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enzo Cecchi
Original assignee: Felton Sa; FELTON SA; Oliveira and Irmao SA
Current assignee: Oliveira and Irmao SA
Priority date: 1993-01-15
Filing date: 1993-12-20
Publication date: 1994-07-20
Also published as: IT229556Y1; IL108152A; ITMI930027U1; ITMI930027V0; AU670644B2; AU5269293A; IL108152A0

Abstract

A device for regulating and controlling the quantity of water discharged from flushing cisterns in sanitary installations, of the type comprising an external tank (1) and an overflow pipe (10) capable of being actuated by appropriate means of operation and return (2a, 3a, 4a) in a vertical sense coaxially to a bottom discharge outlet (1a), characterized in that it comprises means (20) for controlling and regulating the discharge level of the water located coaxially to such pipe (10) and capable of moving vertically together with the said pipe (10) following the action of flushing performed via appropriate means of operation and return (2b, 3b, 4b), there being furthermore provided means (30) for controlling the speed of return to the rest position of the means of operation (20) made integral with the latter and acting on a fixed guiding component (32) integral with the bottom of tank (1), such combination allowing partial discharge of the water following actuation of overflow pipe (10) alone and total discharge of the water following actuation of regulating device (20).

Description

The object of this invention is a device with control of the speed of return to the initial position for regulating and controlling the flow of water from flushing cisterns in sanitary installations.
As is known, the ever increasing difficulties of supplying both potable and industrial water bring about the need to save water in all spheres, including that of consumption of potable water for private use and in particular that of consumption of water for the flushing of toilets and the like.
At present the most widespread toilet flushing systems provide either for direct discharge of water from the supply mains, with interruption of the flow via a tap operated at the discretion of the user, which system is known by the term "rapid flow", or for the discharge of a predetermined quantity of water from a flushing cistern located in the vicinity of the toilet, either outside or inside the wall near which the toilet is usually placed.
It occurs in practice that the rapid flow system can provide a saving of water only if the user takes care to stop the flow when the situation so requires, whereas flushing cisterns do not usually make it possible to stop or limit the discharge flow when the conditions of cleanliness of the toilet to be flushed make this possible.
To overcome the disadvantage displayed by known flushing cisterns there have already been proposed various types of devices capable of allowing the discharge of a selective quantity of water depending on the flushing requirements made necessary from time to time by the condition of the toilet.
Such known devices, while normally capable of allowing the discharge of selective quantities of water, in practice prove structurally very complex and in certain cases cumbersome, of substantially high cost and normally devoid of facilities for easily regulating the quantity of water intended to constitute a reduced flow in relation to that constituted by the maximum quantity contained in the cistern or tank. Furthermore such known selective discharge devices require a suitable arrangement of means for securing them to the inner walls of the cistern, resulting in obvious structural complications and complexity of assembly.
There is therefore posed the problem of providing a device for the selective discharge of quantities of flushing water for toilets and the like from storage tanks or cisterns which is capable of fully overcoming the disadvantages and limitations displayed by the known devices referred to above, and in particular such as to prove functionally efficient and highly reliable and capable of allowing high accuracy in setting the level of water to be discharged.
Within the scope of such problem it is therefore one aim of this invention to provide a selective discharge device which is structurally simple, of reduced overall dimensions and easy to regulate for the outflow of small quantities of water in relation to the maximum total quantity of water available in the tank.
Another aim of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified above which can be easily fitted to flushing cisterns of known type without necessitating structural alterations either to the inner walls of the said tanks or to their discharge valves.
A further aim of the invention is to provide a selective discharge device of very low cost, easy and quick to fit in position and such as to require virtually no maintenance.
Such technical problems are resolved according to this invention by a device for regulating and controlling the quantity of water discharged from flushing cisterns in sanitary installations, of the type comprising an external tank and an overflow pipe capable of being actuated by appropriate means of operation and return in a vertical sense coaxially to an outlet for the bottom discharge of the said tank, comprising means for controlling and regulating the discharge level of the water located coaxially to such pipe and capable of moving vertically together with the said pipe following the action of flushing performed via appropriate means of operation and return, there being furthermore provided means for controlling the speed of return to the rest position of the means of operation made integral with the latter and acting on a fixed guiding component integral with the bottom of the tank, such combination allowing partial discharge of the water following actuation of the overflow pipe alone and total discharge of the water following actuation of the regulating device via the relevant means of operation.
More particularly, it is provided that such means of control and regulation consist of a substantially cylindrical bell, open at the bottom and on the upper surface of which are provided guide holes for the pipe and outlets for the flow of water, and that from such pipe there projects concentrically a circular ring with which the bell becomes engaged during its upward stroke for the simultaneous movement of the said pipe.
Furthermore, such means for controlling the speed of return of the regulating device are substantially comprised of a piston secured to the bottom of the tank, on which there may slide a cylinder made integral with the bell to determine a chamber the filling of which is controlled via an outlet provided with an intercepting valve fitted on the head of the cylinder.
According to the invention, such valve is controlled on opening by the pressure of the water in the tank during the upward stroke, and on closure by the pressure of the water inside the chamber during the downward stroke of the cylinder. Additionally, between the lateral surfaces of the fixed piston and the moving cylinder there is provided a space the volume of which determines the speed of return of the regulating device.
Further details may be obtained from the following description given with reference to the attached drawings, which show:

In figure 1 :: a vertical cross-section of the tank containing the selective discharge device according to the invention in a state of rest;
In figure 2 :: the tank in fig. 1 according to like cross-section in relation to the operation of the device for partial discharge;
In figure 3 :: the tank in fig. 1 shown in vertical cross-section in relation to the operation of the device for total discharge, and
In figure 4 :: the tank in fig. 3 during the phase of controlled return of the regulating device.

As illustrated in the figures, the device according to the invention is assembled in a self-evident storage tank 1 equipped with two plungers 2a and 2b independent of one another, respectively capable of pressing on the power arm of two levers 3a and 3b the retraction arm of which is integral with two tie rods 4a, 4b, the two plungers 2a and 2b being capable of rotating around a pivot 102a and 102b against the opposing action of a spring 202a and 202b respectively.
The lower end of tie rod 4a is connected to an overflow pipe 10 capable of moving vertically within a hollow cylinder 11 secured to the bottom of tank 1, lower end 10a of pipe 10 being capable of sealing discharge outlet 1a of tank 1.
Such cylinder 11 has upper surface 12 provided with outlets 12a and 12b respectively for the passage of pipe 10 and of the water from the cistern, windows 12c for the flow of water to discharge outlet 1a being also provided at the lower edge of the lateral surface.
The lower end of tie rod 4b is connected to flow regulating device 20, consisting of a substantially cylindrical bell 21 located coaxially to overflow pipe 10 together with which it may slide vertically, guided as a result of the engagement of its upper surface 22 with a circular ring 10b projecting concentrically from pipe 10 in a preset position.
As will become more clearly apparent from the description of operation of the device, pipe 10 is therefore also capable of moving independently of regulating device 20, whilst the movement of the latter always brings about the simultaneous movement of pipe 10.
Upper surface 22 of bell 21 also has outlets 22b for the flow of water from the tank to discharge outlet 1a.
To regulating device 20 is made integral, via baffles 5, a device 30 for controlling the speed of the return stroke of regulating device 20 after the latter has been raised to allow full discharge of the water, as will become more evident hereinafter.
Such retarding device 30 is substantially comprised of a moving cylinder 31 of diameter slightly larger than the diameter of fixed piston 32, integral with the bottom of cistern 1, on which fixed piston 32 cylinder 31 is capable of sliding axially.
The head of cylinder 31 is fitted with a valve 31a capable of opening and closing an outlet 31b in response to the upward and downward stroke of cylinder 31 on piston 32, the stroke of valve 31a being limited underneath by a transverse baffle 33 provided in turn with outlets 33a for the flow of water.
The operation of tank 1 is as follows: when it is desired to obtain a partial discharge of water, plunger 2a (fig. 2) is actuated and brings about via kinematic chain 3a, 4a the raising of pipe 10 alone, the latter moving in relation to regulating device 20 which is left in position; consequently there takes place the opening of discharge outlet 1a. Under such conditions regulating device 20 remains stationary and, when the water level has reached the upper edge of bell 21, the water in the cistern outside such bell 21 ceases to descend while the water contained inside bell 21 continues to flow out until the said bell is completely drained.
Once the water level falls below the lower edge of pipe 10, the latter, having its lower end 10a floating on the free surface of the water inside the bell which is being lowered, tends to recover its stable position of rest at the edges of discharge outlet 1a, which is therefore resealed allowing restoration of the original water level, such restoration being brought about by means which are self-evident and therefore not illustrated.
The tank is thus placed in a state of rest, ready for a further flushing operation (fig. 1).
Should it be desired to effect full drainage of water (fig. 3), there is operated plunger 2b which, via kinematic chain 3b, 4b, brings about the raising of bell 21 which during the upward stroke carries with it both cylinder 31 and pipe 10 as a result of the engagement of upper surface 22 with ring 10b of such pipe 10.
By such operation the regulating device is substantially neutralized inasmuch as its upward movement enables the water to flow out freely beneath its lower edge until it is fully drained (fig. 4).
Restoration of the initial condition of pipe 10 and of bell 21 is, however, retarded by device 30. During the upward movement of bell 21 the corresponding rise of piston 31 brings about the opening of valve 31a as a result of the pressure from top to bottom exerted on the water, which may thus enter chamber 34 and fill it.
When the water level drops, bell 21 and therefore cylinder 31 begin to descend in turn and cylinder 31 begins to compress the water contained in chamber 34, thus bringing about closure of valve 31a, which is pushed upward, and the outflow of water via the space left between cylinder 31 and fixed piston 32.
It is obvious that the difference between the diameters of the cylinder and piston determines the dimension of the space and therefore the greater or lesser rate of drainage of chamber 34, and consequently the greater or lesser speed of return to the initial setting of bell 21 and pipe 10.
Many variants may be applied to the constructional details of the cistern according to the invention without thereby departing from the scope of protection established by the claims.

Claims

A device for regulating and controlling the quantity of water discharged from flushing cisterns in sanitary installations, of the type comprising an external tank (1) and an overflow pipe (10) capable of being actuated by appropriate means of operation and return (2a, 3a, 4a) in a vertical sense coaxially to an outlet (1a) for the bottom discharge of the said tank, characterized in that it comprises means (20) for controlling and regulating the discharge level of the water located coaxially to such pipe (10) and capable of moving vertically together with the said pipe (10) following the action of flushing performed via appropriate means of operation and return (2b, 3b, 4b), there being furthermore provided means (30) for controlling the speed of return to the rest position of the means of operation (20) made integral with the latter and acting on a fixed guiding component (32) integral with the bottom of tank (1), such combination allowing partial discharge of the water following actuation of overflow pipe (10) alone and total discharge of the water following actuation of regulating device (20).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that such means of control and regulation (20) consist of a substantially cylindrical bell (21), open at the bottom and on the upper surface (22) of which are provided guide holes (22a) for pipe (10)and outlets (22b) for the flow of water.
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that from such pipe (10) there projects concentrically a circular ring (10b) with which bell (21) becomes engaged during its upward stroke for the simultaneous movement of pipe (10).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that such means (30) for controlling the speed of return of regulating device (20) are substantially comprised of a piston (32) secured to the bottom of tank (1), on which there may slide a cylinder (31) made integral with bell (21) to determine a chamber (34) the filling of which is controlled via an outlet (31b) provided with an intercepting valve (31a) fitted on the head of the cylinder.
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that such valve (31a) is controlled on opening by the pressure of the water in tank (1) during the upward stroke, and on closure by the pressure of the water inside chamber (34) during the downward stroke of cylinder (31).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that between the lateral surfaces of fixed piston (32) and moving cylinder (31) there is provided a space the volume of which determines the speed of return of regulating device (20).
A device according to claim 1, characterized in that such means of control consist of plungers (2a, 2b) capable of rotating against the thrust action of springs (202a, 202b).