GB2136534A

GB2136534A - Ballcock

Info

Publication number: GB2136534A
Application number: GB08306971A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fred C Harrison
Original assignee: EUROMETALS
Current assignee: EUROMETALS
Priority date: 1983-03-11
Filing date: 1983-03-11
Publication date: 1984-09-19
Also published as: GB8306971D0

Abstract

A ballcock valve of the type in which a piston 16 carrying a rubber washer is moved within a valve body 10 to mate with an inlet valve seat wherein the water outlet 12 on the valve body 10 is located, in use, above the valve seat. A deflector pipe 20 is provided being a snap fit on the valve outlet 12 to direct outlet water back into the tank or cistern. The deflector pipe is preferably provided with anti-siphon air holes 30 and may carry silencing means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ballcock This invention relates to a ballcock in particular, a ballcockfor controlling the water level in domestic cisterns and the like.

Commonly used and accepted metal ballcock used in the United Kingdom is the 'Portsmouth' type which is made out of brass and in which a flotation ball on the end of a pivoted arm operates a piston within a valve body in orderto bring the end ofthe piston, within which is embedded a rubberwasher, into or out of contact with an inlet valve seat th roug h.which water is supplied. When the ballcock is in a position other than the 'shut' position, water passes through the inlet valve seat into the body of the valve and exits through a hole in the base of the valve body into the cistern or other tank.

At onetime it was fairly common to attach a tube to the outlet hole forthe waterwhich had the effect of silencing the water flow when the cistern was filling up. However, owing to the possibility of contaminated water within the cistern siphoning back into the water mains, the use of such silencers has been prohibitted for some time. Even where no silencer is fitted, there still remains the possibility that, if the valve is incorrectly adjusted and the cistern fills to a higher than normal level,the water level can reach the bottom of the valve body and still siphon back into the mains supply.

The invention seeks to provide a form of ballcock valve in which siphoning backcannottake place.

According to the present invention there is provided a ballcockvalve ofthe type in which a piston carrying a rubber washer is moved within a valve body to mate with an inletvalve seatwherein thewater outlet on the valve body is located, in use, above the valve seat.

Locating the outlet for the water above the valve seat, for example in the top of the valve body, has the effect that no siphoning can occur. In orderto prevent water gushing forcefully upwards from the outlet, it is preferred that the outlet be provided with a deflector pipe which will ensure that the water passing through the valve is directed downwardly into the tank or cistern. Preferably the deflector pipe is fitted both with silencing means and with anti siphon means as described more fully hereinafter.

The silencing ofthe deflector pipe may be carried out by shaping the outlet ofthe deflector pipe so that the water exits in an even stream rather than a turbulent rush. This in itself considerably silences the operation ofthe system. Alternatively, where the follbwing anti syphon device is fitted, the deflector pipe may be fitted with a silencer pipe similar two the types previously employed. The anti siphon effect may be obtained by ensuring that the deflector pipe is not fully sealed throughout its length but has air holes thus preventing any possible siphoning action.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying draw ings, in which: Figure lisa sectional view ofthe valve body in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the body of figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a deflector pipe; and Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the outlet of the deflector pipe.

Referring to the drawings, a valve body generally designated 10 is illustrated in figure 1 and this is generally similar to the standard 'Portsmouth' brass valve body except that the water outlet 12 is located at the top of the body ratherthan at the bottom as was previously the case. The ball carrying operating arm pivotally attaches at 14aswith thestandard 'Portsmouth'fitting and interengages with a piston 16 within the valve body which is thereby drawn towards and away from avalve inletseat (not shown).

As water enters the chamber l8from the valve inlet seat it rise upwardly and passes out of the outlet 12.

In orderto prevent the water gushing upwards away from the tank or cistern which is required to be filled, a deflector pipe 20 (figure 3) is provided which is a snap fit on to the outlet 12 byvirtueofthe recess 22 in conjunction with the raised ridge 24 on the outlet. As can be seen from figure 4, the outlet 26 of the deflector pipe 20 carries deflector vanes 28 which are designed to smooth the flow of water and provide some silencing effect. Furthermore, air gaps 30 are left in the moulding between the outer section 32 and the inner section 34 ofthe outlet 26. This ensures that, if a silencer tube were to be fitted over the outer section 32 no siphoning effect could take place since the airgaps 30 would vent any possible siphoning action.

The valve of the invention provides a simple and elegant solution to the problem ofsiphoning back into the main supply of domestic ballcockvalves.

1. A ballcockvalve ofthetype in which a piston carrying a rubberwasher is moved within a valve body to mate with an inlet valve seat wherein the water outlet on the valve body is located, in use, above the valve seat.

2. Avalve as claimed in claim 1 in which the outlet is shaped to inter-fit with a deflector pipe to ensure thatthe water passing through the valve is directed downwardly into the tank or cistern.

3. Avalve as claimed in claim 2 in which the deflector pipe is fitted with silencing means and with anti-siphon means.

4. Avalve as claimed in claim 3 in which the silencing ofthe deflector pipe is carried out by shaping the outlet ofthe deflector pipe so that water exits in an even stream ratherthan in a turbulent manner.

5. Valve as claimed in either of claims 3 or4 in which anti-siphon means comprise providing air holes in the deflector pipe so that it is notfully sealed throughout its length.

6. Avalve as claimed in claim 5 in which a silencer comprising a length of tube reaching from the outlet of the deflector pipe to below the water level in the tank or cistern is provided.

7. Avalve as claimed in any one of claims2to 6 in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Ballcock This invention relates to a ballcock in particular, a ballcockfor controlling the water level in domestic cisterns and the like. Commonly used and accepted metal ballcock used in the United Kingdom is the 'Portsmouth' type which is made out of brass and in which a flotation ball on the end of a pivoted arm operates a piston within a valve body in orderto bring the end ofthe piston, within which is embedded a rubberwasher, into or out of contact with an inlet valve seat th roug h.which water is supplied. When the ballcock is in a position other than the 'shut' position, water passes through the inlet valve seat into the body of the valve and exits through a hole in the base of the valve body into the cistern or other tank. At onetime it was fairly common to attach a tube to the outlet hole forthe waterwhich had the effect of silencing the water flow when the cistern was filling up. However, owing to the possibility of contaminated water within the cistern siphoning back into the water mains, the use of such silencers has been prohibitted for some time. Even where no silencer is fitted, there still remains the possibility that, if the valve is incorrectly adjusted and the cistern fills to a higher than normal level,the water level can reach the bottom of the valve body and still siphon back into the mains supply. The invention seeks to provide a form of ballcock valve in which siphoning backcannottake place. According to the present invention there is provided a ballcockvalve ofthe type in which a piston carrying a rubber washer is moved within a valve body to mate with an inletvalve seatwherein thewater outlet on the valve body is located, in use, above the valve seat. Locating the outlet for the water above the valve seat, for example in the top of the valve body, has the effect that no siphoning can occur. In orderto prevent water gushing forcefully upwards from the outlet, it is preferred that the outlet be provided with a deflector pipe which will ensure that the water passing through the valve is directed downwardly into the tank or cistern. Preferably the deflector pipe is fitted both with silencing means and with anti siphon means as described more fully hereinafter. The silencing ofthe deflector pipe may be carried out by shaping the outlet ofthe deflector pipe so that the water exits in an even stream rather than a turbulent rush. This in itself considerably silences the operation ofthe system. Alternatively, where the follbwing anti syphon device is fitted, the deflector pipe may be fitted with a silencer pipe similar two the types previously employed. The anti siphon effect may be obtained by ensuring that the deflector pipe is not fully sealed throughout its length but has air holes thus preventing any possible siphoning action. The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying draw ings, in which: Figure lisa sectional view ofthe valve body in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the body of figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a deflector pipe; and Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the outlet of the deflector pipe. Referring to the drawings, a valve body generally designated 10 is illustrated in figure 1 and this is generally similar to the standard 'Portsmouth' brass valve body except that the water outlet 12 is located at the top of the body ratherthan at the bottom as was previously the case. The ball carrying operating arm pivotally attaches at 14aswith thestandard 'Portsmouth'fitting and interengages with a piston 16 within the valve body which is thereby drawn towards and away from avalve inletseat (not shown). As water enters the chamber l8from the valve inlet seat it rise upwardly and passes out of the outlet 12. In orderto prevent the water gushing upwards away from the tank or cistern which is required to be filled, a deflector pipe 20 (figure 3) is provided which is a snap fit on to the outlet 12 byvirtueofthe recess 22 in conjunction with the raised ridge 24 on the outlet. As can be seen from figure 4, the outlet 26 of the deflector pipe 20 carries deflector vanes 28 which are designed to smooth the flow of water and provide some silencing effect. Furthermore, air gaps 30 are left in the moulding between the outer section 32 and the inner section 34 ofthe outlet 26. This ensures that, if a silencer tube were to be fitted over the outer section 32 no siphoning effect could take place since the airgaps 30 would vent any possible siphoning action. The valve of the invention provides a simple and elegant solution to the problem ofsiphoning back into the main supply of domestic ballcockvalves. CLAIMS

7. Avalve as claimed in any one of claims2to 6 in which the deflector pipe is made of a plastics material.

8. A valve as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 7 in which the valve body is made of a metal.

9. A ballcockvalve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.