US3419912A - Toilet tank flush valve - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 7, 1969 f F. w. KERTELL 3,419,912

TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVE Filed Feb..14i. 196e I 6 /A/vs/vro/P y l FRANK u. KERTELL BY Jan- 7, 1969 F. w. KERTELI.

TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVE Sheet Filed Feb. 14, 1966 United States Patent O 3,419,912 TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVE Frank W. Kertell, Santa Cruz, Calif., assignor of one-half to Brooks Walker, Sau Francisco, Calif. Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,313 U.S. Cl. 4-58 3 Claims Int. Cl. E03d J /14 ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE This invention pertains to a toilet flush valve applicable to toilets with tanks to store the flushing water.

My U.S. application, Ser. No. 492,524, entitled Two Volume Flush Valve, covers a two volume flush valve with a lesser volume released to the toilet when the handle is turned one way and released over the volume released when the handle is tripped in the opposite direction by the use of two separate floats.

This application uses the regular oat valve to control the `flow of water from the main to the reservoir and the same lioat is used to control the reduced volume release to the toilet when the trip handle is turned in one direction by tripping the dump valve by the Weight of the main lioat and supporting rod.

Another feature of this application involves a simple mechanism that employs the main float that controls t`ne water flow to the tank from the water pressure source and also uses the same 'float and associated parts to trip the tilt up type valve that controls the flow from the tank to the toilet.

Another feature involves the weight of the main float to trip the conventional ball dump valve closed at part tank volume flush without holding the trip handle tripped.

Another feature of this invention uses the conventional single trip handle on the tank with simple modifications to the added mechanism that intercepts the rod of the main float valve and supporting arm to tilt up the tilted V liow such as 11/2 gallons vs. 31/2 to 5 gallons on a full flush Y when the tilt up valve is not tripped by the action of the rnain float arm and stays open until the liquid level in the tank is almost at the bottom of the tank when the water in the past center bucket of the tilt up valve runs out the port and the tilt up valve tilts back and closes.

Another feature of this invention uses conventional tanks, tilt up ow control valves, inlet valves, float and arm to control the water inlet valve and conventional trip handle with some added parts in the tank the cause the intercept of the main float and arm to close the tilt up dump valve when the trip handle is tripped in one direction but not to intercept when the trip lever is tripped in the other direction.

Another feature is the mechanism on the inside of the tank modified so that the arm that tilts up the tilt flow control valve at the bottom of the tank is lifed to tilt back the tilt valve to Idump water to the bowl when the trip ICC handle on the outside of the tank is turned clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Another feature of this invention is the auxiliary mechanism that shifts a link under the main float arm` only when the outside trip lever is moved counter-clockwise so that before the main float reaches its limited motion (much less than the travel of the surface of the water in the tank between full and normal full flush). The tilt up dump valve is tilted back to closed position. This is accomplished by the link that has been shifted under the main float arm by the trip handle and thereby picks up motion from the main -iioat arm and transmits it to the tilt up valve and causes it to trip closed while the water in the tank is well above the top of the tilt up valve and its counter-balance water cups. This would cause the tilt up valve to close after passing about 11/2 gallons while a full ush might be 31/2 to 5 gallons as controlled by the same outside trip handle when turned clockwise.

Another feature is the means by which a conventional tank toilet trip handle can control the discharge of two different volumes of flow from the tank to the toilet depending on which direction the trip handle is rotated by the use of the motion of the main float and supporting arm, without having to hold said handle in the partial ush trip position.

Another feature is the use of a simple trip lever and the use of the motion of the float to control a two volume selective discharge by the use of a conventional ball dump valve, without having to hold the trip handle in the partial flush position after tripping said handle.

Another feature is that once tripped, the trip lever can be released and need not be held in tripped position to control said different ows.

Another feature is the saving of cost and parts by using only the main float and arm instead of the second float required in said other application of Frank W. Kertell, Ser. No. 492,524, entitled Two Volume Flush Valve, filed Oct. 4, 1965.

Other objects will be pointed out in the accompanying specification and claims.

I have iliustrated our invention by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation .partly in section of one form of our invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view partly in section of the trip mechanism of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section through 3 3 of FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the shift link of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation partly in section showing the tip up outlet valve in the closed position.

FIG. 7 is a plan view -of another form of the invention using a ball type dump valve rather than the tip up valve of FIG. 1 through FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side view partly in section of the structure shown in FIG. 7 taken at section 8 8.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional View of the lever shifting mechanism.

In all figures like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts.

In FIGS. l, 2, 3, 4, and 5 I have shown a tank 10 `with a cover 11. Inside the tank is a water inlet valve 15 which is controlled by lever 16 pivoted at 17 with stop 18 and actuated by float 21 and rod 20. An auxiliary weight, such as 22, may be added if necessary for the operation of this invention.

A trip lever 25 is supported on shaft 26 which is rotatably supported in sleeve 27. Sleeve 27 is secured to tank 10 'by nut 2S. Nut 28 also supports bracket 40 which has pivots 41 and 42 to support one end of arm 43. The

outer end of arm 43 is secured to flexible strap 44 which is secured to extension 50a of tip up dump valve 50. Tip up valve has two cups-one, 54, on the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, and a rear cup S5 with a sloping wall to the left with a bleed hole 56 to allow cup 55 to drain slowly after the water in tank has fallen below the top lip of cup 55, to allow tip up valve 50 to close after the water has almost flowed out of tank 10 on a full liush.

Cam 30 is connected to trip arm 25 by shaft 26 and has three ends-30a, 30h and 30C. Arm 43, as stated, is pivoted at pins 41 and 42 to bracket 40. Arm 43 rests on ends 30a and 30C of cam 30 so that when trip lever 25 is tripped up or down (clockwise or counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3), lever 43 will be raised and through strap 44 will tilt valve 50 to the dump position shown in FIG. 1 with water flowing from tank 10 to pipe 62 which leads to the toilet bowl not shown through iitting 60. Fitting 60 is secured to tank 10 by nut 61. Fitting 60 supports arms 63 which support pivot pins 51 that form the pivot for tilt up valve 50.

Shift lever 70 is pivoted at pin 71 to bracket 40 at exten-sion 40a. End 70a supports trip rod 75, the lower end of which rests in cup 54 and the looped end 75b passes through a hole and slot in the end 70a of shift lever 70. End 75a is held in position fore and aft, as viewed in FIG. 5, by shift lever 70. When trip lever 25 is rotated in one direction, valve 50 will be tilted back and cam end 30h moves shift lever counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, to cause end 75a of rod 75 to move under rod that is attached to float 21. In this position, as water ows past tilted valve 50 and oat 21 lowers to the position shown in FIG. 6, arm 20 will cause rod 75 to move down tilting valve 50 closed at about the position of the water in tank 10, as shown in FIG. 6. This is due to the intercept of rod 20 with end 75a of rod 7S as controlled by shift lever 70 as controlled by cam end 30h when trip lever 25 is raised.

Shift lever 70 will stay in this partial iiush position by friction of bearing 71 until shifted to the neutral full Hush position of end 75a, being out of the path of motion of float rod 20 when lever 25 is moved down so cam end 30b moves against shift lever portion 70b. Friction again holds shift lever 70 in this full ush position until cam end 30h moves to the right, as viewed in FIG. 4, when cam end 3017 and end 70C causes shift lever 76 to move to the partial flush position shown dotted in FIG. 4.

When trip lever is lowered, arm 43 will be moved up by Acam C to tilt valve 50 to the dump position. Shift lever will stay in the neutral position, as shown in FIG. 4, with end 75a out of the path of rod 20 that supports float 21 so that float arm 20 and rod 75 will not trip tilt up valve 50. Valve 50 will stay open until the water in cup 55 drains out through port 56 to allow valve 50 to close.

Shift lever 70 will stay in the `full flush position after trip handle 25 is lowered or in the part Hush position after the trip valve 25 is raised, as shown in FIG. 4 dotted or FIG. 6, without holding the lever 25 in either position, due to the friction of the support of shift lever 70, as previously stated.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 the trip handle 80 is mounted on the front of the tank 10 under the edge of cover 11. Handle 80 is supported by bearing 81 which is secured to tank 9 by nut 82 which also supports and positions bracket 85 which carries pivot 86 on which shift lever 87 pivotsQCam finger 88 extends downwardly into cam slot 90. Slot 90 is so formed that when lever 80 is raised, as shown in FIG. 7, or moves clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 8, cam finger 88 will move to the left in FIGS. 7 and 8 and shift lever 87 will stay in full flush position so that arm 20 will not intercept end 92a of rod 92 for a full flush operation.

It lever 80 is moved down, as viewed in FIG. 7, or

counter-clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 8, cam linger 88 will move to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 7 and 8 and cam slot 90 will cause shift lever 87 to rotate counterclockwise slightly so that rod end 92a is moved under the float rod 20. In this position oat 21 and rod 20 will cause rod 92 to move down and through looped end 92b cause float ball valve 100 to sink and seat when the water has reached about the level shown in FIG. 8.

If trip lever 80 is moved up, float ball valve 100 will not seat until the water level is near the top of float valve 100 when the suction of water running out will cause it to sink and shut off the flow from the tank. Handle 80 does not need to be held in either position to accomplish a full or part flush due to the friction in the support of shift lever 87. Cam 95 operates on cam slot 96 of trip arm 97 which through rod 98 and oat ball rod 99 will rai-se oat 100 to start a full ush when lever 80 is raised or a part flush when lever 80 is lowered.

I have illustrated my invention in these various forms; however, many other variations may be possible within the scope of this invention.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim as my invention:

l. A tank of the yclass described, having in combination: an inlet valve for controlling the flow of fluid into the tank, an outlet valve for controlling the flow of fluid from the tank, oscillation oat means for operating the inlet valve in accordance with the level of the water in the tank, and means carried by the outlet valve and selectively shiftable into the plane of oscillation of the float means for transferring suieient Weight from the float means to the outlet valve to close said outlet valve.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the means carried by the valve comprises a rod having one end in bearing engagement with the outlet valve and a lateral extension at the other end for engagement with the oat means.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for shifting the rod and extension comprises a lever, means pivotally mounting the lever in the tank, cam means for pivoting the lever, and a handle connected to the cam means and outlet valve for Opening said valve and for moving said cam means in one direction to shift the said lateral extension into the plane of oscillation and for moving the cam means in the opposite direction to shift said lateral extension away from said plane of oscillation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 638,740 12/1899 Morrison 4-41 1,053,303 2/1913 Lawrenz 4-41 1,134,234 4/1915 Schonmeyer 4-41 1,381,710 6/1921 Krantz et al. 4-41 1,429,304 9/1922 Tilden 4-41 1,960,864 5/1934 Brown 4-37 1,963,211 6/1934 Patterson 4-37 2,106,916 2/1938 Morkisch 4-37 2,655,665 10/1953 Agnew 4-41 2,685,694 8/1954 Allison 4-37 2,732,562 1/1956 Conte 4-41 3,003,156 10/1961 Alexander 4-60 FOREIGN PATENTS 34,740 7/ 1925 Denmark.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

D. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner.

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