US3144874A

US3144874A - Toilet tank supply valve assembly

Info

Publication number: US3144874A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charley L Goldtrap
Original assignee: TWENTICTH CENTURY PRODUCTS COR
Current assignee: TWENTICTH CENTURY PRODUCTS COR; TWENTICTH CENTURY PRODUCTS CORP
Priority date: 1961-06-13
Filing date: 1961-06-13
Publication date: 1964-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1981-08-18

Description

Aug- 18 1964 c. l.. GoLD'rRAP TOILET TANK SUPPLY VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed June 13, 1961 9 cv' u a, L@ E l l mi@ @m \N, T `N.. 4 M l O s Q a .H w @u 2ML/1MM@ T 9 v 1M C United States Patent Oflice l3,144,874l Patented Aug. 18, 1964 3,144,874 TGILET TANK SUPPLY VALVE ASSEMBLY Charley L. Golrltrap, Denver, Colo., assignor to Twentieth Century Products Corp., Denver, Colo. Filed June 13, 1961, Ser. No. 116,859 7 Claims. (Cl. 137-414) This invention relates generally to the plumbing art, and more particularly to a new and useful toilet tank supply valve assembly.

My pending application Serial No. 779,739 liled December 1l, 1958, now replaced by continuation application Serial No. 249,954 led January 7, 1963, discloses a new and useful toilet tank supply valve assembly having a normally generally upright casing provided with a water inlet passage adjacent one end, an inlet valve seat associated with the passage, an inlet control valve engageable with the inlet valve seat and defining with the opposite end of the casing a pressure chamber in the casing, a tank iilling water outlet passage communicating with the interior of the casing on the same side of the inlet control valve as the inlet valve seat, a pressure equalizing passage vthrough the inlet control valve placing the pressure charnber in communication with the inlet passage, a bleed passage communicating with the chamber for relieving the pressure therein, a bleed valve seat associated with the ybleed passage, a bleed control valve engageable with the bleed valve seat and normally held thereagainst by water in the pressure chamber, and a float guidingly supported on the casing for movement between elevated and lowered positions in response to changes in the water level in an associated tank, the bleed control valve being disengaged from the bleed valve seat to open the bleed passage upon movement of the float to its lowered position and being movable to engage the bleed valve seat and close the bleed passage upon movement of the float to its elevated position, the inlet control valve being held against the inlet valve seat by the water in the chamber when the latter is at substantially source pressure and being disengaged from the inlet valve seat by water in the inlet passage when the pressure in the chamber is relieved by opening the bleed passage.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a toilet tank supply valve assembly of this type with means eliminating surging and water hammer.

Another object of my invention is to provide a toilet tank supply valve assembly of this type with means avoiding objectionable back pressure in conjunction with bleeding the pressure chamber.

A toilet tank supply valve assembly constructed in accordance with my invention is characterized in one aspect thereof by the provision, in a valve assembly of the aforesaid type, of an inlet valve seat having a central opening Aalined with the water inlet passage, an upstanding flange around the central opening, multiple openings through the valve seat around the ange, and a diaphragm valve overlying the seat and movable to engage the flange prior to 'engaging the valve seat around the ilange.

In another aspect thereof, a toilet tank supply valve assembly of my invention is characterized by the provision, in a supply Valve assembly of the foregoing type, of surge damper means separating the opposite end portions of the pressure chamber, the surge damper having a passage of small diameter relative to said chamber extending between the opposite end portions thereof.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of a toilet tank supply valve constructed in accordance with my invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of one form of toilet tank supply valve assembly of my invention in its closed condition, with the water in the associated tank at the desired level, ready for flushing, parts being broken away for ease of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a similar view, showing my valve assembly in its open condition for filling an associated tank;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal, sectional view taken about on line III-III of FIG. 1 showing an inlet valve seat of my invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view of a pressure regulating device of my invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional view of a strainer of my invention, taken about on line V-V of FIG. l; and

FIG. 6 is a horizontal, sectional view taken about on line VI-VI of FIG. 2.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that the same is adapted for use in a toilet tank, indicated at 1, of a type adapted to have a dump valve operable by a handle, not illustrated. Normally, the water level A (FIG. l) is maintained in tank 1, whereby an adequate supply of water is available at all times for flushing an associated toilet bowl, not shown.

The supply valve assembly of my invention is closely similar in most respects to the supply Valve assembly disclosed in my pending application Serial No. 779,739, and is adapted to communicate with the usual supply line leading to a source of water under pressure, not illustrated. To this end, the valve assembly has a normally upright casing 2 provided adjacent its lower end with a laterally enlarged body portion 3 terminating in an inlet conduit portion 4. A shank 5 has threaded engagement with conduit 4 and extends through the bottom wall of the tank, being secured thereto as by the nut 6, with a sealing gasket 7 being provided between the tank bottom wall and a flange 8 on the shank 5.

The casing 2 is of vertically elongated, generally cylindrical form, and guidingly supports a float member, generally designated 10, for rising and falling movement therealong in response to variations in the water level of the associated tank, the float being adapted to move between the elevated position shown in FIG. l and the lowered position shown in FIG. 2. Float 10 is formed to provide an air chamber portion 11 and a water chamber portion 12. Air chamber portion 11 is formed to provide inner and outer, generally concentric

annular skirt portions

13 and 14, respectively, and water chamber portion 12 is similarly constructed, having inner and outer, generally concentric

annular skirt portions

15 and 16, respectively. Skirt 15 of water chamber portion 12 is designed to relatively closely, slidingly tit the casing 2, and telescopically receives the depending skirt 13 of air chamber 11, whereby the distance or spacing B between the

outer skirt portions

14, 16 can be varied by telescopically adjusting air chamber portion 11 and water chamber portion 12 relative to each other. This provides a means for adjusting the water level A, as fully described in my pending application Serial No. 779,739.

Casing 2 is provided with a water inlet passage 18 through shank portion 4, and passage 18 leads to an inlet valve seat 19. An inlet control valve 20, comprising a diaphragm of resiliently flexible material such as rubber, is adapted to engage the seat 19. Valve 20 has a depending peripheral skirt 21 engaged in a groove y22 in the lower half of the enlarged casing portion 2, the diaphragm 20 being held in place by the spacer member 23. Member 23 is in the form of a transverse wall locked in place by the two halves of the enlarged casing portion 3, and formed with a hollow, central boss 24. The web portion of member 23 is provided with several openings 25 therethrough, and is adapted to act as a stop for diaphragm 20 when the latter moves away from seat 19.

Multiple tank filling water outlet passages 26 extend into the lower half of the casing body 3, into communication with an annular groove 27 in the form of a collector passage below the inlet valve seat 19 and around an annular flange 28 depending therefrom. A passage 26' extends laterally from collector passage 27 into a laterally projecting nipple 29 adapted to receive a conduit leading to the usual overflow pipe, not illustrated.

At its upper end, casing 2 is provided with a bleed passage 30 therethrough, this passage normally being closed by a bleed control valve 31 carrying an O-ring 32 adapted to bear against the valve seat 33 around the passage 30. An internal float, in the form of an inverted cup 34, is provided in the casing, and is confined in the upper end thereof by a surge damper 35,

which divides the interior of casing 2 into a bleed portion 38 and an inlet portion 39. Member 35 is provided with an elongated, tubular central portion 36 having a passage 36' therethrough of substantially smaller diameter than the interior of the casing, and a skirt 37 concentric therewith and frictionally engaging the inner wall of casing 2 for holding the surge damper in place.

Diaphragm valve 20 has a member 40 extending therethrough and provided with a pressure equalizing passage 41, the member 40 terminating at its lower end in a transverse slot 42 opening into the inlet passage 18 and communicating with passage 41. Thus, it is seen that the pressure chamber 43 provided between inlet valve 20 and bleed valve 34, and comprising the

portions

38, 39, is open at all times to water under source pressure through the pressure equalizing passage 41, 42.

When in its position of rest, with tank 1 filled to the level A, the parts assume the position illustrated in FIG. 1 with inlet valve 20 on its seat 19 and with the chamber 43 at source pressure. The water in chamber 43 holds bleed valve 31 against its seat 33, and the water pressure in chamber 43 holds the diaphragm inlet valve 20 against its seat 19.

Bleed valve 31 has a part in the form of a post 44 projecting through bleed passage 30 and formed with a rounded end 45 positioned to engage an eccentrically positioned cam surface 46 comprising an inclined side wall portion of a generally cup-shaped member 47 having a friction tit in the inner skirt 15 of water chamber portion 12. Member 47 engages an annular ange 48 at the end of skirt 15, and comprises a transverse wall in oat 10.

When the tank 1 is dumped and the water level drops, the oat moves to its lowered position illustrated in FIG. 2, and cam surface 46 engages thepost 44 and l cants it, together with the associated bleed valve 41, to open bleed passage 30. This relieves the pressure in chamber 43, by permitting Water to escape therefrom through bleed passage 30. Water escaping through bleed passage 30 passes between the end of the casing and member 47 whose bottom wall is spaced above the casing end by lugs 49. The escaping water then passes downwardly between casing 2 and the oat skirt 15 which is spaced therefrom by vertical centering ribs 15.

An opening 50 is provided in the lower side wall and adjacent bottom wall portion of member 47, and this opening permits the escaping water to pass into member 47. This is a feature of importance, because it relieves any back pressure which might otherwise occur as the escaping water attempts to pass between casing 2 and float 10. A vent 51 is provided in the float cover 52.

Once the pressure in chamber 43 is relieved in this manner, the source pressure causes inlet diaphragm 20 to move away from its seat 19, permitting water to pass across the seat 19 and out through the tank filling passages 26. The tank begins to till and as the water approaches the desired level A, float 10 rises to its elevated position shown in FIG. 1, permitting bleed valve oat 34 to float the valve 31 into closed position. Once the bleed passage is closed, the water in chamber 43 builds up to source pressure, thereafter closing the diaphragm valve 20 because of the greater area thereof exposed to the pressure chamber. Thus, the general operation of this supply valve assembly is the same as described in my pending application Serial No. 779,739. However, the valve assembly of this invention has several features of particular significance, as follows.

First, it will be observed that a relatively unrestricted escape path is provided water passing from chamber 43 through bleed passage 30, because of opening 50 which permits such water to pass into the upper part of oat It). This is important because it avoids back pressure problems which otherwise might occur.

Also, termination of the pressure equalizing passage 41 in the laterally directed slot 42 is important, because it reduces the danger of passage 41 becoming clogged by foreign matter entrained in the water. Indeed, the lateral slot 42 tends to clean itself by the passage of inlet water laterally therethrough.

Further, the damper 35 avoids problems which might otherwise occur upon surging in chamber 43, and provides a retaining member for the float 34 and bleed valve 31 once the parts are assembled, but prior to installation and use. In other words, during assembly bleed valve 31 is first fitted in the chamber with the part 44 projecting through the bleed passage 30. Then, float member 34 is inserted, following which the surge damper is positioned in the chamber. Once that is done, the bleed valve 31 and float 34 cannot fall downwardly out of the bleed portion 38 of pressure chamber 43.

Of particular importance is the inlet valve seat 19. It will be observed that this seat is annular in form, being supported above the collector passage 27 by the flange 28, and having upstanding inner and outer peripheral flanges 53 and 54. The lower, annular body portion 55 between lianges 53 and 54 is provided with an annular series of openings 56 therethrough, for the passage of water from the inlet passage 18 to collector passage 27.

In operation, as diaphragm 20 is moved against its seat 19 by the buildup of pressure in chamber 43, it first engages flange 53 and then squeezes water out through openings 56. This closing action causes the diaphragm 20 to settle easily on its seat 19, thereby eliminating surging and water hammer.

The tank is filled through openings 56, passage 27 and openings 26, and it is noted that the latter open downwardly, over shank 5 which provides a shoulder 57 closely adjacent openings 26 to break up the flow of water therefrom and thereby reduce the noise of filling.

A strainer 58 is provided of the type disclosed in my pending application 723,556, tiled March 24, 1958. Strainer 58 is in the form of a hollow cylinder having a lateral flange 59 at its open end, being closed at its opposite end and having a grid like side wall structure formed by parallel bars 60. The bars 60 are of generally rectangular cross section, whereby they are closer together on the inside than on the outside. Supply water flows through the strainer 58 from the outside to the inside, and the strainer design provides a non-clogging construction which effectively precludes the entry of foreign matter of any objectionable size. An open mesh screen 61 also is provided, and is in the form of a fabric which is conveniently retained inside the strainer, tending to uncoil and thereby maintaining itself against the inside wall of strainer 58.

A pressure regulator 62 also is provided, being constructed in a manner similar to strainer 58 with a mounting flange 59 and side wall bars 60'. Regulator 62 has a solid wall cup 63 inverted therein to provide fluid passages 64 of relatively small cross sectional area between bars 60. The position of cup member 63 in regulator 62 can be varied, to varythe area of passages 64, and regulator 62 and strainer 58 are mounted in opposition in the-manner shownin the drawings.

` Accordingly, it is seen that-my invention fully accomplishes its intended objects.- While I have disclosed and described in detail onlyone,v illustrative embodiment thereof, it will vbe appreciated that my invention is not necessarily limited to the details of such embodiment, and I intend to include all` such variations and modifications as will occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim: -1 Y 1. A toilet tank supply valve assembly comprising a normally generally upright casing having a water inlet passage adapted for communication with a source of water under pressure, an inlet control valve defining a pressure chamber in said casing, a tank lling water outlet passage from said casing, communication between said tank filling and water inlet passages being interrupted vby closing of said inlet control valve, a pressure equalizing passage placing said pressure chamber in cornmunication with said inlet passage, a bleed passage communicating with said chamber for relieving the pressure in said chamber, a bleed control valve, and a float guidingly supported for movement between elevated and lowered positions in response to changes in the water level in an associated tank, said bleed control valve being moved to open said bleed passage upon movement of said float to said lowered position and being movable to close said bleed passage upon movement of said float to said elevated position, said inlet control valve being held closed by the water in said chamber when the latter is at substantially source pressure and being opened by water in said inlet passage when the pressure in said chamber is relieved by opening said bleed passage, together with a surge damper positioned in said pressure chamber, said surge damper extending across said chamber and having a passage therethrough of small diameter relative to that of said chamber, said surge damper comprising an elongated tubular central portion providing said passage therethrough and an outer skirt portion concentric therewith and bearing against the inner wall of said chamber, said skirt portion opening toward said inlet control valve.

2. A toilet tank supply valve assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surge damper divides said chamber into a bleed portion and an inlet portion, and wherein said surge damper confines said bleed control valve to said bleed portion of said chamber.

3. A toilet tank supply valve assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surge damper is of one-piece construction, and said skirt portion frictionally engages the inner Wall of said chamber thereby retaining said surge damper in place in said chamber.

4. A toilet tank supply valve assembly comprising a normally generally upright casing having a water inlet passage adjacent one end thereof adapted for communication with a source of water under pressure, an inlet valve seat associated with said inlet passage, an inlet control valve engageable with said inlet valve seat and defining with the opposite end of said casing a pressure chamber in said casing, a tank filling water outlet passage communicating with the interior of said casing on the same side of said inlet control valve as said inlet valve seat, whereby communication between said tank lling and water inlet passages is interrupted by engagement of said inlet control valve with said inlet valve seat, a pressure equalizing passage through said inlet control valve placing said pressure chamber in communication with said inlet passage, a bleed passage communicating with said chamber adjacent said opposite end of said casing for relieving the pressure in said chamber, a bleed valve seat associated with said bleed passage, a bleed control valve engageable with said bleed valve `seat and normally held thereagainst by water in said pressure chamber, and a float guidingly supported on said casing for movement therealong between elevatedand lowered positions relative thereto in response to changes in the water level in anv associated tank, said bleed control valve being disengaged from said bleed valve seat to open said bleed passage upon movement of said float to said lowered position and being free to engage said bleed valveseat and close said bleed passage upon movement of said float to said elevated position, said inlet control valve being held in engagement with said inlet valve seat by the water in said chamber when the latter is at substantially source pressure and being disengaged from said inlet valve seat by water in said inlet passage when the pressure in said chamber is relieved by opening said bleed passage, together with a surge damper positioned in said pressure chamber, said surge damper extending across said chamber and having a passage therethrough of small diameter relative to that of said chamber, together with arr-internal float member separate from said bleed control valve normally urging the latter into engagement with said bleed valve seat, said internal float member being confined to said bleed portion of said chamber by said surge damper.

5. A toilet tank supply valve assembly comprising a normally generally upright casing having a water inlet passage adjacent one end thereof adapted for communi- `cation with a source of water under pressure, an inlet control valve defining with the opposite end of said casing .a pressure chamber in said casing, a tank filling water outlet passage from said casing, communication between said tank filling and water inlet passages being interrupted by closing of said inlet control valve, a pressure equalizing passage placing said pressure chamber in communication with said inlet passage, a bleed passage communicating with said chamber adjacent said opposite end of said casing for relieving the pressure in said chamber, a bleed control valve, and a float guidingly supported for movement between elevated and lowered positions in response to changes in the water level in an associated tank, said bleed control valve being moved to open said bleed passage upon movement of said float to said lowered position and being movable to close said bleed passage upon movement of said float to said elevated position, said inlet control valve being held closed by the water in said chamber when the latter is at substantially source pressure and being opened by water in said inlet passage when the pressure in said chamber is relieved by opening said bleed passage, together with a surge damper positioned in said pressure chamber, said surge damper extending across said chamber and having a passage therethrough of small diameter relative to that of said chamber, wherein said surge damper divides said charnber into a bleed portion and an inlet portion, and wherein said surge damper confines said bleed control valve to said bleed portion of said chamber, together with an internal float member separate from said bleed control valve normally urging the latter into engagement with said bleed valve seat, said internal float member being confined to said bleed portion of said chamber by said surge damper.

6. A toilet tank supply valve assembly comprising a normally generally upright casing having a water inlet passage adjacent one end thereof adapted for communication with a source of water under pressure, an inlet control valve defining with the opposite end of said casing a pressure chamber in said casing, a tank filling water outlet passage from said casing, communication between said tank filling and water inlet passages being interrupted by closing of said inlet control valve, a pressure equalizing passage placing said pressure chamber in communication with said inlet passage, a bleed passage communicating with said chamber adjacent said opposite end of said casing for relieving the pressure in said chamber,

a bleed control valve, and a oat guidingly supported on said casing for movement therealong between elevated and lowered positions' relative thereto in response to changes in the water level in an associated tank, s aid bleed` control valve being moved to open said bleed passage upon movement of said float to said lowered position and being movable to close said bleed passageupon movement of `said oat to said elevated position, said inlet control valve being held closed by the water in said chamber when the latter is at substantially source pressure and being opened when the pressure in said chamber is relieved by opening said bleed passage, wherein said ble'ed control valve has a part extending through said bleed passage beyond said opposite end of said casing, and said oat has a `transverse wall part engageable with said bleed valve part to disengage said bleed control valve from said bleed valve seat upon movement of said oat to said lowered position, said transverse wall part having an outlet passage therethrough' for the egress of water escaping from said bleed passage.

7. A toilet tank supplyvalve assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein said float wall part is a cup shaped member having an inclined side wall portion `engageable with said bleed valve part to cant the same, and wherein said last-named outlet passage comprises an opening into said cup adjacent the bottom thereof.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 727,743 Brunner et al. May 12, 1903 802,330 Schulze a Oct. 17, 1905 1,470,213 Black Oct. 9, 1923 1,494,786 Kawalle May 20, 1924 1,660,382 Hopkins Feb. 28, 1928 2,278,178 Lannert Mar. 31, 1942 `2,588,242 Hunter Mar. 4, 1952 2,752,936 Cantalupo July 3, 1956 2,799,290 Sjirsky July 16, 1957 2,819,866 Blackman Jan; 14, 1958 2,834,379 Fields May 13, 1958 2,835,391 Bottum May 20, 1958 2,895,707 Bailey July 21, 1959 2,899,978 Hruby Aug. 18, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 153,027 Australia Aug. 31, 1953 85711 Norway Apr. 19, 1955

Claims

1. A TOILET TANK SUPPLY VALVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A NORMALLY GENERALLY UPRIGHT CASING HAVING A WATER INLET PASSAGE ADAPTED FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A SOURCE OF WATER UNDER PRESSURE, AN INLET CONTROL VALVE DEFINING A PRESSURE CHAMBER IN SAID CASING, A TANK FILLING WATER OUTLET PASSAGE FROM SAID CASING, COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID TANK FILLING AND WATER INLET PASSAGES BEING INTERRUPTED BY CLOSING OF SAID INLET CONTROL VALVE, A PRESSURE EQUALIZING PASSAGE PLACING SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID INLET PASSAGE, A BLEED PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER FOR RELIEVING THE PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER, A BLEED CONTROL VALVE, AND A FLOAT GUIDINGLY SUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN ELEVATED AND LOWERED POSITIONS IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN THE WATER LEVEL IN AN ASSOCIATED TANK, SAID BLEED CONTROL VALVE BEING MOVED TO OPEN SAID BLEED PASSAGE UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID FLOAT TO SAID LOWERED POSITION AND BEING MOVABLE TO CLOSE SAID BLEED PASSAGE UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID FLOAT TO SAID ELEVATED POSITION, SAID INLET CONTROL VALVE BEING HELD CLOSED BY THE WATER IN SAID CHAMBER WHEN THE LATTER IS AT SUBSTANTIALLY SOURCE PRESSURE AND BEING OPENED BY WATER IN SAID INLET PASSAGE WHEN THE PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER IS RELIEVED BY OPENING SAID BLEED PASSAGE, TOGETHER WITH A SURGE DAMPER POSITIONED IN SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER, SAID SURGE DAMPER EXTENDING ACROSS SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF SMALL DIAMETER RELATIVE TO THAT OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID SURGE DAMPER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBULAR CENTRAL PORTION PROVIDING SAID PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AND AN OUTER SKIRT PORTION CONCENTRIC THEREWITH AND BEARING AGAINST THE INNER WALL OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID SKIRT PORTION OPENING TOWARD SAID INLET CONTROL VALVE.