Waste disposer

Claim 1

AN INLET VALVE DEVICE FOR A FOOD WASTE DISPOSER HAVING A CHAMBER WITHIN WHICH FOOD WASTE IS COMMINUTED IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER FLOWING INTO SAID CHAMBER, COMPRISING: A CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND THE DRAINAGE OPENING OF A KITCHEN SINK OR THE LIKE, MEANS ABOUT THE INTERIOR OF SAID SLEEVE TO PROVIDE AN INWARDLY DIRECTED ANNULAR VALVE SEAT, A VALVE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FIRST OPEN-BOTTOMED CYLINDRICAL PORTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY LESS DIAMETER THAN SAID SLEEVE, SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION HAVING A SIDE WALL PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF APERTURES AND AN IMPERFORATE TOP WALL, A SECOND OPEN-BOTTOMED CYLINDRICAL PORTION FIXED TO SAID FIRST PORTION BELOW SAID APERTURES AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID SECOND PORTION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER IN DIAMETER THAN THE FIRST PORTION TO PROVIDE AN UPPER ANNULAR LEDGE STRUCTURE EXTENDING INTO RELATIVELY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE INNER WALL SURFACE OF SAID SLEEVE, A FIRST ANNULAR VALVE ELEMENT DISPOSED ABOUT SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL PORTION FOR AXIAL DISPLACEMENT THEREON, SAID VALVE ELEMENT EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD OF SAID ANNULAR LEDGE INTO OVERLYING RELATION WITH SAID ANNULAR VALVE SEAT, SAID VALVE ELEMENT SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY TOWARD SAID APERTURES TO DIRECT WATER THEREINTO IN A FIRST POSITION OF SAID VALVE STRUCTURE WITHIN SAID SLEEVE, RESILIENT FLOW CONTROL MEANS WITHIN SAID SECOND CYLINDRICAL PORTION BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID APERTURES TO DELAY ESCAPE OF WATER FROM SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, A SECOND ANNULAR VALVE ELEMENT REMOVABLY ENCIRCLING SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL MEMBER ABOVE THE SIDE WALL APERTURES THEREOF, SAID VALVE ELEMENT PROJECTING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY INTO OVERLYING RELATION WITH SAID FIRST VALVE ELEMENT, AND MEANS ADAPTED FOR COOPERATING WITH SAID COMMINUTION CHAMBER FOR ESTABLISHING SAID VALVE STRUCTURE OPTIONALLY IN SAID FIRST POSITION OR IN A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID FIRST AND SECOND ANNULAR VALVE ELEMENTS ARE IN ENGAGEMENT ONE WITH THE OTHER AND SAID FIRST VALVE ELEMENT IS SEATED ON SAID VALVE SEAT.