Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
282 words
A toilet flush valve assembly comprising: a. a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl; b. a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage; c. an upstanding overflow pipe carried by said body in laterally offset relation to said flushing passage, said overflow pipe communicating with said flushing passage through a lateral passage opening into said flushing passage at a point below said valve seat; d. a buoyant valve member comprising first and second generally dish-shaped body portions adapted to be connected together by interfitting engagement, one of said body portions having an annular rigid flange for seating on said valve seat to close said flushing passage under the hydrostatic pressure of such a head of water; e. a flexible sealing gasket carried by said valve member and positioned between said valve member flange and said valve seat in a manner defining a relatively small gap between said gasket and said flange when said valve member is lifted from said seat; f. guide rod means depending from said valve member; g. guide means positioned in said flushing passage below said valve seat for slidably receiving said rod means; and h. stop means comprising an arm member connected to said overflow pipe and positioned for abutting said valve member and limiting movement of said valve member away from said valve seat to open said flushing passage, the distance between the bottom of said arm and the top of said guide means being less than the distance between the uppermost surface of said valve member and the bottom of said guide rod.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
282 words
A toilet flush valve assembly comprising: a. a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl; b. a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage; c. an upstanding overflow pipe carried by said body in laterally offset relation to said flushing passage, said overflow pipe communicating with said flushing passage through a lateral passage opening into said flushing passage at a point below said valve seat; d. a buoyant valve member comprising first and second generally dish-shaped body portions adapted to be connected together by interfitting engagement, one of said body portions having an annular rigid flange for seating on said valve seat to close said flushing passage under the hydrostatic pressure of such a head of water; e. a flexible sealing gasket carried by said valve member and positioned between said valve member flange and said valve seat in a manner defining a relatively small gap between said gasket and said flange when said valve member is lifted from said seat; f. guide rod means depending from said valve member; g. guide means positioned in said flushing passage below said valve seat for slidably receiving said rod means; and h. stop means comprising an arm member connected to said overflow pipe and positioned for abutting said valve member and limiting movement of said valve member away from said valve seat to open said flushing passage, the distance between the bottom of said arm and the top of said guide means being less than the distance between the uppermost surface of said valve member and the bottom of said guide rod.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising a flexible line connected to said valve member and slidably received in said stop means for selectively lifting said valve member away from said valve seat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the surface of said flushing passage is relatively smooth and continuous over the length thereof and wherein said valve body terminates at said one end in a relatively thin annular end face defining said valve seat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve member is of plastic and said sealing gasket is of rubber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve member comprises two generally dish-shaped parts adapted to be snap-fit together and wherein said gasket is positioned between said two parts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said arm is of a length permitting tilting of said valve member when raised so as to physically remove said guide rod from said guide means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
240 words
A toilet flush valve assembly comprising: a. a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl; b. a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage; c. an upstanding overflow pipe carried by said body in laterally offset relation to said flushing passage, said overflow pipe communicating with said flushing passage through a lateral passage opening into said flushing passage at a point below said valve seat; d. a buoyant valve member having an annular flange for seating on said valve seat to close said flushing passage under the hydrostatic pressure of such a head of water; e. guide rod means depending from said valve member; f. guide means positioned in said flushing passage below said valve seat for slidably receiving said rod means; g. an arm member connected to said overflow pipe and positioned for abutting said valve member and limiting movEment of said valve member away from said valve seat to open said flushing passage, the distance between the bottom of said arm and the top of said guide means being less than the distance between the uppermost surface of said valve member and the bottom of said guide rod; and h. a flexible line connected to said valve member and slidably received in said arm member for selectively lifting said valve member away from said valve seat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
240 words
A toilet flush valve assembly comprising: a. a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl; b. a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage; c. an upstanding overflow pipe carried by said body in laterally offset relation to said flushing passage, said overflow pipe communicating with said flushing passage through a lateral passage opening into said flushing passage at a point below said valve seat; d. a buoyant valve member having an annular flange for seating on said valve seat to close said flushing passage under the hydrostatic pressure of such a head of water; e. guide rod means depending from said valve member; f. guide means positioned in said flushing passage below said valve seat for slidably receiving said rod means; g. an arm member connected to said overflow pipe and positioned for abutting said valve member and limiting movEment of said valve member away from said valve seat to open said flushing passage, the distance between the bottom of said arm and the top of said guide means being less than the distance between the uppermost surface of said valve member and the bottom of said guide rod; and h. a flexible line connected to said valve member and slidably received in said arm member for selectively lifting said valve member away from said valve seat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
235 words
A buoyant valve member for a toilet flush valve assembly including a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl and a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage, said buoyant valve member comprising: a. a first, generally dish-shaped body portion having a first annular rigid flange extending radially outwardly therefrom, a second annular flange extending radially inwardly and disposed in a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of said first flange, and an annular rib extending from the inner edge of said second flange and in a direction away from both of said flanges; b. a shallow second dish-shaped body portion terminating in an annular lip and having an annular flange extending radially outwardly therefrom and disposed in a plane spaced from the edge of said lip, said second portion adapted to be connected to said first portion by interfitting engagement of said annular lips; and c. a flexible sealing gasket positioned between said first and second body portions and extending radially outwardly therefrom in spaced relation to said first annular flange of said first body portion; d. whereby said gasket rests on the valve seat and is urged into contact with said first annular flange of said first body portion by the hydrostatic pressure of water in the toilet tank.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
235 words
A buoyant valve member for a toilet flush valve assembly including a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl and a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage, said buoyant valve member comprising: a. a first, generally dish-shaped body portion having a first annular rigid flange extending radially outwardly therefrom, a second annular flange extending radially inwardly and disposed in a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of said first flange, and an annular rib extending from the inner edge of said second flange and in a direction away from both of said flanges; b. a shallow second dish-shaped body portion terminating in an annular lip and having an annular flange extending radially outwardly therefrom and disposed in a plane spaced from the edge of said lip, said second portion adapted to be connected to said first portion by interfitting engagement of said annular lips; and c. a flexible sealing gasket positioned between said first and second body portions and extending radially outwardly therefrom in spaced relation to said first annular flange of said first body portion; d. whereby said gasket rests on the valve seat and is urged into contact with said first annular flange of said first body portion by the hydrostatic pressure of water in the toilet tank.