Patent US4593419A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4593419A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flush valve control for water closet
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1984-10-29
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Granted: 1986-06-10
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Expires: 2004-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A buoyancy control unit for the flapper-type ball valve of a water closet flushing unit includes a flexible air release metering tube of a smooth plastic connected to the outer peripheral portion of the flapper valve ball and extended upwardly from the stored water level. An adjustable meter valve is secured about the tube to adjustably collapse the tube for metering flow of air. A simple strap hanger has an offset apertured support tab through which the tube passes and on which the meter valve rests. The opposite strap end is bent and hooked over the edge of the tank. A stick pin is secured in the ball end of the tube and the tube is secured in a pin threader which passes through the opened bottom of the ball and the tube opening to insert the tube with the pin abutting the interior of the float ball.
Inventors
- 👤 Gene A. Derus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:00
CPC Classifications
E; E03; E03D; E03D1/00; E03D1/02; E03D1/14; E03D1/142; E03D1/30; E03D1/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
A flush valve control for use in a water closet flush tank having a transfer passageway from the lower end of the tank to a toilet bowl and including a flush valve unit having an air fillable flapper valve member having a bottom opening coupled to the transfer passageway within the tank and said valve member having a pivot mounting means secured to one side of the valve member to permit raising said valve member, an operator connected to said valve member for pivoting the valve member to an inclined position and exposing the bottom opening of the valve member to the water and trapping air within the valve member to maintain buoyancy thereof, an air release unit comprising a flexible tube having a smooth inner surface to provide a free air flow passageway and having an end secured to said valve member, said flexible tube being secured to the outer peripheral portion of the valve member opposite to said pivotal mount and thereby to locate the end of the tube in the highest region of the valve member in the open portion, said tube extending upwardly through the tank and having the upper end located above the water level in the tank, and a meter valve secured to the exterior of the tube and including a collar member encircling the tube and a pin threadedly secured in the collar and engaging the tube to collapse the tube between the pin and the collar and thereby control the cross-sectional area of the tube opening to thereby provide an adjustable air restriction in said passageway and control the rate of buoyancy loss of the flush valve unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
A flush valve control for use in a water closet flush tank having a transfer passageway from the lower end of the tank to a toilet bowl and including a flush valve unit having an air fillable flapper valve member having a bottom opening coupled to the transfer passageway within the tank and said valve member having a pivot mounting means secured to one side of the valve member to permit raising said valve member, an operator connected to said valve member for pivoting the valve member to an inclined position and exposing the bottom opening of the valve member to the water and trapping air within the valve member to maintain buoyancy thereof, an air release unit comprising a flexible tube having a smooth inner surface to provide a free air flow passageway and having an end secured to said valve member, said flexible tube being secured to the outer peripheral portion of the valve member opposite to said pivotal mount and thereby to locate the end of the tube in the highest region of the valve member in the open portion, said tube extending upwardly through the tank and having the upper end located above the water level in the tank, and a meter valve secured to the exterior of the tube and including a collar member encircling the tube and a pin threadedly secured in the collar and engaging the tube to collapse the tube between the pin and the collar and thereby control the cross-sectional area of the tube opening to thereby provide an adjustable air restriction in said passageway and control the rate of buoyancy loss of the flush valve unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A flush valve control of claim 1 including a strap hanger formed of hand-bendable strap to form a tab at one end and a hanger at the opposite end, and means to secure the upper end of the tube within said tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The flush valve control of claim 2 wherein said tab includes an opening with the tube passing therethrough, and said meter valve rests on said tab to form said support of the tube with the upper end located above the water level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
265 words
A float valve apparatus for use in a water storage tank having a bottom passageway connected to the upper end of a toilet bowl and having a float operated fill means for supplying of water to the tank to a preselected level and having a flapper flush valve unit having a ball element within a bottom for opening the transfer passageway for discharging of water into the toilet bowl, said ball element having a pivot support means, a flushing valve handle coupled by a linkage to the valve unit for pivoting the ball element about the pivot support means and exposing the bottom opening of the ball element to the water and trapping air within the ball element to maintain bouyancy thereof, air metering means comprising a flexible tube having one end secured to the peripheral portion of the ball element and located outwardly of and to the opposite side of the ball element from said pivot support means of the ball element to locate the lower end of the tube at a substantially the highest point in the location of the raised flapper ball element, said flexible tube extending upwardly therefrom, means to support the upper end of said tube within the storage tank above the level of water, said meter valve including a collar member encircling the tube and a pin threadedly secured in the collar and engaging the tube to collapse the tube between the pin and the collar and thereby control the cross-sectional area of the tube opening to thereby control the rate of bouyancy loss of the ball valve unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
265 words
A float valve apparatus for use in a water storage tank having a bottom passageway connected to the upper end of a toilet bowl and having a float operated fill means for supplying of water to the tank to a preselected level and having a flapper flush valve unit having a ball element within a bottom for opening the transfer passageway for discharging of water into the toilet bowl, said ball element having a pivot support means, a flushing valve handle coupled by a linkage to the valve unit for pivoting the ball element about the pivot support means and exposing the bottom opening of the ball element to the water and trapping air within the ball element to maintain bouyancy thereof, air metering means comprising a flexible tube having one end secured to the peripheral portion of the ball element and located outwardly of and to the opposite side of the ball element from said pivot support means of the ball element to locate the lower end of the tube at a substantially the highest point in the location of the raised flapper ball element, said flexible tube extending upwardly therefrom, means to support the upper end of said tube within the storage tank above the level of water, said meter valve including a collar member encircling the tube and a pin threadedly secured in the collar and engaging the tube to collapse the tube between the pin and the collar and thereby control the cross-sectional area of the tube opening to thereby control the rate of bouyancy loss of the ball valve unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The float valve apparatus of claim 4 wherein said tube is secured to the outermost edge portion of the ball element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The float valve apparatus of claim 4 wherein said float ball element includes a top wall of a resilient material, said tube opening having a diameter less than the unstressed diameter of said tube to grasp the tube, and a pin passed through the tube to lock the tube with the ball element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The valve apparatus of claim 4 wherein said ball element includes an opening through which said tube extends, said tube having an outside diameter greater than the unstressed diameter of said opening, and a pin means extending through the tube within the ball unit to securely lock the tube within the opening with the inner end of the tube projecting slightly into the valve ball.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
162 words
The method of interconnecting an air release tube to the valve ball of a ball valve-type flush unit having a ball-type element with a bottom opening for a water closet, comprising preforming of a valve ball for said flush unit including an attachment opening in the top wall, said attachment opening having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the air-release tube, providing a pin inserting member having a first diameter pin portion of a diameter less than the opening and a second pin portion of a diameter greater than said tube, said pin having a length greater than the depth of said valve ball from the bottom opening of the valve ball, to said attachment opening, attaching the one end of the air-release tube to the pin-inserting member, inserting said pin inserting member through the bottom and tube opening in the valve ball, and pulling said pin inserting member through said openings including pulling of the tube through said openings.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
162 words
The method of interconnecting an air release tube to the valve ball of a ball valve-type flush unit having a ball-type element with a bottom opening for a water closet, comprising preforming of a valve ball for said flush unit including an attachment opening in the top wall, said attachment opening having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the air-release tube, providing a pin inserting member having a first diameter pin portion of a diameter less than the opening and a second pin portion of a diameter greater than said tube, said pin having a length greater than the depth of said valve ball from the bottom opening of the valve ball, to said attachment opening, attaching the one end of the air-release tube to the pin-inserting member, inserting said pin inserting member through the bottom and tube opening in the valve ball, and pulling said pin inserting member through said openings including pulling of the tube through said openings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 8 including attaching a stop pin to the end of the tube to be located within the valve ball, and pulling the tube through the tube opening until the flexible pin engages the inner wall of the valve ball.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said pin inserting member includes a stepped portion having a smooth inclined connecting portion and constructed and arranged to stretch and enlarge the opening in the valve ball to facilitate the movement of the tube through said opening.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-06-09 | 1989-12-09 | 1990-06-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-06-09 | 1993-12-09 | 1994-06-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-06-09 | 1997-12-09 | 1998-06-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |