Flush tank

Application filed April 30, 1925. Serial No. 27,013.

This invention relates to flush tanks, and more particularly a flush tank employing a tiltably mounted container or drum and means for upsetting the same and returning 5 it to operative position.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a flush tank of the character stated of comparatively simple and inexpensive operation in which the drum and 10 associated parts are so related as to ensure accuracy of operation. A further object is to provide a tank of this character in which the contents of the drum will be quickly discharged into the main tank. 15 Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:—

Figure 1 is a plan Anew, partly in section, of the tank.

Figure 2 is a side view of the tank partly broken aAvay.

Figure 3 is an end vievv of the tank.

Figure 4 is an end vieAv of the tank partly broken aAvay taken at the opposite 25 end thereof from Figure 3, the water inlet valve casing and associated parts being shown in section and the inlet valve being shoAvn in open position with the drum turned into discharging position.

³⁰ Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 Avith the inlet valve in closed position and the drum in normal position, this view beingtaken substantially on line 5—5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an end view of the tank partly 35 broken away showing a modified form of means for holding the drum in its normal position.

Figure 7 is a section taken substantially on line 7—7 of Figure 6.

⁴θ Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of the invention as illustrated in the right hand 45 portion of Fig. 1 of the drawings.

A. drum 1 is rockably mounted in a main tank 2 by means of a shaft 3 Avhich extends through the drum longitudinally thereof, the end portions of this shaft being rockably ⁵⁰ mounted in bearing members 4 and 5 carried by brackets 6 and 7, respectively, secured in tank 2 adjacent the ends thereof. Tank 2 is provided with a downwardly tapering portion 2^a having at its lower end an exteriorly threaded neck 2” for reception of an outlet pipe through which the water is discharged from the main tank. The drum is normally held in raised or operative position by means of a gravity latch 8 which engages beneath an angle stop member 9 60 secured to the adjacent ends of drum 1. Latch 8 is pivoted at 10 in a rod 11 slidably mounted through a collar 12^a provided at the upper end of a bracket 12 secured to the inner face of the front wall of tank 2. An 65 operating lever 13 is rockably mounted in a U-shaped bracket 14 secured to the front Avail of the tank 2, this lever being provided at its lower end with a fork 15 which receives the end portions of a pin 16 secured 70 through the outer end portion of rod 11 diametrically thereof. The inner end portion of latch member 8 is inclined downwardly and outwardly. to provide an inclined face 8^a and this latch member is 75 mounted in rod 11 in a known manner so that the inner or nose portion thereof may be raised to permit stop member 9 to pass beyond and above the latch, movement of the latch .member in the other direction 80 beyond a horizontal position being prevented by contact of the outer portion of the . latch member with the under portion of rod ' 11, in a knoAvn manner. By this arrangement, movement of the upper : portion of ⁸⁵lever 13 toward the front Avail of tank 2 withdraAVs the latch member 8 from beneath stop member 9 permitting drum 1 to tilt . into its full discharge position shown in Figure 4 and upon return of the drum to 90 its receiving or filling position stop member 9 raises latch 8 and the latch drops by gravity into operative position after the stop member has passed beyond the same so that, after the drum has been filled and is: in its 95 normal position stop member 9 will contact with the latch which will act to normally hold.the drum in such position, as previously . stated. '

When the drum 1 is returned to filling 100 position after being overturned, it is filled with water from an inlet pipe 17 tlie discharge end of. which is disposed to direct a stream of water into the drum through the opening l^a extending longitudinally of 105 the drum for this purpose. Pipe 17 communicates at its lower end with an upper chamber 18^a of an inlet valve casing 18 secured through the bottom of tank 2 adjacent one end thereof, this casing being pro- no tided with an exteriorly threaded neck 18^cfor reception of a pipe connected thereto

1,613,640 and..communicating with a suitable source of supply'of water tinder pressure. A perforated disc 19 is secured in the lower portion of valve chamber 18^b of casing 18 and i is provided with a central upwardly projecting hub 20 in xvhich is slidably mounted stem 21^a xvhich depends from a disc valx*e 21 upon the upper face of xvhich is secured a suitable washer 22. This valve is norio mally held raised by an expansion coil spring 23 mounted about hub 20 and confined betxveen disc 19 and valve 21, and seats upon tlie lower end of a shoit neck 24 which extends into the upper portion of valve 15 chamber 18^b and establishes communication betxveen the same and the upper outlet chamber 18®, the loxver end of this neck being properly machined to provide a valve seat. When valve 21 is raised into its operative or closed position communication betxveen chamber 18” and-chamber 18® is cut off so that no water can flow from the valve casing to pipe 17.

Operation of the inlet valve 21 is con25 trolled by a plunger 25 xvhich is slidable through the upper end of the casing and contacts xvith the upper end of valve 21. The upper end of this plunger contacts xvith a lever 26-which is pivotally mounted at one ³⁰ end at 27 in a'ny suitable Or preferred manfi-er on bracket 7. A cam 28 is-secured on shaft 3 and is positioned to contact xvith the 'upper-face'of'leVer 26 adjacent the btlier end thereof xvhen the drum is turned into dumping or discharging· position thus 'depressing tlie lever so as to depress plunger 25 xvhich in turn operates the disc valve 21 against the action of the spring 23; 'permitting water to flow frbm the valve casing 18 into and ⁴⁰ through pipe 17 from the upper end of which a stream of xvater is projected' under pressure against the rounded bottom portion of the drum-xvhich, :;t this time, is positioned adjacent the upper end of pipe 17. This ⁴³ stream of xvater striking the drum to tlie left .of the shaft 3 xvill act to cause rotation thereof thus returning the drum to its filling position indicated in broken lines in Figure 5. This turning of the drum is retarded by a ^u0 leaf spring 29 secured to a. post 30 carried by bracket 7. this leaf spring being provided at its inner encl xvith an arcuate element 31 adapted to'fit about the end portion of cam '-28 xvhen the drum is in normal position. ^5l) When the drum- is turned into filling position it will'travel slightly beyond-its. normal position, due to inertia at xvhich time earn 26 xvill -contact xvith spring 29 thus stopping m0x*ement of the drum and bringing the ⁰⁰ opening 1’ into position to receive the xx-ater discharged from pipe 17. During this movement of the drum latch 8 at the Other end of the drum xvill be raised and stop member 9 will pass beyond the latch, after xvhich the ⁶⁵ latch is returned to operative position beneath the stop member by gravity as previously explained. The drum is provided xvith an offset portion or projection l^b in xvhich the opening 1“ is located so that, xvhen tlie drum is filled the weight of the xvater in the portion of the drum at the side of the shaft 3 in xvhich the offset portion l^b is located xvill be greater than the xveight of the xvater at the other side of the shaft so as to cause the drum to tilt into the position illustrated in Figure 4 xvhen it is released. As stated, after the .drum is returned to receiving or filling position, the xvater from pipe 17 is discharged into the drum and as the • water level rises the drum xvill tilt from the broken line position indicated in Figure 5 to the full line position shown in this figure, at xvhich time stop member 9 xvill contact with latch 8 thus: holding-the drum in its normal or operative position. During filling the upper end of cam 26, as considered in Figure 5, xvill fit into the arcuate or curved element 31 of spring 29 xvhich xvill exert.a braking effect so as to prevent the drum from rucking while it is being filled xvith xvater. After return of the drum to receiving or filling position, and during filling thereof, inlet valve 21 is held in open position by means of a trigger arrangement xvhich includes an angle lever 32 pivoted at its angle at 33 on an arm 34 which projects upwardly from bracket 7. A xveight 35 is secured on the upper arm of lever 32 and acts to urge tlie loxver arm 32“ toxvard control lever 26 so that, xxdien this lever is depressed, arm 32“ of lever 32 is moved into position above the free end of lever 26 thus holding this lever depressed and holding valve 21 in open position, as illustrated in Figure 4. Movement Of lever 32 into operative pos tion is limited by a finger 35® secured in xveight .'35, this finger 'being -positioned' to contact xvith the outer portion-of a trip lever 36 rockably mounted at 37 on a head 38 provided at the upper end of arm 34. A gravity latch 39 is mounted in the inner end-of this lever, this latch being similar in its-construction and mounting 'to the latch 8 previously described and being disposed to engage- beneath an angle trip member 40 secured ίο the adjacent end of drum 1 (Figs. 1 and 2). When the'drum is returned'to receiving or filling-position trip member 40 raises latch 39 and passes beyond the same, after which tlie latch is returned to operative position by gravity. When the drum is filled to-within a short distance'Of its upper edge; it is tilted by gravity in its dumping or'discharging direction, during which mox*emerit of the drum member 40 contacts xvith latch 39 depressing tlie inner end of trip lever. 36 and raising rhe outer end of this lever, this movement of the outer end of the lever serving to rock lever 32 through the medium of finger 35“ in such direction as to move arm 32“ out

J (in

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1,613,640 of contact with lever 26, after which valve which causes the is seated by the action of spring 23 thus cutting off the supply of water to pipe 17 and raising lever 26 into.the position illustrated in Figure 5. In this manner the drum, after being discharged, is filled and returned to operative position in readiness for a second discharge.

In Figures 6 and 7, I have illustrated a modification of the means for'controlling the supply of water to the inlet pipe. A bracket 41 is secured to the back wall 2“ of tank 2 above inlet valve casing 18. A toggle consisting of two links 42 is pivotally secured at its upper end, at 43, to an arm 41¹¹ which projects from bracket 41. The lower end of this toggle is pivoted at 44 to the upper end of plunger 25^a of the inlet control valve. An arm 45 is pivoted at one end to the toggle at the hinge thereof and is provided at its other end with an elongated slotted head 46. Head 46 receives a stud 47 which projects from crank 26 secured on shaft 3. An Lshaped arm 48 is pivoted at its outer end to the hinge of the toggle and is provided at its inner end with a bill forming a hook element 49. This arm normally rides on a collar 50 secured, on shaft 3, this collar being provided with a radially projecting trip pin 51. The positions of the jiarts after the drum has been filled and is in its normal position are shown by full lines in Figure 6. With the parts in the positions illustrated in full lines the toggle is broken and the inlet valve 21 is closed cutting off the water to the inlet pipe 17. When the tank 1 is released and tilts into discharging or dumping position arm 45 is moved toward the rear wall 2° of the tank so as to straighten the toggle moving the hinge 43^a thereof beyond center a slight distance thus depressing valve 21 and holding it in open position. This movement of the toggle moves trip lever 48 into such position that pin 51 will engage with hook element 49 when the tank is returned to filling or receiving position. The positions of the toggle and the arm 42 and trip arm 48 when the tank is turned into discharging position are indicated by broken lines. Upon return of the tank to loading or receiving position arm 45 is raised into horizontal position as indicated by the broken lines, the positions of the toggle and arm 48 remaining unchanged with the exception that hook 49 is raised by pin 51 and then drops by gravity into position in advance of. the pin. When the tank is filled to within a short distance of its upper edge, it tilts downwardly and forwardly causing pin 51 to move arm 48 toward the front wall of tank 2. I his breaks the toggle and moves the hinge joint 43^a thereof toward the front of the tank a slight distance beyond center thus releasing plunger 25^a and permitting the valve 21 to be seated by the action of' spring 23 parts to be relumed to tlie full line positions illustrated in Figure 6. This provides simple and efficient means for regulating the filling of the tank when, for any reason, it is hot feasible nor desirable to To use the means illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 Inclusive.

As will be noted more clearly from Figures 1 and 3 lever 13 is provided at its upper end with a weight element 13^a which acts 75 to hold the rod 11 inwardly of the tank thus holding latch 8 in position for engagement by the angle stop member 9. If desired, though not necessarily, the bottom portion of tank 1 may be made somewhat heavier than 80 the remainder of the tank so as to provide a weight element which will assist in returning the tank to filling position. Under ordinary conditions, however, the stream of water discharged from pipe 17 and which «5 impinges against the tank will be sufficient to return the tank to filling position, the action of this stream being supplemented by the inertia of the tank itself after rotation of the tank has been initiated by the water ³³stream. Turning of the tank beyond dumping position is prevented by rubber bumpers 53, or in any other suitable manner.

As above indicated, and as will be understood, changes in construction and arrange- ⁹⁵ment of the invention may be resorted^to without departing from the field and scope · of the, same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which ¹⁰⁰the preferred forms only of my invention are disclosed.