Flush valve

April 16, 1963

3,085,779

H. L. PHILIPPE

FLUSH VALVE

Filed Deo. 23, 1960

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3,985,779

Patented Apr. 16, 1963

United States Patent Office

3,085,779 FLUSH VALVE

Howard L. Philippe, Chicago, III., assignor to ImperialEastman Corporation, a corporation of Illinois

Filed Dec. 23, 1960, Scr. No. 78,030

Claims. (CL 251—21)

This invention relates to valves and particularly to flush valves.

Valves arranged to provide a preselected quantity of flush water directly from a supply conduit to a toilet or urinal are widely used, as where heavy service requirements are encountered. Thus, such flush valves may be utilized in public washrooms, industrial and office washrooms, and the like where the flush valves are susceptible to abuse such as from vandals. Illustratively, such flush valves are conventionally provided with adjustable means for regulating the duration of the flush. Such adjustable means often are tampered with by vandals and the like resulting in improper flushing. Further, such flush valves are conventionally operated by means of an operating handle. In certain known flush valves of this type, maintained depression of the handle effects a maintained continuous flush permitting vandals and the like to effect improper continuous water flow.

The present invention comprehends a new and improved flush valve which eliminates the above-discussed disadvantages of the known flush valves. Thus, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flush valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved vandal-proof flush valve.

A further object is to provide such a flush valve including new and improved means to preclude continuous flushing notwithstanding the maintained depression of the operating handle thereof.

Still another object is to provide such a flush valve including means inaccessible to unauthorized persons for accurately controlling the duration of the flush effected by the operation of the valve.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a flush valve which is simple and economical in structure, and which is relatively small, permitting facilitated installation in sanitation systems such as toilet and urinal installations.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diametric section of a flush value embodying the invention, a portion of the operating handle being broken away to facilitate illustration thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary diametric section thereof illustrating the arrangement of the valve at a maximumopen condition in the operation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a diametric section thereof illustrating the arrangement of the valve upon a completion of a flash cycle, the control valve thereof being arranged to permit the closing of the valve notwithstanding the maintained disposition of the operating handle element_in the operating position;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary diametric section of the control valve thereof; and

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 5—5 of FIGURE 4.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a flush valve generally designated 10 is shown to comprise a housing 11 defining a chamber 12 having an inlet 13 and an outlet 14. An annular valve seat 15 is provided in the housing circumjacent the outlet 14 and a flexible diaphragm 16 extends across the chamber 12 transversely to the axis of the valve seat 15, the diaphragm being provided with a seating por10 tion 17 selectively engageable with the valve seat 15 for selectively precluding and permitting fluid flow from the inlet 13 to the outlet 14. The housing includes a cap 18 defining the upper boundary of chamber 12, diaphragm 16 dividing the chamber 12 into a main portion 19 communicating directly with inlet 13, and a control portion 20 within the cap 18. The diaphragm seating portion 17 defines a central opening 21 through which extends a control valve 22 including a stem 23 cooperating with an actuating member 24 associated with the operating handle 25 of the valve. The control valve 22 normally closes the diaphragm opening 21 by virtue of its weight and the fluid pressure in chamber portion 20 which is delivered thereto through an orifice device 26 extending through diaphragm 16 to provide communication between chamber portion 19 and chamber portion 20 at all times. When the actuating member 24, however, is moved inwardly as by operation of handle 25, the control valve stem 23 is moved to the left as seen in FIGURE 1 thereby pivoting the control valve and allowing the water in chamber portion 20 to pass downwardly therefrom into outlet 14 thereby relieving the pressure in chamber 20 and permitting the diaphragm to be urged upwardly by the fluid pressure in chamber 19 to the position of FIGURE 2. Water under pressure is thusly delivered through outlet 14 until the fluid pressure in chamber 20 once again builds up to move the diaphragm downwardly to the position of FIGURE 3 wherein seating portion 17 reengages seat 15 to close the valve.

More specifically, inlet 13 is defined by an internally threaded annular portion 27 of housing 11 receiving a complementary threaded sleeve 28 provided with a securing ring 29 for connecting a suitable conduit (not shown) carrying water under pressure to the valve 10. Outlet 14 is defined by an exteriorly threaded annular portion 30 for connection to a suitable conduit (not shown) for delivery of the water to the device to be flushed. Valve seat 15 comprises the upper end of a tubular extension 31 of the housing 11 whereby the valve seat is positioned slightly subjacent the upper horizontal plane of an annular portion 32 of the housing 11 exteriorly threaded to have a depending annular, internally threaded portion 33 of cap 18 secured thereto. The peripheral annular portion 34 of diaphragm 16 is enlarged and provided with a reinforcing ring 35, the portion 34 being sealingly engaged with the housing portion 32 by means of an annular shoulder 36 acting through a washer 37 to urge the diaphragm portion 34 downwardly against the housing portion 32 when the cap 18 is fully threaded thereonto.

Actuating member 24 comprises a cylindrical rod having a tip 37 normally having a small clearance with valve stem 23. The rod extends outwardly from outlet 14 through an opening 38 in housing 11 which opens into a recess 39. An annular retainer 40 is threadedly secured to the housing circumjacent the recess 39 and is provided with an outer inturned flange 41 against which an annular enlargement 42 on handle 25 is urged by means of a coil spring 43. Spring 43 extends coaxially of actuating member 24 between a retainer 44 seated on an annular body of packing material 45 at the inner end of the recess, and a flange 46 secured to the outer end of the actuating member. Extending outwardly from flange 46 is a short cylindrical projection 47 facially engaging the inner end of handle 25. Thus, when handle 25 is displaced angularly from its position of coaxial alignment with actuating member 24, the end portion 42 of the handle is pivoted on the inturned flange 41 of the member 40 thus urging the flange 46 inwardly to move the actuating member 24 axially inwardly to the dotted position of FIGURE 1. Upon release of the handle 25, spring 43, acting through flange 46, urges portion 42 of the handle against the flange 41

3,085,779 thereby restoring the handle to the coaxial relationship with actuating member 24 as shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now more specifically to FIGURES 3 through 5, control valve 22 comprises a mushroom-shaped head 48 having an axial bore 49 therethrough. A tubular guide extension 50 is threadedly secured to the lower end of the head 48 and is provided with an axial bore 51 defined by an upper portion 52 having a hexagonal cross section, a lower portion 53 having a circular cross section, and a radial shoulder 54 between bore portions 52 and 53. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the upper end of the extension 50 defines an upwardly facing radial shoulder 55 limiting downward movement through head 56 of a screw 57 coaxially threaded to the upper end 58 of the stem 23. The screw head may be provided with an annular groove 59 carrying an O-ring 60 for slidably'· sealing the screw to the control valve head 43 in bore 49. The upper end of the screw head is provided with a screwdriver slot 61 permitting rotational adjustment of the screw 57 by means of a screwdriver (not shown) extended through the upper end of the bore 49. The upper end of the stem 23 is provided with a hexagonal collar 62 cooperating with the walls of the hexagonal bore portion 51 of extension 50 to prevent rotation of the stem 23 while permitting ready vertical movement thereof. Thus the rotation of screw 57 effects a vertical adjustment of the stem 23 relative to the extension 50 whereby the amount of upward movement of the diaphragm 16 to carry the lower end 63 of the stem 23 above the actuating member 24, as shown in FIGURE 2, may be varied.

Referring now more specifically to FIGURE 2, the enlarged upper end 64 of the control valve head 48 seats on an annular valve seat 65 defined by a pair of threadedly connected rings 66 and 67 and an annular resilient seat element 68 covering the upper ring 66. Element 68 and rings 66 and 67 cooperatively define a flow passage 69 extending between chamber portion 20 and outlet 14 coaxially within the diaphragm opening 21, which flow passage is controlled by the control valve 22. The lower ring 67 may be provided with a depending tubular guard 70 extending downwardly to adjacent the lower end of extension 50 directing the flow of water from chamber portion 19 to outlet 14 away from the control valve 22.

Thus, control valve 22 effectively comprises a pilot adjustably regulating the duration of the flush effected by valve 10. The stem 23 effectively comprises a control device for cooperation with actuating member 24 to control the seating engagement of the control valve head 64 with the valve seat 65. More specifically, the operation of valve 10 is as follows. Normally, the valve is arranged as shown in full lines in FIGURE 1 with water under pressure in chamber portion 20 urging the diaphragm 16 into seating engagement with the valve seat 15, the pressure within chamber 20 being maintained by virtue of the communication thereof with inlet 13 through orifice 26. When tlie operating handle 25 is manipulated, as discussed above, to move the actuating member 24 axially inwardly, the end portion 37 of the actuating member bears against the lower end of the stem 23 and pivots the head portion 64 of the control valve on the valve seat 65. This cracking open of the control valve immediately releases the pressure in chamber portion 20 whereby the diaphragm is urged upwardly to the position of FIGURE 2, the water from chamber portion 20 passing downwardly through the flow passage 69 to outlet 14. When the control valve reaches the position of FIGURE 2, the clearance of the lower end 63 with the inner end of the actuating member 24 permits the control valve to move back to its vertical position closing the flow passage 69. The pressure of the water in chamber portion 19 causes a flow from chamber portion 19 through aperture device 26 to chamber portion 20 whereby the pressure in chamber portion 20 is restored, urging the diaphragm to the seated position across valve seat 15. Should the operating handle remain depressed, the actuating member remains in the innermost position as shown in FIGURE 3. How ever, as the screw 57 and stem 23 are axially movable relative to the control valve portions 48 and 50, control valve head 64 and diaphragm 16 may move back to the seated arrangement of FIGURE 3 while the valve stem remains in engagement with the actuating member 24. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3, the flush valve 10 is automatically and positively closed notwithstanding an attempt to maintain the flow, as by a person improperly retaining the handle in the operating position. As the water pressure in chamber portion 20 is acting downwardly on the upper end of screw head 56, the valve stem 23 is urged downwardly thereby assuring a return of the valve stem to the full line position of FIGURE 1 upon release of the handle 25.

The duration of the flush is controlled by the amount of time necessary to restore the diaphragm from the uppermost position thereof to the seated position of FIGURE 3. As the upward movement of the diaphragm is controlled by the movement of the stem from the angled position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1 to the vertical position shown in FIGURE 2, the duration of the flush may be accurately controlled by regulating the projection of the stem 23 downwardly from the valve member 48. As discussed briefly above, this adjustment is readily effected by means of a screwdriver extended through the bore 49 to engage the slot 61 in the screw 57. As the cap 18 closes the chamber portion 29, accessibility to the screw is effectively precluded to vandals and the like.

The simple structure of valve 10 permits improved economy in manufacture and assures long trouble-free life. The small size of the valve provides improved facility in installation of the valve in the sanitation system. By effectively precluding vandalistic improper operation and adjustment of the valve, consistent, accurately predetermined flushing operations may be effected therewith.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.