TOILET VALVE ASSEMBLY

• US 3,835,479 A
• Filed: 04/04/1973
• Issued: 09/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Arthur Milette, Tim Minoru Uyeda
• Inventors: Milette, Kenneth Arthur, Uyeda, Tim Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Huckert, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US05/347,858
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 4/76-79,8,10,17,41,67R,82,84,86,87,115,111,116,134,195,196,249,250 251/279,280,315,298,301,303 403/348,358 74/471R,478,512
• US Class Current: 4/435
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/012 combined with movable closure elements in the bowl outlet bowls with closure elements between bottom or outlet and outlet pipe E03D11/10
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/08 directly by the foot combined with devices for opening or closing shutters in the bowl outlet and/or with devices for raising or lowering seat and cover and/or for swiveling the bowl

Abstract

A valve assembly for a flush-type toilet for recreational vehicles or the like. The valve assembly includes a flat gate valve blade which is mounted to open and close the discharge outlet of the toilet bowl. A rotary water valve is also mounted on the valve housing. The valve blade and water valve embody actuating arms which are rotated by a pivoted lever through suitable linkage. The lever and linkage cooperate to provide an overcenter toggle action to actuate the gate valve blade more rapidly and with higher closing force than the water valve. The linkage is pivotally connected to the lever and to the actuating arms for the valves, and the lever is pivotally mounted on the housing, without separable fasteners.

Claims

1. A valve assembly for a toilet bowl having a discharge outlet comprising:

a valve housing having a port therein adapted to communicate with said discharge outlet;

substantially flat gate valve blade means pivotally mounted in said housing to open and close said outlet;

water valve means mounted on said housing for controlling the flow of water to said toilet bowl;

each said gate valve blade means and water valve means embodying an actuating arm;

lever means pivotally mounted on said housing for up and down movement about a pivot axis, said lever means having fIrst and second sections on opposite sides of said pivot axis;

linkage means connecting said first section of said lever means to said actuating arms;

said gate valve blade means and water valve means opening upon depressing of said second section of said lever means, and closing upon raising of said second section of said lever means, means biasing said second section to its raised position normally holding said gate valve blade means and water valve means closed;

said linkage means comprising separate first and second links;

said first link being pivotally connected at one end to said first section of said lever means at a first point thereon and pivotally connected at its other end to said water valve means actuating arm;

said second link being pivotally connected at one end to said first section of said lever means at a second point between said pivot axis and said first point, the other end of said second link being pivotally connected to said gate valve blade means actuating arm;

said one end of said second link lying below an imaginary straight line extending between said pivot axis and said other end of said second link when said second section of said lever means is in its normal raised position, said one end of said second link rising to a position above said imaginary line when said second section of said lever means is depressed;

said one end of said first link lying below said second point and said other end of said first link being above said other end of said second link whereby said links cross each other to provide an overcenter toggle arrangement;

said overcenter toggle arrangement causing said gate valve blade means to be actuated more rapidly and with higher closing force than said water valve means; and

said overcenter toggle arrangement causing said water valve means to open prior to said gate valve blade means upon depressing of said second section of said lever means, and causing said gate valve blade means to close prior to closing of said water valve means after releasing said lever means.

2. A valve assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said lever means comprises a rod having an intermediate horizontally extending section and two integral end parts bent at approximately right angles to said intermediate section in opposite directions providing said first and second sections of said lever means;

integral means on said housing mounting said intermediate section of said lever means on said housing for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of said intermediate section.

3. A valve assembly as set forth in vlaim 1 wherein:

said first section of said lever means embodies a first portion adjacent said pivot axis and a second terminal portion, said second portion being bent at an angle downwardly relative to said first portion;

said one end of said second link is connected to said first portion adjacent to said second portion; and

said one end of said first link is connected to said second portion.

4. A valve assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said biasing means comprises a spring connected at one end to said first section of said lever means and at its other end to said housing below said pivot axis.

5. A valve assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said actuating arm for said gate valve blade means is pivotable about a vertically extending axis;

said actuating arm for said water valve means is pivotable about a horizontally extending axis; and

said first and second links are movable vertically in response to the up and down movement of said lever means, and said links effecting pivotal movement of said actuating arms in response to movement of said lever means.

6. A valve assembly as set forth in claim 1 including:

means integrally formed on said first and second links for retaining said links pivotally connected to said lever means and said actuating arms.