Fluid level control valve

• US 3,895,645 A
• Filed: 03/09/1973
• Issued: 07/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fillpro Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dwight N. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Dwight N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwadron, Martin P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matthews, David R.
• Application Number:
  US05/339,548
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 137/386,403,406,412,413,414 251/45,46 181/33S
• US Class Current: 137/403
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/32 Arrangement of inlet valves devices for reducing noise E03D9/14 ; noise-reducing means E03D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 21/18 closed when a rising liquid reaches a predetermined level float-actuated valves F16K31/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7339 By weight of accumulated fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7374 Flexible diaphragm valve

Abstract

A valve for controlling the level of water in a toilet flush tank includes a body and cover having interfacing surfaces defining a valve chamber and a diaphragm chamber. A valve seat in the valve chamber communicates with a water inlet by way of a projection integral with the body adapted to extend through the flush tank water inlet opening to mount the housing in a normally submerged position. A diaphragm is held in the diaphragm chamber between the cover and body, and a flexible valve member is held in the valve chamber between the cover and body. An air passage defined in part by the projection vents the diaphragm chamber to atmosphere through the flush tank floor, and liquid pressure is communicated through the cover to the opposite side of the diaphragm. The water inlet passage extends to the center of the valve seat, which is surrounded by a valving surface having a number of segment shaped outlet ports communicating with water outlet passages in the valve body. Movement of the diaphragm in response to changes in water level results in opening and closing of the valve member to maintain the desired water level.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the level of liquid in a tank having a liquid inlet opening in its floor, said apparatus comprising in combination a housing including a body and a cover having interfacing generally uniplanar surfaces defining a valve chamber and a diaphragm chamber therebetween, said body including a valve seat in said valve chamber generally in the plane of said interfacing surfaces, an integral projection of said body adapted to be received in the liquid inlet opening in the floor of the tank for mounting the housing in a normally submerged position, a liquid inlet passage defined at least in part by said projection and leading to said valve seat, liquid outlet passage means in said housing leading from said valve seat to the exterior of said housing, an air passage defined at least in part by said projection and leading to said diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm in said diaphragm chamber having its periphery sealingly engaged between said interfacing surfaces, a flexible valve member in said valve chamber having its periphery held between said interfacing surfaces, a pressure sensing passage in said cover leading from the exterior of said housing to said diaphragm chamber, said diaphragm being interposed in said diaphragm chamber between said air passage and said pressure sensing passage, and operating means for moving said valve member relative to said valve seat in response to movement of said diaphragm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said housing having a generally annular valving surface surrounding and generally coplanar with said valve seat, said liquid inlet passage terminating in an inlet port surrounded by said valve seat, and said liquid outlet passage means including a plurality of outlet ports in said valving surface encircling said inlet port.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, each said outlet port having an increasing width in a radially outward direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, said cover defining a pressure control chamber adjacent said valve member opposite said valve seat and valving surface, and said operating means including means for raising and lowering the pressure in said pressure control chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, a pilot passage in said cover leading from said pressure control chamber to the exterior of said housing, a pressure passage substantially more restricted than said pilot passage defined at least in part by said valve member and extending from said inlet port to said pressure control chamber, and said operating means including pilot valve means for opening and closing said pilot passage.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, a releasable hinge for hinging said cover and body together at a first location, and a fastener for holding said cover and body together at a second location.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, said operating means including a lever having a first end connected to said diaphragm, a second end supported by said fastener, and a pilot valve member supported by said lever intermediate its ends.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, an insert member in said valve chamber supported by said body, said valving surface and outlet ports being formed in said insert member.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, said body including a skirt-shaped annular wall inclined relative to the tank floor, and said water outlet passage means including outlet openings directed downwardly toward said skirt-shaped annular wall.

10. A fluid level control for use with a reservoir having a normally submerged inlet, said controL comprising:

a housing including a body and a cover having interfacing surfaces;

a pair of spaced, aligned recesses in both said interfacing surfaces defining a valve chamber and a diaphragm chamber;

a diaphragm, and a lever attached to said diaphragm;

a flexible valve member;

the peripheries of said diaphragm and valve member being captured between said interfacing surfaces to hold said diaphragm and valve member in said diaphragm chamber and valve chamber;

said lever extending to the exterior of said housing from said diaphragm chamber and including a segment overlying said valve chamber;

a valve seat in said body integeral with said body;

control means supported at least in part by said lever segment for controlling the movement of said valve member relative to said valve seat;

an integral projection of said body member adapted to extend through the reservoir inlet to support said housing within the reservoir;

a fluid inlet passage extending through said projection for communicating fluid to said valve chamber; and

a fluid outlet passage in said body for communicating fluid from said valve chamber.

11. The control of claim 10 further comprising means for hinging said body and cover together, and a fastener spaced from said hinge for holding said body and cover toogether.

12. The control of claim 11, means carried by said fastener for supporting said lever.

13. The control of claim 12, said lever supporting means being adjustable.

14. The control of claim 10, further comprising a conduit defined at least in part by said integral projection for venting said diaphragm chamber to atmosphere.

15. The control of claim 14, said integral projection being threaded to accept a nut for fastening said housing to the reservoir, said conduit including a notch in the threaded portion.

16. Apparatus for controlling the level of fluid in a reservoir, said apparatus comprising in combination:

a housing including a body member and a cover member having interfacing surfaces;

a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in said housing;

aligned recess means in said body member and cover member defining cavity means;

valve means and valve operating means disposed at least in part within said cavity means for controlling the flow of fluid between said inlet and said outlet;

hinge means for pivotably interconnecting said body member and cover member at a first peripheral region; and

fastening means interconnecting said body member and cover member at a second peripheral region;

said fastening means including means for supporting said valve operating means.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, said fastening means comprising a single screw member.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, said fastening means comprising a screw member including a first threaded portion, holding means engaged with said first threaded portion for holding said body member and cover member together, a second threaded portion of said screw member, and said supporting means for said valve operating means being engaged with said second threaded portion.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, said valve operating means comprising a lever, said supporting means including an adjustment element threaded on said second threaded portion, and spring means telescoped around said screw member and held in compression between said adjustment member and said lever.

20. Fluid level control apparatus for use with a fluid reservoir having a normally submerged fluid inlet opening, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having a projection adapted to be received in the reservoir inlet opening;

a fluid inlet passage extending through said projection and into said housing;

fluid outlet port means in said housing;

a valve chamber in said housing in communication between said inlet passage and said outlet port means;

a valve means in said valve chamber;

a diaphragm chamber in said housing;

a diaphragm divIding said diaphragm chamber into first and second portions;

means including said projection defining an air passage extending through the reservoir inlet opening for communicating the first diaphragm chamber portion with atmosphere;

a fluid pressure sensing passage in said housing extending from said second diaphragm chamber portion to the exterior of said housing; and

valve operating means coupled between said valve means and said diaphragm for operating said valve means in accordance with the pressure differential between fluid pressure and atmosphere;

said valve operating means including a lever connected to said diaphragm and extending from said diaphragm chamber through said fluid pressure sensing passage.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an anti-spill element in said air passage, said element being air permeable and substantially fluid impermeable.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, said element being formed of non-hydrophilic porous plastic.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, said housing including a body and a cover having interfacing surfaces defining said diaphragm chamber therebetween, said diaphragm having a first peripheral lip captured between said interfacing surfaces, a second lip on said diaphragm disposed radially inwardly of said first lip and forming a mouth opening directed centrally of said diaphragm, said lever including a diaphragm engaging portion captured within said mouth opening.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, said diaphragm being spaced from said diaphragm engaging lever portion radially inwardly of said second lip to permit deflection of said diaphragm under pressure and contraction of said second lip against said diaphragm engaging lever portion.

25. A fluid level control valve comprising a housing defining an inlet passage adapted to communicate with a source of pressurized fluid, a valve seat surrounding the downstream end of said inlet passage, flow restricter means encircled by said valve seat to provide a flow path of predetermined size toward said valve seat, a plurality of outlet passages surrounding said valve seat, a valve member movable relative to said valve seat, control means movable between positions in response to fluid level changes, said control means being operatively coupled to said valve member for controlling the movement thereof between open and closed positions, means for limiting movement of said valve member to a full open position to define a flow path of predetermined size from said valve seat, and the improvement in accordance with which said inlet passage, said flow path toward said valve seat, said flow from said valve seat, and the aggregate of said outlet passages each provides a substantial and approximately equal restriction of fluid flow.

26. The valve of claim 25 wherein the smallest of said approximately equal restrictions is at least as large in area as two-thirds of the area of the largest said restriction.

27. A fluid control valve comprising a housing defining an inlet chamber adapted to be communicated with a source of pressurized fluid, a valve seat surrounding said inlet chamber, a valving surface surrounding said valve seat and lying generally in the plane of the valve seat, a plurality of outlet ports in said valve surface radially outward of and surrounding said valve seat, outlet passage means communicating with said outlet ports, a flexible valve member overlying said valve seat and outlet ports, a pressure control chamber overlying said valve member opposite said outlet ports and valve seat, and means for increasing and decreasing the pressure within said pressure control chamber for closing and opening the radial flow path from said inlet chamber across said valve seat to said outlet ports, at least the majority of said outlet ports increasing in width in the direction radially away from said valve seat.

28. The valve of claim 27, said housing including a body member, said valve seat and inlet chamber being defined by said body member, said body member including an annular outlet chamber surrounding said valve seat, and an insert member received in said outlet chamber, said valving surface being formed on said insert member.

29. The valve of claim 28, a cover member fixed to said body member, the radially outer peripheral portion of said valve member being claimed between said member and cover member.