Adapter for toilet fitting

• US 5,090,066 A
• Filed: 08/10/1990
• Issued: 02/25/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fluidmaster Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fluidmaster Incorporated
• Inventors: Siddiqui, Kabir, Schoepe, Adolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kupferschmid, Keith
• Application Number:
  US07/565,640
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 4/378, 4/392, 4/393, 4/403, 4/404, 403/344, 24/205, 24/DIG. 16, 24/20 R, 24/23 EE, 24/20 EE, 24/331, 24/321, 24/505, 24/500, 24/511, 24/537, 24/3 J, 24/3 M, 24/21, 24/22, 24/23 R, 285/373, 285/419, 285/921
• US Class Current: 4/378
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/142 in cisterns with flushing valves
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/306 with articulated valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/40 Protecting water resources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1461 One piece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1463 Sheet metal

Abstract

An assembly is provided for replacing part or all of a toilet flush valve, which facilitates mounting in a variety of toilets and which enables saving of water. The assembly includes an adapter (30, FIG. 6) for mounting on older types of overflow tubes, which includes a ring member (70) having a gap (72l ) and a leaf spring (80) extending across the gap. After the adapter is moved down along the overflow tube and lies at its base, the spring is pushed in to cause a hook (84) at one end to ride along a ramp (90) from a second tooth (88) to a third tooth (92) and engage the third tooth, to tightly clamp the ring member in place to prevent turning. A closing delay cup (116, FIG. 9) that can be used on a valve member, includes a plurality of holes and at least one plug (126) that is molded to the cup and can be cut off and used to plug one of the holes (120) to adjust the amount of water saved in each flushing. A valve member includes a tank ball having an enlargement (160, FIG. 12) at its top which is received in a yoke, in a universal joint that allow for limited pivoting of the tank ball to seal against valve seats of varying height and tilt.

Claims

1. An adapter for use on a toilet fitting of the type that has an overflow tube and that has a bottom part forming a valve seat, comprising:

a ring member constructed to closely surround said overflow tube and having opposite sides and a pair of mounting posts projecting from said opposite sides for pivotally supporting a valve member, said ring member having a gap and first and second opposite sides of said gap, said ring member also having a first spring retainer on said first side and first and second teeth on said second side with said second tooth lying further from said gap than said first tooth;

a spring extending across said gap and having first and second spring end portions mounted respectively on said first spring retainer and and on one of said teeth;

said spring comprises a leaf spring whose second end portion forms a hook, said leaf spring being curved sufficiently and having a middle which is spaced far enough from said ring member, that said middle can be pressed by hand largely toward said ring member to cause said second spring end to slide from said first tooth onto said second tooth.

2. A method for mounting the arms of a toilet flush valve member on the upstanding overflow tube of a toilet flush fitting, comprising:

installing an adapter having a ring member with a gap and a pair of mounting posts and also having a spring that includes first and second ends and that bridges the gap, around the top of said overflow tube, and pushing said adapter down along said overflow tube to fit closely around said overflow tube near the bottom thereof;

said ring member having a first retainer on a first side of said gap and second and third retainers on an opposite second side of said gap, with said third retainer lying further from said gap than said second retainer;

moving said second spring end into engagement with said third spring retainer, to cause said ring member to tightly grip said overflow tube;

installing the arms of a toilet flush valve member on said mounting posts to allow said valve member to pivot thereon;

said spring extending in an arc between its opposite ends that leaves a middle of the spring spaced from the ring, and said step of moving includes pressing on said middle.

3. The method described in claim 2 wherein:

said second and third retainers are formed by second and third teeth and said ring member includes a guiding surface extending between said teeth;

said spring comprises a curved leaf spring with a middle and with a hook at said second end that engages one of said teeth;

said step of moving includes pressing said middle of said spring toward said teeth to move said hook from said second tooth align said guiding surface into engagement with said third tooth.

4. An adapter for use on a toilet fitting tube comprising:

a ring member constructed to closely surround said tube, said ring member having a gap and having a first portion on a first side of said gap and a second portion on a second side of said gap;

a curved leaf spring extending across said gap and having first and second spring ends mounted respectively on said first and second portions;

said leaf spring being curved in largely a 180°

loop between said first and second ends thereof, to thereby urge said ends together with high resilience;

said second portion forms a first tooth and said ring member has a second tooth lying on said second portion at a location further from said gap than said first tooth, said spring having a middle and being convexly curved sufficiently that when said middle is pressed by hand substantially toward said gap, said second spring end is moved from said first tooth to said second tooth.

5. An adapter for use on a toilet fitting tube comprising:

a ring member constructed to closely surround said tube, said ring member having a gap and having a first portion on a first side of said gap and a second portion on a second side of said gap;

a curved leaf spring extending across said gap and having first and second spring ends mounted respectively on said first and second portions;

said leaf spring being curved in largely a 180°

loop between said first and second ends thereof, to thereby urge said ends together with high resilience;

said first portion comprises a first tooth, and said first spring end comprises a first hook engaged with said first tooth.