Toilet flushing system that allows use of gray water drained from a sink

• US 5,813,047 A
• Filed: 02/12/1997
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Darrick Teichroeb
• Original Assignee: Darrick Teichroeb
• Inventors: Teichroeb, Darrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US08/799,500
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 4/327, 4/363, 4/364, 4/389, 4/390, 4/397, 4/400, 4/665
• US Class Current: 4/665
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/003 Cisterns in combination with wash-basins, urinals, or the like domestic plumbing installations E03C
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/003 Grey water flushing systems
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/006 Constructional details of cisterns for using greywater

Abstract

A toilet flushing system that allows use of gray water drained from a sink including a toilet having a bowl, a water tank having a lower drain hole and an inner wall defining an upper compartment and a lower compartment and with the inner wall further having an upper drain hole; a sink having a drain pipe extended within the upper compartment; a connecting channel extended between the bowl and the lower drain hole; a flush tube inserted within the upper drain hole and having an upper end with perforations formed thereon and a lower closed plug end; a flushing mechanism having one orientation for permitting the flush tube to be positioned at a location that allows flow of water from the upper compartment to the lower compartment through the perforations thereof and further prevents flow of water into the connecting channel, the flushing mechanism further having another orientation that prevents flow of water from the upper compartment to the lower compartment and further permits water to flow into the connecting channel and to the bowl for flushing.

Claims

1. A toilet flushing system that allows use of gray water drained from a sink comprising:

a toilet having a bowl with a basin, a water tank for providing water for flushing and with the tank having a hollow interior, a bottom wall with a lower drain hole, a periphery extended upwards from the bottom wall to define a top opening, and an inner wall extended across the interior and coupled to the periphery to define an upper compartment and a lower compartment and with the inner wall having an upper drain hole formed thereon and positioned in axial alignment with the lower drain hole;

a sink having a drain pipe extended within the upper compartment of the tank, the sink further having a second drain pipe extended vertically downwards and connected to a conventional sewer;

a connecting channel extended through the bowl and having a lower end in communication with the basin and an upper end in communication with the lower drain hole;

an elongated flush tube slidably inserted within the upper drain hole and with the flush tube having an upper end with a plurality of perforations formed thereon and a lower closed plug end;

flushing assembly having one orientation for permitting the flush tube to be positioned at a location that allows flow of water from the upper compartment to the lower compartment through the perforations thereof and further prevents flow of water into the connecting channel, the flushing assembly further having another orientation that prevents flow of water from the upper compartment to the lower compartment and further permits water to flow into the connecting channel and to the bowl for flushing; and

an overflow tube disposed within an associated bore of the inner wall and another bore of the bottom wall of the tank, the overflow tube having an open lower end coupled to the connecting channel and an upper perforated end extended to a location above a preset level and below a water supply valve and with water that rises to a level above the preset level draining through the perforations of the overflow tube to the bowl.

2. A toilet flushing system that allows use of gray water drained from a sink for flushing comprising, in combination:

a toilet having a bowl with a fillable basin, a water tank positioned above the bowl for providing water for flushing and with the tank having a hollow interior bounded by a bottom wall with a lower drain hole and a first bore formed thereon, a periphery extended upwards from the bottom wall to define a top opening and with the periphery formed a long front wall, a long back wall, and a pair of opposed short side walls, a removable lid positionable over the opening for precluding access to the interior, and a substantially horizontal inner wall extended across the interior and coupled to the side walls to define an upper compartment for holding water and a lower compartment for holding water and with the inner wall having an upper drain hole formed thereon and positioned in axial alignment with the lower drain hole, a first bore formed thereon and a second bore formed thereon, wherein the upper drain hole has a pair of vertically spaced O-rings situated about the periphery thereof;

a sink having a drain pipe extended angularly downwards and through an access hole formed on one of the short walls of the tank and with the drain pipe terminated at an outlet end positioned within the upper compartment of the tank at a location offset a distance above the inner wall and with the drain pipe used for delivering gray water for filling the compartments of the tank, the sink further having a second drain pipe extended vertically downward and connected to a conventional sewer;

a connecting channel extended through the bowl and having a lower end in communication with the basin and an upper end in communication with the lower drain hole of the tank and with the connecting channel thereby placing the interior of the tank in communication with the basin of the bowl;

an elongated flush tube disposed within the tank and slidably inserted within the upper drain hole and with the flush tube having an upper end with a plurality of perforations formed therearound and a lower closed plug end;

a flushing assembly including a rotatable handle extended outwards from the front wall of the tank, a chain having an upper end and a lower end and with the lower end thereof coupled to the upper end of the flush tube, and an elongated shaft having one end coupled to the upper end of the chain and another end coupled to the handle, the handle having a released orientation that permits the upper end of the flush tube to be positioned at a location that allows flow of water from the upper compartment to the lower compartment of the tank through the perforations thereof and further permits the plug end of the flush tube to be positioned within the lower drain hole to prevent water from flowing into the connecting channel, the handle further having a depressed orientation that permits the upper end of the flush tube to be positioned at a location that prevents flow of water from the upper compartment to the lower compartment of the tank and further permits the plug end of the flush tube to be positioned away from the lower drain hole to allow water to flow into the connecting channel and to the bowl for flushing;

an upstanding support post having a lower end and an upper end and with the lower end coupled to the inner wall;

a water supply valve secured to the upper end of the post and securable to an external water supply line for supplying a source of supplemental water for filling the tank;

a flush controller assembly including a float positioned within the upper compartment, a shaft having a lower end coupled to the float and an upper end extended within the upper compartment, and a lever having one end pivotally coupled to the upper end of the shaft and another end coupled to the water supply valve with lowering of the float opening the water supply valve for filling the tank with water and with raising of the float closing water supply valve for preventing the tank from being filled with water, and with the water supply valve being fully closed when the upper compartment is filled with water;

an overflow tube disposed within the first bore of the inner wall and the first bore of the bottom wall of the tank, the overflow tube having an open lower end coupled to the connecting channel and an upper perforated end extended to a location above a preset level and below the water supply valve and with water that rises to a level above the preset level draining through the perforations of the overflow tube to the bowl; and

an air vent tube disposed within the second bore of the inner wall, the air vent tube having an open lower end situated within the lower compartment adjacent the inner wall and an open upper end situated within the upper compartment adjacent the top opening for allowing air to pass between the upper compartment and the lower compartment during the filling and the emptying of the lower compartment.