| JP53001948 | SIMPLE FLUSH TOILET DEVICE |
| JP54010546 | SIMPLE ARRANGEMENT FOR FLUSH TOILET |
| JP52154231 | HANDY FLUSH TOILET APPARATUS |
(7) CLAIMS
(1) Wasted drainage limiting equipment (12) for limiting liquid wastage from a triggerably drainable and pressurised refillable vessel (10) to which the equipment is operative!;/ installed comprising
buoyancy providing means (14) that is mounted to be displaced in conjunction with the variation in liquid level in such triggerably drainable liquid pressurised refillable vessel (10) once the equipment is operatively installed,
a displaceably mounted liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) that is mounted to control the flow of liquid from an upstream supply to such vessel in response to its appropriate displacement and of which facility displacement into its liquid supply open condition requires positive triggering once the equipment is so operatively installed under which liquid supply open condition the liquid opening and closure facility (26) is biased into its liquid supply closed condition by at least the action of such upstream supply, and
a liquid supply control mechanism (32);
characterised in that the liquid supply control mechanism (32) constituted to regulate the interactive operation of the displaceably mounted liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) and the buoyancy providing means (14) by way of at least a liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (36, 60), that is displaceable in conjunction with the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26), and a buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation (34, 54) that is displaceable in conjunction with the buoyancy providing means (14) and of which the operation at least indirectly interacts with the functioning of the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (36, 60) while both form part of the control mechanism (32),
of which engager (36, 60) the operation maintains the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) in an upstream liquid supply open condition responsive to the latter's positively triggered displacement there into, on commencement of descent of the buoyancy providing means (14) following on the triggering of a vessels drainage layout (44), once the equipment is in operative use, through substantially a full vessel effective emptying and subsequent refilling buoyancy providing means associated cycle, as accompanied by the displacement of the buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation (34, 54) functioning to coordinate the operation of the engager (36, 60) in opening and closure of the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) and which cycle involves vessel drainage layout closure on effective vessel emptying while ending in at least substantially full effective ascent of the buoyancy providing means (14) to a condition of effective vessel filling under which condition the interaction between the displaceable formation (34, 54) and the engager (36, 60) causes the latter's spontaneous release and the accompanying displacement of the supply opening and closure facility (26) into a liquid supply closure condition on becoming released from the buoyancy providing means (14) as at least partly brought about by the biasing effect of such upstream supply,
except on positively triggered liquid supply opening and closure facility operation it remaining unaffected by the displacement of the buoyancy providing means (14) once the equipment (12) is in operative use, resulting in non-positively activated vessel drainage not automatically resulting in vessel liquid replenishment.
(2) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 1 in which the interactive operation of the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (36, 60) and the buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation (34, 54) also causes the spontaneous displacement of the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) to its supply closure condition in response to disengagement of the engager (36, 60) and the accompanying release of the displaceably mounted liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) from the buoyancy providing means (14) once the buoyancy providing means, with the equipment in operative use, sinks below a vessel associated level of effective emptying, as thus found prior to full vessel emptying in a vessel so arranged.
(3) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 2 in which the interactive operation of the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (36, 60) and the buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation (34, 54) results in re- engagement of the engager (36, 60) in returning the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) to its liquid supply condition, having closed off due to a drainage action beyond the level of effective emptying of a vessel (10) so arranged, once the equipment is in operative use, responsive to the triggering of the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) to the extent of causing the liquid level in such vessel to rise to its level of effective emptying at which position engager re-engagement is followed by the at least substantially full ascent of the buoyancy providing means(14) and the spontaneous release of the engager (36, 60) in closing the supply opening and closure facility (26) on such ascent.
(4) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) is arranged to also at least indirectly trigger the drainage of a vessel via its drainage layout (44) for draining liquid from a triggerably drainable upstream liquid supply refillable vessel once the equipment is installed.
(5) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation (34, 54) is in the form of a buoyancy providing means associated engager (34) that is arranged to path and follower fashion releasably engage the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (36) during an inter-engager displacement engagement phase in releasably linking the buoyancy providing means (14) with the liquid opening and closure facility (26) through substantially a full vessel effective emptying and subsequent re-filling buoyancy providing means associated cycle once the equipment is in operative use, with inter engager disengagement and thus liquid supply closure occurring once the buoyancy providing means (14) has returned to its vessel effectively filled condition while the engagers (34, 36) remain disengaged on untriggered vessel drainage, the engagers (34, 36) in the case of conventional drainage closure taking place at a low but existing liquid level, being arranged to also disengage once vessel drainage proceeds beyond the position of such conventional drainage closure with the possible supplement in such case of automatic engager re-engagement once the vessel is re-filled to its position of conventional drainage closure in response to triggering of the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26).
(6) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 5 in which the buoyancy providing means (14) is arranged to be displaceable in conjunction with liquid level variation, once the equipment is operatively installed, by being mounted on a buoyancy providing means carrying arm (16) in forming a float and arm unit (18), that is suitably swivelably mounted to effect its arm type displacement, at least once the equipment is so operatively installed, the buoyancy providing means associated engager (34) accordingly being arranged to become displaced in conjunction with the buoyancy providing means (14) by forming part of the buoyancy providing means carrying arm (16) thus being displaceable through an arc while the liquid opening and closure facility associated engager (36) is constituted to interact by way of an inter sliding relationship with the buoyancy means associated engager (34) during their inter- engager displacement engagement phase.
(7) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in 6 in which the buoyancy providing means carrying arm 916) is mounted at a remote position from the buoyancy providing means (14), at least once the equipment is operatively installed, resulting in its ball valve type displacement.
(8) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 in which the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) forms part of an opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) that is suitably mounted to a vessel once the equipment is installed, to result in the liquid opening and closure facility associated engager (36) being at the ready to be engaged by the buoyancy providing means associated engager (34) at the latest on the commencement of the descent of the buoyancy providing means (14) on triggering of drainage from such vessel while, in the appropriate case, causing the disengagement of the opening and closure facility engager (36) from the buoyancy providing means associated engager (34) once vessel drainage proceeds beyond a position conventional drainage closure in a situation where such vessel so provides, with the possible supplement in such case of automatic engager re-engagement once the vessel is refilled to its position of conventional drainage closure by appropriate manipulation of the opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1), in the case of the drainage of liquid from such vessel being triggerable in conjunction with the operation of the liquid opening and closure facility (26), the lever (26.1) incorporating a vessel drainage layout activation trigger (42) interacting to open such drainage layout (44) once the liquid supply to such vessel has been opened.
(9) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 8 in which the buoyancy means associated engager (34) is in the form of a cam type formation positioned to be displaceable in generally the plane of displacement of the buoyancy providing means carrying arm (16), the liquid opening and closure facility associated engager (36), as thus carried by the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1), being in the form of a follower formation that becomes positioned to engage the cam type formation in response to appropriate swivelling of the lever (26.1) just prior to opening of a vessel drainage layout (44) while thus engaging in a cam and follower way with the cam type formation once the buoyancy means commences descent in response to opening of the a vessel drainage layout while the length of the cam type formation is selected to maintain the cam and follower relationship throughout an emptying and re-filling cycle of a vessel thus fitted with such drainage layout and to which the equipment is installed, to just prior to the buoyancy means (14) reaching its uppermost elevation at which elevation the follower formation disengages from the cam type formation causing the liquid opening and closure facility to be urged into a liquid supply closure position.
(10) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 in which the vessel drainage layout activation trigger (42), when forming part of the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1), is in the form of a drainage layout activation arm (42, 42.1) that extends appropriately to cause the lifting of a drainage plug, as forming part of a drainage layout (44) and involved in reopenably closing off a drainage aperture in the floor of a triggerably drainable and pressurised refillable vessel (10) of which it forms part, from such aperture on triggering a drainage action once the equipment is in operative use.
(11) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 10 in which the drainage layout activation arm (42, 42.1) is arranged to be manipulable by a remotely situated manually operable trigger in swivelling the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) into the performance of its function on activation of a vessel liquid discharging operation once the equipment is in operative use.
(12) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 11 in which the drainage layout activation arm (42, 42.1) is releasably engageable by a remotely situated manually operable trigger (48), once the equipment is in operative use, by way of a disengaging configuration (68) that causes the release of the drainage layout activation arm from such trigger once the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) has performed its task in activating a vessel liquid discharging operation while reverting to a condition of being able to be triggered again at the latest once the equipment, once in operative use, is at the ready for a subsequent vessel drainage operation thereby to limit the possibility of trigger defect thwarting the operation of the equipment owing to failing to release a lifted drainage plug that is involved in reopenably closing off a drainage aperture in the floor of a triggerably drainable and pressurised refillable vessel. (13) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 8 in which in the case where the drainage of liquid from a vessel via its vessel drainage layout (44) is triggered in response to the rising of the level of liquid beyond its effective level of filling via the operation of vessel drainage layout carried buoyancy means (64), the liquid supply control mechanism (32) of the equipment includes a liquid rise sustaining facility (66) interacting between the buoyancy providing means (14) and the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) to the effect of maintaining the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) in its liquid supply open condition once the lever (26.1) has been displaced there into despite removal of an external force applied to achieve such displacement, resulting in a vessel effective emptying and subsequent re-filling buoyancy providing means associated cycle commencing once the opening of such vessel drainage layout is triggered by the operation of its associated buoyancy means (64) once the equipment as installed, is in operative use.
(14) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 13 in which the liquid rise sustaining facility (66) is in the form of opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever and buoyancy means carried liquid rise sustaining engagers respectively, that come into inter-slidable engagement with one another once the lever (26.1) has been swivelled into its liquid supply open condition as so retained despite removal of the force applied in swivelling the lever into such condition until the opening of a vessel drainage layout (44) forming part of a vessel to which the equipment is installed once in operative use, by the operation of its layout carried buoyancy means (64), commences.
(15) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation (54) indirectly interacts with the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (60) via at least one displaceably mounted intermediate linking member (52) that defines a path (56) along which the buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation (54), as in the form of a path follower, is to and fro displaceable in conjunction with a descending and ascending action of the buoyancy providing means (14) along a vessel effective emptying and subsequent re-filling buoyancy providing. means associated cycle, in displacing the linking member (52) between a liquid supply opening and closure facility supplying condition in which it is locked via an engaging action between its engager (6) and the linking member (52) in its liquid supply open condition and a liquid supply opening and closure facility closing off condition that is brought about by the release of the closure facility associated engager (60), the path (56) of displacement between the linking member and the path follower extending in a way that only achieves engagement between the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (60) and the linking member (52) when on commencement of descent of the buoyancy providing means (14), once the equipment is in operative use, the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) is in its liquid supply open condition in response to being so positively triggered while in the case of conventional vessel associated drainage closure taking place at a low but existing liquid level, the path 956) extends appropriately to also cause disengagement of the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager (60) from the linking member (52) and thus closure of the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) once vessel drainage proceeds beyond the position of such conventional drainage closure with the possible supplement in such case of automatic engager re- engagement once the vessel is re-filled to its position of conventional drainage closure in response to triggering of the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26).
(16) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 15 in which the buoyancy providing means (14) is mounted on a buoyancy providing means carrying arm (16) in forming a float and arm unit (18) that is suitably swivelably mounted to effect its arm type displacement, at least once the equipment is operatively installed, with the linking arm (52) and the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) also being appropriately swivelably mounted to in conjunction with the operation of the path follower displace the linking arm (52) and thus appropriately engage and release the liquid supply opening and closure facility engager (60) to result in the associated re-openable closure of the liquid supply opening and closure facility (24) on performance of a vessel emptying and subsequent re-filling buoyancy providing means associated cycle.
(17) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in 16 in which the buoyancy providing means carrying arm (16) is mounted at a remote position from the buoyancy means (14) at least once the equipment is operatively installed resulting in its ball valve type displacement.
(18) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17 in which the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) forms part of an opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) that is suitably mounted to a vessel once the equipment is installed, to result in the liquid opening and closure facility associated engager (60) being at the ready to be engaged by the linking member at the latest on tne commencement of the descent of the buoyancy providing means on triggering of drainage from such vessel.
(19) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 18 in which the the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) is in the form of a drainage layout activation arm (42) that extends appropriately to cause the lifting of a drainage plug, as accommodatingly formed and involved in reopenably closing off a drainage aperture in the floor forming part of a drainage layout of a triggerably drainable and pressurised refutable vessel, from such aperture on triggering a drainage action once the equipment is in operative use.
(20) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 19 in which the drainage layout activation arm (42) is arranged to be manipulable by a remotely situated manually operable trigger (28) in swivelling the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) into the performance of its function on activation of a vessel liquid discharging operation once the equipment is in operative use.
(21) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 20 in which the drainage layout activation arm (42) is releasably engageable by a remotely situated manually operable trigger (48), once the equipment is in operative use, in a way that causes its release from such trigger once the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) has performed its task in activating a vessel liquid discharging operation while reverting to a condition of being able to be triggered again at the latest once ' the equipment, once in operative use, is a the ready for a subsequent vessel drainage operation thereby to limit the possibility of trigger defect thwarting the operation of the equipment owing to failing to release a lifted drainage plug that is involved in reopenably closing off a drainage aperture in the floor of a drainage layout of a triggerably drainable and pressurised refillable vessel.
(22) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 21 in which in the case where the drainage of liquid from a vessel via its vessel drainage layout is triggered in response to the rising of the level of liquid beyond its effective level of filling via the operation of vessel drainage layout carried buoyancy means (64), the liquid supply control mechanism (32) of the equipment includes a liquid rise sustaining facility (66) interacting between the buoyancy providing means (14) and the opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever (26.1) to the effect of maintaining the liquid supply opening and closure facility (26) in. its liquid supply open condition once the lever has been displaced there into despite removal of an external force applied to achieve such displacement .resulting in a vessel effective emptying and subsequent re-filling buoyancy providing means associated cycle commencing once the opening of such vessel drainage layout is triggered by the operation of its associated buoyancy means (64) once the equipment as installed is in operative use.
(23) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 22 in which the liquid rise sustaining facility is in the form of opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever and buoyancy means carried liquid rise sustaining engagers respectively that come into inter-slidable engagement with one another once the lever (26.1) has been swivelled into its liquid supply open condition as so retained despite removal of the force applied in swivelling the lever into such condition until the opening of a vessel drainage layout, forming part of a vessel to which the equipment is installed once in operative use, by the operation of its layout carried buoyancy means, commences.
(24) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the liquid opening and closure facility (26) interacts by way of a displacing element (24) with a liquid supply valve (70) that is biased into its closed condition, at least once the equipment is operatively installed, in opening it in response to a displacing element urging action that is involved in its re-openable closure on the appropriate triggerable manipulation of the lever, at least once the equipment is in operative use.
(25) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in claim 24 in which the liquid supply valve (70), as forming part of the equipment and being connectable to a pressurised liquid supply, includes a closure element (76) that is mounted to be displaced along a guide between a valve closure condition in which it sealably seats against a valve discharge end aperture, and a valve open condition in which the closure element is moved out of it seated condition in response to the urging of the displacing element (24), at least once the equipment is in operative use and which displacing element thus operates between the liquid opening and closure facility 26 and the valve (70).
(26) Wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims that is arranged for use in a vessel in the form of a toilet cistern, the drainage layout (44) of such vessel thus being in the form of the conventional vessel flushing valve as that is held against flushing closure prior to effective vessel emptying once triggered while in the relevant case being adapted to accommodate the action the lever.
(27) A toilet cistern as fitted with wasted drainage limiting equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. |
(1) TITLE OF THE INVENTION
CISTERN FLOAT VALVE EQUIPMENT
(2) BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Cisterns are for a variety of reasons prone to water wastage. The cistern drainage valve can for example have a slow leak due to improper sealing. A valve once triggered can furthermore fail to close owing to becoming stuck in its open condition or the handle that is used for its triggering can fail to return to its triggering condition. It is, amongst others, an object of this invention to deal with these situations of water wastage.
(3) FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to wasted drainage limiting equipment for limiting liquid wastage from a triggerably drainable and pressurised refillable vessel to which the equipment is operatively installed. While not so limited the invention finds useful application when used in conjunction with a conventional cistern.
(4) PRIOR ART DESCRIPTION According to presently used art cistern drainage equipment of the kind that involves cistern refilling by way of the operation of a float at all times keeps the float connected to the upstream supply of water to the cistern. This has the effect that any loss of water from the cistern for whichever reason is replenished. This often leads to water wastage as the equipment forming part of the cistern wears with time. (5) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings
Figure 1 shows one embodiment of wasted drainage limiting equipment, according to the invention, in the form of cistern float valve controlling equipment as fitted to a toilet cistern, in side wall removed three dimensional view,
Figure 2 in diagrammatic side elevation shows a further embodiment of the cistern float valve controlling equipment as thus fitted to a toilet cistern vessel,
Figure 3 in diagrammatic side elevation shows yet a further embodiment of the cistern float valve controlling equipment as fitted to a toilet cistern vessel,
Figure 4 diagrammatically explains the normal operation of the figure 2 embodiment of the cistern float valve controlling equipment,
Figure 5 diagrammatically explains the operation of the figure 2 embodiment of the cistern float valve controlling equipment in the case cistern discharge leakage, inclusive of cistern refilling prior to a subsequent use,
Figure 6 diagrammatically explains the operation of the figure 3 embodiment of the cistern float valve equipment,
Figure 7 in diagrammatic side elevation shows even a further embodiment of the cistern float valve controlling equipment as fitted to a toilet cistern vessel,
Figure 8 diagrammatically explains the operation of the figure 7 embodiment of the cistern float valve equipment,
Figure 9 in diagrammatic side elevation shows a disengaging configuration that limits the possibility of a stuck toilet handle preventing the closure of the conventional cistern drainage layout, and
Figure 10 diagrammatically explains the operation of the disengaging configuration.
(6) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to the drawings, wasted drainage limiting equipment, according to the invention, in the form of cistern float valve controlling equipment, as installed to a cistern 10, is generally indicated by reference numeral 12.
The equipment comprises buoyancy providing means in the form of a float 14 that is mounted to a buoyancy providing means arm in the form of a float arm 16 in forming a float and arm unit 18 that is hinged to swivel along an arc 20 about a location of hinging 22, a liquid opening and closure facility in the form of a valve opening push rod 24 that integrally extends from an opening and closure facility 26 that forms part of an opening and closure facility and opening and closure facility engager incorporating lever 26.1 that is hinged to swivel along an arc 28 about a location of hinging 30 and a liquid supply control mechanism generally indicated by
reference numeral 32 that includes a liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager and a buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation discussed in detail for each of the embodiments of the equipment 12 below.
In referring to the figures 1 and 2 embodiments of the equipment 12, the buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation of the liquid supply control mechanism 32 is in the form of a buoyancy providing means associated engager as provided by a cam effect providing formation 34 while the liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager is in the form of a follower formation 36. In the case of the figure 1 embodiment the valve opening push rod 24 extends from a push rod mounting arm 26.2 forming part of the lever 26.1 while the cam effect providing formation 34, as being in the form of a rib formation 34.1 is associated with the float valve arm 16 by being mounted to a face 38 formed along and being displaceable in the plane of displacement of the arm 16 along generally a vertical arc. The follower formation 36, as extending by way of a shoe, is formed at the end of a follower carrying arm 40 that integrally forms part of the lever 26.1 causing it to become displaced along generally a horizontal arc. In the case of the figure 2 embodiment the cam effect providing formation 34 presents a cam defining edge 34.2 that is releasably engageable by a follower edge 36.1 presented by the follower formation 36.
In addition to mounting the push rod 24 and carrying the follower formation 36 the lever 26.1 also incorporates a cistern drainage layout activation trigger in the form of a drainage layout activating facility 42 that is used to trigger the drainage layout of the cistern 10 as in the form of the conventional cistern flushing valve 44 by lifting it from its seat in performing a toilet bowl flushing action. To achieve such lifting action the cistern flushing valve 44 is adapted by the fitment of a trigger pin 46 at a suitable elevation to enable the lifting of the valve 44. by way of the activating facility 42 (figures 1 and 2 embodiments). In the case of the figure 1 embodiment the facility 42 is in the form of an arm 42.1 while for the figure 2 embodiment it is represented by the one end region of the lever 26.1. All in all the lever 26.1 consequently incorporates the facility 42, the follower formation 36 (by way of the follower carrying arm 40 in the case of the figure 1 embodiment) and the valve opening push rod 24 that extends from the push rod carrying arm 26.2 in the case of the figure 1 embodiment.
While the equipment 12 is situated inside the cistern 10 once installed it is still required to be triggered from the outside of the cistern 10. As shown in figure 1 and to this effect the conventional cistern handle 48 is adapted by being fitted on the inside of the cistern 10 with a
lever displacement arm 50 of which the function is to engage from below with the drainage layout activating facility arm 42.1 in opening the valve 44 of the cistern 10. The combination of the handle 48 and the displacement arm 50 does not necessarily form part of the equipment 12. The trigger pin adaptation in causing the opening of the flushing valve 44 by way of the displacement arm 50 is naturally only one example of achieving such effect and the equipment in conjunction with the cistern is not so limited.
In referring to figure 3 and in another embodiment the control mechanism 32 includes an intermediate linking member in the form of a linking lever 52 by means of which the float and arm unit 18 and the lever 26.1 interact with one another. The buoyancy providing means associated displaceable formation is in this case in the form of a path follower as provided by a follower stub 54 mounted to the arm 16. The stub 54 is mounted to run along a path as defined by a cutout section 56 along the lever 52 extending between opposite end risers 58. The liquid supply opening and closure facility associated engager is in the form of an engaging pin 60 that is releasably engageable with a shoulder 62 presented along the linking lever 52. While in the case of the figures 1 and 2 embodiments inter-engagement between the cam effect providing formation 34 and the follower formation 36 is by way of a cam and follower type action this operation takes place between the stub 54 and the lever 52 in the case of the figure 3 embodiment resulting in the inter-engagement action between the lever 26.1 and the lever 52 to be by way of an on/off engaging pin involving action.
In yet another embodiment and referring to figure 7 opening of the cistern flushing valve 44 is achieved without the application of a positive triggering action by way of the lever 26.1 , as is case in the figures 1 to 3 embodiments. Opening of the valve 44 is achieved by valve carried buoyancy means in the form of a valve mounted float 64 of which the rising in response to filling of the cistern 10 beyond its conventional level of filling causes the valve 44 to open. This is achieved by the control mechanism 32 being supplemented with a liquid rise sustaining facility that is in the form of a buoyancy unit carried liquid rise sustaining engager 66 that also forms part of the cam effect providing formation 34 and that is situated to pre- engage by way of a cam and follower action with the follower formation 36 prior to the latter coming into its cam and follower action engagement with the cam effect providing formation 34 in maintaining a water supply to the cistern during its conventional emptying and refilling cycle. The functioning of the liquid rise sustaining engager 66 is brought into operation by the positive triggering of the lever 26.1 that causes the level of water to rise in the cistern 10. This
in turn results in a cam and follower type engagement between the liquid rise sustaining engager 66 and the follower formation 36 that sustains the supply of water to the cistern 10 despite removal of the triggering action on the lever 26.1. Once the level of water has risen adequately the buoyancy effect of the valve mounted float 64 causes opening of the valve 44. The subsequent drop in level first causes disengagement between the liquid rise sustaining engager 66 and the follower formation 36 followed by the cam effect engagement between the follower formation 36 and the cam effect providing formation 34 in emptying and refilling the cistern 10 according to the functioning of the equipment 12 similar to the operation of the liquid supply control mechanism 32 of the figure 1 to 3 embodiments discussed in detail below.
The danger always exists that the handle 48 of the cistern 10 can become stuck having the effect of maintaining a continuous supply of water to the cistern 10 owing to preventing a release of the lever 26.1. To accommodate such problem and referring to figure 9 the mechanism 32 incorporates a disengaging configuration in the form of series of lever mounted engaging formations 68 that are releasably engageable by the lever 26.1 owing to the difference in swivelling radii of the activating arm 42.1 and the lever 26.1. The effect is that the activating arm 42.1 once having performed its valve releasing function disengages from the lever 26.1 that subsequently proceeds to perform its cistern emptying and refilling contributing function unimpeded by the possibility of a stuck handle 48.
As the conventional level of cistern emptying is normally above full emptying of the cistern 10 the possibility exists that cistern leakage in response to a defective cistern flushing valve 44 can cause its continuous discharge resulting in its continuous charging via the mechanism 32. To accommodate such effect the extent of the cam action type engagement between the cam effect providing formation 34 and the follower formation 36 in the case of the figures 1 , 2 and 7 embodiment and the follower stub 54 and the cutout section 56 along the lever 52 in the case of the figure 3 embodiment are arranged to cause disengagement there between once the float 14 drops beyond the effective level of emptying of the cistern 10. In the case of the figures 1 , 2 and 7 embodiment this is achieved by critically selecting the lengths of the cam defining edge 34.2 and the follower edge 36.1 (though the length of the rib formation in the case of the figure 1 embodiment) and for the figure 3 embodiment the length of the cutout section 56 ending in the risers 58. Thus in the case of the figures 1 , 2 and 7 embodiments once the float 14 drops below the effective level of emptying of the cistern 10 the follower
edge 36.1 moves beyond engagement with the cam defining edge 34.2, or the shoe moves beyond the rib formation 34.1 in the case of the figure 1 embodiment, causing the lever 26.1 to move to its charging valve closure condition as brought about by the upstream water supply pressure and the effect of gravitation on the lever 26.1. In the case of the figure 3 embodiment this is achieved by the stub mounting the lowermost riser 58 along the cutout section 56.
The supply of water to the cistern naturally takes place via an upstream supply valve 70 that does not necessarily form part of the equipment 10. The valve 70 is conventionally mounted through the wall of the cistern 10. Its reopenable closure is achieved via an aperture 72 in the leading end of the valve body along which the push rod 24 interact with a valve closure element 76. The valve 70 can take on a variety of designs such as a ball that seats against the inner end of the cylinder of the valve in normally closing off the aperture 72 in response to the upstream water pressure except when otherwise urged by the push rod 24. As shown in figure 1 it can also be in the form of a piston 78 formed with bores and fitted along a cylinder 80 and also formed with a trailing end guide 82 along which a piston alignment rod 84 operates. The guide body is also formed with bores. Once the piston 78 is pushed from its seat by the operation of the push rod 24 water enters the vessel 10 along the various bores.
In use and first referring to the figures 1 , 2 and 3 embodiments as reflected in figures 4, 5 and 6 a condition of a full cistern replenished is shown in figures 4(a), 5(a) and 6(a). Under this condition the float 14 is at its cistern effectively filled level while the float and arm unit 18 is disengaged from the lever 26.1 owing to cam effect providing formation 34 being swivelled out of engagement with the follower formation 36, in the case of the figures 1 and 2 embodiment and the engaging pin 60 being disengaged from the shoulder 62 owing to the stub 54 having mounted the upper riser 58 along the cutout section 56. As the lever 26.1 is thus disengaged from the float unit 18 the valve 70 is closed owing to the effect of upstream water pressure coupled with the effect of gravitation on the lever 26.1.
Under conditions of normal toilet flushing the handle 48 is pushed down causing the arm 50 to swivel the lever 26.1 in the direction of arrow 28.1 owing to the upward urging action of the arm 50 on the drainage layout activation arm 42.1 , as shown in figure 1. This has the effect of causing the opening of the water supply valve 70, as shown in figure 6(b) followed by the engagement from below of the activating facility 42 (arm 42.1 of figure 1) with the trigger pin 46 causing the opening of the cistern flushing valve 44 as shown in figures 4(b) and 6(c). The
swivelling action of the lever 26.1 in the case of the figure 1 embodiment has the consequence that the follower formation 36 becomes displaced into a position of being at the ready for rib engagement on becoming displaced in the direction of arrow 66 while in the case of the figure 2 embodiment the follower formation 36 is swivelled to a condition just prior to cam and follower fashion engagement with the cam effect providing formation 34 as shown in figure 4(b). In the case of the figure 3 embodiment the engaging pin 60 is moved into a condition of being at the ready to be engaged by the shoulder 62, as shown figure 6(c).
Under normal toilet flushing circumstance the handle 48 is let go of once the valve 44 has opened. Owing to performing a conventional toilet flushing action the valve 44 is retained in its opened condition to achieve a full flushing action despite release of the drainage layout activation facility 42 from the trigger pin 46. But on opening of the cistern flushing valve 44 the water level in the cistern 10 commences dropping causing the cam effect providing formation 34 to cam and follower fashion engage the follower formation 36 in the case of the figures 1 and 2 embodiments and as shown in figure 4(c). In the case of the figure 3 embodiment the engaging pin 60 engages with the shoulder 62 owing to the stub 54 leaving the upper riser 58 and progressing along the cutout section 56 permitting the lever 52 to swivel into the condition shown in figure 6(d).
During the emptying phase of the cistern 10 the float 14 continues to drop while the supply of water to the cistern 10 via the valve 70 is maintained by the cam and follower fashion engagement, be it between the follower formation 36 and the cam effect providing formation 34 or the stub 54 along the cutout section 56. Once the effective level of emptying of the cistern 10 is reached the toilet flushing action the valve 44 conventionally closes. The extent of inter engagement between the follower formation 36 and the cam effect providing formation 34 and the stub 54 along the cutout section 56 is selected to be maintained for the full cistern emptying and replenishment cycle, as shown for the figure 3 embodiment by figure 6(e) at the moment of valve closure. Once the flushing action the valve 44 has closed the cistern 10 commences filling again as shown in figure 4(e) for the figure 2 embodiment until the float reaches the effective level of filling of the cistern 10. At this position and as shown in figure 4(f), that in fact corresponds with figure 4(a) and in figure 6(a) for the figure 3 embodiment, the cam effect providing formation 34 disengages the follower formation 36 (figures 1 and 2 embodiments) or the stub 54 mounts the upper riser 58 causing disengagement between the engaging pin 60 and the shoulder 62 (figure 3 embodiment) in
turn causing closure of the upstream supply valve 70 in response to the disengagement of the lever 26.1 from the float unit 18.
When the cistern 10 empties for reasons other that by way of a conventional flushing action the equipment 12 prevents its automatic replenishment. When this is brought about by a leakage of the cistern flushing valve 44 the equipment 12 prevents the continuous replenishment of the cistern 10 owing to the condition of disconnect that exists between the lever 26.1 and the float unit 18 except when a positively triggered flushing action is activated. In referring to figure 5 for the figure 2 embodiment of the equipment 12 in the case a drop in water level as brought about by a leakage the float 14 drops in unison as shown in figures 5(a) (although the disconnect is not clearly discernible) and 5(b). The water supply valve 70 remains closed throughout. The same conditions apply in the case of the figures 1 and 3 embodiments.
Whether emptying is by way of a slow valve leak or a rapid drainage as in the case of the cistern flushing valve 44 failing to close, the cistern 10 will fully empty and thus beyond the level of effective emptying, as shown in figures 4(d) and 6(e). In the case of the figure 1 embodiment the shoe of the arm 36 will have disengaged from the rib formation 34.1 beyond its upper reach 34.2 while in the case of the figure 2 embodiment the cam effect providing formation 34 will have disengaged from the follower formation 36 on its side remote from where disengagement takes place in the case of cistern filling disengagement, corresponding to figure 4(d). In the case of the figure 3 embodiment the follower stub 54 having mounted the lower riser 58 will have caused disengagement between the pin 60 and the shoulder 62. In whichever way disengaging the effect is closure of the upstream water supply as the lever 26.1 on disengagement is urged in supply valve closure.
In such case the cistern 10 can be pre-filled again prior to use except naturally if the cistern flushing valve 44 is defect to such extent that it cannot be replenished. When thus fixed or the valve 44 only having a slow leak the positive triggering of the lever 26.1 to the extent of causing the water level to rise to the level of effective cistern emptying in response to an upstream water supply has the consequence that re-engagement between the cam effect providing formation 34 and the follower formation 36 (and between the pin 60 and the shoulder 62 for the figure 3 embodiment) is attained as shown at figure 4(d) for the figure 2 embodiment and at figure 6(e) for the figure 3 embodiment. From this condition automatic vessel replenishment takes place, as already described in the case of all the embodiments.
Finally referring to figures 7 and 8 the operation of the mechanism 32 is the same as that of the figure 2 embodiment as shown between figures 8(c) and 8(f) while the opening effect of the cistern flushing valve 44 is achieved by way of the valve mounted float 64 as shown through figures 8(a) to 8(c) and already discussed above.
While some of the embodiment discussed have features that perform addition functions beyond the primary function of disconnection between the float and the water supply opening and closure mechanism once a cistern is filled it will be appreciated that such additional features can equally well be applied in the other embodiments as well.
It is an advantage of the invention as specifically described that the equipment is provided that accommodates for a leaking cistern flushing valve by preventing its continuous refilling and water wastage. The equipment also deals with a condition of a flushing valve defect that results in a rapid loss of water and even suggests a mechanism to deal with a situation of toilet flushing handle failure to return to its untriggered condition, both cases preventing the automatic refilling of the cistern.