FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention refers to a cistern filling and emptying assembly, especially but
not exclusively designed as an assembly for filling and emptying a toilet cistern.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There exist apparatus for emptying cisterns in which a valve rod or stem incorporates
at its lower operating end' a drain valve, for example a plugging seal, which normally
sits in the cistern's drain outlet to shut off the water output. The valve stem is
lifted by an operating system to separate the drain valve from the drain outlet and
allow the liquid to flow out through the drain outlet; with the stem being maintained
in its lifted position by the action of a float arm. When the level of liquid in the
tank descends, the float arm descends and no longer acts on the stem, with the result
that the stem descends by gravity and repositions the drain valve to seal off the
drain outlet and thereby end the emptying.
[0003] A known development for a device of a specified kind allows the user to choose between
different volumes of flow. In this case there are two float arms at different levels.
The operating system allows the valve stem to be lifted selectively to two different
heights. When the stem is lifted to the lower of the two heights a partial emptying
of the water is achieved until the float arm located higher up releases it, with the
result that the drain valve is reseated into the drain outlet. When the stem is lifted
up higher than the two heights, it is acted upon by the lower float arm, which only
releases and drops it down to reseat the drain valve when the cistern has emptied
completely. A typical example of a system such as that specified is described in
US patent 3421161.
[0004] Document
ES 2113241 shows a two-stage emptying device with two levels of emptying and a single drain
outlet consisting of a structure that includes a double push button mechanism, each
with a different amount of travel as a result of stops that limit their movements;
a system of traction operated by pressing and consisting of a third type of lever;
a support with adjustable height formed by spindles, adjusting notches and retaining
wedges; and an overflow tube connected to the drain outlet with a cover to which two
separate tilting devices are joined for the partial or total emptying of the toilet.
The greater or lesser height of the overflow tube determines the partial or total
emptying of the cistern.
[0005] Document
ES 2136547 describes a traction system also operated by levers, and introduces a spring-loaded
depressor mechanism, with float balls coaxial with the overflow tube and the lower
float ball in a cover with an air chamber that can be released by the depressor mechanism
to achieve complete emptying. The greater or lesser height of the overflow tube determines
the partial or total emptying of the cistern.
[0006] All the known operating systems make use of levers that operate swivels and are suitably
connected in order to raise the valve stem and lift the drain valve from its seat
at the start of emptying. The time needed for assembly and the jamming of the levers
are evident drawbacks presented by these systems.
[0007] Document
US 4809367 describes an emptying mechanism for cisterns consisting of an operatively upright
stem, with a drain valve at the operatively lower end of the stem which is adapted,
in a first lower position of the stem, to seat upon and shut off an outlet from the
cistern, and in a second raised position of the stem, to clear the outlet and allow
liquid to flow out of the cistern through the outlet; movable devices which can be
selected to raise the stem from its first position to a determined position chosen
from its two second positions corresponding to the volume of water to be emptied;
and means for controlling the float which, when the stem is raised to its second position,
hold it in that position until such time as a predetermined volume of liquid has emptied
out of the cistern and then allows the stem to return to its first position; in which
the movable devices for raising the stem from its first position to its second position
are moved by a pressurised liquid. Although the number of levers is reduced compared
with other known mechanisms, the emptying action requires pressing with acertain intensity.
This mechanism does not include a means for simultaneously adjusting the water levels
and the overflow or a height adjustment support for adapting them better in the cistern.
[0008] The systems described require the raising of the stem to two different heights in
order to empty, with a resulting need for unwanted corrections.
AIM OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The technical challenge is that of designing a device for filling and emptying a
cistern, requiring a slight push and very little travel to activate its operation,
avoiding the use of electricity and employing the water present in the appliance drawn
with every press to achieve the lifting of the stem and causing the selective emptying
of the water contained in the cistern. In addition, the idea is for the apparatus
to be easily adaptable to a required height in the cistern by means of a single action,
which would in turn regulate the water levels in the cistern.
[0010] An aim of the invention is to provide an assembly for filling and emptying a cistern
with an emptying activation that is water-driven and initiated by the user with a
press that is very slight and with very little travel, making it especially suitable
for people with disabilities. The successive fillings of water into the cistern envisage
the same type of operation, although in this case initiated by the raising of the
water level in the tank and the pushing up of a float ball attached to a lever fitted
with a closing element.
[0011] The invention also envisages an assembly for filling and emptying a cistern that
uses a height adjustment structure in order to configure independent water pulses
to achieve the selective partial or complete emptying of a cistern.
[0012] In addition, with this single adjustment, the invention also envisages the simultaneous
regulation of water levels in the cistern and the height of overflow, i.e. adjusting
the nominal volume of water in the cistern and the volume of the full and partial
water empties with a single action.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The invention provides an assembly for filling and emptying a cistern, of the kind
that can be located inside a cistern, for example in a cistern with water to be emptied
for cleaning toilets, and which includes: An emptying initiator fitted on the outside
of the cistern, for example on the cistern lid, with at least two push buttons whose
selective operation causes the opening of the water flow in a respective pipe from
a device distributing water from the mains water supply, with said distributor including
devices that can be operated selectively by the initiator to cause a first or second
emptying of the water contained in the cistern respectively, equivalent to a partial
or complete emptying of the volume of water contained in the cistern, and a bottom
nozzle designed to fit into the cistern drain outlet, in addition to a valve stem
fitted with a drain valve or seal at its bottom end for plugging the cistern's drain
outlet, and float balls that keep the valve stem raised and separated from the drain
outlet while said first or second emptyings are occurring in the cistern; and also
including a support structure that regulates the distance between the distributor
device and said bottom nozzle and adjusts the apparatus at the required height in
the cistern. In order to solve the technical problem raised, the assembly for the
filling and emptying of a cistern has been developed to work to a stable pressure
of between 0.5 and 10 bars in the water circulating in its interior, and this makes
it necessary, among other factors, to achieve synchronisation between the components
and their various actions, to incorporate a distributor for the mains water supply
that includes housings that communicate with each other in an ordered way to ensure
the water flow, and pipes fitted to the housings that enable the water to emerge and
whose output is controlled by valves, membranes or diaphragms easily fitted by means
of stoppers to the respective distributor housing. Two of the membranes are operated
via capillary pipes connected to corresponding and respective buttons in order to
achieve the partial and complete emptying of the water in the cistern, and the third
one is also operated, via a narrow passage, by a lever activated by the only float
envisaged in the assembly, to shut off the water pipe for filling the cistern. In
this case, and in order to achieve a better synchronisation, the housings and the
output pipes are adjusted with different volumes.
[0014] With the aim of achieving an operating assembly that can be easily fitted and adjusted
in the required cistern, it has been decided to include two pipes in the support structure
for independent and selective pulses of water, underneath the distributor. In the
mains water supply input housing, a filter and water flow regulator are fitted to
the top of the body to aid in stabilising the water pressure in the assembly.
[0015] Between the membranes and the caps that shut off the water distributor housings,
small chambers are formed that are liable to flooding by the water that fills the
distributor housings and penetrates into the chambers via the perforations in the
periphery of the membranes. In accordance with the invention, each push button on
the initiator is connected by a capillary pipe to a membrane, with each press ensuring
that water is allowed to pass to the corresponding water output pipe in the distributor
housing in which the membrane is fitted. The imbalance in each chamber required to
produce the emptying is caused by the increase of the surface tension in the capillary
pipe when the push button to which it is connected is pressed, and is revealed by
a slight loss of water that is collected in the cistern, for example via a drain pipe
in the initiator.
[0016] In accordance with the invention, this distributor consists of: a first housing,
to which the water supply device to the cistern is connected and which includes a
flow rate regulator, a second housing with a water output pipe to which a membrane
is connected to be operated by a lever activated by a single float ball adjustable
with the level of water present in the cistern in order to shut off the water flow
from the water supply device to the cistern, a third and a fourth housing for respective
membranes whose selective operation allows water to flow from the supply device to
a respective water output pipe, and with the housings communicating in the direction
of flow, laevorotatory or dextrorotatory, and with a central bottom pipe from which
a flow of water coming from the feeding device fills the cistern. Communication between
the last and the first housing is either inexistent or is closed.
[0017] In accordance with the invention, the support structure is adapted to form first
and second independent pipes to be flooded by a water pulse under pressure from one
or other of the water output pipes in third and fourth housings, in order to raise
the valve stem, and as a consequence, to separate the drain valve from its seat in
the cistern drain outlet.
[0018] In accordance with the invention, the support structure is envisaged, for example,
with a top body from which the first and second independent connection pipes emerge,
descending vertically and having a section adapted for its sliding assembly in corresponding
vertical pipes that emerge upwards from a bottom body that is adapted to the lower
nozzle threaded onto the cistern's drain outlet, in such a way that said first and
second pipes in the support structure form a part or are respectively adapted to said
first and second independent connection pipes descending from the top body and to
its corresponding vertical pipes emerging from the bottom body.
[0019] In its case, in order to incorporate the distributor into the support structure and
to regulate the height of the assembly and simultaneously regulate all the water levels
in the cistern and of the overflow, it has been decided to fit a connecting element,
for example a threaded rod fitted with a driving head or nut, in such a way that the
rod runs through the distributor and the top body that carries it, and threads into
a collar in the bottom body, with its head being accessible to the fitter or the user
so that it can be turned in one direction or other to close up or separate said structures
and simultaneously regulate all the levels in the cistern.
[0020] The raising of the valve stem and the separating of the drain valve from the cistern
drain outlet in any of the emptyings performed, whether partial or complete, is brought
about, for example, by the expansion of a piston fitted to the valve stem that includes
an escape orifice in its top for slowing down the output of the water driven from
the pipes, while it descends under gravity together with the valve stem, and the drain
valve reseats in the cistern drain outlet.
[0021] All of this is designed so that, when a complete emptying of the water contained
in the cistern is desired, it simply requires pressing the corresponding empty initiation
push button, normally fitted on the outside of the cistern or close to it, so that
an increase takes place in the surface tension in the capillary pipe, the water column
in its interior rises, there is a slight loss of water at the top end of the capillary
pipe, an imbalance occurs in the water chamber to which the bottom of the capillary
pipe is connected leading to the immediate separation of the membrane from its seat
in the opening of the water output pipe in the distributor housing, so that the pulse
of pressurised water flow from the supply device begins its journey in the piping
towards the piston in order to expand it vertically upwards, forcing with its expansion
the raising of the stem that it carries, and therefore the separation of the drain
valve from its seat in the opening of the nozzle threaded onto the cistern drain outlet
in order to allow the complete emptying of the water contained in the cistern. With
the emptying of the water in the cistern, the water inside the piston escapes slowly
through the escape orifice next to its top and the valve stem descends under gravity,
replacing the drain valve in the nozzle seat and shutting off the water cistern drain
outlet; the piston returns to its previous position while the water again runs from
the supply device since the float ball is no longer in contact with the lever on the
adjacent membrane, and the water filling the cistern from the supply device halts
when this membrane is again operated by the float ball.
[0022] When a partial emptying of the water contained in the cistern is desired, pressing
the corresponding empty initiation button causes a leakage in the following capillary
pipe and a consequent imbalance in the water chamber to which this is connected, with
the result that the following membrane is separated from its seat, allowing the flow
of the water pulse towards the interior of the piston in order to expand it vertically
upwards and forcing with its expansion the raising of the valve stem and therefore
the separation of the drain valve from its seat in the opening of the nozzle fitted
to the cistern drain outlet, thereby allowing the emptying of water contained in the
cistern up to a predetermined level. The draining of water from the cistern up to
a predetermined level coincides with the descent of the float ball and the release
of the lever on the membrane that shuts off the water output pipe for filling the
cistern, with the result that the water begins to flow into the cistern through the
pipe from the second housing to which the adjacent membrane is connected. The massive
inflow of water to the second housing reduces the rate of water flow entering the
fourth housing, and the membrane is almost immediately forced to close against the
water output pipe from this fourth housing to halt the emptying. A spring with a determined
tare tension helps to maintain the membrane in the closed position to compensate for
possible pressure drops.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention will be even more understandable in the light of the detailed description
that follows and of the drawings that accompany it by way of example, without their
inclusion constituting any restriction of the present invention. In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows a view of the assembly for filling and emptying a cistern, corresponding
to a longitudinal section of its height.
Figure 2, in correspondence with Figure 1, shows a view of the assembly for filling
and emptying a cistern, corresponding to a partial longitudinal section of its profile.
[0024] On a larger scale and in correspondence with the previous figures, Figure 3 shows
a transverse section of the distributor for the assembly for filling and emptying
a cistern.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] In accordance with an implementation of the invention, shown in the figures that
illustrate the proposed example, the assembly for the filling and emptying of a cistern
includes:
- An emptying initiator (1) consisting of respective push buttons (2) and (3) designed
respectively for the complete and partial emptying of the water in the cistern. The
example shows tilting devices on springs (4) that push against balls (5) resting on
the membrane (6) that closes the opening to the respective pipes (7) or (8), between
which can be seen a drainage pipe (9) and in which, for example, are housed the capillary
pipes (11) and (12) that join at their opposite end onto
- a distributor assembly (13) which includes, communicating in the same turning direction:
- a first housing (14) in which is connected a device (15) supplying water from the
mains water supply. Figures 2 and 3 provide a better view of the filter (62), the
flow rate regulator (63) and a partition.
- A second housing (17) containing a water output pipe (18) shut off by the membrane
(19) attached by a threaded cap (20) to the opening of the housing (17) with which
it forms a small chamber (21), and with the threaded cap (20) presenting a narrow
passage (22) adapted to the closing element (23) to be fitted to one arm of the lever
(24) whose other branch, shown in Figure 2, is in contact with the float ball (25);
- third and fourth housings (26), each of which is fitted with a water output pipe (28)
and (29) shut off by its respective membrane (30) and (31), which can be seen to be
attached by their respective threaded caps (32) and (33),defining chambers (34) and
(35), a spring (36), and
- a central pipe (37) with a bottom output via which a flow of water from the supply
device (15) reaches the cistern.
- a bottom body (38) attached onto the cistern's water emptying assembly nozzle (57)
and forming a hollow central chamber (39) with two vertical pipes (40) and (41).
- a support structure (42) to adapt the emptying assembly to the required height in
the cistern, including a connecting element, such as a threaded stem (46), to join
the distributor assembly (13)in an adjustable way to the bottom body (38) in the support
structure (42) and at least two independent pipes from connection (44) and (45) descending
in parallel from the top body (43) in the support structure (42), and with each connection
pipe (44) or (45) connected at its top end to the corresponding water output pipe
(28) or (29) in housings (26) or (27) in the distributor (13), and at its bottom,
connected with a close fit but able to slide into the corresponding vertical pipe
(40) or (41) of the bottom body (38). These connecting pipes (44) and (45) are used
to ensure that the flow of water from the distributor (13) is directed independently
into one (40) or other (41) of the vertical pipes in the bottom body (38) when the
emptying assembly is selectively activated, thereby achieving two independent pipes
(47) and (48), to be used for the selective passage of the flow of pressurised water
that will produce the partial or complete emptying of the cistern, from the distributor
(13) to
- a tubular bellows piston (49) fitted vertically in the hollow central chamber (39)
of the bottom body (38), with the cistern emptying nozzle(57) opening (58) valve stem
(59) passing through and closed at the top by the head (60) of said valve stem (59).
- a disk-shaped body (51), fitted below this bottom body (38) and formed out of radial
pipes (52) and (53) which connect each vertical pipe (40) and (41) on the bottom body
(38) with the interior of the bellows piston (49) fitted between the bottom body (38)
and the disk-shaped body (51); with the disk-shaped body (51) seated against the base
(55) that shuts off the bottom body (38), and with holes (54) and (56)passing through
the respective centres of the disk-shaped body (51) and the base (55) for the close-fitting
passage of the valve stem (59).
[0026] Assuming that the emptying device has been adjusted in length in order to adapt it
to the height of the cistern, and with the aforementioned adjustment simultaneously
adjusting all the desired levels by means of the same and only action of manually
turning the threaded stem (46) in its threaded collar in the central hollow central
chamber (39) of the bottom body (38), and with the supply device (15) supplying water
until the narrow passage (22) is shut off by the closing element (23) on the lever
(24) when pushed by the float ball (25) as a result of the water level in the cistern,
once the cistern is full at the predetermined water level, the functioning of the
described emptying assembly for cisterns is as follows: when a "complete" emptying
of the water contained in the cistern is required, activating the corresponding opening
control for a complete empty (2) forces the spring (4) to contract and releases its
pressure on the ball (5) and the membrane (6) portion moves back from its seat in
the pipe opening (7) causing a slight loss of water in the capillary pipe (11) and
an imbalance in the chamber (34), and leading to the separation of the membrane (30)
from its seat in the water output pipe (28) opening in the distributor (13) and the
water flow from the water supply device (15) begins its journey in the pipe (47)by
entering the water output pipe (28), running through the connecting pipe (44) and
continuing along the vertical pipe (40) in the bottom body (38), continuing through
the radial pipe (52) in the disk-shaped body (51) and flowing up into the interior
of the piston of bellows (49), which it expands vertically upwards to be guided inside
the central hollow chamber (39) that contains it, and by expanding forcing up the
head of the stem (60) and of the stem itself (59), and, therefore separating the drain
valve (61) from its seat in the opening (58) of the nozzle (57) screwed onto the cistern
drain outlet, thereby allowing the emptying of the water contained in the cistern.
[0027] After a water empty corresponding to a "complete" emptying of the water contained
in the cistern, the water present inside the bellows piston (49) escapes via the orifice
(50) and the stem (59) descends under gravity, reseating the drain valve (61) in the
opening (58) of the nozzle (57) and closing the water cistern drain outlet. The bellows
piston (49) returns to its previous position while the water begins to run from the
supply device (15) since the float ball (25) has lost contact with the lever (24)
whose closing element (23) is separated from the mouth of the narrow passage (22),
with the water filling the cistern from the supply device (15) halting when the closing
element (23) on the lever (24) shuts off the narrow passage opening (22) on being
once again pushed by the rising float ball (25).
[0028] Assuming that the cistern is once again full, when a "partial" emptying of the water
contained in the cistern is to take place, activating the initiating button for a
small empty (2) forces the spring (4) to contract and releases its pressure on the
ball (5) so that the membrane portion (6) moves back from its seat in the pipe opening
(8) causing a slight loss of water in the capillary pipe (12) and an imbalance in
the chamber (35), and leading to the separation of the membrane (31) from its seat
in the water output pipe opening(29) in the distributor (13) and the water flow from
the water supply device (15) begins its journey along the pipe (48)by entering the
water output pipe (29), running through the connecting pipe (45) and continuing along
the vertical pipe (41) in the bottom body (38), continuing through the radial pipe
(53) in the disk-shaped body (51) and flowing up into the interior of the bellows
piston (49), which it expands vertically upwards to be guided inside the central hollow
chamber (39) that contains it, and by expanding forcing up the head of the stem (60)
and of the stem itself (59), and, therefore separating the drain valve (61) from its
seat in the opening (58) of the nozzle (57) threaded onto the cistern drain outlet,
thereby allowing the emptying of the water contained in the cistern. The emptying
of the water is interrupted when the water level in the cistern descends to a predetermined
height equivalent to the volume of water needed to be emptied. As the water level
in the cistern falls, the float ball (25) descends and no longer presses against the
lever (24), thereby releasing it and allowing the closing element (23) to separate
from seat in the narrow passage (22), the membrane (19) to separate from the water
output pipe opening (18) in the housing (17) and the water to refill the cistern.
Once opened, and after flooding the first housing (14), the flow rate of the water
flowing from the water supply device (15) to the second housing (17) is greater than
that of the water in the fourth housing (27), thereby causing the early closing of
the membrane (31) on the water output pipe opening (29), halting the water flow from
the pipe (48) and causing the early closing of the drain valve (61). The manoeuvre
allows a predetermined partial emptying to be achieved.
[0029] As the water flows into the cistern, the float ball (25) rises until it presses against
the periphery of the lever (24), thereby causing it to tilt and causing the closing
element (23) to reseat in the narrow passage (22), pushing the membrane (19) against
the water output pipe opening (18) to shut off the flow of water filling the cistern.
[0030] It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples only
indicate a preferred implementation of the invention and are only for the purposes
of illustration, and therefore the different changes and modifications carried out
within the spirit and scope of the invention will be clear to any technical expert.
1. 1. CISTERN FILLING AND EMPTYING ASSEMBLY, which includes an emptying initiator (1)
with at least two push buttons (2) and (3) whose selective pressing causes the opening
or closing of the water flow in a respective output pipe (28) or (29) from a distributor
(13) to cause the complete or partial emptying of the water contained in a cistern;
a bottom nozzle (57) to be connected to the cistern drain outlet, a valve stem (59)
fitted with a drain valve (61) which plugs the cistern drain outlet, and at least
one float ball (25) that keeps the valve stem (59) raised and separates the drain
valve (61) from the aforementioned drain outlet while said partial or complete emptying
of water from the cistern takes place. It also includes a support structure (42) that
regulates the distance between the aforementioned distributor (13) and said bottom
nozzle (45) to adapt the assembly to the height required in the cistern, characterised by the fact that said support structure (42) includes at least a first (47) and a second
(48) pipe that are independent and selectively floodable by the pressurised water
that floods the output pipes (28) and (29) of the distributor (13), and whose pulse
raises the valve stem (59) and separates the drain valve (61) from its seat in the
cistern drain opening. Each of the push buttons (2) or (3) in the initiator (1) is
fitted with a respective capillary pipe (11) or (12) to act on a corresponding membrane
(30) or (31) that opens or closes the water flow in the output pipe (28) or (29) of
the distributor (13) which said corresponding membrane (30) or (31) shuts off.
2. CISTERN FILLING AND EMPTYING ASSEMBLY, in accordance with the previous claim, characterised by the fact that the aforementioned support structure (42) includes a top body (43)
that contains a first (44) and a second (45) vertical descending pipe of a diameter
adapted to slide into and fit closely into corresponding vertical pipes (40) and (41)
emerging from a bottom body (38) connected to the bottom nozzle (57), with said first
(47) and second (48) pipes in said support structure (42) respectively adapted to
said first (44) and second (45) vertical descending pipes and to the corresponding
vertical pipes (40) and (41) emerging from the bottom body (38).
3. CISTERN FILLING AND EMPTYING ASSEMBLY, in accordance with the previous claims, characterised by the fact that the support structure (42) includes a vertically centred connecting
element, such as a threaded rod (46), adapted to join the aforementioned distributor
(13)in an adjustable way to the aforementioned bottom body (38), so that the top body
(43) and the bottom body (38) of the support structure (42) are joined by this threaded
rod (46) which threads into the top portion of the central hollow chamber (39) in
the bottom body (38), and with the head of said threaded rod (46)being manually accessible
so that turning it in one or other direction closes up or opens up the separation
between the two potions (43) and (38) and the simultaneous adjustment of all the levels
in the cistern.
4. CISTERN FILLING AND EMPTYING ASSEMBLY, in accordance with previous claims, characterised by the fact that the distributor (13) includes a first housing (14) for connecting the
device (15) supplying mains water to the cistern, and which includes a water flow
rate regulator (63); the second housing (17) with a water output pipe(18) connected,
via the membrane (19) and the narrow passage (22), to a closing element (23) fitted
to a lever (24) to be driven by a float ball (25) adjustable to the level of water
present in the cistern in order to shut off the flow of water from the supply device
(15); the third (26) and fourth housings (27) shut off by corresponding membranes
(30) and (31) whose selective operation allows water to flow from the supply device
(15) to a respective water output pipe (28) and (29), with the housings (2), (28),
(17) and (29) suitably connected to each other and with a bottom central pipe (37)
through which the flow of water proceeding from the supply device (15) fills up the
cistern. 5.CISTERN FILLING AND EMPTYING ASSEMBLY, in accordance with previous claims,
characterised by the fact that the raising of the valve stem (59) and the separating of the drain
valve (61) from the cistern drain outlet is brought about by the expansion of a piston
(49) that includes an escape orifice in its top for slowing down the emergence of
the driven water while the valve stem (59) descends and the drain valve (61) reseats
in the opening (58) of the cistern emptying nozzle (57).