Abstract:
A control mechanism for preventing overflow of a toilet including a bowl, a water tank, and a filler float operatively communicating with a filler valve includes a knob or handle that can be manipulated to cause the filler float to occupy a position that shuts off the filler valve. The control mechanism includes a filler float guide member having a low guide section separated from a high guide section by a ramped section. By manipulating the knob or handle of the control mechanism, the filler float is forced up the ramp section to the high guide section, shutting off the filler valve.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention generally relates to toilet overflow control mechanisms. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toilet overflow control mechanism that can be manipulated to close the refill valve. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The elements and operation of a toilet are well known in the art. In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , two of the most common toilets are shown, a ballcock toilet  100  ( FIG. 1 ) and a floating cup toilet  200  ( FIG. 2 ). In the Figs. and the disclosure that follows, like parts receive like numerals, although differing by  100 . In each embodiment, a bowl  102 ,  202  receives human waste, and a water tank  104 ,  204 , defined by walls  105 ,  205  holds flush water W capable of initiating a syphon action when released from the water tank  104 ,  204  into the bowl  102 ,  202 . Although variations exist, these types of toilets  100 ,  200  are generally flushed by manipulating a flush mechanism  106 ,  206  that includes a flush handle  108 ,  208  connected to a lever arm  110 ,  210  that is connected to a flush valve  112 ,  212  through a linkage  114  or chain  214 . The flush valve  112 ,  212  seals a drain hole  116 ,  216  within the water tank  104 ,  204 , and pushing the flush handle  108 ,  208  causes the flush valve  112 ,  212  to unseat from the drain hole  110 ,  210  such that the flush water W enters the toilet bowl  102 ,  202  from the water tank  104 ,  204 , initiating a syphon so that all of the water and waste in the toilet bowl is flushed. 
   As the water in the tank  104 ,  204  drains, a filler float  118 ,  218  falls with the water level and turns on a filler valve  120 ,  220  through the operative connection between filler float  118 ,  218  and filler valve  120 ,  220 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the connection is a float lever arm  122  that connects between filler valve  120  and ballcock filler float  118 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the connection is a push rod  222  that connects between filler valve  220  and sleeve filler float  218 . When water tank  104 ,  204  is filled with flush water W, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , filler float  118 ,  218  occupies a shut-off position, wherein filler valve  120 ,  220  is closed to the passage of refill water. But filler float  118 ,  218  rises and falls with the level of flush water W in water tank  104 ,  204  such that, when flushing mechanism  106 ,  206  is manipulated to flush bowl  102 ,  202 , the level of flush water W within water tank  104 ,  204  begins to fall, and filler float  118 ,  218  falls with it. Once filler float  118 ,  218  has fallen a short distance with flush water W, it may be considered to occupy a refill position, wherein filler valve  120 ,  220  allows for the passage of refill water therethrough to refill both bowl  102 ,  202  and water tank  104 ,  204 . When filler float  118 ,  218  occupies the refill position, filler valve  120 ,  220  sends refill water in two directions—into water tank  104 ,  204  and through overflow tube  124 ,  224  into bowl  102 ,  202 . It will be appreciated that the refill water filling water tank  104 ,  204  causes filler float  118 ,  218  to rise, eventually occupying the shut-off position and closing filler valve  120 ,  220  to the passage of refill water, ending the refill cycle. 
   Should a clog in the siphon or bowl occur, water entering bowl  102 ,  202  will flood the bowl and eventually spill over onto the floor. If the flush valve  112 ,  212  does not seat properly on drain hole  116 ,  216  during the tank refill cycle, water entering the tank  104 ,  204  through filler valve  120 ,  220  will flow to bowl  102 ,  202  and will not fill tank  104 ,  204 . Consequently, the filler float  118 ,  218  will not rise, the filler valve  120 ,  220  will not be closed, and water will continue to flow to bowl  102 ,  202  and the floor. Thus, control mechanisms have been proposed for selectively closing the filler valve  120 ,  220 . Although control mechanisms have been addressed in the prior art, as, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,402,093, 4,633,534, 5,083,323, and 6,016,577 the present invention provides a very straight forward and user friendly mechanism and method for preventing toilet overflow. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention generally provides a control mechanism for preventing overflow of a toilet that includes a bowl, a water tank, and a filler float operatively communicating with a filler valve. The filler float is movable, by the water level in the water tank, between a refill position, wherein the filler valve allows refill water to flow therethrough to fill the water tank and bowl, and a shut-off position, wherein the filler valve is closed to the flow of water. The control mechanism of this invention comprises means external of the water tank for physically manipulating the filler valve to occupy the shut-off position. 
   In another embodiment, the present invention provides a toilet comprising a bowl; a water tank holding flush water and having a tank wall; a flush valve communicating between said bowl and said water tank such that opening said flush valve permits flush water from said water tank to flow into said bowl and flush the contents of said bowl; a filler valve in said water tank and controlling the refilling of said bowl and said water tank; a filler float operatively communicating with said filler valve and retained within said water tank and moving with the level of water in said water tank to move between a refill position, wherein said filler valve is open to permit refilling of said water tank, and a shut-off position, wherein said filler valve is closed by the operative communication with said filler float, preventing refilling of said water tank; and an overfill control mechanism including: a knob external of said tank wall of said water tank; a filler float guide member extending from said knob to selectively interact with said filler float within said water tank, said guide member having a ramp section extending between a low guide section and a high guide section, wherein, as said water tank is being refilled, said knob may be manipulated to bring said filler float into contact with said ramp section and further manipulated to urge said filler float up said ramp section to rest on said high guide section in said shut-off position. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     For a complete understanding of the objects, techniques and structure of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view through the front wall of a conventional and known type toilet tank, showing a first configuration for a toilet flush assembly, with the toilet bowl only partially indicated in ghost lines below the tank; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view through the front wall of a conventional and known ballcock type toilet tank, showing a second configuration for a toilet flush assembly, with the toilet bowl only partially indicated in ghost lines below the tank; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial top view of the control mechanism of the present invention as it may be applied to the toilet flush assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view through the wall of the toilet, showing the control mechanism as it may be applied to the toilet flush assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a partial top view of the control mechanism of the present invention as it may be applied to the toilet flush assembly shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view through the wall of the toilet, showing the control mechanism as it may be applied to the toilet flush assembly shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an assembly of the parts forming the control mechanism of the present invention, as it may be in a kit form and applied to various known toilet flush assemblies used in the art; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  8 — 8  of  FIG. 7 ; and 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  9 — 9  of  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In the present invention, a control mechanism is provided for preventing the overflow of a toilet, such as, by way of non-limiting example, toilets  100  and  200 , generally described above. More particularly, means external of the water tank are provided for physically manipulating the filler float to occupy the shut-off position, closing the filler valve to the flow of refill water. Overflow control mechanisms are shown and described herein for both of the prior art embodiments, but are not to be limited thereto or thereby. Each embodiment is treated separately. 
   In  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the control mechanism is identified by the numeral  10 , and is shown in the ballcock float embodiment of toilet  100  of  FIG. 1 . In control mechanism  10 , knob  12  is provided externally of water tank  104 , and connects to shaft  14 , which extends to provide an embodiment of a filler float guide member  16 . In the particularly preferred embodiment shown, knob  12  is provided at the location of flushing mechanism  106 , and extends through handle  108 . This allows the control mechanism  10  to be retrofit to an existing prior art toilet  100 , as will be described below. It should however be appreciated that control mechanism  100  could be provided elsewhere on water tank  104  and yet still function as desired, and the extension of control mechanism  10  through handle  108  is merely preferred. 
   Filler float guide member  16 , in the embodiment of control mechanism  10 , includes a malleable or otherwise formable shaft  18  suitably connected to extend from shaft  14 . Formable shaft  18  is bent to provide a low guide section  20 , which is fixed to shaft  14 , for example, by welding. Formable shaft is also bent to provide high guide section  22  separated from low guide section  20  by ramp section  24 . As can be seen, the terms “low” and “high” are purposefully chosen to disclose the proper relationship between guide sections  20  and  22 . In the views of  FIGS. 7–9 , it can be seen that shaft  14  cannot rotate within bore  26  formed through some of the elements of flushing mechanism  106 , because flat surface  28  on shaft  14  engages flat surface  30  of bore  26 . This ensures that low guide section  20  remains “low” and high guide section  22  remains “high.” 
   Shaft  14  and low guide section  20  extend through a tank wall  105  (preferably through a flushing mechanism  106 , as shown) to extend below the float lever arm  122  of filler float  118 . Enough room is provided between low guide section  20  and float lever arm  122  to permit filler float  118  to fall with the level of water in water tank  104  and move to the refill position. In the event that refilling of water tank  104  and bowl  102  must be stopped, knob  12  may be pulled in the direction of arrow A, forcing filler float  118  up ramp section  24  and onto high guide section  22 . High guide section  22  is appropriately positioned such that, when float lever arm  122  rests on high guide section  22 , filler float  118  occupies the shut-off position, preventing continued refilling of water tank  104  and bowl  102  through filler valve  120 . Stopper  32  is provided on shaft  14  to limit the movement of knob  12 . When the overflow problem has been addressed, knob  12  may be pushed in the direction of arrow B to allow filler float  118  to fall back to the refill position, with float lever arm  122  on low guide section  20 , allowing tank  104  and bowl  102  to be filled. Then, as normal, filler float  118  may rise with the level of water in water tank  104  to the shut-off position. 
   As a final note on this embodiment, it might be desirable, due to the leverage of the weight of ballcock filler float  118 , to provide an auxiliary support through clip  36  and chain  38 . Clip  36  fits on the end of high guide section  22 , and chain  38  is selectively fixed thereto and selectively fixed to a mount bracket  40  that clips to the upper edge of a wall  105 . By selectively fixing, it is meant that the length of chain  38  between clip  36  and mount bracket  40  may be altered, as desired, to provide a taut support link. Chain  38  provides support to the distal end of control mechanism  10 , and prevents formable shaft  18  from bending under the force exerted upon it by float lever arm  122  and ballcock filler float  118 . 
   A substantially similar embodiment of a control mechanism is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  as interacting with sleeve filler float  218  of the embodiment of toilet  200 . Most elements of the control mechanism for toilet embodiment  200  are similar to control mechanism  10 , such that like parts have received like numerals, and it is necessary only to discuss how the control mechanism  10  functions in a toilet like toilet  200 . In this environment, control mechanism  10  is configured such that shaft  14  and low guide section  20  extend through a tank wall  205  (preferably through the flushing mechanism  206 , as shown) to extend below the a valve lever arm  223  ( FIG. 5 ) of filler valve  220 . Enough room is provided between low guide section  20  and valve lever arm  223  to permit filler float  218  to fall with the level of water in water tank  204  and move to the refill position. In the event that the refilling of water tank  204  and bowl  202  must be stopped, knob  12  may be pulled in the direction of arrow A, forcing valve lever arm  223  up ramp section  24  and onto high guide section  22 . High guide section  22  is appropriately positioned such that, when valve lever arm  223  rests on high guide section  22 , filler float  218  occupies the shut-off position, preventing continued refilling of water tank  204  and bowl  202  through filler valve  220 . Stopper  32  is provided on shaft  14  to limit the movement of knob  12 . When the overflow problem has been addressed, knob  12  may be pushed in the direction of arrow B to allow filler float  218  to fall back to the refill position, with float lever arm  223  on low guide section  20 , allowing tank  204  and bowl  202  to be filled. Then, as normal, filler float  218  may rise with the level of water in water tank  204  to the shut-off position. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 7–9 , it should be appreciated that control mechanism  10  may be retrofit to existing toilets. The flush mechanisms, such as mechanisms  106 ,  206 , may be removed, and replaced by a kit  300  providing a knob  12 , shaft  14 , formable shaft  18 , stopper  32 , clip  36 , and chain  38  of the control mechanism  10  just described. The kit  300  further includes a flush handle  308 , with a bore  26  extending through a threaded section  342  and having a flat surface  30  to interact with the flat surface  28  of shaft  14 . Lever arm  310  is provided extending from threaded section  342 . Threads  44  on shaft  14  engage threads  46  in knob  12 . The old flush mechanism is removed and replaced by kit  300 . It should now be appreciated that formable shaft  18  is formable so that it may be shaped to provide an appropriate low guide section  20 , ramp section  24 , and high guide section  22  that allow the filler valve mechanism of the toilet to operate normally, and yet, when necessary, provide means for shutting off the flow of refill water, as already described fully above with respect to the embodiments and disclosures of control mechanism  10 . 
   Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides improvements in overflow control mechanisms and methods for toilets. While in accordance with the patent statutes only the best mode and preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented and described in detail, the invention is not limited thereto or thereby. Accordingly, for an appreciation of the scope and breadth of the invention reference should be made to the following claims.