Patent GB-1309635-A (GB)
Title: Reservoir apparatus
IPC: E03D3/10
Filed: 1969-03-31
Abstract: 1309635 Flushing cysterns D H SHARP 10 April 1970 [31 March 1969] 16818/69 Heading E1C A flushing cystern comprises a single enclosed pressure and liquid tight reservoir adapted to retain both a liquid and gas therein under pressure, a movable outlet valve for closing an outlet port by sealing engagement therewith, movable valve displacing means being mounted in operative relationship to both the outlet valve and a gas pressure release means whereby movement of the displacing means causes the outlet valve to be displaced from sealing engagement with the outlet port and to release gas pressure from the reservoir, and the arrangement being such that, in use, the supply of liquid via the inlet port is under control of the pressure in the reservoir. In one embodiment, Fig. 2, a buoyant ball 42, normally held, by the pressure in a sealed reservoir 30, in engagement with an annular seal 44 to close outlet 36, is moved to uncover the outlet by a helical element 56 attached to an arm 58 which is rotated about the axis of an integral shaft 54 by an external handle 52, the shaft 54 passing through a sealed bushing in the front wall of the reservoir. The ball is guided upwardly during this movement by inclined plates 50 so that it then floats up to the top of a cage 46, 48 where it is retained until the contents of the reservoir are almost completely drained, whereupon it re-seats on the seal 44, the handle 52 having been released in the meantime. Filling of the reservoir is via an inlet pipe 32 having a shut-off valve 34 which is merely to facilitate servicing. No inlet valve is provided since the filling of the reservoir traps and pressurises the air in the upper portion of the reservoir until a balance is reached. The cage 46, 48 may be dispensed with where a tall, narrow cylindrical reservoir is used (Figs. 4-6, not shown) in which case the ball valve is guided back on to the seal by radial guides (49). In another embodiment, Fig. 9, a flexible ball 74 which is cut-away at the bottom and has a strap 76 across its open bottom, is deformed by vertical movement of a rod 88 connected to the strap 76, upon operation of an external handle 80, and is at the same time lifted bodily, so as to open the discharge outlet, which is surrounded by a seal 72. At the same time, pressure in the reservoir is released by the engagement of an extension 98 of the internal arm 84 of the handle 80 with a release ball (96, Fig. 10, not shown) in the end of a tube (92) leading from the air space above the liquid in the reservoir. A similar arrangement is shown in the embodiment of Fig. 13, wherein the ball valve 116 is opened by an extension 132 of an arm 130 controlled by a handle 124 which also, by means of a cranked portion (134, Fig. 15 not shown) operates to unseat a buoyant ball 118 retained by a cage 122 and normally engaging seat 120 to obstruct the outlet from the reservoir 100. In a further embodiment, Fig. 18, a non-buoyant ball valve 198 is moved laterally from a seat 200, by operation of a handle (210, Fig. 19, not shown), and caused to roll along a support 202 which is normally in the chain-line position, the support 202 being pivoted at 204 and having attached to it a buoyant member 208 which, after completion of flushing, sinks to the full-line position causing the ball 198 to roll back on to the seat 200.