Patent GB-1523561-A (GB)
Title: Toilet installation
IPC: E03F1/00
Filed: 1977-01-20
Abstract: 1523561 Discharging closet waste A ANTHONY 20 Jan 1977 [20 Jan 1976 28 Dec 1976] 02318/77 Heading E1C [Also in Division F2] In a toilet installation for boats or buildings wherein waste collected in a tank 1 beneath a water closet 25 is discharged through an outlet 3 by pressurising the tank through a compressed air conduit 9, the waste inlet valve 7 comprises a flexible flap or inflatable ball fixed at one side of the inlet 6 and hanging in the tank 1 until it is pressurised, whereupon a blast of compressed air and/or water from conduit 9 thrusts the valve shut. As shown the flexible valve member 7 has an inverted cup float 8 so that it is held shut when the tank 1 is full. The float 8 may have a baffle to cause air swirl for dislodging waste. Fig. 4 illustrates a modified inlet valve 107 formed by making a part-circular slit, Fig. 3 (not shown), in a flexible flap to leave a hinge portion 144 between a peripheral portion 142 and a central portion 143, the portion 143 carrying a float 108 and a flexible inlet-closing valve member 147. The installation shown in Fig. 1 incorporates a compressed air supply 18 acting on a tank 11 which receives clean water from a cistern 15 and contains a valved distributor 30 having a first outlet 9 to blow air and/or water to tank 1 and a second outlet 22 to blow water to the w.c. pan flush rim 24, via shut-off valve 23. The distributor incorporates spring-loaded valves 31, 32 which lift at different predetermined pressures. The valves 17, 20, 27 in the tank 11 comprise floats actuated by the clean-water level. When flushing is required the compressor is started up and blows water from tank 11 to rim 24 until the tank level falls sufficiently to change over float valve 27, whereupon the flushing stops and air is directed through conduit 9 to close valve 7-and pressurise tank 1 to discharge its contents to a collecting unit (not shown). If, during flushing, the tank 1 seems liable to overflow, the valve 23 can be closed, whereupon pressure rises in distributor 30 to lift valves 31, 32 so that the remaining flushing water, followed by air, is blown into tank 1 to close valve 7 and. discharge its contents. In a modified installation omitting the tank 11 the conduit 9 is connected directly to the compressed air source to discharge the waste and the cistern communicates directly with the flush rim 24 through a water meter, the air compressor being controlled by a float in the tank 1 which also shuts off the flush water supply. In a further installation, Fig. 2 (not shown), the waste-collection tank (101) has three depending rods forming electrical level sensors which cooperate with a time delay circuit (116) to control an air compressor (114), the tank having a depending waste-inlet valve (107) as illustrated in Fig. 4. Flushing is initiated automatically on closure of the w.c. seat lid. A stand-by hand pump is provided for compressed air. The installation incorporates a clean water tank as in the Fig. 1 embodiment, but the valves and distribution unit therein differ, being illustrated in Figs. 6-8. Fig. 6 shows a floating valve controlling a compressed air inlet 117; Fig. 7 shows a double-acting valve 157-158 on a float 160 which controls the clean water inlet 112, there being a leakage passage 161 which is closed by valve 157 but not by valve 158; Fig. 8 shows a distribution unit 120 which directs compressed air and/or water alternatively to an outlet 109 for pressurising the waste tank onto an outlet 124 for flushing the w.c. pan. The float valve 125 in the distributor is engageable by an electromagnetic plunger 126 which serves to unstick the valve.