Patent Publication Number: US-2017370088-A1

Title: Toilet installations

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/354,179 filed on Jun. 24, 2017, which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to toilet installations. 
     The invention is more specifically concerned with a valve for fitment to either the back of the toilet outlet on a P-trap toilet or on the bottom outlet of an S-trap outlet. The trap is the bend in the pipe where the waste water goes out of the toilet. 
     The bend retains some water after flushing, thus acting as a seal and preventing sewer gases from entering the dwelling in which the toilet is installed. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and means for controlling the discharge of waste water from a toilet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling the discharge of waste water from a toilet which includes the installation of a valve in the discharge outlet of the toilet, the valve including a valve body and a spring-loaded valve closure member that is movable relative to the valve body into an open position during flushing of the toilet against the action of its spring-loading and which is returned to the closed position by the action of its spring-loading on completion of the flushing operation. 
     The valve body is preferably formed as a plastic moulding from a non-transparent material, and preferably includes a planar fixing portion formed with slots through which fasteners can be passed for securing the valve in the required position. 
     The valve body preferably also includes a generally frusto-conical portion on which the valve closure member is mounted. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided means for controlling the discharge of waste water from a toilet comprising a valve for fitment in the discharge outlet of the toilet, the valve including a valve body and a spring-loaded valve closure member that is movable relative to the valve body into an open position during flushing of the toilet against the action of its spring-loading and which is returned to the closed position by the action of its spring-loading on completion of the flushing operation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1, 2 and 3  show a first embodiment of valve in its closed condition, 
         FIGS. 4, 5 and 6  show the valve of  FIGS. 1 to 3  in its open condition, 
         FIGS. 7, 8 and 9  show the valve of  FIGS. 1 to 3  fitted in position in its closed condition, 
         FIGS. 10, 11 and 12  show the valve of  FIGS. 1 to 3  fitted in position in its open condition, 
         FIG. 13  is a plan view of a second embodiment of valve in its closed position, and 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the valve shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The valve shown in  FIGS. 1 to 6  includes a valve body  10  and a lid or valve closure member  11 , each formed as plastic mouldings from a non-transparent material. The valve body  10  includes a circular flange  12  and a tapered housing  13  to the lower end of which the valve closure member  11  is connected by means of a hinge  14 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the valve closure member  11  is of a curvate configuration and the lower rim of the tapered housing  13  is of a corresponding configuration. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7 to 12 , the valve is connected to the discharge outlet  15  of a toilet using a fixing plate  16  which is secured to the floor of a building to hold the toilet in the required position. The valve is fixed by means of the fixing screws (not shown) that are normally used to locate the toilet and screw the toilet in place. The fixing screws pass through selected ones of a plurality of arcuate openings  17  extending around the flange  12  of the valve. This means that the valve can be fitted in any direction allowing the flow to have a maximum opening potential. A layer of wax (to assist sealing) may be applied to the underside of the flange  12  before it is placed in position. 
     The valve shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14  differs from that shown in  FIGS. 1 to 12  in that, instead of having an array of arcuate openings  17  through which fixing screws can be passed, it includes just two slots  18  that are disposed diametrically opposite to one another and which both include portions of different widths to enable the valve to be fixed extremely accurately and securely in position using fasteners of appropriate dimensions. 
     The design of the valve is such that it can be used with three inch diameter pipes as well as four inch diameter pipes. This is made possible because of the small opening of the funnel which then houses the curved lid or valve closure member. The tapered housing  13  of the valve has a configuration such that, when the toilet is being flushed, it progressively reduces the diameter of the passage through which the waste water can pass. This causes air to mix with the water in the toilet bowl. 
     This is what is known as the “Bernoulli Effect”, i.e. a mixture of air and water is produced which is forced through a smaller gap or barrier stopping the formation of a vortex when the toilet is flushed. This means that it is possible to reduce the volume of water that is used to flush the toilet by up to 50%. The air mixing with the water when flushing the toilet will clean the toilet taking away any solid waste using a minimum volume of water. 
     As mentioned above, the valve as a whole is made from a plastic material with the curved valve closure member  11  having a pivot pin formed of marine 316 stainless steel. A spring made of the same material is used to bias the curved lid or valve closure member into the closed position as shown inn  FIGS. 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 . The rating of the spring is such as to permit ready movement of the curved valve closure member  11  into its open position when the toilet is flushed. This open position is shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 and 10 to 12 . 
     When the curved valve closure member  11  is in its closed position, it will prevent the passage of light from the interior of the toilet bowl into the pipe bend. Light penetration of a pipe bend is known to attract snakes, rats and other vermin. In addition to preventing light penetration into the pipe bend, the curved valve closure member will provide a physical barrier, when in its closed position, preventing snakes, rats and other vermin from gaining access to the home or workplace from the sewer system via the toilet. 
     After the flushing operation has been completed, an opened curved valve closure member  11  will return to its closed position under the action of its spring, thus stopping any significant backflow returning to the toilet bowl, i.e. stopping all solid matter and at least 98% of liquid matter. 
     There are times when two toilets are installed back to back, i.e. on either side of a dividing wall. If each of the toilets is fitted with a valve in accordance with the present invention, any cross-flow contamination between the toilets will be prevented. This can be of particular importance in, for example, a block of flats.