Improvements in and relating to Automatic Valves for Water and other Fluids, and the Apparatus for Working same.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1900
Improvements in and relating to Automatic Valves for Water and
other Fluids, and the Apparatus for Working same.
ROBERT CRIGHTON GRUNDY, 100B, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Ware-
houseman, DAVID REGINALD GRUNDY, 76, Sisters Avenue, Clapham Common,
S.W., Teacher, DAVID GRUNDY, 1, Derby Avenue, Weaste, Manchester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I. An improvement for the more certain closing of the valve so far as it applies
to the shape of the valve and the stopper thereof.
II. An addition and alteration in the lower part of the spindle attached to the
above i.e. (Part I).
III. An addition and alteration in the upper portion of the lower or second
spindle (which receives the spindle mentioned in Parts I & II).
IV. An improvement in and attached to the bottom portion of the lower spindle,
80 as to more accurately adjust the working thereof.
V. An improvement in the lever or movement, for drawing down & firmly
retaining the valve (Part I) in its seat.
Our said invention relates to improvements in, and applicable to automatic
valves and appliances, used for various purposes; particularly when specific
quantities of any liquid or liquids are required at one time.
The construction, application and connections thereof, being in such form or
forms and combinations as to make certain that the inlet valve cannot under
any circumstances, fail to close, the moment the pressure or force is relieved.
This result is obtained by loosely connecting the main spindle of a two way
valve, to the spindle of an inlet valve; both being held, firmly, by force, alter-
nately when in, and not in use.
The shape of the inlet valve and its seating also assisting; and is also so con-
structed to obviate the presence of any foreign body.
On the upper portion of the lower, or main, spindle, working the two way valve,
is a disc having two flanges, one at the circumference of the upper surface, and a
smaller one, close to the spindle, on the lower surface: each coming into contact
with rubber or other seatings. The upper flange closing the centre passage of
the two way valve, when the inlet valve is open the lower flange being added to
secure noiseless action. This arrangement securing the greatest freedom of pas-
sage for the return flow of the liquid.
Attached to the outer and bottom portion of the main spindle are two arms,
which, when fixed, grip the spindle; being tightened to it by means of a screw
which connects the arms, and so secures them to the spindle.
These arms work in sockets attached to the lever, the openings in the sockets
being elongated. to allow freedom of movement for the lower spindle.
Attached to the lever is a weight or other force, to retain the lever in a given
position.
A portion of the apparatus is a vessel or retainer for the liquid, so made, that,

page_text: by means of a movable valve, which closes automatically, the quantity of liquid
required can be varied; and another valve, which opens automatically, to admit
an inflow of air when emptying. A provision at the bottom, inside, allows a
gentle flow of the liquid, after the exit of the main portion.
Dated this 31st day of October 1899
=
ROBERT CRIGHTON GRUNDY,
DAVID REGINALD GRUNDY,
DAVID GRUNDY,
Improvements in and relating to Automatic Valves for Water and
other Fluids, and the Apparatus for Working same.
ROBERT CRIGHTON GRUNDY, late of 100B, Queen Victoria Street, London, now of
76, Sisters Avenue, Clapham Common, London, S.W., Warehouseman, DAVID
REGINALD GRUNDY, of the same place, Teacher, and DAVID GRUNDY, of the same
place, Engineer, late of 1, Derby Avenue, Weaste, Manchester, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to improvements in and applicable to automatic valves
and appliances used for various purposes, particularly when specific quantities
of liquids are required at one time, and consists chiefly in improvements con-
nected with twoway automatic valves for the inlet and outflow of the liquids, and
in the vessel or retainer for the liquid.
According to our invention the two-way valve is so constructed that both the
opening and closing of. the inlet valve are actuated directly by the outflow valve
or an extension thereof so as to be independent of the pressure of the liquid. For
this purpose the inlet valve is loosely connected to the main spindle to which is
attached the outflow valve.
In order to secure effective closing of the outlet valve as well as noiseless action
and freedom of passage for the liquid, we provide rubber or other clastic con-
tacts for the back and front of the valve, the rubber at the back being placed in
a recess of and as nearly as possible flush with the metal or other case, so as to
interfere as little as possible with the flow of the liquid.
In order that our invention may be more clearly understood we will describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, as applied to water closets.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a water closet, and its flushing mechanism to which
our invention is applied.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the centre of the two-way valve showing in
detail how our invention is applied thereto.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the water closet seat showing the mech-
anism for actuating the two-way valve.
Fig. 4 is a section of a check valve placed in the main supply pipe.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the interior of the container or reservoir for
the water for flushing purposes.
The
The general arrangement will be most easily understood from Figure 1.
water from the main supply passes through the check valve A to the two-way
valve B. The latter is actuated through the rod or spindle D by the lever E,
which in its turn is controlled by the seat of the water closet L. When the seat
is forced against the lever E, the water from the main supply passes from the
two-way valve B, into the pipe F and from the pipe F into the container H, being

page_text: prevented from passing into the pipe G
owing to the main valve of B being
closed when the water closet seat presses against the lever E.
When the water
closet seat is raised, the spindle D through the lever E shuts off the main supply
and at the same time opens the lower valve so as to allow the water to pass
from the container H through the pipe F to B and thence to G from which it is
discharged into the pedestal of the water closet L for flushing purposes. J is
an air pipe connected with the top of the pedestal of the water closet to convey
away obnoxious gases to the outside of the building.
In Figure 2 B is the main body of the two-way valve. a is the pipe by which
the water enters the two-way valve B, a being attached to B in any convenient
manner. is the inlet valve, consisting of a spindle 61 having a shoulder or
abutment for receiving the rubber or other flexible material 63 of the valve.
The rubber is passed over the spindle b¹ and clamped firmly thereon by means
of a
screwed washer or cap b
The spindle is prolonged above
the washer 6 and is screwed along its length, so that a projec-
tion or washer 65 may be screwed upon b¹ and adjusted to any point so as to
control the length of travel of the valve b, the projection b being of such dimen-
sions as to abut against the end of the pipe a, or upon any projection attached
so as to obstruct the path of 65. To insure the effective closing of the valve b, the
valve seating is made conical and receives the valve which has a correspondingly
conical shape, as we find that with this construction there is very little risk of
grit lodging so as to allow a leak through the valve when it is closed.
From the main body B two pipes F and G branch, the higher one F leading to
the container H, the lower one G to the pedestal of the water closet.
The spindle of the inlet valve is continued downwards for the purpose of
being loosely connected with the spindle D of the lower or main valve C. These
two spindles are connected to each other in such a way that I can move for some
distance relative to b¹ but so that when the main valve has reached the bottom
of its travel, the inlet valve is thereby pulled firmly down upon its valve seating.
For example, as shown in Figure 2, the spindle b is continued as a hollow rod L
from a point a little below the inlet valve, this hollow rod having a disc 67 at or
near its end. Through the disc 67 passes loosely a reduced extension of the main
spindle D. On the end of this extension is a screwed disc or nut c', which abuts
against the disc when the main valve is at the bottom of its stroke, the inlet
valve being then firmly closed. The nut is capable of being adjusted along
the extension of the main spindle so that the point of closing the inlet valve may
be varied as required.
The main valve C consists of a disc of rubber or other elastic material screwed.
or otherwise attached above the metal disc . When the valve C is moved
upwards, it abuts against its valve seating situated between the pipes and G.
On the bottom side of the disc ³ is a small flange, which comes into contact
with rubber c which is sunk into the bottom plate c of the main body B.
At the outer side of the bottom plate c is a stuffing box e to carry and steady
the main spindle D, with a recess e¹ for the reception of packing.
In Figure 3 D is the continuation of the main spindle, and is pivotally
attached at f to an arm f¹ of the lever E. This lever E is pivotted to a frame
at el, and is so placed that when the water closet seat is pressed down, the left
hand end of E is depressed, thereby raising the spindle D. The upward move-
ment of D is adjusted so that the main valve C abuts at the end of its travel
against the valve seating c At the beginning of the travel of the main spindle I)
its reduced extension travels inside the hollow rod 66 until the spindle itself abuts
against the disc b', whereupon the inlet valve b is opened. It is obvious there-
fore that when in this position, the water from the main has a free passage to the
container H, and as the main valve C is closed there can be no discharge through
the pipe G. When, however, the container has been filled and the main
spindle D again lowered, the inlet valve will be closed and there is then a free
passage from the container H through the pipes F & G to the pedestal of the

page_text: water-closet. The main spindle D may be kept normally at its lowest point by
means of a weight d or by means of springs. 1) may be extended as shown by
dotted lines in Fig. I, to, and in connection with the foot lever I, as an alternative
working to that of by lever E.
Figure 4 shows the construction of a check valve which we prefer to use on
the main supply pipe in order to prevent, under all circumstances, the return
flow of the liquid and also prevent foul gas from entering the supply pipes. The
plug or stopper pl we prefer to make pear shaped and of rubber.
In Figure 5 is an extension of Finto H and is made funnel shaped to assist
in diminishing noise. 2 are openings in h¹ close to the bottom of H by which
means a gentle flow of water is obtained when the container has nearly emptied
itself. At the top of the container is a float valve ³, so arranged as to allow air
to pass out of the container unless when it is held up by the pressure of the
water. The float valve is so constructed that it may be more or less lowered into
the container so as to vary the quantity of water which may enter the container.
An indicator tube may be attached to the outside of the container so as to
measure the quantity of water.
A second valve 4 is also inserted into the top of the container to assist the
inflow of air when the container is being emptied. As long as the latter is empty
or filling, the balance weight keeps this valve closed; the balance weight may
be replaced by a spring. The enclosed air, which becomes compressed as the.
water rises, gives an impetus to the discharge of the water from the container.
When the force of compression is exhausted by the outflow of the water, the pas-
sage of air into the container through the valve is not sufficient to prevent the
pressure of the air inside the container falling below atmospheric pressure and the
valve opens to freely admit air.
It is obvious that our invention is applicable to other automatic supply systems
as well as water closets.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:.
1. In two-way automatic valves for the supply of water and other fluids to
containers and for the discharge therefrom, loosely connecting the outflow valve
to the inlet valve in such a way that the opening and closing of the inlet valve
are actuated directly by the outflow valve or an extension thereof. substantially
as described.
2. In two-way automatic valves for the supply of water and other fluids to
containers and for the discharge therefrom, connecting the outflow valve to the
inlet valve by a sliding connection substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. A container for fluids provided with a float valve so constructed that it can
be advanced more or less into the container and thereby vary the quantity of
water which may enter the container substantially as described.
4. A container for fluids provided with two valves, one of which is a float valve,
the other being a spring or weight balanced valye, the latter being so adjusted as
to remain closed except when the water is being emptied out of the container
substantially as described.
5. A container for fluids provided with two valves, one of which is a float valve
capable of being advanced more or less into the container, the other being a spring
or weight balanced valve, the latter so adjusted as to remain closed except when
the water is being emptied out of the container substantially as described.
6. In systems for the supply and discharge of fixed quantities of fluids the com-
bination of a two-way valve in which the inlet and outflow valves are loosely con-
nected, a container and means for actuating the supply of the fluid and the dis-
charge from the container substantially as described.
7. In two-way automatic valves for the supply of fluids to containers and for
the discharge therefrom, providing the moving parts, wherever metal comes in

page_text: contact with metal, with rubber or other elastic cushions so placed as not to
obstruct the free passage of the fluid substantially as described, and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
8. In systems for the supply and discharge of fixed quantities of fluids, the com-
bination of a check valve, a two-way valve, a container, and means for actuating
the supply of the fluid to and discharge from the container substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1041
1000
ROBERT CRIGHTON GRUNDY.
DAVID REGINALD GRUNDY.
DAVID GRUNDY.