US2304512A - Toilet flushing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8, w STANLEY TOILET FLUSHING MECHANI SM Filed'Sept. 29, 1941 INV NTOR. Y fit/f ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNHTED STATES rem" OFFICE TOILET FLUSHING MECHANISM Walter Stanley, Chicago, 111., assignor to Catherine Stanley, Chicago, 111.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved toilet flushing mechanism and has for one of its principal objects the economical production of a highly efficient and easily operated device consisting of a limited number of associated parts.

Toilet flushing mechanisms have invariably given considerable trouble to users because of the limited life of various parts of the units or because of their difficult and hard operating fea-' tures.

Various types of flushing mechanisms employ a lever principle wherein force is applied to the short arm of the lever for raising or opening the valve attached to the long arm of the lever. Children and women have invariably found this type of mechanism to be extremely difficult to operate. Additionally, the force required to operate such units causes undue wear on parts thereof. Consequently, such devices are efficient for limited periods only.

To overcome hard and difficult operation constructions incorporating a chain operated over a sheave have been brought forth. These constructions have not proved satisfactory or efiieient for either manufacturers or users. It has not been found feasible or expedient to construct movable parts as sheaves from high priced, noncorrosive, non-rusting metals. Consequently,

- structures having such movable parts quickly rust or corrode sufiiciently to make them inoperable. Then, too, constructions having a swingable sheave are diificult to align. If aligned when the chain is slack operation of the handle pulls them out of alignment, and such misalignment causes excessive wear on the moving parts. Additionally, sheaves are usually secured to a cross rod frictionally secured to the interior wall of the tank. The rod thus secured exerts a considerable strain on the walls of the tank and occasionally causes breakage. I The present invention overcomes the objectionable features of previous constructions and provides a highly eiiicient unit which may be operated by rotating the handle in either direction. Additionally, a single securing member only is necessary to fasten the improved device of this invention within a flush tank. The securing member may be fastened through the operating aperture provided in conventional flush tank. Consequently, the device may be used on present type tanks without any changes whatsoever be ing made or it may be embodied in new constructions. A further object of advantage and importance i of the improved device of this invention resides in the segmentally shaped rigid supporting member which is adapted to extend diagonally from the front interior wall of the tank to facilitate alignment of the associated parts with the outlet in the bottom of the tank. This member provides a rigid support for a guide member.

Another and still further important object of advantage resides in the provision of means for adjustably securing a segmentally grooved guide member on a supporting member in a manner which aligns each end of the operating chain with the associated parts secured thereto. The

guide member when positioned is rigidly secured against independent movement.

A still further object of advantage and importance resides in the provision of means whereby the grooved guide member may be easily adjusted by persons not skilled in the particular art to which the device appertains without the use of special tools or equipment.

An additional object of importance resides in the provision of means for maintaining the grooved guide member in alignment with the valve and the valve operating mechanism when the chain is either slack or taut.

Additional objects of advantage and importance will become apparent as the following detailed description progresses reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a flushing mechanism, which embodies the invention, positioned in a tank, portions of which are broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational viewof a flushing tank, portions thereof being broken away, showing a slightly modified construction.

Fig. 4 is a slightly enlarged detail of the operating mechanism construction, parts thereof being broken away.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral l8 indicates generally a flush tank. The flush tank may be of convenvalve l8. The ball valve l8 may be of conventional construction and have a guide standard extending upwardly therefrom.

Adjustably secured to the overflow pipe l6 and having parts thereof operably associated with the guide standard 20 is a guide 22. The guide 22 is adapted to maintain the ball valve I8 in vertical alignment with the outlet l4 during the opening and closing of the outlet.

Positioned on the guide standard 20 and adapted to extend thereabove is a link member 24. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the link member an eyelet on one end and a hook on the other end to facilitate attachment to associated parts. The link member 24 and the guide standard 28 are preferably associated to allow limited independent movement of the associated parts.

Rigidly secured in the aperture l2, preferably by means of a, threaded nut 26, is a hollow thimble 28. The thimble 28 is preferably provided with a squared shoulder 29 adjacent one end thereof. Positioned on the squared shoulder 29 of the thimble and being interposed between the nut 26 and the interior surface of the tank II] is a supporting member 38. A portion of the supporting member 38 is adapted to engage the interior surface of the tank I8, as is best shown in Fig. 2. The intermediate portion of the supporting member 30 is offset. A portion of the supporting member 38, adjacent the free end thereof, is curved away from the interior surface of the tank. This portion of the supporting member 38 extends substantially diagonally of the tank to facilitate alignment of the part with Y outlets positioned in various locations.

Adjustably positioned on the curved portion of the supporting member 38 is a segmentally grooved guide member 32. The guide member 32 is preferably, although not necessarily, constructed of a plastic or other non-rusting, noncorrosive material. The guide member 32 is provided with a segmentally shaped groove 34 through which a chain, or the like, may run and also with a segmentally shaped groove 36 through which the supporting member 30 extends.

Operably associated with the guide member 32 is a securing screw 38. The securing screw 38 extends into the groove 36 and provides a means for securing the guide member 32 to the supporting member 30.

Extending through the thimble 28 is a shaft 49. The shaft 48 is provided with a handle 42 on one end thereof and a squared shoulder 44 on the opposite end thereof.

Secured on the squared shoulder 44 preferably by means of a' screw 46 is a lever 48. The lever 48 is adapted to rotate with the shaft and the handle 42.

Secured to the free end of the lever 48 is a chain 58. The chain 58 extends through the segmental groove in the guide member 32 and is connected to the hooked link 24. Operation of the handle 42 moves the lever 48, the chain 50,

and the ball valve 58, thus opening the outlet The supporting member 52 may in Fig. 3, the guide member 32 may be rigidly secured in its proper position. The guide member may be aligned with the ball valve and this alignment maintained both when the chain is taut or slack.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that herein is provided an efficient and substantially fool-proof device of the kind referred to. Moreover, because the guide member and supporting member may be rigidly secured in position, wear due to vibration and misaligned parts is greatly reduced.

It will also be apparent that because the device of this invention comprises relatively few movable parts the device may be economically produced and marketed.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the improved device of this invention appertains that numerous changes in construction and design may be made without departing from the spirit or 'scope of the invention. Accordingly, the patent granted hereon is not to be limited to the specific embodiments here shown or in any other manner except as is necessitated by the terminology of the appended claims when given the range of equivalents to which they may be entitled.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a toilet flushing mechanism, a flush tank having valved discharge outlet, a supporting member positioned within said flush tank, said member being secured against independent movement, a guide member having a segmentally shaped groove in its peripheral surface adjustably positioned on said supporting member, said guide member being secured against movement as a connecting member is moved thereover, an operating mechanism secured to a wall of said flush tank, said mechanism including a handle positioned exteriorly of said wall and a lever positioned interiorly of said wall, and a connecting member extending from said lever through said segmental groove and being attached to the valve in said valved outlet.

2. In a toilet flushing mechanism, a flush tank having valved discharge outlet, an operating mechanism receiving aperture near the top of said tank, a hollow thimble extending through In the modified form of the invention shown 7 said aperture, one end of said thimble being provided with a flange, the opposite end of said thimble being threaded, a squared shoulder formed on said thimble adjacent said threaded end, a supporting member positioned on said squared shoulder and being secured against independent movement, a portion of said supporting member paralleling one wall of said tank and a portion thereof curved outwardly therefrom, a guide member having a segmentally shaped groove in its peripheral surface adjustably positioned on the outwardly curved portion of said supporting member, an operating shaft extending through said hollow thimble, said shaft having a. handle positioned thereon exteriorly of said wall and a lever positioned exteriorly of said Wall, and a connecting member extending from said lever through said segmental groove and being attached to the valve in said valved outlet.

3. In a toilet flushing mechanism, a flush tank having valved discharge outlet, an operating mechanism receiving aperture near the top of said tank, a hollow thimble extending through said aperture, one end of said thimble being provided with a flange, the opposite end of said thimble being threaded, a squared shoulder said guide member being fixed against independent movement, a shaft rotatably positioned within said thimble and extending therebeyond, an operating handle secured to one end of said shaft, a lever secured to the other end of said shaft, and a connecting member extending from said lever through said segmental groove and being attached to the valve in said valved outlet.

WALTER STANLEY.

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