Abstract: A plumbing connector is provided to communicate water between a wall valve and a toilet. An adapter is provided to facilitate a mating relationship between threads of a first configuration on the valve and threads of a second configuration on the connector. The adapter has a cylindrical configuration with outer threads mating with the connector, and inner threads mating with the valve. The adapter can be positioned within a cap associated with the connector so that no separate gaskets are required for sealing purposes. With the adapter, a single connector size can be inventoried to accommodate different thread configurations associated with the wall valve.

Abstract: A pivotable toilet flush valve member (10) is provided, of the type that includes a float (40) with a pair of holes (44, 52) that allow the float to fill with water during a flushing to close early, and where the float can be turned to vary the amount of water used during a flushing, wherein the float is constructed for easy and loose mounting on a frame (12) and for low friction rotation about a primarily vertical axis (60), and where the flush valve member has a simple detent mechanism to hold the float at any rotational position to which it is turned. The frame has an aperture (74) lying along the primarily vertical axis, and the float has a small diameter upwardly extending projection (70) that projects upwardly through the frame aperture and that is held by the walls of the aperture, for low friction turning. The detent mechanism includes an upstanding wall (100) with an upwardly-open vertical groove (102) that has a plurality of teeth on at least one side of the groove.

Abstract: Leak detector apparatus (40) is provided for use with a toilet inlet valve assembly (12) that includes a float (30) slidable along a vertical post (32), which can be easily installed by a handyman. The leak detector apparatus includes a buoyant body (42) and a mount (44) that pivotally supports the body about a body axis (54) on the float (30). The body has a forward end portion (56) that can engage the post to prevent the float from moving down until a chain device (60) attached to the rear of the body is pulled to pivot the body. The body has a center of buoyancy (80), when immersed in water, which lies forward of the body axis, so when immersed the body urges its forward end portion against the post to prevent the float from moving down. The forward portion of the body can include a metal strip with a sharp edge (74) that "digs" into the inlet valve plastic post. The mount includes a pair of upstanding mount posts (114) that project into air holes (112) on the float.

Abstract: A dual flush valve that can be operated in a partial flush mode to release only about half of the tank water to the toilet bowl, or in a full flush mode to release almost all of the tank water, is of simple and reliable construction. For a partial flushing a chain device (64, FIG. 2) connected to the outer end of the flush member, is pulled to raise the flush member only a small amount (to 14C), and a release mechanism (90) is connected to a separate location on the flush member to keep it up until a float (110) senses that about half of the tank water has been released. The float pivots an arm (102) to disengage a latch 94 on the arm from a catch (96) on the yoke of the flush member to release it. The float slides along the refill/overflow tube (26).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that indicate the amount of gas such as air in a clear liquid such as water. The apparatus includes a transparent pipe (60), an input coupling (16) at a first end of the transparent pipe, and a shutoff valve (20) at the second end of the pipe. The first end of the pipe is connected to a source of water (12) under pressure, whose air content is to be determined. With the valve (20) open, water is allowed to pass through the pipe and valve to purge the pipe of air and any previous water. The shutoff valve is then closed, to contain the water under pressure. The dissolved air in the static, pressurized water, immediately forms microscopic air bubbles, which result in the water having a "milky" appearance. The presence of the milky appearance indicates the presence of a considerable amount of dissolved water (when the water is not under high pressure). The reflectivity of the water indicates the amount of dissolved air per unit volume of water (when not under high pressure).

Abstract: A water saver toilet is provided, of the type that applies a vacuum to the toilet bowl outlet to assist flushing, which effectively uses the vacuum and which can be of low height. The toilet bowl outlet includes upper and lower trap devices (44, 50 in FIG. 2) connected by a trapway (46), with a vacuum source applied to the trapway during a flushing to pull out water and debris from the toilet bowl. One vacuum source (FIG. 3) includes a largely horizontal diaphragm (76) which separates a water chamber (82) from a vacuum chamber (80). The water chamber is initially filled with water, which is rapidly emptied during flushing, causing the diaphragm to rapidly fall from an upwardly bowed configuration (76) to a downwardly bowed configuration (76A). The vertically moving diaphragm produces a vacuum in the vacuum chamber that is connected to the trapway.

Abstract: A PM (permanent magnet) motor is described, that uses electromagnetic current to release or pull a PM, which has increased starting torque and a large power output in a small volume. The motor includes phase units (60, FIG. 3 ) each having three electromagnets (46A-46C) and each having two PMs (44A, 44B) of Nd-B-Fe permanent magnet material. At a start position, a PM (44B) of each phase unit is centered between the cores (50B, 50C) of two electromagnets, and there is slight overlap (90, FIG. 6 ) of each of the two core faces (64B, 64C) with the PM face (62A). Each PM face has a longer circumferential length (D) than that (G) of each core face. Each PM face and each core face, has an axial length (E, FIG. 1 ) which is much larger than its circumferential length (D, G). The interface end of each electromagnet coil lies a small distance (K) from the core face.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted toilet is described, of the type wherein the toilet bowl outlet has a lower trap that is open to the passage of air therethrough except during each flushing when a vacuum is applied, which uses the vacuum more effectively. A vacuum source (46, FIG. 3) includes a first container portion (107) that holds water between flushings, with the water released during a flushing and creating a vacuum in a second portion (106) of the container that is coupled through a vacuum conduit (48) to the toilet bowl outlet. Instead of constantly coupling the second portion of the container to the bowl outlet, the second portion of the container is allowed to progressively expand but remain substantially unconnected to the bowl outlet until a predetermined amount of expansion (to 108) when the second portion is suddenly connected through the vacuum conduit (48) to the bowl outlet.

Abstract: Improvements are described in an electric motor that includes a rotor with permanent magnets and a stator with electromagnets, of the "release" type wherein current to a "last" electromagnet that a permanent magnet is moving away from, receives only enough current to "release" the permanent magnet from the electromagnet core, with the permanent magnet attracted to the core of the "next" electromagnet whose coil does not carry current. The amount of current to the "last" electromagnet varies with the angular distance of the permanent magnet moving away from the "last" electromagnet. The electromagnets and permanent magnets can be in a ratio of 3 to 2. The percent of total electromagnets which are energized during each complete rotation of the rotor, can be reduced to save electricity when only a small output torque is required.

Abstract: A water source (12, FIG. 1) is provided for mounting on a toilet housing (32) rearward of the toilet bowl (18), which has a small rearward-to-forward depth (D) and low height (H), and which enables close control of the flow of water and any vacuum to the toilet bowl and its outlet. The source includes a frame (40) for mounting on the rearward portion of the toilet housing, the frame having two wide holes (50, 52) and a diaphragm device (54, 56) extending across each hole to separate water regions (60, 62) from air regions (64, 66) that lie on opposite sides of the diaphragm. The holes and diaphragms form two horizontally spaced water supply units 42, 44 that lie on opposite sides of the toilet bowl outlet 24 to efficiently use space. A spring or weight biases each diaphragm to compress the water region. The two water regions are connected together and to a flush valve (14) for supplying water to the toilet bowl.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted toilet wherein a vacuum is applied between upper and lower traps (40,44 in FIG. 2) of a toilet bowl outlet during a flushing, wherein the lower trap is constructed to more reliably assure that an air passage (64) above a pool of water (52) of the lower trap will quickly close near the beginning of a flushing and will remain open between flushings. The lower trap has a lower wall (50) that holds a pool of water (52) with a pool top (62) of predetermined height (A) between flushings, and has an upper wall (60) spaced above the pool top to form an air passage. The upper wall forms a narrow but tall vent (100, FIG. 4) of the air passage, which assures that the air passage will always be open between flushings, and with the narrow but tall vent being quickly closed by water rapidly flowing therethrough at the beginning of a flushing.

Abstract: A water saver toilet is provided, of the type that applies a vacuum to the toilet bowl outlet to assist flushing, which effectively uses the vacuum. The toilet bowl outlet includes upper and lower trap devices (44, 50 in FIG. 2) connected by a trapway (46), with the lower trap device being initially unobstructed. At the beginning of flushing, the initial water flow causes obstruction of the lower trap device to air flow, and a vacuum is then applied to the trapway to pull out water and debris from the toilet bowl. One toilet (FIG. 5) is of the urinal type, and includes a container (214) lying within a water tank, with the lower end (218) of the container opening to the water tank, and with the upper end (219) of the container connected by a vertical vacuum pipe (221) to the trapway.

Abstract: A system is provided for treating water to reduce calcium carbonate deposits. At least three or four pairs of magnets (30a-30d and 32a-32d in FIG. 2) form a group of magnets that are mounted around a water-carrying pipe (12), with the magnets spaced apart parallel to the length of the pipe, and with the magnets of each pair lying on opposite sides of the pipe. Each pair of magnets (e.g. 30a, 32a) and a frame (34) that holds them, forms a unit which clamps individually around the pipe, to facilitate changing of the spacing between adjacent magnets. Two different groups of magnets (16, 18) can be employed, with the spacing of magnets in a first group being nonharmonic to the spacing in a second group.

Abstract: A flush valve device is described for use in a toilet that includes a pressured water source, which can drain away water in the event of excess pressure with minimal modification to the toilet and which facilitates initial operation of the flush valve device. The flush valve device includes a valve member (16, FIG. 2 ) which lifts off a valve seat (22) at the beginning of a flushing, the valve member carrying a pressure operated relief valve (50) which dumps water at excess pressure through the opening (52) within the valve seat, to avoid the need for additional fluid-tight couplings in the water source. The valve member includes a sealing portion (60) which normally lies against the valve seat and which is lifted completely away from the valve seat during a flushing.

Abstract: A new control is described for controlling the temperature of hot water or other fluids supplied to rooms of an apartment building or the like, which replaces a prior control. The new control acclimates tenants to the change in temperature resulting from the installation of the new control. The new control includes an acclimating circuit which is used during an acclimating period of a duration such as ten days, which controls the hot water supply system to produce a supply temperature (60, FIG. 2 ) which is between the temperature (46) that would have been supplied by the prior control, and the temperature (44) that will be supplied by the new control after the acclimating period. The acclimating circuit makes the fluid temperature progressively closer to that which would have been set by the new control, at times progressively closer to the end of the acclimating period.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for replacing part or all of a toilet flush valve, which facilitates mounting in a variety of toilets and which enables saving of water. The assembly includes an adapter (30, FIG. 6) for mounting on older types of overflow tubes, which includes a ring member (70) having a gap (72) and a leaf spring (80) extending across the gap. After the adapter is moved down along the overflow tube and lies at its base, the spring is pushed in to cause a hook (84) at one end to ride along a ramp (90) from a second tooth (88) to a third tooth (92) and engage the third tooth, to tightly clamp the ring member in place to prevent turning. A closing delay cup (116, FIG. 9) that can be used on a valve member, includes a plurality of holes and at least one plug (126) that is molded to the cup and can be cut off and used to plug one of the holes (120) to adjust the amount of water saved in each flushing. A valve member includes a tank ball having an enlargement (160, FIG.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted toilet is described wherein a vacuum is applied to a toilet bowl outlet during flushing, which avoids malfunctions that could allow sewer gas to escape, and which uses flushing water effectively. The toilet bowl outlet includes upper and lower trap devices (40,44, FIG. 5) coupled by a trapway (42), with the lower trap device forming an unobstructed air passage when no water is moving therethrough but which includes a trapping region (64) that completely fills with water and forms an airflow barrier during flushing. The vacuum source includes a container (72, FIG. 1) in the toilet tank, with the container fixed in place in the tank to lie stationary therein, and with an ordinary flush valve (23) lying outside the container, so substantially the only part of the toilet that moves during flushing is the long developed and reliable flush valve.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for replacing part or all of a toilet flush valve, which facilitates mounting in a variety of toilets and which enables saving of water. The assembly includes an adapter (30, FIG. 6) for mounting on older types of overflow tubes, which includes a ring member (70) having a gap (72l ) and a leaf spring (80) extending across the gap. After the adapter is moved down along the overflow tube and lies at its base, the spring is pushed in to cause a hook (84) at one end to ride along a ramp (90) from a second tooth (88) to a third tooth (92) and engage the third tooth, to tightly clamp the ring member in place to prevent turning. A closing delay cup (116, FIG. 9) that can be used on a valve member, includes a plurality of holes and at least one plug (126) that is molded to the cup and can be cut off and used to plug one of the holes (120) to adjust the amount of water saved in each flushing. A valve member includes a tank ball having an enlargement (160, FIG.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which enables a container of cleaning fluid to lie in a water closet and dispense cleaning fluid solely into the toilet bowl rather than into the water closet. The apparatus includes a storage chamber (54) for holding granules of a chemical that dissolves in water to create cleaning fluid, and a transfer chamber (64) through which water flows from a refill valve outlet (40) into a standpipe (44) that leads to the toilet bowl, at each flushing of the toilet. The transfer chamber is coupled to the storage chamber so that cleaning fluid can migrate from the storage chamber (54) into the transfer chamber (64), and yet during each flushing the water from the refill outlet primarily sweeps out cleaning fluid in the transfer chamber. An anti-siphon device (74) between the refill valve outlet and the cleaning fluid dispensing apparatus includes a check valve, and a chamber that surrounds the check valve.