No water waste valve

Abstract

A combination of 3 ball valves which empty the hot water line of cold water, that line being the line which is from the hot water heater source to a desired faucet. A faucet being any location where hot water is desired without wasting water that is cold in the hot line. To not waste water to achieve hot water, the cold water in the hot line is used to fill the bathroom stool when it is flushed. The invention allows by adjustment a setting to let cold water to combine with the cold from the hot line to have a measured amount of water to complete the fill of the tank of a bathroom stool. The invention of ball valve combination can be installed with water lines in its entirety in a bathroom when no access is available to the location of the hot water source. The only additional line needed is a tube or pipe from the invention at the stool to a T located at the sink area or shower tub area of the faucet A power source such as electric is not necessary for installation or operation.

Description

The invention (valve) is to save water that is usually wasted when running a hot water source to the point of hot water being available at a sink, shower or tub faucet. Water in a hot water line cools and must be emptied before the line again contains hot water for use. When the line is emptied that water normally is run into a drain and therefore never used, and is wasted.

The invention is generally used in household water systems. This invention uses the normally wasted water (cold water in a hot line) to fill a bathroom stool tank after it is flushed. As when a bathroom is used, the stool is most likely to be used. In addition after the stool is used a person washes their hands or showers, both actions needing hot water for sanitary purposes. The valve reduces the time needed to wait for hot water at the sink, shower, or tub faucet, considered a convenience in addition to saving water.

The valve also reduces the need to process wasted water (cold water in a hot line) in a treatment plant.

The invention is contained in a case with 3 ball valves 4 5 6 for diversion and measuring water. The device has two inlets for water, one cold line 1 and one hot line 2. The device has one outlet 3 to the bathroom stool. The cold inlet 1 is from the normal hookup location (cold water line) of a bathroom stool source. The hot line inlet 2 is from the source where hot water use is desired. The line is the way to empty a hot water line of cold water to the point (sink shower or tub faucet) of hot water use. The use source would generally be a sink tub, or shower but may have other areas of destination for use. The interior of the case includes an additional line which is used to regulate by one ball valve 4, the amount of cold water, determined by the capacity of the hot water line from a water heating device to a desired use, sink shower or tub needed to complete the filling of the bathroom stool tank. Total water needed in the stool tank is the amount needed from the hot water line to empty that line of cold water plus cold water from the cold line to equal approximately 1.5 gallons of water the capacity of a stool tank.

The valve 4 is adjusted at installation of the invention and should not need additional adjustment. This adjustment is done by the one ball valve 4 as shown on the drawings. Valve 5 is used to turn on or off cold water, the amount not needed to measure the flow of water. Valve 6 is used to turn on or off the line running from the hot water line. Valve 6 and 5 are always opposite of each other, on or off. When 5 is on and 6 is off the invention is in a position of functioning like a normal supply with cold water only to the bathroom stool. When 6 is on and 5 is off the invention will be functioning as desired, saving water and adding convenience.

The need to shut off flow through valve 6 is when a stool is used again before the hot water line contents have cooled. If the shut-off option was not possible actual hot water would fill the stool tank. The device has a lever 7 to turn off or on valve 5 and 6. The lever 7 can be replaced by a thermostat actuator.

The invention is totally free from any power source.

VIEW OF DRAWING

Valve 4 is the ball valve set during installation, regulating and supplying additional cold water to complete the filling of a stool tank. The valve will always be on if additional water is needed.

Valve 5 will always be turned off to flow when the device is in use to empty cold water in the hot line.

Valve 6 will always be turned on fully when the device is in use, and completely turned off when not being used.

Levered gear 7 on the hot water valve is manually operated to turn on the device or to turn it off to use cold water for operating the bathroom stool. The levered gear moves the other gear counter, which in turn makes the 5 valve be opposite the 6 valve.

Claims

1. Save water and obtain hot water at a desired location without a power source.

2. Save processing costs at disposal, by using less water.

3. Easy installation and contained only in bathroom and good for existing construction.

4. Does not need line or power source to for recirculation of cold water.

5. Low cost easy installation, especially in existing housing.

6. Obtain hot water at any location in home if desired.

7. Less power needed to produce water.

8. Less power used to process less effluent water.

9. Low cost easy manufacture.

10. Low cost availability to more consumers.