Within Tank Patents (Class 137/425)
  • Patent number: 9745729
    Abstract: A flush water tank assembly includes: a flush water supply device for switching between a water supplying state and a water stopping state with respect of an inside of the water storage tank in terms of flush water; a small tank attached to the flush water supply device and configured to hold therein flush water; an openable and closable valve for opening and closing an opening in the bottom wall of the small tank; a float movable upwardly and downwardly according to change in water level within the small tank; and a water discharge valve device for opening and closing a water discharge port of the water storage tank, and the openable and closable valve has an auxiliary float element configured to be moved upwardly and downwardly according to change in water level within the small tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Atsuko Yamasaki, Yukinori Kubozono
  • Patent number: 9322489
    Abstract: A float valve assembly is provided which can be remotely retrofit to a pipe end located in a production tank. The valve assembly comprises a guide rod disposed axially in the valve assembly. A floating valve element of the valve assembly is coupled to the guide rod and is moveable with or axially along the guide rod. The valve assembly is remotely mounted on the pipe end by temporarily associating an installation tool with the guide rod to locate a fitting adapter of the valve assembly over the pipe end for sealably fitting the valve assembly to the pipe end. The guide rod can also be manually manipulated for moving the valve element away from the pipe end and locking the valve element in the open position for permitting flow of liquid through the pipe end. A method for manually locking the valve element in the open position is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Inventor: John Lipinski
  • Patent number: 8573246
    Abstract: An automatic filling termination device and a cryogenic vessel are provided including a body with a chamber, defined in the cryogenic vessel and provided with an inlet, communicated with the inlet for filling cryogenic medium into the chamber, and an outlet, arranged on the top wall of the body for discharging the cryogenic medium in the chamber into the cryogenic vessel; a flow termination member blocking the outlet, defined in the chamber of the body and has a predetermined weight to not be floated in the cryogenic medium; a floater, located outside the body and moving up and down when the liquid level of the cryogenic medium as filled into the cryogenic vessel is changed; and a connection, penetrated through the outlet to connect the flow termination member with the floater, wherein the outlet internal diameter is greater than the connection outer diameter by a predetermined dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: Nantong CIMC Tank Equipment Co., Ltd., China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guoquan Lv, Minghua Deng, Pingan Jiang, Kun Wang
  • Patent number: 8360093
    Abstract: A pilot fill valve includes a float that is separated into upper and lower cavities by an angled partition through which a drain outlet and an overflow outlet are disposed. When the level of the float drops, a portion of the water supplied to the fill valve is diverted to a tank to raise the float, while the remainder is diverted to the upper cavity increasing the weight of the float. As the float begins to rise, the water in the upper cavity drains through the drain outlet and overflow outlet, making the float lighter, and causing the float and pivot arm to rotate with increased velocity, allowing the pilot cap carried by the pivot arm to fully shut off the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Conrad, Wilson Enrique Sandoval Medina
  • Patent number: 6913035
    Abstract: A water filler includes a water filling device, and a regulating device. The water filling device includes an inner filling tube, an outer filling tube, and an upper cover. The regulating device includes a floating barrel, a sliding barrel, a water support disk, and an adjusting unit. Thus, the floating barrel is lifted instantaneously and rapidly to stop the water filling action exactly and actually, thereby saving the water source. Thus, the water filler has a quick water stop function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Inventor: So-Mel Huang
  • Patent number: 6823785
    Abstract: A printing unit has at least four cylinders that form a printer. At least two of these four cylinders rotate independently of each other. At least one of the cylinders in the group of at least four cylinders has a set up rotational speed that is not zero and that is different from a production rotational speed of that cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Schneider, Wolfgang Otto Reder
  • Patent number: 6776200
    Abstract: A trigger, for use with a port through which a flow of particulate solid material selectively passes, is disclosed and comprises a sensor and a trigger body having a first position and a second position. The trigger body is biased for movement to said first position; defines a threshold level of said particulate; is adapted to be positioned, in use, beneath said port so as be impinged upon by said flow when at its first position and moved by said flow to its second position; and is adapted, upon accumulation of said particulate beneath said port beyond the threshold level, to be restrained as against movement to said first position by said particulate until such time as the particulate recedes to said threshold level. The sensor produces a signal responsive to movement of the trigger body to its first position. Particulate handling apparatus including the trigger is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Hamilton Avtec Inc.
    Inventors: Krzystztof Dronsejko, Tomasz Garus, Steven K. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 5715856
    Abstract: A liquid flow control apparatus (5) suitable for handling milk from a milking machine, comprising a first chamber (10) that comprises an inlet (11) for the milk, an outlet (12) for connecting to a vacuum pump, and an outlet (14) for the milk to flow by gravity to a second chamber (13). The first chamber (10) and the second chamber (13) are in communication with each other by means of the outlet (14) at the bottom of the first chamber (10). The second chamber (13) has a float valve (23) that closes off communication between the first chamber (10) and the second chamber (13) depending on the level of liquid in the second chamber (13). A conduit tube (18) for air communication is disposed between the first chamber (10) and the second chamber (13). A second float valve (17b) closes off communication via the conduit tube (18) between the two chambers. A third chamber (21) has two valves with one valve (26) opening to the atmosphere and a second valve (20) opening to the second chamber (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventors: Tommy Martin, John Dawkins
  • Patent number: 5669083
    Abstract: A flush valve system is disclosed which sequentially fills and drains the water of the flush tank so as to eliminate wasted water. The flush valve system has a secondary, weighted float and a primary float which controls the water inlet valve that, in turn, controls the entry of water into the flush tank. The secondary float operates to prevent the entry of water into the flush tank until the water in the flush tank is substantially drained, and prevents overlapping operations of filling and draining a flush tank that might otherwise cause water to be wasted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Inventor: Roland J. Leombruni, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5179739
    Abstract: A toilet flushing apparatus designed to prevent excess loss of water that may happen when the flush valve stays open as the inlet valve is putting water into the tank. The initial flushing lifts the flush valve which acts in conjunction with a counter-weight and controller arm attached to the float ball arm. The controller arm supports the float ball and thus allows the intake valve to remain in the closed position until the flush valve has closed completely, at which time the float ball is lowered and water is let in to the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Inventor: Thomas A. Mann
  • Patent number: 5035257
    Abstract: A toilet tank valve having a vertical riser with a collet thread and a plurality of flexible collet fingers. A slider tube is fitted into the riser. It has a plurality of peripheral grooves that can be engaged by the fingers to adjust the elevation of the slider tube. A collet nut threaded to the riser compresses the finger for this purpose. Valve workings are mounted to the slider tube. They include an inverted cup float slidingly fitted around the riser which can engage splines on the collet nut so that rotating the float can turn the collet nut, enabling the slider tube's elevation to be adjusted and its adjustment retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: Coast Foundry & Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce A. Antunez
  • Patent number: 4874531
    Abstract: For use in combination with a system for separating water from pressurized fuel in a filter-separator tank, there is provided a float valve and weight device that prevents fuel from leaving the tank if the interface between fuel and water is at an undesirably high elevation. The float of the float valve is associated with a weight, the relationships being such that the float floats at the interface. To test the float for waterlogging, and to test the entire system, the association between float and weight is discontinued. The float then floats up unless waterlogging has occured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Cla-Val Co.
    Inventor: Harold W. Ensign
  • Patent number: 4854340
    Abstract: A water - buoyant, water-saving device, attachable to undersurface of a toilet Flush-Tank Float so as to add to buoyant force of Float that causes closure of Flush-Tank water inlet-valve. Since buoyant closure force obtains when tank water has risen enough to contact and lift Tank-Float, the buoyant body of this device, placed below the Tank-Float, provides additional buoyant force at a lower water level. Often the buoyant force of Tank-Float is not adequate to close water inlet-valve before water rises so high it wastes into tank overflow pipe. This device contributes the additional buoyant force that can eliminate this problem. Lines equidistant from all sides are marked on buoyant body as guides for symmetrical cut-off to facilitate within-tank fit and/or to reduce buoyant effect. By such selective buoyancy negation the water level in Flush-Tank is adjustable to prevent wasteful overflow and to set water level for lowest water volume for effective flushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Inventor: John P. Pavlik
  • Patent number: 4503881
    Abstract: An automatic valve for a sewer or the like includes a body having an upstream inlet and a downstream exit for liquid. A path joins the inlet and exit, and a closure gate is hingedly mounted to the body at a substantially horizontal axis located above the path, so that the gate can swing between a first position in which it blocks the path and a second position in which it unblocks the path. An arm is fixed with respect to the closure gate to swing with it in such a way that the arm is higher when the gate blocks the path than it is when the gate unblocks the path, the arm counterbalancing the closure gate so that the latter normally seeks the second position. A cage surrounds the arm and communicates with the path, and a float member in the cage under the arm means is free of connection to the arm means or any other part of the apparatus, whereby a rise in liquid level causes the float member to urge upwardly against the arm and close the closure gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Inventor: Fiore M. Vecchio
  • Patent number: 4483367
    Abstract: A direct indicating automatic stop fill valve is mounted to the inlet to an LPG tank whereby inlet ports to the tank volume are covered by a slidably mounted cylinder which is raised through contact with a float/cam arrangement until the tank level reaches a predetermined level. The cylinder is then driven into a sealing position to stop the flow into the tank by a differential pressure force resulting from the inlet pressure being higher than tank fluid pressure. The cylinder also supports a drive magnet for actuating a gauging mechanism to visibly indicate the open or closed status of the stop fill valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: Rochester Gauges, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert G. Ross, Jr., Robert E. Hrncir
  • Patent number: 4453560
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hydraulically balanced ballcock (10). A unique valve element (60) is translationally slidable within a valve housing (22) provided in the body (11) of the ballcock (10). A washer (74) received on the head (70) of the piston (61) in the valve element (60) moves in and out of engagement with a valve seat (85) presented from the valve housing (22) to effect closure and opening of the ballcock (10). A bore (95) extends through the piston (61) and stem portion (62) of the valve element (60) to communicate with a control chamber (125). Radial orifices (98 to 101) through a nozzle (73) that extends forwardly of the piston head (70) and through the washer (74) are located to communicate the pressure resulting from the venturi effect of fluid flow between the washer (74) and the seat (85) to the control chamber (15) by virtue of the bore (95).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: Interpace Corporation
    Inventors: R. Frank Nestich, Burton L. Preston
  • Patent number: 4313459
    Abstract: Inlet into propane cylinder is covered by sliding sleeve which is raised by a float when the tank level reaches desired level. Float is partly counterbalanced by lift spring and is driven into closed position by hydraulic force when motion is initiated by the float.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Inventor: Gerald D. Mylander
  • Patent number: 3935686
    Abstract: A drain plug to seal a drain hole opening in a vehicle body panel, the drain plug being generally in the shape of a cross with two crossed arms and, in its pre-installed free position, being folded along a longitudinal fold line extending through one arm to appear tent-shaped in cross section with the extent between the ends of the other arm, which are curved, being such that so as to permit entry of these portions of the other arm through the drain hole in a vehicle body panel. The drain plug is then clinched into assembly with the panel, as by striking the plug in the area of the fold line to collapse the tent-shaped portion of the plug flat against the panel whereby this arm, with the original fold line therein, engages one side of the panel while the ends of the other arm are forced to move beyond the extremities of the drain hole to dig into the opposite side of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: James H. Dozois