Valve Moves Relative To Guide Through Bottom Of Valve Patents (Class 4/399)
  • Patent number: 9915059
    Abstract: A vent cover is described herein which may be used with various flush valve assemblies, particularly those acceptable for high efficiency and high performance toilets, which vent cover has a wall that includes an upper portion, a lower portion configured to define a vent cover inlet opening for receiving air and/or liquid passing upwardly from within a valve body and/or from within a toilet through a toilet inlet when the vent cover is installed on a valve body, an exterior surface, and an interior surface defining a vent cover passage for air passing upwardly from the vent cover inlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: AS IP HOLDCO, LLC
    Inventors: David Grover, Christophe Bucher, Sara Salahi
  • Patent number: 9334976
    Abstract: A shut-off valve is mounted below a fire hydrant to automatically shut down water flow in case the hydrant is knocked over by a vehicle. The valve has a cylindrical enclosure open at both ends. A rotor is rotationally supported within the enclosure and movable linearly by rotation between a first, valve-open, and a second valve-closed, positions, the rotor acting to stopper the valve when in the valve-closed position. The rotor has plural buckets which cause the rotor to rotate when water flows through the enclosure and this rotation causes a screw action moving the rotor into the valve-closed position. Rotation is normally prevented by a restrictor plate resting in recesses on the valve. In this case the hydrant is able to receive water flow through the valve. When the hydrant is displaced it releases the restrictor plate allowing the stoppering action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Graken Corp.
    Inventor: Graham P. Wood
  • Patent number: 8819874
    Abstract: A toilet tank flush valve structure includes a valve base. A float assembly that is adjustable in buoyancy is movable between a sealing position and a flushing position. An overflow tube is attached to the float assembly and extends from a lower end in communication with a water outflow passage of the valve base to an upper end in communication with the interior space of the toilet tank. The upper end of the overflow tube is adjustable relative to the float assembly independently of the buoyancy of the float assembly. A guide member guides movement of the float assembly. A stop member on the guide member limits upward travel of the float assembly from its sealing position. The stop member is adjustable in position lengthwise of the guide member or by extension of the guide member independently of the buoyancy of the float assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: Douglas P. Hand
  • Patent number: 8806669
    Abstract: A canister flush valve is disclosed with a valve seat modified to accommodate a greater initial surge of flow, without distorting flushing performance. There is a mounting at the bottom of a toilet tank that links to an outlet hole from the tank and forms a valve seat. A passageway through the mounting tapers in an arcuate manner below the valve seat. There is also a guide support structure in the passageway, preferably centered. The guide support structure also has a tapered leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Halloran, Ronald L. Smies
  • Patent number: 8397319
    Abstract: A water-saving flush valve control mechanism is formed as a single unit that can easily be retrofitted onto existing toilet architectures with only one fixed attachment point. Water usage is reduced by providing the user full control in opening and closing the buoyant water valve. Control is achieved by a vertical rigid spine that is attached between the toilet handle arm and the valve. An adjustable lateral extension is included and placed between the toilet handle arm and the vertical rigid spine to ensure that the spine is properly positioned over the valve. Pivotable attachment of the spine to the lateral extension accommodates the arcing pathway of the buoyant valve. A float arm may be added and used to counterbalance the additional weight associated with the flush valve control mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: Michael Peter Senderak
  • Patent number: 8112829
    Abstract: A flush valve assembly structure of a water tank is provided, and includes a valve seat, a guide rod, and a canister flush valve. The canister flush valve seals a flow path from an internal of the water tank to a toilet bowl, and may be lifted up to be separated from the valve seat to form a valve port. A water passage part is mounted on the canister flush valve, and a water passage post is disposed on the water passage part. A water inlet is disposed on the water passage post, which may be appropriately blocked by a block wall correspondingly disposed on the bottom wall. Meanwhile, a position of the water passage post may be adjusted to change a degree that the water inlet is blocked, so as to change a flow volume of flush water entering the canister flush valve from the water inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Globe Union Industrial Corp.
    Inventor: Ching-Chen Shieh
  • Patent number: 8079095
    Abstract: A flush valve assembly of the present invention includes a body subassembly in operable communication with a movable poppet seal subassembly via a guide rod of a predetermined length. The body subassembly inlet is substantially located above the tank floor, thereby reducing available tank discharge volume. The poppet subassembly includes a float having upper and lower float covers with an annular seal disposed therebetween. The poppet subassembly remains coaxially and slidably mounted with respect to the body subassembly so as to create a valve opening therebetween when the poppet subassembly is removed from its initial closed position to a second open position. Guide structure in the body subassembly accommodates reciprocatable movement of the guide rod and inhibits deviation of the guide rod from a predetermined axial guide path when the poppet subassembly is in use during a flush cycle. An optional valve bracket may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ideal Standard International BVBA
    Inventor: Robert M. Jensen
  • Patent number: 7865979
    Abstract: A toilet tank flush valve structure includes a valve base for installation in the outlet hole formed in the floor of a toilet tank and defining a water outflow passage and including a first valve member at the upper end of the water outflow passage. A float assembly is movable relative to the valve base between a sealing position in which a second valve member at a lower end of the float assembly engages the first valve member in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the second valve member is spaced upwardly from the first valve member. The float assembly includes an outer shell that is open downwards and has a lower edge at which the shell is provided with the second valve member, and a closure member within the outer shell and cooperating with the outer shell to define a float chamber. The closure member is adjustable in position relative to the outer shell, whereby the float chamber is adjustable in volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Inventor: Douglas P. Hand
  • Patent number: 4338689
    Abstract: A self-aligning valve assembly and a valve plug therefor includes an elastomeric valve plug having an annular outer sealing portion with an annular sealing surface for sealing a drain hole valve seating of a receptacle. A central mounting portion is secured to a pair of telescoped tubes. A flexible diaphragm with a circular convoluted fold integrally connects the mounting portion and the outer sealing portion, and is capable of yielding to permit radial and/or tilting displacement of the outer sealing portion relative to the central mounting portion of the plug to accommodate limited misalignment between the valve tubes and the drain hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1982
    Assignee: Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Clifford V. Zieg