US2547708A - Waste flushing mechanism, including a backflow preventer - Google Patents

Description

A. J. KREINER 2,547,70$

, mcwnmc A BACKFLOW PREVENTER April 3, 1951 WASTE FLUSHING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Sept. 21, 1946 I) TTOR/VEYS rifl 3, 1951 A. J. KREINER 2,547,703

VENTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WASTE FLUSHING MECHANISM, INCLUDING A BACKFLOW PRE Filed Sept. 21, 1946 BY R64 L d r HTTOR/VEYS .ior .only a brief interval.

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASTEFLUSHIN G MECHANISM, INCLUDING A BACKFLOW PREVENTER Anthony J. Kreiner, Wicklifie, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Lockley Machine Company, New Castle, Pa., a corporation, of .Penn:

sylvania Applicationseptember 21, SL946, .SfllfialiNr698i528 invention relates to garbage disposal apparatus of the kind adapted, to be connected to the drain opening of a kitchen sink or the likeand :Which operates to grind or comminute kitchen waste material and to discharge the ground materialinto a drain pipe of the plumb- .ingzsystem.

flit has been recognized heretofore in connection with the operation of garbage disposal apparatus of. thisv kind that it is desirable to supply water for mixing with the waste material during the grinding operation because the water and ground material form a sludge which will readily flow through the drain pipe without causing clogging thereof. The water also facilitates the grinding operation and serves to flush and cleanse the apparatus. Water under pressure is ordinarily ,available for this purpose in the usual domestic cold water supply pipe which extends to the cold water faucet of the sink with which, the disposal apparatus is connected.

The domestic cold water supply pipe usually contains potable water and if a branch from this pipe is connected to the garbage disposal apparatus for supplying the water-thereto a problem is presented because of the possibility that under certain conditions a backflowof water from the disposal apparatus into the supply pipe might occur and cause contamination of the potable water supply. Usually the grinding device .of the garbage disposal apparatus is connected to the drain opening of the kitchen sink so that the chamber of the grinding device forms a down- Ward continuation of this drain opening and hence, when a large volume of soiled water is allowed to flow out of the sink through the drain opening such as when a pan of dishwater is emptied into the sink or when the drain stopper is. removed, it flows into the chamber of the grinding device more rapidly than it can flow out throughthe drain pipe and the level of the soiled water rises to ,a relatively high point in the chamber although it may remain at such a high level If a vacuum should exist in the potable water supply pipe during such a flooded condition of the chamber of the grinding device and if the valve controlling the fiow of water to the grinding device from the supply pipe should be open at the same time, some ofv the soiled water will flow backwardly into the supply p ne and. cause the abovementioned contamination oi the potable water unless means .isprovided for preventing such backfiow- ,It is, therefore, .an object of this invention to provide im'proyed garbage disposal apparatus of 2 Claims. (01.4-18.7?)

thischaracter and embodying a means for supplying water thereto but wherein means is employed for preyentinga return flow of water from thedisposal-apparatus to the water supply means.

Another object of the present invention is. to provide improved garbage disposal apparatus .of the character mentionedwhich embodies a backdoo preventingdevice for preventing such .a returnfiow of water from. the disposalapparatus.

A further object is to provide improved garbage disposal apparatus of this kind in which a control valve unit embodied in the grinding device controls the supply of the water thereto and .a backflow preventing valve device associated with the control valve .unit prevents a return flow of water from the grinding device into the water,

ratusbei-ng shown applied to a kitchen sink and with portions ofthe sink and grinding device broken away;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus taken at a point adjacent to but below the sink substantially as indicated by line 2.--2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a partialvertical sectional View taken through the back-flow preventing device and an adjacent portion of the grinding device, theview being taken substantially as indicatedbyline 3-3 of Fig. 2, and i Fig. 4 is another partial vertical sectional view taken through the control valve unit of the grinding (device. as indicated by line .4 4 of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1- of the accompanying drawings the improved garbage disposal apparatus is shown applied to a kitchen sink ii]. The apparatus comprises, in general, agrinding .device I I, .anavailable supply of water under pressure and which is .here, represented by the supply pipe or con,- duit l2, and a backfiowpreventing device I3.

Thesi-nk i0 can be of a conventional construction and, as shown in this instance, may have. a bottom, 14 and side walls [5 defining a tank or washing space in, which water is adapted to be confined. The bottom of the sink is, provided with a, drain fitting It having a relatively large drain opening ll therein.v The sink, 10 may also be equippedwith the. usual hot and cold water faucets t8 and I9 and a water delivery spout 20.

'with the drain fitting I'i. of the grinding device contains an upright cham- The grinding device H is similar to the grinding device discosed in copending application Serial No. 667,811, filed May 7, 1946 now Patent No. 2,476,630 granted July 19, 1949, and comprises an upright main housing 22 and an electric driving motor 23. The grinding device also includes a switch housing 24 containing an electric control switch 25 for the electric motor 23 and a control valve unit 26 which, as shown in Fig. 4 and explained hereinafter, is embodied in the main housing of the grinding device. The discharge of ground material in sludge form from the grinding device |l takes place through the drain pipe 21 which constitutes a part of the plumbing system and is connected to the discharge spout 28 of the main housing 22.

The grinding device H is disposed in upright relation as shown in Fig. 1 and is usua ly connected with the sink I!) by being suspended from the bottom wall l4 th reof as by being connected The main housing 22 ber 29 which forms a do nward continuation of the drain opening i! of the sink. The chamber 29 includes a flared and downwardly enlarging feed passage 29a and a grinding chamber or compartment 29b which forms a downward continu tion of the fe d passage. The unper end of the fe d passa e 29a communicates directly with the drain opening I! of the sink so that the latter constitutes the feed opening through which material to be ground is introduced into the feed passa e of the rinding device.

The side wall of the grinding chamber 291) s provided wi h suitable comminuting means such as the s redding ribs 3| shown in this instance. The bottom of the grinding chamber is formed by a substantial y cone-shaped disk or rotor 32 'which is c nnected with the u right shaft of the motor 23 so as to be driven thereby and carries one or more nroiections or lugs 33 which coo erate with the shredding ribs 3| for subiecting the materia to a comminuting or grinding action. The rim of the rotor 32 is s aced from the wall of the housing a small distance so as to provide an annular discharge passage 34 for the ground material and communicates with a disc arge chamber 35 located beneath the rotor. The mixture of ground material and water is discharged from the cham er 35 through the snout 28 into the drain pipe 21, such discharge preferably being effected or accelerated by means of one or more vanes 36 located on the underside of the rotor.

The entrance opening l'l into the upper end of the feed passage 29a is controlled by a guard 38 of plate-like form which is slidably mounted in a projection 39 of the main housing 22 and is movabe transversely of such entrance opening. The guard 38 is provided with an upstanding lug 'or hand e 40 which is adapted to be manually grip ed for sliding the guard to its open or closed positions. The guard also carries a cam projection 4| which is engageable with the actuating 'stem 42 of the valve device 26 when the guard approaches 01 reaches its closed position. The lower end of the actuating stem 42 is disposed in operative relation to the electric switch 25 so that downward movement of the stem will cause closing of the switch 25 and starting of the electric driving motor 23.

The guard 38 is normally in its open position as shown in Fig. 2 so that garbage or other waste the chamber 29 of the grinding device When it is desirable to operate the grinding device to dispose of the material which has collected in the chamber thereof, the guard 38 is slid laterally to its closed position causing the cam 4| to engage and actuate the stem 42 so as to automatically start the electric motor 23. When the grinding operation has been completed, the guard 38 is slid to its open position thereby permitting a return movement of the actuating stem 42 and opening of the electric witch 25 to stop the electric motor 23.

The drain opening ll of the sink I0 is preferably provided with a suitable stopper 44 which, as disclosed more fully in said earlier application, is adapted to occupy either a sealing position or a draining position, when located in the opening H. The plug 44 is also entirely removable from the opening l! to afford access to the chamber 29 of the grinding device for dropping garbage into the latter from time to time as explained above. When the stopper 44 is in its sealing position a supply of water can be retained in the tank of the sink H) for use in washing dishes or vegetables or for other purposes. When the stopper is in a partial y lifted or draining position it permits water to flow freely into the chamber of the grinding device through an annular space extending between its outer edge and the side wall of the drain fitting l6.

As indicated in the early part of this specification it is desirable to supply water to the grind ing device during the operation thereof, such water being supplied from the pipe or conduit |2 for mixing with the material to be ground. This Water supply enters the chamber 29 of the grinding device I through a water passage 45 suitably located in the side wall thereof and is controlled by the valve unit 26. The water thus supplied also passes through the backflow preventing device |3 which will be presently described in greater detail.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 8 of the drawings the main housing 22 is provided with a mounting means for the attachment of the backflow preventer I3 therewith in proper relation to the water passage 45. In this instance, the mounting means includes a boss or pad 46 formed integral with the main housing and having a fiat face 46a against which a flanged portion of the backflow preventer seats, and screws or studs 4% for connecting the backflow preventer against such boss or pad. The outer end of the water passage 45 opens through the flat face 43a and is so located that the backfiow preventer, when in its mounted position, will be in communication with this passage.

The control valve unit 28 comprises a valve chamber 41 formed in the wall of the main housing 22 of the grinding device and includes an inlet passage Ma and an outlet passage 41b. The water supply pipe or conduit I2 is connected with the inlet passage 41 as by means of the fitting 48. In this instance the water supply pipe or conduit is shown as consisting of or including a hose connection |2a which is secured on the fitting 48 by means of the clamp I217. The outlet passage 41b is connected with the backflow preventing device |3 by the connecting pipe or conduit 49.

The control valve unit 26 also comprises an annular valve seat 53 located in the valve chamher 4'! and a valve element 5| which is carried by the actuating stem 42 and cooperates with this seat. The stem 42 extends axially of the valve 2;: chamber 41 and is suitably guided so that its inenemas The backflow preventing device. "(3* more ii'ully disclosed in copendingapplicaticn Serial No. 698,527, filed september zl, 1946, now Patent No. 2516578 and comprisesaa casing Behaving therein a flexible diaphragm 512316..3 check -valve'53. The casing '55 contains a diaphragm chamber in whichz'the diaphragm. 5.! isa loc'ated. The upper :portion of .thediaphragm chamber-forms .a pressure compartment 59 with which an inletpassage 66 communicates and the lower portion of the diaphragm chamberforms a relief chamber fil 'ihaving an aoutl'et passage fiii. The relief 'cha-mber 61 is in direct communication with the atmosphere through one or more slots 53 formed in the side wall of the casingrata point below the diaphragm. The outlet-passage E2 communicates with an outlet chamber 64 which in turn com- ?municateswith a discharge chamber 65 through 'a passage 66 which is controlled by the check valve 58. The discharge chamber 65 is in direct communication with the water passage Q5 of the grinding device II by reason of the fact that the portion ofthe housing in which the discharge chamber 65 is located is secured against the side wall of the main housing 22 in surrounding relation to theouter. end. of the water pas age.

The portion of the casing 56 of the backflow preventing device in which the inlet passage to i's'slocated carries projections '61 lf'orming a non sealing'stop adapted to be engaged by the diaphragm 5'! 'for a purpose to be explained hereinafter; .Theportionof the bottom wall of the diaphragm chamber surrounding the outlet pasisage 62 forms .a valve seat. 68 adapted to be en- Egaged by a valve element .fia'whic'h is carried. by the diaphragm. centrally thereof and in this instance is formed by a thickened integral central portion of the diaphragm. The diaphragm has a connecting passage Til extending through the valve element 69 thereof. The uoper portion of this valve element is in the form of an axial stem 69a whose upper end is engageable with the stop projections 61.

In the operation of the disposal apparatus the closing of the guard 38 actuates the stem 42 to cause closing of the switch and starting of the electric motor 23 as explained above. The movement thus imparted to the stem 42 also shifts the valve-element 5| to its open position thereby permitting water from the supply pipe I2 to flow through the valve chamber 4! and through the connecting conduit 49 to the inlet passage 60 of the backfiow preventing device l3. The water enters the pressure compartment 59 and exerts a downward pressure on the diaphragm 5T caus ing the valve element 69 of the latter to be sealingly pressed against the valve seat 58. As long as water pressure is supplied to the pressure compartment 59 the diaphragm will be retained in this extreme position and will interrupt communication between the outlet passage 62 and the atmosphere openings 63. While the diaphragm is in this position its connecting passage in is in communication with the outlet passage 62 so that water will flow through the diaphragm into the outlet chamber 64 and then past the 6 checkvalve "5'8 and into the grinding: device H When the-guard 38 is returned to its open position the release of the actuating stem 42 causes opening of'the electric switch 25 to stop the 'motor '23 as explained above and also results in the the Water passage 15x01 va'lve element 5 being moved against its seat to cut off the flow of water to the grinding device I! from the supply pipe I2. The closing of the valve unit 26 disconnects the pressure compartment 59 of the 'backflow preventing device 53 from the supply pipe 42 whereupon the diaphragm 51 returns to its intermediate position in which itis shown in Fig. 3.

If a large volume of soiled water is permitted to-ilow'irom the sink Ill through the drain opening Ii into the chamber 29 of the grinding device II it will temporarily rise to a relatively high level in this chamber, as previously men tioned herein, but this flooded condition will usually exist for only a short interval and until the water is carried away by the drain pipe 21. During the existence of this flooded condition some of the soiled water will flow backwardly through the water passage 45 into the discharge chamber of the ba'ckflow preventing device is. The

check-valve '58 being normally in engagement with its seat will prevent a surge of such soiled water from flowing beyond "the check valve into the outlet and diaphragm chambers of this device. If the 'floodedcondition'existsin the chamber of the grinding device for anabnormal period some of the soiled water may travel past the check valve- 5 8 into the outlet chamber '54 but ifthis backfiowo'f soiled water is in su' fiicient volume to rise upwardly through the outletpassage 612 it will not travel through the connecting passage ill of the diaphragm 5'! because it will escape freely through the atmosphere opening 63 and contamination of 'the 'water in the supply pipe 'l2'will be prevented. If desired, the casing of the device it can be provided with an external annular lip 72 extending therearound adjacent the atnrrosphere openings 63 and which will form an overrlow chamber is adapted to collect and retain water which overflows through the atmosphere openings.

If a vacuum condition should exist in the supply pipe I2 at the same time that the above described fiooded condition occurs in the chamber of the grinding device 'I I, none of the soiled water will reach the supply pipe because the vacuum condition will shift the diaphragm 51 to an upwardly deflected extreme position in which the top of the stem 69a will engage the stop projections 61. While in this position the diaphragm cooperates with the stop projections in providing a baflled passage which connects the inlet passage 60 with the atmosphere openings '63. This baflled passage permits air from the atmosphere to enter the supply pipe [2 thereby relieving the vacuum. Because of the bafiled condition of the vacuum relieving passage thus established and the fact that any soiled water backing up into the diaphragm chamber of the device l3 will freely escape through the atmosphere openings 63, it will be seen that none of this water will get into the supply pipe l2.

From the foregoing description and the ac- 70 companying drawings it will now be readily unplied to the grinding device from an available supply pipe containing potable water without danger of a contaminating backfiow of soiled wate from the grinding device into the supply pipe. It will be seen moreover that the embodiment of the backflow preventing device in the disposal apparatus effectively prevents such contamination of the potable Water supply. It will also be seen that by providing the grinding device with an automatically actuated valve device the supply of water to the grinding device can be controlled so that it will pass through and actuate the backfiow preventing device in such a manner that the operator need only actuate the guard and the other functions of starting and stopping the electric driving motor and starting and stopping the supply of water and the prevention of a backfiow of soiled water will all take place automatically.

Although the improved garbage disposal apparatus of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a detailed extent. it will be understood of course that the invention is not to be regarded as correspondingly limited in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the language of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Waste flushing mechanism comprising, an upright member having therein a chamber provided with an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at its lower end, said member having a mounting means thereon and a water passage therein leading from said mounting means into said chamber, a control valve unit carried by said member and having an inlet and an outlet, means 101' connecting an available supply of potable water under pressure with the inlet of said valve unit, means connecting the outlet of said valve unit with said water passage, said valve unit being operable to control the flow of water into said chamber, and a backflow preventer valve device in the last mentioned connecting means and mounted in fixed relation on said member by engagement with said mounting means and being operable to prevent a return flow of water from said chamber to said available potable water supply, said preventer valve device having an inlet connected with the outlet of said control valve unit and an outlet connected with said water passage through said mounting means.

2. Waste flushing mechanism comprising, an upright member having therein a chamber provided with an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at its lower end, a guard mounted on said member for movement transversely of said inlet for controlling the same, said member having a mounting means thereon and a water passage therein leading from said mounting means into said chamber, a control valve unit carried by said member and having an inlet and an outlet, means for connecting an available supply of potable water under pressure with the inlet of said valve unit, means for causing an automatic actuation of said valve unit in response to the movement of said guard, and means connecting the outlet of said valve unit with said water passage including a backflow preventing device mounted in fixed relation on said member by engagement with said mounting means and operable to prevent a return flow of water from said chamber to said available potable water supply, said backflow preventing device having an inlet connected with the outlet of said control valve unit and an outlet connected with said water passage through said mounting means.

ANTHONY J. KREINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images