Water saving flush system

Abstract

In an automatic shut off system for a water closet, a weight is added to the flapper valve and the chain is lengthened a precise amount to shorten the flush cycle and thereby reduces the amount of water used. This system conserves water by reducing the automatic flush system to release only one gallon of water for a short flush, while still permitting a full three gallon flush by merely holding the handle in the “on” position.

Having described my invention, I claim:  
     
         1 . A flapper valve system to adjust the amount of water released in a flush cycle in a toilet which includes a water closet that includes walls enclosing a volume of water and has a top and a bottom, a drain port in the bottom of the water closet to release water from the water closet, a flapper valve consisting fundamentally of a flap of material that has a first and a second end and is pivotly connected at its first end to the water closet, the second end of said flapper valve which, in a first closed position, is laid flat and generally horizontally over and against the drain port and then, in a second open position, is raised to an angle that generally ranges between 70 and 85 degrees from the horizontal to provide a downward force on the flapper valve caused by its weight which tends to return the flapper valve to its first closed position, said second open position being above and away from said drain port to allow the water in said drain port to exit said water closet, said flapper valve controlling the flow of water from the water closet through the drain port, and said system further including a control arm means with a limited range of upward movement, a linkage attached between the control arm means and the flapper valve to lift the flapper valve to its second position in response to the limited movement of said control arm which draws said linkage taught to release water from the water closet through the drain port, said flapper valve system further including means for flotation, said means for flotation being attached to and aiding said valve in remaining in it's second position until the water in said water closet has been drained away from said flapper valve through said drain port, at which time the weight of said flapper valve causes it to drop to its first position to cover and close said drain port, allowing the water closet to be refilled for the next flush cycle, said flapper valve system further comprising means for introducing slack in said linkage to prevent the raising of said valve to its full upward second position to cause said valve to drop to its first position prior to the complete draining of the water closet to provide the release of a selected volume of water that is less than the full volume of the water closet.  
     
     
         2 . A flapper valve system to adjust the amount of water released in a flush cycle in a toilet which includes a water closet that includes walls enclosing a volume of water and has a top and a bottom, a drain port in the bottom of the water closet to release water from the water closet, a flapper valve consisting fundamentally of a flap of material that has a first and a second end and is pivotly connected at its first end to the water closet, the second end of said flapper valve which, in a first closed position, is laid flat and generally horizontally over and against the drain port and then, in a second open position, is raised to an angle that generally ranges between 70 and 85 degrees from the horizontal to provide a downward force on the flapper valve caused by its weight which tends to return the flapper valve to its first closed position, said second open position being above and away from said drain port to allow the water in said drain port to exit said water closet, said flapper valve controlling the flow of water from the water closet through the drain port, and said system further including a control arm means with a limited range of upward movement, a linkage attached between the control arm means and the flapper valve to lift the flapper valve to its second position in response to the limited movement of said control arm which draws said linkage taught to release water from the water closet through the drain port, said flapper valve system further including means for flotation, said means for flotation being attached to and aiding said valve in remaining in it's second position until the water in said water closet has been drained away from said flapper valve through said drain port, at which time the weight of said flapper valve causes it to drop to its first position to cover and close said drain port, allowing the water closet to be refilled for the next flush cycle, said flapper valve system further comprising a weight means added to said valve to cause said valve to drop to its first position prior to the complete draining of the water closet to release a selected volume of water that is less than the full volume of the water closet.  
     
     
         3 . A flapper valve system to adjust the amount of water released in a flush cycle in a toilet which includes a water closet that includes walls enclosing a volume of water and has a top and a bottom, a drain port in the bottom of the water closet to release water from the water closet, a flapper valve consisting fundamentally of a flap of material that has a first and a second end and is pivotly connected at its first end to the water closet, the second end of said flapper valve which, in a first closed position, is laid flat and generally horizontally over and against the drain port and then, in a second open position, is raised to an angle that generally ranges between 70 and 85 degrees from the horizontal to provide a downward force on the flapper valve caused by its weight which tends to return the flapper valve to its first closed position, said second open position being above and away from said drain port to allow the water in said drain port to exit said water closet, said flapper valve controlling the flow of water from the water closet through the drain port, and said system further including a control arm means with a limited range of upward movement, a linkage attached between the control arm means and the flapper valve to lift the flapper valve to its second position in response to the limited movement of said control arm which draws said linkage taught to release water from the water closet through the drain port, said flapper valve system further including means for flotation, said means for flotation being attached to and aiding said valve in remaining in it's second position until the water in said water closet has been drained away from said flapper valve through said drain port, at which time the weight of said flapper valve causes it to drop to its first position to cover and close said drain port, allowing the water closet to be refilled for the next flush cycle, said flapper valve system further comprising means for introducing slack in said linkage to prevent the raising of said valve to its full upward second position, to aid in causing said valve to drop to its first position prior to the complete draining of the water closet and said flapper valve system further comprising a weight means added to said valve to aid in causing said valve to drop to its first position prior to the complete drawing of the water closet to release a selected volume of water that is less than the ful volume of said water closet, said weight means and said means for introducing slack combining to determine a selected amount of water to be released.  
     
     
         4 . A flapper valve system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said means for introducing slack further includes means for adjusting the amount of slack to determine a selected volume of water to be released from the water closet by the flapper valve system.  
     
     
         5 . A flapper valve system as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said weight means includes means for adjusting the valve of the weight means to determine a selected volume of water to be released from the water closet by the flapper valve system.  
     
     
         6 . A flapper valve system as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said weight means comprises a discrete weight attached to said valve.  
     
     
         7 . A valve system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said valve includes a removable cap and said weight is attached to said valve by capturing it between said cap and said valve.  
     
     
         8 . A valve system as claimed n  claim 7  wherein said cap includes a first set of threads and said valve includes a second set of threads which mate with said first set of threads to permit said cap to the detachably secured to said valve.  
     
     
         9 . A valve system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said weight means is distributed weight obtained by thickening the walls of said valve over the thickness needed to allow said valve to rise to its full open second position.