Chemical administrator for treating wastewater from a water-consuming device in a self-contained bathroom system

Abstract

Disclosed is a chemical administrator which delivers a chemical solution into a water supply line for a water-consuming device, e.g., a toilet in a recreational vehicle, for the purpose of treating waste-water before it is disposed in a holding tank. The apparatus has a container which holds the chemical solution. It also has a chemical administering system which siphons the chemical from the container into said water supply line using a vacuum created by the water moving through it.

1 . A chemical dispensing apparatus for delivery of a chemical into a water supply line for a water-consuming device for the purpose of treating waste-water from said device, said apparatus comprising: 
 a container for said chemical; and    a chemical administering system adapted to vacuum said chemical from said container into said water supply line.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising: 
 a metering system for controlling the amount of chemical administered into said water line.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said metering system comprises: 
 a plurality of differently-sized orifices, each of said orifices being slidable into a flow path of said chemical into said water supply line to restrict a flow of said chemical.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said plurality of orifices are made slidable into said flow path by defining them in a plate which is located between said water supply line and said container such that it interferes with said flow of said chemical.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said plate is slidably sandwiched between two O-rings to fluidly seal one of said plurality of orifices into said flow path.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said plate includes a cantilever tab which may be manipulated by a user to slide said plate.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said water-consuming device is a toilet.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said water-consuming device delivers said waste water into a waste storage tank.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said administering system comprises: 
 a pipe which is adapted to be spliced into said water supply line; and    a vertical conduit with an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being tapped into said supply line, said lower end having an inlet which receives chemical up into said vertical conduit for the purpose of administering it into said supply line.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said pipe is secured to said container by a housing which is adapted to be fastened to an upper surface of said container.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said vertical conduit is tapped in to said supply line via an intermediate arrangement which comprises: 
 a plate defining a first aperture and a second aperture, said first and second apertures having different sizes;    a spring which bears against a lower surface of said flange one said upper end of said conduit to compressibly and slidably sandwich said plate between (i) an upper O-ring which is interposed between said plate and a lower surface of a portion of said housing; and (ii) a lower O-ring which is interposed between an upper surface of a flange on said upper end of said vertical conduit and a lower surface of said metering plate;    said plate being slidingly positionable in a first position in which said first aperture is located in a flow path of said chemical;    said plate being slidingly positionable in a second position in which said second aperture is located in a flow path of said chemical; and    a vertical channel above said plate and defined through said housing, said vertical channel adapted to accept chemical after said chemical passes through one of said first and second apertures in said plate and delivers said chemical into said pipe.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said intermediate arrangement further comprises: 
 a third position for said plate which stops the flow of said chemical into said pipe.    
   
   
       13 . The chemical dispensing apparatus of  claim 1:   a fill opening on an upper surface of said container; and    a removable fill cap adapted to optionally expose or seal off said opening so that the container is able to be filled with chemical.    
   
   
       14 . The chemical dispensing apparatus of  claim 1:   a valve in fluid communication with said supply line upstream of a junction at which said chemical is introduced said valve disallowing back flow of cleaner upstream into said supply line.    
   
   
       15 . A method of dispensing a chemical solution into a water-consuming device for the purpose of treating waste-water from said device, said method comprising: 
 storing said chemical in a container; and    delivering said chemical into a water supply line which feeds into said water-consuming device by drawing said chemical solution out of said container using a vacuum creating by a pressurized flow of water in said water supply line.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  comprising: 
 providing a plate which includes two differently-sized apertures; and    controlling a chemical consumption rate by interposing one of said apertures into a chemical flow path which leads into said water supply line.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  comprising: 
 providing a siphon arrangement to accomplish said delivering step.