US 4,050,102 AGranted

Recirculating toilet system

AssigneeMonogram Industries, Inc.

InventorsJames M. Kemper, Robert J. O'Neill, Bruce E. Wagenhals, Jack W. Adams

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Abstract

Improvements in a recirculating toilet system wherein at least one human waste receiving receptacle, such as a urinal or toilet bowl, is provided coupled to a separating tank having a predetermined amount of a non-aqueous flushing fluid of a lower density and specific gravity than water therein. A flushing fluid intake floats on top of a layer of the flushing fluid in the tank with water and human waste below the layer. A motor-activated pump flushing fluid recirculating means is coupled to both the intake and the receptacle for withdrawing flushing fluid from the layer in the tank and flushing the receptacle. The float has a detector for detecting the presence of a predetermined amount of wastewater in the flushing fluid being withdrawn from the tank for flushing the receptacle and for detecting the level of the flushing fluid in the tank and deactivates the pump of the recirculating means when this predetermined amount of wastewater is detected.

Claims8

Dependent claims

In a recirculating toilet system comprising at least one human waste receiving receptacle, separating means including a separating tank coupled to said receptacle for receiving human waste therefrom, a layer of non-aqueous flushing fluid, substantially immiscible with water and human waste and having relatively lower density and specific gravity and a conductivity different than water, disposed in said tank, flushing fluid intake means in said separating tank including a float member capable of floating substantially at the surface of said flushing fluid for withdrawing flushing fluid therefrom, and motor activated flushing fluid recirculating means coupled to both said intake means and said receptacle for withdrawing flushing fluid from said tank into said receptacle, the improvement which comprises:

detecting means associated with said intake means for detecting the presence of wastewater in the flushing fluid adjacent said intake means and deactivating the motor of said recirculating means when the presence of a predetermined amount of wastewater is detected in said flushing fluid, said detecting means including a pair of spaced probes extending down into said flushing fluid to a depth at least normally above the interface between said flushing fluid and said water and human waste, and circuit means operatively connecting each of said probes to said motor creating a potential across said probes normally retaining said motor in operative condition when said probes contact said flushing fluid and said circuit means further including sensing means adapted to sense the current flow between said probes and deactivate said motor when the sensed current between the probes indicates the presence of sufficient water and human waste therebetween.

In a recirculating toilet system comprising at least one human waste receiving receptacle, separating means including a separating tank coupled to said receptacle for receiving human waste therefrom, a layer of non-aqueous flushing fluid, substantially immiscible with water and human waste and having a relatively lower density and specific gravity and of a conductivity different from that of water, disposed in said tank, flushing fluid intake means in said separating tank including a float member capable of floating substantially at the surfce of said flushing fluid for withdrawing flushing fluid therefrom, and the motor activated flushing fluid recirculating means coupled to both said intake means and said receptacle for withdrawing flushing fluid from said tank into said receptacle, the improvement which comprises:

a circuit having a source of power, said source of power being operatively connected to said motor, disconnect means operatively connected between said motor and said source of power for selectively activating and inactivating said motor, probe means associated with said intake means operatively connected to said disconnect means adapted to detect the presence of wastewater in said flushing fluid and provide a signal to said disconnect means to inactivate said motor when the presence of wastewater is detected in said flushing fluid, said probe means including a pair of spaced probes extending down into said flushing fluid to a depth at least normally above the interface between said flushing fluid and said water and human waste, said circuit operatively connecting each of said probes to said disconnect means creating a potential across said probes normally retaining said motor in operative condition when said probes contact said flushing fluid and said circuit means further including sensing means adapted to sense the current flow between said probes and deactivate said motor when the sensed current between the probes indicates the presence of sufficient water and human waste therebetween.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.