Apparatus and method for conserving water
OwnerEdward B. LaFaverinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for conserving water during the flush cycle of a tank-type toilet. The apparatus includes a pivotally mounted lever arm having a water-fillable weight on one end and a toilet tank float engagement means on the other end. The water-fillable weight serves as a counter balance to maintain the toilet tank float in an elevated position to thereby hold the water inlet valve closed during the initial stages of the flush cycle. The apparatus also includes means for mounting the pivot mechanism in the toilet tank. The method involves slowly draining water from the water-fillable weight during the flush cycle so as to allow the toilet tank float to be lowered toward the end of the flush cycle and thereby open the inlet valve to refill the toilet tank.
Claims8
A water saver for a toilet tank having a water-supported toilet tank float mounted on a toilet tank float lever arm and operable therethrough to open a water inlet valve into the toilet tank upon lowering the toilet tank float from an elevated position by draining water from the toilet tank, the water saver comprising:
- means for restraining the toilet tank float at an elevated position while water is draining from the toilet tank during flushing of the toilet comprising:
- a water saver lever arm;
- a water-fillable weight on one end of the water saver lever arm;
- toilet tank float engagement means on the other end of the water saver lever arm;
- pivot support means in the toilet tank for pivotally supporting the water saver lever arm at a position between the water-fillable weight on the one end of the water saver lever arm and the toilet tank float engagement means on the other end of the water saver lever arm;
- and
- an aperture in the water-fillable weight to accommodate passage of water into and out of the water-fillable weight;
- and
- means for releasing the toilet tank float after a major portion of the water has drained from the toilet tank.
A method for conserving water during a flushing cycle of a tank-type toilet by inhibiting inflow of water into the toilet tank during a substantial portion of the flushing cycle of the toilet comprising the steps of:
- pivotally mounting a water saver lever arm inside the toilet tank, the toilet tank including a toilet tank float mounted on a toilet tank float lever arm and a water inlet valve operated through the toilet tank float lever arm by movement of the toilet tank float, the water saver lever arm having an engagement means on one end for engaging the toilet tank float and a water-fillable weight on the other end, the water-fillable weight having a small drain hole therein;
- engaging the toilet tank float with the water saver lever arm engagement means;
- filling the water-fillable weight with water;
- conserving water by restricting inflow of water into the toilet tank from the water inlet valve while draining the toilet tank during flushing of the toilet by holding the toilet tank float above the diminishing water level in the toilet tank with the weight of the water in the water-fillable weight until a substantial portion of the water in the toilet tank has been drained therefrom;
- and
- draining water from the water-fillable weight thereby decreasing the weight of the same to accommodate lowering of the toilet tank float and toilet tank float lever arm thereby opening the water inlet valve to allow the inflow of water into the toilet tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.