Flush toilet

A flush toilet comprising:

• a toilet bowl having a downwardly opening waste outlet at a lower end thereof surrounded by an annular sealing surface;
• means for supporting said bowl above a floor surface;
• flush means operable to deliver flushing water into the bowl at appropriate times and including a water inlet valve for coupling to an external water supply;
• a valve member adapted to co-operate with said annular sealing surface surrounding the bowl outlet, for closing said outlet in a closed position of the valve member;
• means supporting said valve member for movement between said closed position, and an open position clear of said bowl outlet;
• and,
• actuation means including a foot pedal accessible from externally of the toilet and movable between a normal elevated position to which the pedal is biassed and a depressed operating position, means connecting the foot pedal with said valve member for moving the valve member between its closed and open positions, said connecting means including a first cable displaceable in response to depression of the foot pedal to move the valve member from its closed position to its open position, a second cable connected between said foot pedal and said flush water inlet valve and arranged to open the valve in repsonse to depression of the foot pedal, and means effective on release of the foot pedal to return the valve member to its closed position and to close the water inlet valve;
• the foot pedal being arranged in said depressed operating position to abut a floor surface on which the toilet is supported so that depression beyond said position and hence possible overstraining of the components actuated by said actuation means is positively prevented.

A flush toilet comprising:

• a toilet bowl having a downwardly opening waste outlet at a lower end thereof surrounded by an annular sealing surface;
• means for supporting said bowl above a floor surface;
• a valve member adapted to co-operate with said annular sealing surface surrounding the bowl outlet, for closing said outlet in a closed position of the valve member;
• means pivotally supporting said valve member for movement between said closed position, and an open position clear of the bowl outlet;
• flush means operable to deliver flushing water into the bowl at appropriate times, said flush means including a water inlet valve having an inlet for coupling to an external water supply, and an outlet, nozzle means in an upper region of the bowl through which flush water is delivered to the bowl, a tube extending around an upper portion of the toilet bowl and connecting said nozzle means with said outlet of the flush water inlet valve, said tube defining an elongated reservoir for retaining a body of flush water after closure of said inlet valve, said inlet valve including vacuum breaker means arranged to open in response to closure of the valve and admit air to said pipe, permitting water in the pipe to drain through said nozzle and refill the bowl;
• and
• actuation means accessible from externally of the housing for operating said water inlet valve and moving said valve member between its closed and open positions, said actuation means being arranged so that said valve member is closed during draining of the reservoir to permit refilling of the bowl from said reservoir with a residual amount of flush water.

A flush toilet comprising:

• a toilet bowl having a downwardly opening waste outlet at a lower end thereof surrounded by an annular sealing surface;
• a housing for supporting said bowl above a floor surface, said housing defining an internal space below said bowl outlet for receiving waste from the bowl, and having a bottom wall that includes a waste disposal outlet from said space for connection to external waste disposal means;
• a valve member adapted to co-operate with said annular sealing surface surrounding the bowl outlet, for closing said outlet;
• means supporting said valve member for movement between a closed position in which the valve member co-operates with said sealing surface and closes said bowl outlet, and an open position clear of the said bowl outlet;
• actuation means accessible from externally of the housing for moving said valve member between its closed and open positions;
• and,
• flush means operable to deliver flushing water into the bowl at appropriate times, said flush means including a flush water inlet valve disposed on said upper housing part rearwardly of the toilet bowl and accessible from externally of the toilet, said valve including a valve body disposed on a support surface of said upper housing part and having an internally screw-threaded water inlet passageway opening into a lower face of said body, a generally tubular coupling member extending upwardly through an opening in said surface and threaded at an upper end portion thereof into said water inlet passageway of the valve body, said coupling member having a lower end portion adapted to be coupled to a water supply, and an external rib intermediate said end portions arranged to co-operate with the housing around said opening as the coupling member is screwed into said passageway in the valve body to clamp the body against said support surface, the housing being shaped to provide access to said coupling member below the valve body so that the valve can be released from the toilet by unscrewed said coupling member.