US 5,206,960 AGranted

Dual flush toilet control mechanism

AssigneeRobert L. Hooshley

InventorsRobert L. Hooshley, Paul T. Arato, F. William Coffman

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Abstract

A dual flush toilet control mechanism includes an operating handle and attached actuating cam, a control arm and a control float arm. When the handle is turned in a first direction, the actuating cam moves the control arm to open fully a conventional toilet tank main valve to its buoyant position. When turned the handle is turned in a second direction, the actuating cam moves the control arm to open partially the main valve to a position wherein it is subject to the suction developed by the water exiting the toilet tank. A control cam on the control float arm maintains the control arm in position to maintain the main valve open against the suction until the water level in the tank drops below a predetermined level. When the float on the control float arm reaches the predetermined water level, the attached control cam allows the control arm to drop and the main valve to close.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A dual flush control mechanism for a toilet having a main valve between the bowl and tank of the toilet, said valve being operable between a closed position, an intermediate position and an open position wherein said valve remains open until said tank is substantially emptied, comprising:

an operating handle movable to first and second extents;
a valve control arm operably connected to said valve;
a first cam follower operably connected to said valve control arm;
a control float arm movable with changes in the water level in said tank;
and
an actuating cam operably connected to said handle and including first and second cam surface having different throw heights with a detent formed at the intersection therebetween, wherein said first cam follower rides on said first cam surface to operate said valve control arm to move said valve to said open position when said handle is moved to said first extent and said first cam follower rides on said second cam surface to operate said valve control arm to move said valve to said intermediate position when said handle is moved to said second extent, said control float arm conditioning said valve control arm to release said valve from said intermediate position when the water level in said tank drops below a predetermined level.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.