# US 5,349,981 A · Drain valve for a flush tank

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- Number: US 5,349,981 A
- Document ID: US5349981A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/124,961
- Filed: 1993-09-21
- Granted: 1994-09-27
- Earliest claimed: 1992-09-21
- Assignees: Geberit AG
- Inventors: Peter Schmucki; Paul Wey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5349981A

## CPC

- E03D 1/142: {in cisterns with flushing valves}
- Y10T 137/741: Within tank
- Y10T 137/7426: Float co-axial with valve or port
- Y10T 137/7436: Float rigid with valve
- E03D: WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The drain valve (1) has a valve tube (26) as well as an insert (37) with a float (38) in a valve housing (36). The float (38) is connected with the valve tube (26). In the bottom (49) of the insert (37) openings (39, 41a) are provided, which can be made to index by rotating a punched disk (40). For setting or resetting the flush water quantity, the punched disk (40) can be rotated by raising and turning the valve tube (26). Cogs (43) of the punched disk (40) will then engage in corresponding cutouts (45) at the lower end of the valve tube (26).

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a drain valve for a flush tank having a valve housing (12,36) mounted in said flush tank, a valve tube (5,26) axially movably mounted in said valve housing with a closing element (6,27) disposed at the lower end thereof for closing the drain opening in said flush tank, a float (21,38) cooperating with said valve tube, and means (15,40) for regulating the sinking speed of said valve tube, the improvement comprising:
said valve tube (5,26) including engagement means (20,45) engagable with said means (15,40) for regulating the sinking speed of said valve tube by the displacement of said valve tube whereby the means (15,40) for regulating the sinking speed of the valve tube can be adjusted when the closing element is in an open position and a portion of said valve tube being in an operative locking engagement with said regulating means as said float reaches a predetermined position in response to a predetermined water level in said flush tank.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The drain valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said means (15,40) for regulating the sinking speed of said valve tube is adjustable by raising said valve tube so as to engage said engagement means (20,45) thereof with said regulating means (15,40) and axially rotating said valve tube.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The drain valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said regulating means includes a disk (15,40) rotatably mounted on said valve housing (12,36) and engagable with said engagement means (20,45) when said valve tube is raised.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The drain valve as defined in claim 3, wherein said engagement means (45) is arranged at the bottom end of said valve tube (26) and said disk (40) includes various sized openings therein and is arranged at the lower end of a float vessel (37), said disk (40) being selectively rotated by said engagement means (45) to vary the size of the openings therein upon the selective rotation of said valve tube (26) for regulating the sinking speed of said valve tube as said closing element (27) moves towards the drain opening in said flush tank.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The drain valve as defined in claim 3, wherein said valve tube (5) has a float chamber (21) formed thereon and said engagement means (20) are arranged at an upper end of said chamber (21).

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The drain valve as defined in claim 5, wherein said means (15) for regulating the sinking speed of said valve tube includes a punched disk (15) having various sized openings therein rotatably mounted between a covering hood (10) of said valve housing (12) and an intermediate bottom wall (13) of said valve housing which defines a chamber therein.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The drain valve as defined in claim 6, wherein said punched disk (15) has cogs (17) protruding through kidney-shaped openings (15) in intermediate wall (13) which are engageable with engagement means (20) upon lifting of said valve tube (5), whereby selective rotation of said valve tube permits selective rotation of said disk to vary the size of the openings for regulating the sinking speed of the valve tube as the closing element (6) is moved towards the drain opening in said flush tank.