Pilot operated water conservation valve actuator

A valve apparatus for control flow of fluid discharge from a pressurized fluid distribution system, where said valve apparatus is supplied with fluid via an incoming conduit supplying the fluid under pressure, said valve apparatus comprising:

• (a) a primary valve, said primary valve comprising
• (i) an inlet, said inlet adapted to receive said fluid under pressure from said incoming conduit,
• (ii) an outlet, said outlet adapted to discharge said fluid to an outlet conduit;
• (iii) a diaphragm chamber, said chamber having a pilot portion and a working portion;
• (iv) a fluid pressure controlled primary diaphragm, said primary diaphragm located in said primary diaphragm chamber between said pilot portion and said working portion of said primary diaphragm chamber, said primary diaphragm having a pilot side and a working side, said working side of said primary diaphragm configured to engage
• (A) at least a portion of said inlet, and
• (B) said outlet,
• (v) and wherein said primary diaphragm is adapted to be responsive to fluid pressure to move between
• (A) an open position wherein fluid pressure from said inlet disengages said primary diaphragm from said outlet so that fluid is allowed from said inlet to said outlet and thence to outlet conduit;
• and
• (B) a closed position, wherein fluid pressure on said pilot side of said primary diaphragm forces said primary diaphragm to sealingly engage said outlet so that fluid is not allowed from said inlet to said outlet;
• (b) a bleed inlet line, said bleed inlet line having a first end and a second end, said first end hydraulically connected to said pilot portion of said primary diaphragm chamber;
• (c) a pilot valve, said pilot valve having
• (i) a bleed inlet, said bleed inlet hydraulically connected to said second end of said bleed inlet line from said pilot portion of said diaphragm chamber,
• (ii) a bleed outlet,
• (iii) a pressurizable fluid reservoir, said fluid reservoir located between said bleed inlet and said bleed outlet, said fluid reservoir adapted to receive pressurized liquid from said bleed inlet line;
• (iv) a repositionable pilot diaphragm, said diaphragm adapted to be repositionable pilot diaphragm between
• (A) a normally closed position wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm sealingly engages said bleed outlet to block escape of said pressurized fluid through said pilot valve, and
• (B) an open position, wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm is displaced from said bleed outlet so as to open said bleed outlet for passage of fluid therethrough, so that said pressurized fluid from said pilot side of said primary diaphragm chamber is discharged through said pilot valve;
• and
• (d) an actuator, said actuator having an open position and a normally closed position, said actuator further comprising
• (i) an operating link connected with said pilot valve, and
• (ii) a releasably securable lock, said lock manually operable to secure said actuator in said open position while actuation force is withdrawn from said actuator;
• (e) said actuator repositionable to the open position in response to movement of said actuator, so that upon repositioning of said actuator to said open position, said operatively connected link causes said repositionable pilot diaphragm to reposition said pilot valve diaphragm from a normally closed position to an open position, thereby effecting the release of pressurized fluid out the bleed outlet and releasing fluid pressure on said pilot side of said primary diaphragm, to thereby cause said primary diaphragm to move to said open position.

A valve apparatus for operator control flow of two or more different fluid streams discharged from a tap, where the tap receives fluid discharged from said valve apparatus, and where said valve apparatus is provided with the two or more fluids fluid via separate incoming conduits for the supply of each of the fluids under pressure in its separate conduit, said control apparatus comprising:

• (a) two or more primary valves, said two or more primary valves each comprising
• (i) an inlet, said inlet adapted to receive said fluid under pressure from one of said two or more incoming conduits,
• (ii) an outlet, said outlet adapted to discharge said fluid through a discharge conduit to said tap;
• (iii) a diaphragm chamber, said chamber having a pilot portion and a working portion;
• (iv) a fluid pressure controlled primary diaphragm, said primary diaphragm located in said primary diaphragm chamber between said pilot portion and said working portion of said primary diaphragm chamber, said primary diaphragm having a pilot side and a working side, said working side of said primary diaphragm configured to engage
• (A) at least a portion of said inlet, and
• (B) said outlet,
• (v) and wherein said primary diaphragm is adapted to be responsive to fluid pressure to move between
• (A) an open position wherein fluid pressure from said inlet disengages said primary diaphragm from said outlet so that fluid is allowed from said inlet to said outlet and thence to said tap, and
• (B) a closed position, wherein fluid pressure on said pilot side of said primary diaphragm forces said primary diaphragm to sealingly engage said outlet so that fluid is not allowed from said inlet to said outlet;
• (b) two or more bleed inlet lines, each of said bleed inlet lines having a first end and a second end, said first end hydraulically connected to said pilot portion of said primary diaphragm chamber;
• (c) two or more pilot valves, each of said two or more pilot valves having
• (i) a bleed inlet, said bleed inlet hydraulically connected to said second end of said bleed inlet line from said pilot portion of said diaphragm chamber,
• (ii) a bleed outlet,
• (iii) a pressurizable fluid reservoir, said fluid reservoir located between said bleed inlet and said bleed outlet, said fluid reservoir adapted to receive pressurized liquid from said bleed inlet line;
• (iv) a repositionable pilot diaphragm;
• (v) a plunger, said plunger adapted to displace said repositionable pilot diaphragm between
• (A) a normally closed position wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm sealingly engages said bleed outlet to block escape of said pressurized fluid through said pilot valve, and
• (B) an open position, wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm is displaced from said bleed outlet so as to open said bleed outlet for passage of fluid therethrough, so that said pressurized fluid from said pilot side of said primary diaphragm chamber is discharged through said pilot valve;
• and
• (d) an actuator, said actuator having an open position and a closed position, said actuator further comprising
• (i) an operating link connected with said two or more pilot valves, and
• (ii) a releasably securable lock, said lock manually operable to secure said actuator in said open position while actuation force is withdrawn from said actuator;
• (e) said actuator responsive to input of an operator, so that upon repositioning of said actuator by an operator, operating link acts upon the plunger of said two or more pilot valves, to thereby reposition each of said two or more said pilot valve diaphragms from a normally closed position to an open position, thereby effecting the release of fluid pressure on each of said two or more primary diaphragms, to thereby cause each of said two or more primary diaphragms to move to said open position.

A valve apparatus for control of fluid discharged from a tap, where the tap receives fluid discharged from said valve apparatus, and where said valve apparatus is provided with fluid by an incoming conduit for the supply of the fluid under pressure, said control apparatus comprising:

• (a) one or more primary valves, each of said one or more primary valves comprising
• (i) an inlet, said inlet adapted to receive said fluid under pressure from said incoming conduit,
• (ii) an outlet, said outlet adapted to discharge said fluid through a second conduit to said tap;
• (iii) a diaphragm chamber, said chamber having a pilot portion and a working portion;
• (iv) a fluid pressure controlled diaphragm, said diaphragm located in said diaphragm chamber between said pilot portion and said working portion of said diaphragm chamber, said diaphragm having a pilot side and a working side, said working side of said diaphragm configured to engage
• (A) at least a portion of said inlet, and
• (B) said outlet,
• (v) and wherein the diaphragm is adapted to be responsive to fluid pressure to move between
• (A) an open position wherein fluid pressure from said inlet disengages said diaphragm from said outlet so that fluid is allowed from said inlet to said outlet and thence to said tap, and
• (B) a closed position, wherein fluid pressure on said pilot side of said diaphragm forces said diaphragm to sealingly engage said outlet so that fluid is not allowed from said inlet to said outlet;
• (b) one or more pilot valves, each of said one or more pilot valves paired with a corresponding primary valve, and each of said one or more pilot valves having an bleed inlet, a bleed outlet, a repositionable pilot diaphragm therebetween, and a plunger adapted to displace said repositionable pilot diaphragm between
• (i) a normally closed position wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm sealingly engages said bleed outlet to block escape of said pressurized fluid through said one or more pilot valves, and
• (ii) an open position, wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm is displaced from said bleed outlet so as to open said bleed outlet for passage of fluid therethrough, so that said pressurized fluid from said pilot side of said diaphragm chamber of said first primary valve is discharged through said one or more pilot valves;
• and
• (c) an actuator, said actuator further comprising
• (i) a releasably securable lock, said lock manually operable to secure said actuator in said open position while actuation force is withdrawn from said actuator, and
• (ii) mechanical linkage responsive to input of said operator to move said plunger of said one or more pilot valves, and
• (iii) whereby said one or more pilot valves are repositioned between a normally closed position and an open position, whereby fluid flow from said tap is initiated by engaging said actuation means, so as to cause fluid to be discharged from said bleed outlet of said pilot valve, so as to release pressure on said diaphragm in each of said one or more primary valves, to thereby move each of said one or more primary valves to said open position, so that said fluid may flow therethrough to said tap, for discharge of fluid from said tap.

A method for controlling flow of fluid discharge from a pressurized fluid distribution system, where said pressurized fluid distribution system supplied with fluid via an incoming conduit under pressure, said method comprising

• (a) providing a primary valve to regulate the flow of fluid outward from said incoming conduit, wherein said primary valve comprises
• (i) an inlet, said inlet adapted to receive said fluid under pressure from said incoming conduit,
• (ii) an outlet, said outlet adapted to discharge said fluid to an outlet conduit;
• (iii) a diaphragm chamber, said chamber having a pilot portion and a working portion;
• (iv) a fluid pressure controlled primary diaphragm, said primary diaphragm located in said primary diaphragm chamber between said pilot portion and said working portion of said primary diaphragm chamber, said primary diaphragm having a pilot side and a working side, said working side of said primary diaphragm configured to engage
• (A) at least a portion of said inlet, and
• (B) said outlet,
• (v) and wherein said primary diaphragm is adapted to be responsive to fluid pressure to move between
• (A) an open position wherein fluid pressure from said inlet disengages said primary diaphragm from said outlet so that fluid is allowed from said inlet to said outlet and thence to outlet conduit;
• and
• (B) a closed position, wherein fluid pressure on said pilot side of said primary diaphragm forces said primary diaphragm to sealingly engage said outlet so that fluid is not allowed from said inlet to said outlet;
• (b) providing a bleed inlet line, said bleed inlet line having a first end and a second end, said first end hydraulically connected to said pilot portion of said primary diaphragm chamber;
• (c) providing a pilot valve, said pilot valve of the type comprising
• (i) a bleed inlet, said bleed inlet hydraulically connected to said second end of said bleed inlet line from said pilot portion of said diaphragm chamber,
• (ii) a bleed outlet,
• (iii) a pressurizable fluid reservoir, said fluid reservoir located between said bleed inlet and said bleed outlet, said fluid reservoir adapted to receive pressurized liquid from said bleed inlet line;
• (iv) a repositionable pilot diaphragm;
• (v) a plunger, said plunger adapted to displace said repositionable pilot diaphragm between
• (A) a normally closed position wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm sealingly engages said bleed outlet to block escape of said pressurized fluid through said pilot valve, and
• (B) an open position, wherein said repositionable pilot diaphragm is displaced from said bleed outlet so as to open said bleed outlet for passage of fluid therethrough, so that said pressurized fluid from said pilot side of said primary diaphragm chamber is discharged through said pilot valve;
• and
• (d) providing an actuator, said actuator having a releasably securable lock, said lock manually operable to secure said actuator in said open position while actuation force is withdrawn from said actuator;
• and
• (e) operatively connecting said actuator with said pilot valve;
• (f) displacing said actuator to an open position to cause the pilot valve to reposition said pilot valve diaphragm from a normally closed position to an open position where pressurized fluid is released out said bleed outlet, thus releasing fluid pressure on said pilot side of said primary diaphragm, causing said primary diaphragm to move to said open position to provide fluid flow outward from said pressurized fluid distribution system.