Toilet fill valve with valve lock
AssigneeMJSI, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Schuster, Larry L. Schneider
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are various embodiments of a lockable toilet fill valve and methods according to the present invention. In one embodiment, a toilet fill valve includes a float/arm assembly. The toilet fill valve is closed when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a first position. The toilet fill valve being open when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a second position. A valve lock is associated with the float/arm assembly. The valve lock includes an unlock position and a lock position, wherein the valve lock fixes the float/arm assembly in the first position when the valve lock is in the lock position.
Claims9
A method for controlling the operation of a toilet fill valve having a float/arm assembly and a rocker switch, the rocker switch being configured to toggle between a lock position and an unlock position, the method comprising the steps of:
- closing the toilet fill valve when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a first position;
- opening the toilet fill valve when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a second position;
- and
- moving the rocker switch with respect to a seat for the rocker switch to place the rocker switch in the lock position to fix the float/arm assembly in the first position, wherein the rocker switch engages the float/arm assembly when in the lock position to hold the float/arm assembly in the first position.
A lockable toilet fill valve, comprising:
- a toilet fill valve with a float/arm assembly;
- the toilet fill valve being closed when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a first position;
- the toilet fill valve being open when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a second position;
- a valve lock associated with the float/arm assembly, the valve lock includes an unlock position and a lock position, wherein the valve lock fixes the float/arm assembly in the first position when the valve lock is in the lock position;
- and
- wherein the valve lock further comprises a rocker switch and a seat for the rocker switch, the rocker switch having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rocker switch being configured to move with respect to the seat and cause the float/arm assembly to be in the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.