FR2792346A1 - Automatic toilet flush for managing water in toilet comprises rotating flap valve, and two locking mechanism with levers rotating on their supports so as to maintain or release flap valve - Google Patents

Abstract

Automatic toilet flush comprises rotating flap valve (11), first and second locking mechanisms. Flap valve is linked to floater (12) attached on support (14) using arm (13) that rotates so as to close or open first end of drainage tailpipe (10). First locking mechanism comprises lever (20) rotating on support (22). First lever also has roller (21) on first end facilitating attachment between lever and valve so as to release valve when flush is working, or to maintain valve in its closed position. Second locking mechanism has second lever (30) rotating on support (14), and having roller (31) on first end for releasing or maintaining valve.

Description

AUTOMATIC WASTEWATER HUNTING.

  The present invention relates generally to an automatic flush for the evacuation of a liquid, for example waste water, and more particularly an automatic flush allowing to drain practically all the liquid contained in a tank at each flask, for example a waste water distribution tank. More particularly, the invention relates to an automatic flush for emptying a tank for distributing raw waste water, that is to say with raw sludge from treatment plants, without risk of clogging, to their subsequent treatment on a bed planted with macrophytes, and also pretreated wastewater for

  the supply of percolating finishing filter media.

  In wastewater treatment plants, comprising one or more massages for filtration by filtration or percolation on sand, the raw wastewater, that is to say containing sludge, is, before being treated in the purification massifs, subjected to one or more treatments which can be constituted by a passage in a degriller,

  in a degreaser and through settling and retention basins.

  Then, during a so-called "primary" treatment, the wastewater is transferred to a lagoon or to an all-water tank, a

  decanter digester, or possibly a filter planted with reeds.

  In particular, the raw wastewater is treated on beds planted with macrophytes, while the treated effluents are sent

  on finishing filtration-percolation beds.

  In all cases, whether raw sewage or pretreated effluents, these are stored in distribution tanks before being spread on macrophyte beds or filtration-percolation beds. The present invention therefore relates to an automatic flush allowing the emptying of a liquid contained in a tank, such as waste water contained in a distribution tank of a waste water treatment installation, which is simple, effective, works from

  independently with or without external energy supply.

  In addition, the automatic flush according to the invention can operate with a practically zero pressure drop, which is particularly advantageous when the installations have to be

  carried out on land with no slope or very slight slope.

  According to the invention, the automatic flush for emptying a predetermined quantity of a liquid contained in a tank, comprises a drainage tube located near the bottom of the tank having a first open end located inside the tank and which comprises: - a valve secured to a float and movable between a first closed position, closing the first open end of the drain pipe and a second final open position releasing the first open end of the drain pipe; a first locking means keeping the valve in its closed position when the tank is empty and while the tank is filling with liquid and releasing the valve when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches a first predetermined high level, so that , under the action of the Archimedes thrust applied by the liquid to the float, the valve moves from its first closed position to its second final open position; and a second locking means keeping the valve in its final opening position when the level of the liquid in the tank has reached the first predetermined high level and while the tank is emptying through the drainage pipe and releasing the valve which returns to its closed position, when the liquid level in the tank reaches a second predetermined low level and the predetermined quantity of liquid has been

  emptied from the tank through the drain pipe.

  More specifically, the first locking means comprises a first locking member and a first control means, the first control means acting on the first locking member so that it captures the valve in its closed position when the tank is empty. , keep the valve in this closed position when the tank fills with liquid and releases the valve when the liquid level in the tank reaches the first predetermined high level. Likewise, the second locking means comprises a second locking member and a second control means acting on the second locking member so that it captures the valve in its final open position when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches the first high level determined, maintain the valve in this open position when the tank is empty and release the valve when the

  liquid level in the tank reaches the second predetermined low level.

  An important aspect of the invention is that the valve is integral with a float, so that the displacement of the valve from its closed position to its final open position is carried out only

  under the action of Archimedes' push of the liquid filling the tank.

  As, moreover, the movement of the valve from its final open position to its closed position during emptying of the tank takes place only under the action of gravity, the opening or closing functions the drain tubing is done without

external energy supply.

  In a first embodiment of the flush of the invention, the first locking member comprises a first pivoting lever provided at one end with a member for holding and releasing the valve and the second locking member also comprises a second pivoting lever provided with one end of a second element for holding and releasing the valve. These elements for holding and releasing the valve

  can be, for example pebbles.

  In this first embodiment, the first and second control means consist respectively of a trigger float and a ballast tank rigidly connected to the respective ends of the first and second pivoting levers opposite to the

  ends provided with the valve holding and releasing element.

  This first embodiment has the advantage of operating

  completely autonomous, that is to say without any external energy input.

  In a second embodiment, the first and second locking means are electromagnetic. More particularly, in this second embodiment, the first and second locking members each consist of an electrically excitable magnetic element and a cooperating metal frame, at least one of the electrically excitable magnetic element or of the metal frame of the first and second locking member, preferably the metal frame, being fixedly situated respectively at the level of the closed and final open position of the valve and the other of the electrically excitable magnetic element or the metal frame being

integral with the valve.

  Preferably, in this second embodiment, the first locking member is constituted by an electromagnet integral with the valve and a metal frame located at the closed position of the valve, while the second locking member is constituted by the same integral electromagnet of the valve and a second metal frame located at the final opening position of the valve. In this second embodiment, the first control means comprises a level sensor detecting the presence of liquid in the tank up to the first predetermined high level to temporarily control the de-excitation of the electrically excitable magnetic element to release the valve from its position. closing and allow its movement from its closing position to its final opening position and the second control means comprises a second level sensor detecting the presence of liquid in the tank up to the second predetermined low level to temporarily control the de-excitation of the excitable electric magnetic element and releasing the valve from its final opening position and allowing its displacement

  from this final open position to its closed position.

  This second embodiment makes it possible to have in a same tank a series of identical flushes, and thus to evacuate the liquid from the tank by separate pipes and to convey it to different places of an installation, such as an installation of waste water treatment, the flushes being able to be controlled sequentially, for example by a

  clock control cabinet controlled by sensors.

  The rest of the description refers to the appended figs, which

  represent, respectively: Figure 1 - a partial schematic view, from the side, of a first embodiment of an automatic flush according to the invention; Figure 2 - a partial schematic view of the side opposite to that of Figure 1, the automatic flush of Figure 1; Figure 3 a top view of part of the automatic flush of Figure 1; Figure 4 - a bottom view of part of the automatic flush of Figure 1; Figure 5 - a partial schematic side view of a second embodiment of an automatic flush according to the invention; and Figure 6 - a partial schematic view of hunting

  automatic in Figure 5, with the valve in the final open position.

  Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a first embodiment, entirely mechanical, of an automatic flush according to the invention. As shown in the figures, the flush comprises a drain pipe 10 arranged horizontally near the bottom of a tank 1, for example a tank for distributing raw waste water or effluent of pretreated water from an installation of purification. This drainage pipe 10 has a first open end located in the tank and a second open end connected to a drainage pipe for conveying the waste water or the pretreated effluents to suitable locations.

  a purification installation when emptying the tank 1.

  A pivoting valve 11 secured to a float 12 is fixed by means of an arm 13, pivotally, on a support 14, so as, by pivoting, to be able to close or release the first open end of the tubing of

drain 10.

  As shown in Figure 1, a first locking means comprises a first locking member comprising a lever 20 pivotally mounted on a support 22 and a first end of which comprises a roller 21 facilitating the engagement of the lever 20 with the valve 1 1 to keep the valve in its closed position as well as the release of the valve 11 during the operation of the flush, as is

will see below.

  The first locking means further comprises a first control means constituted by a float 23 secured to a vertical rigid rod 24, one end of which is connected to the second end of the

  lever 20 opposite the end of the lever 20 comprising the roller 21.

  As shown in the figures, the rod 24 is held by guides 24, 25, constituted by sections of tube fixed to the wall of the tank and through which the rigid rod 24 passes, so as to guide the vertical movement of the float 23 as will be explained below. Preferably, the float 23 is mounted in an adjustable manner on the rigid rod 24, so that its position on the rod makes it possible to determine the quantity of

  liquid drained at each bottle.

  As shown in the top view of Figure 4, the pivoting lever 20 preferably has the shape of a Z, so that the first control means consisting of the float 23 and the rod 24 is located outside

  of the drain pipe plan 10.

  The automatic flush further comprises a second locking means consisting of a second lever 30 pivotally mounted on the support 14. The lever 30 also includes at a first end a roller 31 facilitating engagement with the valve 11 when the latter is in its final opening position and to also facilitate its

  release as will be described below.

  The second locking means also comprises a second control means constituted by a ballast tank 32 secured to a rigid rod 33, one end of which is connected to the second end of the lever 30,

  opposite the first end of this lever comprising the roller 31.

  As shown in the top view of FIG. 3, the lever 30 assumes the shape of an L so that the second control means consisting of the ballast tank 32 and the rod 33 is located outside the plane of the

drain pipe 10.

  Finally, one can provide a cleaning hose 34 provided with a

  valve to ensure possible cleaning of the bottom of the tank 1.

  We will now describe how the realization of

  the automatic flush shown in Figures 1 to 4.

  Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, when the tank 1 is empty, the valve 11 is in its closed position closing the open end of the drainage pipe 10. For this state of the tank, the float 23 exerts by means of the rigid rod 24 on the second end of the lever 20 a force directed downwards so that the lever 20 is in a first position for holding the closure in which the roller 21 is engaged with the valve 11 and maintain this valve in its closed position. On the other hand, still when the tank is empty, the ballast tank 32 of the second control means rests on the bottom of the tank 1 and the rod 33 of this second control means has a length such that it exerts an action down on the lever 30, so as to bring the first end of this lever carrying the roller 31

  in a first closing release position.

  When liquid, for example waste water, is introduced into the tank 1 by means of a supply pipe (not shown), the ballast tank 32 of the second control means rises with the rise of the liquid in the tank and transmits via the rigid rod 33 a force directed upwards at the second end of the lever 30, so that the latter pivots so as to bring the roller 31 to the first end of the lever 30 in a second position corresponding to the final opening position of the valve 11. To do this, the ballast tank 32 is designed so that when it is completely immersed in the liquid, it rises under the effect of the thrust Archimedes to an equilibrium position such that the end of the lever 30 comprising the roller

  31 is in the final opening position of the valve.

  During the rise of the liquid in the tank, the lever 20 remains in its position for keeping the valve 11 closed until the level of the liquid reaches the float 23 then, continuing its rise, moves this float 23 upwards. When this float 23 moves upwards, it exerts, via the rigid rod 24, a force directed upwards on the second end of the lever 20 which then pivots

so as to release the valve 11.

  At this moment, the valve 11 under the effect of Archimedes' thrust of the liquid on the float 12 secured to the valve, pivots upwards until it engages with the end of the lever 30 comprising the roller 31 in the

  final opening position of the valve 11.

  At this time, the introduction of water into the tank is stopped and the tank is emptied by the drain pipe 10. At the same time, since the level of the liquid in the tank decreases due to the emptying, the float 23 descends with this level of the liquid and exerts via the rigid rod 24 a force directed downwards on the second end of the lever 20, so as to rotate it and bring the first end of this lever 20 provided with the roller 21 in the first holding position of

closing the valve 11.

  As long as the liquid level has not dropped enough for the ballast tank 32 to be lowered until it rests on the bottom of the tank 20, the lever 30 remains in its second position for holding the valve 1 1 in its position final opening, so that the liquid

  in the tank is almost completely drained.

  When the level of the liquid in the tank reaches a predetermined low level, the ballast tank 32 descends until it rests on the bottom of the tank 1, exerting, by means of the rigid rod 33, a force directed downwards on the second end of the lever 30, pivoting it to bring the first end of this lever 30 carrying the roller 31 into the first closing release position releasing the valve 11. At this stage, the valve 1 1 and the integral float 12 are no longer immersed in the liquid and pivot down under the effect of gravity, engaging again with the first end of the lever 20 carrying the roller 21 to close off the open end of the drainage tube 10. The flush

  is then ready for another filling and emptying cycle of the tank.

  Although the lever 20 located below the drain pipe 10 has been shown, this lever 20 could be placed laterally on the

drain pipe 10.

  This completely mechanical embodiment of the automatic flush according to the invention has the advantage of not requiring an external supply of energy. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second electromagnetic embodiment of the automatic flush according to the invention. In these figures, where the same elements bear the same reference numbers, the flush differs from that described above only in that the means for locking the valve 11 in the closed positions and

  opening times are electromagnetic means.

  More particularly, the locking means comprise an electromagnet 36 integral with the float 12 and two metal frames 37, 38, a first frame 37 being fixed to the drain pipe 10, so as to correspond to the closed position of the valve 11 and a second frame 38 being fixed by means of the support 14, so as to correspond to the final opening position of the valve 11. The control means are then constituted by a high level sensor of the liquid in the tank 39 and a sensor low level of the liquid in the tank 40. The electromagnet 36 can be supplied for example by means

of a battery.

  This second embodiment of the automatic flush according to the invention operates as follows: When the tank is empty, the valve 11, under the action of gravity, is in its closed position shown in Figure 1 and is maintained in this position by the electromagnetic force generated

  by the excitation of the electromagnet 36 which then cooperates with the armature 37.

  When water is introduced into the tank, through a supply pipe (not shown), the level of the water in the tank rises until it reaches the first high level sensor 39. Up to this point, the electromagnet 36 remains excited and cooperates with the armature 37 to generate the electromagnetic force holding the valve 11 in its

closed position.

  When the liquid level in the tank reaches the sensor 39, the latter controls a temporary de-excitation of the electromagnet 36, and consequently the suppression of the electromagnetic force, which releases the valve 1 1 which, under the effect of Archimedes' thrust exerted by the liquid in the tank on the float 12 secured to the valve 1, pivots upwards until it reaches its final opening position in which the electromagnet 36 is located near the second frame 38 At this time, under the effect of the time delay, the electromagnet is again excited and cooperates with the second armature 38 to generate an electromagnetic force keeping the valve 11 in its final open position. The liquid in the tank is then drained through the 1o tubing

drain 10.

  The electromagnet 36 remains energized during this emptying of the liquid until the liquid level in the tank 1 reaches the second low level sensor 40 which controls, upon detection of this low level, a temporary de-excitation of the electromagnet 36. When the electromagnet 36 is de-energized, the removal of the electromagnetic force releases the valve 11 which pivots downwards by gravity until it returns to its closed position closing the open end of the drain pipe 10. From made of the time delay, when the valve 11 has returned to its closed position, the electromagnet 36 is again excited to, in cooperation with the first armature 37, generate an electromagnetic force keeping the valve 11 in its

closed position.

  The electromagnet can be powered by a 12 or 24 volt battery, which is kept charged for example by means of a solar panel, which allows total energy autonomy of the automatic flush. In addition, this embodiment makes it possible to have in a same tank a series of identical flushes whose electromagnets can be controlled by means of the same sensors and a control cabinet provided with a clock, so as to regulate the number of trips and the

  frequency of triggering of different hunts.

  Thus, from the same tank, it will be possible to feed

  different parts of the same treatment plant.

  As a variant of this second embodiment, electromagnets could be available in the closing and final opening positions of the

  valve 11, respectively, and a metal frame integral with the valve.

  This variant works in reverse of the previous one, the electromagnets being temporarily energized when the predetermined high and low levels are detected by the high and low level sensors, respectively to ensure the proper maintenance of the valve in its

  closing and final opening positions.

  Depending on the dimensions of the drain pipe (diameter 1 10 to 300 cms), we can consider a flush rate of 20 to 250 m3 / hour and depending on the size of the storage tank a volume of 1.5 to

m3 / covered.

he

Claims (8)

  1. Automatic flush for the discharge of a predetermined quantity of a liquid contained in a tank (1), said flush comprising a discharge pipe (10) located near the bottom of the tank and having a first open end located inside the tank, characterized in that it comprises: - a valve (11) secured to a float (12) and movable between a first closed position, closing the first open end of the discharge pipe (10) and a second final opening position releasing the first open end of the discharge pipe (10); - A first locking means (20) keeping the valve (1 1) in its closed position when the tank is empty and while the tank is filling with liquid and releasing the valve (1 1) when the level of liquid in the tank reaches a first predetermined high level, so that, under the action of the Archimedes thrust applied by this liquid or float (12), the valve (11) moves from its first closed position to its second final opening position; and - a second locking means (30) keeping the valve (11) in its final opening position when the level of the liquid in the tank has reached the first predetermined high level and while the tank is emptying through the drainage pipe (10) and releasing the valve (11) which returns to its closed position, when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches a second predetermined low level and the quantity   liquid has been discharged through the discharge pipe (10).   2. Automatic flush according to claim 1, characterized in that the first locking means (20) comprises a first locking member and a first control means (23, 24), said first control means (23, 24) acting on the first locking member (20) so that it captures the valve (11) in its closed position when the tank is empty and maintains the valve (11) in its closed position when the tank fills with liquid and releases the valve (11) when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches the first predetermined high level.   3. Automatic flush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second locking means comprises a second locking member (30) and a second control means (32, 33) acting on the second locking member (30) so that the latter captures the valve (11) in its final opening position when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches the first predetermined level, maintain the valve (11) in its final opening position when the tank is empty and releases the valve (11) when the liquid level in the tank reaches the second predetermined low level.   4. Automatic flush according to any one of   claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first member of   locking (20) comprises a first pivoting lever comprising at one end a first roller (21) for holding and releasing the valve (11) and the second locking member (30) comprises a second pivoting lever comprising at one end a second roller ( 31) maintenance and release of the valve (11).   5. Automatic flush according to claim 4, characterized in that the first and second control means (23, 24; 32, 33) are constituted respectively by a float (23) and a ballast tank (32) rigidly connected to ends respectively of the first and second pivoting levers (20, 30) opposite the ends comprising the rollers (21, 31).   6. Automatic flush according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and second locking members each comprise an electrically excitable magnetic element (36) and a cooperating metal frame (37, 38), at least one of the element electrically excitable magnetic and the metal frame being fixedly located in the closed position and the final open position of the valve (11) and the first and second control means (39, 40) are included to excite and de-excite the magnetic elements (36) so as to operate the valve (11) as described in claims 1, 2 and 3.   7. Automatic flush according to claim 3, characterized in that the first locking member comprises an electromagnet (36) disposed on the float (12) integral with the valve (11) and a first fixed metal frame (37) arranged to cooperate with the electromagnet when the valve is in its closed position, and in that the first control means is such that the electromagnet remains excited and secured to the first fixed metal frame (37) when the tank is empty or is filling of liquid so as to maintain the valve (11) in its closed position and temporarily de-energizes the electromagnet to release the valve (11) when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches the first predetermined high level and allows the valve to move ( 11) to its final open position and the second locking member comprises the electromagnet (36) and a second fixed metal frame arranged so as to cooperate r with the electromagnet (36) when the valve (11) is in its final opening position and a second control means such that the electromagnet (36) remains excited and secured to the second fixed frame when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches the first predetermined high level and when the tank empties to maintain the valve (11) in its final open position and temporarily de-energize the electromagnet (36) to release the valve (11) when the level of the liquid in the tank reaches the second predetermined low level and allows the valve (11) to move to its position closing.   8. Automatic flush according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the first control means comprises a level sensor (39) detecting the first predetermined high level of the liquid in the tank and the second control means comprises a level sensor (40)   detecting the second predetermined low level of the liquid in the tank.