Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7380293 | Safety valve for toilet tank A filling system for a toilet tank prevents continual flow to the tank in the event of a leak from the tank by providing a hydraulically actuated safety valve for halting water flow to the filling valve in the event that the water flow continues for a time longer th... | 06/03/2008 |
| 6968856 | Mechanically automated fluid consumption limiting apparatus A mechanical automatic fluid consumption limiting apparatus for limiting flow through a primary flow line includes an actuating line, a control line, a rotary meter, a control assembly, an actuating valve, a diaphragm valve on the primary line, an eductor and an eng... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6918407 | Pneumatic reset relief valve A safety device protects a mud pump from an over pressure condition, which can occur during normal operation. The mud pump discharge couples to a high pressure inlet at the bottom of a valve body and the discharge outlet from the valve discharges to the side of the ... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6029945 | Self-closing valve A self-closing valve assembly has a main valve having a seat between a high-pressure input conduit and a low-pressure output conduit, a main valve element movable into and out of engagement with the seat to block and permit flow from the input conduit to ... | 02/29/2000 |
| 5458152 | Self-closing water valve A self-closing water valve has a valve seat, a valve closing member cooperates with the valve seat so as to abut against and to be lifted from the valve seat, and an auxiliary valve coupled with the valve closing member for reducing operational forces dur... | 10/17/1995 |
| 5078178 | Flow control device A flow control device including a base, a ball caused to seal an opening of the base by water flow through the water inlet of the base, an impeller rotatably received in the base and can be propelled by water flow through the base, a plunger having a lowe... | 01/07/1992 |
| 4916762 | Positive shut-off, metered water control system for flush tanks A device for metering the flow of water into the tank and bowl of a toilet and providing a positive shut-off of the flow. When the toilet handle is turned, a linkage rotates a cam to force the stopper from its seat thereby commencing water flow. Water flo... | 04/17/1990 |
| 4676477 | Self-closing valve fitting A self-closing valve fitting comprises a housing which bounds an internal space and includes a water inlet and a water outlet communicating with the internal space and a valve seat situated between the water inlet and the water outlet. A valve piston is r... | 06/30/1987 |
| 4586692 | Flushometer valve integrable with a structure A flushometer valve integrable with a structure to which it is mounted.... | 05/06/1986 |
| 4577829 | Self closing valve A self closing valve has a housing with a water inlet and outlet and with a valve piston positioned inside it in such a way that the end of the piston facing away from the valve seat demarcates a discharge chamber in conjunction with the inlet and outlet ... | 03/25/1986 |
| 4457452 | Automatic shut-off valve An improved automatic shut-off valve that allows the temperature of discharged water to be adjusted by rotating the valve operating handle. The means for shutting off the discharge of water is simplified by attaching a valve closure member directly to a p... | 07/03/1984 |
| 4448255 | Rotary blowout preventer A rotary blowout preventer having a radially compressible packing to be sealingly engaged with and rotated by a drill pipe or kelly and a hydraulically actuated wedging piston for compressing the packing is provided with a rotatable bearing support which ... | 05/15/1984 |
| 4231542 | Automatically resetting flush valve In a flush valve having a housing, a moveable partition sealing engaging the housing, and defining a primary chamber and a control chamber; an inlet port in the primary chamber and an outlet port in the primary chamber; and a valve element connected with ... | 11/04/1980 |
| 4227674 | Liquid metering valve A liquid metering flush valve to be installed in connection with plumbing fixtures such as water closets, urinals, service sinks, and other equipment and to supply said fixtures with a predetermined amount of water; which may be potable water, contaminate... | 10/14/1980 |
| 4182371 | Automatic liquid flow control device An automatically actuated liquid flow control device or valve is provided which serves to start or stop the flow of a liquid, e.g., water, through a supply line at a desired time or, in the case of stopping the flow of a liquid, after a predetermined amou... | 01/08/1980 |
| 4058286 | Valve with delayed action closing means A valve having a delayed action closing means comprises a membrane positioned above the valve seat and partitioning the interior of the valve casing into a first and second chamber, a water wheel in the first chamber positioned to be rotated by the incomi... | 11/15/1977 |
| 3940805 | Selective volume flush valve A dual capacity flush valve comprises a rotatable valve plate arranged in a sealed housing through which water passes from a supply to the flush outlet. The valve plate has openings which are moved to register with the water outlet and an actuator is prov... | 03/02/1976 |
