US20160069470A1

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Publication number: US20160069470A1
Application number: US14/935,147
Authority: US
Inventors: Anthony R. Brandelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-09-08
Filing date: 2015-11-06
Publication date: 2016-03-10
Also published as: US9260848B1; US20170175922A1; US20160069056A1

Abstract

In one aspect, the device includes a control apparatus including a pilot valve projecting through a passage in a control diaphragm to be formed with an enlarged poppet to seat the underside of the diaphragm and formed with a poppet head shaped to direct incoming flow away from the pilot passage to minimize entry of residue.

In another aspect, the present invention includes an elongated catch device pivotally mounted intermediately to an inlet pipe device and carrying at its upper extremity a keeper selectively disposed in the path of a float device to, unless a toilet has been flushed, block lowering of the float device and consequent opening of the control valve.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 14/479,535 filed Sep. 8, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to hydraulic valves and more particularly to valves typically utilized to control fluid flow in a toilet tank.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Hydraulic valves have long been employed to control flow of liquid such as in a toilet tank. These valves often rely on buoyant floats for actuation to turn the incoming water off when the water reaches a predetermined level and to turn the water back on when a flush handle has been actuated to exhaust the fluid from the tank into the toilet bowl. An example of these types of valves and arrangements is shown my U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,090.

Many efforts have been made over the years to improve the construction of these valves, often referred to as ball cock valves and even to lock the valves against opening except when toilet has been flushed.

As disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,090, existing ball cock valves, in some instances, incorporate a valve body which sits on an upright supply pipe to control flow from the outlet at the top of the pipe via a flexible diaphragm which may be raised and lowered to open and close such outlet. It has been common practice for such diaphragms to incorporate a central vertical pilot passage which receives a vertically elongated pilot pin or stem having longitudinally spaced apart, diametrically enlarged cross sections spaced for selective registration with respective reduced-in diameter ports spaced along the length of the pilot passage for selectively blocking flow through the annulus formed between such enlarged cross sections and ports. When the enlarged sections are out of registration with the respective ports, water may flow upwardly through the pilot passage to pressurize the topside of the diaphragm to force it down into engagement with a seat formed at the pipe outlet to thereby block flow. A lever arm is pivotally mounted at one end to engage the pilot pin medially for raising and lowering of the pilot pin in response to raising and lowering of a donut shaped float mounted concentrically about the feed pipe to selectively control flow through the pilot passage.

While a significant improvement over the art at the time, this prior construction can sometimes suffer the shortcoming that stopping of flow through the pilot passage is dependent on registration of the enlarged sections with the respective ports and, over time, one or the other may be damaged or worn to the point where positive registration for control of flow is no longer effective. Further, the annuli between the pilot pin and ports in the passage provides for direct flow from the inlet pipe into the pilot passage and, with the relatively low volume of flow which can carry sediment, scum or residue, the annuli may become plugged or clogged.

Another example of a pilot valve construction for a ball cock assembly is a pilot pin carried from one end of a lever arm mounted pivotally to a pivot pin and projecting through an aperture in a seal element to be formed on its lower extremity with an enlarged bulbous portion apparently intended to be, when the valve is closed, engaged with the lower surface of the seal element to block flow there-through. A device of this type, while in theory providing for some degree of control for the seal to close off the water inlet, fails to provide for positive exhausting of fluid above the seal element in a manner which will result in positively releasing pressure above the seal element for raising thereof and, further, fails to provide for diverting the water during inlet flow in a positive manner to direct any sediment in such water away from the central underside of the seal element in a manner which will serve to minimize the tendency for such sediment to be directed into the pilot passage.

One commercially available ball cock valve is marketed under the mark FLUIDMASTER® and is well known in the field. Systems employing valves of this type, while popular in the marketplace, often incorporate a great number of parts, in some instances over 40, thus making them expensive to manufacture and requiring some degree of skill to assemble and install.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes an upright inlet pipe terminating at its upper extremity in a housing defining a chamber sitting over an inlet port for introduction of water. A flexible valve diaphragm is received in a chamber above an inlet port and includes a central, through, pilot passage which receives a pilot pin disposed longitudinally therein and including enlarged portions to be aligned with respective ports spaced along the passage. The enlarged portions are formed with a peripheral fluted areas for escape of pilot control fluid. The pilot pin projects below the lower surface of the diaphragm and is formed with an enlarged poppet which, upon raising of the pin within the passage, serves to abut a valve seat formed on the underside of such diaphragm to close flow in the passage to thereby decrease the pressure on the top side of the diaphragm causing the water pressure on the underside to raise the diaphragm for flow of water from the inlet port outwardly into the toilet tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view, partially broken away, of a toilet storage tank which incorporates the improved flow control valve of the present invention;

FIG. 1 A is a partial perspective view, in enlarged scale, of the upper portion of a control tube included in the catch device shown inFIG. 1 and depicting the control valve being installed;

FIG. 1 B is a perspective view similar to1 A but showing the control valve fully installed;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, vertical, sectional view, in enlarged scale, of an inlet pipe device and the control valve shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical, sectional view similar toFIG. 2 but in enlarged scale and the components assembled;

FIG. 4 is a vertical, sectional view, in enlarged scale, of the upper portion of the flow control valve shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical, sectional view, in enlarged scale, of the lower portion of the inlet pipe device shown inFIGS. 2 & 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale and partially broken away, of the flow control valve shown inFIG. 4 and depicting the valve in its closed position;

FIG. 7 is a vertical, sectional view similar toFIG. 6 but showing the flow control valve in its open position;

FIG. 8 is a vertical, sectional view, in enlarged scale, of the catch device shown inFIG. 3 and depicting a catch device blocking downward travel of a float tube device controlling the control valve shown inFIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical, sectional view, similar toFIG. 8 but showing the catch device released;

FIG. 10 is a transverse, sectional view, in enlarged scale, of a locking flange incorporated in the catch mechanism shown inFIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is vertical, sectional view, partially broken away, of a second embodiment of the flow control device shown inFIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 4, thecontrol valve13 of the present invention has utility for mounting on top of an uprightinlet pipe device15 which includes anoutlet17 surrounded by an upwardly facing valve seat19 (FIGS. 6 and 7) against which adiaphragm20 will seat when apilot valve23 is opened. Thediaphragm20 is formed with a central structure defining an axial pilot stem passage26 (FIG. 7) formed with a pair of reduced-in-diameter, vertically spaced apart

ports

27 and29 with which respective enlarged

portions

33 and35 of avalve stem37 are selectively registered. The passage terminates at its bottom end in an inlet port surrounded by a downwardly facingpilot valve seat28. The valve stem37 projects downwardly below the port pilot seat28 (FIG. 7) and is formed with an enlargedpoppet41 configured in its lower portion with downwardly facing upwardly and radially outwardly angleddeflecting surfaces60, (FIG. 7) to deflect upwardly flowing, incoming water to flow radially outwardly as it passes the poppet. Thestem37 is controlled by acontrol lever42 having a projectingextremity43 controlled by a concentrically disposedcylindrical control tube51 encircled and carried, by a donut shapedfloat47.

Thus, when thefloat47 is lowered, the projectingextremity43 of thelever arm42 will be lowered thereby raising thepilot stem37 to raise thepoppet41 to seat against theseat28 on the underside of the diaphragm20 (FIG. 7) to block flow of water upwardly through thepassage26 to thereby allow for pressurization of the underside of the diaphragm as shown inFIG. 7 to raise the diaphragm off itsseat19 thereby allowing flow of water up through thepassage87 defined by the upper extremity if the pipe device to flow outwardly into the toilet tank and bowl as will be described below.

As will be appreciated by those of skill, lowering of the float may be selectively restricted to prevent thepilot valve23 from opening thecontrol valve13. Referring toFIG. 1, control of thepilot valve23 to control flow from theinlet pipe device15 may be via theconcentric control tube51. The inlet pipe device is typically disposed spaced laterally from aflapper flush valve53.

Referring toFIG. 8, a catch device, generally designated55, is disposed on the side of the fill pipe facing the flush valve and, in the preferred embodiment, is formed by a generally hairpin shaped somewhat stiff butresilient spring wire57 mounted medially from amount device58 which may include a radially projectinghinge arm59 constructed of elastomeric material such as flexible rubber to provide for rocking or slight rotation of such catch device about the arm. Carried at the upper extremity of the catch device is akeeper61 to be selectively disposed in the downward path of thecontrol tube51 to block the downward path thereof (FIG. 8). The lower extremity of thecatch device55 is connected with theflush control lever75 by means of alink65 such that, when the flush control lever is actuated, the catch device is rotated a few degrees counterclockwise on thehinge arm59, as viewed inFIGS. 1 and 9, to move thekeeper61 to the left out from under the bottom edge of thecontrol tube51 thereby freeing the tube to lower as the water in the tank is lowered to thereby rotate thelever arm42 counterclockwise as viewed inFIG. 7 to open theflow control valve13. Concurrently, the lever arm will lift the free side of theflapper valve53 to flush the water from the tank into the bowl.

On the other hand, should the water level in thetank71 be lowered, by a leak, from the level shown inFIG. 1 without actuation of the flush lever, thekeeper61 will remain positioned in the path of the control tube51 (FIG. 8) to prevent lowering thereof to retain thepilot valve23 open and the flow control valve closed (FIG. 6).

Referring toFIGS. 1 A and1 B, thecontrol tube51 may be constructed of plastic and the upper extremity thereof formed at one diametrical side with a pair of annularly spaced apart,longitudinal slits126 defining there-between a narrow, upwardly projectingresilient tongue128 formed at its free extremity with thebore129. In this manner, when the control valve is installed, thedistal extremity43 oflever arm42 will ride downwardly on the inner surface of the free extremity of thetongue128 to drive the free end radially outwardly, as it is viewed inFIG. 1 A, until thebore129 is registered with the lever arm for projection into such bore as shown inFIG. 1 B allowing the tongue to snap back into its neutral position.

Toilet tanks

71 typically incorporate an upstanding inlet pipe and an upstanding overflow pipe72 (FIG. 1). The overflow pipe is formed on itstop end73 for when the water reaches a certain level, allow escape of the water thereby preventing overflow of the water from the tank. Overflow pipes of the type of thepipe72 typically incorporate a network of water channels leading to the toilet bowl for replenishing bowl water after a flush.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, such toilet tanks also typically incorporate an actuation knob or lever which might actuate aflush lever75 to rotate afree end77 between a lowered fill position and a raised flush position.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, theinlet pipe device15 includes alower pipe131 typically connected through the bottom wall of thetank71 and anupper pipe141 telescoped downwardly therein. Thepipe141 is formed on itsupper extremity87 with a radially enlargedflange81 constructed with an upwardly facing annular surface defining thecontrol valve seat19.

Thecontrol valve device13 includes a tubular housing, generally designated91, formed on its periphery with longitudinal guide ribs spaced equidistant annularly around the housing to provide a generally annular siphon break space between the housing and thecontrol tube51. The lower portion of the housing is configured in part, by an interior annular flange and an exterior connector flange21 (FIG. 6). The housing is further formed with an annular top wall93 (FIG. 6). The top wall is formed centrally with a downwardly projecting cylindrical shell defining a central, stepped,vertical bore95 which, in the upward direction, progressively reduces in diameter to terminate at its upper extremity in an upwardly opening O-ring gland for receipt of an O-ring97 (FIG. 7).

The diaphragm is then formed centrally with a upstanding, steppedtower109 received complimentary in the stepped bore95 and configured centrally with thepilot passage26. The tower is further configured at the upper extremity with anannular flange111 receiving a reduced-in-diameter neck113 of the stem.

Thetower109 is formed with a plurality of radially, outwardly openingbleed passages115 for selectively bleeding fluid from thepilot passage26 when the pilot valve is open.

In the preferred embodiment, thelever arm42 is pivotally mounted on apivot pin121 carried from ayoke123 standing up from the top side of thehousing93. Referring toFIG. 6, the right hand end of the lever arm includes a ball socket couple with aball125 formed at the upper extremity of thestem37.

Referring toFIGS. 4,6 and7, a pair of

posts

132 and133 stand up from the top of thehousing93 and project through spaced apart bores136 in atop wall140 of acap143 having an annular, downwardly projectingskirt147 sitting on anannular flange159 formed about the periphery of the valve housing.

As noted above, in one preferred embodiment, a donut shapedbuoyant float47 is telescoped over the control tube. The float is configured with anannular air chamber154 and is formed on its interior diameter with one or more friction devices such a rib161 (FIG. 3) to form an interference fit with the exterior wall of thecontrol tube51 to releasably hold the float in position along the vertical length of such tube.

Referring toFIGS. 1,3 and4 the valve housing is conveniently formed with a downwardly dependingnipple88 which is connected on its lower extremity with afill tube90 leading to the top end of theoverflow pipe72 for filling the bowl.

Thediaphragm20 is typically constructed of elastomeric material and includes a central body having a downwardly facing sealing surface101 (FIG. 7) to seat against theseat19. The diaphragm is concentrically formed about its periphery with an annular,flexible web102 carrying the body from ananchor ring104 trapped in anannular channel106 formed between the top and bottom walls of the housing. The body incorporates a upwardly projecting,concentric rim103 received in anannular clearance groove105 formed in the underside of thetop wall93.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that thepoppet41 is enlarged in diameter and is preferably formed on its bottom side with upwardly and outwardly angled deflecting surfaces60. This serves to, when the valve is open or closing, deflect upwardly flowing water radially outwardly to then flow back radially inwardly under theseat28 and upwardly into the annulus formed in thepassage26.

Turning now back toFIGS. 5 and 8, thefill pipe device15 includes upper and

lower pipes

141 and131 respectively. Thelower fill pipe131 is configured in its upper extremity with a pair of interiorannular ribs137 formed to receive in overlapping radial relationship corresponding pairs ofannular ribs139 spaced along the exterior of theupper pipe141. The upper pipe is telescoped the desired distance downwardly into the lower pipe for selective registration of theribs137 in respective grooves formed between theribs139 on theupper tube141.

Referring toFIGS. 8 and 10, the upper extremity of thelower pipe131 is configured with four longitudinal, upwardly openingslots142 spaced equidistant about the periphery to form four resilient, upstanding, cantileveredfingers144 disposed in respective quadrants. As will be appreciated, each finger is formed at its upper extremity with a respective segment of the radially, inwardly projectingribs137. Consequently, I provide a snap in feature facilitated by outwardly flared flange segments definingrespective lips138 at the upper extremities of the fingers having, when the fingers are in their relaxed position, a combined maximum outside diameter larger than the inside diameter at the top of thefitting flange149.

Formed in the lower extremity of theupper pipe141 are a pair of O-ring grooves for receipt of O-rings145 for sealing against the interior of thelower pipe131.

With continued reference toFIG. 8, a spool shaped lock fitting, generally designated149, is received in telescopical relationship over the upper extremity of thelower pipe131 and is formed with upper and lower

radial flanges

151 and155.

As mentioned, in one preferred embodiment, the fitting149 is formed with an upwardly narrowing tapered interior diameter sized to, be dropped down over the upper extremity of thelower pipe131 during assembly to leave a concentric annulus between thepipe131 and such inside diameter as shown inFIG. 8 for free rotation of the fitting on such pipe. In any event, as the fitting is brought into position the upper end will compress the upper ends of thefingers144 in each quadrant radially inwardly to the point where therib segments137 will be diminished in their respective combined diameters to allow for relative longitudinal shifting to align with a selected groove formed between theribs139 to, upon release, register in the groove to lock the fill pipe device at the desired height. The fitting will thus be dropped down to the level where the lip segments will be disposed above the top of the fitting149 to thus block the fitting from shifting upwardly, as for instance, under the force of thelink65 being drawn upwardly to the right during flush (FIG. 5).

Theflanges151 and155 (FIGS. 8 and 10) are configured with a plurality of through,vertical bores156, respectively, spaced equidistant thereabout for receipt of thetube90. The flanges are further formed on their respective one sides with diametrical, outwardly openingclearance slots157 for receipt of thecatch device55 and to act as a radial guide. The closed end of the slot in the upper flange acts as astop158 to limit counter clockwise rotation of the catch device.

With continued reference toFIG. 8, conveniently, the fitting149 is further formed below theflange155 with a downwardly projectingannular skirt167. Themount device58 is conveniently formed with anelastomeric ring168 to be telescoped over theskirt167 and is formed in its lower extremity with the radially, outwardly projecting,flexible hinge arm59. Thehinge arm59 is formed with a throughvertical bore174 for frictional receipt of oneleg173 of thecatch device55. Theother leg175 of thecatch device55 is constructed of spring wire to project parallel to theleg173 and cooperate in mounting theslider187. Theleg175 is formed at its lower extremity with aorthogonal tab177 which, in the preferred embodiment, is turned radially inwardly toward thefirst leg173 to terminate in an end spaced therefrom. In some embodiments, thetab177 is turned radially outwardly so that the catch device can be mounted via that tab. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, some embodiments do not include such atab177. AU-shaped slider187, formed with bores and maintaining akeeper61, may be telescoped over the

parallel legs

173 and175.

In the preferred embodiment, theleg173 projects below thehinge arm59 to define a lever arm formed with aneye181 connected with thelink65. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, thelink65 may take many different forms such as a chain, rigid link, coil spring or even an elastomeric strip.

Theslider187 is configured with a pair of horizontally spaced apart vertical bores into which

spring wire legs

173 and175 are friction fit for slidable adjustment of theslider187 to the desired elevation on the catch device. As will be appreciated, such bores may merely be in the form of a single transverse, through slot, vertically receiving such legs at the opposite sides thereof.

In operation, it will be appreciated that the subject device can easily be installed in aconventional toilet tank71 and the vertical adjustment made for the vertical profile of the tank and desired water level. Hence, when the water valve under the tank is opened, the water will flow upwardly through theinlet pipe device15 through theupper tube87 to pressurize under the diaphragm as shown inFIG. 7 thereby raising the diaphragm off itsseat19 allowing water to flow upwardly and radially outwardly under the diaphragm as indicated by the directional arrows201 (FIG. 7) to flow downwardly through thepassages166 into thetank71 thereby commencing filling of such tank water will also flow downwardly through thenipple88 through thetube90 to theoverflow pipe72 to fill the toilet bowl. As the water level in the tank rises, thefloat47 will be raised causing it to raise thecontrol tube51 thereby raising thefree end43 of thecontrol lever arm42 as shown inFIG. 6 to rotate such lever arm clockwise about itspivot pin121 to drive thestem37 downwardly. This will then lower thepoppet41 downwardly from itsseat28 to enable flow about such poppet and upwardly through the fluted grooves in the

enlarged sections

33 and35 and upwardly in the tower to flow radially inwardly through thebleed ports115 to flow downwardly in the tower and radially outwardly above the top of thediaphragm20 as indicated by the directional arrows203 (FIG. 6) to pressurize the top side of such diaphragm driving it downwardly to seat on theseat19 and block further escape of incoming water from theupper tube87 thereby serving to maintain the water in thetank71 at the desired level.

Concurrently, as thecontrol tube51 is raised by elevation of thefloat47 the bottom edge thereof will clear the elevation of thekeeper61 allowing the bias of thehinge arm59 to rotate thecatch device55 clockwise about such hinge arm, as viewed inFIGS. 8 and 9, to drive thekeeper61 radially outwardly under the wall of thetube51 to block the downward path of such tube until such time as the toilet is flushed again.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, water in thetank71 will thus remain at the desired level prepared for the next flush. In the event, however, that water should accidentally leak from the tank, as by a loose or failing connection or crack in the tank, it will be appreciated that as the water level lowers in the tank without actuation of the flush control lever (not shown), thecatch55 will remain in the catch position shown inFIG. 8, thus blocking thecontrol tube51 from lowering below the position shown. This then serves to prevent such control tube from lowering thefree extremity43 of the lever arm42 (FIG. 6) thus leaving the valve poppet off its seat and the top side of thediaphragm20 pressurized to maintain the diaphragm on itsseat19 to block inflow of water from theupper inlet tube87.

Consequently, the total loss of water will be only that which is stored in thetank71 and inflow of additional water from theupper inlet tube87 will be blocked until such time as the homeowner or attendant note that thetank71 has been evacuated without refill. This then alerts the homeowner of the leak thus allowing for repair work before thetank71 is again filled with water.

With continued reference toFIG. 7, when the poppet is closed it will thus be appreciated that water flowing upwardly from theupper inlet tube87 it will strike the facing conical surface of thepoppet41 to be diverted radially, outwardly, and downwardly as indicated bydirectional arrows201 to theoutlets166 to be defined by annular deflectors85.

Referring toFIG. 6, when the poppet is open the incoming water will be directed to flow outwardly around the conical surface of the poppet to flow upwardly in thepassage26, through the annuli formed with the

respective ports

27 and29, via the grooves in the flutes of theenlarged sections33 and35 (FIG. 6). Flow will continue on upwardly in the tower to flow outwardly in the bleed ports115 (FIG. 7) to maintain a positive pressure differential acting down on the top of thediaphragm20. The control valve will thus remain closed until such time as the float and control tube are lowered as by a toilet flush.

It will be appreciated that as the float carries thecontrol tube51 up, the lower edge of such tube will be raised above the level of thekeeper61 to free the catch to be rotated clockwise under the influence of theelastomeric hinge arm59 to the position shown inFIG. 8 disposed under the bottom edge of such tube.

Then, when the flush handle is operated to flush the toilet, the outlet valve53 (FIG. 1) will be opened and thelink65 drawn to the right as viewed inFIG. 9 to rotate thecatch device55 counter clockwise about the point defined by thehinge arm59 to drive the upper end ofsuch catch device55 to the left to strike thestop158 as thekeeper61 is likewise shifted to the left from under the edge of thetube51 freeing such tube to lower. This then serves to lower thefree end43 of the lever42 (FIG. 7) to raise thepoppet41 to discontinue bleed of fluid up thepassage26 and pressurize the underside of the diaphragm to raise such diaphragm off its seat. This then allows for pressurized water to flow out of theupper inlet tube87 to flow radially outwardly and down through theports166 as depicted by the directional arrows (FIG. 7) to again fill the tank.

As will be appreciated by those of skill, for different types ofwater tanks71, such as the ever-popular low profile tanks, the vertical adjustment of theinlet pipe device15 will be made to establish the desired level of water in the tank. Thus, for a low profile tank, theupper inlet pipe141 may easily be telescoped downwardly into thelower pipe131 as theribs139 flexibly pass theribs137 until the desired height of the inlet device is established thereby positioning thefloat47 at the desired level for causing thecontrol tube51 to actuate thecontrol lever42 at the desired water level.

In that regard, the reader will understand that when the inlet pipe device is telescoped down, it is possible to slide theslider187 down a corresponding amount on thecatch device55 to thus coordinate actuation of and blocking in accordance with the desired height of the water in thetank71.

The embodiment of the present invention shown inFIG. 11 is similar to that shown inFIG. 7 except that thepilot stem37 is configured at its lower extremity with an enlarged poppet in the form of aspherical poppet191 configured to seat upwardly on the downwardly facingpilot seat28.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the valve control device of the present invention is made up of a minimal number of parts making it economical to manufacture and assemble to provide an economical and convenient and effective means for controlling flow of water from an inlet pipe and will provide for a long trouble free life with minimal or no clogging due to residue, scum or the like as might be carried by the water.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with regard to the preferred embodiments and drawings thereof, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various adaptations and modifications of the present invention may be accomplished without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the detailed description and the accompanying drawings as set forth hereinabove are not intended to limit the breadth of the present invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A refill valve apparatus comprising:

an upright fluid supply pipe device;

a valve housing mounted on the pipe device, formed with a valve chamber configured with a central inlet port and outlet port and a control valve seat interposed between the inlet and outlet ports;

a flexible diaphragm in the chamber and formed with a valve seal to engage the control valve seat, the diaphragm being shiftable to shift the seal into and out of engagement with the seat and formed centrally with a pilot passage of a predetermined diameter aligned over the inlet port, the diaphragm being further configured with an underside formed with a downwardly facing planer pilot seat surrounding the pilot passage;

a pilot valve stem received in the pilot passage and configured with a diameter sufficiently smaller than the predetermined diameter to form an annulus for flow of the fluid, formed with upper and lower extremities, and shiftable from a lower bleed position to an upper pilot valve sealing position;

a poppet on the lower extremity, formed with an upwardly facing poppet sealing surface to abut the pilot valve seat when the valve stem is in the pilot valve sealing position; and

a float lever assembly coupled with the pilot stem and operable to advance and retract the stem between the bleed position and the sealing position to draw the poppet sealing surface into positive sealing contact with the pilot seat.

2. The refill valve apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein:

the poppet is configured on its bottom side with a conical shape to deflect water flowing upwardly there-against.

3. The refill valve apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein:

the poppet is formed with the upwardly facing planar poppet sealing surface.

4. The refill valve apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein:

the poppet is formed with a circular horizontal cross section.

5. The refill valve apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein:

the poppet is spherically shaped.

6. The refill valve apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein:

the valve stem is formed with at least one enlarged section configured with splines to define longitudinal grooves for flow of the fluid there-through.

7. The refill valve apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein:

the pilot valve is formed with radially projecting grooves to feed the fluid past the pilot seat.

8. The refill valve apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein:

the pilot valve seat is formed with radial bleed passages to cooperate with the poppet when unseated, provide for bleed of the fluid past the valve seat.

9. A valve apparatus comprising:

an upright fluid supply pipe device;

a valve housing configured with a valve chamber defining a circular wall formed with a central inlet port and outlet port for flow of a fluid and a control valve seat interposed between the inlet port and outlet ports;

a diaphragm formed with a seal to engage the control valve seat, the diaphragm being shiftable to shift the seal into and out of engagement with the seat and formed centrally with a pilot passage of predetermined diameter, aligned over the inlet port, the diaphragm being further formed with a downwardly facing planer pilot seat surrounding the pilot passage;

an elongated pilot valve stem received in the pilot passage and configured with a diameter sufficiently smaller than the predetermined diameter to form an annulus for flow of the fluid, formed with upper and lower extremities, and shiftable from a lower bleed position to an upper sealing position; and

a poppet on the lower extremity formed with an upwardly facing poppet sealing surface to abut the pilot valve seat when the valve stem is in the sealing position.

10. The valve apparatus ofclaim 9 wherein:

the poppet is configured on its bottom side with a conical shape to deflect water flowing upwardly there-against in a laterally outward pattern.

11. The valve apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein:

the poppet is formed with the upwardly facing poppet planar sealing surface.

12. The valve apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein:

the poppet is conically shaped.

13. The valve apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein:

the poppet is spherically shaped.

14. The valve apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein:

the valve stem is formed with at least one enlarged section configured with longitudinal splines to define there-between longitudinal grooves for flow of the fluid there-through.

15. The valve apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein:

the pilot valve is formed with radially projecting grooves to feed flow of the fluid past the pilot seat.

16. The valve apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein:

the diaphragm is formed with a radial bleed passage to cooperate with the poppet when unseated, to provide for bleed of the fluid past the valve seat.

17. The valve apparatus ofclaim 1 to be mounted in a toilet tank having a flush control device mounted to the tank to be actuated by a flush lever shiftable to a flush position to flush the toilet, an upright fill pipe device including a flow control valve, the apparatus comprising:

a float apparatus coupled with the flow control valve and configured to lower and raise with the level of the fluid in the tank;

a vertically elongated catch device disposed exclusively on one side of the pipe device for rotating between catch and release positions;

a mounting device for mounting the catch device from the pipe device for rotation between the catch and release positions;

a keeper device mounted on the upper portion of the catch device to be, when the catch is in the catch position, being disposed in the predetermined path to block lowering of the float apparatus; and

a connector connecting the catch device with the flush lever to, upon the flush lever being rotated to the flush position, rotate the catch to the release position.

18. The valve apparatus ofclaim 17 that includes:

a fitting received rotatably on the fill pipe device; and

a snap lock for locking the fitting to the fill pipe device for rotation relative thereto.

19. The valve apparatus ofclaim 18 wherein:

the fitting is configured with an inside diameter to cooperate with the fill pipe device to form an annulus.

20. A valve apparatus comprising:

a valve housing configured with a valve chamber constructed with a circular wall formed with spaced apart inlet and outlet ports, and a control valve seat interposed between the inlet port and outlet ports, the seat formed with a radial bleed passage;

a flexible diaphragm in the chamber and formed with a seal to engage the control valve seat, the diaphragm being shiftable to shift the seal into and out of engagement with the seat and formed centrally with a pilot passage, aligned over the inlet port, the diaphragm being further formed with a downwardly facing planer pilot seat surrounding the pilot passage;

an elongated pilot valve stem received in the pilot passage and constructed with a diameter sufficiently smaller than the passage to cooperate therewith to form an annulus for flow of the fluid and configured with a central enlarged portion formed with longitudinal splines to define therebetween longitudinal grooves and further formed with upper and lower extremities, and shiftable from a lower bleed position to an upper sealing position; and

a conical poppet on the lower extremity formed with an upwardly facing planar poppet sealing surface to abut the pilot valve seat and cover the bleed passage when the valve stem is in the sealing position.