VALVE FOR WATER DRIVEN WASTE DISPOSAL APPARATUS

摘要

A water powered waste disposal apparatus (10) has an improved valve (14) with floating seals and water passages. The disposal apparatus (10) has a plurality of cutters (34) disposed in a passageway for cutting waste. A reciprocating piston (74) is driven by pressurized water in an annular chamber (58). The piston (74) is coupled to at least one rotatable cutter (54). The valve (14) has a reciprocating control piston (110) for selectively diverting the pressurized water into the annular chamber on alternate sides of the drive piston (74). The floating seals have slots formed therethrough for allowing the seals to expand and prevent water from leaking past the control piston (110) and preserving pressure. A reciprocating pilot piston (160) selectively conveys the pressurized water to alternate sides of the control piston (110) in response to water pressure in the annular chamber (58). Water passages are formed at the ends of the control piston (110) to allow the water to act on the control piston (110). A detent (208) and spring (218) apply an amount of resistance to the pilot piston (160) such that water pressure in the annular chamber (58) must reach a certain threshold pressure to overcome the resistance of the detent (208) and spring (218). An adjustment mechanism (230) adjusts the amount of resistance applied by the detent (208) to the pilot piston (160).