Why did it take so long to invent the toiler flapper valve?

I use the Fluidmaster syphon. No GBFO ball to accommodate, and much more reliable than a simple "flapper".

Reply to
Graham.
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Why did it take so long to invent the toiler flapper valve? The old siphon systems were far more complicated.

Reply to
Commander Kinsey

The flapper, as used in the US, tends to rot or otherwise wear out, leaving the water running. Expensive when it happens as you leave for a holiday, and only discover it when you return. Give me the British system any time.

Reply to
Davey

I don't know. There was a show some years ago showing how things had to tie together to make a modern invention work. It would show the host sitting in a car, for example. Then it would go through the odd parts that had to come together to make a complete car. A carburetor would be useless on a horse drawn buggy. Link here if you're interested:

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Reply to
Dean Hoffman

They had to wait for Flappers, in the 20's.

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Reply to
micky

But they're bigger, so require a larger cistern. And there's that annoyance when you don't push the lever quite hard enough and it doesn't get going very well.

Reply to
Commander Kinsey

Expensive? You don't have free water? Are you in a 3rd world country or something?

Reply to
Commander Kinsey

That is not a short skirt.

Reply to
Commander Kinsey

Where is there free water?

Reply to
micky

They have had them in France for around a hundred years.

Reply to
harry

Need for a flexible non rotting substance for the flapper bit? Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)

I thought that was an issue with most flushing systems. I'm sure there is a phd in that for somebody, how come when a siphon is started the avalanche principal sometimes does not apply and the flow remains minimal? Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)

In the middle of the sea

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

they were in use in ROW for ages, but in the UK legislation made them illegal to use (god knows why)

but joining the SM meant that law had to be rescinded

so they were legal here too

tim

Reply to
tim...

Dean Hoffman snipped-for-privacy@windstream.net wrote in news:qvdbl3$nj2$1 @gioia.aioe.org:

I always used to daydream about taking an item of technology back about

100years to help them kickstart some real progress.

I used to think that taking a car back about 100years would really help. /But then cars changed - items like electronic fuel injection and engine management would be impossible to understand or reproduce.

I did have a Vauxhall Viva when I used to daydream about this though.

Reply to
John

Water meters for individual households are common things in my little world. Water isn't truly free even on farms where people have their own wells. The farmers have to pay people to put the wells in, repair them, and buy the electricity to run them. Central Nebraska, U.S.A.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

The question should be "why did they invent the flapper valve". Siphons are incredibly reliable & easy to fix when the eventually fail.

Reply to
TMH

  • Flappers usually fail in the open position. Syphons fail none flushing.

Prevents loss of water.

Reply to
harry

Yet they failed to provide seats to sit on:

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very nice if you have bad knees.

Reply to
Commander Kinsey

Like the UK is short of water.... I was diverted three times today due to blocked roads from flooding.

Reply to
Commander Kinsey

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