AU2016100646A4

AU2016100646A4 - Plumbing installation using an isolating stop cock valve

Info

Publication number: AU2016100646A4
Application number: AU2016100646A
Authority: AU
Inventors: William Breen
Original assignee: MAINRAIN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: MAINRAIN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-12-15
Filing date: 2016-05-18
Publication date: 2016-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-15
Also published as: AU2011101764A4; AU2016100210B4; AU2011101764B4; AU2016100210A4; AU2016100646B4

Abstract

Described is plumbed installation having a stop cock valve connected to a mains water supply having a male externally screw threaded nipple and supplying water to an appliance or 5 fitting and so as to enable selective supply of water to the appliance or fitting or isolation of the appliance or fitting from the mains water supply. In the installation is an isolating stop cock valve comprising a body having an inlet, an outlet at right angles to the inlet, and a water flow passage through the body connecting the inlet to the outlet. A valve seat is across the flow passage, and a valve closure member is movable relative to the valve seat for opening and 10 closing the flow passage, and operating means is connected to the valve closure member for moving the valve closure member between its open and closed positions. The valve body has surrounding the inlet integral with the body and operatively associated therewith a female internally threaded swivel nut and a sealing insert is provided in the inlet to prevent leaks when the isolating stop cock valve is mounted by the swivel nut being screwed onto a male threaded 15 water supply nipple. Fig. 2

Description

PLUMBING INSTALLATION USING AN ISOLATING STOP COCK VALVE

Cross-reference to related patent applications

This innovation patent application is a divisional application of certified innovation patent No. 2016100210 which, in turn, was a divisional application of certified innovation patent No. 2011101764 which, in turn, was a conversion of standard patent application No. 2011254059, filed 15 December 2011.

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to isolating stop cock valves and their use to isolate mains water supplies from appliances normally receiving water through the stop cock valves.

Background of the Invention

Isolating stop cock valves are used to enable disconnection of downstream appliances, such as toilet cisterns, washing machines, dishwashers, mixer taps, by isolating the mains water supply normally connected through the stop cock valve and in use supplying water to the attached appliance(s). A common isolating stop cock valve device which has been used in the plumbing industry for many years has a valve body having a female threaded inlet. To seal the inlet with the female thread to a supply having a male threaded nipple, a trades person or handy man must use a sealing compound such as Teflon tape, hemp or the like. One disadvantage with this type of seal is that, when not enough Teflon tape, hemp or the like is used, it leaks. Another disadvantage is when too much Teflon tape, hemp or the like is used, the female inlet end of the stop cock can easily split rendering the stop cock useless. A further disadvantage with this type of seal is that it is difficult to control the sealing tightness under varying water pressure and to align the stop cock to the appliances.

Objects of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plumbed installation having a stop cock valve connected to a mains water supply having a male externally screw threaded nipple and supplying water to an appliance or fitting and so as to enable selective supply of water to the appliance or fitting or isolation of the appliance or fitting from the mains water supply wherein the installation can avoid or substantially ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the use of prior known stop cock valves outlined above.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present innovation there is provided a plumbed installation having a water supply, a plumbing stop cock valve, and a water using appliance or fitting connected to receive water from the water supply through the valve, wherein: - the water supply has a male externally screw threaded nipple, - the plumbing stop cock valve includes: a valve body having a water inlet, a water outlet out of which water is selectively supplied to the appliance or fitting, the axis of the water outlet being generally perpendicular to the axis of the water inlet, and a water flow passage through the body connecting the water inlet to the water outlet, a valve seat associated with the flow passage, a valve closure member within the valve body movable between a closed position in which it co-operates with the valve seat to close the flow passage and an open position in which it is moved from its flow passage closing co-operation with the valve seat to open the flow passage, operating means connected to the valve closure member for selectively moving the valve closure member between its closed and open positions, a female internally threaded swivel nut surrounding the inlet water and operatively associated therewith, and a sealing insert provided in the swivel nut, and - the stop cock valve is connected to the water supply by engaging the internally threaded swivel nut with the externally screw threaded nipple of the water supply and by tightening the swivel nut so that the sealing insert forms a seal between the nipple of the water supply and the inlet of the valve, and - the appliance or fitting is connected to receive water from the water outlet of the valve, whereby selective operation of the operating means of the valve either connects water to the appliance or fitting, or isolates the water enabling disconnection of the appliance or fitting.

In a most useful application of the installation in households, the appliance or fitting may be a household appliance selected from toilet cisterns, washing machines, dishwashers, and mixer taps.

Preferably the sealing insert comprises a sealing grommet inserted within the swivel nut and which is sealingly engaged with the nipple of the water supply while allowing flow from the supply into the inlet of the flow passage in the body.

The sealing insert may have a conical shape facing towards and engaged with the nipple of the water supply. The sealing insert may be composed of a rubber material.

Short Description of the Drawings

Preferred features of the method of the invention are described in detail in the following passages of the specification which refer to the accompanying drawings. The drawings, however, are merely illustrative of how the invention might be put into effect, so that the specific form and arrangement of the various features as shown is not to be understood as limiting on the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an isolating stop cock valve of a conventional known construction and operation.

Figure 2 is cross-sectional view of an isolating stop cock valve useable according to a first possible embodiment of the present invention, and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an isolating stop cock valve useable according to a second possible embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

In the known type of isolating stop cock valve illustrated in Figure 1, the valve 1 has the valve body 2 having an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 with a flow passage 3 passing from the inlet 4 to the outlet 5. A valve seat 6 is located within the body 2 surrounding the passage 3 intermediate the inlet 4 and the outlet 5. A valve closure member 7 is selectively operable by operating means shown as including the rotatable tap handle 8 to move the valve closure member 7 from its open position lifted from the valve seat 6 enabling flow through the passage 3 (as illustrated in Figure 1) and a closed position (not shown) in which the valve closure member 7 engages with the valve seat 6 to close the passage 3 and thereby isolate the outlet 5 from the inlet 4.

The inlet 4 of the valve body 2 in the known stop cock valve of Figure 1 has an internally threaded female portion indicated by the reference numeral 12. In use, this female internally threaded inlet 4 is screwed onto a male externally threaded supply nipple (not shown). This involves rotating the entire valve body 2 to mount the isolating stop cock valve onto the supply nipple.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 useable in the method of the present invention, the inlet 4 has a swivel nut 11 having the female internally threaded section 12 for screw threaded engagement with an externally screw threaded supply nipple. By providing the swivel nut 11 used to mount the stop cock valve 1 to the supply, the requirement to rotate the entire valve body 2 (which is required with the valve of Figure 1) is eliminated.

The embodiment of Figure 2 includes a sealing insert 10 inserted within the swivel nut 11 arranged so that the sealing insert 10 forms a seal with the supply having the externally screw threaded nipple with which the internal screw thread 12 of the swivel nut 11 is engaged. The sealing insert 10 is illustrated in the form of a grommet providing for water flow from the inlet 4, through the grommet, then through flow passage 3 and the valve seat 6 and then to the outlet 5. The grommet 10 is shown having a conical shape facing outwardly from the inlet 4 so as to engage with and seal to the supply. The conical grommet may be composed of a rubber material.

In the second valve of Figure 3, instead of the rubber cone grommet 10 of Figure 2, there is provided a fibre gasket 13 inserted in the swivel nut 11 and positioned so that the gasket 13 sealingly engages with the externally screw-threaded supply received within and engaging with the internal screw thread 12 of the swivel nut 11.

In the valves of Figures 2 and 3, the axis 9 of the outlet 5 is perpendicular to the axis of the inlet 4 and valve closure member 7. However the axis 9 of the outlet 5 may be at different angles to the axis of the inlet depending on requirements.

It will be seen that the embodiments of the isolating stop cock valve illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and described herein have a different configuration and construction to the known stop cock valve shown in Figure 1. This different configuration enables the valve to be easily mounted to a male threaded supply nipple and provides effective sealing to prevent leakage in a simpler manner than the use of Teflon tape or hemp packing or the like used in the past with the Figure 1 valve. The swivel nut in the illustrated embodiments enables the valve to be connected to conventional fittings, namely the conventional male externally threaded water supply nipple.

The isolating stop cock valve when used in the installation of the present invention can be used with a water supply line which, in use, supplies water through the isolating stop cock valve to downstream appliances such as a toilet cistern, washing machine, dishwasher, a mixer tap.

It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be made to the features of the possible and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention as herein described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A plumbed installation having a water supply, a plumbing stop cock valve, and a water using appliance or fitting connected to receive water from the water supply through the valve, wherein: - the water supply has a male externally screw threaded nipple, - the plumbing stop cock valve includes: a valve body having a water inlet, a water outlet out of which water is selectively supplied to the appliance or fitting, the axis of the water outlet being generally perpendicular to the axis of the water inlet, and a water flow passage through the body connecting the water inlet to the water outlet, a valve seat associated with the flow passage, a valve closure member within the valve body movable between a closed position in which it co-operates with the valve seat to close the flow passage and an open position in which it is moved from its flow passage closing co-operation with the valve seat to open the flow passage, operating means connected to the valve closure member for selectively moving the valve closure member between its closed and open positions, a female internally threaded swivel nut surrounding the inlet water and operatively associated therewith, and a sealing insert provided in the swivel nut, and - the stop cock valve is connected to the water supply by engaging the internally threaded swivel nut with the externally screw threaded nipple of the water supply and by tightening the swivel nut so that the sealing insert forms a seal between the nipple of the water supply and the inlet of the valve, and - the appliance or fitting is connected to receive water from the water outlet of the valve, whereby selective operation of the operating means of the valve either connects water to the appliance or fitting, or isolates the water enabling disconnection of the appliance or fitting.

2. A plumbed installation as claimed in claim 1 wherein the appliance or fitting is a household appliance selected from toilet cisterns, washing machines, dishwashers, and mixer taps.

3. A plumbed installation as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the sealing insert comprises a sealing grommet inserted within the swivel nut and which is sealingly engaged with the nipple of the water supply while allowing flow from the supply into the inlet of the flow passage in the body.

4. A plumbing stop cock valve according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the sealing insert has a conical shape facing towards and engaged with the nipple of the water supply.

5. A plumbing stop cock valve according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the sealing insert is composed of a rubber material.