AU777863B2 - A stopcock - Google Patents

Description

S&F Ref: 559004

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Caroma Industries Limited 10 Market Street Brisbane Queensland 4000 Australia lan Alan Miller Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower,Level 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) A Stopcock ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country [31] Applic. No(s) At; PQ8535 [32] Application Date 03 Jul 2000 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- IP Australia Documents received on: C0 JUN<2001 0 4 JUN 2001 Batch No: 5815c A STOPCOCK Technical Field The present invention relates to a stopcock and in particular to a stopcock used to control the flow of water from a mains water supply outlet to the inlet valve of a toilet cistern (known as a flush tank in the United States).

Background Of The Invention Known stopcocks generally include an inlet for connection to the mains water supply, an outlet for connection to the inlet valve of the toilet cistern and a valve for controlling flow therebetween. The flow control valve is usually a jumper valve 1o controlled by a rotatable handle, similar to a tap handle. The mains water supply outlet is normally a threaded cylindrical spigot protruding from a wall. The stopcock inlet screws on to the spigot and the rotational axis of the handle is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the spigot. The stopcock outlet extends at a right angle from this axis. Copper oooo pipe is trimmed to length and then shaped to connect the stopcock outlet to the cistern inlet valve. This known arrangement has several disadvantages.

Firstly, when the stopcock is installed and tightened into its final position, the outlet can face away from the cistern which necessitates a long, and aesthetically displeasing, connecting pipe. Such an undesirable stopcock final position is often •corrected by overtightening the stopcock to a more desirable position which can damage the spigot and/or the stopcock. An undesirable stopcock final position is also often corrected by wrapping the spigot with thread tape to produce an earlier final position.

However, such usage of thread tape can lead to future sealing problems.

Object Of The Invention It is an object of the invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art.

Summary Of The Invention Accordingly, the present invention provides a stopcock including: an inner portion adapted for mounting to a water supply and having a fluid inlet in communication with an outlet of the water supply; and an outer portion having a fluid outlet, the outer portion mounted to the inner portion for relative movement between a first position in which the outer portion is rotatable relative to the inner portion and fluid flow from the inner portion inlet to the outer portion outlet is prevented and a second position in which the outer portion is [R:\L1BLL]0921 rotatably restrained relative to the inner portion and fluid flow from the inner portion inlet to the outer portion outlet is allowed.

The outer portion is preferably slidably mounted to the inner portion.

The inner portion preferably includes one or more radially extending outlet ports.

The outer portion fluid outlet is preferably a threaded connector. The outer portion preferably includes one or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the outer portion fluid outlet. The outlet ports of the inner and outer portions are desirably aligned in the second position.

The stopcock desirably includes corresponding protrusions on said inner and 1o outer portions, the protrusions being adapted to abut and rotationally restrain the inner portion relative to the outer portion in the second position.

The stopcock desirably also includes at least one sealing O-ring disposed between said inner and outer portions.

The stopcock preferably also includes a shroud adjacent the connection of the Is inner portion to the water supply. The shroud is slidably mounted to the outer portion for movement relative thereto during movement of the outer portion between the first and second positions.

The inner portion is desirably substantially cylindrical and the outer inner surface of the portion desirably includes a corresponding substantially cylindrical bore.

20 The stopcock also includes means to limit the relative movement between the .0 inner and outer portions between the first and second positions. The protrusions limit the movement to the first position. The outer portion has a shoulder and the inner portion has 1..barbs which engage the shoulder in the second position to limit the relative movement to o the second position.

25 Brief Description Of The Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the stopcock according to the present invention installed and in an opened position; Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the stopcock according to the present invention installed and in a closed position; Figure 3 is a plan view of the outer portion stopcock shown in Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a right side view of the outer portion of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is an end view of the outer portion of Figure 3.

[R:\LIBLL]09215.doc:KXT:AVS:TCW Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiment Referring to the drawings, there is shown a stopcock 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The stopcock 10 is comprised of a substantially hollow cylindrical inner portion 12, a substantially hollow cylindrical outer portion 14, a shroud 16 and a cap 18. All of the components 12, 14, 16 and 18 are manufactured from plastic.

The inner portion 12 has an internally threaded, proximal end 20 which defines an inlet. The threaded end 20 is adapted for threaded engagement with a threaded spigot 22 that protrudes from a wall 24. As discussed in the Background of the Invention, the spigot 22 is connected to mains water supply. A sealing O-ring 26 is disposed between the end of the spigot 22 and the end of the threaded portion 20 to seal the interior of the inner portion 12 relative to the interior of the spigot 22. In this way, mains water flow from the spigot 22, as represented by arrows 28, is able to flow into the interior of the inner portion 12.

The inner portion 12 also includes a pair of outlet ports 30, which extend from the interior to the exterior of the inner portion 12, and four external grooves 32 which are each adapted to locate a sealing O-ring 34. Two of the grooves/O-ring 32/34 are provided .:--either side of the ports The inner portion 12 also includes an external shoulder 36 adjacent the threaded "'!end 20. The annular shoulder 36 includes four equally spaced protuberances 38 therein.

The distal end of the inner portion 12 includes a pair of resilient fingers 40 that each terminate in a barb 42.

The outer portion 14 has a smooth, inner bore sized to seal against the exterior of the four O-rings 34. The outer portion 14 also includes a fluid outlet in the form of .threaded connector 44. The base of the connector 44 includes four rectangular ports 46 (see Fig. 3) which extend from the interior of the connector 44 to the bore of the inner portion 14.

The outer portion 14 also includes an internal shoulder 48 adjacent a proximal cylindrical portion 49. The internal shoulder 48 includes four equally spaced protuberances 50 (see Fig. The distal end of the outer portion 14 includes an internal shoulder 51 and an external rim 52 with a peripheral groove 53.

The shroud 16 includes an inner cylindrical surface 54 at its distal end which is a snug, slidable fit about the cylindrical portion 49.

The cap 18 include a cylindrical extension 55 and a peripheral lip 56.

[R:\L1BLL]092I The assembly of the stopcock 10 will now be described. Firstly, the 0-rings 26 and 34 are positioned in and around the inner portion 12 in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Secondly, the cylindrical portion 49 of the outer portion 14 is slid into the cylindrical surface 54 of the shroud 16. The inner portion 12 is then slid into the bore of the outer portion 14. During this last process, the barbs 42 cause the fingers 40 to flex inwardly until the barbs 42 have passed the shoulder 51 whereafter the resilience of the fingers 40 returns them to the position in which they are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cap 18 is then placed on the distal end of the portion 14 with the lip 56 snap-engaging with the groove 53. In this position, the cylindrical extension 55 of the cap 18 is received 1o within the fingers 40 to restrain them from inwardly flexing, thus preventing inadvertent disassembly.

The O-rings 34 provide a sealing engagement between the exterior of the inner portion 12 and the inner bore of the outer portion 14 and allow relative sliding movement between the inner portion 12 and the outer portion 14. When the outer portion 14 is slid 5s to the left relative to the inner portion 12, as shown in Fig. 1, the protuberances 38 and •of the inner portion 12 and outer portion 14 respectively abut and prevent relative rotation between the inner portion 12 and the outer portion 14. This allows the outer portion 14 to be gripped and rotated in order to screw the threaded end 20 of the inner portion 12 on to the spigot 22. When the outer portion 14 is slid to the left relative to the inner portion 12 as shown in Fig. 2, the protuberances 36 and 50 are free from abutment and the outer portion 14 may be rotated relative to the inner portion 12 in order to correctly position the connector 44 relative to the cistern (not shown) to which the stopcock 10 is to be connected. In either position, the shroud 16 can be slid along the cylindrical portion 49 of the outer portion 14 to a position flush against the wall 24 to provide a neat appearance.

As an alternative to the above described assembly method, the inner portion 12 can initially be screwed on to the spigot 22, and the other components otherwise assembled in the order set above. The stopcock 10 can then be positioned as shown in Fig. 1 and the outer portion 14 can be gripped and used to tighten the inner portion 12 relative to the spigot 22.

The operation of the stopcock 10 will now be described. When the stopcock has been installed and the connector 44 has been correctly positioned relative to the cistern, the connector 44 is connected to the cistern in the known manner. The outer portion 14 is then slid to the right to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position, mains water flow from the spigot 22 into the inner portion 12 is prevented from communicating with the ports 46 of the connector 44 by virtue of the 0-ring seal between the 0-rings 34 [R:\LIBLL]0925 and the bore of the inner portion 14. In this position, the components connecting the stopcock 10 to the cistern can be installed, repaired or replaced without interrupting the mains water supply.

When the outer portion 14 is slid to the left to the position shown in Fig. 1, the outlet ports 30 of the inner portion 12 are aligned, and in fluid communication, with the ports 46 of the connector 44 and provide a path for mains water flow from the spigot 22 to the connector 44, as indicated by arrows As shown in Fig 4, the exterior of the outer portion 14 includes two arrow heads 62 and 64 respectively marked for open (indicating mains water flow as shown in 1o Fig. and for closed (indicating no mains water flow as shown in Fig. 2).

The main advantage of the stopcock according to the invention is that the outlet can be simply and easily placed in the correct position relative to the cistern. As the invention thereby obviates the risk of the person installing the stopcock over tightening it then the components of the stopcock can be manufactured from weaker, and less Is inexpensive, plastic material compared to those of the prior art. The stopcock is also less complicated and has less components than known stopcocks and is quicker and easier to operate.

[R:\LIBLL]09215.doc:RDC

Claims (12)

1. A stopcock including: an inner portion adapted for mounting to a water supply and having a fluid inlet in communication with an outlet of the water supply; and an outer portion having a fluid outlet, the outer portion mounted to the inner portion for relative movement between a first position in which the outer portion is rotatable relative to the inner portion and fluid flow from the inner portion inlet to the outer portion outlet is prevented and a second position in which the outer portion is rotatably restrained relative to the inner portion and fluid flow from the inner portion inlet to the outer portion outlet is allowed.

2. The stopcock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer portion is slidably mounted to the inner portion.

3. The stopcock as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner portion includes one or more radially extending outlet ports. is 4. The stopcock as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer portion includes one or more outlet ports in fluid communication with the outer portion fluid outlet. The stopcock as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outlet ports of the inner and outer portions are aligned in the second position. The stopcock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein 20 the outer portion fluid outlet is a threaded connector.

7. The stopcock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stopcock includes means to limit the relative movement between the inner and outer portions between the first and second positions.

8. The stopcock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the stopcock includes 25 corresponding protrusions on said inner and outer portions, the protrusions being adapted to abut and rotationally restrain the inner portion relative to the outer portion in the second position.

9. The stopcock as claimed in claim 8, wherein the protrusions limit the relative movement to the first position.

10. The stopcock as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the outer portion has a shoulder and the inner portion has barbs which engage the shoulder in the second position to limit the relative movement to the second position.

11. The stopcock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stopcock includes at least one sealing O-ring disposed between said inner and outer portions. [R:\LIBLL]0921 S.doc:KXT:AVS:TCW

12. The stopcock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stopcock includes a shroud adjacent the connection of the inner portion to the water supply.

13. The stopcock as claimed in claim 12, wherein the shroud is slidably mounted to the outer portion for movement relative thereto during movement of the outer portion between the first and second positions.

14. The stopcock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner portion is substantially cylindrical and the outer inner surface of the portion includes a corresponding substantially cylindrical bore.

15. A stopcock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 5 June 2001 Caroma Industries Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [R:ALIBLL092I5.doc:RDC