GB1565889A - Mixing valve - Google Patents

Description

PATENT SPECIFICATION

Xr ( 21) Application No 10871/78 ( 22) Filed 28 Oct 1977 X ( 62) Divided out of No 1 565 888 ( 31) Convention Application No 741 192 ( 32) Filed 12 Nov 1976 in bo ( 33) United States of America (US) ( 44) Complete Specification published 23 April 1980 ( 51) INT CL 3 F 16 K 11/02 ( 52) Index at acceptance F 2 V E 1 L 2 M 2 X ( 54) MIXING VALVE ( 71) We, GODDARD INDUSTRIES INC, Corporation organised and existing under the Laws of Massachusetts, U S A of 709 Plantation Street, Worcester, Massachusets, U S A do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us and the method by which i is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statemen;:The present invention relates in general to a mixing or proportioning valve for mixing hot and cold water and for controlling the volume of flow through the valve.

U.K Patent 1,463,193 discloses a single handle miing valve that comprises a body, ball-shaped control member, a liner and diaphragm The general object of this invention is to provide an improved mixing valve which is characterised by a long operating life.

A problem that is encountered with the prior art structure is wear of the diaphragm, especially about flow control nipples which are provided in the diaphragm.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved porting arrangement for the inlet pots that will enhance the sealing characteristics of the valve.

According to the invention there is provided a mixing valve comprising; a body having two inlet passages, a valve cavity including a conical valve seat disposed therein with the inlet passages terminating in two spaced inlet poes in the seat, and an output duct extending from said seat.

a flexible diaphragm which is at least part spherical fitted in said cavity.

said diaphragm having a pair of protruding nipples overlying said inlet ports, a liner which is at least part spherical fitted in said diaphragm, said liner having a pair of apertures therethrough overlying said nipples with said nipples respectively extending through said apertures, a closure member fitted within said liner so as to be capable of holding the nipples of said diaphragm against said seat in a valve closed position to cover and seal said inlet ports and prevent fluid flow through said valve, said closure member having a valving surface so that upon movement of said closure member to an open position thereof fluid from at least one of said inlet ports flexes at least one of the nipples of said diaphragm away from said seat and toward said valving surface to open such inlet port so that said fluid can flow to the outlet duct, and means for moving said closure member between open and closed positions and for moving said closure member to control the mixture of the fluids from the two inlet ports, said inlet ports each being defined at least in part by a chamfered wall segment extending substantially orthogonally to the immediately adjacent portion of the valve seat surface.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view taken through a mixing valve as illustrated and described in our co-pending application No.

44912/77 Serial No 1 565 888 and is included for the purposes of explanation only; Figure 2 is a top view of the valve shown in Figure 1 with the cap and closure member removed; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing how the valve of Figure 1 is modified to provide a valve according to first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to Figure 5 but shows a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figure 1-4 there is shown a mixing valve structure which is illustrated in our co-pending application No 44912/77 Serial No 1 565 888 Figures 5-7 show in greater detail how the valve of Figures 1-4 ( 11) 1 565 889 2 1,565,889 is modified to provide two embodiments of the present invention In Figures 1-4, the mixing valve generally comprises a body 10, a cap 12, diaphragm 16, metallic liner 20, S and a spherical closure member 24 The body 10, cap 12 and the spherical closure member 24 may be constructed of plastics The diaphragm 16 is preferably made of a flexible synthetic rubber or plastics material.

The body 10 is of generally cylindrical shape and has hot and cold waiter inlet passages 26 and 28, and an outlet duct 30 extending therethrough Gasket 32 may close the bottom of the body 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The body 10 also has defined therein a valve cavity 34 defined by a vertical surface and a slanted surface 36 which defines a substantial conical valve seat The inlet passages 26 and 28 exiend to the conical seat and define respect inlet ports 40 and 42 How the passages 26 and 28 and their associated ports 40 and 42 are modified to provide the embodiments of the invention is discussed in more detail hereinafter with reference to Figures 5-7.

As depicted in Figure 1, the outlet duct 30 couples:o an annular channel 46 in the outer periphery of the body 10 A faucet member 48 which may include a typical discharge spout, also includes annular member 49 which, together with body 10, defines channel 46 When the faucet is open the water passes from;he valve seat through the main duct 44 and the fluid is ported to the outlet duct and channel 46 to the spout of the faucet member 48 The faucet member 48 is usually permitted rotational movement relative to the body 10.

The semi-spherical diaphragm 16 fits within cavity 34 and has a peripheral flange 17 that rests upon a relieved edge channel or shoulder 18 of the body Figure 1 shows the body with its channel or step defining shoulder 18 for receiving flange 17 so that the liner 20 is limited in squeezing against the flange 17 as discussed in more detail hereinafter The diaphragm 16 is of substantially the same thickness throughout with the exception of nipples 50 and 52 which are deflectable by means of the closure member 24 to cover and uncover their associated ports and 42, respectively.

The liner 20 may be constructed of a metal material such as brass and is also of semispherical shape The liner 20 includes a top flange 54 that covers the flange 17 of the diaphragm, and has three position limiting tabs which are integral with the flange 54 and each of which rests upon the shoulder 18 as clearly shown in Figure 1 There is solid contact between each of the tabs 55 and the shoulder 18 and this limits the squeezing by the flange 54 against the flange 17 on the diaphragm The tabs 55 are disposed at uneven spacings as indicated in Figure 2, so that the liner and associated diaphragm can be positioned in the body in only one position.

In order to maintain both the liner and the diaphragm in their proper seated position a compression ring 56 is provided which threadedly mates with the body 10 and compresses the liner against the diaphragm with the amount of compression again limited by virtue of the tabs 55 contacting the shoulder 18 The liner 20 has two openings or apertures 58 and which respectively receive nipples 50 and 52 The apertures 58 and 60 are slightly larger than the nipples 50 and 52 The configuration of lthe apertures 58 and 60 is shown most clearly in Figure 2 The closure member 24 comprises ball 62 which is spherical in shape except for the relief provided by surface 64 which is preferably not a flat surface but which is slightly tapered as shown N Figures 1 and 4 Actually, surface 64 has a very slight conical shape and there is an annular radius 65, where the surface 64 meets the spherical surface of the ball which is helpful in reducing the wear of the diaphragm especially at the nipples 50 and 52 Handle 66 is suitable secured to the ball 62 for controlling the movement thereof The operation of the closure member in association with the liner and diaphragm is discussed in more decail hereinafter.

The mixing valve is also provided with a cap 12 which is suitably threaded at 13 to the top end of the body 10 A gasket 14 may be provided between the bottom end of cap 12 and the top surface of annular member 49 The cap 12 has a downwardly depending converging wall 68 which, when the cap 12 is threaded in place, has its end urged against ball 62 The annular wall 68 is provided for limiting the movement of handle 66.

The mixing valve shown in Figures 1-4 may be connected to a base by means of three threaded bolts 80, one of which is shown partially in Figure 1 These bolts thread into three receiving apertures 82 shown in Figure 3.

In order to open one or both of the ports and 42 the ball 62 is rotated such as to the position shown in Figure 4 In this position, the valving surface 64 permits one of the nipples 52 to at least partially deflect away from its associated port 42 With the handle 66 in an upright position such as shown in Figure 1 then both of the nipples 50 and 52 may be deflected away from their associated ports It can be seen in Figure 4 that water passing through the inlet 28 also passes into the space 70 defined between the seat 36 and ithe diaphragm 16 and from there passes by way of ducts 44 and 30 to the faucet assembly 48 If the handle 66 is in a vertical position then substantially equal amounts of hot and cold water are expelled through ports 40 and 42 into the mixing area 1,565,889 A.

1,565,889 which is formed by virtue of the conical seat in association with the spherical diaphragm It is noted that the outlet duct 44 is of substantially larger size than the inlet passages 26 and 28.

The volume control is provided by moving the handle 66 from left to right as viewed in Figure 2 In one position the ball is seated against the nipples 50 and 52 and urges the nipples against the ports sealing the passages 26 and 28 In the other position the surface 64 overlies the nipples and the nipples are permited to deflect against surface 64 permitting water to pass at least from one of the inlet ports 26 and 28 to the outlet.

In the past, the diaphragm 16 has tended to wear especially about the nipples 50 and 52 where they contact about the ports 40 and 42 especially at the lower edge of contact.

This was caused by non-uniform sealing about the nipples The improved porting arrangements shown in Figures 5-7 and discussed hereinafter are usable to improve sealing In addition, wear can be reduced with the specifial construction closure member shown in Figures 1 and 4 The radius 65 tends to reduce wear of the diaphragm and the more gradual surface 64 tends to reduce wear and pull on the inside surfaces of the diaphragm.

Figure 5 shows how the valve of Figure 1 is modified to provide a valve according to a first embodiment of the invention, which modification is for the purpose of reducing wear of the diaphragm by terminating the inlet passage 26 in a port 40 A that is directed orthogonally to the immediately adjacent portion of the tapered surface 36 In the arrangement in accordance with Figure 5, the pressure about the nipple 50 tends to be equalised.

Of course, a similar porting arrangement 42 A would be provided for the other inlet port 28 which is not shown in Figure 5.

Figures 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of the invention in which the sealing ability is increased In this arrangement the inlet passage 26 is substantially the same as shown in Figures 1 and 4 with the exception that a chamfer surface 26 A defines only part of port 40 B as shown in Figure 7 so that the port is somewhat egg-shaped The surface 26 A is orthogonal to the immediately adjacent portion of the tapered surface 36 and meets surface 36 at a larger diameter thereof than the remainder of 40 B. The modified inlet porting provided in accordance with the invention improves sealing ability and thus reduces wear of the diaphragm Previously, the lower edge of each nipple where it contacted the edge of the port tended to not contact adequately.

The present application is divided out of our co-pending application No 44912/77 Serial No 1 565 888 which relates to the provision in a mixing valve of an arrangement for preventing excessive compression of the diaphragm.

Claims (4)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1 A mixing valve comprising; a body having two inlet passages, a valve 70 cavity including a conical valve seat disposed therein with the inlet passages terminating in two spaced inlet ports in the seat, and an output duct extending from said seat, a flexible diaphragm which is at least part 75 spherical fitted in said cavity, said diaphragm having a pair of protruding nipples overlying said inlet ports, a liner which is at least part spherical fitted in said diaphragm, said liner having a pair of 80 apertures,therethrough overlying said nipples with said nipples respectively extending through said apertures, a closure member fitted within said liner so as to be capable of holding the nipples 85 of said diaphragm against said seat in a valve closed position to cover and seal said inlet ports and prevent fluid flow through said valve, said closure member having a valving sur 90 face so that upon movement of said closure member to an open position thereof fluid from at least one of said inlet ports flexes at least one of the nipples of said diaphragm away from said seat and toward said valving surface 95 to open such inlet port so that said fluid can flow to the outlet duct, and means for moving said closure member between open and closed positions and for moving said closure member to control the 100 mixture of the fluids from the two inlet ports, said inlet ports each being defined at least in part by a chamfered wall segment extending substantially orthogonally to the immediately adjacent portion of the valve 105 seat surface.

2 A mixing valve as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said inlet ports each comprise a passage section extending orthogonally to the immediately adjacent portion of the surface 110 of the seat.

3 A mixing valve as set forth in Claim 1, wherein each of said inlet ports is defined only in part by a chamfered wall surface which extends orthogonally to the immediately 115 adjacent portion of the valve seat surface, and which meets the valve,at seat surface at a larger diameter of the seat surface than the remainder of the port.

4 A mixing valve according to Claim 1, 120 wherein the cone angle of the valve seat is less than 45 .

4 1,565,889 4 BAILEY, WALSH & CO, Chartered Patent Agents, 9 Park Place, Leeds L 51 25 D.

Agents for the Applicants.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1980.

Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC 2 A l AY, from which copies may be obtained.