GB1573441A - Tap anti-splash device - Google Patents

Description

(54) TAP ANTI-SPLASH DEVICE (71) We, W. M. STILL & SONS LIMITED, a British Company of, Fellows Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3TX, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to taps, suitable for use for example on liquid dispensing apparatus such as water heaters or boilers.

Hot liquid under pressure from a boiler often discharges with a high velocity making it difficult and dangerous for an operator to fill a small vessel such as a drinking cup from a tap controlling the flow of the liquid from the boiler. This is particularly so when a quick action tap is used where there is little or no control over the extent of opening of the tap.

Accordingly in one aspect the present invention provides a tap arranged to separate a hot liquid from vapour in the liquid comprising a body having an inlet and a main outlet with an expansion chamber therebetween and being provided with a valve member between the inlet and the expansion chamber to control the flow of liquid therebetween wherein the body has a vapour outlet communicating with the top of the expansion chamber, and the vapour outlet positioned above the main outlet when the tap is in use.

In a second aspect the invention provides a device arranged to separate a hot liquid from vapour in the liquid and for connection to the outlet of a tap, comprising a body having an inlet and a main outlet with an expansion chamber therebetween wherein the body has a vapour outlet communicating with the top of the expansion chamber and the vapour outlet positioned above the main outlet when the device is attached to a tap when in use.

The further outlet provides a means whereby vapour from the liquid may escape without going through the first outlet and hence hot boiling water or the like can be discharged from the tap more smoothly and less explosively (and basically only under the in fluence of gravity) than with previously proposed taps.

An expansion chamber is provided between the valve member and the outlets and this enables the liquid vapour to separate from the liquid and pass out of the further outlet.

A filter may be provided between the valve member and the outlets to trap particles e.g.

scale, passing through the tap and this filter may be removable for cleaning purposes.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section of one embodiment of tap according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-section of a modified version of the tap.

Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the tap has an inlet 2, a first or main outlet 4 and a valve member 6. The valve body 8 has a lower threaded portion 10 to which is screwed the inner wall 12 of a casing, the outer wall 14 of which includes at its lower end the first outlet 4 and is open at its upper end to provide a further outlet 16 between the inner and outer walls. Inner wall 12 of the casing forms part of the sides of an expansion chamber 18 which is located between the valve member 6 and outlets 4 and 16. Also included within the casing is a filter 20 which is removable for cleaning by unscrewing the casing from the threaded portion 10 of the body 8.

Liquid e.g. boiling water enters the inlet 2 from a boiler (not shown) in which the pressure may be as much as 4.5 p.s.i. The liquid then passes through an inlet duct 22 formed in the inlet connection to the valve member 6 which when opened from its valve seat 24 by lifting the handle 26 allows the liquid to pass through the valve seal into an outlet duct 28 and thence through slots 30 and the filter 20, which traps particles such as scale, to the expansion chamber 18. In the expansion chamber liquid vapour such as steam rises between the walls 12, 14 of the casing to the further outlet 16 and liquid falls through the first outlet 4.

This has the effect of removing pressure from the liquid being discharged.

The filter may readily be removed for cleaning or replacement by unscrewing the casing from the tap body.

Referring to Figure 2 it can be seen that the casing is modified by the provision of a top plate 32 formed with a male screw thread 34 which is screwed into a tapped hole at the bottom end 36 of a standard tap body. Such an adaptor device, which is in accordance with a feature of this invention enables a standard tap very readily to be converted into a tap in accordance with the invention.

If desired a spout device 38 may be attached to the outlet 4 of the adaptor.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A tap arranged to separate a hot liquid from vapour in the liquid comprising a body having an inlet and a main outlet with an expansion chamber therebetween and being provided with a valve member between the inlet and the expansion chamber to control flow of liquid therebetween wherein the body has a vapour outlet communicating with the top of the expansion chamber and the vapour outlet positioned above the main outlet when the tap is in use.

2. A device arranged to separate a hot liquid from vapour in the liquid and for connection to the outlet of a tap comprising a body having an inlet and a main outlet with an expansion chamber therebetween wherein the body has a vapour outlet communicating with the top of the expansion chamber and the vapour outlet positioned above the main outlet when the device is attached to a tap when in use.

3. A tap or a device as claimed in either Claim 1 or 2, in which a filter is provided in the liquid passage between the inlet and main outlet.

4. A tap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A device for attachment to a tap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. from the liquid being discharged. The filter may readily be removed for cleaning or replacement by unscrewing the casing from the tap body. Referring to Figure 2 it can be seen that the casing is modified by the provision of a top plate 32 formed with a male screw thread 34 which is screwed into a tapped hole at the bottom end 36 of a standard tap body. Such an adaptor device, which is in accordance with a feature of this invention enables a standard tap very readily to be converted into a tap in accordance with the invention. If desired a spout device 38 may be attached to the outlet 4 of the adaptor. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A tap arranged to separate a hot liquid from vapour in the liquid comprising a body having an inlet and a main outlet with an expansion chamber therebetween and being provided with a valve member between the inlet and the expansion chamber to control flow of liquid therebetween wherein the body has a vapour outlet communicating with the top of the expansion chamber and the vapour outlet positioned above the main outlet when the tap is in use.

2. A device arranged to separate a hot liquid from vapour in the liquid and for connection to the outlet of a tap comprising a body having an inlet and a main outlet with an expansion chamber therebetween wherein the body has a vapour outlet communicating with the top of the expansion chamber and the vapour outlet positioned above the main outlet when the device is attached to a tap when in use.

3. A tap or a device as claimed in either Claim 1 or 2, in which a filter is provided in the liquid passage between the inlet and main outlet.

4. A tap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A device for attachment to a tap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.