GB2119899A

GB2119899A - Combined mixing valve and tap unit

Info

Publication number: GB2119899A
Application number: GB08213445A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Nigel Bellamy
Original assignee: Servotomic Ltd
Current assignee: Servotomic Ltd
Priority date: 1982-05-10
Filing date: 1982-05-10
Publication date: 1983-11-23
Also published as: IT8253506V0; GB2119899B

Abstract

A combined bathroom shower mixing valve and tap unit is disclosed which comprises a body 10 having a hot water inlet 30, a cold water inlet 32, a passage connecting the inlet 32 with a first tap 26 and a passage connecting the inlet 32 with a second tap 24. The body 10 affords an outlet 22 associated with both taps 24 and 26. The hot and cold water inlets are also connected with respective inlets of a mixing valve, having a further outlet 18 for connection to a shower head. The mixing valve is arranged to control thermostatically the ratio of hot to cold water in the mixture passed to outlet 18. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combined mixing valve and tap unit This invention relates to a combined mixing valve and tap unit, particularly, but not exclusively, a combined bathroom shower mixing valve and bathroom tap unit. It is known to provide a mixing valve, for mixing hot and cold water, under the control of a thermostatic device to control the temperature of the mixture, with an outlet to a shower head and an outlet to a bath tub, with a switch-over valve whereby the mixed hot and cold water may be supplied to the shower head or directly to a bath tub.

However, such known devices have the disadvantages that, when used to fill the bath tub, the thermostatic mixing valve imposes a substantial restriction on the flow of hot and cold water so that the time to fill the bath tub is unduly prolonged, and, furthermore, because the thermostatic device is unable to take account of the heat capacity of the bath tub itself, or of the heat loss during filling of the bath, the setting of the thermostat must be adjusted to provide a relatively high output temperature in orderto provide a bath of moderate temperature.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined mixing valve and tap unit, by which the above described disadvantages are avoided.

According to the invention there is provided a combined mixing valve and tap unit, comprising a body having a first inlet for fluid, a second inlet for fluid, a passage connecting said first inlet with a first tap, a passage connecting said second inlet with a second tap, said body affording outlet means associated with said first and second taps, said body also affording communication between said first and second inlet and respective inlets of a mixing valve, having further outlet means, the mixing valve being arranged to control the ratio in a mixture, passed to said further outlet, of fluid from said first inlet and fluid from said second inlet.

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a combined mixing valve and tap unit embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevational view, in the direction of the arrow ll-ll in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a view in vertical axial section of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a view in vertical transverse section, taken along the line V-V in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment shown comprises a body 10, for example in the form of an integral metal casting of part cylindrical form externally, one end portion 12 of which houses part of a thermo statically controlled mixing valve having, projecting from the end of the housing 10, in co-axial relationship therewith, a temperature control ring 14, and a flow volume control knob 16. An outlet spigot 18for connection via a conduit (not shown) extends radially from the body part 12. The other end of the body 10 comprises a portion 20 from which extends a delivery spout 22 and two tap controlling knobs 24 and 26 control screw-down taps mounted in the body 10. Extending from the underside of the body 10 are a hot water inlet pipe 30 and a cold water inlet pipe 32.The unit shown is, of course, intended to be mounted, in the cnventional manner, on the end of a bath tub, with the spout 22 projecting over the bath cavity.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the inlet pipe 30 leads to a passage 34 within the body 10, while the inlet pipe 32 leads to a passage 36 within the body 10. The passage 36 is connected via a conduit 38 with the thermostatically controlled mixing valve, while the passage 34 is connected, via port 40, with the thermostatically controlled mixing valve. It will be appreciated from Figure 5 that the two portions of the passages 34 shown in Figure 4 are connected by a portion of this passage which extends behind the mixing chamber 50 as viewed in Figure 3.The thermostatically controlled mixing valve is of a type known per se and includes a valve member which cooperates with a valve seat formed around the port 40 to regulate the supply of hot water to the mixing chamber 44 and thence the proportion of hot to cold water mixed to provide the output to outlet 18, and thus regulate the temperature of the water issuing from outlet spigot 18.

Also incorporated within the body 10 is a further mixing chamber 50 with which the conduit provided through the spout 22 is connected and which is connected with the passages 34 and 36 respectively via respective ports 52 and 54 around which are provided, within the chamber 50, respective valve seats with which cooperate the valve members (not shown) of the respective screw-down taps controlled by the respective knobs 24, 26. The valve mechanisms of the taps are screwed into internally screwthreaded apertures 60 and 62 formed in the upper, outer wall of the portion 20 of the body 10.

It will be appreciated that the supply of hot and cold water to the chamber 50 and thence, via the spout 22, to the bath tub, is controlled exclusively by the screw-down taps controlled by knobs 24 and 26 and the water passing to the spout 22 does not have to pass through the thermostatically controlled mixing valve. Consequently, the flow of water to the bath tub is not impeded by this mixing valve, and it is possible to control the temperature of the water issuing from the spout 22, by operation of the knobs 24 and 26, without interfering with the temperature setting of the thermostatically controlled mixing valve.

CLAIMS:

1. A combined mixing valve and tap unit, comprising a body having a first inlet for fluid, a second inletforfluid, a passage connecting said first inlet with a first tap, a passage connecting said second inlet with a second tank said body affording outlet means associated with said first and second taps, said body also affording communicaton between said first and second inlet and respective inlets of a mixing valve, having further outlet means, the mixing valve being arranged to control the ratio in a

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Combined mixing valve and tap unit This invention relates to a combined mixing valve and tap unit, particularly, but not exclusively, a combined bathroom shower mixing valve and bathroom tap unit. It is known to provide a mixing valve, for mixing hot and cold water, under the control of a thermostatic device to control the temperature of the mixture, with an outlet to a shower head and an outlet to a bath tub, with a switch-over valve whereby the mixed hot and cold water may be supplied to the shower head or directly to a bath tub. However, such known devices have the disadvantages that, when used to fill the bath tub, the thermostatic mixing valve imposes a substantial restriction on the flow of hot and cold water so that the time to fill the bath tub is unduly prolonged, and, furthermore, because the thermostatic device is unable to take account of the heat capacity of the bath tub itself, or of the heat loss during filling of the bath, the setting of the thermostat must be adjusted to provide a relatively high output temperature in orderto provide a bath of moderate temperature. It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined mixing valve and tap unit, by which the above described disadvantages are avoided. According to the invention there is provided a combined mixing valve and tap unit, comprising a body having a first inlet for fluid, a second inlet for fluid, a passage connecting said first inlet with a first tap, a passage connecting said second inlet with a second tap, said body affording outlet means associated with said first and second taps, said body also affording communication between said first and second inlet and respective inlets of a mixing valve, having further outlet means, the mixing valve being arranged to control the ratio in a mixture, passed to said further outlet, of fluid from said first inlet and fluid from said second inlet. An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a combined mixing valve and tap unit embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevational view, in the direction of the arrow ll-ll in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a view in vertical axial section of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a view in vertical transverse section, taken along the line V-V in Figure 4. Referring to the drawings, the embodiment shown comprises a body 10, for example in the form of an integral metal casting of part cylindrical form externally, one end portion 12 of which houses part of a thermo statically controlled mixing valve having, projecting from the end of the housing 10, in co-axial relationship therewith, a temperature control ring 14, and a flow volume control knob 16. An outlet spigot 18for connection via a conduit (not shown) extends radially from the body part 12. The other end of the body 10 comprises a portion 20 from which extends a delivery spout 22 and two tap controlling knobs 24 and 26 control screw-down taps mounted in the body 10. Extending from the underside of the body 10 are a hot water inlet pipe 30 and a cold water inlet pipe 32.The unit shown is, of course, intended to be mounted, in the cnventional manner, on the end of a bath tub, with the spout 22 projecting over the bath cavity. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the inlet pipe 30 leads to a passage 34 within the body 10, while the inlet pipe 32 leads to a passage 36 within the body 10. The passage 36 is connected via a conduit 38 with the thermostatically controlled mixing valve, while the passage 34 is connected, via port 40, with the thermostatically controlled mixing valve. It will be appreciated from Figure 5 that the two portions of the passages 34 shown in Figure 4 are connected by a portion of this passage which extends behind the mixing chamber 50 as viewed in Figure 3.The thermostatically controlled mixing valve is of a type known per se and includes a valve member which cooperates with a valve seat formed around the port 40 to regulate the supply of hot water to the mixing chamber 44 and thence the proportion of hot to cold water mixed to provide the output to outlet 18, and thus regulate the temperature of the water issuing from outlet spigot 18. Also incorporated within the body 10 is a further mixing chamber 50 with which the conduit provided through the spout 22 is connected and which is connected with the passages 34 and 36 respectively via respective ports 52 and 54 around which are provided, within the chamber 50, respective valve seats with which cooperate the valve members (not shown) of the respective screw-down taps controlled by the respective knobs 24, 26. The valve mechanisms of the taps are screwed into internally screwthreaded apertures 60 and 62 formed in the upper, outer wall of the portion 20 of the body 10. It will be appreciated that the supply of hot and cold water to the chamber 50 and thence, via the spout 22, to the bath tub, is controlled exclusively by the screw-down taps controlled by knobs 24 and 26 and the water passing to the spout 22 does not have to pass through the thermostatically controlled mixing valve. Consequently, the flow of water to the bath tub is not impeded by this mixing valve, and it is possible to control the temperature of the water issuing from the spout 22, by operation of the knobs 24 and 26, without interfering with the temperature setting of the thermostatically controlled mixing valve. CLAIMS:

1. A combined mixing valve and tap unit, comprising a body having a first inlet for fluid, a second inletforfluid, a passage connecting said first inlet with a first tap, a passage connecting said second inlet with a second tank said body affording outlet means associated with said first and second taps, said body also affording communicaton between said first and second inlet and respective inlets of a mixing valve, having further outlet means, the mixing valve being arranged to control the ratio in a mixture, passed to said further outlet, of fluid from said first inlet and fluid from said second inlet.

2. A combined mixing valve and tap unit according to claim 1 wherein said body affords, downstream of said taps, a common chamber leading to a common outlet constituting the first - mentioned outlet means.

3. A combined mixing valve and tap unit according to claim 1 or claim 2 which is suitable for operation as a bathroom hot and cold water tap and shower control unit, wherein said mixing valve is a thermostatically controlled mixing valve arranged to regulate the proportion of hot water, supplied from said first inlet, to cold water, supplied from said second inlet, to maintain a predetermined temperature in the water supplied to said further outlet.

4. A combined mixing valve and tap unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

5. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.