GB2144202A - Valve - Google Patents

Abstract

A valve for controlling the supply of water and/or cleansing agent delivered by a hose includes a reservoir (22) for liquid, for example detergent. A suction tube (54) extends from a venturi in a through bore into the reservoir so that detergent can be withdrawn from the reservoir and delivered with the water flowing through the valve. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Valve This invention relates to a valve and more particularly a valve incorporating a reservoir from which fluid can be optionally withdrawn to mix with a main stream of fluid flowing through the valve.

It is very well known to fit a brush onto the end of a hose through which water, or other fluid is delivered so as to provide a cleaning apparatus such as for example is often used for cleaning cars and other vehicles. It is desirable that there should be some control valve near the brush so that the amount of fluid issuing from the brush can be adjusted or, if necessary, turned off altogether and several such valves are known. More recently devices have been developed which will deliver cleansing agent, such as detergent, with the fluid stream issuing from the brush. Many of such devices, however, provide little or no control over the amount or rate of cleansing agent that is delivered.

Usually some kind of reservoir is provided into which solid or liquid cleansing agent is placed and which is emptied when water flows through the device, the user having no control other than the amount of cleansing agent put into the reservoir.

Other devices which attempt to provide for control of the delivery of cleansing agent are complicated and frequently unreliable.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of these problems.

According to the invention there is provided a valve comprising a valve housing, a part of said housing defining a reservoir, a valve body in said housing, an inlet port and an outlet port in said housing, a bore in said body, a venturi tube extending from said bore and adapted when said body is received in the housing to extend into the reservoir, said body also including a channel and said body being movable when received in the housing between a first position in which the bore connects the inlet and outlet ports and a second position in which there is no connection between the inlet and outlet ports.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axial section through a valve of the invention and a part of a brush in which the valve is fitted; Figure 2 is a section on the line ll-ll of Fig.1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the valve body; and Figure 4 is a section on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings a valve comprises a housing, generally 10 which in the embodiment being described is formed as part of a brush of the kind which can be fixed to a hose. The housing 10 has an open top 12 of circular cross-section. As can be seen in the drawing the upper part of the housing 14 is of uniform cross-section and leads to an inwardly tapered part 16 leading to an intermediate part 18 of uniform cross-section. A step 20 is formed at the bottom of part 18 below which the housing defines a reservoir 22 having a base 24 inclined towards the centre.

A valve body 30 having a shape substantially complementary to parts 14, 16 and 18 of the housing that is to say having a part 32 of substantially uniform external dimensions, a tapered part 34 leading to part 36 of substantially uniform external dimensions. The body is receivable in the housing and removably held therein by the snap fit of a bead'38 on the surface of part 16 which engages in a groove 40 on the corresponding part 34.

The valve body 30 has substantially the form of a hollow open ended tube. A web 42 extends transversely across the valve body but without closing it. The web 42 is dimensioned so that it will accommodate a through bore 44 which lies on a diameter. The bore 44 has an inlet section 50 which leads to an outlet section 52 of enlarged cross-section. A venturi tube 54 is connected to section 52, adjacent the junction thereof with section 50 and extends downwardly to the bottom of reservoir 22. A bleed hole 53 extends into bore 44 just downstream of the junction between sections 50 and 52.

A channel 46 is formed in the outer side wall of the valve body. The channel extends horizontally over an arc of about 130 from a position 47 spaced from the inlet of bore 44 to a position 49 closely adjacent the outlet of bore 44. As can be seen in Figure 3 the channel is of progressively increased width from about midway along its length to just short of the end at 49. Alternatively the channel 46 can be of uniform cross-section as indicated by the dotted line.

An O-ring 60 is provided in a channel 62 in the surface of part 32 of the body for making a fluid tight seal against surface 14 of the housing. Similarly a second O-ring 64 is provided in channel 66 in the surface of part 36 of the body for making a fluid tight seal against surface 18 of the housing.

The housing is provided with an inlet port 70. An annular channel 72 surrounds the port 70 and a flanged grommet 74 is located in the port with the flange seated in the channel. The grommet 74 makes a fluid tight seal on the surface of the valve body.

The housing is also provided with an outlet port 76. As can be seen in Fig.2 the outlet port extends some considerable distance around the housing wall.

The web 42 is located a small distance below the top of the valve body thereby defining a cavity which can receive, as a force fit, the skirt 80 of a knob 82 by which the valve body can be rotated about its axis. The extent of rotation is preferably limited by means of a lug 84 on the valve body which projects into a channel 86 in the housing which extends over a limited distance, for example as illustrated in Figure 3 over an arc which subtends an angle of 90".

The embodiment just described can be used as follows. The knob 82 is removed from the top of the valve body and liquid cleansing agent, for example a detergent, poured into the top of the valve body until the reservoir and body are as full as de sired. A mark may be provided inside the valve body to indicate the preferred maximum level for liquid cleansing agent. The knob 82 is then replaced.

Assuming that water is being delivered to the inlet port, the valve is rotated by means of the knob to the setting required. If water and cleansing agent are to be delivered the valve body is set in the position as illustrated in the drawings where through bore 44 connects the inlet and outlet. The passage of water through the bore 44 causes cleansing agent to be drawn up through the venturi tube 54. The bleed hole 53 attenuates the effect of the venturi so that if the incoming water pressure is high the reservoir will not be emptied too quickly.

If the valve body is rotated anti-clockwise the inlet port 70 is closed by the land portion 71 on the valve body between the entrance to bore 44 and the inlet to channel 46. In this position no water or liquid cleansing agent is delivered.

Further anti-clockwise rotation of the valve body brings channel 46 into connection with the inlet and outlet ports so that water only is delivered.

The arrangement of lug 84 and channel 86 limits the rotation of the body.

Although the invention has been described with occasional reference to the use of the valve in connection with a brush it is to be understood that it is not limited to such use, there being many different applications. Moreover the invention is not to be construed as being limited to the specific embodiment and many variations can be made.

For example instead of the snap fit of bead 38 into groove 40 the body can be held in place by a hook or barb on the body received in an appropriately located recess in the housing. Such a recess can be shaped so as to limit rotation of the body thereby dispensing with the stop arrangement shown in Figure 4. Unlike the arrangement shown in the drawings with this assembly it is not necessarily intended that the body shall be removable from the housing once it is located therein.

Instead of controlling the detergent supplied from the reservoir by rotation of the valve body means can be provided for adjusting the amount of air admitted to the venturi, for example by a lever or by providing a disc which can be rotated to bring different size bleed holes into register with the venturi. The larger the amount of air admitted to the venturi the smaller the quantity of detergent will be drawn from the reservoir and vice-versa.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the delivery of detergent to a stream of water it will be understood that the valve has many other applications such as mixing of fertilizer or other horticultural chemicals with a stream of water.

Claims (10)

1. A valve comprising a valve housing, a part of said housing defining a reservoir, a valve body in said housing, an inlet port and an outlet port in said housing, a bore in said body, a venturi tube extending from said bore and adapted when said body is received in the housing to extend into the reservoir and said body being movable between a first position in which the bore connects the inlet and outlet ports and a second position in which there is no connection between the inlet and outlet ports.

2. A valve as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the housing is comprised in a brush.

3. A valve as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein means are provided for retaining the body in the housing.

4. A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a channel is provided in the body and wherein the body is movable to a further position in which the channel connects the inlet and outlet ports.

5. A valve as claimed in any preceding claim and comprising means for adjusting the amount of air admitted to the venturi thereby to control the amount of liquid withdrawn from the reservoir by the venturi.

6. A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an aperture is provided in the valve body through which the reservoir can receive liquid.

7. A valve as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the aperture is closable by a removable cover.

8. A valve as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the cover provides means for manually moving the valve body from one position to another.

9. A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, and comprising stop means for limiting movement of the body relative to the housing.

10. A valve substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.