GB2160623A - Unitary construction tap for separate delivery of hot and cold water or liquid in general - Google Patents

Abstract

A unitary construction tap for separate delivery of hot and cold water, is formed as a single body by a hot pressing process, and comprises a centre body (1) having feed conduits (3,4) formed therein and two inclined side bodies (5,6) each formed solidly but with a preformed-hole. Thereafter, the conventional tight seal abutment seats (9,10) for the shutters are formed on their interiors by machining. The inclination angle of the side bodies (5,6) with respect to the longitudinal axis of the centre body (1) is selected at such a value as to permit, by the insertion of suitable tools into the side bodies (5,6) and/or centre cavity (2) of the centre body (1), the formation of conduits (7,8), and ports (15,6) which are at mutually different height levels for communicating the separate conduits (7,8) with the separate delivery conduits of a conventional arcuate delivery pipe, in communication with the cavity (2) of the centre body (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tap This invention relates to a unitary construction tap for separate delivery of hot and cold water or liquid in general.

As is known these tap types for separate delivery of hot and cold water are usually manufactured, as required by specific regulatory bodies in some countries, in particular in the United Kingdom, either by casting or hot stamping processes to provide a hollow body with several separate internal ways, in which the seats for the screw blocks-shutters are formed directly in the stamped or cast workpiece or separately, and then inserted into special sockets in the moulding. In general, such taps are also called "single hole taps" and have a centre body in which there are formed substantially axial separate conduits, for hot and cold water; from the centre body, there extend two tubular bodies which are angularly inclined with respect to the axis of the centre body, within which abutting seats are provided for the shutters to be operated through a knob.

The inclined bodies are also provided with conduits which may be shut off through said shutters, which are put into hydraulic communication both with the hot and cold water feed conduits and with delivery conduits, also separated from each other, and consisting of a single delivery pipe, of generally arcuate elbow-like form or similar, from which hot water flows out always separated from the cold water.

The currently most widely used manufacturing techniques for making such unitary construction taps allow, as mentioned, the formation of a block with the necessary internal ways both inside the centre body and the two inclined side bodies as well as with a cylindrical cavity of uniform diameter in the two side bodies, which cavity constitutes the housings for the insertion, by force-fitting or, in the case of hot stamping, threading the seats for accommodating the shutters. In practice, the separate preparation of said seats and their fitting into the housings involves complexity and difficulty, as well as the possible need for adaptation of the elements to be assembled, which in essence requires time and the availability of skilled personnel, implying not negligible costs.Further, the coupling together of separate parts may result with time in relative movements which may effect the seal between the parts.

It is, therefore, an aim of the present invention to provide a unitary construction or "single hole" tap of the stamped type, which can obviate the drawbacks and limitations of those obtained with the conventional techniques and above all permit, owing to the particular geometry imparted, to the inclined side bodies during the stamping process, machining of the shutter seats so as to yield a unitary construction which is also complete with the required seats and ports for the passage of water from the feed conduits to the delivery conduits.

That aim is in practice advantageously achieved by a unitary construction tap for separate delivery of hot and cold water or liquid in general, of a type which comprises a centre body at least partially hollowed, which is connectable to separate feed conduits for hot water and cold water, and two side bodies, inclined on the axis of the centre body and intended for containing the shutters for throttling the water flow passages, which tap is made, according to the present invention, as a single body by hot stamping and has two inclined side bodies formed with a preformedhole to permit subsequent forming on their interiors of the conventional abutting and sealing seats for the shutters by machining, the inclination angle of said side bodies relatively to the longitudinal axis of the hollow centre body being selected at such a value as to allow, by the insertion of suitable body cavity, also formation of the openings or cavities, at different elevations from one another, intended for communicating the separate water feed conduits with separate delivery conduits of the usual arcuate delivery pipe associated with the centre body cavity.

Further constructional features of the tap of this invention may be brought out by the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawing sheets, given herein by way of illustration and not of limitation and where: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a unitary construction tap complete with shutters and knobs, according to the invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the tap of Fig. 1, shown without the shutters and operating knobs; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken along the angled line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a cross-section of Fig. 3, taken along the line IV-IV in that same Fig. 3; and Figure 5 shows in section the top portion of the tap of the preceding figures, with an arcuate delivery pipe and two separate internal delivery conduits associated therewith.

With reference to the drawing figures, and in particular to Figs. 1 to 3, the unitary construction tap according to the invention has an outside shape which is substantially tripod-like (Fig. 1), i.e. including three hollow or partly hollowed bodies merging with one another at an angle; it is comprised substantially like those of the known type with inserted seats, that is of a centre body 1 having at the top a large cylindrical cavity 2, and at the bottom cylindrical portion 1a, two parallel feed conduits 3-4.Rigid with the centre body 1 are two inclined bodies 5-6 formed with internal conduits 7-8 over equal lengths thereof, the outlet section of which forms the seat 9, respectively 10, for a shutter member (of a known type, not shown) operated through a conventional outer knob 11, respectively 1 2. The upper terminating portion of each inclined body 5-6 has a thread formation 13, respectively 14, for fastening the respective shutters.

Thus, the conduit 7 is in hydraulic communication with the cavity 2 in the centre body 1 through the seat 9, the cylindrical interspace 7a, and a port 1 5 formed in the body of the cavity 2, whilst the conduit 8 is put into communication with the interior of that same cavity 1 2 through the seat 10 and a throughgoing port 1 6 which is located at a higher level from the bottom of the cavity 2 than the port 1 5.

Thus, on connecting the two feed conduits 3-4, through respective fittings 3a-4a, to the delivery conduits (18, 1 9) for the hot water and cold water, through operation of the shutters, the respective flows are passed, separately from each other, into the cavity 2 and hence the same flows are conveyed into an ordinary delivery pipe 1 7 which has two internal delivery conduits 1 8-1 9 separate from each other as fas as the outlet port.

In order to maintain separation of the water flows up to the outlet, the delivery pipe has the conduit 18 closed at its inward end and a side port 20 (Fig. 5) which coincides with the port 1 6 in the inclined body 6, whilst the other end of the delivery pipe 1 7 is open to communicate directly with the bottom of the cavity 2 of the centre body 1. Thus, the water flow being conveyed through the conduits 4-8 can enter the delivery conduit 18, the other flow being conveyed to the delivery conduit 1 9.

The practice realization of the unitary construction described above is accomplished, according to the invention, with a combined stamping and successive machining technique which enables the above-mentioned objects and advantages to be achieved.

In particular, the unitary construction is obtained, according to the invention, by a hot stamping process to provide a tripod-like body as described with reference to the drawing figures, wherein the two inclined side bodies 5 and 6 are formed solidly but with a preformed-hole without seats for shutters, nor threads, and not even the side ports 1 5 and 1 6 interconnecting the various internal conduits.

After the unitary construction is so formed, in the centre body having a preformed-hole for the cavity 2, these are successively machined the cylindrical housings for the shutters, the seats, threads, and passage ports in the inclined bodies and parallel feed conduits 3 and 4. In order to allow such successive machining steps, and in particular the formation of the ports 1 5 and 1 6 diagonally in one hollow and perpendicularly in the other hollow to the longitudinal axis of the inclined bodies, it is necessary to select, prior to stamping, an inclination angle with respect to the axis X of the body 1 for the two side bodies 5 and 6, which can also permit offset machining with respect to the axes thereof, which machining includes the initial formation of the cylindrical housing and formation of the annular seats 9 and 10, and successively, the formation of the side ports 15 and 16.

Accordingly, the selection of the inclination angle of the side bodies should also take into account the diameters "d" and "D" (Fig. 2) of the side bodies and of the centre body respectively, because the port 1 5 is formed during the formation of the cylindrical interspace 7a, the tool interfering with the cavity 2; likewise, to form the port 1 6, the tool should be directed perpendicularly to the body 1 and enabled to be introduced diagonally into the cavity of the body 6 along the axis "Z" (Fig. 3in order to enable formation of the port 1 6 with the required dimensions and shape.

Thus, the technique of this invention provides a unitary construction with integrated, and hence stable, seats, as well as an overall geometry of all the conduits and internal cavities which afford greatly restricted load losses.

Of course, in practicing the invention, modifications and changes may be made to the invention described herein, both as regards the materials, dimensions, and various details, without departing from the protection scope of the invention.

Claims (3)

1. A unitary construction tap for separate delivery of hot and cold water or liquid in general, of the type which comprises a centre body having separate feed conduits connectable to delivery conduits for hot and cold water, and two side bodies containing shutters for throttling the water flow passages, characterised in that it is formed as a single body by a hot stamping process, has two inclined side bodies made solid but with a preformed-hole, thereby enabling formation on their interiors of the conventional abutment and seal seats for the shutters, as by machining, the inclination angle of said side bodies with respect to the longitudinal axis of the centre body being selected at such a value as to permit, by insertion of suitable tools into the side bodies and/or the cavity of the centre body, formation of the ports, located at different height levels and intended for communicating the separate feed conduits with the separate delivery conduits of a conventional arcuate delivery pipe in communication with the cavity of the centre body.

2. A tap according to Claim 1, character ised in that said inclination angle of the side bodies is selected in relation to the diameters of the seats for the shutters and the cavity of the centre body, thereby permitting the necessary orientations of the tool, within said housings and centre cavity, to form the ports, at different height levels, through the side wall of the two inclined bodies.

3. A tap substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.