GB2190022A

GB2190022A - Apparatus for spraying liquid mixtures

Info

Publication number: GB2190022A
Application number: GB08708948A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Maitland Pringle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-04-30
Filing date: 1987-04-14
Publication date: 1987-11-11
Also published as: GB2189843B; GB8708948D0; GB8610636D0; GB2190022B; GB8708949D0; GB2189843A

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a spray head 10 connected with a chamber 12 communicating with a supply of one liquid and through which a second liquid is injected so as to entrain the first liquid to form a mixture which passes to the spray head. The arrangement is particularly suited for use as a bathroom shower unit, with hot water being fed to one inlet 18 and hence to an injector 14, and cold water to a second inlet 16 from where it passes, after being pre-heated, to the chamber 12, for entrainment into the injected hot water. <IMAGE>

Description

GB 2 190 022 A 1 SPECIFICATION figures of the accompanying drawingswhich

show, byway of example only, a numberof forms of Apparatus for spraying liquid mixtures domestic bathroom shower unit embodying same.

Of the drawings:

This invention concerns apparatus for spraying 70 Figure 1 shows a crosssection through a firstform liquid mixtures, particularly, though by no means of unit; exclusively suitablefor use as a bathroom shower Figure2shows a cross- section through a second unit,the liquid mixture then comprising waterfrom form of unit; hot and cold watersupplies respectively. Figure3shows a cross-section through the Generally bathroom shower units drawtheircold 75 injection tube of the unit of Figure 2 and on an and hotwater suppliesfrom a cold waterstorage enlarged scale; and tank and hotwater cylinderwhich is itself supplied Figure4shows a crosssection through a third from the storagetank. Thus, both supplies are atthe form of unit.

same pressure enabling satisfactory mixing for Referring firstlyto Figure 1, itwill be seen thatthe temperature control butfrequently producing a 80 firstform of shower unit comprises a shower head or shower of unacceptably low pressure depending rose 10 connected by piping 11 to a chamber 12 upon the height of the storagetank abovethe shower having a waist 13 therein to form a venturi tube. Cold head. waterfrom a mains supply can be injected into the The problem of low pressure can be overcome by chamber 12 through a nozzle 14. The chamber 12 is the use of a pump which delivers waterfrom the 85 in communication with a reservoir 15 adapted to be storage tank and hotwater cylinder under pressure connected to a source of relatively low pressure hot or bythe use of mains waterfed shower unit waterthrough inlet port 16. The mains cold water is incorporating flash heating elements. Such suppliedto nozzle 14through a coil 17 of extended equipmentis quite costlyand difficuitto install length located within reservoir 15 and extending requiring both electrical and plumbing modifications 90 from an inlet port 18.

aswell perhaps asthe making-good of decorations The reservoir 15 which supportsthe chamber 12 is including tiling. mounted on bracket members 19 slidable on a It is amongstthe objects of the present invention to vertical bar20 mounted over a domestic bath or provide apparatus for spraying liquid mixtures shower tray (not shown). In use hot water is supplied whichwhen utilised asa bathroom showerunit 95 from the domestic hot water cylinderto the inietport overcomes the disadvantages aforesaid. 16and mains water is supplied to the inietport 18.

According to the present invention there is The mains water is pre-heated by passagethrough provided apparatus for spraying liquid mixtures thecoil 17 before injection intothe chamber 12 comprising a liquid spraying means connectedto enabling more equal flowsfora givenfinal communicatewith a chamber, means for supplying 100 temperaturefrom the nozzle 14and reservoir 15with afirst liquidto said chamber, meansfor passing a consequent efficiency of mixing in chamber 12. In a second liquid through said chamberso as to entrain possible modification the cold mains supply may be said first liquid therewith to form a mixturewhich pre-heated by an electric heating element but of passes to the spraying means. sufficiently low power as to not require a dedicated The liquid spraying means may be the head or rose 105 circuit. More than one such element may be of a bathroom shower unit. provided and be separately switchable to give The first liquid may be hotwaterfrom a hotwater enhanced temperature control possibilities.

supplyeylinder. The injection draws hotwaterfrom reservoir 15 The second liquid may be cold waterfrom a mains intothe chamber 12 for mixturewith thewaterfrom supply. 110 the mains supply and the mixture passesthrough Wherethe first and second liquids are hot and cold line 11 to the shower head or rose 10. The water respectively, the second liquid may be temperature of the mixture can be adjusted by preheated by heat exchange with the first liquid varying the height of the reservoir 15 by sliding the before entry to said chamber. bracket members 19 along the bar 20. This of course Means may be provided for adjusting the height of 115 has a significant effect on the pressure of the hot said chamber and hence the pressure of thetwo water supply but a negligible effect on the pressure liquids entering same. of the mainswater supply and hencethe proportions The second liquid may be injected into said mixed.

chamber by a tapered nozzle directed towards a In a preferred arrangementthe inlet ports 16 and portion of reduced section within said chamber 120 18 are connected to thetaps of a bath byflexible forming a venturi tube. rubber hoses (it being assumedthatthe cold water The second liquid may be injected through the supplyto the bath is from mains) and the pipe 11 chamber in a tube having a plurality of apertures in includes a flexible portion enabling the shower head the wall thereof whose axes are oblique to the or rose 10 to be maintained at a constant height even direction of flow so as to draw the first liquid into the 125 though the height of the reservoir 15 is varied.

tubefor mixing with the second liquid. There may be Additional temperature control is of course possible a plurality of such tubes extending through the by adjustment of the bath taps.

chamber. If the shower unit is plumbed into the watersystem The invention will be further apparentfrom the permanently, a mechanical interlock on the inlet following description with reference to the several 130 control valves is advantageously provided to prevent

2 GB 2 190 022 A 2 flowof hot water through the unituntil theflowof hotwaterbefore entryto said chamber.

cold water has also been enabled. 6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the Turning nowto Figures 2 and 3 an alternative form mains supply is pre- heated by an electric heating of shower unit is shown wherein like parts are element before entryto said chamber.

indicated by like reference numerals. 70 7. Apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 -6 In this embodiment the mains water supply enters wherein the second liquid is injected into said a plenum chamber 30 and is injected into avertical chamber by a tapered nozzle directed towards a tube 31 extending upwardlythrough the reservoir 15 portion of reduced section within said chamber to enterthe chamber 12. The tube 31 is formed with a forming a venturi tube.

plurality of apertures 32 therein, each of which has 75 8. Apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 -4 its axis inclined to the axis of the tube 31. As water wherein the second liquid is injected through the from the mains supplyflows through the tube 31 chamber in a tube having a plurality of apertures in heated waterfrom reservoir 15 is induced to flow the wall thereof whose axes are oblique to the intothetube31 so that a mixture of water entersthe direction of flow so as to drawthe first liquid intothe chamber 12 forthe final addition of hot watertherein. 80 tube for mixing with the second liquid.

Turning nowto Figure 4 itwill be seen that a 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein there further embodiment of the shower unit is generally area plurality of said tubes extending throuffif the similarto that described with reference to Figures 2 chamber.

and 3, like parts being indicated with like reference 10. Apparatus according to either claim 7 or numerals. 85 claim 8 wherein the or each said tube terminates in a In this embodiment, however, there area plurality venturi tube in communication with a supply of said oftubes31 rising from the plenum chamber 30. Each second liquid.

terminates at its upper end in a venturi tube 35 all of 11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim which communicate with an upper plenum chamber wherein means are provided for adjusting the height 36 which supplies the mixture to the shower head or 90 of said chamber and hence the pressure of the two rose 10. liquids entering same.

This latterform of unit is particularly adapted for other applications where large flows are required, Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have such as in industryforthe washing of parts moving thefollowing effect:

Claims

beneath the shower head on conveying meansfor 95 (a) Claims 1 to 4 above

have been deleted ortextually example. amended.

In a modification the tube ortubes 31 terminatefor (b) New ortextually amended claims have been filed direct communication with the piping 11 and not in a asfollows:

final venturi tube arrangement, the tube ortubes 31 then forming the chamberor chambers in which the 100 1. A bathroom shower unit whose shower head entire mixing takes place. or rose is connected to communicate with a Itwill be appreciated that it is not intended to limit chamber, means for supplying hotwaterto said the invention to the above example only, many chamber and means for passing cold waterthrough variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled said chamber so as to entrain said hot water in the art, being possible, without departing from the 105 therewith to form a mixture which passes to the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims. shower head or rose.

Thus, for example, a non-return valve may be 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the included inthe line providing hotwatertothe hotwateris derived from a hotwatersupply showerunitto preventany possibilityof mainswater cylinder.

being forced intothe hotwater circuit. 110 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or2 wherein the cold water is derived from a mains supply.

CLAIMS 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the mains supply is preheated before entry to said 1. Apparatus for spraying liquid mixtures chamber.

comprising a liquid spraying means connected to communicate with a chamber, means for supplying a first liquid to said chamber, means for passing a Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company (11 K) Ltd,9187, D8991685. second liquid through said chamber so asto entrain Published byThe Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, said first liquid therewith to form a mixture which from which copies maybe obtained.

passes to the spraying means.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liquid spraying means is the head or rose of a bathroom shower unit.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first liquid is hot water from a hot water supply cylinder.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the second liquid is cold waterfrom a mains supply.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the mains supply is preheated by heat exchange with the