GB2192256A - Mixing faucet - Google Patents

Abstract

A mixing faucet, which has separate hot and cold water paths that only mix at the end of the spout 38 in an aerator 39, comprises a housing 22 divided into upper and lower chambers by an apertured (42, 44, 46, 48) plate 40, the upper chamber containing a valve cartridge 24 (Fig. 3) having water inlets 74, 76 and outlets 78, 80 in a bottom wall 72 thereof, and the lower chamber 30 being divided by a vertical wall 36 in two portions 32, 34 communicating with two ducts 38a, 38b in the spout 38. The wall 36 contains two tubular water inlets 26, 28 and two tubular water outlets 49, 51, the outlets 49, 51 opening laterally at 50, 52 to lower chamber portions 32, 34. Inlets 26, 28 and outlets 49, 51 connect with apertures 46, 48, 42, 44 in plate 40 and with the inlets 74, 76 and outlets 78, 80 in the cartridge bottom wall 72. The valve cartridge comprises a seat plate 118 with inlet 142, 146 and outlet 144, 148 apertures and a valve plate 114 with apertures 140, 138. The valve plate 114 is rectilinearly or octatably slidable over the seat plate 118 by pivoting (90) or rotating (88) a handle 64 so as to dispense both hot and cold water, or hot or cold water only. <IMAGE>

Description

- SPECIFICATION Single-control mixing faucet providing the mixing outside the same This invention relates to a single-control mix ing faucet, particularly for combined control and mixing of hot and cold water, in which the mixing between hot and cold water is pro vided externally at the outlet of two side-by side paired or superimposed spout ducts.

Many kinds of single-control mixing faucets, using a ceramic valve assembly comprising a valve plate and a valve seat, provide the mix ing of the hot and cold water inside the valve assembly itself. This kind of mixing faucets works very well if there are minimum pressure differences between hot and cold water lines, while, if the pressure difference between said water lines is very high, as it is the case of lines supplied by independent free surface tanks, there is the problem of possible water counterflow from the faucet to the lines due to said high pressure differences.

In such a- case it is expedient to use mixing faucets having the hot and cold water ducts the most the possible separated leading to some member, as an aerator, producing a de pression deep enough to prevent any water counterflow either in the hot or cold water lines, respectively.

The fact of having the hot and cold water ducts completely separated requires com pletely separated water inlets and outlets in the valve assembly, i.e. to have four apertures in the cartridge or assembly containing said valve plate and seat against the three aper tures needed by a faucet providing the mixing inside said cartridge.

One prior art approach of valve, having completely separated water intlets and outlets, provides said inlets and outlets substantially at the corners of a square in the bottom of said valve. Such an approach has the main drawback of strongly limiting the rotating movement of the member, controlling the hot and cold- water metering of the valve, to a rather narrow angle (of the order of + 30 ).

In order of avoid such a drawback, it was proposed in the prior art to have one of the water outlets in the bottom of the valve and the other one in the lateral surface of said valve. Such a kind of approach allows larger regulating angles (well more than t30" of the first approach), but induly complicates the ex ternal structure of the valve cartridge and the faucet body, in which said cartridge is housed, because of specifical gaskets, and relating seats and shoulders, separating the hot and cold water flow paths and can hardly secure a good enough sealing between the cartridge and the body to avoid any water leakage.

In order to relieve the drawbacks of the above mentioned prior art, the mixing faucet having the valve cartridge of the present invention has been devised.

Such a faucet consists of a body having a housing divided in an upper chamber and the lower chamber or plenum by a plate, the upper chamber housing a valve cartridge, having water inlets and outlets in the bottom, aligned along a straight line and the lower chamber or plenum being divided in two parts, communicating with and extending into a discharge spout,by a vertical wall, having two tubular water inlets and two cylindrical and laterally open water outlets, said water inlets and outlets being connected with respective aligned apertures of said plate,so that the valve cartridge receives water from hot and cold water lines through said tubular water inlets and discharges water into said lower chamber through said laterally open cylindrical outlets or recesses, every laterally open cylindrical recess, discharging into one of the parts in which is divided the lower chamber or plenum, the alignment of the apertures through the plate requiring a corresponding alignment of the apertures into the valve cartridge allowing regulating angles of the controlling member well larger of those of the prior art.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the valve cartridge comprises an externai shell ending with a bottom having four aligned apertures, of which the two- central apertures are substantially semicircular or Dshaped and the two periferical apertures are substantially semilunar, and containing a ceramic valve seat and a ceramic valve plate having each other faced surfaces higly polished in order to allow a complete water seal, having said valve seat four apertures comunicating with and corresponding to the apertures of the shell bottom and said valve plate two apertures so shaped to span, anyone of them, two apertures of the valve seat, said valve plate being covered by a resilient cap, closing its apertures and allowing a mechanical coupling between said plate and an actuating arm pivoted in a bearing structure contained in an upper cover closing said external shell.

Preferably the upper cover closing said cartridge is provided with resilient descending fingers engaging small openings in the external shell.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the apertures in the valve seat are four in number of which the internal ones are substantially D-shaped and the external ones are semilunar, working one of the external aperture as a water inlet and the adjacent internal aperture as a water outlet, the successive adjacent internal aperture as a water inlet and the adjacent external aperture as a water outlet in order to have alternatively inlet and outlet apertures and the apertures of the valve plate are two in number shaped respectively as a substantial quadrant and a of a ring, spanning said first aperture the external inlet aperture and the internal outlet aperture of the valve seat, and said second aperture the internal inlet aperture and the external out let aperture of the valve seat.

In another preferred embodiment of the pre sent invention the valve seat, abutting against the internal bottom of the shell, engages a gasket sealing such a seat against said inter nal bottom and the external bottom of said shell houses in a proper slot a multiple gasket, comprising an internal portion and an external portion, defining four areas corresponding to and encompassing the four apertures of said external bottom in order to provide a seal be tween said bottom and the plate separating the upper chamber from the lower chamber.

More preferably, the aligned apertures in the valve seat and plate, having the above men tioned shapes, allow a rotating angle of the actuating member of at least f550.

For a full understanding of the present in vention, reference should now be made to the following complete description of a preferred - embodiment of the invention, taken- in con junction with the appended claims and the at tached drawings.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side and partially broken view of an assembled mixing faucet according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view, according to lines ll-ll in figure 1, of the mixing faucet according to the present invention showing mainly the division between hot water and cold water compartments continuining in the outlet spout of the faucet; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a mixing valve cartridge according to the present invention represented in open and mixing position; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same mix ing valve cartridge of fig. 3 represented in closed position; Fig. 5 is a perspective exploded view of the actuating assembly and the upper closing cap of the cartridge according to the present in vention; Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the cartridge itself according to the present invention;; Fig. 7 is a sectional vie-w, according to lines VII-VII in figure 4, of the cartridge according to the present invention; Fig. 8 is a top elevation view showing the movable valve plate of the present cartridge; Fig: 9 is a sectional view according to lines IX-IX in figure 4, showing the fixed valve seat plate of the present cartridge; Fig. 10 is a sectional view, according to lines X-X in figure 4, showing the movable valve plate and fixed valve seat assembly in the closed position; Fig. 11 is a sectional view, according to lines Xl-Xl in figure 3 showing the movable valve plate and the fixed valve seat assembly in open position; Fig. 12 is a sectional view, similar to the view of figure 11, showing the valve assembly in open position only for cold water;; Fig. 13 is a sectional view, similar to the view of the figure 11, showing the valve assembly in open position only for hot water.

Turning to the above mentioned figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a faucet body 20 comprises a housing 22 containing a mixing valve cartridge 24, receiving a first tube 26 and second tube 28 for hot and cold water feeding, respectively, and communicating with a lower plenum 30 divided in two different side-by-side positioned chambers 32 and 34 (see figure 2), separated by a wall 36 and connected to a discharge spout 38 containing two coupled dutcs 38a and 38b, respectively, and discharging through an aerator 39, providing some depression to have positive flow through the ducts 38a and 38b, irrespective of the pressure inside them. The cartridge 24 abuts on an apertured plate 40 having four circular apertures 42, 44, 46 and 48 connecting the cartridge 24 with the chambers 32 and 34 and with the tubes 26 and 28, respectively.Usually the plate 40 is soldered or anyway sealed against the internal wall of the housing 22 in order to define the lower plenum 30, which is divided in two halves by the wall 36 containing two first cylindrical recesses coincident with the tubes 26 and 28, providing hot and cold water, and two other cylindrical recesses 49 and 51 having windows 50 and 52, respectively, connecting the aperture 42 with the chamber 32 and the aperture 44 with the chamber 34. The separating wall 36 usually obtained through casting with the whole housing 22, is also sealed against the apertured plate 40 in order to have a complete separation between the hot and cold water flow paths.

The upper portion of the housing 22 is closed by a cover 56, having a threaded edge 58 engaged by a corresponding thread in the lateral internal wall of the housing 22, said cover abutting on an upper cover 60 of the cartridge 24 to urge it against the apertured plate 40. From the upper cover 60 of the cartridge 24 extends an actuating arm 62, connected with a handle 64 having the purpose to open and close the faucet and to meter the hot and cold water flows. The handle 64 is coupled to the actuating arm 62 through a receptacle 66.

Turning now to the figures 3 to 7, the mixing valve cartridge 24 is depicted in detail.

8aid cartridge 24 is provided with an external shell 70 having an apertured bottom 72 in which are provided four openings 74,76,78 and 80 connecting in flow communication the cartridge 24 with the cylindrical recesses 26,28,49 and 51 respectively. The upper portion of the shell 70 is provided with small openings 82 engaging resilient fingers 84 descending from the upper cover 60 in order to engage said cover 60 with the shell 70 and close the cartridge 24. The upper cover 60 has an upwards extending sleeve 86 containing a bearing structure 88 in which a pin 90, penetrating the actuating arm 62, is pivoted.

The bearing structure 88 ends downwards with a flange 92 having a larger extension and a smaller extension 94 and 96, respectively engagable with internal protrusions 98, 100 and 102 of the cover 60 to guide and limit the rotational movement of the handle 64 to a reasonable angle (e.g. + 55 ).

The actuating arm 62 ends with two fork legs 104 and 106 engaged in two recesses 108 and 110 of a resilient cap 112 abutting on a ceramic valve plate 114 and having a sealing gasket 116 interposed between the cap 112 and the plate 114. The valve plate 114 abuts on a ceramic valve seat 118 which, in turn, abuts on a gasket 120 housed in the internal bottom 73 of the shell 70.

Referring to the figures 3,4,5 and 8, the valve plate 114 is provided with four substantially rectangular indentations 122, 124, 126 and 128 engaged by corresponding extensions 130, 132, and 134 (one of these extensions is not shown in figure 5) descending from an external flange 136 of the resilient cap 112, and with two openings 138 and 140 having the duty of allowing and regulating the two water flows.

Referring to figures 3, 4, 5 and 9, the ceramic valve seat 118 is provided with four openings 142, 144, 146 and 148 and with four rectangular identations 150,152, 1 54 and 156 engaged by corresponding protrusions on the internal bottom 73 of the shell 70. The gasket 120 seals the valve seat 118 against the internal bottom 73 itself. A further gasket 161, comprising an internal portion 162 and an external portion 164, seals the external bottom 72 of the shell 70 against the plate 40 separating the cartridge 24 from the plenum 30 of the faucet, allowing a flow comunication without any leakage between the openings 74, 76, 78 and 80 and the corresponding tubes and recesses 26, 28, 49 and 51, respectively.Two cylindrical pins 160, extending from the external bottom 72, and housed in corresponding recesses in the plate 40 position the cartridge 24 with respect to the housing 22. The working of the faucet 20 according to the present invention will be specifically depicted in the figures 3, 4 and 10 13.

When the valve cartridge 24 is in the closed condition depicted in figures 4 and 10 (i.e. the handle 64 in- fig. 1 is pulled down), land portions of the valve plate 114 close the openings 142 and 146 of the valve seat 118, communicating with the openings 76 and 74 of the apertured bottom 72,stopping the water flow through the faucet 20 itself.

When the actuating arm 62 is moved in the open position depicted in figures 3 and 11 (i.e. the handle 64 in fig. 1 is pulled up), the valve plate 114 is moved consequently to have the openings 138 and 140 superimposed on the openings 146, 148 and 142, 144 of the valve seat 118 respectively, allowing a flow communication between the openings 146, 148 and 142,144, as indicated by the arrows 147 and 143, respectively.

If the handle 64 is the pulled up as depicted in figure 1, then is completely turned in one direction (e.g. to the left), just the opening 138 in the valve plate 114, spans superimposed on the apertures 146 and 148 in the valve seat 118 (see figure 12) allowing just the flow comunication between the apertures 146 and 148, indicated by the arrow 147 so that just cold water can flow through the faucet 20.

If the handle 64, always pulled up in the same position of figure 1, is completely turned in the opposite direction (e.g. to the right), just the opening 140 in the valve plate 114 spans on the apertures 142 and 144, in the valve seat 118 ( see fig. 13) allowing just the flow communication between the apertures 142 and 144, indicated by the arrow 143,so that just hot water can flow through the faucet 20.To resume, with the handle 64 pulled down the faucet 20 is closed and no water can flow through itself; with the handle 64 pulled up and in register with the discharge spout 38, the faucet 20 is open both for hot and cold water having a mixing thereof at the outlet of the spout 38; with the handle 64 pulled up and completely turned leftwards the faucet 20 is open only for cold water and with the handle 64 pulled up and completely turned rightwards the faucet 20 is open only for hot water.

It is to remark that hot and cold water remain separated in the respective ducts 38a and 38b unitl they come into the aerator 39, where the depression allows at any rate the flow of the water out of the faucet irrespective of the pressure conditions of the hot and cold water lines.

It is to understand that has been provided a mixing faucet of very quiet and even operation, highly resistant to damages attributable to operation of its mixing valve in which the hot and cold water flow paths are completely separated and pressure independent in oder to avoid any water counterflow in case of very high pressure difference between the hot and cold water lines.

Many variations can be made in the materials and proportions of the components of the faucet and valve of the present invention without departing from its principles.Accordin gly, the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed in the above specification but just to the terms of the appended claims.

Claims (7)

1. A single-control mixing faucet, providing the mixing outside the same, comprises a body having a housing divided in an upper chamber and lower chamber or plenum by a plate, the upper chamber housing a valve cartridge, having water inlets and outlets in the bottom, aligned along a stright line and the lower chamber or plenum being divided in two parts communicating with and extending into a discharge spout, by a vertical wall, having two tubular water inlets and two cylindrical and laterally open water outlets, said water inlets and outlets being connected with respective aligned apertures of said plate, so that the valve cartridge receives water from hot and cold water lines through said tubular water inlets and discharges water into said lower chamber through said laterally open cylindrical outlets or recesses, every laterally open cylindrical recess discharging into one of the parts in which is divided the lower chamber or plenum, the alignment of the apertures through the plate requiring a corresponding alingment of the apertures into the valve cartridge.

2. The single-control mixing faucet, according to claim 1, wherein the valve cartridge comprises an external shell ending with a bottom having four aligned apertures, of which the two central apertures are substantially semicircular or D-shaped and the two periferical apertures are substantially semilunar, and containing a ceramic valve seat and a ceramic valve plate having each other faced surfaces highly polished in order to allow a complete water seal, having said valve seat four apertures comunicating with and corresponding to the apertures of the shell bottom and said valve plate two apertures so shaped to span, anyone of them, two apertures of the valve seat, said valve plate being covered by a resilient cap, closing its apertures and allowing a mechanical coupling between said plate and an actuating arm pivoted in a bearing structure contained in an upper cover closing said external shell.

3. The single-control mixing faucet, according to claim 1, wherein the upper cover, closing said cartridge, is provided with resilient descending fingers engaging small openings in the external shell.

4. The single-control mixing faucet, according to claim 2, wherein the apertures in the valve seat are four in number of which the internal ones are substantially D-shaped and the external ones are semilunar, working one of the external apertures as a water inlet and the adjacent internal aperture as a water outlet, the successive adjacent internal aperture as a water inlet and the adjacent external aperture as a water outlet in order to have alternatively inlet and outlet apertures and the apertures of.the valve plate are two in number shaped respectively as a substantial quadrant and a substantially quarter of a ring, spanning said first aperture the external inlet aperture and the internal outlet aperture of the valve seat, and said second aperture the internal inlet aperture and the exernal outlet aperture of the valve seat.

5. The single control mixing faucet according to claims 2 and 3 wherein the resilient cap, covering said valve plate, is provided with two recesses, having rounded bottom, engaging the corresponding ends of two fork legs of an actuating arm movable around a pivot pin pivotted in a cylindrical bearing structure housed in the upwards extending sleeve of the upper cover of said cartridge.

6. The single-control mixing faucet, according to claims 2-4, wherein the valve seat, abutting against the internal bottom of the shell, engages a gasket sealing such a seat against said internal bottom and the external bottom of said shell houses in a proper slot a multiple gasket, comprising an internal portion and an external portion, defining four areas corresponding to and a encompassing the four apertures of said external bottom in order to provide a seal between said bottom and the plate separating the upper chamber from the lower chamber.

7. The single-control mixing faucet according to claims 2-6, wherein the aligned apertures in the valve seat and plate having the above mentioned shapes, allow a rotating angle of the actuating member of at least + 55o