GB2367342A

GB2367342A - Protective shroud preventing access to a tap handle

Info

Publication number: GB2367342A
Application number: GB0120513A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Loftus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-08-23
Filing date: 2001-08-23
Publication date: 2002-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-23
Also published as: WO2003019060A1; GB0120513D0; GB2367342B

Abstract

A safety device for preventing the rotation of a handle (4) of a tap or faucet comprises an annular base (14) for fitting around the spindle or spindle sleeve of the tap (2), beneath the handle (4), and a tubular shroud (18) for fitting around the sides of the handle (4) and to the base (14), such that lugs (26,28) on resilient projections (22,24) formed on the base (14) which extend through respective apertures (30,32) on opposite sides of the shroud (18) must be pressed together to release the shroud (18) from the base (14) to enable access to be gained to the tap handle (4). The shroud (18) may be connected to the base (14) by a resilient strip (20) which aids alignment between the lugs (26,28) and the apertures (30,32), and which biasses the shroud (18), when released, away from the base (14).

Description

Safety Device

The present invention relates to a safety device and, more particularly, to a device for preventing the operation of a tap or faucet.

It is widely known to provide a tap or faucet to a bath or sink, the tap comprising a valve and a spindle arranged to be rotated in opposite directions about its longitudinal axis, to respectively open and close the valve, the spindle being fitted with a handle to allow the flow of fluid through the valve to be controlled by hand.

However, such an arrangement gives rise to serious safety risks, as the handle is easily turned by a child or person of diminished mental faculties to open the valve, which might then result in injury, e. g. scolding, to that person or in flood damage to property.

I have now devised an arrangement which overcomes the above-mentioned limitations of existing taps or faucet arrangements.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safety device for preventing the rotation of a handle of a tap or faucet, the device comprising: an annular base for fitting around the spindle or spindle sleeve of the tap, beneath the handle, and formed on opposite sides with a pair of opposed, resilient, upstanding projections; and a tubular shroud for fitting around at least the sides of the handle and the projections of the base, such that respective lugs formed at the distal ends of each of the upstanding projections are biassed into engagement with corresponding apertures formed in the side-wall of the shroud.

Thus, to remove the shroud from the base, the lugs must first be pressed towards one another to disengage them from their respective apertures, such an arrangement having been found to be highly effective in foiling the attempts of a child to operate the tap.

Preferably the shroud is connected to the base to prevent the two parts from being separated when the sides of the handle are not shrouded and to maintain the correct alignment between the two parts. Most preferably, the two parts are connected by a strip of resilient material, which biasses the shroud away from the base.

Preferably the device consists of a single piece of moulded plastics material.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for preventing the rotation of a handle of a tap or faucet, the method comprising the steps of: providing a safety device comprising an annular base, formed on opposite sides with a pair of opposed, resilient, upstanding projections, and a tubular shroud, formed with a pair of opposed apertures in its side-wall; fitting the annular base around the spindle or spindle sleeve of the tap, beneath the handle; and fitting the shroud around the handle and the projections of the base, such that respective lugs formed at the distal ends of each of the upstanding projections are biassed into engagement with the apertures formed in the sidewall of the shroud.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures1 and 2 are respective side views of a conventional tap arrangement, the latter partially in section, showing the tap in assembled and disassembled states respectively; Figure 3 and 4 are respective side views, partially in section, showing successive stages in the process of fitting of a safety device in accordance with the present invention, to the tap; and Figure 5,6 and 7 are respectively a side view and an end view, each partially in section, and a perspective view,

showing the safety device fitted to the tap and in a closed state.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a conventional water tap or faucet is shown comprising a body portion 2 through which a flow of water of water may be controlled by rotating a handle 4 connected to an operating spindle 6 of valve contained within the body 4, the handle 4 being held in place by a fixing screw 8, the head of which, in the assembled tap, is concealed by a end-cap 10.

To prevent the tap 2 from being operated by a child or person of diminished mental faculties, a safety device 12 in accordance with the present invention may be fitted to the tap by first fitting an annular base 14 of the device around a spindle casing 16 of the tap, below the handle 4, (as shown in Figures 3 and 5) and then pushing a cylindrical, tubular shroud 18 of the device over the handle 4 (as shown in Figures 5 to 7), against a counterforce provided by a resilient strip 20 connecting the base 14 and the shroud 18. The shroud is 18 then held in place by a pair of upstanding resilient projections 22, 24 formed on either side of the base 14, whose distal ends are each formed with a respective lug 26, 28 which is biassed into engagement with a corresponding aperture 30, 32 formed in the side-wall of the fitted shroud 18.

To subsequently operate the tap 2, the two lugs 26, 28 must first be pressed towards one another to release the shroud 18 which is then lifted away from the handle 4, under the recoil action of the connecting strip 20 (as indicated by the arrows in Figures 6 and 7).

It will be appreciated that the degree mental agility and of manual dexterity required to release the shroud of the safety device thus described, will frustrate all but the most determined attempts by a child to or person of diminished mental faculties to gain access to a tap-handle to which the device is fitted.

Claims

1) A safety device for preventing the rotation of a handle of a tap or faucet, the device comprising: an annular base for fitting around the spindle or spindle sleeve of the tap, beneath the handle, and formed on opposite sides with a pair of opposed, resilient, upstanding projections; and a tubular shroud for fitting around at least the sides of the handle and the projections of the base, such that respective lugs formed at the distal ends of each of the upstanding projections are biassed into engagement with corresponding apertures formed in the side-wall of the shroud.

2) A safety device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the shroud is connected to the base to prevent the two parts from being separated when the sides of the handle are not shrouded and to maintain the correct alignment between the two parts.

3) A safety device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the shroud and the base are connected by a strip of resilient material, which biasses the shroud away from the base.

4) A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, consisting of a single piece of moulded plastics material.

5) A method for preventing the rotation of a handle of a tap or faucet, the method comprising the steps of: providing a safety device comprising an annular base, formed on opposite sides with a pair of opposed, resilient, upstanding projections, and a tubular shroud, formed with a pair of opposed apertures in its side-wall; fitting the annular base around the spindle or spindle sleeve of the tap, beneath the handle; and fitting the shroud around the handle and the projections of the base, such that respective lugs formed at the distal ends of each of the upstanding projections are biassed into engagement with the apertures formed in the sidewall of the shroud.

6) A safety device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7) A method for preventing the rotation of a handle of a tap or faucet, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

Claims

1) A safety device for preventing the rotation of a handle of a tap or faucet, the device comprising : an annular base for fitting around the spindle or spindle sleeve of the tap, beneath the handle, and formed on opposite sides with a pair of opposed, resilient, upstanding projections ; and a tubular shroud for fitting around at least the sides of the handle and the projections of the base, such that respective lugs formed at the distal ends of each of the upstanding projections are radially biassed into engagement with corresponding apertures formed in the side-wall of the shroud.

S) A method for preventing the rotation of a handle of a tap or faucet, the method comprising the steps of : providing a safety device comprising an annular base, formed on opposite sides with a pair of opposed, resilient, upstanding projections, and a tubular shroud, formed with a pair of opposed apertures in its side-wall ; fitting the annular base around the spindle or spindle sleeve of the tap, beneath the handle ; and

fitting the shroud around the handle and the projections of the base, such that respective lugs formed at the distal ends of each of the upstanding projections are radially biassed into engagement with the apertures formed in the side-wall of the shroud.