IE44916B1 - Valve mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a valves mechanism, and more especially but not exclusively, to a tap.

Valve mechanisms include a seating with which 5 a closure member engages to stop flow of fluid through the valve mechanism. The closure member typically is rotatably mounted in a fixed housing to enable the position thereof to be adjusted relative to the seating, and includes a spindle to which a handle is fixedly secured to enable the closure member to be so rotated.

Hitherto, in one known arrangement, a bolt has been used to secure the handle to the spindle, the bolt passing through an aperture in the handle. Once the handle and spindle have been secured together, a socalled indicia is used to close the aperture in the handle. The indicia is a plastics moulding whioh is received as a snap-fit into a recess in the handle and which may hear, for example, the letter H or C if the valve mechanism is to be used as a water tap. One disadvantage of this arrangement is that the indicia has to be unseated to enable the handle to be removed from the spindle; This involves poking a screw-driver or similarly pointed device under the indicia to prise - 3 it away from the handle often resulting in damage to both the handle and the indicia.

In another known arrangement, a rubber '0' ring has been used to lock the handle to the spindle. However, the '0' ring has tended to become damaged upon removal of the handle from the spindle, so that the handle after having been removed once has tended to be a loose fit on the spindle.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above-described problems and disadvantages.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a valve mechanism comprising a seating with which a closure member is engageable to control the flow of fluid through the valve mechanism, the closure member including a spindle to which a handle is removably secured by means of a retaining member, the retaining member including a bayonet type fitting for engagement with one of the spindle and the handle and snap-fitting means for engagement with the other of the spindle and the handle.

Conveniently, the bayonet-type fitting is provided between the retaining member and the handle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle has an opening therein through which the retaining member is inserted, and the bayonet-type fitting is formed by lugs on the retaining member which are removably engageable under a shoulder on the handle. Desirably, the handle includes a tapered portion whose underside forms said shoulder, the tapered portion having slots therein through which said lugs pass.

Advantageously,' the snap-fitting means comprises an interengaging projection and recess arrangement between the spindle and the retaining member, most advantageously in the form of an annular rib in the retaining member which is engageable in an annular groove in a bore in the spindle.

The spindle and the retaining member are preferably moulded from resilient plastics material.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a valve mechanism according to the present invention, ’ Fig. 2 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale of a retaining member which forms part of the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan,view of a handle which also forms part of the valve mechanism shovjn in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of part of the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1, taken at right-angles to the section of Fig. 1, The valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1 comprises a spindle 10 moulded from resilient plastics material, to which a handle 12 is connected by means of a retaining member 14. The handle 12 has the general form of a cylinder one end IS of which is closed. The radially outer wall of the cylinder may be profiled to enable the handle to be gripped by a user. An inner cylinder 18 is moulded integrally with the outer cylinder and coaxially therewith. The radially inner wall of the inner cylinder 18 is splined throughout its length as may be seen at 20 in Fig. I. The splines 20 engage with co-operating splines 22 on the spindle 10 so that, as the handle is rotated, so too is the spindle 10.

The end 16 of the handle is countersunk at 24 to receive an indicia (not shown) as a snap-fit. The 4 *816 - 5 indicia is in the form of a button and, if desired, may bear the letter H or C indicating that the valve mechanism is for controlling the supply of hot or cold water, respectively.

A tapered portion 25 of the handle extends from the countersinking 24 to a central bore 26. The tapered portion has two diametrically opposed slots 28 (Fig. 3) for the receipt of respective lugs on the retaining member, the underside of the tapered portion forming a shoulder 30 (Fig. 4) against which the lugs engage.

One end of the spindle 10, is formed with a bore 32 for the receipt of the retaining member 14, the bore including an annular groove 34 in a side wall thereof.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the retaining member shown is moulded from resilient plastics material and includes a generally cylindrical body having a top portion 36. The top surface thereof includes a slot 38 to receive a screw-driver thus enabling the member to be turned. The underside of the top portion 36 is tapered at 40 to match the tapering at 25 (Fig. 1) on the handle 12.

A pair of diametrically opposed lugs 42 are disposed below the top portion, and a projection in the form of an annular rib 44 is provided adjacent an end of the retaining member remote from the top portion 36.

In use, the retaining member 14 is entered into the handle with the lugs 42 in alignment with the slots 28. In this position, the cylindrical body of the retaining member enters the tap and the tapered portion 40 on the member 14 rests against the tapered portion 25 on the handle. A screw-driver or similar tool is then engaged with the slot 38 (Fig, 2) and the member 14 is then turned, through an angle, preferably 90 degrees, whereupon the lugs 42 engage under the shoulder 30, as may,best be seen in Fig, 4, In this position the member 14 and handle 12 are looked to5 gether.

An indicia (not shown) is then entered into the counter-sinking 24 by a snap-fitting action so that the handle is thus completed. The handle is next engaged with the spindle 10 so that the cylindrical body of the member 14 enters into the bore 32. The handle is then pressed onto the spindle causing both the bore 32 and annular rib 44 to yield slightly until the rib 44 enters the groove 34, whereupon both relax to removably lock the handle to the spindle.

It will be seen that the handle may be removed readily from the spindle any number of times without damaging the connection therebetween.

Preferably the spindle 10 and the retaining member 36 are moulded from acetal resin.

Claims (8)

1. A valve mechanism comprising a seating with which a closure member is engageable to control the flow of fluid through the valve mechanism, the closure member including a spindle to which a handle is removably secured by means of a retaining member, the retaining member including a bayonet-type fitting for engagement with one of the spindle and the handle and snap fitting means for engagement with the other of the spindle and. the handle.

2. A valve mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the bayonet-type fitting is provided between the retaining member and the handle.

3. A valve mechanism as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the handle has an opening therein through which the retaining member is inserted, and the bayonettype fitting is formed by lugs on the retaining member which are removably engageable under a shoulder on the handle.

4. A valve mechanism as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the handle includes a tapered portion whose underside forms said shoulder, the tapered portion having slots therein through which said lugs pass.

5. A valve mechanism as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the snap-fitting means comprises an interengaging projection and recess arrangement between the spindle and the retaining member.

6. A valve mechanism as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the snap-fitting means comprises an annular rib on the retaining member which is engageable in an annular groove in A bore in the spindle. Λ 9ΐ Β - 8

7. A valve mechanism as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, wherein the spindle and the retaining member are moulded from resilient plastics material.

8. A valve mechanism substantially 5 as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.