US2245041A - Faucet - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 194i. G. R. MCCURDY '2,245,041

FAUCET Filed April 6, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gaaaa==a=asl jl-wi y, l Zi Patented June 1G, 1941 iliiiil STTS TENT FFICE FAUCET George R. McCurdy, Wilmette, lill., assigner to Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination sanitary faucet and drinking fountain preferably so constructed as to be substantially vandalproof.

An object of my invention is to prow'de a simple and economical faucet which a user may readily convert into a drinking fountain in a sanitary manner simply by reciprocably closing one outlet of the fitting.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a valve in the outlet of a faucet which when the valve is reciprocably closed will cause water fiowing through the fitting to be diverted and to issue from an axially aligned auxiliary or second outlet, the latter outlet serving as a drinking bubbler.

A still further important object of my invention is to provide a combination spout and drinking nozzle having a closure member cooperating with the spout to divert water, which normally flows through the spout, to the drinking nozzle. The said closure member is manually operable by a user in such a manner that the users hands normally do not come in contact with water flowing through the tting, thereby avoiding the usual insanitary condition which tends to contaminate the water diverted for drinking purposes.

Another advantage of my invention lies in the arrangement of a sanitary spout and bubbler tting which is adapted for attachment to a bathing fixture, such as', for example, a lavatory sink, basin and the like, with no removable parts exposed on the fitting and the fitting itself being substantially incapable of removal or disassembly by a person tampering with the exposed portion thereof.

A further object is to construct a sanitarily mounted combination spout and drinking nozzle which may be easily and quickly cleaned.

t is also an object of my invention to provide a combination spout and bubbler having a plurality of normally open outlets whereby a user who playfully stops both the spout and the bubb-ier, in an attempt to obtain a squirting stream from the bubbler, will be balked by reason of the water issuing from one or more other outlets in the fitting.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent upon proceeding with the detailed description of my invention exemplified by the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a iitting embodying my invention and showin#I the spout closure member in its normal or iiow permitting position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the spout closure member in the raised or iiow stopping position which diverts water flowing through the fitting to the drinking nozzle.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line lof Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a side sectional View similar to Fig. 1, showing a modied form of my invention in which the inlet to the bubbler portion is relatively restrcted.

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view taken on the line @-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a side sectional View of a still further modified form of my invention showing an auxiliary outlet which is supplementary to the spout and bubbler outlets.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Like numerals indicate like parts throughout the various views of the drawings.

In institutions, such as prisons, reformatories and the like, it is generally desirable' to provide each room or cell with a bathing fixture having water supplied thereto by the usual pipes. It is also generally desirable to provide a sanitary means of supplying drinlnng water to the occupant of the room or cell. inasmuch as such institutions are generally constructed and maintained on relatively limited finances and as the occupants or inmates of such institutions are frequently unclean or diseased and destructively inclined, there exists a definite need for a simple, inexpensive but sturdy and sanitary combination Washing and drinking fitting which may be installed in a single fixture in the aforementioned rooms or cells.

Referring to 1, the washing body or casing, generally designated I, comprises a conventional screw threaded inlet 2 for attachment to a water pipe (not shown), a wall flange 3, `the tubular horizontal extension d, the downwardly projecting tubular outlet spout 5 and the upwardly projecting hollow discharge nozzle or drinking bubbler E. An apertured horizontal closure member supporting rib 1, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, is provided in the casing opposite the outermost end of the extension l and between the spout 5 and the nozzle 6. A closure member, generally designated 8, is provided for cooperation with the spout 5, the said closure member having a conically-shaped lower end portion Si, a ribbed middle portion I! functioning as guide means therefor, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, and a rod-like upwardly extending portion I2 which projects through the aperture i3 in the rib 1, the end thereof being engaged by the threaded nut i!! to hold the closure member in operative assembly relative to the casing I.

Suitable seating surfaces i5 and It are provided respectively on the lower inner periphery of the spout 5 and the upper outer periphery of the lower end S of the closure member 8 for cooperation therebetween when the closure member is thrust upwardly by the hand of the user to the closed position shown in Fig. 2. It is readily apparent that water flowing through the fitting when the closure member 8 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, will normally tend to flow downwardly and out through the spout 5 from which it may be used while flowing or it may be collected in a lavatory or other receptacle for any subsequent use. However, a person desiring a drink from the water supply can readily procure the same by simply raising the closure member 8 to the closed position shown in Fig. 2, thereby diverting the water to the nozzle 6 from which it emerges through the opening I 'I to form an upwardly projecting drinking mound or stream. Contamination of the drinking water is substantially impossible inasmuch as the hand of the user touches only the exposed lower end portion 9 of the closure memberand cannot come in contact with the water flowing through the fitting. Upon removal of the users hand from the operating knob 9, after procuring a drink, the closure member will again drop by reason of gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1.

In order to prevent destructive or malicious tampering with the fitting or the convenient removal thereof, a pin I8 is preferably provided which projects rearwardly from the rear face of the wall flange 3 to engage a recess, aperture or other suitable means in the wall or receptacle upon which the assembled fitting is mounted. Mounting of the combined fitting so as to be subf stantially irremovable by the user is accomplished by placing the fitting in the desired position upon the wall or receptacle within the room so that the pin I8 engages a suitable aperture or a hollow portion of the wall thereby effectually preventing the removability of the fitting by the user. In this installation the supply pipe (not shown) is screwed into the fitting from the rear, so thatit cannot be gripped within the room proper. Also to prevent tampering with, or removal of, the closure member E, the upper end I9 of the rod-like portion I2 may be peened or otherwise provided, in order to prevent the unauthorized removal of the nut lli.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 5 and 6 in which the construction of my invention is modied by providing an apertured partition 2l in the casing opposite the outermost end of the extension 4 and between the spout 5 and the nozzle t. The partition 2l, like the rib l (in Fig. l) serves to support and guide the closure member 8 by reason of the rod-like upwardly extending portion I2 which projects through the aperture 22 and has its uppermost end 23 spun or otherwise formed radially outwardly to retain the closure member S in assembled relation with the spout 5. The aperture 24 is provided in the partition 2l to permit a relatively restricted iiow of water into the bubbler portion 6 when the closure member 8 is raised to the closed position as described in connection with Figs, 1 and 2. Obviously, there may be more than one aperture 24 (as shown in Figs. 7 and 8). However, under the usual water pressures supplied to such bath and drinking types of fittings it is generally vdesirable to restrict the total size of the aperture or apertures 2d to something less than the size of the outlet il, thereby preventing an unnecessary and unusable excess of water from projecting through the outlet i.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, a still further modification of my invention is shown which provides an auxiliary outlet formed through an internal upwardly extending boss 26 in the extension portion i of the casing I. The purpose vof the outlet 'i5 is to prevent a user from closing the spout 5 with the closure member 8 and thereafter placing his finger, or other object, over the bubbler outlet I'I in an attempt to squirt the water indiscriminately about the room or cell or toward another person. The outlet 25 serves the ladditional purpose of preventing an excess of water from issuing through the bubbler outlet I 1 which otherwise would occur upon an unregulated or excess supply of water to the fitting.

While I have shown and described only the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is evident of course that numerous further modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope and the real intent of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination faucet and drinking fountain fitting comprising a hollow body having a substantially vertical passage therethrough for 'discharging liquid from the top thereof for drinking purposes and from the bottom of the said passage for a faucet discharge therefrom, the said body portion having a side passage intermediate the end limits of the said vertical passage with a connection to a supply line and communicating with the said vertical passage, a manually operable closure member for the said faucet discharge, the said closure member being reciprocably movable in a direction parallel to the axis of the vertical passage and having a lower portion extending from the lower portion of the said hollow body for manual operation to control ow from said bottom outlet faucet discharge, guide means within the said hollow body having means defining the lower limit of movement for the said closure member.

2. A combination faucet and drinking fountain tting comprising a hollow body having a substantially vertical passage therethrough for discharging liquid from the top thereof for drinking purposes and from the bottom of the said passage for a faucet discharge therefrom, the said body portion having a side passage intermediate the end limits of the said vertical passage with a connection to a supply line and communicating with the said vertical passage, a manually operable closure member for the said faucet discharge, the said closure member being reciprocably movable in a direction parallel to the axis of the vertical passage and having a lower portion extending from the lower portion of the said hollow body for manual operation to control flow from said bottom outlet faucet discharge, guide means within the said hollow body having means defining the lower limit of movement for the said closure member, the bottom of the said vertical passage having a seat for engagement by the said closure member in substantial axial alignment with the top outlet, thersaid vertical passage providing a drinking mound at its top outlet upon contact of the said closure member with the said seat.

3. A combined faucet and drinking fountain tting comprising a hollow body of substantially T-form having respectively an inlet, an upwardly directed outlet, and an axially aligned oppositely disposed bottom outlet, the said inlet having means for connection to a supply line, a manually operable closure member for the said bottom outlet reciprocably movable in a line substantially parallel to the axis of the passage connecting said top and bottom outlets, the manually operable means for the said closure member comprising an enlarged head portion extending below the said bottom outlet, guide means having means within the said body for coupling the said closure member to the said body to prevent unauthorized removal of the latter from the said body, the said bottom outlet having a seat for engagement by the said closure member, the said upwardly directed outlet providing a drinking mound upon movement of the said closure member to the said seat.

4. A combination faucet and drinking fountain tting comprising a hollow body having a vertical passage therethrough for discharging liquid from the top thereof for drinking purposes and from the bottom of the said passage for a faucet discharge therefrom, the said body portion having a side passage intermediate the end limits of the said vertical passage with a connection to a supply line and communicating with the said vertical passage, a manually operable closure member mounted to reciprocably move along a line substantially transversely to the said side passage, integral guide means within the said hollow body portion having means for delining the lower limit of movement for the said closure Y member, the bottom of the said hollow body having a seat for engagement by the said closure member to control said faucet discharge, the said vertical passage providing a drinking mound at its top outlet upon contact of the said closure member with the said seat, the said closure member being rendered removable from said hollow body only through release means effected through the said inlet passage,

5. A combined faucet and drinking fountain tting comprising a hollow body of substantially T-form having respectively an inlet, an upwardly directed outlet, and an oppositely disposed bottom outlet, the said inlet having means for connection to a supply line, a manually operable reciprocably movable closure member for the said bottom outlet, the manually operable means for the said closure member comprising an enlarged head portion extending below the said bottom outlet, guide means having supplemental means within the said body portion for coupling the said closure member to the said body to prevent unauthorized removal of the latter from the said Y body, the lower portion of the body having a seat for engagement by the said closure member, the said upwardly directed outlet providing a drinking mound upon movement of the said closure member to the said seat, the inlet passage providing the sole means accessible for uncoupling the said closure member from the said supplemental means.

6. In combination, a faucet and drinking fountain fitting comprising a hollow body portion of substantially T-form having an inlet with a connection to a supply line, an upwardly directed outlet, a downwardly directed outlet in substantial axial alignment with the upwardly directed outlet, an intermediate outlet between the said inlet and the said downwardly directed outlet, a manually operable closure member cooperating with the said downwardly directed outlet and having an enlarged head portion normally extending below the downwardly directed outlet, the said closure member being mounted for reciprocable movement in a direction substantially parallel to the common axis of the said upwardly directed and said downwardly directed outlets, the said upwardly directed outlet providing a drinking mound upon movement of the said closure member to its seated position.

GEORGE R. MCCURDY,

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