US2834572A

US2834572A - Faucets

Info

Publication number: US2834572A
Application number: US528189A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stelzer William
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-08-15
Filing date: 1955-08-15
Publication date: 1958-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1975-05-13

Description

W. STELZER May 13,1958

I FAUCETS Filed Aug. 15, 1955 United States FAUCETS William Stelzer, Summit, N. J assignor to Walter Eickele,

ummit, N. J

The invention relates to faucets and more particularly to sanitary dispensing faucets for beverage containers, incorporating a spring-biased pivoted stopper that may be quickly removed or assembled without the use of tools.

Dispensing faucets are usually connected to the container by means of a tubular conduit or shank which may be permanently joined to the container if the inside of the conduit is easily accessible for cleaning after removal of the faucet. If the removal and disassembly of the faucet is too complicated or requires too much effort, there is always the tendency that cleaning of the faucet will be neglected. Such a faucet could not truly be termed a sanitary faucet.

The object of this invention is to produce a novel sanitary faucet having a pivoted stopper inserted in the end of the conduit leading from the container and closing off a discharge opening, and quick removable resilient means to bias the stopper into a closing position as well as to retain it in the assembled position.

Another object is to pivot the stopper of the faucet to the faucet body or conduit in a manner that permits the easy removal of the stopper.

Another object is to arrange the bias means in such a manner that in a partly open position the resilient means tend to urge the stopper into a closing position, and in the extreme open position the faucet remains open.

Another object is to make the faucet body and conduit integral and having a straight and accessible passage for easy cleaning.

Another object is to make the spout of the faucet removable and to construct the resilient means in such a manner that it serves to bias the stopper as well as to retain the stopper and the spout in the assembled position.

A further object is to provide a simple and inexpensive handle for manual operation of the stopper, and in general to provide a simplified faucet having only a few parts that can be manufactured cheaply.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing submitted for the purpose of illustration and not to define the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoined claims. In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the novel faucet, the conduit leading to the container being broken off;

Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3, a section taken on lines 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a section taken on lines 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a sectional side elevation similar to Fig. 3 but showing a removable spout; and

Fig. 6, a sectional side elevation of the removable spout and resilient means to retain the spout.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of elements illustrated in the accompanying drawatent F 2,834,572 Patented May 13, 1958 ing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation.

Referring now to Figs. 1-4, a tubular conduit or shank 1 is permanently and rigidly secured to a faucet body 2 having a spout or outlet port or opening 3. Conduit 1 may be secured to the container either permanently or by means of a coupling. The means for securing and the container are conventional, forming no part of this invention, and therefore are not shown. Conduit land body 2 can be considered as one piece, having a cylindrical passage 4 whose one end communicates with the container and the other end is closed off by a stopper indicated in general by numeral 5 and consisting of a toggle lever 6 having a pivot pin 7 and a boot or seal 8 of rubber or other similar material. The surface of the boot near pivot pin 7 is spherical, equal in diameter to passage 4 to serve as a seal. The center of the spherical surface is at the intersection of the axes of passage 4 and pin 7, so that the seal is effective while stopper 5 is rocked about pin 7. The latter extends through toggle lever 6 and sticks out, trunnion fashion, at both sides to rest in an open groove 10 in the front face of faucet body 2. This groove serves as a bearing for the trunnion ends of pin 7 and to relieve the spherical surface of boot 8 of any bearing loads against the wall of passage 4, yet permits the quick removal of stopper 5 from passage 4. The portion'of the boot covering outlet opening 3 is cylindrical to conform to the wall surface of passage 4 around outlet 3, and the opposite side, indicated by numeral 11 in Fig. 4, is also cylindrical to conform to the wall surface of passage 4 when the faucet is open. The loci of these cylindrical surfaces of boot 8 are not concentric and not in alignment or parallel with axis 12 of stopper 5, since in the closed position of the faucet axis 12 of stopper 5 forms an angle with the axis of passage 4. Boot 8 may be bonded to toggle lever 6 or it maybe removable, in which case it is held and properly positioned by pin 7 which extends through the spherical part of the boot. Resilient means in the form of an externally positioned tension spring 14 pivotally seated at 15 and pivotally engaging diametrically opposite holes r 16 in toggle lever 5 hold the stopper in the assembled position shown, where the faucet is closed. The protuberance of body 2 relative to conduit 1 furnishes the seat 15 for spring 14. The spring consists of a single piece whose free ends are co-axial and point towards each other to fit into holes 16 of lever 5. The depth of these holes and the wire ends fitting into them are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Since the wire ends bottom in holes 16, the wire is always properly positioned sidewise and remains with the stopper when the latter is removed for cleaning. However, removal from the stopper is very easy, the free ends of spring 14 merely have to be pulled apart and the spring is removed. In the assembled position of the faucet spring 14 is stressed where the free ends tend to move in a direction towards seat 15, thereby pressing pin 7 in groove 10 and biasing stopper 5 to be seated where spout 3 is closed off. Stopper 5 has a handle 17 preferably consisting of a wire or spring wire coated with a thin layer of plastic material. The ends of the wire of handle 17 are pressed into holes 18 drilled at an angle to each other into lever .6, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereby the handle is rigidly secured even it the holes 18 are somewhat larger than the wire. To assemble the handle of the stopper, the wire, which is resilient, must be pulled apart to start the ends in holes 18, and is then pressed completely in, which is only possible through distortion of the wire. The

resistance of the wire against this distortion or bending is also what keeps the handle securely in the assembled position. It is obvious that such a construction is extremely cheap to make and easy to assemble.

In. the modified embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the conduit or body 21 has the passage 4 which is closed off by a stopper 22 differing from stopper 5 only in that holes 16 are omitted. A groove, not shown, but similar to groove of Fig. l is in the end faceof body 21, and pin 7 pivots in it. A removable spout 23 having an opening 24 concentric with an outlet aperture 25 in body 21 is located by a locating pin 26 secured to body 21 and fitting loosely in a hole 27 of spout 23, and a wire spring 28 seated at 30 and pivoted in opposed and axially aligned holes 31 of spout 23 holds the spout firmly in the assembled position. The upper face 32 of spout 23 conforms with the cylindrical surface of body 21. It is of course obvious that the outside surface of body 21 is not necessarily cylindrical, it could also have flat portions, being square or hexagonal in cross-section, whereby surface 32 would be flat. Outlet aperture 25 is slightly smaller than opening 24, so that a slight suction is produced where surface 32 joins body 21 when liquid is dispensed, whereby the need for a liquid-tight seal on surface 32 is obviated. Holes 31 extend only a certain distance towards each other, and wire 28 is pivoted in the same manner as spring 14 in holes 16 of Figs. l-S. Spring 28 is stressed where it tends to contract between holes 31 and seat 30 to thereby retain spout 23 by pressing it against body 21, retaining stopper 22 in body 21, and pressing boot 8 against the wall of passage 4 to close off outlet 25.

In operation, stopper 5 is held in the closed position by spring 14, but when hand lever 17 is pulled forward, the stopper is rocked about pivot pin 7 to uncover outlet opening 3. In the extreme open position of the faucet the axis 12 of stopper 5 assumes a position indicated by numeral 34 in Fig. 3. In this position the upper Wall of passage 4 serves as a stop against which boot 8 abuts. Holes 16 have moved to be nearer dead center so that the force which biases the stopper into a closed position is reduced, whereby due to the friction of pin 7 and the ball shaped seal of boot 8 the faucet remains open. When the handle is pushed slightly away from the extreme open position in a closing direction, the faucet continues the closing movement by virtue of the force of spring 14 until boot 8 is again seated over outlet 3. The operation of the modified faucet shown in Fig. 5 is the same as described, though the spring 28 is pivoted at diiferent positions. and 7, then the seat 30 is located above the line when the stopper 22 is in the closed position and below such line when the stopper is in the opened position. Accordingly, the spring 28 tends to return the stopper to the closed position but not when it has been placed in the extreme open position.

The removal of the stopper shown in Figs. l-4 is effected by pushing spring 14 upwardly at its seat to snap over the edge of body 2. Thus there is only a single, easily washable piece or unit to be removed. This unit consists of the stopper 5, handle 17, and spring 14. Passage 4 is fully open, permitting easy access for cleaning and inspection, also of outlet 3.

To remove stopper 22 from body 21, the spout 23 is pulled down to disengage pin 26, whereby two separate .units are removed from the body, one unit consisting of spout 23 with its spring 28 as shown in Fig. 6, and the other stopper 22 with its handle 17. These elements could also be removed by first pulling spring 28 towards the right and down from its seat 30 to release spout 23, and afterwards lifting stopper 22 from passage 4. The latter procedure in reverse is the most practical in assembling the faucet, the stopper is first placed into the body, then the spout is positioned where pin 26 fits into hole 27, and then spring 28 is snapped onto seat 30.

If a line is projected through pivot points 31 p Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A faucet comprising a body, a liquid passage extending through said body and having an open end, an outlet port in said body branching from said passage, a pivotally movable stopper fitted into said open end to seal said open end and to close 011? said outlet port from said passage, an external spring supported by said body and pivotally engaging said stopper to releasably hold said stopper in an assembled position relative to said body and to bias said stopper in a position to close off said outlet port, and a handle to manually operate said stopper.

2. A faucet comprising a body, a liquid passage in said body, an outlet opening from said passage, a stopper adapted to close said opening, a wire spring external of said body, and a protuberance in fixed relation to said body, said wire spring having a portion releasably seated behind said protuberance and being operatively connected with said stopper to bias said stopper into a closed position to close said opening and to further bias said stopper to remain in an assembled position, whereby release ot said spring from said protuberance releases said stopper from said body for quick disassembly of said faucet, said stopper having a handle for manual operation.

3. A faucet comprsing a body, a liquid passage in said body, an outlet opening from said passage, a stopper adapted to closesaid opening, a tension spring external of said body, a protuberance in fixed relation to said body, said protuberance serving as a seat for said spring on which said spring can pivot, whereby said spring can be snapped from said seat to be released from said body, said stopper having a pivot to pivot relative to said body to close off, said opening, said tension spring engaging said stopper to urge said stopper in a position to pivot on said body and to bias said stopper into a closed position where said outlet opening is closed, and manual means to operate said stopper.

4. A faucet comprising a body, a liquid passage in said body, an outlet opening from said passage, 2. stopper adapted to close said opening, a tension spring external of said body, a protuberance in fixed relation to said body, said protuberance serving as a seat for said spring on which said spring can pivot, whereby said tension spring can be snapped from said seat to be released from said body, and an open pivot bearing in said body, said stopper having a pivot to rest on said pivot bearing, said tension spring engaging said stopper to urge said stopper in a position to pivot on said pivot bearing and to bias said stopper into a closed position where said outlet opening is closed, said stopper having a handle for manual operation.

5. A faucet comprising a body, a liquid passage in said body, an outlet opening from said passage, a stopper adapted to close said opening, a tension spring external of said body and having one end engaging said body and another end engaging said stopper to bias said stopper into a closed position, a pivot on said stopper, and open pivot bearing on said body, said spn'ng urging said stopper into a position where said pivot rests on said pivot bearing, and manual means to operate said stopper.

6. A faucet comprising a body, a liquid passage in said body having an open end, an outlet opening from said passage, a manually operable stopper having a seal extending into said passage to seal said open-end and to open or close said outlet opening, a pivot bearing on said body, means projecting from said stopper to abut against said pivot bearing to thereby pivot said stopper on said pivot bearing, and a tension spring having one end releasably seated on said body and another end seated on said stopper to urge said stopper toward said body where said means projecting from said stopper is pressed against said bearing to pivot thereon and to bias said stopper into a closed position where said outlet opening is closed.

7. The construction as claimed in claim 6, where said stopper consists of a toggle lever including said means projecting from said stopper, and said seal being in the form of a boot of rubberlike material fitting over a part of said toggle lever extending into said opening, said boot having a sealing surface conforming to the inside surface of said passage to seal said outlet opening.

8. The construction as claimed in claim 6, said liquid passage being cylindrical and said seal of said stopper having a spherical portion to seal off said open end and another portion swingable about the pivot point of said pivot bearing to close off said outlet opening, said swingable portion having a sealing surface conforming to the cylindrical surface of said passage adjacent said outlet opening.

9. The construction as claimed in claim 6, where said means to operate said stopper is in the form of a looped wire handle consisting of a single piece of resilient wire whose ends are convergingly brought together, said stopper having a pair of holes converging from the outside and spaced to receive said ends of said wire handle.

10. The construction as claimed in claim 6, where said means to operate said stopper is in the form of a looped wire handle consisting of a single piece of resilient wire whose ends are brought close together but are at an angle with each other, holes in said stopper at an angle with each other to receive said ends of said Wire, to prevent removal of said handle from said stopper without distortion of said wire.

11. A faucet comprising a body, a liquid passage in said body, an outlet opening from said passage, a stopper adapted to close said opening, said stopper having means to pivotally bear against said body, a removable spout, means to locate said spout to be in alignment with said outlet opening, and a tension spring pivotally secured to said spout and engaging said stopper to retain said spout and stopper relative to said body wherein said stopper pivotally bears against said body through said means.

12. A faucet comprising a body, a liquid passage in said body, an outlet opening from said passage, a stopper adapted to close said opening, a removable spout, means to locate said spout to be in alignment with said outlet 6 opening, and a tension spring pivotally secured to said spout and engaging said stopper to retain said spout relative to said body, to pivotally engage said stopper with said body and to bias said stopper into a closed position where said outlet opening is closed.

13. The construction as claimed in claim 12, where said spout has an opening larger than said outlet opening.

14. The construction as claimed in claim 12, where said spout has a surface in contact with said body closely conforming to the outside surface of said body.

15. The construction as claimed in claim 6, where said tension spring consists of a single piece of wire whose ends are bent coaxially towards each other, said stopper having a pair of axially aligned holes parallel with the line on said pivot bearing on which said projecting means pivot, said ends of said wire being pivotally seated in said axially aligned holes.

16. The construction as claimed is claim 6, where in the extreme open position of said faucet the force of said spring to bias said stopper into the closed position is reduced to be insufiicient to return said stopper to the closed position.

17. The construction as claimed in claim 6, where said pivot bearing on said body is in the form of an open groove to receive and guide said means projecting from said stopper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 894,905 Rogers Aug. 4, 1908 1,015,980 Robbins Jan. 30, 1912 2,262,062 Strong Nov. 11, 1941 2,741,453 Hayes Apr. 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,479 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1898 138,555 Switzerland Mar. 15, 1930 100,089 Sweden Oct. 22, 1940 1,060,758 France Nov. 25, 1953 929,222 Germany June 23, 1955