US2876988A - Faucets - Google Patents

Description

March 10,1959 R. H. J. MORNARD 2,876,988

' FAUCETS v l Filed Sept. 24. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l @What/'www4 March 10, 1959 Filed Sept. 24. 1953 R. H. J. MORNARD F AUCETS y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent C FAUCETS Rene H. J. Mornard, St. Lambert, Quebec, Canada Application September 24, 1953, Serial N0. 382,098

1 Claim. (Cl. 251-333) This invention relates to improvements in faucets of the type known as mixing faucets to which hot and cold water are separately fed to a common chamber either singly to emerge in its original state or together to emerge as a mixture of hot and cold water through a single spout.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a faucet which comprises a body member having 'a mixing chamber in the upper portion thereof which is fed by separate inlet passages at one end to supply thereto hot and cold water, said body member having incorporated therein separately operable valve units for individual regulation of each supply to the chamber so as to regulate both the temperature and the volume of water to be discharged from the chamber through a single spout according to any desired temperature and in any proportionate quantities from a minimum to a maximum volume through the faucet spout.

Another object is to provide a faucet of the character described in which the intake passages to the mixing chamber are arranged to extend in parallel, close proximity through the lower portion of the body member to enable the intakes to extend through a single passage in a sink, basin, tub and the like, necessary for theinstallation of the faucet.

Heretofore, at least twoseparate passages through a sink, basin and the like are required for the hot and cold leads and sometimes a thirdpassage for the central mixing unit as well. This is usually accompanied by additional ttings of an expensive nature for appearance sake because of their exposure. All of these additional xtures have Ybeen eliminated in the present invention by the incorporation of the component parts in a single body member in a simplified and compact manner so that they may be mounted on a sink to extend through a single passage in the sink both for anchoring purposes and for connection to the hot and cold water supplies beneath the exposed surface of lthe sink.

A further object of this invention is to provide -inlet to the mixing chamber with a novel valve unit which operates to progressively reduce the inlet ow with a minimum of vibration.

A still further object is to provide a valve unit with a novel valve seating arrangement in which sealing is effected by pressure exerted from the inlet ow when contact is made between the moving valve and a flexible valve seat. y L Still another object is to provide la mixing faucet of the character described with a swinging discharge spout having a flexible sealing arrangement induced by external pressure from the discharge of the water from the mixing chamber.V

V.The above and v `other objects, advantages. and charac each ifs,

teristic features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,` i Which- Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a faucet embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken along the lines 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 2a is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing theY assembly parts in partial telescopic relation.

Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive are fragmentary views of one of the valve units embodied in Fig; l, each showing the component parts at successive stages from the fully open to closed positions.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 generally indicates a mixing faucet comprising a body member 6 enclosing a mixing chamber, a spout 7 pivotally connected to the upper end of body member 6, a pair of valve units 8 and 9 receivable in inclined sockets 10 and 11 in the body member, and an externally threaded shank 12 having its upper end interfitted with the externally threaded extension 14a at the lower end 14 of body member 6 provided with a pair of inlet passages and secured together by means of a flanged coupling 15.

The upper end of body member 6 includes a mixing chamber 17 and an internally threaded central outlet 16 communicating with mixing chamber 17 through a restricted opening defined by an internal annular shoulder 18 at the upper end of mixing chamber 17. An externally threaded coupling 19, on the inner end of spout 7 is threadedly received in outlet 16. The inner end of spout 7 is shaped to provide a peripheral rib 7a which Vis received in an annular recess 19a in coupling 19.

Spout 7 has a marginal portion bent inwardly from rib 7a, as indicated at 7b, and a marginal lip 7c bent downwardly at a slight angle from the inner edge of portion 7b. Lip 7c protrudes beyond the inner edge of shoulder` 18. A ring washer 20 is seated on shoulder 18 with its inner annular edge protruding beyond the inner edge of shoulder 18 for a distance approximating that of lip 7c. A brass packing 20a is interposed between washer 20 and marginal portion 7b. With this arrangement spout 7, bearing against packing 20a is free to swivel in coupling 19. The ow of water from mixing chamber 17 serves to exert sealing pressure on the projecting portion of washer 20 against lip 7c.

The lower portion 14 of body member 6, which is solid, is drilled to provide two longitudinally extending inlet passages 21 and 22 having their upper ends-communicating with valve sockets 10 and 11 respectively, through a restricted passage 23 at the inner end of each socket.

Sockets 10 and 11 are disposed on opposite sides of central outlet 16 in substantially V-shaped configuration with their axes intersecting the passages 21 and 22 in the lower portion 14 of the body member 6. Each passage 23 is formed by drilling into the upper end vof the solid lower body portion 14 along the axis of each of the sockets 10 and 11 to provide a shoulder 24 and a throat 25 tapering from the shoulder 24 to meet the upper'end of one of the passages 21 and 22. The lower portion of each socket is open at one side to the mixing chamber 17 and the remaining -side wall of said lower portion is provided with an annular recess 26 communicating with the opening into said mixing chamber. The other end of each socket l0 and 11 is internally threaded to receive an externally threaded bonnet 27 of valve units` 8 and 9 respectively, as indicated at 28,

assenso Each bonnet 27 is provided with a peripheral shoulder 29 at the upper end of the external threading. A ring washer 30 is positioned between the outer end of each socket and 11 and the shoulder 29 of the corresponding bonnet 27 when the latter is screw threaded into its socket. The side wall of the bonnet below the external threading is provided with a plurality of ports 31 which are in communication with mixing chamber 17 and the corresponding passages 21 and 22. The inner end of bonnet 27 has a peripheral groove 32 and a peripheral lip 33 beyond said groove, lip 33 being of slightly less diameter than the outside diameter of the lower `bonnet portion. A seat washer 34, `having its lower portion thickened to provide an internal annular shoulder 35 and its upper portion internally contoured complementary to the groove 32 and lip 33, is tted about the lip and groove end of the bonnet. The inner wall of bonnet 27 above `ports 31 is provided with spiral threads 37 up to a shoulder 38. An O ring 39 is tted within the bonnet against shoulder 38. Each valve unit 8 and 9 includes a spindle 4t) having external threads intermediate the length thereof corresponding to the threads 37 in the bonnet for spiral movement of the spindle within said bonnet. A lhandle 41 secured to the outer end of spindle 40 rotates said spindle for spiral movement of the spindle axially of the bonnet. The inner end of spindle 40 has a head which is tapered toward its unattached end, as indicated at 42, from a narrow cylindrical portion 43 adjacent the end which is attached to the stern.

Each bonnet 27 is screw threaded into one of the sockets 10 and 11 with the lower or base portion of seat washer 34 butted against the shoulder 24 in the restricted passage 23 at the inner end of the socket. Washer 30 between the peripheral shoulder 29 of bonnet 27 and the outer end of the socket ensures that the seat washer 34 will be rmly seated against shoulder 24 without unduly distorting the said seat washer.

The upper ends of a pair or lilexible conduits 44 and 45 are iitted within the passages 21 and 22 respectively, of the lower portion 14 of the body member 6 and are secured in place by welding or other suitable means. The lower body portion 14 has a threaded extension 14a. 0n either sides, the lower threaded body extension 14a is inwardly offset to provide vertical, parallel side Walls 47 which are fitted between the side walls defining a vertical slot 48 in the upper solid end of the externally threaded shank 12 so that the interrupted threads of extension 14a are aligned with the interrupted threads of the upper end of said shank. Shank 12 is hollow below the slotted section to permit extension of the flexible conduits 44 and 45 therethrough so that the latter may be suitably connected to hot and cold water leads (not shown). Shank 12 and the lower body portion 14 are secured in said intertitting relation by ilanged coupling 15. The thus assembled faucet is then mounted on 'a sink or other vessel (indicated by dotted line) with the shank 12 projecting through a suitable opening in the vessel so that the llange of the coupling rests on the outer surface of said vessel. A clamping nut 49 is then threaded on the lower end of shank 12 against the underside of the vessei.

Assuming, for example, that the iiexible conduit 44 in passage 21 is connected to a hot water lead and that conduit 45 in passage 22 is connected to 'a cold water lead, valve unit 8 in valve socket 10 will control the flow of hot water to the mixing chamber 17 and valve unit 9'in socket 1l will control the dow of cold water to the mixing chamber. inasmuch yas the operation of each valve-unit Vis identical, a detailed explanation of the operation of valve unit S is deemed tobe sufiicient for an understanding of both.

ln operation, rotation of spindle 40 by handle 41 `in one direction raises .the tapered head of spindle Y40 to a position illustrated in Fig. 3, which permits free owing of the water from conduit 44 through the opening defined "by the shoulder"35 of seat washer 34, into the interior of water through the opening in washer 34 and through ports 31 is restricted by the tapered head of the spindle. Further rotation in the same direction, as illustrated in Fig. 5, causes the tapered end 42 of the head to project into the restricted opening defined by the annular shoulder 35 of washer 34, and causes .the cylindrical portion 43 to descend in the sleeve portion of bonnet 27 below ports 31 so that water How passage to the mixing chamber 17 is reduced to the space between the bonnet sleeve and the cylindricalportion 43 of the spindle head. Continued rotation of the spindle affords contact between the tapered portion 42 of the spindle head and the inner edge of seat washer shoulder 35, as illustrated in Fig. 6. When said contact is made the pressure of Water from the source of supply exerts a lifting pressure on the underside of shoulder 35 which projects beyond the inner Vedge of the restricted passage 23. This pressure lcauses a greater surface contact between the spindle head and the seat washer, as illustrated in Fig. 7

lf desired, rotation may -be continued to cause the projecting portion of shoulder 35 to be compressed against the tapering wall of restricted throat 25, thus providing an elongation of the contact between the spindle head vand the seat washer, as illustrated in Fig. 8. Still further rotation causes metal-to-metal contact between the spindle head and the restricted passage 23 Vat its juncture with the reduced end of throat 25. While the last two -illustrated stages of rotation are not recommended because of the tendency to weaken the yseat washer by excessive distortion of shoulder 35, it `is pointed out that the angle of taper of throat Z5 kwith respect to the taper ofthe spindle head is such that the projecting portion of seat washer shoulder 35 will be fully compressed in the throat area so as not to extend to a'pointwhich would cause shearing of the seat washer shoulder 35 when the spindle head has descended to its point of metal-to-metal contact with the passage 23 (see Fig. 9).

As the valve -nnit 9 is operable in an identical manner it will readily be appreciated that both volume and temperature of the water from the mixing chamber to the nozzle of the spout can be .controlled by the manipulation of the valve units `8 and 9. Thus, if a small volume of water at a certain `temperature is desired, independent partial closure of both valve `units 8 and 9 may be eiected `to a point Awhere the combined flows into the mixing chamber will yproduce the desired temperature as well as the desired volume of water. If the same or another temperature is required together with an increased 'volume ofwater, the valve units 8 and 9 may be adjusted proportionately to obtain the desired results.

I claim:

In a valve having a `cylindrical socket provided with an outer opening at one end, an inner opening at the other end, an outlet opening in the side wall thereof and an annular :shoulder surrounding said inner opening; a removable bonnet assembly comprising a cylindrical bonnet having an outlet opening in'the side wall, a exible seat washer carried by one end of `saidv bonnet, said Washer having an annular marginal'portion projecting inwardly of the shoulder to provide a restricted passage Itherethrough and having a second annular portion fitted about a peripheral portion of the bonnet, and a spindle mounted in said'bonnetfor rotary and axial movement towardand away from the restricted opening in'said washer, said spindle' having ahead tapered toward said opening in said washer, `the largest diameter of said tapered head being greater than the inside diameter of said washer, said assembly being removably insertable as a unit 'in the outer 5 opening of said socket for seating of the washer against the annular shoulder at the inner opening of said socket whereby, when said spindle head engages said washer, uid pressure will cause said marginal portion of said washer to force the latter against said spindle head to 5 form a seal.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 987,218 Cordley Mar. 2l, 1911 10 1,083,742 Hutchinson Ian. 6, 1914 1,485,544 Yeiser Mar. 4, 1924 1,522,999 Campbell Jan. 13, 1925 6 Block Sept. 8, 1931 Meyer Feb. 27, 1934 Semak May 23, 1950 Richardson Mar. 13, 1951 Olson Mar. 4, 1952 Nelson Apr. 14, 1953 Gulick July 14, 1953 Mix Mar. 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Oct. 23, 1931 Switzerland of 1941 Great Britain of 1949

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