GB2158203A

GB2158203A - Valve

Info

Publication number: GB2158203A
Application number: GB08510346A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-05-02
Filing date: 1985-04-23
Publication date: 1985-11-06
Also published as: GB8510346D0; AU4191985A

Abstract

A valve (10) is provided which is of cartridge like construction. The valve has a screw thread formation (20) permitting the valve to be removably located as a unit in a standard tap body after removal of the conventional head part of the tap. The valve (10) has a depending portion locatable in sealing engagement on the conventional mouth (16) within the tap body. Control of water flow from an inlet (12) of the tap body to an outlet (14) of the tap body is controlled by the valve (10). The valve is preferably self-closing, so that water flow ceases either immediately after deactivation of the valve or after a period of time. A metered quantity of water can also be released after initial actuation of the valve. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Valve THIS INVENTION relates to a valve. It relates in particular to a valve intended for use in place of a conventional tap.

Taps in common use comprise a body having an inlet and an outlet, a mouth within the tap body intermediate the inlet and the outlet, and a head part, the lower end of which is in sealing engagement with the mouth. By turning a handle on the head part, a washer on the lower end of the head part is displaced off the mouth so that water can flow from the inlet to the outlet. Such taps suffer from the disadvantage that if not properly closed, water continues to flow from the inlet to the outlet.

The tap can also be left open, thereby wasting water. It is an object of this invention to offer a solution to this problem.

According to the invention, there is provided a valve which is of cartridge-like construction and which has a screw thread formation permitting the valve to be removably located as a unit in a standard tap body after removal of the conventional head part of the tap, the valve having a depending portion locatable in sealing engagement on the conventional mouth within the tap body, thereby to permit control of water flow from an inlet of the tap body to an outlet of the tap body.

The valve is preferably of the self-closing type, ie it includes automatic closure means so that after activation of the valve, water flows but, after release of the valve, the water flow is automatically stopped either immediately or after a period of time.

The valve may also have metering means adapted to release a metered quantity of water after actuation, and then to close off, the valve requiring reactivation before further water can be released.

The valve may have a spindle forming a closure member and adapted to seat on a valve seat defined in the depending portion of the valve, the spindle being biassed to its closed position by biassing means.

The valve may further include a piston fixed to the spindle and co-axial therewith, the piston being located upstream of the valve seat and being slidably locatable in a bore provided in the valve. The piston may have a seal engaging a wall defining the bore, the seal permitting water to flow readily between the wall defining the bore and the piston in one direction only.

The piston may have a head providing a large surface area onto which water can apply pressure while the valve is activated. The head may define one wall of a pressure chamber. The remainder of the pressure chamber may be defined by portion of the wail of the piston's bore and the valve body itself, or a plug in the valve body.

The piston may have a bleed passage therein to permit water to flow slowly from the pressure chamber to the outlet of the tap.

Thus, when the valve is activated, the spindle is displaced off its seat and water flows from the inlet to the outlet of the tap. Water also flows into the pressure chamber and thereby urges the piston towards the valve seat. After de-activation of the valve, pressure in the pressure chamber keeps the piston, and thereby the spindle, in its operative position until water is bled through the bleed passage, allowing the piston to return to its initial position.

In a simplified form of the valve, the spindle may extend outwardly from the valve body and be connected to a press-button for activating the spindle. The press-button may have a peripheral skirt slidably engaging the outside of the valve body for guiding displacement of the press-button.

The biassing means urging the spindle onto its seat may conveniently be in the form of a coil spring located inwardly of the depending skirt.

Such a valve will therefore remain open after activation for a predetermined period, dependent upon the time taken for pressure to be released from the pressure chamber. However, while the valve remains activated, water will continue to flow.

In a more sophisticated version of the valve, the spindle and the piston may have a tubular bore, permitting water to flow through the spindle and the piston to the pressure chamber.

In such an embodiment, a further closure member may be provided in the tubular bore of the spindle or piston, the further closure member being normally biassed into engagement with a valve seat provided in the tubular bore.

The further closure member may be displaceable off its seat by an actuating pin which may be connected to a press-button having a peripheral skirt, as in the previous embodiment.

Displacement of the further closure member off its seat thereby permits water to flow through the tubular bore into the pressure chamber. water pressure in the pressure chamber urges the piston and therefore the spindle off its valve seat.

The further closure member may have a sealing element which, when the valve is retained in its activated position, co-operates with the tubular bore. Thus, if the valve is kept in its activated position, further water flow into the pressure chamber is prevented by the sealing element co-operating with the tubular bore. Again then, pressure in the pressure chamber is bled via the passage to the outlet of the tap, and this will cause the piston and therefore the spindle to return to the closed position.

In such an embodiment, a metered quantity of water will be released from the tap even if the tap is kept in its activated position. In order to release further water, the tap must be re-activated.

Various embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 to 4 show sectional side elevations of a valve in accordance with the invention, during various stages of operation of the valve; Figure 5 shows a sectional side elevation of a simplified form of the valve shown in Figures 1 to 4; and Figure 6 shows a sectional side elevation of a modification of the Figure 5 embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 genenally indicates a valve intended for use for controlling water flow from a conventional tap. A conventional tap body is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1, and comprises an inlet 1 2 and an outlet 14 with a mouth 1 6 intermediate the inlet 12 and outlet 14. The body of the tap has a screw thread formation 18 which normally receives the head part of the tap (not shown) The head part has a lower end which engages the mouth 1 6 and, by turning the handle on the head part, water can be released from the tap.

In accordance with this invention, the head part of the tap is discarded and in its place, the valve louis fitted. The valve 10 has screw thread formations 20 on its body 22, permitting the valve to be removably located in the screw thread formations 18.

The valve body 22 has a depending portion having a seal 24 which engages the mouth 1 6 of the tap body.

The valve has a spindle 26 forming a closure member 28 at one end. The closure member 28 engages the seal 24 while the valve is deactivated, thereby preventing fluid flow from the inlet 12 to the outlet 14.

The spindle 26 is fixed to a piston 30 which is slidably located in walls 32 defining a bore in the valve body 22.

The piston 30 has a seal 34 which is Ushaped in cross-section and which permits water to flow past the piston 30 into a pressure chamber 36 defined between a head 38 of the piston, portion of the walls 32, and a seal 40. The seal 40 is maintained in position by a plug 41 in the valve body 22.

By reason of the shape of the seal 34, it will be appreciated that water flow from the pressure chamber 36 and between the piston 30 and the walls 32 is prevented.

The piston 30 further has a bleed passage 42 which allows water to be released slowly from the pressure chamber 36 to the outlet 14.

In the simplified version of the valve shown in Figures 5 and 6, the spindle 26 is solid and extends out of the valve body where it is connected to a press-button 44. The pressbutton 44 has a depending peripheral skirt 46 which, by slidably engaging the outside of the valve body 22, is guided by the valve body 22. A coil spring 48 serves as biassing means and is located inwardly of the peripheral skirt 46 to urge the spindle 26 and its closure member 28 into engagement with the seal 24.

By depressing the press-button 44, the closure member 28 is moved off its seat, and water can flow to the outlet 14 of the tap body via passages 50.

At the same time, water will flow between the walls 32 and the piston 30, past the seal 34, into the pressure chamber 36.

By reason of the large surface area provided by the head 38 of the piston 30, water in the pressure chamber 36 will urge the piston 30 downwardly thereby retaining the valve in its open position.

When the press-button 44 is released, water in the pressure chamber 36 will slowly bleed through the bleed passage 42 (not shown in Figure 6) and flow to the outlet 14 of the tap. The piston 30 can thereby slowly return to its initial position, carrying with it the spindle 26. When sufficient pressure has been released from the pressure chamber 36, the biassing spring 48 will return the valve to its closed position, preventing further water flow.

A minor modification of the Figure 5 embodiment is shown in Figure 6. The piston 30 now has annular slots 30.1 formed therein which are intended to trap particles of dirt that may otherwise enter the pressure chamber 36 and possibly block the bleed passage 42. Also, the plug 41 has serrations 41.1 therein. The press button 44 has similar serrations 44.1 so that by depressing the press button 44 fully, the serrations 44.1 engage the serrations 41.1 to permit the plug 41 to be unscrewed by rotation of the press button 44. In so doing, any dirt trapped in the pressure chamber 36 can be flushed away whereafter the plug 41 can be retightened. A resilient pad 44.2 is provided between the serrations 44.1 and 41.1 to facilitate engagement of the serrations by one another.

In the Figures 5 and 6 embodiment therefore, water will continue to flow while the press-button 44 is activated, and will also flow for a period after de-activation of the press-button 44, whereafter the valve will close.

In the Figures 1 to 4 embodiment, a more sophisticated version is illustrated. In this embodiment, the spindle 26 and the piston 30 have a tubular bore 52 therein.

While the valve is de-activated, as shown in Figure 1, a further closure member 54 blocks the tubular bore 52, preventing water flow through the tubular bore 52 into the pressure chamber 36. The closure element 54 is con nected via a pin 56 to the press-button 44, which is similar to the press-button 44 of the Figure 5 embodiment.

An additional spring 58 is provided in the Figures 1 to 4 embodiment, urging the piston 30 towards its initial de-activated position.

As shown in Figure 2, when the pin 56 displaces the closure member 54 from its seat, communication is permitted through the tubular bore 52 to the pressure chamber 36.

Water pressure in the pressure chamber 36 therefore urges the piston 30 downwardly, and the closure member 28 on the spindle 26 is moved off its seat. Water will therefore flow from the valve.

As shown in Figure 3, after further movement of the press-button 44, a sealing element in the form of an O-ring seal 60 comes into engagement with the bore 52 of the spindle 26. Accordingly, this prevents further water flow into the pressure chamber 36.

Water in the pressure chamber 36 will accordingly bleed slowly via the bleed passage 42 to the outlet 14 of the tap, allowing the piston 30 to return slowly to its initial position.

Even if the press-button 44 is kept depressed, as shown in Figure 4, the piston 30 will return to its initial position as shown, and the closure member 28 will again close the valve. It will be appreciated that the Figures 1 to 4 embodiment is arranged to release a metered quantity of water even if the pressbutton 44 is kept activated. In order to release a further quantity of water, the pressbutton 44 must be released and reactivated.

The invention illustrated provides a relatively simple valve of cartridge-like construction, which can be used readily to replace a conventional tap head part, and where water flow can be controlled in an economical manner.

Claims

1. A valve which is of cartridge-like construction and which has a screw thread formation permitting the valve to be removably located as a unit in a standard tap body after removal of the conventional head part of the tap, the valve having a depending portion locatable in sealing engagement on the conventional mouth within the tap body, thereby to permit control of water flow from an inlet of the tap body to an outlet of the tap body.

2. A valve as claimed in Claim 1, which includes automatic closure means adapted automatically to cause closure of the valve after actuation of the valve.

3. A valve as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the valve has metering means adapted to release a metered quantity of water after actuation and then to close off.

4. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes a spindle forming a closure member and adapted to seat on a valve seat defined in the depending portion of the valve, the spindle being biassed to its closed position by biassing means.

5. A valve as claimed in Claim 4, which includes a piston fixed to the spindle and coaxial therewith, the piston being located upstream of the valve seat and being slidably locatable in a bore provided in the valve.

6. A valve as claimed in Claim 5, in which the piston has a seal engaging a wall defining the bore, the seal permitting water to flow readily between the wall defining the bore and the piston in one direction only.

7. A valve as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, in which the piston has a head providing a large surface area onto which water can apply pressure while the valve is activated.

8. A valve as claimed in Claim 7, in which the head defines one wall of a pressure chamber, the remainder of the pressure chamber being defined by portion of the wall of the bore of the piston and a plug provided in the valve body.

9. A valve as claimed in Claim 8, in which the piston has a bleed passage therein to permit water to flow slowly from the pressure chamber to the outlet of the tap.

10. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 to 9, in which the spindle extends outwardly from the valve body and is connected to a press button for activating the spindle.

11. A valve as claimed in Claim 10, in which the press button has a peripheral skirt slidably engaging the outside of the valve body for guiding displacement of the press button.

1 2. A valve as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, in which the spindle has a tubular bore permitting water to flow through the spindle to the pressure chamber.

1 3. A valve as claimed in Claim 12, which includes a further closure member normally biassed into engagement with a valve seat provided in the tubular bore.

1 4. A valve as claimed in Claim 13, in which the further closure member is displaceable off its seat by an actuating pin.

1 5. A valve as claimed in Claim 1 3 or Claim 14, in which the further closure member has a sealing element which, when the valve is retained in its activated position, cooperates with the tubular bore when the valve is kept in its activated position.

1 6. A valve substantially as described and as illustrated herein.