GB2438418A - Plumbing valve - Google Patents

Abstract

A plumbing valve includes a pipe end fitting adapted to seal to an end of a pipe. The fitting has a through bore 41, a temporary obturating member 51 movably arranged in the through bore and a seat 50 for the obturating member, the seat 50 facing the pipe end of the fitting. The valve also includes a tap for controlling flow from the pipe. The tap has a projection 29 receivable in the through bore and projecting towards the obturating member. The fitting and the tap connect sealingly together, with the projection 29 holding the obturating member 51 off the seat for flow of liquid from the fitting to the tap when open. The connection is releasable for removal of the tap from the end fitting with the obturating member 51 being released by the protection 29 and seating in the seat 50 thereby closing the member 51 being released the projection 29 and seating in the seat 50 thereby closing the pipe end fitting against liquid flow.

Description

<p>PLUMBING VALVE</p>

<p>The present invention relates to a plumbing valve, particularly, though not exclusively, for domestic plumbing.</p>

<p>Hot and cold water outlet valves in plumbing systems are usually known as taps or faucets. The invention relates to such valves, not only for single temperatures, but also for combined or mixed hot and cold liquid -normally water.</p>

<p>Taps often have rubber washers, which perish and wear out, causing the taps to leak. Replacement of the tap washer involves either isolating the individual tap, where the tap is provided with an isolation valve up stream, or turning off the entire water supply to the house. The former is inconvenient; the latter can be more awkward.</p>

<p>15:. . The object of the present invention is to provide a plumbing valve whose * : washers -or other flow control elements -can be renewed with minimal isolation of the rest of the plumbing. * .*.</p>

<p>S S</p>

<p>SS S</p>

<p>According to the invention, there is provided a plumbing valve comprising: S...</p>

<p>a pipe end fitting adapted for sealing fitting of it to an end of a pipe and S...</p>

<p>having: .. : * a through bore and * a temporary obturating member movably arranged in the through bore and * a seat for the obturating member in the through bore, the seat facing the pipe end of the fitting and * a tap or faucet for controlling flow from the pipe through the valve and having: * a projection receivable in the through bore and projecting towards the obturating member, * the fitting and the tap being adapted to connect sealingly together, with the projection holding the obturating member off the seat for flow of liquid from the fitting to the tap when open and * the connection adaptation being releasable for removal of the tap from the end fitting with the obturating member being released by the projection and seating in the seat thereby closing the pipe end fitting against liquid flow therethorugh.</p>

<p>The arrangement allows the tap to be temporarily removed with flow of liquid, normally water, from the pipe being automatically closed off by the obturating member. Then the tap washer, or indeed the entire tap, can be changed quickly and simply.</p>

<p>The connection adaptation of the fitting and the tap can employ respective male and female threads on the two providing a direct threaded connection of the two.</p>

<p>However in the preferred embodiment, a separate nut is provided for clamping the one:. . with respect to the other so that the tap can be oriented as desired.</p>

<p>The connection adaptation can also include a face seal at abutment faces S between the two. However in the preferred embodiment, sealing is by 0-ring seals: 2() carried on a tubular portion supporting the projection, the 0-rings engaging in the *.,.</p>

<p>through bore. *5S*</p>

<p>S S S. *</p>

<p>The tap can be a hot tap or a cold tap, with an outlet direct to a basin or bath etc., or to a mixer or the like.</p>

<p>The invention is applicable to single tap valves or to a monobloc valve having two taps one for hot and the other for cold. The projections and valve are duplicated for the hot and cold flows.</p>

<p>In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, the tap has an outlet tube and a spout or other outlet duct connection sealingly clampable to the outlet tube.</p>

<p>This arrangement allows identical tab bodies to be used for single taps and mixed taps To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a plumbing valve according to the invention, Figure 2 is a scrap cross-sectional view of a plumbing valve of Figure 1, showing a pipe end fitting and a check valve, Figure 2a is an exploded view similar to Figure 2, Figure 3 is a partially sectioned side view of the tap, knob and spout, Figure 4a is a partially sectioned front view of a plumbing valve according to the invention in a mixer configuration, Figure 4b is a partially sectioned side view similar to Figure 4 and Figure 5 is a partially sectioned front view of a plumbing valve according to the invention in a monobloc configuration.</p>

<p>Referring to the drawings, a plumbing valve 1 includes a tap 2 as such and a:. . pipe end fitting 4 normally part of the tap in a conventional tap. : .::.</p>

<p>The tap 2 has a body 21 with an internal bore 22, a flow controller 23 (either of the washer type or the ceramic type) a knob 24 and a spout 25, all arranged: *: conventionally -although the spout has an innovative feature described below. At its bottom end, the body has a flange 26 and a tubular depending portion 27. This carries:: ::: two 0-rings 28 in grooves and a projection 29 on from the end of the portion 27. The projection is on the central axis of the body and the tubular portion, and is connected to the tubular portion by two struts 30, arranged together with the projection in Y configuration. The arrangement provides a flow path from around the projection into the orifice 31 of the tubular portion.</p>

<p>The pipe end fitting 4 is essentially tubular, with a through bore 41 and an external screw thread 42 suitable for a union (not shown) to a plumbing pipe (also not shown) to be connected at the end 43. At the opposite end 44 of the fitting, it has a flange 45 with a short length of fine circumferential thread 46. The bore 41 has a small step 46a against which a check valve 47 seats, having been introduced from the end 43. It has a body 48, with a peripheral 0-ring 49 and an internal 0-ring 50 arranged as a seat for an obturator 51 spring biased against the seat 0-ring. The arrangement is such that, with the fitting unconnected to the tap, flow from the end 43 to the end 44 is obturated.</p>

<p>The tap has an internally threaded collar 32, loose on the body 21, whose thread 33 reaches beyond the flange 26, when the collar is abutted against it. This allows threading with the thread 46, to draw the flanges 26,45 against each other, with the interposition of an elastomeric washer 52, thus connecting the tap and the fitting.</p>

<p>In this state, the tap 0-rings 28 engage in the fitting bore 41, rendering the connection watertight. The projection pushes the obturator off its seat, allowing water to flow from the pipe when the tap is open.</p>

<p>Referring in more detail now to Figure 3, the spout 25 is fitted to an outlet tube 34, itself screwed andlor soldered into the body 21 downstream of the flow controller. The tube has an external taper 35 and an 0-ring 36 in a groove. The spout is has a bore 37 in which the tube and 0-ring sealingly engage. The spout has a grub:*. *, screw 38 threaded in its underside to engage on the taper, whereby, as the screw is: tightened, it acts on the taper to draw the spout against the body, the spout being contoured to fit snugly. * S.. * S *</p>

<p>Referring on to Figure 4, two taps 102,202, with fittings 104,204, are interconnected by a mixer tube 61, which is adapted at both ends in the manner of the: : ::: tap end of the spout 25. The taps have outlet tubes 134,234, and the arrangement is such that the taps are united by the mixer tube. This has an outlet 64 in its front and diverter spout 65 is attached to it in like manner. The diverter spout has a normal outlet 66 and a shower outlet 67 selected by a diverter valve 68.</p>

<p>Referring on to Figure 5, there is shown a "monobloc" valve, having a double tap 302 and a double pipe end fitting 304. The valve has a tap body 321, with a pair of depending threaded in tubes 381, each having projections 27. The pipe end fitting 304 has a pair of check valves 347, in hot and cold water bores 322. The tap 302 and pipe fitting 304 are held together in like manner to the tap 2 and fitting 4, whereby the tap body can be withdrawn with both hot and cold water flows being blocked off.</p>

Claims (5)

1. <p>CLAIMS: 1. A plumbing valve comprising: a pipe end fitting adapted for

   sealing fitting of it to an end of a pipe and having: * a through bore and * a temporary obturating member movably arranged in the through bore and * a seat for the obturating member in the through bore, the seat facing the pipe end of the fitting and * a tap or faucet for controlling flow from the pipe through the valve and having: * a projection receivable in the through bore and projecting towards the obturating member, * the fitting and the tap being adapted to connect sealingly together, with the projection holding the obturating member off the seat for flow of liquid from the fitting to the tap when open and * the connection adaptation being releasable for removal of the tap from the end fitting with the obturating member being released by the projection and seating in the seat thereby closing the pipe end fitting against liquid flow therethorugh.</p>

   <p>
2. 2. A plumbing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection adaptation of the fitting and the tap is respective male and female threads on the two providing a direct threaded connection of the two.</p>

   <p>: ...
3. 3. A plumbing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection adaptation of the * 25 fittings and the tap comprises a nut for clamping the one with respect to the other so that the tap can be oriented as desired.</p>

   <p>*
4. 4. A plumbing valve as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the S..</p>

   <p>* connection adaptation also includes a face seal at abutment faces between the two.</p>

   <p>*
5. 5. A plumbing valve as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the * . 30 connection adaptation is sealed by 0-ring seals carried on a tubular portion supporting the projection, the 0-rings engaging in the through bore.</p>

   <p>6. A plumbing valve as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tap is a hot tap or a cold tap, with an outlet direct to a basin or bath etc., or to a mixer or the like.</p>

   <p>7. A plumbing valve as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, the tap has an outlet tube and a spout or other outlet duct connection sealingly clampable to the outlet tube.</p>

   <p>8. A plumbing valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings. * S * *SS * SS * . I... I. S</p>

   <p>S</p>

   <p>S I... S. S</p>

   <p>S I S</p>