US2968443A - Showerhead - Google Patents

Description

0. MANNING Jan. 17, 1961 05am MANN/lye,

Y INVENTOR.

- ATITORNEK header.

made on an automatic screw machine and the header can United States Patent SHOWERHEAD Oscar Manning, 13524 Hartland Sh, Van Nuys, Calif.

Filed Feb. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 794,598

Claims. (Cl. 239-460) will give satisfactory results' but it is also necessary to provide a construction which is simple to make and assemble. m

An object of the present invention is to-improve and simplify the construction and assembly of the shower,

head with regard to the following features: (a') the rotary seal and mount for the stem of the handle, (b) the construction and support for the port plate and (c) the construction and assembly of the plugs with reference -to their header.

' -In brief,'these objects are accomplished as follows.

With reference to item '(a), the assembly and seal for 'the stem of the handle are improved by providing 'a' 'ring seal which is mounted on and carried'by the stem itself with a removable key in the form of a lock pin insertable on the inner end of the stern inside of the valve casing to hold the stem of the handle in rotary position against a shoulder in the casing.

With regard to item (b), a more satisfactory and simpler support for the port plate is provided by avoiding the need for screw threads at the periphery of this plate through the use of a central bolt mounted at one end in the port plate and at its opposite end in the casing. According to a further feature, this bolt serves the function of holding the port plate in sealing relation with the casing, and/or serving as a slide support for a stem extension of the Costs are reduced as this stem extension can be be a metal stamping, these two parts being clamped, riveted or otherwise fastened together. In a modification, the metal is struck up around the ports to provide a cylindrical seat for each plug valve. 7

With reference to item (0), the use of a header for the plugs wherein the slots in the header are open at their outer ends as in Patent 2,534,549 has the disadvantage that there is nothing to prevent the plugs from falling out of the header during assembly, requiring that caution be employed in the assembly. The other two patents provide a pin for each plug, with .a round hole for the upper end of the plug extension, which has the disadvantage of re quiring that the pins be individually applied to the plugs. According to the present invention, these disadvantages are overcome 'by providing .a header wherein each plug is provided with a key slot, a radially inner portion of each slot being enlarged to pass the key head, the radially outer portion of each slot being narrower to prevent the plug from fallingout. The narrow portion of the slot is extended enough in a radial direction to allow the plugs to adjust themselves in the ports in the port plate.

"Ice

For further details of the invention, reference may be made to the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a vertcial sectional view through the casing and associated parts of a shower head according to the present invention, some of the parts being shown in full lines. In Fig. 1, the handle is in position with the showerhead substantially closed.

P Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view like Fig. 1 showing the handle in another position with the showerhead open.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3 showing a plan view of the key or lock pin on the stem of the handle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the header.

1Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of port p ate.

While dimensions are a matter of choice, the drawing shows a casing 50% larger than a model which has been constructed and tested.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the showerhead 1 has the usual form of swivel coupling 2 so that the easing 3 can be tilted and locked in adjusted position by operating the sleeve 4. The coupling 2 has a fluid passage 5 which is connected to a suitable source of fiuid pressure. The passage 5 communicates with the interior of casing 3 and fluid flow through the casing is controlled by handle 7 which operates a series of plug valves indicated at 6, five thereof being shown.

The handle 7 has an integral stub shaft 8 having an annular groove 9 for a ring seal 10. Ring seal 10 seals against outward fluid flow through the bore 11 and also serves the. function of holding valve 7 in adjusted position due to the leakage fluid pressure acting on this ring seal. The casing 3 is provided with a bearing bore 11 in which the shaft 8 and the ring seal 10 rotatably fit.

The outer end of shaft 8 is enlarged as indicated at 49, providing an inwardly facing shoulder 12 which abuts outwardly facing shoulder 13 on the casing. Shoulder 13 is provided by the counter bore or enlarged bore 54 at the outer end of bore 11. Shoulders 12 and 13 are held in engagement with each other by an U shaped lock pin 14, see Figs. 1 and 4, which serves as a key and fits in an annular groove 15 in shaft 8 against the'inner face 16 of the wall 17 of the casing. The inner end of shaft 8 has a crank pin 18 which fits in a circular groove 19 at the inner end of the stem 20 of the header. Rotation of handle 7 thus operates crank pin 18 to raise and lower stem 20 and the plug valves 6 carried thereby.

Stem 20 can be made on an automatic screw machine and its outer end has a terminal portion 21 which passes through a circular aperture 22 in the header 23. The terminal portion 21 at its outer end 24 is bent over and riveted to form a circular groove 25. Groove 25 is larger in a direction lengthwise of the axis of the casing than the thickness of header 23, to rotatably support the header so that the plug valves indicated at 6 adjust themselves to their respective ports like 26 in the port plate 27. The stem 20 has a cylindrical bore 28 which slidingly fits on the shank 29 of a bolt 30.

According to the second item above described, the

port plate 27 has a smooth cylindrical periphery 31 free from screw threads and it slidingly fits in the cylindrical socket 32 at the outer end of casing 3. Socket 32 at its inner end has a shoulder 33 for an annular seal 34 which fits between that shoulder and the inner side of the port plate 27. Port plate 27, in the form shown in Fig. 1. has a central recess 35 in which fits the head 36 of bolt 30. Head 36 has a kerf 37 for a screw driver or the like. The inner end of bolt 30 has screw threads 38 for mating threads in a web 39at the inlet end of the casing 3. Web 39 has ports like 40 forming fluid passages leading to the interior of the casing.

i e a lat a t a i bit-irate? end of said casingfsaid other Iendj ofj saidlc of header 23, one such slot being'pr'ovidedfor each"s" ich 'plug valve like 6 and each suchplu'gvalve havingan enlarged head 42,. see' Fig. 3 and a'shoulder 43 providing a groove 44 in which the rim of any oneof the slots like r41 fits The radially inner portion of eachislotf'asiridicated at 45 in 'Fig. 5, is enlarged sothat the head 42 will pass through it, while the radially outer portion of each slot like 46 is closed at its outer'end 47 andQnarrow enough to fitv within the groove 44 sothat the heads like 42 will support the" plug valves in position on 'the header. v.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, ther'nodified port plate 50 is a metalistamping having ,a 'eircular hole'51'for the shank 29 of bolt'30 and havingports like 52 wherein a cylindrical seat 53 is provided for each plug by stamping the cylindrical portion 53'from the body-of the metal blank from which the header'is stam ed, Fig. '6'fsh0'v'vs the form resulting from one stamping operationwith' all five cylindricalseatslike'53 arising from the body or planeof the circular stamping. r v r As'shown in Fig. 5, interspersed with the slots '41, is an array of apertures indicated at 48, fivebeing shown, to prOVide'fiuid passagesthrough the header.

a In Fig.3, thehandle'7. is'shown rotated tojfa position whereinlhe era'nk'pin' 18 operates the. plug ,valves Gtdxclaims,

1 claimzwfl l l. A 'showerhead eornpris'inga liollo a. 77 a socket into vwhich said port iplate fits with', ree tili-riar non-rotary movement, said socket having ashould'er facing outwardly of the axis .of said' casing, 'a' seal between said shoulder and they inner side of said portplate, said port plate having a central hole, a post fitting ,said hole, said .post havinganouter end in supporting relation with said po rt plate, said post acting, to holdfsaid port plate ,inwsealing relationwith saidlseial and said .socket, said post having aninner end 'fixedto said casing, said port;pla te. having.a plurality of-ports,, plug valve members slidable in said .ports respectively, and means for operating said plugrvalve members. 1

2. A showerhead according to claim- .of said port plate an d the, adjoining. wall of' said socket being smooth a nd freefrom screw threads. T 3. A sh owerheadaccording to claiml, said post' comprising a bolt having an outer end having a head and having an inner end having threads, said port plate having .a central counterbore receiving said bolt and. forming an abutment for said head, saidinlet ,en d of,,. saidj'casifig ,having'a web having a threaded socket for'said bolt threads. 4. A showerhead according to claim 1, said operating means comprising a headerfor said plug valve members, said header, having a sliding support on said post.

5. A showerhead according ,to claim 4, ,sa id hea dcr having key slots for headson said plug valve members respectively, said sliding support comprising a stem, in the form of a cylindricalmember having an axial bore slidably fitting said post, said stem havifig an outer end fixed to said header.

6. In a showerhead for plug valve members having an operating means, said operatnig means comprising a header for the plug valve members, said header having an array of key slots for the plug valve members, said 5 slots each having an enlarged radially inner portion and a narrow closed radially "duter pbrtion, each of said plug valve members havinga stemhead fitting through the radially inner slot portionan'd having a stem neck slidably fitting the radially'outer closed "slot portion.

7. A showerhead comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet having a "port plate and plug valves, a header for said valves, said, headerhaving an array of radial slots for said plug valves, a stem having one end fixed to said header, said stem having an axial bore, said stem having an opposite end having a recess, an operating handle, having a rotary bearing support in a side "wall of saidrcasing, said, handle having a crank pinf fitting ,said, recessfanda central post in said casing, said post .havi ng'opposite ends mounted respectively infaf'central opening in said port plateqand, 'fixedfto said casin said axial bore'oflsaid stern slidingly,fittingfsaid'post. v

c .1 8. .A, showerhead according to claimi7, said port plate having a smooth cylindrical periphery fitting acyliridrical socket in the outlet end of said casing and'a'seal'in said socket betweensaid port plate andsaidcasin'g.

, 9 A showerh ad according .to'. claimf7,'said postcomprising a bolt, said bolt slidably fitting a central hole' in .aaid port plate, one. end of saidbclthavingahadjsupporting "said; port platelarid', arranged in a recess injs aid lpqttplats idca irighav' ng.,t e c h twssn' i iqt mb lr uppbnta d said in ets ,ivvebihvin l port, and. a threaded, connection between the'o'tlier end of saidbolt-and said lweb. 7

10. In a showerhad, a valve ,b insgb r duc, iamr e at its rearrangin shoulder tacing outwardly .oif said casing, an; operating lmember having -a handle terminating infa laterally extending shaft, said shaft having Yarn outerjfportion 'pr'o jecting into said casing and anj inner portion rotatably ,fitting said bore, said ,outer portion having acircum ferential groove having a ring seal said inner lshaftportion l lotlargerd a eter, han sa outcrtsha po land terminating,at,its inner endin an outwardlyufac ing .shoulder. rotata ly; fitting s d fir t j m nt g d sho d r said outer shaft portion having an extensionfinwardly of said casing ,beyondsaid side wall, said extension having ,aifciarik, said extension having a perpiheral groove and .alsubs tantially ,U shaped,v 196k pin therein mounted on said extension and fitting against the inner face of said side, wall, for, holding said inner shaft portion of said operating member in position in said bearing bore with "said shoulders fitting together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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