WO1988006492A1

WO1988006492A1 - A hose attachment

Info

Publication number: WO1988006492A1
Application number: PCT/AU1988/000007
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gilbert Cyril Crouch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-02-24
Filing date: 1988-01-14
Publication date: 1988-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-24

Abstract

A hose nozzle assembly (10) includes an adjuster (62, 66, 76) for varying the shape of the flow pattern from the outlet (68) of the assembly, and a flow control valve (34, 40) in the flow path (32, 42, 38, 50, 56, 58) through the assembly between the flow inlet (32) and the adjuster (62, 66, 76), for controlling the volume of flow through the assembly per unit time. The assembly (10) may be in one or two separable units. The flow control valve may comprise a valve body (40) and a relatively displaceable valve seat (34) forming part of a hose connector (20) which is screw-threadedly engaged with a main body (12) of the assembly and the flow pattern adjuster (62, 66, 76) may be formed as part of a sleeve (14) including the flow outlet (68) and screw-threadedly engaged with the main body (12).

Description

"A HOSE ATTACHMENT"

The present invention relates to a hose attachment and is particularly concerned with a hose control device which is conveniently but not essentially used with a domestic hose. It is well known to provide a domestic hose with a nozzle which is adjustable to vary the shape of the flow pattern so as to provide either a jet of water, a fine, open spray or any shape in between. However, the shape varying means permits substantially the full flow of water from the domestic hose through the nozzle, or controls the volume of water itself, and does not allow a jet or spray of reduced pressure other than by adjusting the tap at the other end of the hose. Such reduced pressure jet or spray may be advantageous, for example, when watering the roots of a fragile plant. It has also been proposed to provide the aforementioned nozzle with an on-off trigger which either permits a full flow through the nozzle or no flow at all.

It is also known to provide a domestic spray attachment which permits a reduced fine spray of water to flow from the hand held attachment and which may have an on/off trigger. Such an attachment is usable for watering the foliage from a close proximity to the plant but it is not possible to adjust the attachment to vary the pressure of the flow from it.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate the aforementioned disadvantages and there is accordingly provided a hose nozzle assembly comprising a connector for attachment of the nozzle assembly to a hose and including a flow inlet to the nozzle assembly, a flow outlet from the nozzle assembly, adjustment means for varying the shape of the flow pattern from the flow outlet and flow control means in the flow path through the nozzle assembly between the flow inlet and the adjustment means for controlling the volume of flow through the nozzle assembly per unit time.

The hose nozzle assembly may comprise a main body and a sleeve overlying part of the main body which is displaceable relative to the main body to ^' provide the adjustment means for varying the shape of the flow pattern. Preferably, the sleeve is screw-threadedly mounted on the main body to provide for said relative displacement. In a preferred embodiment, the flow outlet comprises an opening in the sleeve and the main body has a stem of varying cross-section along its length disposed in the opening and movable therein by said displacement of the sleeve relative to the main body to adjust the flow pattern, for example from a jet to a fine spray. The adjustment means may be adjustable into a plurality of preset positions for predetermined flow patterns from the assembly outlet. Thus, the preset positions may provide, respectively, a fine mist, light, medium and heavy spraying, for example with the heavy spraying being a full jet, subject to flow volume permitted by the flow control means. The preset positions may be determined by any one of various known means, for example by means of a spring loaded ball engaging respective depressions.

The flow outlet may comprise a nose so that the flow pattern from the outlet is always a spray with the adjustment means permitting variation of the shape of the spray.

Advantageously, the flow control means comprises a first valve member, a second valve member and a flow channel therethrough with the first and second valve members being relatively displaceable for restricting the flow channel. Conveniently the first and second valve members are relatively adjustable into a plurality of preset positions for predetermined flow conditions through the flow channel. Thus, the preset positions may provide respectively, for example, full flow, three quarters flow, half flow, one quarter flow and zero flow through the flow control means by appropriately restricting or otherwise the flow channel. The preset positions may be defined in any one of several known manners, for example by means of a spring loaded ball engaging respective depressions.

Preferably the aforementioned first and second valve members of the flow control means are relatively rotatable to provide the relative displacement and may comprise, for example, superposed discs having respective apertures therethrough which may be more or less aligned. In the preferred embodiment one of the first and second valve members comprises a valve body and the other of the first and second valve members comprises a valve seat. Alternatively one of the first and second valve members may be displaceable by means of a manually actuated trigger on the nozzle assembly. Conveniently, one of the first and second valve members of the flow control means comprises the hose connector and the flow inlet and further comprises a handle portion to facilitate the adjustment thereof relative to the other of the first and second valve members. The handle portion may comprise an elongate extension, for example along the axis of the hose nozzle assembly, of the associated valve member of the flow control means, and may have serrations or other formations to facilitate gripping. Alternatively, the handle portion may comprise a pistol or other shaped grip. The hose nozzle assembly advantageously comprises a single unit in which case one of the first and second valve members may be integral with the aforementioned main body of the assembly.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the hose connector, flow inlet and flow control means are provided in a first unit of the nozzle assembly and the flow outlet and adjustment means are provided in a second unit of the nozzle assembly, and the first unit and second unit comprise releaseable mutual connection means to provide a watertight flow passage therebetween. One embodiment, and a modification thereto, of a hose nozzle assembly in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a part sectional side view of the nozzle;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but modified to include a gripping portion for the flow control means. The hose nozzle 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a main body 12, an outlet sleeve 14, an outer wall 16 and an inlet connector 18.

The inlet connector 18 has an end portion 20 of known shape to receive in snap engaging manner a female connector attached to a hose (not shown) .

The O-ring seal 22 resists leakage of water from the connection. Extending from the end portion 20 of the inlet connector 18 is an enlarged head portion 24 having an external screw thread 26 which co-operates with an internal screw thread at the end 28 of the outer wall 16 of the main body 12. An O-ring seal 30 is provided between the connector 18 and the outer wall 16. A central flow passage 32 through the connector 18 flares outwardly in the head portion 24 to define a frusto-conical valve seat 34 of a flow control means.

The main body 12 has at its end adjacent the connector 18 an end piece 36 which as shown in Figure 3 is substantially star-shaped in cross section so as to define a plurality, seven as shown, of concave flow passages 38 around its periphery, the flow passages extending from one face to the opposite face of the end piece 36. Projecting from the face of the end piece 36 facing the connector 18 is a frusto-conical valve body 40 whose shape corresponds to that of the valve seat 34.

As shown an annular flow passage 42 exists between the valve body 40 and valve seat 34 and communicates with the constant cross section part of the inlet passage 32 and with the concave flow passages 38. The connector 18 may be screw threadedly adjusted relative to the outer wall 16 to reduce the cross section of the annular flow passage 42, or even to close it off, to reduce the flow of water through the nozzle 10.

The end piece 36 of the main body is connected to an outlet portion 44 of the main body by means of a flared tubular wall 46 which is connected to the outer periphery of the end piece and tapers to a cylindrical portion 48 to direct water flow through an opening 50 into the outlet portion. An O-ring seal 52 is shown between the flared wall 46 and the outer wall 16 and resists leakage from the flow passages 38 into an annular chamber 54 between the flared wall 46 and the outer wall 16. For convenience and clarity, the main body 12 has been shown in elevational form in Figure 1, apart from the wall 46 which is in sectional form.

The outer wall 16 may be integrally formed with the end piece 36 and if the flared wall 46 is directly connected to the outer wall 16, the O-ring seal 52 may not be necessary. However, for ease of manufacture it may be preferred for the outer wall 16 and the main body 12 to be not integral in which case means should be provided between the two to ensure that they may be rotated together and that relative axial movement is resisted. In one embodiment, this may be done by extending the flared wall 46 in cylindrical manner around the end piece so that the concave flow channels 38 are enclosed by the extension of the flared wall, providing serrations between the extended cylindrical wall and the outer wall and providing a radial projection on one of the extended cylindrical wall and the outer wall 16 which engages a co-operating notch on the other. In such an arrangement the O-ring seal 52 may be disposed in an annular groove on the extended cylindrical wall. Water flowing through the opening 50 exits through ports 56, which are provided around the outlet portion 44, into grooved channels 58 which extend longitudinally of the outlet portion and co-operate with respective outlet ports 56. Water flowing through the ports 56 and along channels 58 is contained by the outlet sleeve 14 which is screw threadedly engaged with the outlet portion 44 of the main body 12 at 60. It will be appreciated that the screw thread 60 on the outlet portion is discontinuous.

The channels 58 terminate at a solid tapered control valve stem 62 which itself terminates in an enlarged head 64 which in the position shown is disposed in an outlet opening 66 from the outlet sleeve 14 to define an annular outlet 68. In this position, a tubular jet of water from the opening 68 is formed by the co-operation between the outlet portion 44 and the sleeve 14 but the outlet sleeve 14 may be retracted into the annular chamber 54 by screw threaded adjustment thereof relative to the outlet portion 44. The maximum projection of the outlet sleeve 14 is defined by an annular rib 70 which engages the end portion 72 of the outer wall 16. The outlet sleeve 14 has a cylindrical portion 74 which overlies the cylindrical portion 48 of the flared wall 46 to permit the screw threaded adjustment of the outlet sleeve.

As the outlet sleeve 14 is retracted, the outlet opening 66 is withdrawn to overlie the tapered stem 62, and a flared connection 76 between the tapered valve stem 62 and the head 64 causes the water flow to be sprayed radially outwardly. The radial vector of the spray increases with continued retraction of the sleeve. If the sleeve is retracted sufficiently, the outlet opening 66 and the tapered valve stem 62 of the outlet portion 44 will engage to cut off flow.

An O-ring seal 78 disposed in a groove 80 in the main body 12 is provided between the main body 12 and the outlet sleeve 14 upstream of the outlet portion 44 to prevent water flowing from the ports 56 into the annular chamber 54.

In use, a hose is snap engaged with the connector 18 and the outer wall 16 is held while the outlet sleeve 14 is rotated to adjust the spray pattern. If it is desired to adjust the water pressure at the nozzle, the connector 18 is rotated relative to the main body 12 and, in practice, the outer wall 16. Conveniently, the rotation of the connector 18 is performed by rotating the snap engaging female connector on the hose in which case means (not shown) must be provided for preventing relative rotation between said female hose connector and the connector 18. Conveniently this may be done by providing a peg on one of the connectors and a co¬ operating opening on the other of the connectors. More advantageously, the rotation of the connector 18 is performed by means of a handle portion on the connector and one embodiment of such a modification is shown in Figure 4. Apart from this modification the hose nozzle in Figure 4 is identical to the nozzle in Figure 10 so will not be described in detail, and where appropriate the same reference numerals will be utilised.

The hose nozzle 100 in Figure 4 comprises an end portion 20 shaped for snap engagement with a female connector attached to the end of a hose, the end portion 20 including an O-ring seal 22. Whereas in the nozzle 10 the end portion 20 merges almost directly into the enlarged head portion 24 threaded within the outer wall 16 of the main body 12, in the nozzle 100 a serrated, knurled or other roughened gripping portion 102 extends between the end portion 20 and the enlarged head portion 24. The gripping portion 102 is of such a length as to permit gripping, with the hand being placed between the end portion 22 (or the female connector attached thereto) and the main body 12. The gripping portion 102 thereby greatly facilitates handling of the attachment whilst coupling and uncoupling the female connector and rotation of the connector 18 relative to the main body 12 and particularly relative to the valve body 40 of the flow control means.

It is to be understood that the described embodiment is given by way of example only and that many modifications and variations may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention. Such modifications and variations include, for example, an assembly in which the flow control means defined by the valve body 40 and valve seat 34 is entirely separable from the remainder of nozzle 10. Such a flow control means would have a further connector in addition to the connector 20 in order to be snap engaged with a known nozzle or other hose attachment. Alternatively, the relatively adjustable valve seat 34 and valve body 40 could be replaced by a trigger valve assembly which may provide fully on and fully off flow control as well as intermediate flow volumes. Such trigger may be spring loaded into the off position and be manually displaceable, usually by a pivoting action, to open a valve in a flow channel between the flow inlet 32 and the ports 56.

Claims

CLAIMS : -

1. A hose nozzle assembly comprising a connector for attachment of the nozzle assembly to a hose and including a flow inlet to the nozzle assembly, a flow outlet from the nozzle assembly, adjustment means for varying the shape of the flow pattern from the flow outlet and flow control means in the flow path through the nozzle assembly between the flow inlet and the adjustment means for controlling the volume of flow through the nozzle assembly per unit time.

2. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the hose connector, flow inlet and flow control means are provided in a first unit of the nozzle assembly and the flow outlet and adjustment means are provided in a second unit of the nozzle assembly, and wherein the first unit and second unit comprise releaseable mutual connection means to provide a watertight flow passage therebetween.

3. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 1 which comprises a single unit.

4. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 3 comprising a main body and a sleeve overlying part of the main body which is displaceable relative to the main body to provide the adjustment means.

5. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 4 wherein the sleeve is screw-threadedly mounted on the main body to provide for said relative displacement.

6. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the flow outlet comprises an opening in the sleeve and the main body has a stem of varying cross-section along its length disposed in the opening and moveable therein by said displacement of the sleeve relative to the main body.

7. A hose nozzle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the flow control means comprises a first valve member, a second valve member and a flow channel therethrough and wherein the first and second valve members are relatively displaceable for restricting the flow channel.

8. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 7 wherein the first and second valve members are relatively adjustable into a plurality of preset positions for predetermined flow conditions through the flow channel.

9. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the first valve member and the second valve member are relatively rotatable to provide the relative displacement.

10. A hose nozzle assembly according to any one of claims 7 to'9 wherein one of the first and second valve members comprises a valve body and the other of the first and second valve members comprises a valve seat.

11. A hose nozzle assembly according to any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein one of the first and second valve members comprises the hose connector and the flow inlet and further comprises a handle portion to facilitate the adjustment thereof relative to the other of the first and second valve members.

12. A hose nozzle assembly according to any one of claims 7 to 11 when claim 7 is dependent from any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein one of the first and second valve members is integral with the main body.

13. A hose nozzle assembly according to claim 7 wherein one of the first and second valve members is displaceable by means of a manually actuated trigger.

14. A hose nozzle assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. Any step or feature of combination of steps or features described herein.