Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Flow line or nozzle attached or carried handgrip or handle – Pistol grip type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2002-07-30
Morris, Lesley D. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Flow line or nozzle attached or carried handgrip or handle
Pistol grip type
C239S525000, C239S289000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06425538
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to nozzles. More specifically, this invention relates to lever actuated hose nozzles having bales.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
In order to direct a water stream coming from a garden hose in a pattern such as a jet stream or a conical-shaped stream, screw on nozzles have been devised and are well known in the art. Such screw on nozzles come in numerous configurations, such as barrel and pistol-grip configurations.
A typical pistol-grip nozzle includes a tubular body having a handle portion connectable at one end to the garden hose. The body of the nozzle has a fixed barrel portion extending from the opposite end of the hose connector at an angle similar to the angle between the handle and barrel of a gun. The water stream issues from the nozzle at the forward end of the barrel. The pattern and flow rate of the water stream is determined by a valve stem extending through the barrel portion and outwardly through the rear end thereof. Alternatively, the pattern and flow rate of the water stream can be controlled by a valve located intermediate the barrel and the handle portions. The movement of the valve in either case is controlled by a pivoted actuating lever which includes a portion generally parallel with the handle of the nozzle body enabling the user to grip the handle portion and actuating lever and to adjust the water stream issuing from the nozzle by a simple squeezing action between a user's fingers and palm. Such actuating lever can be located on either a front portion or a rear portion of the nozzle handle.
A barrel configuration, on the other hand, is usually in the form of a generally cylindrical body, which may be straight or arcuate in shape. One end of the body is adapted to be connected to the garden hose and the opposite end defines the nozzle from which the water stream issues. As with the pistol-grip nozzle, the barrel nozzle may have an actuating lever to control the flow of water through the nozzle
Usually, a pivoting bale is provided on the nozzle handle for holding the actuating lever in a desired position, which is usually the position of the actuating lever in a fully opened position, with the maximum amount of water volume passing through the nozzle. The bale therefore minimizes user fatigue when operating the nozzle because the user will not have to keep pressure applied to the actuating lever in order to keep the fluid flowing through the nozzle.
Prior bale arrangements required a user to first engage the actuating lever to a desired operating position with one hand and then separately pivot the bale into position. Subsequently, to disengage the bale and release the actuating lever, the user would again have to engage the actuating lever with one hand so that there would be space between the bale and the lever, and then with the other hand move the bale so that the actuating lever could be released, hence stopping the flow of water. The two handed releasing procedure in particular has proven to be cumbersome. Thus, there is a need for a hose nozzle having a simple bale arrangement that can be easily released when a user desires to stop the flow of water through the nozzle or to modify the spray settings of the nozzle.
Other needs will become apparent upon a further reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one form, the present invention is embodied in a nozzle having an actuating lever connected to the nozzle and a bale pivotally connected to the nozzle, wherein the bale is removably engageable with the actuating lever and contains angled portions. When the actuating lever comes into contact with the angled portions, the bale automatically disengages from the actuating lever.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are not limiting but are intended to provide further explanation of the invention claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the method and system of the invention. Together with the description, the drawings serve to explain the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2072555 (1937-03-01), Hengesbach et al.
patent: 2293390 (1942-08-01), Hengesbach
patent: 2657098 (1953-08-01), Strahman
patent: 3125153 (1964-03-01), Lindgren
patent: 3927834 (1975-12-01), Tada
patent: 4449696 (1984-05-01), Hengesbach
patent: 4523700 (1985-06-01), Bower et al.
patent: D302201 (1989-07-01), Hengesbach
patent: 5142713 (1992-09-01), Makool
patent: 5975429 (1999-11-01), Jezek
Kim Christopher S.
L. R. Nelson Corporation
Morris Lesley D.
LandOfFree
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