Temperature lock stop for faucets

Details Temperature lock stop for faucets Temperature lock stop for faucets

1999-06-29

2001-01-09

Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)

Valves and valve actuation

With means for blocking or disabling actuator

Released by non-valving actuator motion

Reexamination Certificate

active

06170799

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The field of this invention relates to a temperature mixing valve for mixing hot and cold water supplies and more particularly to a lock stop for locking the set mix of water.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Many mixing valves have a control stem mounted to an operable handle that controls the mix of hot and cold water to the outlet port in a faucet. Often the control stem that controls the temperature mix is separate from the flow rate control portion of the faucet. As such, the temperature-mixing device can be located significantly upstream and removed from the flow rate control valve and the spout or final outlet port. Remote mixing valves are often used in conjunction with a bank of electronic faucets which turn on and off by sensing the presence of a persons hands or body. The electronic sensing device controls the on-off position and the flow rate of the valve but often does not control the mix of the hot and cold water. The hot and cold water supplies are premixed to a desired temperature upstream.
As such, the temperature-mixing valve is often concealed to prevent the casual user or unauthorized person from tampering with or inadvertently changing the temperature mix. While many of these mixing valves may be behind closed doors and remote from the faucet, they still have freely accessible handles, which may be easily and inadvertently changed.
What is needed is a temperature-mixing valve with a knob that can be easily locked in place to prevent casual tampering or inadvertent adjustment but can be readily released with a special tool to provide adjustment to the desired temperature.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a rotatable handle assembly for a mixing valve includes a first stem member operably connected to a mixing valve element. The stem member is rotatably mounted onto a mixing valve body for operating the mixing valve element to adjust the mixed hot and cold water supplies. The stem extends outside of the valve body. A manually operable knob is mounted onto the stem and is rotationally affixed with the stem. The knob is axially movable between a first lock down position and an operable adjusting position. The knob has a splined section fitted with a complementary splined section of the valve body when in the lock down position to prevent the stem from rotation with respect to the valve body. A releasable fastener affixed the knob to the stem in the first lock down position Preferably, the spline section of the valve body is a formed female socket section surrounding the stem and the spline section of the knob is at a proximate axial end of the knob. At least one of the spline sections of the knob and valve body are chamfered to provide automatic meshing of the two spline sections as the knob is axially moved to the lock down position.
The fastener can be loosened to allow the knob to axially slide on the stem to the adjustable position. When in the adjustable position, the splined section of the knob is disengaged from the splined section of the valve body to allow the knob and stem to rotate to a desired mix position.
A spring element is preferably interposed between the knob and the valve body to bias the knob to the adjustable position. The fastener, when tightened, moves the knob against the bias of the spring to the lock down position. Preferably the fastener is fastened through a distal axial ends of the knob and the stem.
It is desirable that the fastener is a threaded fastener with a head having an allen wrench receptacle and is recess mounted in the distal end of the knob. It is also desirable that the knob has a narrow contour to deter casual or inadvertent manipulation but has external ribs for promoting manual grasping of the handle for ease of deliberate rotation.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1089098 (1914-03-01), Winkler
patent: 2829538 (1958-04-01), Mueller
patent: 4475573 (1984-10-01), Hindman
patent: 4577831 (1986-03-01), DiBartolo
patent: 4813455 (1989-03-01), Iqbal
patent: 5039062 (1991-08-01), England et al.
patent: 5513831 (1996-05-01), Seward
patent: 5551124 (1996-09-01), Zeringue
patent: 5671904 (1997-09-01), Minutillo

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