Editorial Note Application Number - 2004264261 This specification does not contain page 1 to 1 -2 SHOWER HEAD WITH FLOW RATE ADJUSTMENT Technical Field This invention relates to shower heads, also known as 5 shower roses, where water issues from a chamber having a wall through which an array of outlet apertures is provided and from which water can issue from the chamber in a plurality of narrow streams. 10 Background Art Water authorities are ever increasingly encouraging conservation of water as populations expand and the demand for water increases. One course of action adopted is the imposition of standards as to the maximum volume of water 15 to pass through a shower system in a given period of time, which most systems using conventional shower roses exceed and thus cannot achieve the required standard. It is therefore a primary object of the present 20 invention to provide means whereby the volume of water passing through a shower rose assembly can be reduced. The invention is also applicable to circumstances where the quantity of hot water available at any one time 25 may be limited and thus water for showering needs to be conserved if a relatively large number of persons, such as in a large family, or a sporting team, all need to shower over a time span in which the supply of hot water is likely to be exhausted and a relatively long period of 30 time is necessary to generate replacement hot water in the supply, and which time delay maybe inconvenient. Disclosure of the Invention With the present invention there is a provided a 35 device for incorporation in an existing shower rose assembly, or for incorporation in a new shower rose N:\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\50000-50999\P50432.AU.1\Specia\P50432.AU.1 Specification 2007-9-26.doc 27/09/07 - 3 assembly, whereby to provide a reduced flow rate of water which maybe adjustable to meet the users requirements. Conventional shower rose assemblies include a shower 5 rose body defining a chamber having a substantially flat wall through which a plurality of outlet apertures are formed and from which water supplied to the chamber will issue in a plurality of continuous narrow streams. Water is supplied to the chamber through a supply conduit 10 connected to a water supply provided at an adjacent wall or ceiling and incorporating a pivot joint at the wall to allow the angle of the shower rose assembly to be adjusted vertically, whilst at the other end of the supply conduit, at the connection to the shower rose body, a pivot joint 15 is also incorporated to allow vertical adjustment of the shower rose body relative to the rest of the assembly. The connection at this point may also allow for pivoting of the shower rose body transversely of the assembly. In order to allow for vertical pivotal movement the 20 connection at both ends of the supply conduit incorporate two axially aligned connection bodies, one remote from the supply conduit and the other connected to the supply conduit, and through which a pivot pin extends to allow for vertical adjustment of the supply conduit at its inlet 25 end and the shower rose body at its outlet end. The pivot shaft carries a wing nut at one end bearing against the end of one of the connection bodies to axially force the two bodies tightly together after the vertical adjustment is made. An annular cross-sectional cavity between the 30 pivot shafts and the connection bodies allows for fluid flow through the pivotal connections at either end of the supply conduit. The device of the present invention is designed to 35 replace one or both of the pivot shafts, and, as referred to above, may replace the pivot shaft or shafts in an N:\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\50000-50999\P50432.AU.1\Specis\P50432.AU.1 Specification 2007-9-26.doc 27/09/07 - 4 existing assembly or maybe supplied as part of a new assembly. In accordance with the present invention, there is 5 provided a device to allow adjustment of the volume of water flow through a shower rose assembly having a supply conduit extending from a water supply connection to a shower rose connection, one or both of said connections allowing for vertical or universal adjustment of the 10 supply conduit and the shower rose about a pivot shaft, said device including a hollow elongate shaft having ports through the wall thereof connecting with the water supply upstream thereof and downstream thereof, an elongate member to which is attached an adjustment knob screw 15 threaded about the pivot shaft to allow movement of the knob along the pivot shaft and as a consequence adjustment of the position of the elongate member within the pivot shaft to adjust the flow rate between said ports, and a member provided to extend through the wall of the pivot 20 shaft and engage within a groove around the elongate member to limit the extent of movement of the elongate member between maximum and minimum flow rate positions. The shower rose assembly can be readily adjusted to a 25 suitable flow rate for normal ablution requirements and adjusted to increase the flow rate for a period of time to allow for other purposes, such as the rinsing of hair shampoo, conditioners and the like. The flow rate may then be reduced to a minimum range for normal 30 requirements. With the device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hollow elongate shaft provides a dual purpose, firstly, providing the pivot point for the 35 raising or lowering of the shower arm and secondly the adjustment means in the shaft provides for flow rate regulation. The ports through the hollow elongate shaft N:\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\50000-50999\P50432 AU.1\SpeciB\P50432.AU.1 Specification 2007-9-26.doc 27/09/07 - 5 are located in such positions that fluid transfer continues regardless of the vertical position of the supply conduit and/or the shower rose body. 5 Brief Description of the Drawings One preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; 10 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shower rose assembly incorporating the device of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of 15 this preferred embodiment, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of part of the device of Figure 2 viewed from a direction at 900 to that of Figure 2. 20 Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, the shower rose assembly 10 of this preferred embodiment of the invention includes a shower rose body 11 defining an 25 internal chamber 12 and having a substantially flat wall 13 through which a plurality of apertures 14 are formed, and from which water supplied to the chamber will issue in a plurality of continuous narrow streams. 30 Water is supplied to the chamber through a supply conduit 15 connected to a water supply via a connector 16 forming part of a pivot joint 17 to allow the angle of the shower rose assembly 10 to be adjusted vertically, whilst the other end of the supply conduit 15, at the connection 35 to the shower rose body 11, also incorporates a pivot joint 18 to allow vertical adjustment of the shower rose body relative to the rest of the assembly. The connection N:\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\50000-50999\P50432.AU.1\Specie\P50432.AU.1 Specification 2007-9-26.doc 27/09/07 -6 at this point may also allow for pivoting of the shower rose body transversely of the assembly as with conventional shower rose assemblies. 5 In order to allow for vertical pivotal movement the connections at both ends of the supply conduit incorporate two axially aligned connection bodies 19 and 20 through which pivot shafts 21 extend. The pivot shafts carry wing nuts 22 at one end bearing against the end of one of the 10 connection bodies 19 and 20 to axially force the two bodies together after the vertical adjustment is made. In this preferred embodiment, the connection at the shower rose body includes an annular cross-sectional 15 cavity provided between the pivot shaft and the connection bodies to allow for fluid flow through this particular connection as with a conventional shower rose assembly. In accordance with this preferred embodiment of the 20 invention the connection to the water supply at the other end of the supply conduit includes a device (an alternative pivot shaft) which fits snuggly through the connection bodies 19 and 20 rather than providing an annular cross-sectional fluid transfer cavity. 25 With reference particularly to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, this particular alternative pivot shaft 21 is hollow to provide a transfer passage 22 between inlet and outlet ports 23 and 24 upstream and downstream 30 respectively of the water supply, whilst a flow adjustment pin 25 is received within one end of the pivot shaft to progressively restrict or increase water flow through the inlet ports 23, via the use of an adjustment knob 25a screwed threaded at 26 around the outside of the pivot 35 shaft 21 to allow movement of the knob along the pivot shaft and as a consequence adjustment of the position of the adjustment pin 25 within the pivot shaft and relative N:\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\50000-50999\P50432.AU.1\Specia\P50432.AU.1 Specification 2007-9-26.doc 27/09/07 - 7 to the inlet ports 23, and to allow a reduction or increase of water flow from the inlet ports 23 and through the transfer passage 22 to the outlet ports 24 as required. A fixing screw 27 through the adjustment knob 5 25a attaches the knob to the end of the adjustment pin 25. In order to limit the position of the adjustment pin 25 between maximum and minimum fluid flow rates, a pin 28 maybe inserted through the wall of the hollow pivot shaft 10 to engage within an annular groove 29 around the adjustment pin 25. The wing nut 22, as with conventional shower rose assemblies is screwed fitted at 33 onto the opposite end of the pivot shaft 21 to bear against the end of connection body 19 via a washer assembly 34 forcing 15 body 19 against connection body 20 after vertical adjustment of the supply conduit has been made. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the flow rate adjustment device is provided in the connection 20 at the inlet end of the shower rose assembly, but alternatively could be provided in the connection to the shower rose body at the outlet end of the assembly, or at both the inlet and outlet end connections. 25 It will be appreciated that appropriate O-ring seals 31 and sealing washers 32 will be provided within the assembly where appropriate. In other preferred embodiments the device may be 30 incorporated in a hand held shower rose assembly where the device is incorporated in the connection to the water supply. The device may also be incorporated in a single 35 articulated arm with any other style of shower head or a shower which has a flexible hose connected to a single N:\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\50000-50999\P50432.AU.1\Specis\P50432.AU.1 Specification 2007-9-26.doc 27/09/07 - 8 articulated arm (joint) where the shower spray head may be used for hand showering or spraying. It may also be used in devices such as pressure 5 washers to control the flow rate. N:\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\50000-50999\P50432.AU.1\Specis\PS0432.AU.1 Specification 2007-9-26.doc 27/09/07