ES350992A1 - Improvements in or relating to valves - Google Patents

Abstract

A manually operated valve designed to control the flow of water from an inlet 3 to either an outlet 1, which has connected thereto a bath tap, or to an outlet 4, which has connected thereto a shower head, includes a valve member 23 which is formed from two resilient washers 24 and 25 retained in an H-shaped holder 26 and which is movable between two aligned and opposed seats 9 and 22. In operation, springs 33 and 42 retain the valve member in the position shown whereby the shower outlet 4 is isolated and flow from the inlet 3 to the tap outlet 1 takes place via ports 17, which ports are formed in a fixed sleeve 16 within which the valve member is slidable in a non-fluid tight manner, and seat aperture 8. Upon depressing a button 35, 38, a part 39 thereof strikes the valve closure member stem 27 and consequently moves the. closure member into engagement with seat 9 (Fig. 2, not shown). Subsequent release of the button results in only the latter being returned by spring 42 to its uppermost position, the closure member remaining in contact with seat 9 as long as the fluid pressure acting thereon exceeds the returning force exerted by spring 33 [Fig. 3, not shown). In this second position of the valve member, flow from inlet 3 to outlet 4 takes place via ports 17, aperture 21 and ports 43. The closure member can be moved out of engagement with seat 9 and in opposition to fluid pressure acting on the member by manually withdrawing the button until flanges 29 and 41 engage one another and thus, together with the upward bias of springs 33, 42, moves the closure member upwardly into engagement with seat 22. Figs. 5-7, not shown, indicate a modification whereby the trip flow rate can be reduced, whilst Figs. 8-10, not shown, indicate a further modification in which a change over from shower to tap delivery can only be achieved by reducing the pressure of water at the inlet 3.