US747487A - Valve mechanism for shower-baths. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED DEC. 22 1903.

H v 0. H, ROI-LLINSQ VALVE MECHANISM FOR SHOWER BATHS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1902.

11o MODEL.

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PATENTED DEG. 22,1903.

UNITED STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

CHARLES H. RoLLINs, or WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO EDGAR W. .ANTHONY, OF BROOKLINE,

- OHUSETTS.

MASSA- VALVE MECHANISM FOR SHOWER-BATHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,487, dated. beeemberaa, 1903. Application filed August 20, 1902- Serial N0.120,380. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Beit known that I, CHARLES H. ROLLINS, of.

This invention has relation to valve mechanism for shower-baths, and has for its object to provide certain improvements therein by means of which the flow of hot and cold water can be accurately regulated.

In most buildings the cold wateris delivered under the service or street pressure, while the pressure of thehot water is considerably less, owing to its being delivered from the overhead tank to the boiler and being no more than the ordinary static pressure due to the height of the column'of'water leading to the tank from the valve mechanism. As heretofore arranged, it has been difficult to secure a proper mixing of the hot and cold water to reach a desired temperature without danger of the bather being scalded by a surplnsage of hot water in his endeavor to regulate the flow of hot and cold water.

Another object of the invention, therefore,

' is to provide a valve mechanism in which the sents in front elevation my improved valve mechanism. Fig. 2 representsa longitudinal section of the same, showing the valves all closed. Fig. 3 represents a similar section with the controlling-valve in position to cut off the hot Water and deliver a small amount of cold Water. Fig. 4 represents a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents asection on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents in detail one of the barrels or bushings for the regulating-val ve. Fig. 7 represents anotherinterchangeablebushing. Fig.8rep- 5o resents one of the valves.

On the drawings the mechanism is illustrated as being provided with a main casing l0, having depending therefrom two annular The interior of the casing is 5 flanges ll 12. I provided with a Web 13, which forms an openended cylinder 1.4. A partition 15 closes communication between the two ends of the main casing, except for the openings which will be subsequently described. Outside of the web 13 and on both-sides of the partition 15 are two chambers, (indicated, respectively, I.

at 16 and 17,) with which communicate the inlots formed by the annular flanges 11 and 12.

Communicating with the interior of the cylinder 14:,which forms a mixing-chain ber,'there is a large outlet 18 for the discharge of water. To the inlets 11 and 12 there are attached valve- chambers 19 and 20, each being pro- The deliverywhich close With the pressure and normally rest against the seats 21. Said valves are opened against the pressure of water byany' suitable mechanism. As illustrated, said, mechanism comprises for each valve a stem 28, whose upper end fits in a guide 29, formed on the web 13. Each of the stems has attached thereto a block 30, which is loosely connected by a link. 31 with a crank-arm 32 on a rock-shaft 38. Each rock-shaft passes through a stuffing-box formed in two parts and indicated as a whole at 34. Each of the rock-shafts is provided with an arm 35, the free end of which is connected to a link 36, having a forwardly-projecting handle 37. By

swinging the handle to one side or the other the valves 26 27 may be opened or closed, as the case may be. The casing bears the Words Open and Closed to indicate the position to which the handle 37 should be moved to open or close the valves 26 27. The movement of the last-mentioned valves is simultaneous, so that were the pressure of the hot and cold water equal the-same amount of each would be delivered to the chambers 16 and 17; but due to the high pressure of the cold water it will be seen that there would be an excess of cold water. Consequently I provide a regulating valve, by which the amount of hot or cold water delivered to the lDlXlllg-(lllttllllJGl' may be governed to suit any requirements.

In each end of the cylinder 13 there is placed a bushing or barrel 38, whose innerend bears against an internal flange or shoulder 39 or 39, which forms, as will be explained, a valve-seat. The other end of each barrel is formed with a second valve-seat, (indicated at 40 or 40) The bushings are held in place by threaded washers 41. Each of the bushings communicates with the chamber immediately therebelow by a port 42, so that when water is delivered to said chambers it can flow through said ports into the ends of the cylinder 13 and, if unimpeded, to the mixing-chamber 14. One end of the main casing 10 is closed bya threaded head 43 and the other by a head 44, having a stuffing-box 45. An elongated valve-spindle 46 passes through the head 44 and the stuffing-box 4.5 and is provided with a thread 47 in operative engagement with a thread formed on the interior of the head 44;, so that by rotating said spindle by means of the wheel orhandle 48 it may be advanced in one direction or the other. Secured to the spindles are two valves, (indicated, respectively, at 49 and 50,) each of which is placed in one of the barrels 38. Each valve is substantially frusto-conical at one end and cylindrical at the other end and is adapted to engage either the seat 39 or 39 or the seat 40 or 40, except that in the case of the valve 50 the frusto-conical portion never comes in to actual intimate contact with its seats 40 or 39 so as to entirely out off the flow of water, but will at all times permit a small amount of cold water to trickle pastit. Each valve is provided with a circumferential groove, in which is placed a rubber gasket 51, fitting fairly tightly against the interior wall of the barrel. Consequently to provide for the flow of water past the said valve when itis not in engagement with either of its seats the barrel 38 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal grooves or slots 52, which form waterconduits. Preferably I provide for each complete valve mechanism a plurality of bushings or barrels having grooves varying in number and differing in width, so that 1 am able to provide for a differential [low of water through the barrels, all other things being equal. When the valve-spindletlj is at the inward extreme of its movement, the valve 49 is seated against the seat -10 and the valve 50 against the seat 39, and consequently no water can flow into the mixing-chamber from t..e chambers lfiand l7 even though the inletvalves 26 and 27 be open, except a small amount of cold water. If the valve-spindle now be moved slightly to the right, water may llow past the valves 4.) and 50 into the mixing-chamber. 49 and 50 is such Ihe shape of the valves that as the spindle moves outward a greater quantity of water can flow past the valve-seat 39 or .39 than can pass the seat 40 due to the conical end of the valve 49. A further movement of the valvespindle will permit a free flow of hot water past the valve 49 and a checking of the flow of cold water; but as the valve-spindle continues its movement to the right the flat end of the valve 49 is brought into contact with the valve-seat 39, so as to entirely cutoff the flow of hot water, while at the same time the conical point of the valve 50 does not come quite in contact with the seat 40 and a small amount of cold water is permitted to leak past it. Thus at no time can the hot water he admitted without the admission of more or less cold water, and consequently there is no liability for an excess of hot water. Preferably in each valve mechanism the barrels are furnished to meet the requirements of the hot and cold water servicethat is to say, if the street pressure for the cold water is very high the number and size of the slots in the barrel for the valve 50are reduced and the slots for the passageof the hot waterareincreased in size and width. Again, if it be found that under ordinary circum-' stances the hot water is delivered at a very high temperature the barrel may be so arranged as to deliver a relatively small quan-,

tity in comparison with the amount of cold water delivered past' the valve 50. For the sake of convenience I term the valves 26 and 27 the inlet-valves and the valves 49 and 50 the mixing or regulating valves,since they perform the functions suggested or indicated by those terms.

There are several advantages incident to the construction which I have thus described which it may not be amiss to enumerate: First, by the provision of the inlet- valves 26 and 27 independent of the mixing-valves, the flow of water into the valve-casing may be entirely cut off, so as to relieve all pressure from the stuffing-boxes and prevent danger of leakage past them, and, second, in order that the operator may be reminded to close the inletvalves the valve 50 never comes tightly against either of the seats 39 -10, and consequently the leakage is sullicient to indicate that the flow of cold water is not ontirely cut off.

I consider the employment of the slotted barrels or bushings as a great convenience, as the entire mechanism can be quickly adapted for any particular requirement without the change of any other of its parts.

It should be noted in conclusion that a complete movement of the mixing or regulating, valves in either direction will substantially cut oflt the flow of both hot and cold water. Consequently where the valve mechanism isused in administering baths for medicinal purposes the attendant can by a slight movement in either direction effectverse? ively cut off the fiow of water in case it becomes necessary on account of. the patients condition.

I may further state that the invention is.

not limited to the particular idea of its use as herein described, as it may be employed in a variety of ways and for otherpurposes without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and explained a Way of constructing and using the same, although without having attempted to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, I declare that what I claim is- 1. A valve mechanism of the character described, comprisinga casing having a mixingchamber and two inlet-chambers, two inletvalves for admitting hot and cold water to said inlet-chambers, and two connected mixingwalves governing the admission of water from said inietchambers to the mixing-chamber.

2. A valve mechanism of the character described, comprising acasing having a mixingchamber and two inlet-chambers, two inletvalves for admitting hot and cold water to said inlet-chambers, means for simultaneously operating said valves, and two simul tineously-operated Valves governing the admission of water from said-inlet-chambers to said mixing-chamber.

3. A valve mechanism comprising a casing having a mixing-chamber with an outlet leadin: directly therefrom, and two valve-chainbers communicating at theirinner ends with seats at each end thereof, and connected valves in said chambers adapted to cooperate with the seats therein, for governing the passage of water through said valve-chambers into said mixing-chamber.

i. A valve mechanism comprising a casing having a mixing-chamber, and two valvechambers communicating therewith, a valve in each chamber having two opegative ends one of which is tapering, two seats in each valve-chamber adapted to cooperate alternately with the valve therein, and means for simultaneously operating saidvalves.

5. A valve mechanism comprising a casing having a mixing-chamber with an outlet leading directly therefrom, and two valve-chamhers communicating therewith, and having separate inlets, a removable barrel or bushing in each chamber having longitudinal conduits, and connected valves in said barrels orbnshings.

6. A valve mechanism comprising a casing having a mixing-chamber, and two valvechamberscommunicating therewith, a longitudinally-movable spindle passing through v said valve chambers, two valves on said spindle and arranged in said valve-chambers, and a seat at each end of each of said valve-chamhere with which one of the valves may cotipcrate.

7. A valve mechanismcomprising a casing havinga mixing-chamber, two inlet-valves,

two regulating-valves interposed between the inlet-valves and the mixing-chamber, and provisions whereby one of said regulatingvalves in a closed position permits the leakage of a small amount of water except when the corresponding inlet-valve is closed.

8. A valve mechanism oomprisinga mixingchamber having an outlet leading directly therefrom, two valve-chambers com municating therewith and having separate inlets, two connected valves operating in said chambers and interchangeable removable slotted bush ings or barrels in said chambers.

9. A valve mechanism comprising a valvechamber havinga port and a seat at each end, a valve adapted to close against either seat, and a bushing in said chamber, having longitudinal conduits whereby the water may flow from one port through said conduits past the valve and out of the other port, when said valve is away from said seats.

10. A. alve mechanism comprising two chambers'having a common outlet and sepa-

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