Single handle faucet valve

Claim 2

In a single handle faucet, the combination comprising a faucet body, said faucet body having a pair of liquid inlets for hot and cold water and a liquid outlet, said faucet body having a generally spherical surface, a sealing member mounted on said surface and having a centrally located axially thickened portion, said faucet body having a complementary recess into which said thickened portion of said sealing member extends, said thickened portion and said recess into which said thickened portion extends having complementary tapered peripheral surfaces, said faucet body having passages extending from said inlets to said recess in said faucet body, said sealing member having openings through said thickened portion aligned with the passages in said faucet body, a valve body mounted for swinging movement within said faucet body, said valve body having a spherical surface complementary to said spherical surface on said sealing member, said valve body having passage means extending from one area on the periphery of said spherical surface of said valve body to another area of the periphery thereof to said valve seat, one end of said passage means terminating along said spherical surface such that said passage means is adjacent said thickened portion of said sealing member in all portions of said valve body, and means for guiding said valve body to selectively change the communication of the passage means in the valve body with the inlets of said faucet body.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of ribs surrounding said thickened portiOn.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve body includes a single passage overlying said spaced passages in said thickened portion of said sealing member.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve body includes a diametral opening extending therethrough and a single passage extending radially and intersecting said diametral opening.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the peripheral wall of said thickened portion and said recess in said faucet body taper radially outwardly.

Claim 7

The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein the angle of taper is more axial than transverse with respect to the faucet body.

Claim 8

The combination set forth in claim 1 including a second sealing member on another portion of said valve body, a locking member mounted on said faucet body, and a spring interposed between said locking member and said second sealing member, means limiting the movement of said locking member on said faucet body whereby there is a predetermined spring pressure of said second sealing member on said valve body urging said valve body against said first sealing member such that the valve body is urged into a predetermined pressure against said first sealing member.

Claim 9

The combination set forth in claim 7 including a guide member interposed between said second sealing member and said spring.

Claim 10

The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said spring comprises a sinuous spring having spaced substantially flat surfaces engaging said second sealing member at circumferentially spaced points.

Claim 11

The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said locking member comprises a member threaded on said faucet body and interengaging surfaces between said member and said faucet body limiting the extent of axial movement of said member onto said faucet body.

Claim 12

In a single handle faucet, the combination comprising a faucet body, said faucet body having a pair of liquid inlets for hot and cold water and a liquid outlet, said faucet body having a generally spherical surface, a sealing member mounted on said surface and having a centrally located generally circular axially thickened portion, said faucet body having a complementary recess into which said thickened portion of said sealing member extends, said thickened portion and said recess into which said thickened portion extends having complementary tapered peripheral surfaces, said faucet body having passages extending from said inlets to said recess in said faucet body.

Claim 13

In a single handle faucet, the combination comprising a faucet body, said faucet body having a pair of liquid inlets for hot and cold water and a liquid outlet, said faucet body having a generally spherical surface, a sealing member mounted on said surface and having a centrally located generally circular axially thickened portion, said faucet body having a complementary recess into which said thickened portion of said sealing member extends, said thickened portion and said recess into which said thickened portion extends having complementary tapered peripheral surfaces, said faucet body having passages extending from said inlets to said recess in said faucet body.

Claim 14

The combination set forth in claim 11 including a plurality of ribs surrounding said thickened portion.

Claim 15

The combination set forth in claim 11 including a layer of relatively incompressible dimensionally stable low friction plastic material on said sealing member, said sealing member having an axial projection thereon, said faucet body having an opening into which said projection extends.

Claim 16

The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein the peripheral wall of said thickened portion and said recess in said faucet body taper radially outwardly.

Claim 17

The combination set forth in claim 14 wherein the angle of taper is more axial than transverse with respect to the faucet body.

Claim 18

A sealing member for a single handle faucet valve comprising a body of resilient material, said body having a centrally located axially thickened portion, the periphery of said thickened portion being tapered radially outwardly, one surface of said portion having a concave spherical surface, a layer of relatively incompressible dimensionally stable low-friction plastic material on said spherical surface of said sealing member, said sealing member and said layer having spaced openings extending through the axially thickened portion thereof and said layer.

Claim 19

A sealing member for a single handle faucet valve comprising a body of resilient material, said body having a centrally located axially thickened portion, the periphery of said thickened portion being tapered radially outwardly, one surface of said portion having a concave spherical surface, a layer of relatively incompressible dimensionally stable low-friction plastic material on said spherical surface of said sealing member, said sealing member and said layer having spaced openings extending through the axially thickened portion thereof and said layer.

Claim 20

The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein the angle of taper is more axial than transverse with respect to the axis of said sealing member.

Claim 21

The combinaTion set forth in claim 17 including a plurality of ribs surrounding said thickened portion.

Claim 22

In a single handle faucet, the combination comprising a faucet body, said faucet body having a pair of liquid inlets for hot and cold water and a liquid outlet, said faucet body having a generally spherical surface, a sealing member mounted on said surface and having a centrally located axially thickened portion, said faucet body having a complementary recess into which said thickened portion of said sealing member extends, said faucet body having passages extending from said inlets to said recess in said faucet body, said sealing member having openings through said thickened portion aligned with the passages in said faucet body, a plastic valve body mounted for swinging movement within said faucet body, said valve body having a spherical surface complementary to said spherical surface on said sealing member, said valve body having passage means extending from one area on the periphery of said spherical surface of said valve body to another area of the periphery thereof to said valve seat, one end of said passage means terminating along said spherical surface such that said passage means is adjacent said thickened portion of said sealing member in all portions of said valve body, and means for guiding said valve body to selectively change the communication of the passage means in the valve body with the inlets of said faucet body, a second sealing member on another portion of said valve body, said second sealing member having at least limited lateral movement relative to said first sealing member, a locking member mounted on said faucet body, and a spring interposed between said locking member and said second sealing member, means limiting the movement of said locking member on said faucet body whereby there is a predetermined spring pressure of said second sealing member on said valve body.

Claim 23

In a single handle faucet, the combination comprising a faucet body, said faucet body having a pair of liquid inlets for hot and cold water and a liquid outlet, said faucet body having a generally spherical surface, a sealing member mounted on said surface and having a centrally located axially thickened portion, said faucet body having a complementary recess into which said thickened portion of said sealing member extends, said faucet body having passages extending from said inlets to said recess in said faucet body, said sealing member having openings through said thickened portion aligned with the passages in said faucet body, a plastic valve body mounted for swinging movement within said faucet body, said valve body having a spherical surface complementary to said spherical surface on said sealing member, said valve body having passage means extending from one area on the periphery of said spherical surface of said valve body to another area of the periphery thereof to said valve seat, one end of said passage means terminating along said spherical surface such that said passage means is adjacent said thickened portion of said sealing member in all portions of said valve body, and means for guiding said valve body to selectively change the communication of the passage means in the valve body with the inlets of said faucet body, a second sealing member on another portion of said valve body, said second sealing member having at least limited lateral movement relative to said first sealing member, a locking member mounted on said faucet body, and a spring interposed between said locking member and said second sealing member, means limiting the movement of said locking member on said faucet body whereby there is a predetermined spring pressure of said second sealing member on said valve body.

Claim 24

The combination set forth in claim 19 including a member interposed between said second sealing member and said spring.

Claim 25

The combination set forth in claim 19 wherein said spring comprises a sinuous spring having spaced substantially flat surfaces.

Claim 26

The combination set forth in claim 19 wherein said locking member comprises a member threaded on said faucet body and interengaging surfaces between said member and said faucet body limiting the extent of axial movement of said member onto said faucet body.