Water faucet

Claim 2

A water faucet including a valve body having an inlet duct connectable to a source of water and an outlet duct, valve means within said body selectively movable to interconnect said inlet and outlet ducts and to isolate said inlet and outlet ducts, a manually operable handle extending from said body and connected to said valve means for movement of said valve means, stationary stop means connected to said valve body and limiting the range of movement of said valve means, the improvement comprising: said valve means being an arcuate valve member formed from plastic material and having a recess formed therein, said stop means protruding from said valve body and being received in said recess, and an insert member having an aperture therethrough mounted in said recess, said stop means extending through said aperture and into said recess, said insert being formed from a material having greater resistance to wear than said plastic material.

Claim 3

The faucet of claim 1, wherein said valve member has a sperical outer shape and consists of two interlocking parts that meet at mating surface formed on each part.

Claim 4

The faucet of claim 2, wherein each of said parts is formed with a groove therein extending from each of said mating surfaces, said insert being mounted by said valve member by being partially received in each groove of each of said parts.

Claim 5

A single handle hot and cold water mixing and flow control faucet including a valve body connectable to a source of cold water and a source of hot water, said valve body having an outlet duct formed therein, valve means within said valve body selectively movable among preselected positions to interconnect said sources and said duct such that varying volumes and proportions of cold and hot water are directed to said duct and to isolate said sources from said duct, a manually operable handle extending from said valve body and connected to said valve means for movement of said valve means, stop means connected to said body and capable of bearing on said valve means to limit movement of said valve means to among said preselected positions, the improvement comprising: said valve means being formed from a first material and with a recess in the outer surface thereof, the periphery of said recess being lined by a second material of greater resistance to wear than said first material, said stop means extending from said valve body and being partially received in said recess, said valve member comprising a pair of molded plastic parts, one of said parts having a plurality of male interconnecting elements formed thereon and the other of said parts having complementary female cavities formed therein receiving said male elements and thereby providing interconnection of said parts, said recess being formed partially in each of said parts, and a metal insert having an aperture formed therethrough being positioned in said recess to line said recess, said stop means extending through said aperture such that contact between said stop means and said plastic parts is prevented.

Claim 6

A single handle hot and cold water mixing and flow control faucet including a valve body connectable to a source of cold water and a source of hot water, said valve body having an outlet duct formed therein, valve means within said valve body selectively movable among preselected positions to interconnect said sources and said duct such that varying volumes and proportions of cold and hot water are directed to said duct and to isolate said sources from said duct, a manually operable handle extending from said valve body and connected to said valve means for movement of said valve means, stop means connected to said body and capable of bearing on said valve means to limit movement of said valve means to among said preselected positions, the improvement comprising: said valve means being formed from a first material and with a recess in the outer surface thereof, the periphery of said recess being lined by a second material of greater resistance to wear than said first material, said stop means extending from said valve body and being partially received in said recess, said valve member comprising a pair of molded plastic parts, one of said parts having a plurality of male interconnecting elements formed thereon and the other of said parts having complementary female cavities formed therein receiving said male elements and thereby providing interconnection of said parts, said recess being formed partially in each of said parts, and a metal insert having an aperture formed therethrough being positioned in said recess to line said recess, said stop means extending through said aperture such that contact between said stop means and said plastic parts is prevented.

Claim 7

The faucet of claim 4, wherein each of said plastic parts has a pair of grooves formed therein adjacent a portion of said recess, said insert comprising a main body through which said aperture is formed and a pair of ears extending from said main body, said ears being received in said grooves to mount said insert to said plastic parts within said recess.