Faucet valve for sinks, wash basins and other applications

Claim 1

A faucet valve for sinks, wash basins and other applications wherein the valve is mounted between a sink or basin wall and a fixed cover plate, said wall and cover plate having registering openings to accommodate the valve, said valve comprising: a. a hollow valve body extending through the opening in the sink or basin wall, b. said valve body having both internal and external screw threads, c. a nut engaging the external screw threads on the valve body and securing said valve body to the sink or basin wall, d. a hollow bonnet extending through the registering opening in the cover plate, e. said bonnet having both internal and external screw threads, f. the external screw threads of the bonnet engaging the internal screw threads of the valve body to secure the bonnet to the valve body, g. an externally threaded valve stem threaded to the internal screw threads of the bonnet and extending into the valve body, h. a valve seat in the valve body and a valve closure member on the valve stem engageable with said valve seat, i. an actuating handle on the valve stem for opening the valve by rotating the valve stem relative to the bonnet and valve body and thereby moving the valve closure member into engagement with the valve seat, and for closing the valve by rotating the valve stem in the opposite direction and thereby moving the valve closure member into engagement with the valve seat, j. the bonnet being provided with an annular flange and the valve body being provided with a tubular section coaxially aligned with said annular flange, k. said cover plate having an annular flange encircling the opening therein and extending coaxially between the annular flange of the bonnet and the tubular section of the valve body, l. said annular flange of the bonnet being seated on the annular flange of the cover plate and clamping said annular flange of the cover plate to the tubular section of the valve body when the bonnet is secured to the valve body, and m. a ratchet interlock between said annular flange of the bonnet and the annular flange of the cover plate oriented to allow the bonnet to be threaded into the valve body and to oppose threading the bonnet out of the valve body, n. said ratchet interlock comprising ratchet teeth formed on the underside of the annular flange of the bonnet and complementary ratchet-shaped sockets formed in the upper side of the annular flange of the cover plate, o. said ratchet-shaped sockets being recessed sufficiently to receive the ratchet teeth without disturbing the seating of the annular flange of the bonnet on the annular flange of the cover plate.