Portable water-jet system

Claim 1

A modular water-jet system for attachment to the faucet of a water outlet, compromising, in combination, a water-resistant diverter housing, inlet means formed by said housing removably connected to the faucet for passing water from the faucet to said housing, valve means positioned in said housing for directing water from said inlet means, first outlet means formed by said housing adapted to pass water from said housing, first passage means formed by said housing for passing water from said inlet means to said first outlet means, second outlet means associated with said housing and said valve means for passing water from said housing, second passage means formed by said valve means for passing water from said inlet means to said second outlet means, said valve means being movable between a first open position and a second open position, wherein in said first open position water is directed from said inlet means to said first outlet means and blocked from said second outlet means, and in said second open position water is diverted from said inlet means to said second outlet means and blocked from said first outlet means, said valve means being a spool valve having an elongated cylinder member having a handle end and an opposed mounting end, both said handle end and said mounting end being positioned external to said housing, said housing having an internal wall forming a bore, said cylinder member being slidably movable in and in sealing relationship with said bore, said first passage means including said internal wall forming at least one inlet hole between said inlet means and said bore and at least one outlet hole between said bore and said first outlet means, wherein said first passage means is said inlet side hole, said bore, and said outlet side hole, said cylinder member forming an axial passage between said second outlet means and a position axially spaced from said second outlet means, said cylinder member also forming a first outer circular passage radially spaced from the axis of said cylinder member, said cylinder member also forming an inlet aperture joining said axial passage and said first outer circular passage, said cylinder member also forming a second outer circular passage axially spaced from said first outer circular passage towards said handle end, said spool valve being operable between diverting and non-diverting positions, wherein in said diverting position said cylinder member is positioned so that said first outer circular passage is aligned with said at least one inlet hole so as to create said first passage means, and wherein is said non-diverting position said cylinder member is positioned so that said second outer circular passage is aligned with said at least one inlet hole and said at least one outlet hole so as to create said second passage means, said axial passage including an inner passage portion, said cylindrical member forming an inlet port between said inner passage portion and said first circular passage, said axial passage also including a cylindrical pocket downstream of said inner passage portion, a ball member having a smaller diameter smaller than the diameter of said cylindrical pocket being positioned in said cylindrical pocket, said cylindrical pocket having an axial length adapted to allow axial movement of said ball member, said cylindrical member forming a constricted passage having a downstream orifice downstream of said pocket, said second outlet means opening to said constricted passage, said contricted passage being of greater diameter than said ball member, wherein when said ball valve is spaced from said contricted passage water can flow through said pocket around said ball member through said second outlet means, and when said ball valve is positioned against said downstream orifice by the force of flow of the water, the water is prevented from flowing through said contricted passage and said second outlet means.

Claim 13

A system according to claims 6 or 11, further including a pressure relief line formed in said housing between the atmosphere proximate to said first outlet means and said bore at a position opening to said first outer circular passage when said cylinder member is in said second open position, whereby water under pressure in the system downstream of said second outlet means is relieved through said pressure relief line.