GB2268573A - Dispensing valve - Google Patents

Abstract

A valve, particularly for dispensing liquid from a cooking vessel, has a body 1 with a rear, inlet extension 2, a spring-biassed closure member 11 which carries a sealing washer 10 located for sealing engagement with a seat 9, and a handle in the form of a shroud 16 which covers the body 1 to a substantial extent, when the valve is closed with the handle lying against the body under the action of gravity. A pin 23 pivotally connects the handle, via the cross-bore 15, to the closure member 11. A small clearance 24 between a lower, abutment portion 25 of a handle insert 22 and the flat, reaction top 26 of a valve body end cap 14 allows the handle 16 to be displaced some 35 DEG away from the body 1 before the abutment portion 25 touches the reaction surface 26. Further displacement causes the closure member 11 to be lifted, lifting the sealing washer 10 from the seat 9 and opening the valve. <IMAGE>

Description

VALVE The present invention relates to a valve, particularly though not exclusively, useful for dispensing liquid from a cooking vessel.

Taps for cooking vessels exist to allow boiled water for instance to be withdrawn from the vessel. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved tap or valve.

A valve according to the present invention comprises: a body having an inlet and an outlet angled with respect to the inlet, spring-loaded valve closure means including a movable closure member accommodated in the body and a spring for biassing the closure member towards a closed position, and a movable handle connected to the closure member for movement of the closure member between the closed position and an open position, the handle being in the form of a shroud partially enclosing the body at its side opposite from the inlet in a closed position of the handle and displaceable from the body to an open position, thereby moving the valve closure member to its open position.

Preferably the closure member is slidingly accommodated in the body for translational movement of a seal, conveniently carried on the closure member as a separate part. Although it is envisaged that the seal may be an O-ring co-operating with a bore parallel to the translational movement, in the preferred embodiment the seal is a face seal co-operating with a transverse seat.

The handle is preferably pivotally connected to the closure member for movement away from the body and arranged for an abutment portion of the handle to co-operate with a reaction portion of the body on movement of the handle for opening the valve. In the preferred embodiment, the point of pivotal connection of the handle to the closure member is at an end of the body opposite from the outlet and the respective abutment and reaction portions are so arranged to give a greater displacement of the handle from the body, at least at the outlet end thereof, than the sliding movement of the closure member in the body. In addition to this displacement ratio, the respective abutment and reaction portions are preferably spaced from each other by a determined clearance when the valve is closed whereby the handle can be moved clear of the outlet prior to flow therefrom.This arrangement is achieved by spring movement of the closure member into its closed position being stopped, conveniently by the seal abutting its seat, in a position to provide the clearance.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a rear view of a valve of the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line II-II in Figure 1, the valve being closed, Figure 3 is a plan view of the valve, Figure 4 is an underneath view of the valve, Figure 5 is a front view of the valve, and Figure 6 is a side view of the valve.

The valve of the invention shown in the drawings has a body 1 in the form of a brass casting with a rear, inlet extension 2 providing an inlet bore 3 to the valve. The outer surface 4 of the rear extension is threaded for fitting of the valve to a vessel, typically a cooking pot, not shown. To enable the valve to be fitted fluid-tightly in a desired orientation, preferably with the body 1 upright as shown in the drawings, the thread 4 carries a lock-nut 5 having a chamfer for forcing an O-ring 6 into sealing engagement with the thread and the vessel whilst at the same time the lock-nut mechanically locks the valve in position with respect to the vessel.

The inlet bore 3 extends through the wall of the body 1 to a stepped bore 7,8. The step in this bore to the smaller diameter outlet bore 8 provides a seat 9 for a sealing washer 10 carried at an end of a closure member 11. The closure member also carries an 0-ring 12 in a groove immediately above the washer 10. The upper portion of the member 11 is of reduced diameter carrying a spring 13. It passes through an internally threaded cap 14 and has a cross-bore 15 in its top end. The cap i4 engages the threaded upper outer surface of the body thereby captivating the spring 13 which urges the washer 10 into sealing engagement with the seat 9.

As shown in the drawings, a handle in the form of a brass shroud 16 covers the body 1 to a substantial extent, at least from above and in front, when the valve is closed with the handle lying against the body under the action of gravity. At mid-height, the shroud is of C-shaped crosssection. Its top 17 is domed over, although rearwardly open. Its lower portion 18 tapers in to match the tapered lower end 19 of the body. The handle's bottom end 20 is formed into a downwardly pointing drip 21. The handle has within its top 16 a nylon downwardly open invert U channel insert 22. A pin 23 passes through and locates this insert 22 and the top 14 of the handle to pivotally connect the handle, via the cross-bore 15 to the closure member 11.

There is a small determined clearance 24 between a lower, abutment portion 25 of the invert channel insert 22 and the flat, reaction top 26 of the cap 14. The rear corner 26 of insert 22 is circularly cut-away. The geometry is such that the handle 16 can be displaced some 350 away from the body 1 before the abutment portion 25 touches the reaction surface 26. Further displacement causes the closure member 11 to be lifted, lifting the sealing washer 10 from the seat 9 and opening the valve. Further displacement of the handle 16 further opens the valve. Release of the handle allows the spring 13 to reclose the valve.

It will be noted that even if the handle is gripped right at its bottom end 20, this is moved well away from the outlet opening or spout 27 of the outlet bore 8 before opening of the valve. Thus liquid flowing from the spout is unlikely to scald or be dirtied by the user's fingers.

Due to circular symmetry of the valve apart from the inlet extension 2, the handle can be twisted about the bore 8 to the extent allowed by the edges of the handle to suit a user's position.

The valve can be readily dismantled for cleaning by gripping the knurled outer surface 28 of the cap and unscrewing it from the body.

The outer surface of the valve is sprayed with a nylon material for protection and to provide a degree of heat insulation.

Claims (1)

1. Claims

   1) A valve comprising: a body having an inlet and and outlet angled with respect to the inlet, spring-loaded valve closure means including a moveable closure member accommodated in the body and a spring for biassing the closure member towards a closed position, and a moveable handle connected to the closure member for movement of the closure member between the closed position and an open position, the handle being in the form of a shroud partially enclosing the body at its side opposite from the inlet in a closed position of the handle and displaceable from the body to an open position, thereby moving the valve closure member to its open position.

   2) A valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure member is slidingly accommodated in the body for translational movement of a seal 3) A valve as claimed in claim .2, wherein the seal is carried on the closure member as a separate part.

   4) A valve as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the seal is an O-ring co-operating with a bore parallel to the translational movement.

   5) A valve as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the seal is a face seal co-operating with a transverse seat.

   6) A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle is pivotally connected to the closure member for movement away from the body and arranged for an abutment portion of the handle to co-operate with a reaction portion of the body on movement of the handle for opening the valve.

   7) A valve as claimed in claim 6, wherein the point of pivotal connection of the handle to the closure member is at an end of the body opposite from the outlet and the respective abutment and reaction portions are so arranged to give a greater displacement of the handle from the body, at least at the outlet end thereof, than the sliding movement of the closure member in the body.

   8) A valve as claimed in claim 7, wherein the respective abutment and reaction portions are spaced from each other by a determined clearance when the valve is closed whereby the handle can be moved clear of the outlet prior to flow therefrom.

   9) A valve as claimed in claim 8, wherein spring movement of the closure member into its closed position is stopped, by the seal abutting its seat, in a position to provide the clearance.

   10) A valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.