Faucet assembly with integral water supply shut-off valve

A faucet apparatus for dispensing hot and cold water, said faucet apparatus adapted for mounting on sinks, washbasins and similar fixtures, the faucet apparatus comprising:

• a base portion for insertion into a through hole in a sanitary fixture, said base comprising a top, a bottom, hot and cold water base passages extending through the base portion in a side by side configuration and extending from the top to the bottom of said base, pressurized water supply communicating with said passages at the bottom of the base portion, and a shut-off valve comprising a normally-closed valve assembly disposed within each passage at the top of the base portion;
• a faucet head assembly having a dispensing portion with at least one dispensing passage, hot and cold water couplers that communicate with said dispensing passage, a sealing means circumferentially disposed about each coupler, and a valve actuator corresponding to and aligned with each valve assembly, and disposed proximate to one end of the coupler that engages and opens each valve assembly when said couplers are engaged axially with and sealed to said base passages, thereby enabling water flow as the faucet head is installed onto the base;
• and
• an attachment means for fixing said base portion to the sanitary fixture.