Faucet assembly with pinch valves

Abstract

A faucet assembly including pinch valves for controlling the flow of hot and cold water. A base is secured to the deck of a sink from above the deck and a body secured to the base completes the faucet housing. A spout extends over the basin and includes an outlet at its end. Two flexible tubes are connected to a mixing chamber near the outlet and extend through the spout and through the base for connection to hot and cold water conduits remote from the sink deck. The tubes are normally pinched closed adjacent the mixing chamber by springs, and operating levers at opposite sides of the spout rotate about a shaft and operate a linkage and valve mechanism for overcoming the spring forces to permit flow. Lost motion connections render the spring closing forces independent of lever position. A cross bar limits lever movement and provides a support surface against which the tubes are pinched. The tubes are located in the valve region by a block which serves as a barrier to leakage.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.