# US 4,574,842 A · Water distribution valve

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- Number: US 4,574,842 A
- Document ID: US4574842A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/544,409
- Filed: 1983-10-20
- Granted: 1986-03-11
- Earliest claimed: 1983-10-20
- Inventors: Adolfo O. Cordova
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4574842A

## CPC

- F16K 11/0856: {having all the connecting conduits situated in more than one plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug}
- Y10T 137/86525: Flow combining with flow dividing
- Y10T 137/86533: Rotary
- Y10T 137/86863: Rotary valve unit
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A water distribution valve including a cylindrical outer box having hot and cold water inlet ports and a plurality of outlet ports in the cylindrical outer wall thereof, and a cylindrical inner cup which is rotatable within the box with the cylindrical walls thereof in sliding contact with the cylindrical walls of the box. Inlet and outlet holes are provided in the cylindrical outer walls of the cup, which holes are respectively alignable with the ports in the box to allow hot and/or cold water to flow into the cup through one or two aligned inlet ports and holes and then out through an aligned outlet hole and port. The holes and ports are arranged so that incremental rotations of the cup in the box aligns different cup holes and box ports to selectively provide hot, cold or warm water to any one of the outlet ports.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A rotary valve comprising:
a box having a cylindrical box wall, defining a first internal space therein, having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of ports in said box wall peripherally of said longitudinal axis opening into said space, said plurality of ports including first and second inlet ports and n outlet ports, n being an integer greater than 1; and
a cup having a cylindrical cup wall, mounted in said first internal space in said box for rotation about said longitudinal axis such that said cup wall rotates in sliding contact with said box wall;
said cup wall defining therein a second internal space within said first internal space, and having a plurality of holes opening into said second internal space, said plurality of holes including 2n inlet holes forming n pairs of first and second inlet holes, one pair for and associated with each outlet port, and n outlet holes, one outlet hole for and associated with each outlet port, said plurality of holes and said plurality of ports being located and shaped such that there are n sets of angularly spaced first, second and third successive angular positions of said cup about said axis relative to said box, one set for and associated with each outlet port, and for any one of said outlet ports successive rotation of said cup to the first, second and third successive angular positions of the associated set:
radially aligns in turn said first inlet port with the first inlet hole of the associated pair, said first and second of said inlet ports respectively with the first and second inlet holes of said associated pair, and said second inlet port with the second inlet hole of said associated pair, and
concurrently and continuously during the rotation from said first angular position to said third angular position radially aligns the associated outlet hole with said any one of said outlet ports;
whereby any one of a first fluid directed to said first inlet port, a second fluid directed to said second inlet port and both the first fluid and the second fluid respectively concurrently directed to said first inlet port and said second inlet port are directed into said second interior space and out any one of said outlet ports by rotating said cup to a corresponding one of said angular positions, and no drop in total cross-sectional area of overlap of said any one of said outlet ports and the associated pair of outlet holes occurs during said rotation between said first and said third angular positions of the associated set.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A rotary valve as in claim 1, wherein n equals 4, said n output ports comprising first, second, third and fourth outlet ports, said n outlet holes comprising first, second, third and fourth outlet holes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A rotary valve as in claim 2, wherein said, first inlet port, said second inlet port, said first and second outlet ports, and said third and fourth outlet ports are respectively located at mutually spaced first, second, third and fourth angular locations about said axis.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A rotary valve as in claim 3, wherein said first and second outlet ports are axially spaced from each other and from said first and second inlet ports, said third and fourth outlet ports being axially spaced from each other and from said first and second inlet ports.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A rotary valve as in claim 4, wherein said first, second, third and fourth outlet holes, have widths in the circumferential direction respectively three times those of said first, second, third, and fourth outlet ports respectively aligned with said first, second, third and fourth outlet ports at corresponding first, second, third and fourth angular locations of said cup; said n pairs of inlet holes consisting of first, second, third and fourth pairs of inlet holes respectively corresponding to said first, second and third and fourth outlet holes, each pair consisting of first and second inlet holes having widths in the circumferential direction respectively twice those of said first and second inlet ports, said first and second inlet holes of said first, second, third and fourth pairs being respectively alignable with one or both of said first and second inlet ports only when said cup is respectively oriented at said first, second, third and fourth angular locations.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A rotary valve as in claim 5, wherein said outlet holes and said inlet holes are separated by wall portions of said cup which are alignable with all of said input and output ports to block inflow or outflow of fluid therethrough.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

A rotary valve as in claim 2, further comprising a disc-shaped cover covering said first space, peripherally mounted to said box wall, having a central hole around said axis, having detents therein defining said angular locations adjacent the periphery thereof, and a handle pivotally mounted to said cup through said central hole, said handle including a detent mechanism to releasable engaging said detents to releasably hold said handle and said cup at corresponding angular locations.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A rotating valve as in claim 7, wherein said cup includes an upper disc-shaped plate covering said second space, said handle including a pin fixed to said handle and said plate at opposite ends, extending through said opening and connecting said handle to said plate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A valve as in claim 1, wherein said ports are round and said holes are circumferentially elongated.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A valve as in claim 9, wherein said holes are rounded on their circumferential ends.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

A valve as in claim 2, wherein said ports are round and said holes are circumferentially elongated.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A valve as in claim 11, wherein said holes are rounded on their circumferential ends.