Temperature and volume control valve assembly

A mixing valve characterized by:

• a housing having a cavity with two supply ports and a discharge port in communication with said cavity;
• a cartridge rotatably mounted in said housing;
• said cartridge including a first generally planar valving surface sealingly abutting said two supply ports with two inlets therethrough for controlling volume flow to said cartridge;
• said cartridge having intermediate first and second ports downstream and in communication with said respective inlets;
• a second generally planar valving surface slidably movable within said cartridge over said intermediate ports for controlling the relative proportion of fluid flow from said two intermediate ports;
• operating means for rotating said cartridge with said first valving surface and for slidably moving said second valving surface within said cartridge;
• said cartridge having an outlet in fluid communication with said first and second intermediate ports and said discharge port in said housing.

A mixing valve characterized by:

• a housing having a cavity with an open end and an axially positioned wall spaced from and facing said open end with two supply ports therethrough;
• a discharge port in communication with said cavity;
• a cartridge rotatably mounted in said housing along an axis generally perpendicular to said axially positioned wall;
• said cartridge including a first generally planar valving surface with two inlets therethrough for controlling volume flow from said supply ports through said inlets and into said cartridge with said valving surface substantially parallel to said wall;
• an inner sealing means between said supply ports and said first valving surface for providing a sealed passage from said ports to said valving surface;
• an outer sealing means interposed between said housing and said first valving surface and operatively and being spaced about said inner sealing means and spaced therefrom such that when said first valving surface is rotated to partially uncover said supply ports said outer sealing means prevents fluid flow directly from said supply ports to said discharge port thereby preventing fluid from bypassing said cartridge.

A mixing valve characterized by:

• a valve housing for controlling fluid flow from two supply ports to a discharge port;
• control means for controlling the proportion of fluid from said two supply ports;
• a rotatable knob operably attached to said control means;
• said rotatable knob having a stop shoulder means for limiting the rotational movement of said knob;
• a seat means having an arcuate periphery and a fixed shoulder for abutting the stop shoulder means on the knob for limiting the rotation of the knob to a cold position;
• said stop shoulder means abutable against a shoulder on an arcuate stop member, said arcuate stop member being adjustably positioned adjacent said outer periphery of said seat means for adjusting the rotational limit of said knob to a hot position;
• and
• said seat means being fixed is in a volume control handle that is movable with respect to said valve housing.

A mixing valve characterized by:

• a valve housing having a first and second supply port and a mixed fluid discharge port;
• a valve means for controlling the proportion of flow from each respective supply port to said mixed fluid discharge port by having a first position wherein said first supply port is open and said second supply port is closed and movable to a second position wherein said second supply port is open and said first supply port is at least partially closed;
• an operating stem connected to said valve means for adjusting the proportion of flow from each respective supply port;
• a handle operably connected to said stem;
• limit means for limiting the movement of said handle with respect to said valve housing;
• said valve means constructed so that when fluids supplied to the respective first and second ports are interchanged said valve means can be moved such that it undergoes a reverse function wherein an initial position opens said second port and closes said first port and a final position opens said first port and at least partially closes said second supply port;
• an orienting insert means interposed between said operating stem and said handle to orient the handle with respect to said housing such that said handle has a first position and is movable to a second position when said valve means is in one of its first position and initial position and is movable to one of its second position and final position respectively;
• and
• a positive engaging means affixed to said orienting insert means and allowing said insert to be positioned with respect to said handle in only a first position and being removable to allow said handle to be deliberately oriented with respect to said stem and insert in an alternate position.

A rotatable modular cartridge for a mixing valve housing characterized by:

• a lower cartridge section having a first valve surface at an inlet end thereof for controlling flow from first and second supply ports in said mixing valve housing;
• said lower cartridge section having passage means in fluid communication with said outlet end;
• an upper cartridge section snap fitted to said lower cartridge section;
• said upper cartridge section receives a second valve surface operably mounted to said passage means;
• an integral upper end of said upper cartridge section defines a first operating stem on which a control handle is mountable for rotating said cartridge and said first valving surface;
• said first operating stem has an aperture therethrough for receiving a second operating stem that is operably affixed to said second valve surface;
• said cartridge has an outlet means for fluid downstream of said second valve surface;
• one of said first or second valve surfaces operable to control total fluid flow through said cartridge;
• the other of said first or second valve surfaces operable to control relative proportions of fluid flow from said first and second supply ports in said mixing valve housing;
• said first valve surface including two inlets;
• said passage means including two passages each in communication with a respective inlet;
• said first valve surface is rotatable to control total fluid flow through said cartridge;
• said second valve surface being rotatable coaxially with respect to said first valve surface and controls the relative proportion of fluid flow from said two passages;
• and
• said upper cartridge section defines a mixing chamber therein.

A mixing valve characterized by:

• a valve housing for controlling fluid flow from two supply ports to a discharge port;
• control means for controlling the proportion of fluid from said two supply ports;
• a rotatable knob operably attached to said control means;
• said rotatable knob having a stop shoulder means for limiting the rotational movement of said knob;
• a seat means having an arcuate periphery and a fixed shoulder for abutting the stop shoulder means on the knob for limiting the rotation of the knob to a cold position;
• said stop shoulder means abutable against a shoulder on an arcuate stop member;
• and
• said arcuate stop member having an outwardly facing engagement means on an outer periphery being adjustably engageable to an inner facing engagement means on the outer periphery of said seat means for adjusting the rotational limit of said knob to a hot position.

A rotatable modular cartridge for a mixing valve housing characterized by:

• a lower cartridge section having a first flat valve plate surface at an inlet end thereof for controlling flow from first and second supply ports in said mixing valve housing;
• said lower cartridge section having passage means in fluid communication with said outlet end;
• an upper cartridge section snap fitted to said lower cartridge section;
• said upper cartridge section receives a second flat valve plate surface operably mounted to said passage means;
• an integral upper end of said upper cartridge section defines a first operating stem on which a control handle is mountable for rotating said cartridge and said first valving surface;
• said first operating stem has an aperture therethrough for receiving a second operating stem that is operably affixed to said second valve surface;
• said cartridge has an outlet means for fluid downstream of said second valve surface;
• one of said first or second valve surfaces operable to control total fluid flow through said cartridge;
• and
• the other of said first or second valve surfaces operable to control relative proportions of fluid flow from said first and second supply ports in said mixing valve housing.