Modular valve assembly

A reversible modular valve assembly, for use with hot and/or cold water said modular valve assembly comprising, a housing and valve, the valve including a replaceable cartridge assembly, said housing having two ends and having at least two inlet passages disposed within said housing for allowing the passage of hot and cold water through each of one of said inlet passages, said housing comprising at least one opening extending within said housing from proximate one end thereof extending towards the other end thereof, said at least one opening having disposed upon the perimeter thereof at least two outlet passages being in communication with said at least one opening and being disposed about the perimeter of the extension of said opening;

• said opening having disposed therein at least one flow diverting means having two ends and being of a predetermined dimension compatibly shaped with said at least one opening and extending within said housing in use, each diverting means being hollow throughout some of its predetermined dimension proximate an inlet passage and having at least two ports joined by said hollow disposed upon the perimeter thereof, said diverting means being moveable to, if not already aligned, align the hollow thereof with one of said at least two inlet passages of said housing wherein one of said ports of said diverting means is moveably aligned with one of said outlet passages of said openings when the hollow is aligned with one of said at least one inlet passages, whereby in operation when one of the at least two inlet passages of said housing is aligned with the hollow of said diverting means, the flow of fluid will pass through one of said at least two inlet passages through said hollow of the diverting means, through the hollow extending through the interior of said diverting means to one of said at least two ports through to one of said at least two outlet passages whereat the hot and/or cold water passes from the housing of the valve to a valve actuation means of the valve being a cartridge assembly contained within said housing, whereby said diverting means may be moved to redirect the flow of hot and/or cold water from said at least two inlet passages to facilitate the proper functioning of the valve actuation means;
• said housing further comprising at least a second opening extending from proximate one end of the valve housing to proximate the other end of the housing, said at least a second opening having contained therein in use a replaceable cartridge comprising the valve actuation means of the valve, said replaceable cartridge having two ends and having disposed at one end thereof control means for controlling the positioning of the valve, said control means allowing for the movement and registration of the components within the cartridge assembly, said cartridge assembly comprising at least two hollow cylindrical members, said at least two hollow cylindrical members having disposed within the circumference thereof between their ends openings which are in registration with the outlet passages of said housing to allow for introduction of hot and cold water into the cartridge assembly, some of said openings on one of said cylinders including sealing means therein for sealing engagement with some of the openings on another of said cylinders in use, one of said at least two cylindrical members comprising a stem portion having disposed at one end thereof the control means of the valve cartridge, said stem portion extending from one ends of the housing and said stem portion having disposed therein about the circumference thereof between the ends thereof openings which align in use with the openings of one of the remaining cylindrical portions containing the sealing means, said stem portion being moveable in relation to said cylindrical portions and to the sealing means contained therein wherein some of the sealing means disposed within some cylindrical portions are out of alignment with the flow of hot and/or cold water during the operation of the valve and engage some of the openings of said stem portion only when the valve flow ceases and the openings containing the sealing means are in registration with some of the openings disposed within the stem portion, said stem portion having contained therein openings passing through to the hollow thereof some of said openings being in communication with some of the openings disposed upon the remaining cylindrical members and being in communication with the outlet passages disposed within said housing.

For use with at least one fluid, a valve housing having a separate valve actuation means contained therein in use the valve actuation means being a cartridge assembly, said valve housing having two ends and having disposed therein at least one inlet passage and at least two outlet passages, said housing comprising at least one opening extending within said housing from proximate one end thereof and extending towards proximate the other end thereof, at least one each of said inlet passages and outlet passages being in communication with said at least one opening, each opening having disposed therein a flow diverting means extending within said opening in use, each diverting means being moveable to align with an inlet passage if not initially aligned, and being moveable into alignment with one of said at least two outlet passages when aligned with an inlet passage;

• whereby in operation when one of the at least one inlet passages of said housing is aligned with said diverting means, the flow of fluid will pass through one of said at least one inlet passages to said diverting means, the fluid thereafter passing through said diverting means and the aligned outlet passage, to the separate valve actuation means being a cartridge assembly of the valve contained within the housing, whereby said diverting means may be moved to redirect the flow of fluid from said at least one inlet passages to facilitate the proper functioning of the valve actuation means.

A reversible modular valve assembly, for use with hot and/or cold water said modular valve assembly comprising, a housing and valve, the valve including a replaceable cartridge assembly, said housing having two ends and having at least two inlet passages disposed within said housing for allowing the passage of hot and cold water through each of one of said inlet passages, said housing comprising at least one opening extending within said housing from proximate one end thereof extending towards the other end thereof, said at least one opening having disposed therewith at least two outlet passages being in communication with said at least one opening;

• said opening having disposed therein at least one flow diverting means with said at least one opening and extending within said opening in use, each diverting means for alignment with an inlet passage of said housing, said diverting means being moveable to, if not already aligned, align with one of said at least two inlet passages of said housing with one of said two outlet passages wherein said diverting means is moveably aligned with one of said two outlet passages of said openings when the diverting means is aligned with one of said at least two inlet passages, whereby in operation when one of the at least two inlet passages of said housing is aligned with said diverting means, the flow of fluid will pass through one of said at least two inlet passages through said diverting means through to one of said at least two outlet passages whereat the hot and/or cold water passes from the housing of the valve to a valve actuation means of the valve being a cartridge assembly contained within said housing, whereby said diverting means may be moved to redirect the flow of hot and/or cold water from said at least two inlet passages to facilitate the proper functioning of the valve actuation means;
• said housing further comprising at least a second opening extending from proximate one end of the valve housing to proximate the other end of the housing, said at least a second opening having contained therein in use a replaceable cartridge comprising the valve actuation means of the valve, said replaceable cartridge having two ends and having disposed at one end thereof control means for controlling the positioning of the valve, said control means allowing for the movement and registration of the components within the cartridge assembly, said cartridge assembly comprising at least two hollow cylindrical members, said at least two hollow cylindrical members having disposed within the circumference thereof between their ends openings which are in registration with the outlet passages of said housing to allow for introduction of hot and cold water into the cartridge assembly, some of said openings on one of said cylinders including sealing means therein for sealing engagement with some of the openings on another of said cylinders in use, one of said at least two cylindrical members comprising a stem portion having disposed at one end thereof the control means of the valve cartridge, said stem portion extending from one end of the housing and said stem portion having disposed therein about the circumference thereof between the ends thereof openings which align in use with the openings of one of the remaining cylindrical portions containing the sealing means, said stem portion being moveable in relation to said cylindrical portions and to the sealing means contained therein wherein some of the sealing means disposed within some cylindrical portions are out of alignment with the flow of hot and/or cold water during the operation of the valve and engage some of the openings of said stem portion only when the valve flow ceases and the openings containing the sealing means are in registration with some of the openings disposed within the stem portion, said stem portion having contained therein openings passing through to the hollow thereof some of said openings being in communication with some of the openings disposed upon the remaining cylindrical members and being in communication with the outlet passages disposed within said housing.