Mixing valve with graduated temperature modulation

A valve assembly for mixing hot and cold water including:

• a generally cylindrical sleeve having axially spaced and radially non-aligned hot and cold water inlets in the side thereof, axially spaced and radially non-aligned hot and cold outlets in said sleeve located peripherally of said inlets, selected one of said sleeve hot and cold water outlets having at least one tapered portion;
• a rotable non-reciprocal valve member positioned within said sleeve to control the mixture of hot and cold water, said valve member including a hollow stem tube having hot and cold water inlet and outlet ports therein and a sealless reciprocally movable pressure balancing spool positioned within said stem tube, one of said stem tube hot and cold water outlet ports being fluidly engageable with said tapered portion of said sleeve to provide a smooth temperature transition as the stem tube hot water outlet port is opened and closed, said spool and stem tube providing two spaced chambers, said stem tube cold water inlet and outlets ports opening into one chamber and said stem tube hot water inlet and outlet ports opening into the other chamber, with a portion of said chamber walls forming balancing surfaces such that said spool provides for balancing of pressures between the hot and cold water inlet ports;
• and a valve seal positioned on said sleeve at each of said sleeve hot and cold water inlets and extending therethrough for sealing contact with said valve member.

A valve assembly for mixing hot and cold water including:

• a generally cylindrical sleeve having axially spaced and radially non-aligned hot and cold water inlets in the side thereof, axially spaced and radially non aligned hot and cold outlets in said sleeve located peripherally of said inlets, both said sleeve hot and cold water outlets having at least one tapered portion;
• a rotable non-reciprocal valve member positioned within said sleeve to control the mixture of hot and cold water, said valve member including a hollow stem tube having hot and cold water inlet and outlet ports therein and a sealless reciprocally movable pressure balancing spool positioned within said stem tube, each of said stem tube hot and cold water outlet ports being fluidly engageable with the respective sleeve hot and cold water outlets and the respective tapered portion thereof to provide a smooth temperature transition as the stem tube hot water outlet port is opened and closed, said spool and stem tube providing two spaced chambers, said stem tube cold water inlet and outlets ports opening into one chamber and said stem tube hot water inlet and outlet ports opening into the other chamber, with a portion of said chamber walls forming balancing surfaces such that said spool provides for balancing of pressures between the hot and cold water inlet ports;
• and a valve seal positioned on said sleeve at each of said sleeve hot and cold water inlets and extending therethrough for sealing contact with said valve member.