Tub with foot-actuated handle and valve with invertible port plate for mounting handle at different orientations within the tub
OwnerSamuel Bayne Bentleyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A handle for controlling water temperature and/or water flow is mounted on the side of a bathtub and shaped such that the handle may be controlled by a bather's foot. The vanes of the handle are shaped to accommodate the shape of the foot and are spaced apart from each other to allow easy operation of the handle. An invertible port plate in the valve is provided for mounting the handle in both right sidewall and left sidewall versions.
Claims28
A bath fixture comprising:
- a) a bathtub of a size accommodating a seated adult bather having outstretched legs and feet;
- b) a handle for controlling temperature of water entering the bathtub from a water supply spout, said handle having a plurality of vanes spaced about a pivot axis, each of the plurality of vanes having a tab at a terminal end of the vane opposite from the pivot axis;
- c) a valve on a sidewall of the bathtub, wherein said handle is attached at its pivot axis to the valve by a handle mounting,
- wherein said foot of said bather can engage one of the handle tabs and turn the handle so as to effect a change of the temperature of the water entering the bathtub.
A bathtub faucet handle assembly suitable for mounting on a bathtub sidewall, said handle comprising:
- a) a handle for controlling temperature of water entering a bathtub from a water supply spout, said handle having a plurality of vanes spaced about a pivot axis, each of the plurality of vanes having a tab at a terminal end of the vane opposite from the pivot axis, wherein a foot of a bather sitting in the bathtub can engage one of the handle tabs and turn the handle so as to effect a change the temperature of the water entering the bathtub;
- b) a handle mounting for attaching the handle at the pivot axis to a valve on a sidewall of the bathtub, wherein the handle mounting has a hub fitted with a reversible plug, said reversible plug allowing the handle to be mounted on a sidewall in one of two orientations, wherein the orientation determines position of the handle in an off position.
In a bath fixture having a bathtub of a size accommodating a seated adult bather having outstretched legs and feet, an improved faucet handle assembly comprising:
- a) a handle for controlling temperature of water entering the bathtub from a water supply spout, said handle having three vanes spaced about a pivot axis, each of the plurality of vanes having a tab at a terminal end of the vane opposite from the pivot axis, wherein said foot of said bather can engage one of the handle tabs and turn the handle so as to effect a change the temperature of the water entering the bathtub;
- c) a valve on a sidewall of the bathtub, wherein said valve has an internal port plate having a plurality of mounting tabs for engaging the valve body, said tabs spaced about the periphery of the port plate such that either side of the port plate may be used to enable rotational operation of the valve;
- and
- d) a handle mounting for attaching the handle at the pivot axis to the valve, wherein the handle mounting has a hub fitted with a reversible plug, said reversible plug allowing the handle to be mounted on a sidewall of the bathtub in one of two orientations, wherein the orientation determines position of the handle in an off position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.