US2726120A - Shower head - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 6, 1955 R. E. BLETCHER ET AL 2,726,120

SHOWER HEAD Filed June l5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheetl l 8 few/v6 ,0. afi/Q0 INVENTORS Dec. 6, 1955 R. E, BLETCHER ET AL 2,726,120

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United States Patent `(i) SHOWER HEAD Ralph E. Bletcher and Irving A. Ward, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors of five per cent to Ralph E. Bletcher, twelve and one-half per cent to Ernest H. Bucknell, twelve and one-half per cent to Mabel Bucknell, ten per cent to Pearl White Bletcher, twenty-tive per cent to Marcia Bucknell Liston, ten per cent to James H. Bletcher, ten per cent to Hazel B. Skinner, eight per cent to Charlotte R. B. Robertson, two per cent to Frederick Kenneth Robertson, as trustee, and five per cent to James Hamilton Bletcher, as trustee Application June 15, 1951, Serial No. 231,734

23 Claims. (Cl. 299-145) There are many types of shower heads available which are adapted to produce a discharge spray comprising a plurality of solid streams or needles of water. There are also many shower heads which are capable of producing a discharge spray of a plurality of droplets of water much in the nature of rain.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a shower head which is capable of producing a discharge spray having either of these characteristics.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower head which is readily adjustable to produce a discharge spray as a plurality of droplets or rain type discharge to the conventional or stream type discharge.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower head wherein the pressure of the water owing through the shower head is utilized to retain the diverting means in whichever desired position it is placed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower head which is readily disassembled to permit cleaning and replacement of the elements of the shower head.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation view of a shower head embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 2 illustrating the valve means in the stream or needle discharge position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the valve means in the droplet or rain producing position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a vertical section of a modified form of this invention.

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken along the line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9 9 of Figure 7 illustrating the valve means in the stream or needle producing position.

Figure l0 is a sectional view similar to Figure 9 illusrating the valve means in the droplet or rain producing position.

Figure ll is a sectional View taken along the line 11 11 of Figure 7.

Figure l2 is a perspective View of the resilient ring.

Referring now to Figures l through 6 and 12, the shower head comprises a housing having a threaded nipple 12 formed on the upper extremity thereof and ice ternal threads 20 of the housing 10. Projecting inwardly from the outer shell is a transverse web 26 forming ay restricted throat or centrally located discharge opening 28. Attached to this transverse web is an inner shell 36 which, in this embodiment, is cylindrical in shape and projects upwardly a distance equal to the upper extremity of the outer shell 24. The upper extremity of the inner shell 30 forms a valve seat 36 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The inner and outer shells are spaced from one another so as to form an annular water passage 32 therebetween. The outer shell 24 is provided with a plurality of ports 34 therein communicating with the water passage 32 and the exterior of the outer shell 24. The inner shell 30 forms a communication between the valve seat 36 and the centrally located discharge opening 28 so that water may ow through the valve body, either through the valve seat and hence the centrally located discharge opening, or through the water passage 32 and lout thek vide an enlarged area surrounding the lower extremity of the outer shell '24 so that a discharge annulus 40 is formed between the housing 10 and the lower extremity of the outer shell 24. TheV outer shell of the valve body is provided at its lowest extremity with a ange 42 which is adapted to retain'a ring 44 (see Figure l2) in the discharge annulus. T he ring 44 fits about the outer periphery of the shell 24 and bears against the llange 42. The ring 44 is preferably of a resilient material such as rubber, and is provided with a plurality of grooves 46 about the periphery thereof which dene spray channels with the inner wall lof the ,housing 10. Thus when water passes through the passage 32 and discharge ports 34, it

is directed into the discharge annulus 40, passing between the grooves 46 of the ring 44 and the inner surface of the housing 10 and spraying downwardly in the form Aof needles or streams of water. These grooves 46 in the ring 44 preferably vary in angularity from parallel to the axis of the housing to diverging slightly. The function of the varying angularity is to insure a illed discharge spray rather than a hollow circular discharge.

4-By varying the angularity of the grooves some of the fvided, at its upper extremity, with a retaining member 52, the outer periphery of which ssubstantially the same diameterv as the vinner diameter ,of the shell 30 and is providedy with suitablevports, or water passages therethrough to permit water to pass around the retaining member. The dellectng member 50, in this embodiment, is riveted to the supporting member 52 land is provided at -a position immediately below the discharge opening 28 with allange 54 so that water passing through the valve seat- 36 and the inner shell 30 and at the discharge opening'38 is' deflected transversely by the flange 54.

In this embodiment, a flared skirt 56 is formed about the centrally located discharge opening and depending from the valve body. The water passing through the centrally located discharge opening is thus deflected by the llange 54 transversely onto the skirt 56. The water is thereby broken from streams or needles into a plurality of droplets much in the nature of rain drops which are discharged from the skirt 56. It is of course apparent that the shape of the skirt 56 will determine the shape of the discharge spray. As the water strikes this skirt the droplets are deflected inwardly and downwardly at varying degrees of angularity insuring a filled conical discharge spray.

As previously described, the upper extremity of the inner shell 30 forms a valve seat. The upper extremity of the outer shell 24 in this emodiment also forms a valve seat. For purposes of clarity, the term valve seat when used hereinafter will refer only to the upper extremity of the inner shell.

A valve 58 is formed, in this embodiment, as a circular plate and is positioned normal to the axis of the housing and to the ilow of water through the housing. This circular plate or valve S8 is provided with a valve port 60 therein and, in this embodiment, with a plurality of indentations 62 in the periphery thereof diametrically opposed to the position of the valve port 60. The valve 58 is of a suliiciently small diameter to permit radial movement within the housing and the port 60, and so positioned in the valve that when said valve is moved radially to the position seen in Figure 4, the port will communicate with the water passage 32 and not with the inner portion of the inner shell 30 and discharge opening 28. Thus the water is diverted through the spray defining channels in the form of streams f water. The indentations 62 are of such depth that they will also communicate with the water passage 32 when the valve 58 is thus positioned, permitting delivery of water uniformly about the water passage 32 and insuring a uniform discharge through the spray channels. When the valve is moved radially to the opposite extremity of its movement, as seen in Figure 5, the discharge port 60 communicates with the inner portion of the shell 30 and thus with the centrally located discharge opening. When the valve 58 is thus positioned, ilow through water passage 32 is cut ot and all the water passes through shell 30 and out the discharge opening in the form of droplets of water, as hereinbefore described.

It is readily apparent that by positioning the diverter valve 58 normal to the axis of the housing 10, and hence to the flow of water, that the water pressure will hold the valve 58 tirmly against the valve seat 36 irrespective of in which position the diverter is placed.

The means for positioning the diverter valve in this embodiment is as follows. A cylindrical extension 64 is provided on the upper surface of the diverter valve 58. This cylindrical extension is provided with opposed slots 65 and 67 which are adapted to receive and guide the central shaft portion 66 of the push rod 68. Adjacent each side of the cylindrical extension 64 is an enlarged portion 70 and 71 of the push rod which function to bear against the cylindrical extensionV on each side of the slots so that movement of the push `rod moves the valve 58 radially in the housing. The housing 10 is provided with suitable apertures 72 and 74 throughwhich the outer enlarged portions 76 and 78 of the push rod 68 project. O-rings 80 are retained in suitable annular recesses in the extremities76 and 78 to provide a watertight seal. Thus when the push rod 68 is pushed to the extreme left position, as seen in Figure 4, it carries with it the diverter valve 58 until the periphery ofthe valve 58 strikes the inner surface of the, housing 10. At this position water is diverted through water passage 32 and out the discharge annulus 40 in the form of needles or streams of water. At this timethe centrally located. discharge opening `is shut off by the'divertervalve bearingv '4 1 against the valve seat 36. When the push rod is moved to its extreme right position, as seen in Figure S, until the periphery of` the diverter valve 48 strikes the inner surface of the housing 10, the port 60 communicates with the inside of the inner shell 30, permitting tlow through the centrally located discharge opening 28, the water striking the flange 54 and being deflected transversely onto the flared skirt 56 from whence it is deflected downwardly in the form of a plurality of droplets.

Referring now to Figures 7 through 1l, wherein a modified form of this shower head is illustrated, and wherein like parts are given the same numerical designation with the addition of the exponent 11, it is readily apparent that the principal embodiment and this embodiment are substantially the same. In the modification the outer shell 24a, best seen in Figures 7 and 1l, is not provided with ports similar to 34 but is slotted from the transverse web 26 all the way to the upper extremity thereof. A plurality of these slots, designated 81 in Figure 1l, are provided spaced about the shell 24a. Thus it is apparent from the previous description of the principal embodiment that the diverter valve 58a never shuts off flow through the discharge annulus 40a although it functions in the same manner as in the principal embodiment to open or close the centrally located discharge opening 28. The diverter value 58a is preferably of a diameter substantially the length of the inner diameter of the outer shell 24a so that water will flow about the diverter valve to passage 32a independent of the valves position. When the valve is moved to the left to the position seen in Figure 9 so that its periphery contacts the inner wall of housing 10, it shuts otf tlow to discharge opening 28a and the water is discharged through grooves `46a in the form of a lled cone of streams.

When the water is owing through the discharge opening 23a, that is when port 60a communicates with the inside of the inner shell 30a, as seen in Figure 10, the water strikes the dellecting ilange 54a and is diverted transversely toward the inner surface of the flared skirt formed in the lower portion of the housing 10a. The water thus deflected strikes the streams or needles of water discharged between the grooves 46a of ring 44a and breaks the streams or needles of water into a plurality of droplets which are hence discharged from the shower head. Thus the second ditierence between this modification and the principal embodiment lies in the elimination of the skirt 56 surrounding the detlecting member 50. When this modified form of the invention vis utilized, it is of course apparent that by adjusting the position of the diverter valve the quantity of water delivered to the discharge opening 28a and hence deflected into the streams of water passing through the discharge annulus can be controlled, and thus the degree of breaking up of the needles or streams ot` water discharged through the annulus 40a can be controlled.

The only other particular in which the modified form of my invention varies from the principal embodiment lies in the formation of the push rod corresponding to push rod 6S of the principal embodiment. ln this embodiment the cylindrical extension 64a is considerably larger than the cylindrical extension 64 in the principal embodiment and is illustrated as being formed about the periphery of the diverter valve 58a. The push rod is formed of two separate sections 82 and 84 which project through apertures in the housing 10 and are provided with annular recesses 36 and 88 adapted to tit into thc slots 65a and 67a, formed in the cylindrical extension 64a. In all other respects the construction and operation of the modified form of this device is the same as in the principal embodiment.

While what hereinbefore has been described as the principal embodiment of this invention, it is readily apparent that many changes can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such modifications and changes are intended to be claimed herein. v

We claim:

1. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having a Acentrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said discharge opening, valve means normal to the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, and means for radially adjusting said valve means to open or close flow to said discharge opening.

2. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said discharge opening, a valve normal to the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, means for radially adjusting said valve to open or close flow to said centrally located discharge opening, and a resilient ring fitting about the periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring having grooves in the periphery thereof deining spray channels with said housing.

3. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said discharge opening, a valve normal to the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, means forl radially adjusting said valve to open or close flow to said centrally located discharge opening, a resilient ring fitting about the periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring having grooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening and radial deecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water onto said skirt means and discharge through said opening.

4. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, a valve seat formed on said valve body at the opposite extremity thereof, means forming a centrally located discharge opening in said valve body and communicating with said valve seat, means forming a water passage surrounding said centrally located discharge opening and communicating with said discharge annulus, valve means normal to the axis of said housing retained against said valve seat, and means for moving said valve means radially in said housing to open or close ow to said centrally located discharge opening.

5. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing having a centrally located discharge opening at one extremity and a valve seat in communication with said discharge opening formed on the other extremity of said valve body, valve means disposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof .to control How through said discharge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, and deecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening.

6. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, a valve seat formed on said valve body at the opposite extremity thereof, means forming a centrally located discharge opening in said valve body and communicating with said valve seat, means forming a water passage surrounding said centrally located discharge opening and communicating with said` discharge annulus, valve means normal to the axis of said housing retainedagainst said valve seat, means for moving said valve means radially in said housing to open or close ow to said centrally located discharge opening', skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, and deflecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening.

7. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, a valve seat formed on said valve body at the opposite extremity thereof, means forming a centrally located discharge opening in said valve body and communicating with said valve seat, means forming a water passage surrounding said centrally located discharge opening and communicating with said discharge annulus, valve means normal to the axis of said housing retained against said valve seat, means for moving said valve means radially in said housing to open or close flow to said centrally located discharge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, deflecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening, and a resilient ring fitting about the periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus and having grooves on the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing.

8. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening in said annulus forming extremity and a valve seat formed at the opposite extremity of said valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, means for radially moving said diverter means to permit iiow through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening.

9. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening in said annulus forming extremity and a valve seat formed at the opposite ex-VV tremity of said valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, means for radially moving said diverter means to permit ow through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, and deiecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening.

10. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening in said annulus forming extremity and a valve seat formed at the opposite extremity of said valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in saidhousing normal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, means for radially moving said diverter means to permit flow through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge' opening, deliecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means' when discharged through said opening, and a resilient ring fitting about the periphery'of said valve body in said discharge annulus and having grooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing.

K ll. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge 'annulus therewith, saidV valve body having a centrally 1ocated discharge opening, a valve seat formed on ysaid valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, and means for radially moving said diverter means to permit ow through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening.

l2. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in said housing norma!A to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, means for radially moving said diverter means to permit ilow through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, and deiiecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening.

13. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having a centrally iocated discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, means for radially moving said diverter means to permit iov/ through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening, and a resilient ring tting about the periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus and having grooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing.

l4. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body having an outer shell adapted to be mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulus therewith and a transverse web forming a restricted throat therein, an inner shell affixed to said transverse web and forming a valve seat at the extremity opposed from said restricted throat providing a water passage between said inner and outer shells, said outer shell having at least one aperture cornmunicating said water passage with said discharge annulus, diverter means normal to the axis of said housing adapted to bear against one extremity of said outer shell and said valve seat, said diverter having an aperture therein to permit flow therethrough, and means for radially moving said diverter so that the aperture in said diverter will permit tlow to said water passage or through said valve seat to said discharge opening.

15. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body having an outer shell adapted to be mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulus therewith and a transverse web forming a restricted throat therein, an inner shell affixed to said transverse web and forming a valve seat at the extremity opposed from said restricted throat providing a water passage between said inner and outer shells, said outer shell having at least one aperture communieating said water passage with said discharge annulus, diverter means normal to the axis of saidrhousing adapted to bear against one extremity of said outer shell and said valve seat, said diverter having an aperture therein to permit flow therethrough, means for radially moving said diverter so that the aperture in said diverter will permit flow to said water passage or through said valve seat to said discharge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, deflecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening, and a ring fitting about the periphery of said outer shell in said discharge annulus having grooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing.

16. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, means forming a centrally located discharge opening in said valve body, diverter valve means normal to the axis of said housing opening or closing iiow through said discharge opening without obstructing flow through said discharge annulus and means for positioning said valve means to open or close flow through said discharge opening.

17.l A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing and forming a discharge annulus about the .periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, means` forming a centrally located discharge opening in said valve body, detiecting means disposed in saiddischarge opening to divert water radially onto the inner surface of said housing when discharged through said opening, diverter valve means normal to the axis of said housing controlling flow through said discharge opening without obstructing flow through said discharge annulus.

18. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing andforming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valve body at one extremity thereof, means forming a centrally located discharge opening in said valve body, deecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto the inner surface of said housing when discharged through said opening, diverter valve means normal to the axis of said housing controlling flow through said discharge opening without obstructing flow through said discharge annulus, and a resilient ring fitting about the periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus and having grooves on the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing.

19. A shower head comprising a housing having opposed apertures therein, a valve body mounted in said housing having a centrally located discharge opening at one extremity thereof and a valve seat in communication with said discharge opening formed in the other extremity of said valve body, a diverter valve disposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof to control ow through said opening, push rod means projecting through said apertures in said housing engaging said diverter valve whereby radial movement of said push rod opens and closes How through said discharge opening.

20. A shower head comprising a housing having opposed apertures therein, a valve body mounted in said housing having a centrally located discharge opening at one extremity thereof and a valve seat in communication with said discharge opening formed in the other extremity of said valve body, a diverter valve disposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof to control tiow through said opening, push rod means projecting through said apertures, rod engaging means on said diverter valve adapted to latch said diverter valve to said push rod means whereby radial movement of said push rod means moves said diverter valveto open and close ilow through said discharge opening.

2l. A shower' head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said discharge opening, valve means normal to the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, push rod means projecting through said housing and engaging said valve means for radially adjusting said valve means to open or close flow to said discharge opening.

22. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said discharge opening. a valve normal to the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, push rod means projecting through said housing and engaging said valve for radially adjusting said valve to open or close ow to said centrally located discharge opening, and a resilient ring fitting about the periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring having grooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels wth said1hous`ng.v

23. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in said housing forming a discharge annuius therewith, said valve body having a centrally located discharge opening, a. valve seat formed on said valve body and communicating with said discharge opening, a valve normal to the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, push rod means projecting through said housing and engaging said valve for radially adjusting said valve to open or close ow to said centrally located discharge opening, a resilient ring fitting about the periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring having grooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening and radial defiecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert water onto said skirt means and discharge through said opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Moen Nov. 7, 1950

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