US3791588A - Head shower - Google Patents

Head shower Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3791588A
US3791588A US00286820A US3791588DA US3791588A US 3791588 A US3791588 A US 3791588A US 00286820 A US00286820 A US 00286820A US 3791588D A US3791588D A US 3791588DA US 3791588 A US3791588 A US 3791588A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
shower
head
bore
valve
improvement
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00286820A
Inventor
G Buzzi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hansgrohe SE
Original Assignee
Hansgrohe SE
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hansgrohe SE filed Critical Hansgrohe SE
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3791588A publication Critical patent/US3791588A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05BSPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B12/00Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
    • B05B12/02Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area for controlling time, or sequence, of delivery
    • B05B12/04Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area for controlling time, or sequence, of delivery for sequential operation or multiple outlets
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03CDOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER; SINKS
    • E03C1/00Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks
    • E03C1/02Plumbing installations for fresh water
    • E03C1/06Devices for suspending or supporting the supply pipe or supply hose of a shower-bath

Definitions

  • a head shower includes a shower arm designed as a Forest, Germany pipe section for connection of an inlet end thereof to [73] Assigne e: Hans Grohe KG, Schiltach/ Black a water, Supply pipe laid in the of a shower Forest, Germany sure, mm the shower arm extending substantlally hOI'lzontally above head level and having a shower head Filed? p 6, 1972 outlet connection to which there is secured a shower [21] Appl No: 286,820 head.
  • An additional outlet connection communicates with the shower arm and is arranged to have a hose shower, for washing the hands and the like, connected Foreign Application Data thereto.
  • a valve controls flow through the two outlet Sept. 9, 1971 Germany 2145014 connections, and a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperates with the valve [52]
  • U.S. Cl. 239/446 means to provide for flow of water through only a se- [51] Int. Cl A62c 31/00 lected one of the two outlet connections.
  • the valve [58] Field of Search 239/443, 396, 397, 312 may be rotatable or axially displaceable in the shower arm, with the manually operable member comprising a [56] References Cited handle secured to the free end of the valve.
  • the valve may be rotatable and axially displace- 3 112073 11/1963 Larson etal 239/446 able in the additional outlet connectim and 6mm! 2:867:230 1 1959 Bletcher et al. 239 444 acrossthe bore of the ShOwe a further 2,538,211 1 1951 Prout 239/446 bediment of the invention
  • the shower head may be of 3,118,605 1/1964 McClenahan 239 443 X
  • the Shut-Off yp and y constitute a manually p Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlew and Tuttle WIII 4 22 23 18 6 w 2 V v able member, with the valve comprising a pressure responsive valve in the additional outlet connection.
  • the invention is directed to a head shower including a shower head and other parts, which is secured on an at least substantially horizontal shower arm connected, above head level, to a water supply pipe laid in a wall of a shower enclosure, such as a shower stall, with the shower arm being designed as a pipe section.
  • Such head showers are known, and are generally installed in fixed relation in shower stalls and the like in such a way that the shower arm, on the free end of which the shower head is threaded, is threaded into an end piece of the water supply pipe, this end piece extending horizontally in a wall of the shower enclosure.
  • hose shower In addition to such a head shower, an additional socalled hose shower frequently is required to complement the shower enclosure equipment.
  • This hose shower comprises substantially a hand shower which is secured at the end of a hose also connected to the water supply pipe. It must be possible to turn the water supply, for the head shower and for the hose shower, on and off separately, and to switchfrom the head shower to the hose shower and vice versa.
  • the objective of the present invention is to obviate these disadvantages and to provide a combination of a head shower and a hose shower which combination is not only simple to operate but also simpler and cheaper to install.
  • the shower arm is provided not only with a shower head connection but also with a hose shower connection, and a rotatable and/or axially displaceable switching and/or closing element or valve is arranged inthe shower arm, and controls flow through the shower head outlet and the hose shower outlet.
  • the switching and/or closing element is a hollow cylinder open at its inlet end, and this cylinder is rotatably mounted in the shower arm and provided, in the range of the shower head outlet and in the range of the hose shower outlet, on its circumference, with gaskets and angularly staggered or offsetwall openings.
  • the hollow cylinder has an operating handle or the like at the outer end of the shower arm.
  • a switching and/or closing element is a valve plunger axially reciprocable in a blind bore of the shower arm and having at least one sealing flange.
  • the water supply inlet opens radially into the blind bore between the shower head connection and the hose shower connection.
  • an axial displacement of the valve plunger is provided, which also insures a simple and easy operation. Due to the axial displacement of the valve plunger in one or the other direction, it is possible to switch from one outlet to the other.
  • the distance between two sealing flanges thereon is less than the distance between the shower head outlet and the hose shower outlet. This offers the possibility of closing both outlets by bringing the valve plunger into a center position in which one sealing flange is between the inlet and the shower head outlet and the other sealing flange is between the inlet and the hose shower outlet.
  • the valve plunger preferably is provided with an operating handle at the free front end of the shower arm.
  • the shower arm has a preferably downwardly pointing guide socket provided with a cylindrical bore, the axis of the bore intersecting the axis of the bore of the shower arm.
  • a hollow cylindrical closing and/or switching element formed at its upper end with a radial bore, is mounted in this guide socket for rotation and/or axial displacement.
  • This closing and/or switching element is provided, at its lower end, with a thread for securing thereto a flexible hose of a hand shower, and is also provided at its lower end with an operating handle.
  • This embodiment has the advantage that the closing and/or switching element is more easily accessible in its operation. While it can only be operated by a handle, in the first described embodiments, which is arranged above the shower head and requires the user to reach around the shower head to operate the closing and/or switching element, in the embodiment just described the handle is arranged below the connecting socket for the hand shower hose and is therefore more easily accessible.
  • the hollow cylindrical closing and/or switching element has, on its outer surface, a radial slot-shaped or semicircular groove to which there protrudes a stop secured in the wall of the guide socket, and which limits the axial and/or rotary movement of the closing and/or switching element.
  • control element This provides the possibility of displacing the control element selectively in its own axial direction between two end positions, or to rotate it about its own axis about and thus to block water supply both to the shower head and to the hand shower hose.
  • the control element consists of a simple and inexpensive turned part, is easy to mount, and is also easy to turn or to move away from any given position into any other operating position. When the control element is displaced downwardly, the water is supplied to the shower head while, when the control element is moved upward in an axial direction, the water is supplied into the hand shower.
  • the head shower is equipped with a shower head whose water outlet orifices can be closed by means of a closing element
  • the shower arm is provided with a preferably downwardly opening connecting socket with a central bore whose axis intersects the axis of the bore of the shower arm.
  • a pre-formed elastic self-closing element, or a closing element held in closing position by a spring force directed opposite to the water outflow direction, and which is less than the maximum water pressure, is arranged in the bore of the connecting socket.
  • the closing element in the connecting socket of the hand shower hose which is arranged on the underside of the shower arm, is so designed that it closes or opens in dependence on the respective water pressure in the bore of the shower arm.
  • the water supply can be directed into the hand shower simply be closing the shower head while, with the shower head open, the incoming water issues only through the shower head and does not flow into the hand shower because the water pressure in the bore of the shower arm is too low to open the closing element and the connecting socket of the hand shower water hose.
  • the water pressure rises in the bore of the shower arm, so that the closing element in the connecting socket of the hand shower hose is opened and allows waterto flow to the hand shower.
  • the closing element can be a rubber disk which has a central opening and, around this opening, a closing lip projecting axially upwardly and which bears tightly on a conical finger projecting into the opening of the closing element, at low water pressure in the bore of the shower arm.
  • the closing element can be made as a conical disk which is pressed against the conical seat of the bore of the connecting socket, at low water pressure in the bore of the shower arm, by a com-. pression spring, to block water supply to the hand shower.
  • the method of operation is the same. With the shower head open, the water flows through the shower head and, with the shower head closed, the closing element in the connecting socket is opened by the higher water pressure in the bore of the shower arm and the water is thus conducted to the hand shower.
  • An object ofthe invention is to provide an improved combination of a head shower and a hose shower.
  • Another object of the invention is to provude such a combination including a valve operatively associated with a shower arm and controlling flow through an outlet connection to a shower head and an outlet connection to a hose shower.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide such a combination in which a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperates with the valve to provide for flow of water through only a selected one of the two outlet connections of the shower arm.
  • FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic vertical sectional view of an installed head shower combined with a hose shower
  • FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the shower arm
  • FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a second embodiment of the shower arm
  • FIG. 4 is a part side elevation view and part longitudinal sectional view through a third embodiment .of a shower arm in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V V of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 5a is also a sectional view taken on the line V V of FIG. 4, but showing another embodiment of the closing and/or switching element;
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line VI VI of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 7 is a partial view of FIG. 4 showing the closing and/or switching element turned, in its upper position, through substantially FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the closing and/or switching element in another position;
  • FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a combination head shower and hose shower installed on the wall of a shower enclosure;
  • FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of a head shower, with a closeable shower head, used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 11 is a partial view corresponding to FIG. 10 but illustrating the self-closing element in an open position
  • FIG. 12 is a view of a portion of FIG. 10 but illustrating a different embodiment of a self-closing element.
  • a shower arm 4 is connected, by a threaded joint 5, to a horizontal portion of an elbow 1 threaded onto a water supply pipe 3 laid in a wall 2, for example, of a shower enclosure or stall, the horizontal leg of elbow 1 being above head level.
  • shower arm 4 is a tubular horizontally extending body with a continuous cylindrical central bore 6.
  • a shower head 10 is secured to connection 7 by threading onto male thread 9, and a cap nut 13 is threaded onto male thread 14 of outlet connection 11.
  • Cap nut 13 retains a hose 15 connected to outlet connection 11.
  • hose 15 has a hand shower 16 at its free end, and hand shower 16, when it is not in use, hangs in a holder 17 secured on wall 2.
  • a hollow cylinder or tubular member 18 which is open at its inlet end 19 and which is provided at its opposite or outer and with a handle 20.
  • a screw 21 connects handle 20 non-rotatably with cylinder or tube 18 and serves, at the same time and in cooperation with a flange 22 arranged at the opposite end 19 of member 18, to secure cylinder or tubular member 18 against axial displacement in control bore 6.
  • tubular member 18 is provided with respective gaskets 23 and 24, as well as with wall openings 25 and 26 which are not covered by the respective gaskets 23 and 24 but serve as a connection between the bores 8 and 12 and the cavity or interior 27 of tubular member 18.
  • Openings 25 and 26 have substantially the same diameter as the respective bores 8 and 12, and are so staggered angularly that only one opening can be made to coincide with a bore 8 or 12. Also, both bores 8 and 12 are closed in a certain angular position of handle 20, or of tubular member 18, by the respective gaskets 23 and 24.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the shower arm and of the switching or closing element.
  • shower arm 4' again has a downwardly inclined shower head outlet connection 7' onto which is threaded a shower head 10.
  • the outlet connection for shower hose 15, in this embodiment has a female thread 28.
  • a valve plunger 32 which has a diameter which is substantially smaller than that of central bore 29.
  • Valve plunger 32 is provided with two pairs of sealing flanges 33 and 34, and the axial spacing of the two pairs of flanges from each other is less than the distance between the radial bores 35 and 36 of connections 7 and 28, respectively.
  • Bores 35 and 36 terminate, like the bores 8 and 12 of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, radially in control bore
  • valve plunger 32 By means of a shaft 40, which is guided axially through bush 30, and at the end of which is secured a handle 41, valve plunger 32 can be displaced axially with its two pairs of sealing flanges 33, 34, between an extreme left position I and an extreme right position II. A center position 0 is provided between these two extreme positions.
  • plunger 32 When plunger 32 is in position I, the water supply from central bore 29 to hand shower hose 15 is blocked, but the supply to shower head 10 is open. In this position, the two pairs of sealing flanges 33 and 34 are to the left of the adjacent connecting bores 35 and 36, respectively. Supply of water to shower head 10 is blocked in position II of valve plunger 32, and water can then be supplied to hand shower hose 15.
  • the pairs of sealing flanges are provided with respective circumferential gaskets 42 and 43.
  • sealing flanges 44 By the provision of an additional pair of sealing flanges 44, arranged at a certain spacing from the pair of sealing flanges 33 toward the outer end of the valve plunger 32, water is prevented from flowing into the cavity or interior of central bore 29 outwardly of sealing flanges 44 or through the bore in bush 30 to the exterior, which could be the case if sealing flanges 33 were above outlet bore 35.
  • This additional pair of sealing flanges 44 also could be replaced, however, by an additional seal in bush 30.
  • Another possibility would be to provide merely a single sealing flange on valve plunger 32 and to arrange the same so that it seals radial branch lines 39 tightly in position 0. This can be achieved by two sealing rings arranged at a small spac ing from each other, or by a gasket.
  • the water supply would then be delivered to shower head 10 in position I and to hose 15 in position ll, while any water flow would be blocked in position
  • shower arm 50 is designed as a cylindrical hollow body or tubular member which has an axial bore 51 and which is secured, by means of a thread 52, to the horizontal leg of elbow 1 connected to the water supply pipe 3.
  • Pipe 3 is laid in wall 2, in the same manner as shown in FIG. 1.
  • shower head 54 directed obliquely downwardly, and which will be described more fully below with respect to FIG. 10.
  • shower head 54 can be closed.
  • shower arm 50 is provided with a cylindrical downwardly directed nipple 55 with a central bore 56 whose axis 57 is perpendicular to the axis 58 of bore 51 of shower arm 50, and lies in the same plane therewith so that it intersects axis 58.
  • Bore 56 communicates with the bore 51 of shower arm 50 and terminates in a cylindrical recess 59 above bore 51 of shower arm 50.
  • a hollow cylindrical or tubular body 60 which has a bore 61 concentric with bore 56.
  • Body 60 is closed at its upper end by an end wall 62, and bore 61 can communicate, through a radial aperture or bore at the upper end of body 60, with bore 51 of shower arm 50, when tubular body 60 occupies the position shown in FIG. 4.
  • the outer peripheral surface of body 64 is formed with a longitudinally extending groove 64 into which there extends the cylindrical lug 65 of a headless screw 66 threaded through the wall of nipple 55.
  • the length of groove 64 is so selected that body 60 can be adjusted axially, or longitudinally of groove 64 between the upper position shown in FIG. 4 and the lower position shown in FIG. 8.
  • body 60 projecting, in'the upper position of FIG. 4, from nipple 55, is provided with a handle 67 and, beneath handle 67, body 60 is formed with a male thread 68 threadedly receiving a cap nut 70 securing a hand shower hose 69 to body 60.
  • body 60 also can be provided with a semi-circular groove 64', as shown in FIG. 5, and into which there extends the cylindrical lug 65 of screw 66 so that body 60 can then move not only axially, in the direction of the double arrow 71, between the positions indicated in FIGS. 4 and 8, but can also be turned through substantially 180 about its longitudinal axis 57.
  • shower arm 50 also can be equipped with a shower head such as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 instead of a closeable shower head 54, in the case of a semi-circular groove 64' which has, in the axial direction, the same length as axial groove 64. This will be explained hereinafter.
  • Body 60 serves as a closing or switching element, or for both closing and switching.
  • water entering in the direction of the arrow 72 from water supply line 3 is conducted through radial bore or aperture 63 and axial bore 61 into hose 69 and through the latter into hand shower 16.
  • showerhead 54 receives no water.
  • body 60 is pulled down to the lower position shown in FIG. 8, water flows through bore 51 of shower arm 50 into shower head 54 and, if the-latter is opened, in jets into the open air.
  • End wall 62 with body 60 closes bore 56 of nipple 55 and, through the wall of 66, also the radial aperture or bore 63 of body 60, so that no water can flow into hose 69 and into hand shower 16.
  • a circumferential gasket 73 is provided at the upper end of bore 56 of nipple 55. If the issuance of water from closeable shower head 54 also is to be prevented, the shower head can be closed by a corresponding adjustment of the closing element, in the manner described more fully below, so that the entire head shower, including the hand shower, receives no water. As soon as body 60 is raised again into the position of FIG. 4, hand shower 16 again receives water through hose 19.
  • non-closeable shower head 10 switching of the water supply from hand shower 16 to shower head 10, and vice versa, can be effected in the manner described above.
  • switching of the water supply from hand shower 16 to shower head 10, and vice versa can be effected in the manner described above.
  • body 60 In order to shut off the water supply completely for the shower head 10 and to the hand shower 16, it then is necessaryonly to turn body 60, in its upper position about its axis 57, through about l80 so that it assumes the position shown in FIG. 7 in which aperture 63 communicates with bore 51 of shower 50 on the outlet side rather than on the inlet side. This also insures that neither hand shower 16 nor shower head 10 is supplied with water.
  • the semi-circular groove 64 on the circumference of body 60 is used.
  • shower arm 74 is again threaded by means of a male thread 75, into the horizontal arm of the elbow 1 connected to the water pipe 3 laid in the wall 2.
  • the axial bore 76 of shower arm 74 opens into shower head 54, which, by means of a member 78, is threaded onto the inclined end 79 of shower arm 74.
  • shower head 54 includes a housing 77 in which there is secured a threaded bush 80.
  • a threaded pin 81 is threaded into bush 80, and is secured to a shower bottom 82.
  • Pin 81 has an axial bore 86 therein which is open at the top and, in the proximity of shower head bottom 82, pin 81 is formed with radial openings 87 communicating with bore 86.
  • Shower bottom 82 has a cylindrical periphery on which there are arranged, at equal intervals, a number of inclined water outlet orifices which terminate at a predetermined distance inwardly of the lower edge 88 of shower bottom 82.
  • Bottom 82 is mounted for axial displacement in a cylindrical opening 83 of housing 77, and can be adjusted axially by rotation in opposite directions.
  • shower bottom 82 is shown threaded completely into the front opening 83 of housing 77, so that issuance of water through orifices 85 is prevented by the circumferential gasket 84.
  • shower bottom 82 is illustrated at an axial position in which it projects from-the end face 89 of housing 77, and orifices 85 on its circumference permit issuance of water.
  • arm 74 is provided or formed with a threaded nipple 90 extending radially downwardly, and nipple 90 communicates with bore 76 of arm 74 through a radial port 91 in arm 74.
  • a reducing nipple 92 is threaded onto nipple 90 and is formed, between its female thread 93 and an axial bore 94, with an annular shoulder 95.
  • the lower end of reducing nipple 92 has a male thread 96 onto which is threaded cap nut 70 securing hand shower hose 69.
  • a relief pressure valve 97 is arranged in nipple 90, and comprises a rubber disk 98 which has a central opening 99 and an annular closing lip 100, around opening 99, and which bears tightly on a conical finger 101 protruding into opening 99.
  • Finger 101 is formed on a pressure sleeve 102 which presses rubber disk 98 against an annular shoulder 103, at the lower end of the bore 91 in nipple 90.
  • Sleeve 102 and finger 101 are connected with a perforated disk 104 which has several ports or apertures l05'for the passage of water. Perforated disk 104 is pressed against the annular end face 106 of nipple 90 by an annular shoulder of reducing nipple 92.
  • pressure relief valve 97 housed in threaded nipple 90, comprises a conical valve disk 107 which is biased by compression spring 108 to engage a conical valve seat 109, when shower head 54 is open.
  • Spring 108 bears on a perforated disk 113 which, like perforated disk 104, has a number of openings or ports 110.
  • the method of operation of the pressure relief valve shown in FIG. 12 is substantially the same as that of the pressure relief valve 97 shown in FIG. 10.
  • valve disk 107 moves away from seat 109 and water flows through port 91, holes Ililand bore 94 into hand shower hose 89 and, thus, into the hand shower 16.
  • shut-off valve 111 which can be actuated by means of a handle 112 projecting from wall 2 in order to shut off, completely, the water supply to shower head 54 and to hand shower 16.
  • FIG. 9 corresponds essentially to FIG. 1, with the difference that a shower arm 74 with a shower head 54 is connected to water supply pipe 3.
  • a head shower of the type including a shower arm designed for connection of an inlet end thereof to a water supply pipe laid in the wall of a shower enclosure, to extend above head level, and having a shower head outlet connection, and a shower head secured to the outlet connection
  • said shower arm being a pipe section with an elongated rectilinear bore extending from its inlet end
  • said shower head outlet connection being a first nipple communicating with said bore adjacent an outer end thereof and extending downwardly from said pipe section
  • an additional outlet connection in the form of a second nipple communicating with said rectilinear bore and arranged to have a hose shower connected thereto; said second nipple extending downwardly from said pipe section and said first and second nipples having their axes lying in a common axial plane including the axis of said pipe section
  • valve means operatively associated with said shower arm and controlling flow through said outlet connections; and a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperable with said
  • valve means comprises a rectilinear element rotatably mounted in said rectilinear bore and controlling flow through said outlet connections responsive to rotation thereof to predetermined angular positions; said manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the outer end of said rotatable member.
  • valve means comprises a rectilinear member mounted in said shower arm for axial displacement relative thereto and controlling flow through said outlet connection responsive to movement to preselected axial positions; said manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the outer end of said axially displaceable member.
  • said rotatable member is a tubular cylinder open at the inlet end of said pipe section; said tubular cylinder being formed with angularly spaced ports each alignable with a respective outlet connection by rotation of said tubular cylinder; respective gaskets interposed between said-tubular cylinder and the inner surface of said rectilinear bore adjacent each of said outlet connections, said gaskets circumferentially embracing said tubular cylinder and being formed with ports aligned with the ports in said tubular cylinder; said externally accessible manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the closed outer end of said tubular cylinder.
  • said axially displaceable member comprises a valve plunger axially displaceable in a blind bore of said shower arm; said valve plunger having at least one sealing flange engaging the inner periphery of said blind bore; the inlet end of said shower arm being formed with passage means communicating with the water supply pipe and opening radially into said blind bore between said outlet connections.
  • valve plunger is provided with two sealing flanges axially spaced from each other a distance less than the axial distance between said shower head outlet connection and said additional outlet connection.
  • said single externally accessible manually operable member comprises a handle secured to the free outer end of said valve plunger.
  • each of said axially spaced sealing flanges is designed as a pair of closely axially spaced flanges; the flanges of each pair of closely axially spaced flanges having respective sealing gaskets interposed therebetween.
  • valve means comprising a tubular cylindrical member displaceably mounted in the cylindrical bore of said second nipple and formed with a radially opening port communicable with said rectilinear bore; said tubular cylindrical element having a male thread on its outer end for securement thereto of a flexible hose of a hand shower; said single externally accessible manually operable member comprising a handle formed on said cylindrical tubular element outwardly of a lower end of said second nipple.
  • tubular cylindrical member is angularly and axially displaceable in said second nipple to control flow through said additional outlet connection.
  • tubular cylindrical element has a radially outwardly opening groove in its exterior periphery extending throughout one half of its circumference; and a stop secured in the wall of said second nipple and engageable in said radial groove to limit axial and rotary movement of said tubular cylindrical element.
  • said second nipple having a control bore whose axis intersects the axis of said pipe section and communicating with said rectilinear bore; said valve means comprising a pressure-responsive valve element in said control bore and biased in a control bore closing direction against the direction of flow of water, the biasing force being less than the maximum water pressure effective on said valve element; said shower headbeing a closeable shower head and said single externally accessible manually operable member being constituted by the closing element of said closeable shower head; whereby, when said shower head is opened, said valve element prevents flow of water through said additional outlet connection and, when said shower head is closed, the resulting increase in water pressure in said pipe section opens said valve element for flow of water through said additional outlet connection.
  • valve element comprises a conical valve disk pressed, at low water pressure in said pipe section, against a conical valve seat of said control bore by a compression spring.
  • said shower head is a closeable shower head; said tubular cylindrical element having an axially extending groove formed in its outer peripheral surface to extend parallel to its axis; and a stop mounted in the wall of said nipple and engaged in said axially extending groove to limit axial displacement of said tubular cylindrical element.

Abstract

A head shower includes a shower arm designed as a pipe section for connection of an inlet end thereof to a water supply pipe laid in the wall of a shower enclosure, with the shower arm extending substantially horizontally above head level and having a shower head outlet connection to which there is secured a shower head. An additional outlet connection communicates with the shower arm and is arranged to have a hose shower, for washing the hands and the like, connected thereto. A valve controls flow through the two outlet connections, and a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperates with the valve means to provide for flow of water through only a selected one of the two outlet connections. The valve may be rotatable or axially displaceable in the shower arm, with the manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the free end of the valve. Alternatively, the valve may be rotatable and axially displaceable in the additional outlet connection and extend across the bore of the shower arm. In a further embodiment of the invention, the shower head may be of the shut-off type, and may constitute a manually operable member, with the valve comprising a pressure responsive valve in the additional outlet connection.

Description

United States Patent Buzzi Feb. 12, 1974 HEAD SHOWER [37] ABSTRACT lnvemmi Gunter Buzzi, SchlltaCh/Blaek A head shower includes a shower arm designed as a Forest, Germany pipe section for connection of an inlet end thereof to [73] Assigne e: Hans Grohe KG, Schiltach/ Black a water, Supply pipe laid in the of a Shower Forest, Germany sure, mm the shower arm extending substantlally hOI'lzontally above head level and having a shower head Filed? p 6, 1972 outlet connection to which there is secured a shower [21] Appl No: 286,820 head. An additional outlet connection communicates with the shower arm and is arranged to have a hose shower, for washing the hands and the like, connected Foreign Application Data thereto. A valve controls flow through the two outlet Sept. 9, 1971 Germany 2145014 connections, and a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperates with the valve [52] U.S. Cl. 239/446 means to provide for flow of water through only a se- [51] Int. Cl A62c 31/00 lected one of the two outlet connections. The valve [58] Field of Search 239/443, 396, 397, 312 may be rotatable or axially displaceable in the shower arm, with the manually operable member comprising a [56] References Cited handle secured to the free end of the valve. Alterna- UNITED STATES PATENTS tively, the valve may be rotatable and axially displace- 3 112073 11/1963 Larson etal 239/446 able in the additional outlet connectim and 6mm! 2:867:230 1 1959 Bletcher et al. 239 444 acrossthe bore of the ShOwe a further 2,538,211 1 1951 Prout 239/446 bediment of the invention the Shower head may be of 3,118,605 1/1964 McClenahan 239 443 X the Shut-Off yp and y constitute a manually p Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlew and Tuttle WIII 4 22 23 18 6 w 2 V v able member, with the valve comprising a pressure responsive valve in the additional outlet connection.
17 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBIIII)/JIII) PAIEN'I FEH 1 2 19M sum 1 OF 4 NGE PAIENTEU I 2 I974 3,791,588
sum 2 BF 4 FIG. 3.
PATENTEUFEB 1 2 1974 SHEET 3 BF 4 HEAD SHOWER FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a head shower including a shower head and other parts, which is secured on an at least substantially horizontal shower arm connected, above head level, to a water supply pipe laid in a wall of a shower enclosure, such as a shower stall, with the shower arm being designed as a pipe section.
Such head showers are known, and are generally installed in fixed relation in shower stalls and the like in such a way that the shower arm, on the free end of which the shower head is threaded, is threaded into an end piece of the water supply pipe, this end piece extending horizontally in a wall of the shower enclosure.
In addition to such a head shower, an additional socalled hose shower frequently is required to complement the shower enclosure equipment. This hose shower comprises substantially a hand shower which is secured at the end of a hose also connected to the water supply pipe. It must be possible to turn the water supply, for the head shower and for the hose shower, on and off separately, and to switchfrom the head shower to the hose shower and vice versa.
Presently known combinations of head showers and hose showers contain not only separate water pipe connections but also separate shut-off valves. Thus, these known combinations of head and hose showers are not only unhandy to operate but they are also expensive and complicated to install.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objective of the present invention is to obviate these disadvantages and to provide a combination of a head shower and a hose shower which combination is not only simple to operate but also simpler and cheaper to install.
In accordance with the invention, the shower arm is provided not only with a shower head connection but also with a hose shower connection, and a rotatable and/or axially displaceable switching and/or closing element or valve is arranged inthe shower arm, and controls flow through the shower head outlet and the hose shower outlet.
The essential advantages which are attained by such a construction include, on the one hand, the advantage that only a single water pipe connection is required for both showers and, on the other hand, that only a single switching or closing element or valve is needed. The installation is thus greatly simplified, and there is no longer any need for the presently required two separate closing valves and one additional water supply pipe connection. In addition, the operation is considerably facilitated by the common switching and closing element assigned to both outlets of the shower arm.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the switching and/or closing element is a hollow cylinder open at its inlet end, and this cylinder is rotatably mounted in the shower arm and provided, in the range of the shower head outlet and in the range of the hose shower outlet, on its circumference, with gaskets and angularly staggered or offsetwall openings. The hollow cylinder has an operating handle or the like at the outer end of the shower arm. With this embodiment of the invention, there is obtained a simple, easy to handle and reliable double valve which permits not only switching from one outlet to the other but which also offers the possibility of closing both outlets simultaneously and of varying the rate of flow of the two outlets infinitely and separately to the desired value.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, a switching and/or closing element is a valve plunger axially reciprocable in a blind bore of the shower arm and having at least one sealing flange. The water supply inlet opens radially into the blind bore between the shower head connection and the hose shower connection. Insteadof rotary movement of the switching and/or closing element, as in the first mentioned embodiment, an axial displacement of the valve plunger is provided, which also insures a simple and easy operation. Due to the axial displacement of the valve plunger in one or the other direction, it is possible to switch from one outlet to the other.
In a further development of this embodiment, the distance between two sealing flanges thereon is less than the distance between the shower head outlet and the hose shower outlet. This offers the possibility of closing both outlets by bringing the valve plunger into a center position in which one sealing flange is between the inlet and the shower head outlet and the other sealing flange is between the inlet and the hose shower outlet. The valve plunger preferably is provided with an operating handle at the free front end of the shower arm.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the shower arm has a preferably downwardly pointing guide socket provided with a cylindrical bore, the axis of the bore intersecting the axis of the bore of the shower arm. A hollow cylindrical closing and/or switching element, formed at its upper end with a radial bore, is mounted in this guide socket for rotation and/or axial displacement. This closing and/or switching element is provided, at its lower end, with a thread for securing thereto a flexible hose of a hand shower, and is also provided at its lower end with an operating handle.
This embodiment has the advantage that the closing and/or switching element is more easily accessible in its operation. While it can only be operated by a handle, in the first described embodiments, which is arranged above the shower head and requires the user to reach around the shower head to operate the closing and/or switching element, in the embodiment just described the handle is arranged below the connecting socket for the hand shower hose and is therefore more easily accessible. In an advantageous manner, it is provided that the hollow cylindrical closing and/or switching element has, on its outer surface, a radial slot-shaped or semicircular groove to which there protrudes a stop secured in the wall of the guide socket, and which limits the axial and/or rotary movement of the closing and/or switching element.
This provides the possibility of displacing the control element selectively in its own axial direction between two end positions, or to rotate it about its own axis about and thus to block water supply both to the shower head and to the hand shower hose. The control element consists of a simple and inexpensive turned part, is easy to mount, and is also easy to turn or to move away from any given position into any other operating position. When the control element is displaced downwardly, the water is supplied to the shower head while, when the control element is moved upward in an axial direction, the water is supplied into the hand shower.
In a variation of this embodiment, the head shower is equipped with a shower head whose water outlet orifices can be closed by means of a closing element, and the shower arm is provided with a preferably downwardly opening connecting socket with a central bore whose axis intersects the axis of the bore of the shower arm. A pre-formed elastic self-closing element, or a closing element held in closing position by a spring force directed opposite to the water outflow direction, and which is less than the maximum water pressure, is arranged in the bore of the connecting socket. In this variation it is possible, by closing the water outlet orifices of the shower head, to deflect the entering water automatically to the hand shower. The closing element in the connecting socket of the hand shower hose, which is arranged on the underside of the shower arm, is so designed that it closes or opens in dependence on the respective water pressure in the bore of the shower arm. I
If there is used, for example, a shower head such as described in U. S. Pat. No.. 2,285,831, the water supply can be directed into the hand shower simply be closing the shower head while, with the shower head open, the incoming water issues only through the shower head and does not flow into the hand shower because the water pressure in the bore of the shower arm is too low to open the closing element and the connecting socket of the hand shower water hose. However, as soon as the shower head is closed, the water pressure rises in the bore of the shower arm, so that the closing element in the connecting socket of the hand shower hose is opened and allows waterto flow to the hand shower.
The closing element can be a rubber disk which has a central opening and, around this opening, a closing lip projecting axially upwardly and which bears tightly on a conical finger projecting into the opening of the closing element, at low water pressure in the bore of the shower arm.
As another possibility, the closing element can be made as a conical disk which is pressed against the conical seat of the bore of the connecting socket, at low water pressure in the bore of the shower arm, by a com-. pression spring, to block water supply to the hand shower. g
In both embodiments of this closing element, the method of operation is the same. With the shower head open, the water flows through the shower head and, with the shower head closed, the closing element in the connecting socket is opened by the higher water pressure in the bore of the shower arm and the water is thus conducted to the hand shower.
An object ofthe invention is to provide an improved combination of a head shower and a hose shower.
Another object of the invention is to provude such a combination including a valve operatively associated with a shower arm and controlling flow through an outlet connection to a shower head and an outlet connection to a hose shower.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a combination in which a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperates with the valve to provide for flow of water through only a selected one of the two outlet connections of the shower arm.
For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings: I
FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic vertical sectional view of an installed head shower combined with a hose shower;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the shower arm;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a second embodiment of the shower arm;
FIG. 4 is a part side elevation view and part longitudinal sectional view through a third embodiment .of a shower arm in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V V of FIG. 4;
FIG. 5a is also a sectional view taken on the line V V of FIG. 4, but showing another embodiment of the closing and/or switching element;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line VI VI of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a partial view of FIG. 4 showing the closing and/or switching element turned, in its upper position, through substantially FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the closing and/or switching element in another position;
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a combination head shower and hose shower installed on the wall of a shower enclosure;
FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of a head shower, with a closeable shower head, used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a partial view corresponding to FIG. 10 but illustrating the self-closing element in an open position; and
FIG. 12 is a view of a portion of FIG. 10 but illustrating a different embodiment of a self-closing element.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a shower arm 4 is connected, by a threaded joint 5, to a horizontal portion of an elbow 1 threaded onto a water supply pipe 3 laid in a wall 2, for example, of a shower enclosure or stall, the horizontal leg of elbow 1 being above head level. Shower arm 4 is a tubular horizontally extending body with a continuous cylindrical central bore 6. On the underside of shower arm 4 there is arranged, on the one hand, an inclined shower head outlet connection 7 and, on the other hand, an additional outlet connection for a hose shower. Both connections 7 and 11 have respective central bores 8 and 1 2, and are formed with respective male threads 9 and 14. A shower head 10 is secured to connection 7 by threading onto male thread 9, and a cap nut 13 is threaded onto male thread 14 of outlet connection 11. Cap nut 13 retains a hose 15 connected to outlet connection 11. As can be seen from FIG. 1, hose 15 has a hand shower 16 at its free end, and hand shower 16, when it is not in use, hangs in a holder 17 secured on wall 2.
In the central bore 6 of shower arm 4 there is arranged a hollow cylinder or tubular member 18 which is open at its inlet end 19 and which is provided at its opposite or outer and with a handle 20. A screw 21 connects handle 20 non-rotatably with cylinder or tube 18 and serves, at the same time and in cooperation with a flange 22 arranged at the opposite end 19 of member 18, to secure cylinder or tubular member 18 against axial displacement in control bore 6. In the range of bores 8 and 12 of connections 7 and 11, respectively, tubular member 18 is provided with respective gaskets 23 and 24, as well as with wall openings 25 and 26 which are not covered by the respective gaskets 23 and 24 but serve as a connection between the bores 8 and 12 and the cavity or interior 27 of tubular member 18. Openings 25 and 26 have substantially the same diameter as the respective bores 8 and 12, and are so staggered angularly that only one opening can be made to coincide with a bore 8 or 12. Also, both bores 8 and 12 are closed in a certain angular position of handle 20, or of tubular member 18, by the respective gaskets 23 and 24.
By corresponding rotation of handle 20 and of tubular member 18, it is possible to supply water, entering shower arm 4 from water supply pipe 3, either to hose 15 and hand shower 16 or to shower head 10, or alternatively to close both outlets 8 and 12. It is also possible to make the openings 23 and 24 coincide only partly with the respective bores 8 and 12, and thus to regulate the amount of water to the desired extent.
FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the shower arm and of the switching or closing element. In this embodiment, shower arm 4' again has a downwardly inclined shower head outlet connection 7' onto which is threaded a shower head 10. The outlet connection for shower hose 15, in this embodiment, has a female thread 28. In a central bore 29 of shower head 4', which bore is closed at the free end of shower arm 4' by a bush 30 threaded thereinto, and which terminates at the opposite end in a blind bore, there is arranged, for axial displacement, a valve plunger 32 which has a diameter which is substantially smaller than that of central bore 29. Valve plunger 32 is provided with two pairs of sealing flanges 33 and 34, and the axial spacing of the two pairs of flanges from each other is less than the distance between the radial bores 35 and 36 of connections 7 and 28, respectively. Bores 35 and 36 terminate, like the bores 8 and 12 of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, radially in control bore As a connection between the female threaded inlet end of shower arm 4', by means of which it can be threaded onto the elbow 1 of the water supply pipe, and the central bore 29, there are provided one or several eccentric channels 38 which terminate radially substantially in the middle between bores 35 and 36 through the medium of branch radial channels 39 in central bore 29. By means of a shaft 40, which is guided axially through bush 30, and at the end of which is secured a handle 41, valve plunger 32 can be displaced axially with its two pairs of sealing flanges 33, 34, between an extreme left position I and an extreme right position II. A center position 0 is provided between these two extreme positions. When plunger 32 is in position I, the water supply from central bore 29 to hand shower hose 15 is blocked, but the supply to shower head 10 is open. In this position, the two pairs of sealing flanges 33 and 34 are to the left of the adjacent connecting bores 35 and 36, respectively. Supply of water to shower head 10 is blocked in position II of valve plunger 32, and water can then be supplied to hand shower hose 15.
In position 0, the two pairs of sealing flanges 33 and 34 are between the outlet connection bores 35 and 36,
so that neither shower head 10 nor hand shower hose 15 can receive watervln order to obtain a good seal between the sealing flanges 33 and 34 and the wall of central bore 29, the pairs of sealing flanges are provided with respective circumferential gaskets 42 and 43.
By the provision of an additional pair of sealing flanges 44, arranged at a certain spacing from the pair of sealing flanges 33 toward the outer end of the valve plunger 32, water is prevented from flowing into the cavity or interior of central bore 29 outwardly of sealing flanges 44 or through the bore in bush 30 to the exterior, which could be the case if sealing flanges 33 were above outlet bore 35. This additional pair of sealing flanges 44 also could be replaced, however, by an additional seal in bush 30. Another possibility would be to provide merely a single sealing flange on valve plunger 32 and to arrange the same so that it seals radial branch lines 39 tightly in position 0. This can be achieved by two sealing rings arranged at a small spac ing from each other, or by a gasket. In such an embodiment, the water supply would then be delivered to shower head 10 in position I and to hose 15 in position ll, while any water flow would be blocked in position In both the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and in that shown in FIG. 3, it is readily possible to effect regulation of the amount of outflowing water by correspondingly selected displacement paths of valve member or plunger 32.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 through 8, there are two possible variants, as will be described more fully hereinafter. In this embodiment of the invention, shower arm 50 is designed as a cylindrical hollow body or tubular member which has an axial bore 51 and which is secured, by means of a thread 52, to the horizontal leg of elbow 1 connected to the water supply pipe 3. Pipe 3 is laid in wall 2, in the same manner as shown in FIG. 1. At the free end 53 of shower arm 50 there is secureda shower head 54 directed obliquely downwardly, and which will be described more fully below with respect to FIG. 10. Shower head 54 can be closed.
Between wall 2 and shower head 54, shower arm 50 is provided with a cylindrical downwardly directed nipple 55 with a central bore 56 whose axis 57 is perpendicular to the axis 58 of bore 51 of shower arm 50, and lies in the same plane therewith so that it intersects axis 58. Bore 56 communicates with the bore 51 of shower arm 50 and terminates in a cylindrical recess 59 above bore 51 of shower arm 50. In bore 56 of guide socket 55 there is arranged a hollow cylindrical or tubular body 60 which has a bore 61 concentric with bore 56. Body 60 is closed at its upper end by an end wall 62, and bore 61 can communicate, through a radial aperture or bore at the upper end of body 60, with bore 51 of shower arm 50, when tubular body 60 occupies the position shown in FIG. 4. The outer peripheral surface of body 64 is formed with a longitudinally extending groove 64 into which there extends the cylindrical lug 65 of a headless screw 66 threaded through the wall of nipple 55.
The length of groove 64 is so selected that body 60 can be adjusted axially, or longitudinally of groove 64 between the upper position shown in FIG. 4 and the lower position shown in FIG. 8.
That part of body 60 projecting, in'the upper position of FIG. 4, from nipple 55, is provided with a handle 67 and, beneath handle 67, body 60 is formed with a male thread 68 threadedly receiving a cap nut 70 securing a hand shower hose 69 to body 60. Instead of longitudinal groove 64, body 60 also can be provided with a semi-circular groove 64', as shown in FIG. 5, and into which there extends the cylindrical lug 65 of screw 66 so that body 60 can then move not only axially, in the direction of the double arrow 71, between the positions indicated in FIGS. 4 and 8, but can also be turned through substantially 180 about its longitudinal axis 57.
While cylindrical tubular body 60 need not be rotatable, with the use of a closeable shower head 54, and an axial groove 64 is sufficient to limit the axial mobility of body 60, shower arm 50 also can be equipped with a shower head such as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 instead of a closeable shower head 54, in the case of a semi-circular groove 64' which has, in the axial direction, the same length as axial groove 64. This will be explained hereinafter.
Body 60 serves as a closing or switching element, or for both closing and switching. In the upper position shown in FIG. 4, water entering in the direction of the arrow 72 from water supply line 3 is conducted through radial bore or aperture 63 and axial bore 61 into hose 69 and through the latter into hand shower 16. In this position, showerhead 54 receives no water. If body 60 is pulled down to the lower position shown in FIG. 8, water flows through bore 51 of shower arm 50 into shower head 54 and, if the-latter is opened, in jets into the open air. End wall 62 with body 60 closes bore 56 of nipple 55 and, through the wall of 66, also the radial aperture or bore 63 of body 60, so that no water can flow into hose 69 and into hand shower 16. To improve the sealing, a circumferential gasket 73 is provided at the upper end of bore 56 of nipple 55. If the issuance of water from closeable shower head 54 also is to be prevented, the shower head can be closed by a corresponding adjustment of the closing element, in the manner described more fully below, so that the entire head shower, including the hand shower, receives no water. As soon as body 60 is raised again into the position of FIG. 4, hand shower 16 again receives water through hose 19.
If the non-closeable shower head 10 is used, as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, switching of the water supply from hand shower 16 to shower head 10, and vice versa, can be effected in the manner described above. In order to shut off the water supply completely for the shower head 10 and to the hand shower 16, it then is necessaryonly to turn body 60, in its upper position about its axis 57, through about l80 so that it assumes the position shown in FIG. 7 in which aperture 63 communicates with bore 51 of shower 50 on the outlet side rather than on the inlet side. This also insures that neither hand shower 16 nor shower head 10 is supplied with water. Inthis case, the semi-circular groove 64 on the circumference of body 60 is used.
Naturally, it is also possible, and by no means disadvantageous, if a closeable shower head 54 is used, to provide body 60 with a semi-circular groove 64' which permits not only an axial displacement but also a rotation through substantially l80.-
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 9 through 12, shower arm 74 is again threaded by means of a male thread 75, into the horizontal arm of the elbow 1 connected to the water pipe 3 laid in the wall 2. The axial bore 76 of shower arm 74 opens into shower head 54, which, by means of a member 78, is threaded onto the inclined end 79 of shower arm 74. Shower head 54 includes a housing 77 in which there is secured a threaded bush 80. A threaded pin 81 is threaded into bush 80, and is secured to a shower bottom 82. Pin 81 has an axial bore 86 therein which is open at the top and, in the proximity of shower head bottom 82, pin 81 is formed with radial openings 87 communicating with bore 86.
Shower bottom 82 has a cylindrical periphery on which there are arranged, at equal intervals, a number of inclined water outlet orifices which terminate at a predetermined distance inwardly of the lower edge 88 of shower bottom 82. Bottom 82 is mounted for axial displacement in a cylindrical opening 83 of housing 77, and can be adjusted axially by rotation in opposite directions. As illustrated in the left half of FIG. 10, shower bottom 82 is shown threaded completely into the front opening 83 of housing 77, so that issuance of water through orifices 85 is prevented by the circumferential gasket 84. In the right half of FIG. 10, shower bottom 82 is illustrated at an axial position in which it projects from-the end face 89 of housing 77, and orifices 85 on its circumference permit issuance of water.
For the purpose of connecting hose 89 of the hand shower to shower arm 74, arm 74 is provided or formed with a threaded nipple 90 extending radially downwardly, and nipple 90 communicates with bore 76 of arm 74 through a radial port 91 in arm 74. A reducing nipple 92 is threaded onto nipple 90 and is formed, between its female thread 93 and an axial bore 94, with an annular shoulder 95. The lower end of reducing nipple 92 has a male thread 96 onto which is threaded cap nut 70 securing hand shower hose 69.
A relief pressure valve 97 is arranged in nipple 90, and comprises a rubber disk 98 which has a central opening 99 and an annular closing lip 100, around opening 99, and which bears tightly on a conical finger 101 protruding into opening 99. Finger 101 is formed on a pressure sleeve 102 which presses rubber disk 98 against an annular shoulder 103, at the lower end of the bore 91 in nipple 90. Sleeve 102 and finger 101 are connected with a perforated disk 104 which has several ports or apertures l05'for the passage of water. Perforated disk 104 is pressed against the annular end face 106 of nipple 90 by an annular shoulder of reducing nipple 92.
When water flows from supply pipe 3 into bore 76 of shower arm 74, with shower head 54 open, the annular closing lip of rubber disk 98 bears tightly on finger 101 so that no water can flow to hand shower hose 69. However, if shower head 54'is closed by screwing in shower bottom 82 thereof, as shown at the left half of FIG. 10, the form-elastic closing lip 100 is pushed away from the periphery of finger 101, due to the higher water pressure in bore 76 of shower arm 74, so that water now flows from shower arm 74 between the periphery of the now larger opening 99 and closing lip 100 into hand shower 16. The widened opening 99 is represented in FIG. 11. As seen as shower head 54 is opened again by turning out shower bottom 82, closing lip 100 of rubber disk 98 again bears on FIG. 101 and thus blocks water supply to hand shower 16.
In the variant of FIG. 10 illustrated in FIG. 12, pressure relief valve 97, housed in threaded nipple 90, comprises a conical valve disk 107 which is biased by compression spring 108 to engage a conical valve seat 109, when shower head 54 is open. Spring 108 bears on a perforated disk 113 which, like perforated disk 104, has a number of openings or ports 110. The method of operation of the pressure relief valve shown in FIG. 12 is substantially the same as that of the pressure relief valve 97 shown in FIG. 10. As soon as shower head 54 is closed, the water pressure in bore 76 of shower arm 74 overcomes the closing force of spring 108, so that valve disk 107 moves away from seat 109 and water flows through port 91, holes Ililand bore 94 into hand shower hose 89 and, thus, into the hand shower 16.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, it is necessary to provide the water supply pipe 3, shown in FIG. 9, with a shut-off valve 111 which can be actuated by means of a handle 112 projecting from wall 2 in order to shut off, completely, the water supply to shower head 54 and to hand shower 16.
FIG. 9 corresponds essentially to FIG. 1, with the difference that a shower arm 74 with a shower head 54 is connected to water supply pipe 3.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
What is claimed is:
1. In a head shower of the type including a shower arm designed for connection of an inlet end thereof to a water supply pipe laid in the wall of a shower enclosure, to extend above head level, and having a shower head outlet connection, and a shower head secured to the outlet connection, the improvement comprising, in combination, said shower arm being a pipe section with an elongated rectilinear bore extending from its inlet end, and said shower head outlet connection being a first nipple communicating with said bore adjacent an outer end thereof and extending downwardly from said pipe section; an additional outlet connection in the form of a second nipple communicating with said rectilinear bore and arranged to have a hose shower connected thereto; said second nipple extending downwardly from said pipe section and said first and second nipples having their axes lying in a common axial plane including the axis of said pipe section; valve means operatively associated with said shower arm and controlling flow through said outlet connections; and a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperable with said valve means to provide for flow of water through only a selected one of said outlet connections.
2. In a shower head, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said valve means comprises a rectilinear element rotatably mounted in said rectilinear bore and controlling flow through said outlet connections responsive to rotation thereof to predetermined angular positions; said manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the outer end of said rotatable member.
3. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said valve means comprises a rectilinear member mounted in said shower arm for axial displacement relative thereto and controlling flow through said outlet connection responsive to movement to preselected axial positions; said manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the outer end of said axially displaceable member.
4. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 2, in which said rotatable member is a tubular cylinder open at the inlet end of said pipe section; said tubular cylinder being formed with angularly spaced ports each alignable with a respective outlet connection by rotation of said tubular cylinder; respective gaskets interposed between said-tubular cylinder and the inner surface of said rectilinear bore adjacent each of said outlet connections, said gaskets circumferentially embracing said tubular cylinder and being formed with ports aligned with the ports in said tubular cylinder; said externally accessible manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the closed outer end of said tubular cylinder.
5. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 3, in which said axially displaceable member comprises a valve plunger axially displaceable in a blind bore of said shower arm; said valve plunger having at least one sealing flange engaging the inner periphery of said blind bore; the inlet end of said shower arm being formed with passage means communicating with the water supply pipe and opening radially into said blind bore between said outlet connections.
6. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which said valve plunger is provided with two sealing flanges axially spaced from each other a distance less than the axial distance between said shower head outlet connection and said additional outlet connection.
7. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 6, in which said single externally accessible manually operable member comprises a handle secured to the free outer end of said valve plunger.
8. In a shower head, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which each of said axially spaced sealing flanges is designed as a pair of closely axially spaced flanges; the flanges of each pair of closely axially spaced flanges having respective sealing gaskets interposed therebetween.
9. In a shower head, the improvement claimed in claim 1, said valve means comprising a tubular cylindrical member displaceably mounted in the cylindrical bore of said second nipple and formed with a radially opening port communicable with said rectilinear bore; said tubular cylindrical element having a male thread on its outer end for securement thereto of a flexible hose of a hand shower; said single externally accessible manually operable member comprising a handle formed on said cylindrical tubular element outwardly of a lower end of said second nipple.
10. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 59, in which said'tubular cylindrical element is rotatable in said second nipple to control flow through said additional outlet connection.
11. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 9, in which said tubular cylindrical member is axially displaceable in said second nipple to control flow through said additional outlet connection.
12. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 9, in which said tubular cylindrical member is angularly and axially displaceable in said second nipple to control flow through said additional outlet connection.
13. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 12, in which said tubular cylindrical element has a radially outwardly opening groove in its exterior periphery extending throughout one half of its circumference; and a stop secured in the wall of said second nipple and engageable in said radial groove to limit axial and rotary movement of said tubular cylindrical element.
14. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim I, said second nipple having a control bore whose axis intersects the axis of said pipe section and communicating with said rectilinear bore; said valve means comprising a pressure-responsive valve element in said control bore and biased in a control bore closing direction against the direction of flow of water, the biasing force being less than the maximum water pressure effective on said valve element; said shower headbeing a closeable shower head and said single externally accessible manually operable member being constituted by the closing element of said closeable shower head; whereby, when said shower head is opened, said valve element prevents flow of water through said additional outlet connection and, when said shower head is closed, the resulting increase in water pressure in said pipe section opens said valve element for flow of water through said additional outlet connection.
15. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in connection.
16. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 14, in which said valve element comprises a conical valve disk pressed, at low water pressure in said pipe section, against a conical valve seat of said control bore by a compression spring.
17. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 11, in which said shower head is a closeable shower head; said tubular cylindrical element having an axially extending groove formed in its outer peripheral surface to extend parallel to its axis; and a stop mounted in the wall of said nipple and engaged in said axially extending groove to limit axial displacement of said tubular cylindrical element.

Claims (17)

1. In a head shower of the type including a shower arm designed for connection of an inlet end thereof to a water supply pipe laid in the wall of a shower enclosure, to extend above head level, and having a shower head outlet connection, and a shower head secured to the outlet connection, the improvement comprising, in combination, said shower arm being a pipe section with an elongated rectilinear bore extending from its inlet end, and said shower head outlet connection being a first nipple communicating with said bore adjacent an outer end thereof and extending downwardly from said pipe section; an additional outlet connection in the form of a second nipple communicating with said rectilinear bore and arranged to have a hose shower connected thereto; said second nipple extending downwardly from said pipe section and said first and second nipples having their axes lying in a common axial plane including the axis of said pipe section; valve means operatively associated with said shower arm and controlling flow through said outlet connections; and a single externally accessible manually operable member cooperable with said valve means to provide for flow of water through only a selected one of said outlet connections.
2. In a shower head, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said valve means comprises a rectilinear element rotatably mounted in said rectilinear bore and controlling flow through said outlet connections responsive to rotation thereof to predetermined angulAr positions; said manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the outer end of said rotatable member.
3. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said valve means comprises a rectilinear member mounted in said shower arm for axial displacement relative thereto and controlling flow through said outlet connection responsive to movement to preselected axial positions; said manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the outer end of said axially displaceable member.
4. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 2, in which said rotatable member is a tubular cylinder open at the inlet end of said pipe section; said tubular cylinder being formed with angularly spaced ports each alignable with a respective outlet connection by rotation of said tubular cylinder; respective gaskets interposed between said tubular cylinder and the inner surface of said rectilinear bore adjacent each of said outlet connections, said gaskets circumferentially embracing said tubular cylinder and being formed with ports aligned with the ports in said tubular cylinder; said externally accessible manually operable member comprising a handle secured to the closed outer end of said tubular cylinder.
5. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 3, in which said axially displaceable member comprises a valve plunger axially displaceable in a blind bore of said shower arm; said valve plunger having at least one sealing flange engaging the inner periphery of said blind bore; the inlet end of said shower arm being formed with passage means communicating with the water supply pipe and opening radially into said blind bore between said outlet connections.
6. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which said valve plunger is provided with two sealing flanges axially spaced from each other a distance less than the axial distance between said shower head outlet connection and said additional outlet connection.
7. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 6, in which said single externally accessible manually operable member comprises a handle secured to the free outer end of said valve plunger.
8. In a shower head, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which each of said axially spaced sealing flanges is designed as a pair of closely axially spaced flanges; the flanges of each pair of closely axially spaced flanges having respective sealing gaskets interposed therebetween.
9. In a shower head, the improvement claimed in claim 1, said valve means comprising a tubular cylindrical member displaceably mounted in the cylindrical bore of said second nipple and formed with a radially opening port communicable with said rectilinear bore; said tubular cylindrical element having a male thread on its outer end for securement thereto of a flexible hose of a hand shower; said single externally accessible manually operable member comprising a handle formed on said cylindrical tubular element outwardly of a lower end of said second nipple.
10. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 9, in which said tubular cylindrical element is rotatable in said second nipple to control flow through said additional outlet connection.
11. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 9, in which said tubular cylindrical member is axially displaceable in said second nipple to control flow through said additional outlet connection.
12. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 9, in which said tubular cylindrical member is angularly and axially displaceable in said second nipple to control flow through said additional outlet connection.
13. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 12, in which said tubular cylindrical element has a radially outwardly opening groove in its exterior periphery extending throughout one half of its circumference; and a stop secured in the wall of said second nipple and engageable in said radial groove to limit axial and rotary movement of said tubular cylindrIcal element.
14. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 1, said second nipple having a control bore whose axis intersects the axis of said pipe section and communicating with said rectilinear bore; said valve means comprising a pressure-responsive valve element in said control bore and biased in a control bore closing direction against the direction of flow of water, the biasing force being less than the maximum water pressure effective on said valve element; said shower head being a closeable shower head and said single externally accessible manually operable member being constituted by the closing element of said closeable shower head; whereby, when said shower head is opened, said valve element prevents flow of water through said additional outlet connection and, when said shower head is closed, the resulting increase in water pressure in said pipe section opens said valve element for flow of water through said additional outlet connection.
15. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 14, in which said valve element is a disk of form-elastic material having a central aperture surrounded by an axially extending closing lip; means providing a conical figure projecting into the central aperture of said disk; said closing lip, under low water pressure in said pipe section, bearing against said conical figure to prevent water flowing through said additional outlet connection.
16. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 14, in which said valve element comprises a conical valve disk pressed, at low water pressure in said pipe section, against a conical valve seat of said control bore by a compression spring.
17. In a head shower, the improvement claimed in claim 11, in which said shower head is a closeable shower head; said tubular cylindrical element having an axially extending groove formed in its outer peripheral surface to extend parallel to its axis; and a stop mounted in the wall of said nipple and engaged in said axially extending groove to limit axial displacement of said tubular cylindrical element.
US00286820A 1971-09-09 1972-09-06 Head shower Expired - Lifetime US3791588A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2145014A DE2145014A1 (en) 1971-09-09 1971-09-09 HEAD SHOWER

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3791588A true US3791588A (en) 1974-02-12

Family

ID=5819038

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00286820A Expired - Lifetime US3791588A (en) 1971-09-09 1972-09-06 Head shower

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US3791588A (en)
DE (1) DE2145014A1 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1996014160A1 (en) * 1994-11-03 1996-05-17 Idea Factory, Inc. Diverter valve for shower spray systems
US6032877A (en) * 1997-08-04 2000-03-07 Master Home Products, Ltd. Humidifying device
US7350825B1 (en) * 2007-01-08 2008-04-01 So-Mel Huang Wall-mounted elbow duct
US9718177B1 (en) * 2014-06-26 2017-08-01 Charles Bell Gasket removal and insertion tools for refrigeration hoses
CN110694209A (en) * 2019-10-23 2020-01-17 中国计量大学 Protective fire-fighting lance

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2390140A1 (en) * 1977-05-11 1978-12-08 Knapp Alfons Articulated shower support system - has incorporated mixer tap and movable spray head
IT1259871B (en) * 1992-03-11 1996-03-28 Sol Spa GROUP FOR THE DISPENSING OF SHOWER WATER IN HYDRO-SANITARY SYSTEMS

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2538211A (en) * 1948-03-16 1951-01-16 Akron Brass Mfg Company Inc Nozzle
US2867230A (en) * 1955-04-25 1959-01-06 Ralph E Bletcher Diverter valve for a shower installation
US3112073A (en) * 1963-02-01 1963-11-26 Clifford B Larson Flexible spot rinsing head for shower baths
US3118605A (en) * 1961-11-20 1964-01-21 William F Mcclenahan Combination water fixture

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2538211A (en) * 1948-03-16 1951-01-16 Akron Brass Mfg Company Inc Nozzle
US2867230A (en) * 1955-04-25 1959-01-06 Ralph E Bletcher Diverter valve for a shower installation
US3118605A (en) * 1961-11-20 1964-01-21 William F Mcclenahan Combination water fixture
US3112073A (en) * 1963-02-01 1963-11-26 Clifford B Larson Flexible spot rinsing head for shower baths

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1996014160A1 (en) * 1994-11-03 1996-05-17 Idea Factory, Inc. Diverter valve for shower spray systems
US5560548A (en) * 1994-11-03 1996-10-01 Idea Factory, Inc. Diverter valve for shower spray systems
US5624073A (en) * 1994-11-03 1997-04-29 Mueller; John R. Diverter valve for shower spray systems
US6032877A (en) * 1997-08-04 2000-03-07 Master Home Products, Ltd. Humidifying device
US7350825B1 (en) * 2007-01-08 2008-04-01 So-Mel Huang Wall-mounted elbow duct
US9718177B1 (en) * 2014-06-26 2017-08-01 Charles Bell Gasket removal and insertion tools for refrigeration hoses
CN110694209A (en) * 2019-10-23 2020-01-17 中国计量大学 Protective fire-fighting lance

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2145014A1 (en) 1973-03-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3056418A (en) Mixing faucet
US5361431A (en) Vacuum breaker for faucets
US3536294A (en) Foot-operated control valve attachment device for water faucets
US2935265A (en) Jet-aerator spray shower-head
US5632465A (en) Valve assembly
US3468344A (en) Single control dual flow valve
US3884258A (en) Retractable bathroom fixture
US3791588A (en) Head shower
US5123445A (en) Water tap
US2862520A (en) Compound valve for mixing, distributing, and volume control of fluid
US2583232A (en) Shower head
US4301972A (en) Mixing faucet valve with diverter and anti-syphoning means
US3545473A (en) Combined blending and changeover valve for fluids
US3207467A (en) Flushing valves
US4156519A (en) Valve assembly
US2134966A (en) Faucet
US3171441A (en) Mixing valves for hot and cold water
US2839083A (en) Valve handle
US4580600A (en) Laundry faucet
US2790677A (en) Automatic self-cleaning shower heads
US3840046A (en) Three outlet mixing and diverter valve
US2757687A (en) Single valve mixing faucet
US5011081A (en) Irrigation system having underhead sprinkler valve
US3650471A (en) Fire hydrant spray device
GB1570484A (en) Shower apparatus