Dispensing valve

A valve includes valve disks, one fixed and the other rotatable. The fixed disk includes in-flow and out-flow apertures. The rotatable disk is rotatable on a surface of the fixed disk to control through-flow volume and includes a semi-circular transfer flow passage recessed into its surface. The flow passage includes at least a tapered portion to provide more precise through-flow volume control.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates, in general, to a dispensing valve for sanitary 
engineering and in particular to a valve disk arrangement for use in such 
dispensing valves. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Disk valves such as one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,583,869 are fabricated 
from highly abrasion and wear-resistant materials such as, for instance, 
hard metals or oxide ceramics and provide a very long service life with 
virtually no maintenance. 
However, one disadvantage of such valves is that the angle of rotation of 
the handle is very small. Typically, the angle of rotation from the closed 
position to the fully open position is approximately 90.degree.. With a 
valve of this kind, it is extremely difficult to regulate the through-flow 
volume with precision. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages described 
above and provide precise regulation of the through-flow volume. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a valve having no 
dynamically stressed sealing elements. 
It is yet a further object of the invention to produce a flow passage 
configuration such that only slight flow noises are produced in the valve 
during the dispensing process. 
A vlave in accordance with the invention includes two valve disks, one 
fixed and the other rotatable. The fixed or valve seat disk includes at 
least one aperture for fluid in-flow and at least one aperture for fluid 
out-flow. The rotatable or regulating disk is rotatable on a surface of 
the fixed disk to control through-flow fluid volume and includes a 
semi-circular transfer flow passage recessed into the surface contacting 
the valve seat disk for providing fluid communication between the in-flow 
and out-flow apertures. In accordance with the principles of the 
invention, the flow passage includes at least a tapered portion. 
In an embodiment of the invention, the semi-circular transfer flow passage 
includes a portion having a uniform cross-section and a portion having a 
tapered cross-section. The volume is controlled over a considerably 
increased rotational range and can thus be carried out with considerably 
more precision. Moreover, no flexible sealing elements subjected to 
dynamic stress and, thus, subjected to rapid wear, are required. Also, 
flow noises are reduced to a minimum by the special configuration of the 
transfer flow passage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The dispensing valve shown in FIG. 1 consists of a valve housing 10 on 
which a securing socket 11 and a drain pipe 12 are formed. A valve seat 
disk 1 is recessed, sealed and secured against rotation on the bottom of a 
blind bore 9 of the valve housing 10 with an intervening sealing disk 13 
as liner. A circular through-aperture 4 for in-flow is arranged in valve 
seat disk 1 on a concentric hole circle 6, as shown in FIG. 2, and is in 
communication with an in-flow bore 14 in the securing socket of the 
dispensing valve. An additional through-aperture 5 for out-flow is 
provided on the valve seat disk along the hole circle 6 as shown in FIG. 
2, offset from the aperture 4 by 90.degree. and is in communication with 
the outflow pipe 12. 
A valve regulating disk 2 is joined to the valve seat disk 1 so that their 
precisely machined faces are in contact. A transfer flow passage 3 as 
shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is formed into the end face of the valve 
regulating disk 2 along a hole circle 7 and extends over three quarters of 
the hole circle circumference. The hole circle 7 is in alignment with hole 
circle 26. An initial arc section 7 of the transfer flow passage extends 
approximately 90.degree. and is of uniform cross-section. Following on, 
there is a second arc section 8 extending semi-circularly over a range of 
180.degree., recessed into the end face and diminishing constantly in 
cross-section, the angle of taper being approximately 10.degree.. A 
compression spring 16 is mounted between a screw-in guide cover 15 and the 
valve regulating disk 2 to maintain the valve regulating disk in firm and 
leak-proof pressure contact against the valve seat disk 1. To actuate the 
valve, there is a valve stem 17 carried in the guide cover and positively 
connected to the valve regulating disk 2. A lever-type handle 18 is 
arranged on the port of the valve stem projecting from the valve housing 
10. Of course, a knob can also be provided instead of the lever. 
A planetary gear can be arranged in a knob to further increase the rotating 
range of the control element so that the volume can be regulated over 
several turns as is the case with conventional screw valves.