There is disclosed a faucet of the "washerless" construction employing a spherical valve member in a hemispherical valve body in which the spherical valve member has only a single protruding tubular member that serves both as the valve member operator and the discharge nozzle for the faucet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
The "washerless" type of household or hospital faucet which has enjoyed 
considerable popularity in recent years employs a spherical valve member 
which is seated in a valve body having a hemispherical cavity to receive 
the valve member and a pair of inlet ports for hot and cold water. The 
valve member has a single discharge port and usually, two branch ports 
communicating therewith which coact with the inlet ports of the valve body 
whereby the valve member can be moved to align its branch ports with one 
or both of the valve body inlet ports and effect an infinite 
proportionating of the hot and cold water. The conventional valve body has 
a discharge port communicating with a nozzle and the moveable spherical 
valve member has its discharge port communicating with the nozzle during 
movement of this member. The movement of the spherical valve member is 
effected by a single lever which is secured to and which projects from the 
upper surface of the spherical ball member, through an annular seal and 
annular cover member that is threadably secured to the valve body. 
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 
This invention comprises a valve of the aforedescribed "washerless" 
construction in which only a single member is provided to function both as 
the discharge nozzle of the faucet and as the valve member operator 
therefor. Accordingly, the construction comprises a valve body having two 
inlet ports which communicate with a hemispherical cavity. A spherical 
valve member is seated in the hemispherical cavity and this spherical 
valve member has a single outlet port communicating with diverting branch 
ports that coact with the inlet ports of the valve body. A single member 
is mounted in the outlet port of the valve member and this single member 
is tubular to function as the discharge nozzle of the faucet. The single 
member also functions as the manual operator for the valve member, 
projecting upwardly therefrom, through an annular seal and overlying cover 
member that is threadably secured to the valve body. Preferably, the 
single protruding member has a bent portion to provide upright and lateral 
legs and, most preferably, distally bears an adjustable flow deflector 
and/or an aerator. The flow detector and/or aerator is adjusted, if 
necessary, when the valve single protruding member is raised to an "on" 
position by one's index finger, the aerator being adjusted right and left 
and around by one's thumb and middle finger, thereby, there being no 
necessity at any time to use more than three fingers of one's hand to 
operate this faucet.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIG. 1, the faucet of the invention is illustrated as 
including a basin coverplate 10 bearing downwardly dependent studs 12 and 
14 for securing the plate to a wash basin and the like. The faucet has a 
valve body 16 to which are secured tubular members 18 and 20, commonly of 
flexible tubing such as copper tubing, for connection to the hot and cold 
water supply lines in a building. The valve body is surmounted by a 
generally hemispherically shaped cover member 22 having a central aperture 
24 through which projects the single protruding member 26. The latter has 
a bent portion 28 to provide a substantially vertical leg 30 and a 
generally horizontal leg 32 which distally bears a discharge nozzle, in 
the form of a cylindrical fitting 34 having a hemispherical cavity (not 
shown) which receives the neck 36 of a directionally adjustable flow 
deflector 38 which can be adjusted right to left and around by the thumb 
and middle finger of one's hand. Preferably, the latter has a threaded end 
that receives an aeration nozzle 40 including aeration slots 42. The 
single protruding member 26 serves in the faucet of the invention as the 
discharge nozzle and as the valve member operator and can be operated by 
the index finger of one's hand positioned at the junction of leg 32 and 
fitting 34. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, the structural detail of the faucet of the 
invention will be described in greater detail. As there illustrated, the 
basin coverplate 10 has an aperture which receives the neck 44 of the 
valve body 16. The neck has a slot 46 to receive this basin coverplate and 
a second slot 48 to receive the inner rim of a retainer clamp 50. The 
latter has a plurality of threaded apertures which receive threaded thumb 
screws 52, permitting the retainer 50 to be fixedly secured in the 
assembly. 
The valve body 16 has a central hemispherical cavity 56 and first and 
second inlet ports 58 and 60 which communicate therewith through 
respective seal wells 62 and 64. The latter comprise large diameter 
counterbores which removeably receive cylindrical inserts 66 and 68. Each 
of the cylindrical inserts has a central bore 70 and a larger diameter 
counterbore 72. A resilient helical coil spring 74 is seated in each of 
the counterbores 72 and resiliently bears between the innerface thereof 
and the innerface of a resilient, cylindrical seal member 76. The latter 
has an arcuately concave face of a radius conforming to the radius of the 
spherical valve member 80 of the assembly to sealably engage there 
against. The spherical ball member 80 has a central discontinuous bore 82 
which communicates with radial, branch bores 84 and 86 that are angularly 
disposed to coact with the through bores 88 and 90, respectively of the 
cylindrical seals within wells 62 and 64. The spherical valve member 80 
has a surface groove 98 in which is received pin 100 that is secured in 
body 16. The pin and groove coact to provide a directional restraint to 
the movement of the valve member 80. 
The central bore 82 in valve member 80 preferably has an enlarged diameter 
portion 73 which receives an enlarged diameter end portion 75 of the 
single protruding member 26. The enlarged diameter portion has an annular 
groove in which is seated an O-ring seal 77 and the assembly is retained 
by a clip retainer 91 that seats in an annular groove 92 about the upper 
edge of the enlarged diameter bore 73, projecting over the shoulder 94 of 
the large diameter portion 75. The single protruding member 26 preferably 
has a splined lower end 96 which is received within a coacting internally 
splined wall of the central bore 82. 
The valve member 80 is retained in the assembly and sealed therein by a 
generally annular sealing ring 102 which seats in an annular groove 104 
about hemispherical cavity 56. Preferably, the lower edge of sealing ring 
102 has a bulbous rim 106 that is compressed in a seal-tight relationship 
to annular groove 104 by guide ring 108. The latter has a central, lateral 
bore 110 which receives a coacting raised ridge 112 of the seal ring 
whereby the seal ring is secured thereto. 
The assembly of seal ring 102 and guide ring 108 is received in the 
hemispherical cap 22 which has an internally threaded wall 114 which 
engages an externally threaded neck 116 of the valve body 16, to permit 
compression of the assembly and the sealing engagement of the arcuately 
concave inner surface 118 of seal ring 102 against the spherical surface 
of the valve member 80. The guide ring 108 is oriented in this assembly to 
the body 16 by a lateral tab 101 which is received in axial groove 103 of 
body 16. A splash ring 120 is provided in the assembly, secured to the 
upright leg 30 of the single protruding member 26 to overlie the central 
aperture 122 of the guide ring 108. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, the shape of the central aperture 122 of the ring 
108 will be described in greater detail. As there illustrated, this 
aperture is generally tri-lobed with arcuate lobes 124 and 126 and a 
third, equidistant lobe 128. The tubular, single protruding member 26 is 
circular in cross-section and has a radius conforming to the inner radius 
of the lobes of the aperture whereby the member can be moved into each of 
the arcuate recesses of the aperture 122 to provide for infinite 
proportionating of the liquid from conduits 18 and 20, shown in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 4 is a partial, central, sectional view of the spherical ball member 
80, illustrating the internal bottom of bore 82 and the interconnecting 
branch ports 84 and 86 and also illustrating the fluted interengagement of 
surface 96 with the internally fluted surface of the bore 82. 
FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative assembly of a single protruding member 27 
with a spherical valve member 81. In this construction, the branch ports 
85 and 87 communicate with a central bore 83 through a square or 
rectangular receptacle 97. The lower end of single protruding member 27 
can have a square or rectangular shank 99 which is received in the 
receptacle 97 and can also have a single or master spline 95 that is 
received in a coacting groove of the valve member 81. The lower end of the 
single protruding member 27 also bears an annular groove which receives an 
O-ring seal 89. 
Referring now to FIG. 6, the lock plate 50 is illustrated in perspective 
view. As illustrated in FIG. 2, this lock plate is employed to secure the 
body of the faucet to the supporting structure. The lock plate 50 has an 
open slot 130 which receives the base 44 of the body 16. Preferably, the 
plate has resilient means such as the bent portions 132 which project 
upwardly, out of the plain of the lock plate 50 to provide resilient 
engagement with the valve body. The lock plate also has lateral ears 134 
which have internally threaded bores to receive the thumb screws 52, 
thereby permitting tightening of the fixture to the supporting structure. 
Preferably, the lock plate 50 also has a dependent tab 136 to permit the 
plate to be grasped and readily inserted into place. 
Referring now to FIGS. 7-12, an alternative embodiment of the invention is 
illustrated. This embodiment also employs a single protruding member to 
serve both as a dispensing nozzle and valve member operator. This valve 
structure, however, has a slightly different arrangement of the valve body 
inlet ports and the communicating port of the valve member. The spherical 
valve member 140 has a single inlet port 142 which communicates with a 
central bore 144 that extends partially into the valve member. The bore 
144 is splined in portion 146 and open to an enlarged diameter bore 148. 
The ball member receives a single protruding member 150 having a polygon 
outer shape at portion 152 and an enlarged diameter end 154 which is 
received in the large diameter bore 148. The lower end of the single 
protruding member 150 is splined at 156 and is received in the internally 
splined portion 146 of bore 144. The assembly is preferably secured by a 
snap ring which is seated in the annular groove 158 about the upper edge 
of the bore 144. A seal in the form of an O-ring is seated in annular 
groove 160 about the large diameter circular portion 154 of the single 
protruding member 150. 
The spherical valve member of FIG. 7 is received in a hemispherical valve 
cavity 162 illustrated in FIG. 8. This valve cavity has inlet ports 164 
and 166 which are in closely spaced relationship. The spacing between 
inlets 164 and 166 is preselected such that the inlet port 142 of the 
valve member can overlie both of these ports and thereby effect 
proportionating of flow from ports 164 and 166 through the faucet. 
The aforedescribed valve member and valve body are employed with the valve 
member guide ring 168 shown in FIG. 9. This guide ring has a central 
aperture 170 in the form of an elongated slot having an arcuate rear edge 
172 and a pointed forward edge 174. The guide ring has the standard 
detenting tab 176 which is received in the groove such as groove 103 of 
FIG. 2. 
FIG. 10 illustrates the relative position of the single protruding member 
in the aperture 170 of the guide ring 168 when the valve member is in the 
closed position. In this position, the generally diamond-shaped portion 
152 of the single protruding member 150 is received in the pointed forward 
end 174 of slot 170. This position locates the single inlet port 142 of 
the valve member 140 beyond the inlet ports 164 and 166 of the valve body; 
see FIG. 8. 
When the single protruding member 150 is moved to the rear portion 172 of 
the slotted aperture 170, in the position shown in phantom lines at 176, 
the valve is open and port 142 registers with both ports 164 and 166, 
effecting an equal proportionating of flow from these inlet ports. The 
rotation of the single protruding member 150 to the left, to the position 
shown in the phantom lines 178 will move the valve member inlet port 142 
into registration with inlet port 166 and out of registration with inlet 
port 164, thereby obtaining the flow entirely through inlet port 166. 
Similarly, rotation of the single protruding member 150 to the right, to 
the position shown by the phantom lines 180 will move the port 142 into 
registration only with inlet port 164. Between these limited full 
positions, the valve functions as a mixing valve and infinite 
proportionating of flow from the two inlet ports 164 and 166 can be 
achieved. 
The movement of the valve member 140 is also controlled by the guide slot 
182, shown in FIGS. 7 and 12. This guide slot receives a coacting pin such 
as pin 100 of FIG. 2 that is carried by the valve body to limit the 
rotational freedom of the valve member 140 in the hemispherical cavity 162 
of its respective valve body. 
The invention as thus described employs a minimum of structural elements 
and combines a flow through nozzle with a valve member handle. Preferably, 
the faucet is employed in combination with an aerator and, most 
preferably, in combination with an adjustable flow deflector that is 
distally carried by the faucet-handle element. This construction permits 
the faucet to be employed in a double sink, located in the center of the 
sink and the flow deflector can be moved to the right or left to direct 
the flow to either of the basins of the sink. The nozzle-handle member of 
the faucet is thus located directly above the divider in the double sink 
and does not present any obstructions to access to the separate basins of 
the sink. While the invention has been described and illustrated with an 
assembly of a spherical valve member and nozzle-handle, it is apparent 
that this assembly could be provided as a single unitary structure, again 
greatly simplifying the manufacturing of the faucet. 
The invention has been described with reference to the illustrated and 
presently preferred embodiments. It is not intended that the invention be 
unduly limited by this description of the presently preferred embodiments. 
Instead, it is intended that the invention be defined by the means, and 
their obvious equivalents, set forth in the following claims.