AN APPARATUS FOR TAPPING OF WATER OR THE LIKE

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for tapping of water, which comprises a valve device (4) with an inlet (19), connected to a water source, as well as an outlet (21) and a seat (29), positioned there between and actuated by spring-loaded shut off and opening means (26, 35). The valve device (4) comprises according to the invention two cup-shaped halves (10; 11), facing each other, between which by means of an edge area all around a rubber elastic membrane (35) is fastened, which separates the hollow spaces (34; 37) of the two halves from each other, which membrane within one of the hollow spaces (37) abuts said seat (29), which inwardly limits the inlet opening (16) of the inlet (19), and which membrane within the other hollow space (34) is actuated by means of said shut off and opening means, designed as a valve plate (26), which presses the membrane against the seat (29), which plate is influenced by said spring actuation and extends through the corresponding body half (11) with a spindle (25), to which drawing means (5-8; 30) are connected for a temporary pressure relief of the membrane within the seat area and consequently also a discharge of the medium flow into the respective hollow space (37) and out of the outlet (21).

Description: AN APPARATUS FOR TAPPING OF WATER OR THE LIKE The present invention relates to an apparatus for tapping of water according to the preamble of claim 1. To the extent that such apparatuses are already known, they usually are complicated and sensitive to break downs of different types. Also, to manufacture them and to assemble them is expensive , and in addition to that, they will in an many instances not meet the requirements as to sanitation. Also, in certain cases electric power is required for their operation. Finally, these apparatuses may be difficult to control and the replaceability as to parts may pose a serious problem, logistically as well as technically/practically. Examples of such already known apparatuses are described in SE-B-360 159. DE-A-2 517 787, FR- A-2 148 691 and EP-A-0 321 774. The object of the present invention is to counteract and as far as possible eliminate the above- mentioned drawbacks. A particular object of the invention is to develop an apparatus, which allows tapping of water, basic hygienic requirements being met, i.e. to isolate the tapping area from human intervention, preventing e.g. infectious diseases from getting a hold within the tapping area and from being spread further. Another particular object of the invention is to develop an apparatus, which is easy and convenient to serve but nevertheless functions reliably and automatically to a large extent. The entire apparatus and all its parts must have a long life and it must be possible to replace its parts easily, quickly and conveniently without expert knowledge. The manufacture and the mounting as well as the installation within the selected utilization area must not be complicated and must be carried out very economically. It must be possible to manage varying water pressures with or without simple adjusting means. These objects are attained by designing according to the present invention an apparatus of the type described in the introduction, mainly in the way set forth in the characterizing clause of claim 1. Additional characterizing features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred but not limiting embodiment of the invention and in which in detail : Fig. 1 shows in perspective . in a lateral view and from above a complete apparatus according to the invention: Fig. 2 in perspective and from above a valve device, being a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 in perspective and from below the device according to Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 a diametrical axial cross-section of a device according to Figs. 2 and 3 along section line A-A in Fig. 5 ; and Fig. 5 a view from above of the device according to Figs. 2-4. In Fig. 1 the entire tapping apparatus 1 is shown. It can comprise e.g. a beam-like pillar 2 of some sort, e.g. made of a plastic material and/or a metal and/or wood, and it is designed to, e.g. in a vertical position, be fastened to a wall or the like (not shown) or be self-supporting or freely standing. Pillar or the like 2 supports on its upper end a bracket 3, on which a valve device 4 according to the invention is mounted. At he lower end of pillar or the like 2 one end of a lever- shaped foot pedal 6, which projects from the pillar at right angles, is articulately attached via a pivot bolt 5, the lower end of a wire , close to the articulately attached end of said foot pedal, being fastened via a fastener 7 , which wire 8 extends parallel to the pillar and the upper end of which is fastened to said valve device 4. Body 9 of valve device 4 comprises two circular cylindrical cup-shaped halves 10 and 11, which are open towards each other and each one of which comprises a wall 12 and 13 respectively all around and a bottom 14 and 15 respectively . Upper half 10 has a central axial through inlet opening 16, which extends through bottom 14 and is surrounded inside wall 12 with a central coupler 17, made integral with wall 12 and which extends from the bottom roughly all the way to the plane, which accommodates the free end side of wall 12. The free end side of the coupler preferably ends a few millimeters inside said plane. In opening 16 , within the area of bottom 12, which suitably is a threaded bore, a coupler 19 is screwed from the outside, which e.g. is provided with a hexagonal flange 18, which abuts the exterior part of the bottom, on which coupler e.g. a flexible water feed hose (not shown) can be fastened in a way known per se. A through outlet opening 20 extends through the wall of half 10, e.g. in a radial direction, and it preferably is a threaded bore, into which a coupler or the like 21 is screwed from the outside. This coupler can have the same design as coupler 19, which facilitates and cheapens the production and stock-keeping. Otherwise, coupler 21 can be some sort of outlet spout or the coupler can be connected to a hose, a tube or the like. Coupler 21 or means connected to it does not have to be provided with shut off-means. Bottom 15 of other half 11 is provided with a central axial through guide opening 22, which on the interior side of the bottom can extend further through a shorter guide coupler 23. In the guide opening a valve spindle 25, which belongs to a valve body 24 is inserted from within, which spindle close to the plane through the free end side of wall 13 is connected to a plate 26 having a suitably slightly convex free end surface 27 and a diameter , which is roughly the same as the outer diameter of coupler 17. Between plate 26 and guide coupler 23 or bottom 15 spindle 25 is surrounded by a prestressed, e.g. screw-shaped compression spring 28, which strives to press the plate against the free end of coupler 17, which end is designed as a valve seat 29. The other end of spindle 25 projects through bottom 15 and is in this area provided with a fastener 30, e.g. a ring 31 with a threaded bolt 32, which is screwed into a threaded bore 33 in the outer end of the spindle. The upper end of said wire 8 is fastened to the fastener. Spindle 25 allows by means of clearance as to the guide coupler or in another way, e.g. profiling, a ventilation of hollow space 34, enclosed by half 11, with the surrounding atmosphere. Between the free end surfaces of wall 12,13 a membrane 35 with its edge area is fastened all around, which membrane follows the outer outline of the walls and thus will be positioned between valve seat 29 and plate 26. Screws (not shown), which extend e.g. through axial holes 36 through upper bottom 14 and wall 13, are fastened in the wall of the lower half and consequently compresses the membrane, the lower hollow space , in addition to said ventilation, being hermetically sealed and separated from the corresponding upper hollow space 37. Such a tapping apparatus, installed according to Fig. 1 , works in the following manner : Pedal 6 suitably is a folding pedal and/or can be quickly mounted on the pillar 2. The same is true of bracket 3 at the pillar and of valve device 4 at the bracket. This will allow optimal storing, transport, mounting and replaceability conditions. The user of the tapping apparatus, installed in this way, generally does not have to touch the valve device and particularly not outlet 21. In this way contaminants and spread of infectious diseases are avoided to a great extent, which is very important, e.g. during efforts to relieve catastrophes. In case water is to be tapped, the user steps on pedal 6, the distance between pivot axle 5 and fastener 7 suitably being only a small fraction of the distance between fastener 7 and the free end of the pedal. In this way a relatively large drawing force can be exerted on wire 8 using a quite small real force, which means , that spring 28 can be relatively strong and in this way a reliable shut off of inlet opening 16 can be obtained, since spring 28, which abuts against bottom 15 and guide coupler 23, presses plate 26 and then also the flexible, preferably rubber elastic membrane 35 with a certain deformation against seat 29 and against the action of the water pressure in the inlet. Thus, the pedal is pressed downwards, plate 26 is pulled downwards against the action of the spring 28 and the membrane leaves seat 29, allowing water to flow into hollow space 37 and from this space out through outlet opening 20. When the pedal is released, the spring immediately brings the plate and the membrane back to their closing positions, which means, that it is never possible to forget to shut off the water flow. An automatic cost saving is achieved in this way. When the plate is pulled downwards , the membrane also comes along a certain distance, the volume of hollow space 34 decreasing. A pressure adjustment through guide opening 22 then results, which has been described above. However, it is also possible to not let such a pressure adjustment take place, i.e. when spindle 25 is tightly fit into the guide opening. In this way the membrane will, also when the plate has been pulled downwards, be held against seat 29 or at least close to the seat, a certain possibly desirable restriction or damping or pressure regulation effect on the discharged water being obtained. Thus, all parts of the apparatus according to the invention are simple and easy to assemble as well as replace. It is also possible to make the two valve device halves identical, bores 36 being made alternately in the two halves and the two couplers 17 and 23 having been given the lowest possible common denominator , e.g. a shorter design and a bent membrane position in the starting position resulting. In this way additional savings can be obtained. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment, which has been described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, but it can be modified and supplemented in an arbitrary fashion within the scope of the inventive idea and according to the following claims :

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An apparatus (1) for tapping of water or the like, which comprises a valve device (4) having an inlet (19), connected to a water source or the like, as well as an outlet (21) and a seat (29), positioned between them, which seat is designed to be actuated by spring-loaded shut off and opening means (26,35), to which a flexible, particularly rubber elastic, membrane (35) belongs, which with an edge area all around is fastened between parts of the body (9) of the valve device, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said body parts are two cup-shaped halves (10;11), facing each other with their cup openings, between the free edges of which, which are facing each other, said membrane edge area all around is fastened, in that the membrane (35) within one of the cup-shaped hollow spaces (37) is designed to abut against said seat (29), which is made of the inner end of a central coupler (17), housing the inlet opening (16) of the inlet (19), and which from outside the other cup-shaped hollow space (34) is designed to be actuated by said shut off and opening means , designed as a valve plate (26), which presses the membrane against the seat (29), from which valve plate a spindle (25) extends outwards through the corresponding body half (11), which spindle between the plate (26) and the bottom (15) of the respective body half (11) is surrounded by a prestressed, e.g. screw-shaped compression spring (28), which is designed to press the plate with the membrane against the seat, and in that the spindle is connected to drawing means (5-8;30) for a temporary pressure relief of the membrane within the seat area and then also a discharge of the medium flow into the respective hollow space (37) and out of the outlet (21). 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the valve device (4) is fastened to a beam-like pillar (2) or the like, e.g. made of a plastic material and/or a metal and/or wood, which pillar is designed to, in a vertical position, be fastened to a wall or the like or be self- supporting or standing by itself, and which pillar supports said valve device (4) by its upper end, preferably by means of a bracket (3), and in that the lower end of the pillar or the like (2) is articulately fastened via a pivot bolt (5) to one end of a lever-like foot pedal (6), which perpendicularly projects outwards from the pillar, close to the end of which , which is articulately fastened via a fastener (7), the lower end of a wire (8) is fastened, which constitutes said drawing means, which wire extends in parallel as to the pillar, and in that the upper end of the wire is fastened to said valve device (4). 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the cup-shaped halves (10,11) each one at least substantially is and includes a wall (12 and 13 respectively) all around and a bottom (14 and 15 respectively), in that one of said halves (the upper half 10) has a preferably central axial through inlet opening (16), which extends through the bottom (14) and is surrounded within the wall (12) by said coupler (17), made integral with said wall and which extends from the bottom roughly all the way up to the plane, which accommodates the free end side of the wall (12), preferably a few millimeters inside said plane. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that into one opening (16), suitably designed within the area for the bottom (14) of said one half, suitably as a threaded bore, from without a connection coupler (19) is screwed, provided with a hexagonal flange (18), which e.g. abuts against the outer surface of the bottom, to which coupler e.g. a flexible water hose can be fastened in a way known per se. 5. An apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that through the wall of said one half (10) a through outlet opening (20) extends, e.g. in a radial direction, which outlet opening preferably is designed as a threaded bore, into which from the outside a connection coupler (21) is screwed, which suitably is designed in the same way as the inlet coupler (19) is designed. 6. An apparatus according to any of claims 1-5, characterized in that the bottom (15) of the other half (11) is provided with a central axial through guide opening (22), which on the inner side of the bottom suitably extends a further distance by a shorter guide coupler (23), in that in the guide opening from the inside said valve spindle (25) is inserted, which corresponds to a valve body (24), which spindle close to the plane, which accommodates the free end side of the wall (13), is connected to or turns into said plate (26), which suitably has a slightly convex free end surface (27) and a diameter, which roughly has the same size as the outer diameter of the inlet coupler (17). 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the end of the spindle (25), which projects from the bottom (15), is provided with a fastener (30) , e.g. a ring (31) with a threaded bolt (32), which is screwed into a threaded bore (33) in the outer end of the spindle, and in that the upper end of said wire (8) is fastened to the fastener, the spindle (25) by means of a clearance as to the guide coupler or in another way, e.g. profiling, allowing a ventilation of the hollow space (34), enclosed by said half (11), to the surrounding atmosphere. 8. An apparatus according to any of claims 1-7, characterized by axial holes (36) through at least one of the bottoms (14,15) and at least one of the walls (12,13), designed to receive threaded bolts or the like for e.g. fastening in the wall of the other half and a fastening of the membrane in order to hermetically seal the lower hollow space, e.g. in addition to said ventilation, and separate it from the corresponding upper hollow space (37). 9. An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the pedal (6) can be folded and/or be mounted quickly on the pillar (2), suitably also a bracket (3) on the pillar and the valve device (4) on the bracket, in order to optimize the storing, transport, mounting and exchangeability characteristics, and in that the pedal (6) is designed an one-armed lever, the distance between the pivot axle (5) and the fastener (7) only being a small fraction of the distance between the fastener (7) and the free end of the pedal. 10. An apparatus according to any of claims 1-9, characterized in that the two halves of the valve device have an identical shape, bores (36) alternately being made in the two halves and the two couplers (17,23) being made shorter in order to allow a bent membrane position in the starting position.

Inventors: HERMANSSON PER, POTTHOFF KLAUS, HERMANSSON, PER, POTTHOFF, KLAUS
Applicants: HERMANSSON PER, POTTHOFF KLAUS, HERMANSSON, PER, POTTHOFF, KLAUS
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F16K7
IPC codes: F16K7, F16K31