FOOT-OPERATED MIXING VALVE ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A foot-operated mixing cock (1) consists of a mixing body (3), having the cold water inlet (5) on one side, the hot water inlet (7) on the other side and the mixed water outlet (11) in a central position. The inlets (5, 7) are controlled by ball valves (13, 15) having an internal cavity (45, 47) and are operated by two levers (41, 43), located in a bottom position and angularly displaceable by the user's foot.

Description: FOOT-OPERATED MIXING VALVE ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a foot-operated mixing cock, to be installed below a shelf for industrial use (canteens, restaurant kitchens, cooking centres, hospitals, doctor's surgeries and so on). Nowadays, foot-operated cocks, of both mixing and non- mixing type, have the following drawbacks: - difficult cleaning, owing to the installation at the floor level; - difficult actuation, since a pressure is to be maintained in order to have a continuous delivery; - lack of safety, because the levers project from the sinks; - difficult mixing, since the actuating presure is to be co-ordinated on two independent levers by means of a single foot; - poor balancing, since single-lever cocks have a mechanical block mounted at a certain level above the floor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a foot- operated mixing cock, which does not have the above-mentioned drawbacks and which assists in solving the practical and functional problems that have not yet been solved and that are. incompatible with the present regulations. The basic features of the mixing cock of the invention will become apparent from the appended claims. Said mixing cock will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non- limiting example, in which: - Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of the group forming the body of the mixing cock; - Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a sink equipped with the body shown in Fig. 1, highlighting the foot-operated control members, raised from ground. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, body 1 of the mixing cock of the invention substantially consists of a parallelepiped body 3, having on one side 5 the cold water inlet and on the other side 7 the hot water inlet. Said inlets 5 and 7 are connected by an internal duct 9, longitudinally arranged in body 3 and communicating with outlet duct 11 for mixed water. Said inlets 5 and 7 are each equipped with a ball valve 13 and 15, secured through a respective threaded member 17 and 19, engaging a respective threaded zone 21 and 23 provided at the ends of duct 9. Suitable gaskets 25 and 27 are provided between said threaded members 17 and 19 and ball valves 13 and 15, respectively, to ensure a tight mounting of the valves in body 3. Of course, the chambers of inlets 5 and 7 are closed towards the outside by respective threaded caps 29 and 31, which are screwed into respective internally threaded zones 33 and 35 of said chambers. Ball valves 13 and 15 have applied thereto, outside body 3, suitable actuating pins 37 and 39, respectively, to which foot- operated actuating levers 41 and 43, respectively, are applied. Ball valves 13 and 15 have suitable internal cavities 45 and 47, whereby rotation of actuating pins 37 and 39, controlled by foot-operated levers 41 and 43 (see also Fig. 2), causes the partial or complete opening of said valves and consequently the opening of the respective duct inlet to a desired extent. In Fig. 1 ball valves 13 and 15 are shown in closed condition, with securing member 17 of valve 5 in a condition taken during a mounting phase, whereas securing member 19 of valve 7 is shown in mounted condition. The advantages attainable by the mixing cock of the invention are immediately apparent: - the structure is compact and it can be readily cleaned, - installation below a shelf is made easier; - the operation is safe, in that the cock can be operated without use of levers projecting from the shelf, while actuation, delivery and mixing are controlled with the foot tip and the heel resting on the floor; and - the levers can have different sizes for shelves located at different levels.

Claims: Patent claims 1. A mixing cock (1), characterised in that it essentially consists of a parallelepiped body (3), having the cold water inlet on one side (5, 7) and the hot water inlet on the other side (5, 7), said inlets (5, 7) being connected by an internal duct (9), longitudinally arranged in the body (3) and communicating with the outlet duct (11) for the mixed water; said inlets (5, 7) being each equipped with a ball valve (13, 15) having an internal cavity (45, 47), and being each secured through a respective threaded member (17, 19) engaging a respective threaded zone (21 , 23) provided at a respective end of the duct (9); said ball valves (13, 15) being controlled for rotation by suitable actuating pins (37, 39), arranged outside the body (3) and having applied thereto foot-operated actuating levers (41, 43). 2. A mixing cock (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that suitable gaskets (25, 27) are provided between said threaded members (17, 19) and the ball valves (13, 15), to ensure a tight mounting of said ball valves (13, 15) in the respective seats provided upstream the central duct (9) connecting the two inlets (5, 7). 3. A mixing cock (1) according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the chambers of both inlets (5, 7) are closed towards the outside by respective threaded caps (29, 31) which are screwed into respective internally threaded zones (33, 35) provided in said chambers. 4. A mixing cock (1) according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the rotation of said ball valves (13, 15) causes, depending on the rotation amount, the opening of the respective inlets to a desired extent, whereby the user can obtain the desired mixing of hot and cold water.

Inventors: CABBIA DIANELLO, CABBIA, DIANELLO
Applicants: CABBIA DIANELLO, CABBIA, DIANELLO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F16K11
IPC codes: F16K11, F16K31