Abstract:
An improved structure of sprout assembly to allow it to be externally fixed to the faucet without welding and permit faucet and sprout to be plated first before connecting both to each other is characterized by that a connector in the faucet to engage a locking sleeve in the sprout, and a threaded tube being inserted through both of the connector and the locking sleeve.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to a spout assembly, and more particularly, to one that can be externally locked to the faucet for fast assembly. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     As people now demand more on the product quality, the manufacturers also demand more on the process quality since good process quality is the only way to effective upgrade the appearance of the product. Manufacturers of products such as the dial of a wristwatch, the appearance of an automobile and assembly of sanitary ware have been improving the assembly appearance to directly promote product image and indirectly stimulate the market demands and higher selling price. FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing of the present invention shows a structure of the prior art of a spout assembly  20  adapted to a faucet  10 . As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2A for an assembly of the spout assembly  20  and the faucet  10  in the prior art, the spout assembly  20  is usually directly welded to a water outlet  13  on the faucet  10  to fix the spout assembly  20  to the outer circumference of the faucet  10 . However, the prior art is found with the following defectives: 
     1. The surface of the welded joint prevents easy access for finishing. As a protruded welded joint  22  is located at a corner where prevents easy access and the spout assembly  20  relates to a round tube making the use of mechanical tools very difficult to access for surface finish; and even the finishing is provided, the surface remains comparatively rough. 
     2. Surface is stripped after plating process. Since the faucet must go through the conventional welding process before entering into the next process of plating for finishing. However, during the plating process, the rough surface of the welded joint  22  will fail a consistent surface attachment of the plated surface. Consequently, the plated surface on the welded joint  22  will start to strip off to increase the percentage of defectives of a production lot. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of the spout assembly  20  that can be fixed to the faucet without welding, thus to improve the appearance of the finish product. 
     Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of the spout assembly  20  that permits to have both of the spout assembly  20  and the faucet  10  to be separately plated before fixing the spout assembly  20  to the faucet  10  for rapid assembly of the faucet at a reduced production cost. 
     To achieve the purposes, a connector is provided in the faucet  10  to be inserted into a locking sleeve provided in the spout assembly  20 . 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a spout of the prior art 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the spout assembly of the prior art. 
     FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing partially an assembly of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  4  and  5 , the internal structure design of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is generally similar to that of a prior art. Wherein, a temperature control valve  60  in shape compromising a bore  11  inside a faucet  10  is fixed in approximately at the middle section of the bore  11 . A water outlet  12  connected through the interior of the temperature control valve  60  is provided at the outer circumference of the faucet in front of the temperature control valve  60 . A cartridge stem  61  extends upward from the upper end of the temperature control valve  60  to control the mixing ratio of hot water and cold water inside the temperature control valve  60 . Multiple water inlets  62  are provided at the lower end of the temperature control valve  60  to introduce hot water and cold water into the temperature control valve  62  for mixing at a controlled temperature. On the outer circumference at the front of the temperature control valve  60  a water outlet  63  is provided to deliver the mixed hot and cold water through the water outlet  12 . An inwardly recessed cover  50  in the same outer diameter as that of the faucet is fixed to the upper part of the cartridge stem  61  so to cover up the top of the faucet  10 . A chamber  52  is provided inside the cover  50  so that a screw  53  is used to externally secure the cover  50  and the cartridge stem  61 . A threaded handle  51  is externally screwed into the front of the cover  50 . Those water inlets  62  are connected to multiple water pipes  70  to introduce both hot water and cold water. A cartridge  80  is screwed to the lower part of the faucet  10 . A packing  81  is provided at where below the cartridge  80  to support the faucet  10  on a sink. 
     The improved structure of the spout assembly is essentially made by having fixed a hollow, cylindrical connector  30  into the water outlet  12 . Female threads are provided on the inner circumference of the connector  30  to engage a threaded tube  40  and protruding forward with its outer circumference fixed at its rear to the water outlet  12  and a groove being provided on its front circumference to receiver insertion of an O-ring  32 . The tube  40  related to a threaded tube provided with male threads on its outer circumference to be inserted through the connector  30 . The rear end of the threaded tube  40  is formed with a nut in diameter slightly larger than that of the threaded tube  40  and the center of the threaded tube is made in hexagonal to permit use of a hexagonal wrench to fix the tube. The threaded tube  40  after penetrating through the bore of the connector  30  is screwed to a locking sleeve  21  fixed at the rear in a spout assembly  20  by holding against the outer circumference of the spout assembly  20  in relation to the faucet  10 . The sleeve  21  related to a recessed hollow cylinder has its outer circumference fixed to the bore of the spout assembly  20 , and female threads are provided in the bore of a hole provided on the outer circumference of the sleeve  21  in the direction toward the spout assembly  20  to be locked into the outer diameter of the threaded tube  40 . The larger bore in the rear of the hole provides a mobile travel for the insertion of the outer circumference of the connector  30 . Spot welding or ultra-sonic welding is used to fix the connector to the locking sleeve and the spout assembly to the faucet. 
     When assembled, continuous spot welding of mechanical process is used to respectively fix the connector  30  and the locking sleeve  21  to the faucet  10  and the spout assembly  20  before forthwith entering into the next plating process. Then the threaded tube  40  is used as a packing to secure either manually or mechanically both of the connector  30  and the locking sleeve  21  for the faucet  10  to enter into next assembly process. 
     The present invention is characterized by that: 
     1. Whereas the connector and the locking sleeve can be processed and produced by automation machine, and both are respectively fixed to the faucet and the spout by spot welding before entering the plating process. Furthermore, as both of the connector and the locking sleeve are welded at where not visible from the appearance, the plating process can be done faster and the plating quality will not be affected by the welded joint. 
     2. Since no soldering job is required between the and the faucet, the finishing process is skipped to prevent any defects to the plated finish, meaning a significant saving for purchasing expensive finishing tools otherwise required in the conventional process.