Abstract:
A faucet manifold according to the invention is adapted to be mounted on a countertop over openings through which access can be had to water-conveying conduits. The manifold includes a cover in the form of a plate overlying the openings. The plate is spaced from the surface of the countertop by a skirt extending downwardly from the periphery of the plate. The plate includes three vertically oriented sleeves. Valve members are disposed in two of the sleeves and a spout assembly is connected to one of the sleeves. Water is directed into the valve-containing sleeves through tubes connected to openings formed in the sleeves. The valve-containing sleeves are connected to the spout-supporting sleeve by tubes connected to additional openings formed in the sleeves. All of the components of the manifold can be manufactured inexpensively, many of them in stamping operations. The invention eliminates the need to form parts in casting operations, thereby significantly reducing manufacturing costs.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to plumbing fixtures and, more particularly, to a faucet manifold and to a method of manufacturing a faucet manifold. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A typical faucet manifold includes as a major component a hollow body portion formed by a casting process employing one or more cores. Inlets for connection to a source of water are provided for the body portion. The usual technique for connecting the inlets to water pipes is by machining threads on either an exterior or interior portion of the inlets. The body portion also is provided with a spout-supporting outlet which, like the inlets, usually is threaded. In order to provide a valving function for each of the inlets, additional openings are formed in the body portion adjacent the inlets. These openings customarily are machined and threaded. Valve members can be positioned in the openings and held in place by means of hold-down nuts. 
     Faucet manifolds manufactured according to the foregoing description are in widespread use. Such manifolds are substantial pieces of equipment, often weighing several pounds or more. They usually last for many years. Unfortunately, they have a number of drawbacks, probably the most significant of which is the time and expense needed to manufacture the manifolds. The casting process by which the manifolds are manufactured is not susceptible of low-cost, high-volume production. Individual molds and cores must be prepared for individual castings, great amounts of energy are required to melt the metal to be cast, a considerable period of time is required for the castings to cool, the cooled castings must be removed from the molds and cleaned, and the castings then must be machined to final specifications. 
     Certain manifold constructions are known in which the need for a cast body portion is eliminated. For instance, the patent to Moen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,474, issued Nov. 28, 1961, discloses a faucet wherein a deck plate is positioned atop a countertop, exteriorly threaded nipples extend through the deck plate, and a valve body is disposed centrally of the deck plate. The valve body is connected to the nipples by means of inlet pipes. A decorative shell is disposed about the faucet components to provide a pleasing esthetic effect. The entire assembly is held fast against the countertop by nuts threaded about the nipples or by studs threaded into openings from beneath the deck plate. 
     Although Moen&#39;s device does not employ a large cast body portion, it replaces the cast body portion with a centrally disposed valve body performing all valving and spout functions. Moen&#39;s device would not be suitable for use with so-called two-handle valve constructions without considerable modification. Further, even though a cast body portion has not been employed, the Moen device still requires a relatively large number of components. 
     The patent to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,574, issued Nov. 2, 1982, discloses a faucet assembly somewhat like that of Moen&#39;s in that a base plate is secured to the upper surface of a sink deck and a faucet body is connected to the base plate. Although Johnson&#39;s faucet assembly can be manufactured relatively inexpensively, it still contains a large number of parts and suffers the further drawback that valve functions are performed by pinch valves which engage flexible, water-conveying conduits. The use of pinch valves in conjunction with flexible conduits is undesirable due to concerns about the reliability of such components. 
     Despite the existence of different approaches to manifold configurations and construction techniques provided by the prior art, there still is no inexpensive, reliable faucet manifold that avoids the need for castings while utilizing the fewest number of parts. Desirably, a faucet manifold would attain the foregoing objectives, particularly for two-handle valve arrangements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the foregoing difficulties of the prior art and provides a new and improved faucet manifold and method for manufacturing a faucet manifold. A faucet manifold according to the invention is adapted to be mounted on a countertop over openings through which access can be had to water-conveying conduits. The manifold includes a cover defined by a plate and a skirt extending downwardly from the periphery of the plate. The plate is adapted to overlie the openings. The skirt is adapted to engage the countertop so that the plate is spaced from the surface of the countertop, thereby creating a chamber. 
     In a preferred embodiment suitable for use in a two-handle valve configuration, the plate includes three openings spaced from each other. Vertically oriented sleeves are fitted into the openings. Valve members are disposed in two of the sleeves, and a spout assembly is connected to the third sleeve. The valve-containing sleeves include means for establishing fluid communication between the water-conveying conduits and the sleeves. Separate means are provided for establishing fluid communication between the spout-carrying sleeve and the valve-containing sleeves. 
     The water-conveying conduits are connected to the valve-containing sleeves by means of tubes brazed to openings formed in the sleeves. Similarly, the valve-containing sleeves are connected to the spout-carrying sleeve by means of tubes which are brazed to openings formed in the sleeves. In the preferred embodiment, the tubes connecting the sleeves are disposed within the chamber, while the tubes conveying water to the valve-containing sleeves pass upwardly through the chamber, through openings formed in the plate, and into openings formed in the sides of the valve-containing sleeves at a location above the plate. 
     The upper ends of the sleeves are configured to retain the valve members and spout assembly by means of hold-down nuts. The entire manifold assembly is held in place against the countertop by means of toggle bolts accessible from above the countertop. Decorative cover knobs are provided for the valve members. The lower ends of the knobs completely surround and cover the sleeves, inlet tubes, and toggle bolts. 
     A faucet manifold according to the invention can be manufactured exceedingly rapidly and inexpensively. The cover and the sleeves can be formed in stamping operations. The tubing is inexpensive and can be attached to the sleeves quickly and inexpensively by braze rings. Similarly, the sleeves can be connected to the cover by means of braze rings. The sleeve-stamping operation is sufficiently dimensionally accurate that a watertight seal can be established between the interior of the sleeves and the exterior of the valve members. The resultant faucet manifold assembly is quite strong and reliable, and yet its manufacturing cost is less than half that of faucet manifolds employing cast body portions. 
     Alternative embodiments of the invention are provided in which different methods of manufacture and different materials are employed. Although casting operations generally are to be avoided for the reasons expressed earlier, portions of the faucet manifold can be formed in a casting operation, if desired. The same elements as described in the preferred embodiment are employed, but the cover and the sleeves are formed as a unit in a die casting operation, thus avoiding the use of cores. Water-conveying conduits can be connected to the sleeves by brazing. In another embodiment, the cover and the sleeves can be formed as a unit in a plastic injection-molding operation, and the water-conveying conduits can be connected to the sleeves by the use of cement or solvent. 
     The foregoing features and advantages, together with a more complete description of the invention, may be had by referring to the following drawings, taken together with the accompanying specification and claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a faucet manifold according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the faucet manifold of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the faucet manifold of FIG. 1 taken along a plane indicated by line 3--3 in FIG. 1, with certain components removed for purposed of clarity of illustration. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the Figures, a faucet manifold according to the invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The faucet manifold 10 is adapted to be placed atop a countertop 12 and to overlie openings 14, 16 formed in the countertop 12 through which access may be had to conventional water-conveying conduits (not shown). The manifold 10 includes a cover 20 defined by a generally rectangular, flat plate 22 having a downwardly extending skirt 24 at the periphery. The foregoing components create a chamber 25. 
     The plate 22 includes three raised areas 26, 28, 30 aligned along a longitudinal axis of the plate 22. Relatively large openings 32, 34, 36 are formed in the raised areas 26, 28, 30. Openings 38, 40 are formed in the raised areas 26, 30 adjacent the larger openings 32, 36. Smaller openings 42, 44 are located in the raised areas 26, 30 adjacent the openings 38, 40. Toggle bolts 46 (only one of which is shown in the Figures) extend through the openings 42, 44 and through the openings 14, 16 in the countertop 12. 
     Three sleeves 50, 52, 54 are disposed within the openings 32, 34, 36. The sleeves 50, 52, 54 are substantially identical and include a cylindrical body portion 56, a necked-down lower end 58 having indented sidewalls 60, and a threaded upper end 62. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the sleeves 50, 52, 54 can be inserted into the openings 32, 34, 36 only up to the intersection between the body portions 56 and the necked-down ends 58. Openings 64 are formed in the body portions 56 of the sleeves 50, 54 at a location above the upper surface of the plate 22. Openings 66 are formed in the necked-down ends 58 of the sleeves 50, 54 at a location within the chamber 25. Openings 68, 70 are formed in the necked-down end 58 of the sleeve 52 at a location 180° from each other. 
     Inlet tubes 80, 82 extend through the openings 14, 16, through the openings 38, 40, and into the openings 64 formed in the sleeves 50, 54. A connecting tube 84 extends between the openings 66, 68 included as part of the sleeves 50, 52. Another connecting tube 86 extends between the openings 66, 70 included as part of the sleeves 52, 54. 
     A cartridge-type valve member 90 is disposed within each of the sleeves 50, 54. The valve members 90 are similar in construction and operation to the cartridge-type valves disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,288, issued Dec. 10, 1985, to Irlin H. Botnick. The valve members 90 will be described herein only to show how they interact with the various components of the faucet manifold 10. 
     The valve members 90 each include a drive member 92, a portion of which projects above the threaded upper ends 62. The valve members 90 are held in place within the sleeves 50, 54 by means of hold-down nuts 94. Cover knobs 96, 98 are secured to the upper ends of the drive members 92. The cover knobs 96, 98 include frusto-conical sidewalls 100 having a sufficiently large-diameter base to completely surround, and thereby cover, the raised areas 26, 30. The valve members 90 also include O-rings 102, 104 which tightly engage the inner surface of the body portions 56 and the necked-down ends 58 of the sleeves 50, 54. The O-rings 102, 104 effect a watertight seal between the valve members 90 and the sleeves 50, 54. 
     A spout assembly 110 is secured to the threaded upper end 62 of the sleeve 52 by means of a hold-down nut 112. The spout assembly is similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,288, issued Dec. 10, 1985, to Irlin H. Botnick, and further discussion here is unnecessary. 
     ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION 
     A significant advantage of the present invention is that a great number of the components can be manufactured inexpensively, preferably in a stamping operation. The cover 20 is made of metal and can be formed in a single stamping operation. The sleeves 50, 52, 54 similarly are made of metal and can be formed in a stamping operation. The threaded upper ends 62 can be formed easily by conventional thread-rolling techniques. 
     The tubes 80, 82, 84, 86 are made of metal and are readily commercially available. Techniques for bending the tubes 80, 82 and for cutting the tubes 80, 82, 84, 86 to length are well known to those skilled in the art. 
     The faucet manifold 10 is assembled by placing braze rings about the necked-down ends 58 of the sleeves 50, 52, 54 and about the tubes 80, 82, 84, 86 at their juncture with the openings 64, 66, 68, 70. Thereafter, upon heating the manifold 10, the braze rings will melt and, upon cooling, will cause the manifold components to be assembled in a secure, watertight manner. 
     After the manifold 10 has been manufactured as described, the valve members 90 can be inserted into the sleeves 50, 54 and secured in place by the hold-down nuts 94. The flattened sidewall portions 60 cause the valve members 90 to be oriented properly relative to the sleeves 54. Similarly, the spout assembly 110 can be secured to the sleeve 52 by means of the hold-down nut 112. 
     In order to mount the faucet manifold 10 to the countertop 12, the toggle bolts 46 are fitted through the openings 42, 44. Thereafter, the manifold 10 is positioned atop the openings 14, 16 and the toggle bolts 46 are pushed downwardly through the openings 14, 16 to that position shown in FIG. 3. Upon tightening the toggle bolts 46, the cover 20 will be tightly pressed atop the countertop 12. If desired, a gasket (not shown) can be fitted between the lower edge of the skirt 24 and the countertop 12 in order to provide a watertight seal. Then, the tubes 80, 82 can be connected to the water-conveying conduits by any conventional technique. Upon securing the cover knobs 96, 98 to the drive members 92, installation of the faucet manifold 10 will be complete. 
     It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the faucet manifold 10 includes a small number of components, but most importantly the need for any castings has been eliminated. The stamping operation for the sleeves 50, 54 is sufficiently accurate that a watertight connection between the sleeves 50, 54 and the valve members 90 can be carried out on a production basis. Because the cover 20 not only overlies the openings 14, 16, but also carries the sleeves 50, 52, 54, the cover 20 provides both a functional purpose as well as an esthetic purpose. The need for a separate decorative shell as in other faucet manifold constructions is eliminated. 
     ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the invention avoids the difficulties and expense associated with casting operations, portions of the faucet manifold according to the invention can be formed in a casting operation, if desired. Different materials also can be substituted for materials employed in the preferred embodiment. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the cover 20 and the sleeves 50, 52, 54 can be formed as a unit in a die casting operation. In that circumstance, cores commonly employed to form internal cavities would not be necessary due to the configuration of the cover 20 and the sleeves 50, 52, 54. The openings 64, 66, 68, 70 can be formed by a machining operation, as can the threads 62. The water-conveying conduits 80, 82, 84, 86 can be connected to the sleeves 50, 52, 54 as in the preferred embodiment. Although the expense of the assembly just described is higher than that of the preferred embodiment, it still is less than that of a conventional faucet manifold employing a cast body portion. 
     If desired, the cover 20 and the sleeves 50, 52, 54 can be formed as a unit from a plastics material in an injection-molding operation. In that instance, the water-conveying conduits 80, 82, 84, 86 can be secured to the sleeves 50, 52, 54 by means of a cement or solvent. Further, in any of the embodiments described herein, the openings 64 can be formed at the bottom of the sleeves 50, 54 and the water-conveying conduits 80, 82 can be connected directly to the underside of the sleeves 50, 54. In order to provide such a connection, however, the valve members 90 must be modified to permit water to flow from the bottom of the sleeves 50, 54, upwardly through the sleeves 50, 54, and outwardly through the openings 66. Conventional washer-carrying valve stems engageable with valve seats surrounding the relocated openings 64 would be suitable for such a purpose. Such a modification of the valve members 90, as well as various techniques for manufacturing the components described herein and different materials suitable for manufacturing the components described herein, will be known to those skilled in the art. 
     While such terms as &#34;upper&#34; and &#34;downwardly&#34; have been used to describe certain features of the invention, it will be understood that such terms are used for convenience only and that other terms could be selected to describe the relative relationship among the various components making up the invention. It also will be understood that although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, the present disclosure of the preferred embodiment has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.