Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a tap handle assembly for positioning about an installed tap body that includes an outwardly extending spindle. The tap handle assembly has a handle body means that has a body aperture and engagement means for engaging an outer end of the spindle, a pin positionable and moveable within the body aperture, and a biasing means to bias the position of the pin within the body aperture. When the tap handle assembly is assembled with the tap body, the pin is biased to the tap body to substantially prevent the movement of the spindle and to restrict the flow from the tap.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is an U.S. national phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 based upon co-pending International Application No. PCT/AU2011/000966 filed on Aug. 1, 2011. Additionally, this U.S. national phase application claims the benefit of priority of co-pending International Application No. PCT/AU2011/000966 filed on Aug. 1, 2011, Australia Application No. 2010100830 filed on Aug. 3, 2010 and Australia Application No. 201010410 filed on Dec. 14, 2010. The entire disclosures of the prior applications are incorporated herein by reference. The international application was published on Feb. 9, 2012 under Publication No. WO 2012/016274 A1. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to water taps and faucets having a locking mechanism. The present invention has particular but not exclusive application to domestic water taps and faucets. Reference will now be made to domestic water taps and faucets but this is by way of example only and the invention is not limited to this example. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Domestic water taps can pose a serious safety risk to children and the elderly. Children can receive serious scalds as a result of playing with hot water taps in baths, sinks or showers. Furthermore, children playing with water taps can cause water wastage or flooding. As well in baths, there is an increased risk of drowning where there is an opportunity for children to turn on a tap. Similarly, the elderly and infirm may accidentally scald themselves or cause flooding in situations where they are unfamiliar with the tap operation or have difficulty operating a tap. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a tap assembly which overcomes at least in part one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention broadly resides in a tap handle assembly for positioning about an installed tap body that includes an outwardly extending spindle; including 
     a handle body means that has a body aperture and engagement means for engaging an outer end of the spindle; 
     a pin positionable and moveable within the body aperture; 
     a biasing means to bias the position of the pin within the body aperture; 
     wherein when assembled the pin is biased to the tap body to substantially prevent the movement of the spindle and to restrict the flow from the tap. 
     The tap handle assembly is preferably used with a quarter turn lever-type faucet; a rotary tap; or a mixer tap, such as a flick mixer tap. 
     The handle body means includes a tap handle portion integral with or operatively associated therewith a tap housing portion. In one embodiment the tap handle portion and tap housing portion are separate and the tap handle portion is engageable with the outer end of the spindle while the tap housing portion has the body aperture. This embodiment is preferably used with rotary type taps. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the tap handle portion and tap housing portion are integral and the tap housing portion is engageable with the outer end of the spindle and has the body aperture. This embodiment is preferably used with quarter turn lever-type faucets and mixer type taps. 
     The engagement means of the handle body means is preferably by a screw threaded fastener such as a grub screw and or by friction fitting with male-female complementary shaped parts. 
     The engagement means of the handle body means may be located in the tap handle portion or in the tap housing portion. 
     The body aperture may be located in the tap handle portion or in the tap housing portion. 
     The body aperture preferably has a diameter that narrows between an outside surface to an inside surface of the handle body means. More preferably the body aperture has an internal peripheral ridge thereby reducing the diameter of the aperture proximal to the inside surface of the handle body means. The pin preferably has an enlarged end to provide grip for an operator and an outwardly extending flange to prevent the pin from passing through the body aperture. The pin has a stem portion. The stem portion preferably has an outwardly extending flange part way along the stem portion to abut the internal peripheral ridge within the body aperture of the handle body means. 
     The biasing means is preferably a spring. More preferably the biasing means is a helical spring. Preferably the helical spring is positioned around the stem portion of the pin between the knob and the outwardly extending flange. Preferably the stem portion and the spring are held by a retaining nut with the knob positioned on the outside of the handle body means. Preferably the retaining nut is threaded and is fastened to the handle body means by a complementary screw thread on an internal peripheral surface of the aperture. The spring is preferably retained on the pin by the outwardly extending flange, and the outwardly extending flange is preferably retained within the body aperture by abutting the internal peripheral ridge within the body aperture. 
     The free end of the stem portion of the pin may engage by any suitable means to substantially restrict the movement of the tap body. 
     In one embodiment, the free end of the stem portion can abut a surface of the tap body. In an alternate embodiment, the free end portion of the pin can engage a hole or slot in the tap body. The hole or slot is preferably located in the spindle, a collar or sleeve operatively associated with the spindle or housing operatively associated with and surrounding the spindle. 
     Preferably the pin is disengaged by pulling on the knob portion, thus compressing the spring between the retaining nut and the outwardly extending flange. Preferably after the pin is disengaged, the pin will not restrict movement and will allow free movement of the tap handle portion and spindle until the tap handle is returned to the closed position when the end portion will re-engage to substantially restrict further movement. 
     In one embodiment the biasing force necessary to disengage the pin is of sufficient magnitude to prevent a tap being turned on by a child, elderly or infirm. 
     The present invention in another aspect provides a tap handle assembly for positioning about an installed flick mixer tap body that includes an outwardly extending spindle; including 
     a handle body means that has a body aperture and engagement means for engaging an outer end of the spindle, said handle body means has an integral tap handle portion and tap housing portion, said tap housing portion has the body aperture and a complementary shaped part for engaging an outer end of the spindle; 
     a pin positionable and moveable within the body aperture; 
     a biasing means to bias the position of the pin within the body aperture; 
     wherein when assembled the pin is biased to a cap portion of the tap body to substantially prevent the movement of the spindle in an outward direction and thus restrict the flow from the tap. 
     Preferably the pin abuts the cap portion when engaged and prevents the movement of the spindle in an outward direction to restrict the flow of water from the tap. Preferably the pin engages with the cap portion by contacting a lip edge of the cap portion of the tap body to prevent the tap being opened by moving a flick handle in an outward direction. The cap portion may have a locating recess or aperture for positioning of the pin. 
     In another aspect the present invention resides in a tap handle assembly for positioning about an installed quarter turn tap body that includes an outwardly extending spindle; including 
     a handle body means that has a body aperture and engagement means for engaging an outer end of the spindle, said handle body means has an integral tap handle portion and tap housing portion, said tap housing portion has the body aperture and a complementary shaped part for engaging an outer end of the spindle; 
     a pin positionable and moveable within the body aperture; 
     a biasing means to bias the position of the pin within the body aperture; 
     wherein when assembled the pin is biased to the spindle to substantially prevent the movement of the spindle and to restrict the flow from the tap. 
     In a further aspect the present invention resides in a tap handle assembly for positioning about an installed tap body for a rotary type tap that includes an outwardly extending spindle; including 
     a handle body means that has a body aperture and engagement means for engaging an outer end of the spindle, said handle body means has a separate tap handle portion and separate tap housing portion, said tap housing portion has the body aperture and the tap handle portion has a complementary shaped part for engaging an outer end of the spindle; 
     a pin positionable and moveable within the body aperture; 
     a biasing means to bias the position of the pin within the body aperture; 
     wherein when assembled the pin is biased to the spindle to substantially prevent the movement of the spindle and to restrict the flow from the tap. 
     In this aspect the pin preferably engages with a hole in the spindle or a collar attached to the spindle. The collar surrounding the spindle is preferably fixable and repositionable along the length of the spindle shaft to allow for variation in the distance from a wall during the installation of the tap assembly. Preferably when the collar has been fixed in position, the pin can engage with the aperture to prevent movement of the spindle shaft and tap handle. 
     The taps with the locking pin can be used to control the flow of water, gas or some other suitable medium. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the present invention can be more readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a biased pin lock; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a flick mixer tap incorporating a biased pin lock; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of the flick mixer tap of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a rotary tap incorporating a biased pin lock; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of the rotary tap of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the rotary tap of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of a quarter turn lever tap incorporating a biased pin lock; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of the quarter turn lever tap of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the tap body of the quarter turn lever tap of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  there is shown a biased locking pin  10  for a tap handle assembly for a flick mixer tap. The locking pin  10  has a knob  11 , a stem portion  15 , an outwardly extending flange  16  and an end portion  17 . The knob  11  has a threaded recess  14  and is connected to the stem portion  15  by screw attachment to a threaded end  13 . A helical spring  18  is mounted on the stem portion  15  between the outwardly extending flange  16  and the knob  11 . A threaded retaining ring  12  is mounted on the stem portion  15  between the helical spring  18  and the knob  11 . The stem portion  15 , outwardly extending flange  17  and helical spring  18  are retained in a wide aperture section  21  in a tap handle body  19  by the threaded retaining ring  12  to a threaded periphery  24  of a body aperture  20 . The wide aperture section  21  is adjacent a narrow aperture section  22 . The pin end  17  protrudes through the aperture  20  where it engages to prevent movement of the tap handle body  19  and a spindle portion (not shown) and stop the flow of water. The pin end  17  of the locking pin  10  is disengaged by pulling on the knob portion  11 , thus compressing the spring  18  between the retaining nut  12  and the outwardly extending flange  16  to allow free movement of the tap handle body  19  and spindle portion (not shown). 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  there is shown a flick mixer tap handle assembly  30 . The flick mixer tap assembly  30  has a tap handle body  31  in connection with an outwardly extending spindle portion  40  of a tap body  32 . The tap handle body  31  has a flick handle portion  38  and a tap housing portion  39 . The spindle  40  is attached to a recess  41  in the tap housing portion  39 . Upward movement of the flick handle  38  moves the spindle portion  40  upwards to open the tap and allow water to flow. The tap body  32  has a cap portion  37  with a lip  36 . The tap handle body  31  has a body aperture  34  housing a locking pin  33 . The locking pin  33  has an end portion  35 . When the tap is in the closed position, the end portion  35  of the locking pin  33  abuts the lip  36  of the cap portion  37  to prevent the tap being opened by the upward movement of the flick handle  38 . The end portion  35  of the locking pin  33  is disengaged from the lip  36  by pulling on the locking pin  33 , allowing free movement of the spindle  40  and the tap handle body  31 . When disengaged, the end portion  35  of the locking pin  33  is free to move against the cap portion  37  and does not further restrict the movement of the tap handle and spindle until the tap handle body  31  is returned to the closed position when the end portion  35  will re-engage with the lip  36 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6  there is shown a rotary tap handle assembly  50 . The rotary tap assembly  50  has a handle body  51  comprising a tap handle portion  53  and a tap housing portion  52 . The tap housing portion  52  accommodates a tap body  63  having a spindle  64 . The spindle  64  has an outer spindle end  55  which is connected to a recess  54  in the tap handle portion  53 . The spindle  64  passes through a collar  59  within the tap housing portion  52 . The collar  59  is moveable along the spindle  64  to allow for variations occurring during installation of the tap. The collar  59  is positioned, aligned and secured to the spindle  64  by a grub screw  62  through an aperture  61  in the collar  59 . The tap housing portion  52  has an aperture  58  for a locking pin  56 . The locking pin  56  has an end portion  57 . When the tap handle  53  is in the closed position, the end portion  57  of the locking pin  56  engages with a second aperture  60  in the collar  59  to lock the spindle  64  and prevent rotation of the tap handle  53 . The end portion  57  of the locking pin  56  is disengaged from the aperture  60  by pulling on the locking pin  56 , allowing free movement of the spindle  64  and the tap handle  53 . Once disengaged, the end portion  57  of the locking pin  56  is free to move against the circumference of the collar  59  and does not further restrict the movement of the tap handle  53  and spindle  64  until the tap handle  53  is returned to the closed position when the end portion  57  will re-engage with the aperture  60  in the collar  59 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  there is shown a quarter turn lever tap handle assembly  70 . The quarter turn lever tap assembly  70  has a handle body  71  comprising a tap handle portion  73  and a tap housing portion  72 . The tap housing portion  72  accommodates a tap body  77  having a spindle portion  81 . The spindle portion  81  has a spindle end  78  which is secured to the tap housing portion  72  by a screw  79 . The tap housing portion  72  has an aperture  75  housing a locking pin  74 . The locking pin  74  has an end portion  76 . When the tap handle  73  is in the closed position, the end portion  76  of the locking pin  74  engages with an aperture  80  in the spindle portion  81  to prevent rotation of the tap handle  73 . The end portion  76  of the locking pin  74  is disengaged from the aperture  80  by pulling on the locking pin  74 , allowing free movement of the spindle portion  81  and the tap handle  73 . Once disengaged, the end portion  76  of the locking pin  74  is free to move against the external surface of the spindle portion  81  and does not further restrict the movement of the tap handle  73  and spindle portion  81  until the tap handle  73  is returned to the closed position when the end portion  76  of the locking pin  74  will re-engage with the aperture  80  in the spindle portion  81 . 
     Advantages 
     An advantage of the preferred embodiment of the tap assembly is the provision of a tap that cannot be turned on accidently. 
     The biasing force required to disengage the locking pin is of sufficient magnitude such that the tap cannot be turned on by a child. The tap assembly can therefore protect against accidental scalding from water from a hot tap. The tap assembly can also protect against flooding and drowning situations, as well as preventing against water wastage. 
     The biasing force necessary to disengage the locking pin is also of sufficient magnitude to prevent a tap being turned on by the elderly or infirm. Taps having the biased pin lock are therefore useful in aged care establishments. 
     Variations 
     It will of course be realized that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth. 
     Throughout the description and claims this specification the word “comprise” and variations of that word such as “comprises” and “comprising”, are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.