Patent Publication Number: US-6698671-B1

Title: Movable shield structure of a flow control valve rod of a pistol-type nozzle

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a pistol-type spray nozzle and more particularly to a movable shield structure of a flow control valve rod the pistol-type spray nozzle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional pistol-type nozzle comprises a flow control valve rod, and an adjustment nut which is rotatably mounted on the flow control valve rod for adjusting the water flow of the pistol-type nozzle. The flow control valve rod and the adjustment nut are not shielded and are therefore susceptible to rust formation and dust deposits. In addition, the naked or exposed flow control valve rod and adjustment nut undermine the esthetic effect of the pistol-type nozzle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a pistol-type nozzle with a movable shield structure which is intended to provide a flow control valve rod and an adjustment nut of the pistol-type nozzle with protection against dust and rust. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a pistol-type nozzle with a movable shield structure which is designed to hide a flow control valve rod and an adjustment nut of the pistol-type nozzle from view so as to enhance the esthetic effect of the pistol-type nozzle. 
    
    
     The features, functions, and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a side schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a side schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the movable shield structure being in an open state. 
     FIG. 4 shows a top schematic view of the movable shield structure of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a pistol-type nozzle of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body  10 , a trigger lever  20 , and a flow control valve rod  30 , and a movable shield  40 . 
     The main body  10  is formed of a handle  11  and a barrel  12 . 
     The trigger lever  20  is pivotally fastened at the top end with the rear side of the top end of the handle  11  by a pivot  21 . The trigger lever  20  is provided at the top end with a trigger portion  22 . 
     The flow control rod  30  is extended out of the rear end of the barrel  12  and is provided with a threaded segment  31  on which an adjustment nut  32  is mounted in such a way that it can be turned with the thumb and the forefinger to adjust the water flow, and that it is in contact with the trigger portion  22  of the trigger lever  20 . As the trigger lever  20  is moved by an external force toward the handle  11 , the trigger portion  22  of the trigger lever  20  moves in the opposite direction to push the adjustment nut  32 , thereby resulting in a rearward displacement of the flow control rod  30  to open up the water flow path of the barrel  12 . 
     The movable shield  40  is pivotally fastened at a bottom end with the trigger lever  20  and is provided at a top end with a receiving space  41  corresponding in location to the flow control valve rod  30  and the adjustment nut  32 . As the movable shield  40  is turned toward the rear end of the barrel  121  the flow control valve rod  30 , the adjustment nut  32 , and the trigger portion  22  of the trigger lever  20  are received in the receiving space  41  of the movable shield  40 . As a result, the flow control valve rod  30 , the adjustment nut  32 , and the trigger portion  22  are kept out of sight, as shown in FIG.  2 . As the movable shield  40  is turned away from the rear end of the barrel  12 , the flow control valve rod  30 , the adjustment nut  32 , and the trigger portion  22  are exposed, as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The movable shield  40  embodied in the present invention is provided in the inner wall of two opposite sides  42  with a pivoting projection  43 , while the trigger lever  20  is provided in the outer wall of two opposite sides thereof with a pivoting cavity  23  corresponding in location to pivoting projection  43 . The movable shield  40  is pivoted to the trigger lever  20  by the two pivoting projections  43  which are rotatably retained in the two pivoting cavities  23  of the trigger lever  20 . 
     The receiving space  41  of the movable shield  40  is provided in two opposite inner walls with a semicircular knob  44 , whereas the trigger portion  22  of the trigger lever  20  are provided in two opposite outer walls with a semicircular cavity  25  corresponding in location to the semicircular knob  44 . As the trigger portion  22  of the trigger lever  20  is concealed in the receiving space  41  of the movable shield  40 , the two semicircular knobs  44  of the movable shield  40  are removably retained in the two semicircular cavities  25  of the trigger portion  22  of the trigger lever  20 . It must be noted here that the receiving space  41  of the movable shield  40  is defined by the two sides  42  of the movable shield  40 . 
     The trigger lever  20  is provided in the outer surface of two opposite sides of the top segment with a recess  24  which has a depth corresponding to a thickness of the two sides  42  of the movable shield  40 . In addition, the outer surface of the rear end of the barrel  12  is provided with a recess  13  corresponding to the thickness of the two sides  42  of the movable shield  40 . Such a design as described above is intended to enable a flush fit of the movable shield  40  at the time when the movable shield  40  covers completely the flow control valve rod  30 , the adjustment nut  32 , and the trigger portion  22 . 
     The movable shield  40  serves to provide the flow control valve rod  30 , the adjustment nut  32 , and the trigger portion  22  with protection against dust and rust. In addition, the movable shield  40  serves to enhance the overall esthetic effect of the pistol-type nozzle of the present invention. 
     The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being illustrative and nonrestrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.