Abstract:
The specification discloses a lawn and garden sprayer in which the sprayer-valve assembly is joined to a rigid plastic handle by a threadless handle nut. The specification also discloses a method whereby the plastic handle, having an opening therein of slightly smaller dimensions than the handle nut, is ,joined to the handle nut by heating the plastic handle such that the handle nut can be forcibly inserted and intimately attached to the handle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to lawn and garden sprayers and, more particularly, to a handle assembly used in conjunction with the liquid-spraying end of such lawn and garden sprayers. 
     The typical lawn and garden sprayer includes a liquid-dispensing tank connected, by means of a length of flexible dispensing hose, to a spray-wand having a handle for secure gripping. Prior art spray-wand and handle assemblies include a grip or handle, a nozzle through which liquid is dispensed, a shut-off valve actuated by a canted lever, and a means for securing a liquid-dispensing hose to the sprayer body. In a typical sprayer, the flexible hose is connected to a tube projecting from a threaded coupler which is threaded into the mating thread in tile end of a sleeve-like hand grip. A valve assembly and spray-wand are connected to the output side of the coupler. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 708,537 discloses similar threaded means of attaching a grip to the nozzle portion of a sprayer assembly, but without a valve assembly. Patent &#39;537 discloses a hose-enshrouding grip having an opening therethrough, one end of which is threaded to receive a coupling insert. The end of the coupling insert projecting away from tile grip has a similar threaded projection for receiving the likewise threaded end of a spray nozzle. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 708,538 discloses an almost identical grip, but for an annular retainer located at the coupler receiving end thereof. Rather than threading the grip onto the coupler, the annular retainer of the grip is folded over an annular collar on the coupler and thereby retains the coupler. As with &#39;537, the coupling insert of &#39;538 includes a threaded projection for receiving the spray nozzle portion. of the sprayer unit. 
     The threaded coupler method requires machining the handle so that the coupler can be threaded into place, thus increasing both the manufacturing expenses and the cost of the sprayer unit. The retainer method requires a manufacturing operation for folding the retainer over the coupler collar. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the lawn and garden sprayer of the present invention, the hose coupler includes an annular ridge which is force-fit into a nonthreaded opening in a rigid, polymeric handle. In assembly, the polymeric handle is heated to a point of sufficient malleability to facilitate the force-fit assembly. The ridge &#34;bites&#34; into the polymeric handle such that, as it cools, the polymeric handle conforms to the shape of the ridge, insuring a secure fit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lawn and garden sprayer including the handle assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows a lateral, cross-sectional view of the handle assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates an elevational view of the handle and sprayer nozzle unit, including the shut-off valve; 
     FIG. 4 is a lateral, cross-sectional view of the handle body alone; and 
     FIG. 5 shows an elevational view of the hose coupler of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the preferred embodiment, the lawn and garden sprayer 1 (FIG. 1), comprises a liquid-dispensing tank 10 to which one end of a dispensing hose 30 is coupled via coupling projection 20, the other end of dispensing hose 30 being coupled to coupler 70° 80 of sprayer assembly 40. Coupler 70-80 comprises a coupler tube 70 which passes through and is secured to a nonthreaded handle nut 80. Hose 30 is fitted over one end of tube 70. Sprayer assembly 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3) includes a plastic handle 50 into which coupler 70-80 is force-fit and a spray-wand 60 is secured to the other end of tube 70. 
     Handle 50 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is comprised of a tapered sleeve-like handle body 51, having spaced enlarged and slender ends 53 and 52 respectively. The entire exterior surface of handle 50 includes longitudinal, parallel ribs 54, providing a gripping surface superior to the surface of dispensing hose 30 alone. Through the center of handle 50 runs a passageway 55 for receiving dispensing hose 30 through one end thereof and handle nut 80 of coupler 70-80 at the opposite end thereof. Towards the handle nut 80 receiving end of passageway 55 is annular rim 56, inclined outwardly at an angle of approximately 45°. At rim 56, passageway 55 increases in the diameter from a width of approximately 0.84 inches to a width of between 0.860 and 0.865 inches. This increased diameter portion 55a of passageway 55 extends for around .29 inches, terminating at a similar, outwardly sloping rim 57 which marks the endmost portion of handle 50. 
     In the preferred embodiment, handle 50 is molded from a rigid polymeric material, such as 10% glass-filled polypropylene, having a thermal deflection temperature of about 255° F. with a load of 264 psi. Such polypropylene is commercially available from Rhetech (G10P100). 
     Handle nut 80 (FIGS. 2 and 5), preferably constructed of brass or similar rust-resistant metal, includes a series of annular, barb-shaped ridges 81, a spaced, similarly barb-shaped ridge 82, an annular stop-shoulder 84, and a bore 85 running longitudinally through the center of handle nut 80. The outer diameter of each ridge 81 is 0.895 to 0.902 inches and the base diameter of each ridge 81 is about 0.860 inches. Ridge 82 on the other hand has an outer diameter of 0.860 inches, and space 83 has an outer diameter of approximately 0.840 inches and a length of about 0.09 inches. 
     Coupler tube 70 passes through and is secured in bore 85 such that portions of tube 70 extend from either side of handle nut 80. Tube 70 and handle nut 80 are securely bonded so they become essentially one functional unit. Hose end 73, over which dispensing hose 30 is fitted, includes a series of annular, barb-shaped ridges 71 which engages and hold dispensing-hose 30. Passageway 72, running longitudinally through the center of tube 70, provides a means of fluid communication between dispensing-hose 30 and the spray-wand portion 60 of sprayer assembly 40. As with handle nut 80, tube 70 is preferably constructed of brass or similar rust-resistant metal. 
     In the assembly of sprayer unit 40, flexible dispensing-hose 30 is fed through passageway 55 in handle 50, its end being forced over the barb-shaped ridges 71 of hose end 73 of connector tube 70. A metal crimp ring 90 (FIG. 2) is securely fastened over the exterior circumference of dispensing-hose 30 immediately adjacent to hose end 73. The combined action of barb-shaped ridges 71 and crimp ring 90 prevent dispensing-hose 30 from being easily pulled away front connector tube 70. 
     Handle 50 is heated to approximately 110° F., such that the polypropylene becomes slightly elastic, at which point the enlarged end 53 of handle 50 is forcibly pressed over the annular, barb-shaped ridges 81 and 82 of handle nut 80. Specifically, the modulus of elasticity drops from about 350,000 psi to about 110,000 psi when the plastic is heated to 110° F. The compression pressure for this procedure is preferably about 250 psi. Annular stop-shoulder 84 prevents handle 30 front being pushed too far forward during this procedure. As handle 50 cools, its polypropylene material hardens in accordance with the impressions made by barb-shaped ridges 81 and 82, such that handle 50 cannot be pulled away from handle nut 80. 
     To complete the sprayer assembly 40, the components related to spray-wand 60 are placed over or otherwise joined to that portion of tube 70 which projects out of handle nut 80 away from dispensing hose 30. These components include: a shut-off lever 61 pivotally seated over tube 70, extension wand tube 62, and an externally threaded nut 64 slidably received on tube 70. Housed beneath the base 63 of spray-nozzle extension wand 62, as is conventional, is an end cap (not shown) secured to the end of tube 70 and including fluid-flow openings therein which communicate with the interior of tube 70, a spring (not shown) which extends between nut 64 and the end cap on tube 70, and a rubber O-ring on the end cap (not shown). The base 63 of wand tube 62 is internally threaded, and is threaded onto externally threaded nut 64. 
     To start the flow of liquid to spray-nozzle extension 62, shut-off lever 61 is depressed towards the handle 50. Since handle nut 80 is immobile, actuating the shut-off lever 61 forces both spray-nozzle extension nut 64 and spray-wand 60 to slide forward on the projecting portion of tube 70 on which they rest. In sliding the base 63 of spray-wand tube 62 is unseated from the end cap on tube 70, allowing fluid to flow through the opening in said end cap and into spray-wand tube 62, as is known. To stop tile flow of liquid, shut-off lever 61 is released, such that the base 63 of spray-nozzle extension wand 62 returns to its &#34;off&#34; position, in which it rests tightly against the end cap on the tip of tube 70. The spring (not shown) in the base 63 of wand 60 provides the force to return wand 60 to its &#34;off&#34; position, while the likewise indicated O-ring (also not shown) insures a tight seal so that liquid is forced only into tube 62 of wand 60. 
     In practice, frequent depression of the shut-off lever 61 tends to put pressure on both handle nut 80 and handle 50 such that the two components tend to cant relative to each other. Barb-like ridge 82 counters this so-called &#34;tipping&#34; force (FIGS. 2 and 5). By virtue of the space 83 between barb-like ridges 81 and ridge 82, the latter ridge provides an excellent anchor to prevent the canting of handle nut 80 relative to handle 50. 
     Of course, it is understood that the foregoing is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention. Various other changes and alterations, apparent to those skilled in the art, can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects thereof as set forth in tile appended claims, interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law.