Patent ID: 7059349

Claim:
A diverter valve comprising, a preferably cylindrical housing having a perimeter, and a water inlet, preferably disposed below, a plurality of water outlets disposed at predetermined spaced intervals about the perimeter of said housing, said diverting valve containing a removable cartridge disposed in said housing for selectively aligning the water inlet of said housing to at least one of the plurality of water outlets of said housing, said cartridge including a stationary sleeve having a plurality of water outlet ports disposed at predetermined spaced intervals and permanently aligned with and sealed in relation to said plurality of water outlets of said housing when said removable cartridge is installed in said housing, said cartridge including a rotary stem sleeve contained within said stationary sleeve, said rotary stem sleeve having an inlet, at least one outlet, and a handle spindle connected to said rotary stem sleeve and extending from said diverter valve for manually rotating said rotary stem sleeve within said cartridge, said stationary sleeve including a preferably ceramic disk disposed therewith preferably proximate the bottom of said stationary sleeve and including a water inlet port in registration with the water inlet of said housing to allow water to enter the cartridge, said rotary stem sleeve including an interior and carrying a preferably ceramic disk therein moveable in and out of registration with the water inlet port of said ceramic disk of said stationary sleeve when said rotary stem sleeve is rotated to fully close and open said water inlet port and thereby allow water to enter said cartridge and to thereafter selectively align the at least one outlet of said rotary stem sleeve with at least one of the plurality of water outlets of said stationary sleeve and said housing by the pre-selected degree of rotation of said rotary stem sleeve.