Patent ID: 6913033

Claim:
A diverter valve with integral atmospheric type vacuum breaker comprising a housing and a replaceable rotatable cartridge, said housing having a top and a bottom and a cartridge receiving chamber extending from proximate the top to proximate the bottom of said housing and being surrounded by an internal housing wall, said housing having an inlet port proximate the bottom thereof and a plurality of laterally directed outlet ports extending from the cartridge receiving chamber, each outlet port for directing water for selective alternative uses such as a spout, shower, body spray or the like, said rotatable cartridge including all of the working parts of the valve including a handle engaging portion, an inlet in communication with the inlet port of the housing, and having an outlet for selective alignment with one of the housing ports and being rotatable from a position wherein water cannot enter the valve to a position in selective alignment with one of the outlet ports, said cartridge having a hollow interior and having contained therein an inlet tube in communication with the inlet of said cartridge and extending a predetermined distance from the cartridge inlet to an open end, said cartridge including within said hollow cartridge a vented hollow space above the terminus of said inlet tube, said hollow including a float assembly reciprocal therein from a position spaced from the open end of the inlet tube closing the vent of the cartridge to the atmosphere, to a position closing the inlet tube and venting the cartridge to atmosphere, the float assembly having a resilient seal for sealing the open end of the inlet tube and permitting venting of the valve to atmosphere, said float assembly also including a check valve to prevent siphoning of water outlet ports to the inlet port, wherein said rotatable cartridge includes a cut-out portion carrying a substantially cylindrical seal extending about the perimeter of said cartridge adjacent said outlet thereof for sealing engagement with the internal wall of said housing.