Patents Assigned to Bradley Corporation
  • Patent number: 5240040
    Abstract: A mixing valve according to the invention allows fluids such as hot and cold water to flow through a pair of inlet ports, mix together and then exit through an outlet port. A check valve in each inlet allows the incoming fluid to flow in a forward direction, but prevents any reverse or crossover flow. An adjustable stop, positioned intermediate the valves, regulates the extent to which each valve can open to provide a desired mixing ratio of fluids, and can also be used to close one of the check valves. An actuator connected to the adjustable stop permits manual control of the mixing ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Barnum, Jeffery S. Jaworski
  • Patent number: 5157798
    Abstract: A transparent emergency eye wash fountain is provided having a portable unitary housing including a fold down tray carrying spray nozzle means for discharge of an eye wash fluid onto the eyes. The fluid is discharged by folding down the tray to open a valve. A liquid reservoir is positioned above the nozzle means and opening of the valve causes discharge eye wash fluid through the nozzle in a sustained gravitationally fed stream from said reservoir. The housing is formed of a tough, impact resistant transparent injection molded polymer. The injection molded polymer preferably has an optical transmission of at least 45% in accordance with ASTM Method #D-1003, which enables viewing through the wall of the fluid level within the housing as well as the presence of harmful contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Jon A. Van Kammen
  • Patent number: 4558472
    Abstract: An adjustable sleeve for supporting plumbing fixtures in a high security type environment wherein the sleeve is composed of telescoping type frames which are easily adjustable to the wall thickness yet can accommodate security type devices such as reinforcing bars. The adjustable wall sleeve of this invention includes at least two frame members which telescope with respect to each other with one of the sleeve members having cutout portions to accommodate security bars normally associated with a sleeve of this type. In still an additional embodiment, a third frame member can be easily secured to the two frame members to provide for additional adjustment in the wall thickness. The frame members are readily secured to each other either by screws or welding and at the same time will accommodate various types of plumbing units which can be securely attached to them yet will provide the security needed in a high security environment such as a prison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1985
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: Klaus J. Fromme, Roger D. Champagne
  • Patent number: 4552331
    Abstract: A reset mechanism for a vacuum-actuated lockout device that disables a flush valve to prevent flooding of a receptacle includes a solenoid coupled to a reset stem and to a vacuum relief valve built into the reset stem. The solenoid is energized to open the relief valve in a first portion of a reset stroke and is coupled to the reset stem with a lost motion connection for withdrawal of the reset stem in a second portion of the reset stroke, after relief of the vacuum. A circuit is also disclosed for remote control of the reset mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: William A. Smart, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4538307
    Abstract: An improved flood level sensor has an upstanding, vented tube extending above and outside a receptacle while maintaining fluid communication with an enclosed rim of the receptacle. A partial vacuum is communicated to an orifice which is located within the tube at a height related to a limit on the level of fluid in the receptacle. The level of fluid in the tube depends upon the fluid pressure in the enclosed rim and therefore upon the fluid level in the receptacle. When the fluid level in the receptacle is below flood level, the orifice is able to relieve any partial vacuum communicated to it. However, when the level of fluid in the receptacle rises to the flood level, the fluid level in the tube rises to partially seal the orifice and prevent relief of the partial vacuum which then actuates a valve lockout device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Barnum, William A. Smart, Jr., Donald H. Mullett
  • Patent number: 4498203
    Abstract: A flood preventer has a pneumatically operable lockout mechanism to disable a valve actuator and prevent its repeated operation when fluid in a receptacle has reached an excess level. In the preferred embodiments the flood preventer has a latch that is responsive to a partial vacuum to engage a catch in the linkage between the valve actuator and a fill control valve. The partial vacuum is created by the flow of fluid into the receptacle through a venturi. The venturi is connected by a vacuum line to a fluid level sensing orifice that opens into the receptacle and relieves the partial vacuum when not blocked by fluid that has reached an excess level. In two other embodiments the partial vacuum is subject to the same conditions at the venturi and the orifice, but the lockout mechanisms are different. In the second embodiment a pin is dropped out to uncouple a valve actuator linkage, while in a third embodiment a jamming mechanism is used to block movement of the valve actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Barnum, Thomas E. Pelt
  • Patent number: 4375874
    Abstract: A two roll tissue dispenser includes a housing having a pair of compartments each having a spindle for a roll of the tissue. The housing has a front piece with an opening which is half closed by a sliding door. In its initial position, the door closes off only the upper compartment and the roll of tissue in the lower compartment is exposed for dispensing. When the roll of tissue in the lower compartment is exhausted, the door can be moved down to expose the second roll in the upper compartment for dispensing. The tissue dispenser includes a door control mechanism which prevents the door from being moved to expose the second roll until the first roll is exhausted and also prevents the door once it has been moved to expose the reserve roll from being returned to its original position without first opening the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1983
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel S. Leotta, James G. Petro, Arthur A. Ortner
  • Patent number: 4268008
    Abstract: An energy saving push button faucet for delivering a predetermined volume of water in a set period of time includes a control valve with a movable plunger having a front face and a rear face, the front face of the plunger is normally retained upon a valve seat shutting off flow through the valve in the faucet by supply line pressure on the rear face. The valve also includes a pilot valve which can be actuated by a push button to relieve the pressure on the rear face and permit supply line pressure on the front face to move the plunger off the seat and open the valve. The nose of the plunger is provided with an internal passage containing a flow control mechanism which reduces the effective diameter of the passage to control the volume of water delivered by the faucet. The valve also includes an adjustable timing mechanism which determines the timing cycle or length of time the valve remains open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1981
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Barnum, William A. Smart, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4232407
    Abstract: A basket strainer and stopper assembly for a sink includes a strainer basket, a stopper positioned below the basket strainer for sealing the sink drain opening and an axial stem. The stem has an upper portion which serves as a handle and a lower forked portion which has tines or legs which both support the strainer-stopper assembly in the open drain position and retain it securely in the closed drain position. The legs of the forked portion of the stem are resilient and arcuate and they rest upon a plate extending across the drain opening to support the assembly in the open position. The drain is closed by exerting sufficient downward force on the handle portion of the stem to spring the resilient legs toward each other so they pass through and are retained in a detent opening in the plate. The drain is reopened by pulling upward on the handle with sufficient force to raise the entire assembly and to once again spring the legs toward each other so that they will pass through the detent opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Frank N. Williams
  • Patent number: 4192026
    Abstract: A pop-up drain valve assembly for a sink includes a drain plug and control means for raising and lowering the plug to open and close the drain. The control means includes a manually operable plunger rod and a unitary, one piece, plastic ball lever that pivots to translate the downward force applied to the plunger rod into an upward force for lifting the drain plug to open the drain. The inner end of the ball lever is positioned beneath the drain plug and the outer end extends through and is retained in an opening in the plunger rod. The ball lever also includes an integral stop which prevents the rod from riding up and binding on the lever and retaining means which prevents the outer end of the lever from sliding out of the opening in the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Frank N. Williams
  • Patent number: 4109895
    Abstract: A remote actuated metering valve system for supplying water to a washing fixture includes a main metering valve and at least one remote actuating relief valve connected to the main valve by tubing. The main metering valve has an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat between them and a movable piston which when the valve is in the normal closed position has its front face seated on the valve seat and its elongated nose projecting through the valve seat. The piston is maintained in the closed position by supply line pressure which is transferred via a bypass timing circuit to a pressure chamber behind the piston where it is sensed by the rear face of the piston. The pressure chamber of the main valve is connected by tubing to a normally closed remote push button relief valve. A second length of tubing leads from the relief valve to the supply source at a point downstream of the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1978
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Smart, Jr., Scott H. Gumm
  • Patent number: 4088302
    Abstract: A seal member for a noncompression-type faucet valve comprises a cylindrical member having an open top and an open bottom, both of which are partially closed by inwardly directing flanges. The member is further provided intermediate its length with an external outwardly directed circumferential ridge. The seal member is intended for use in a faucet valve which has a rotatable valve stem having an inlet passage offset from the axis of rotation positioned within the bore of a valve housing that has an inlet port which is offset from the axis of the bore. Flow through an outlet tube leading from the bore is controlled by rotating the stem to move the inlet passage into and out of registry with the inlet port in the bore.The seal member is comprised of a resilient material such as butane rubber and it is friction fit into a seal-receiving recess about the inlet port in the bottom of the valve housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Frank N. Williams
  • Patent number: 4088297
    Abstract: A timed metering valve includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet which are connected by a passageway surrounded by a valve seat at its upper periphery; a cylinder; a movable piston having a front face and a rear face positioned in said cylinder, the front face of said piston normally being seated upon the valve seat preventing the flow of fluid through said passageway; a bypass circuit leading from the inlet through a timing mechanism to a pressure chamber behind the rear face of the piston so that supply line pressure sensed by the rear face of the piston maintains the valve in the closed position; and relief valve means for relieving the pressure in said pressure chamber so that the supply line pressure can move the front face of the piston off its seat to open the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventors: Darrold E. Doyle, Thomas G. Barnum
  • Patent number: 3978890
    Abstract: A proportioning valve for controlling the mixture of two fluids includes a valve body provided with an internal recess, a pair of inlet ports and an outlet spout. A sleeve is inserted in the recess which has deflectable sealing cushions in front of the inlet ports, and a control rod cam which is movable axially and circumferentially for controlling flow is inserted within the sleeve. The control rod cam has a cylindrical portion which forces the sealing cushions into port closing positions, and a tapered region of special contours for controlling relative opening of the inlet ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1976
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas G. Barnum
  • Patent number: 3957073
    Abstract: A pressure balancing valve has a pair of fluid ducts for hot and cold water, a butterfly type valve is located in each duct, a pressure cavity is provided that is in communication with each duct, and a resilient diaphragm mounted in the cavity converts pressure differential between the ducts into positional displacement of a rod-like pressure plate linkage secured to the butterflies. The butterflies pivot to alter fluid flow in the ducts until substantially equal pressures appear at the outlets of the ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: Bradley Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas G. Barnum