Abstract: The invention provides a hot and cold water mixing and flow control faucet of the hydraulically unbalanced piston type. A control stem of the piston passes through a seal of a self-energizing nature for connection to an actuating member operative to rotate and reciprocate the piston. The piston is substantially pressure balanced in the closed position by virtue that shut-off of the faucet is effected at the inlet ports, and is biased axially in the open position by virtue that the opposed pressure-effective areas of the piston are unequal. These opposed areas of the piston differ by an amount corresponding to the cross sectional area of the control stem, and the diameter of the stem is limited to a maximum of 6 mms. to correspondingly limit the force biasing the piston axially.

Abstract: A fluid mixing valve comprises a body defining a cylindrical chamber having two spaced-apart inlets and an outlet spaced axially from the inlets, a valve closure element and a mixture control element in the chamber and a valve spindle connected to the closure and control elements. Axial movement of the spindle moves the closure element in a mode to open or close the inlets. Rotation of the actuator, when the inlets are open, rotates the mixture control element so as to control the relative degree of flow through the inlets.