Abstract: Within a cylindrical barrel to be secured to the water faucet are a basket surrounding a mixing chamber, a diffuser overlying the mixing chamber and forming a diffusing chamber having peripheral openings for flow of water to the mixing chamber, and a pressure-compensating flow controller plug having a control opening for admitting water from said faucet to the diffusing chamber. The flow controller plug has a reduced lower section defining a head and the diffuser has an upward annular flange defining a socket. When the head and socket are engaged, the plug and diffuser are held together as an assembly. The margin of the upper section of the plug forms a seal between the barrel and faucet.

Abstract: A valve housing encloses an upward valve seat connected to the water inlet. A valve chamber above the seat receives a valve element and has a lateral bypass chamber connected to a fitting which leads to the filter. A tubular valve stem/outlet spout above the valve element is spring-pressed downward, normally holding the valve element down on the seat and may be raised by a handle allowing the valve element to raise to permit water to flow through the bypass to the filter. Filter discharge water is connected to a bypass return fitting on the valve housing which conducts water to a chamber surrounding lower part of the stem and into the stem through a radial opening and up and out the spout.

Abstract: The faucet is installed with the use of a pair of interfitting plates, one, the base plate, secured to the bottom of the faucet base, the other, the installation plate, secured to the sink over the access hole in the sink. The installation plate has upstanding elements which fit into narrowing openings in the base plate. When the plates are brought together and the base is turned for 20.degree. or so, the elements wedge against the sides of the openings respectively to give a tight fit, securing the faucet to the sink. A resilient seal urges the faucet base upward, enhancing the attachment.

Abstract: This faucet has a base assembly with an air break module for the brine waste from a reverse-osmosis filter. The break outlet at the bottom of the break pocket has an angled fitting which aims the downstream waste up out of the base assembly in event of a backup. The faucet includes a unitary valve stem, the lower end of which is tapered and sits in a cup-shaped valve element for low-friction connection and easy swiveling adjustment of faucet outlet. Finally, the faucet is installed with the use of a pair of interfitting plates, one, the base plate, secured to the bottom of the faucet base, the other, the attachment plate, secured to the sink around the access hole in the sink. The attachment plate has upstanding outward ears which fit into tapered openings in the base plate. When the base is turned, for 20.degree. or so, the ears wedge against the sides of the openings respectively to give a tight fit, securing the faucet in the sink.

Abstract: A quick-connect coupling for a household faucet or the like and comprising a nipple and a fitting, features an improved seal which is a resilient annulus including a band portion adapted to seal against the inside of the fitting, a wing portion extending down from the top of the band portion and an end portion on the distal end of the wing portion, the end portion including an inward rib. Preferably the rib comprises an inwardly and upwardly facing quarter round, the underside of the end portion being inclined upwardly and outwardly when the fitting is installed on the nipple, whereby the water pressure forces the end portion inward to enhance the seal.

Abstract: An in-line accessory faucet having a separable plastic air-gap module for use with a reverse osmosis unit, the faucet being installable without the module when used without a reverse osmosis unit. The air-gap module slides onto the faucet pipe conduit below the housing, and has brine flow passages and a channel formed in the top surface and closed off by the overlying flat surface of a base member between the housing and air-gap module. A valve seat in the housing connects to both the housing and the pipe conduit. The valving in the housing has an in-line configuration, with the faucet inlet and outlet being on a common central axis. A mounting nut with an expandable - collapsible portion and peripheral side channels for brine tubes permits mounting of the faucet solely from above the sink lip. A handle with two lower camming surfaces is operated only downwardly to obtain both pressure - controlled flow or locked-on flow.

Abstract: A spray aerator essentially of simple plastic parts having a swivel faucet attachment, a water conduit pipe, lateral openings in the pipe wall above its closed lower end, a spray housing slidable on the pipe, first and second housing inserts within the spray housing and slidable on the pipe, a flanged flexible snap retainer having downwardly depending legs and snapped over the lower pipe end into a groove to retain the spray housing and housing inserts on the pipe, a spray insert snapped over a ledge at the lower end of the spray housing, the spray insert having outer spray holes and an inner cylindrical tube for an aerator housing, an aerator assembly mounted in the aerator housing and supporting the first housing insert thereabove, and the snap mounting of the spray insert and snap retainer being the only means holding the spray aerator assembled and retained in the conduit pipe.

Abstract: In a stream-controlling device for faucets, water from the faucet passes through a first flow-restricting orifice in a circular flow restrictor mounted in a casing secured to the faucet, the restrictor having a conical wall portion sloping downwardly and inwardly toward the orifice. From the latter water enters a chamber between the restrictor and the casing's bottom wall, the latter having opposite the orifice a recess with a conical surface which deflects the water radially outward through an annular second flow-restricting orifice formed by the bottom wall and the lower end of the restrictor's conical wall. From this second orifice, which has a larger throughflow area than the first orifice, water enters an annular subchamber having a substantially enlarged volume due to the restrictor's conical wall.

Abstract: Within a cylindrical barrel to be secured to the water faucet are a basket surrounding a mixing chamber, a diffuser overlying the mixing chamber and forming a diffusing chamber, having peripheral openings for flow of water to the mixing chamber, and a flow restrictor disc having a control opening for admitting water from said faucet to the diffusing chamber, the diffuser having resilient detents allowing the disc to be snapped into position on a seat of the diffuser where the disc is releasably retained by the detents. Preferably, a ring surrounds and supports the diffuser and forms therewith a passage for flow of water from the diffuser openings to the mixing chamber, the ring being supported on part of the basket.