Abstract: A cartridge for a mixer valve comprising a cage, a supporting member for a hard material plate, a hard material plate mounted, operatively stationary, in this supporting member, at least one sealing gasket interposed between the fixed plate and the supporting member, and retaining structure arranged for connecting the fixed plate to the respective supporting member with a gasket compressed therebetween, in such a way as to maintain between these parts a constraint state, wherein the supporting member for the fixed plate is formed by a bottom applied to the cartridge cage, this latter having a seat intended for direct support of the fixed plate, and the retaining structure operating between the cage and the bottom of the cartridge. In this way the compression of the gasket is obtained without applying to the fixed plate any concentrated strain capable of damaging the same.

Abstract: A mixer valve with a ball-type valving member provided with a control member for being displaced in rotation around two different axes, and provided with openings cooperating with inlet openings for hot and cold water, having tubular gaskets of elastomeric material, and with outlet openings for mixed water, provided in a partially spherical seat of a fixed member, in order to regulate the mixing ratio between hot and cold water and the flow of delivered mixed water, wherein there are provided two inlet openings with tubular gaskets for an incoming flow (of cold or hot water), and one inlet opening with tubular gasket for the other incoming flow. These three inlet openings provided with tubular gaskets are at least approximately aligned along a circle within the partially spherical seat of the fixed member of the valve.

Abstract: A hand-held shower head, commonly called a vegetable spray, for domestic sinks having a tubular handle member (1) connectd to the water supply via flexible piping. A jet breaking or aerating spray head of the shower is axially and slidably mounted on the tubular stem which creates a seal. This spray head is connected through an internal stick (8) to a valve element (9) which cooperates with a valve seat (2) that is in the tubular stem between the valve element and the spray head. A spring (12) is preferably placed between the spray head and a ledge (2) which forms the valve seat for the valve element. Preferably, the valve element (9) is a separate member from the connecting stem and has an undercut seat (10) for receiving a sealing gasket (11). The gasket (11) can be inserted into this undercut seat (10) when the valve element (9) is separated from the connecting stem (8), but cannot be taken out again when the connecting stem is fixed to the valve head.

Abstract: A cartridge for faucets having some parts which are assembled in the cartridge to function as a guide, an element of support for a movable small plate of hard material, forming a part of the above mentioned guiding parts, at least one small plate of hard material operatively mounted and fixed in the cartridge, and at least one movable small plate mounted in the aforementioned element of support and adapted to be movable in relation to the fixed small plate in order to bring about the regulation of fluid flow and the proportion of mixing. At least one of the surfaces of the parts of plastic material, adapted to slide against the surface of other pieces of plastic material, is provided with a metal layer, preferably by chemical or electrochemical means. It is preferred that the metal cover is applied on an intermediate part having surfaces adapted to slide in contact with different parts of plastic material, and precisely on a guiding ring.

Abstract: A hydraulic faucet intended to house a cartridge containing flux control members shaped as plane plates of hard material, and comprising a valve body and a removable cover, wherein some inlet passages for ambient air are provided for in register with the faucet cover, and a one-way valve with elastic lip is housed within the cover, between an outer region of the faucet, communicating through the inlet passages with the outside ambient, and an inner region of the faucet, communicating with the delivery outlet of the faucet. This one way valve with elastic lip is inserted in such sense that it remains sealingly closed when the pressure in the inner region of the faucet is not lower than the ambient air pressure which is present in the outer region of the faucet, and it automatically opens when the pressure in the inner region of the faucet decreases, even of a slight amount, under the ambient air pressure, so that no siphon back flow may arise.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a pair of seal members (10 and 12) such as a pair of disks which control the fluid flow of a faucet. The two seals are formed of a moderately hard material (14), such as stellite, ceramic materials, metal materials or synthetic materials, which can be precisely ground to a particular finish. At least one of the seal members (10) is coated with a thin layer (16) of very hard material such as silicon carbides, metal carbides, metal nitrides, or cubic crystallographic lattice carbons. The coating layer is applied through either physical or chemical vapor deposition. This process provides seal disks with low friction coefficients thereby eliminating the need to provide a lubricant between the cooperating surfaces of the disks. In addition, adhesion between the seals is eliminated despite the smooth surface finish of the disks. Thus, the disks formed through the process improve operation of the faucet or valve utilizing cooperating seal disks.

Abstract: A mixing valve includes a faucet body (1), a control mechanism, a support surface (9a) for a fixed valve plate (18) mounted on this support surface, a seal (16, 17) placed between the fixed plate and the support surface and a movable valve plate (19) connected to the control mechanism and appointed to shift in sliding contact with the fixed plate so as to regulate the flow rate and the mixing proportions. An attachment mechanism (31) connects the fixed plate to the support surface, the seal being compressed between them, by these parts exerting a compressive force. The compression of the seal is therefore made independent of the pressure between the fixed and the movable plates which can then be reduced to render better sliding and working of the valve plates. The attachment mechanism can be fixed or removable, and can work near the center of the fixed plate or along its border or in both positions.

Abstract: A mixing faucet for hot and cold water including a cartridge 40 which contains a fixed valve plate 32 and a movable valve plate 23, both constructed of hard ceramic material, and both constructed to control the proportion of mixing and the flow that comes out of the faucet. In this faucet, the part 25 of the cartridge that has the seat for the fixed valve plate 32 constitutes an element which is separate from the cover 16 of the cartridge. It is mounted in the cover 16 for sealed axial movement and is arranged so that sealed flow can occur from a part of the cavity of the body of the faucet that has a reduced section and in which one of the supply pipes 2 is connected. The seat 25 for the valve plate has some projections 30 which can interact in the passage apertures 32a to laterally affix the plate 32. The cartridge has an annular ring 34 which has some upper teeth 35 that engage with corresponding recesses 33 present peripherally on the work face of the fixed valve plate.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a pair of seal members (10 and 12) such as a pair of disks which control the fluid flow of a faucet. The two seals are formed of a moderately hard material (pb 14), such as stealite, ceramic materials, metal materials or synthetic materials, which can be precisely ground to a particular finish. At least one of the seal members (10) is coated with a thin layer (16) of very hard material such as silicium carbides, metal carbides, metal nitrides, or cubic crystallographic lattice carbons. The coating layer is applied through either physical or chemical vapor deposition. This process provides seal disks with low friction coefficients thereby eliminating the need to provide a lubricant between the cooperating surfaces of the disks. In addition, adhesion between the seals is eliminated despite the smooth surface finish of the disks. Thus, the disks formed through this process improve operation of the faucet or valve utilizing cooperating seal disks.

Abstract: A mechanism for covering and protecting operating parts of a mixing faucet that has a bidirectional control lever 10 which extends through an opening in its cover 11 and moves about a single center. A semi-spherical surface 11a of the cover abuts a thin semi-spherical cap 15 having an exterior and interior surface 15a and 15b having the same center of rotation as the lever. The cover is semi-spherical surface substantially corresponds to the semi-spherical cap's interior surface. The semi-spherical cap 15 covers the opening 10 and is able to slide over the semi-spherical surface of the cover due to its identical spherical curvature. Structurally the cap is separate from the control lever and is transverse to it. The cap 15 makes contact with a rim of the window 17 of an outer hood 16. The hood 16 is mounted about the cover 11 and able to slide thereagainst and into the space underneath the hood. Cap 15 and the hood 16 can be economically produced and mounted onto the valve.

Abstract: At least one of a pair of valve members which control the flow in a valve is composed substantially of silicon carbide (SiC). Preferably, the silicon carbide valve member is produced by the Lagan SiC process. It is possible to use a single silicon carbide valve member cooperating with a valve member of conventional ceramic material, or both cooperating valve members may be made of silicon carbide. Preferably, materials of different surface hardness are used for the cooperating valve members. In addition, one of the cooperating valve members preferably is softer and has a less smoothly polished surface than the other valve member. The silicon carbide material has a low friction coefficient even in the absence of lubrication and does not give rise to excessive adhesion between pieces of high surface finish and thus ensures the maintenance and the smoothness of operation for long periods of time with respect to the known ceramics.