Abstract: A valve stem is provided with a handle assembly having a noncircular axially extending formation and a retaining element fixed to the stem and formed with an array of axially extending and radially deflectable tongues having radially outwardly directed bumps and a screwthread of predetermined axial length axially offset from the stem formation and from the tongues. A handle having a hub formed with a hole fittable axially over the retaining element is formed inside the hole with a screwthread complementary to the retaining-element screwthread, with a handle formation complementary to and fittable axially with the stem formation and offset from the handle screwthread by a distance greater than the retaining-element screwthread axial length, and with a radially inwardly open groove. The handle fits with its hole over the element with the formations interengaged, the screwthreads not engaged, and the bumps in the groove.

Abstract: A valve stem is provided with a handle assembly having a noncircular axially extending formation and a retaining element fixed to the stem and formed with an array of axially extending and radially deflectable tongues having radially outwardly directed bumps and a screwthread of predetermined axial length axially offset from the stem formation and from the tongues. A handle having a hub formed with a hole fittable axially over the retaining element is formed inside the hole with a screwthread complementary to the retaining-element screwthread, with a handle formation complementary to and fittable axially with the stem formation and offset from the handle screwthread by a distance greater than the retaining-element screwthread axial length, and with a radially inwardly open groove. The handle fits with its hole over the element with the formations interengaged, the screwthreads not engaged, and the bumps in the groove.

Abstract: A faucet has a tubular faucet arm, a water-pressurizable hose in the arm having an outer end, and a head housing mounted on the hose outer end, extending along an axis, formed with a radially throughgoing slot, and dimensioned to be grasped in one hand. Body structure in the head communicates with the hose outer end and forms first and second valve seats and a nozzle assembly mounted on the body structure forms a first outlet communicating with the first valve seat and a second outlet communicating with the second valve seat. A valve element is displaceable in the body structure between a first end position engaging the first seat and diverting flow from the hose to the first outlet and a second end position engaging the second seat and diverting flow from the hose to the second outlet. A lever partially projecting through the slot from the housing is pivoted on the body structure.

Abstract: A holder bracket for securing a hand shower to a stationary rod centered on a rod axis has a support body having structure forming a forwardly open seat for the hand shower and formed with a throughgoing laterally closed passage through which the rod passes and, to one side of the axis, with at least one rib bearing radially on the rod. A retaining element mounted on the support body to the other side of the axis bears radially on the rod opposite to the rib. A compressible member engaged between the retaining element and the body presses the element radially against the body and thereby compresses the rod between the element and the rib.

Abstract: A mixing valve has a valve housing formed with a seat, a flow-controlling valve cartridge fitted to the seat, and a cover engageable over the cartridge, pivotal on the cartridge about a first axis, and formed with an aperture. A handle engaging through the aperture with the cartridge is pivotal through an arc of less than 360.degree. about the first axis with the cover for controlling a characteristic of flow through the valve cartridge and is pivotal about a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis for controlling another characteristic of flow through the valve cartridge. Interengaging formations on the cover and on the housing allow relative axial movement of the cover and the housing in an angular position of the cover relative to the housing outside the arc and prevent relative axial movement of the cover and the housing inside the arc.

Abstract: A rod assembly for mounting a hand shower on a wall has a rod extending along a vertical rod axis, having axially opposite upper and lower ends, and formed adjacent one of the ends with a diametrally throughgoing hole and respective upper and lower substantially identical brackets each formed with a vertical inner end face adapted to lie flatly against the wall, a vertically throughgoing passage through which the respective end of the rod extends, and a horizontally throughgoing stepped bore having a narrow inner portion opening at the inner end face and a wide outer portion opening at the respective passage. One of the stepped bores is aligned with the rod hole. Respective upper and lower screws each have a narrow shank extending through the respective narrow bore portion into the wall and a wide head. One of the wide heads bears directly on the respective bracket between the rod and the respective inner end face.

Abstract: A shower head has a body forming a rear compartment pressurizable with water and a forwardly open mouth having an inner periphery and an end disk generally closing the mouth, extending perpendicular to an axis, and having an elastically deformable outer rim formed with a plurality of axially through-going and radially outwardly open grooves opening rearwardly into the compartment and radially outwardly closed by the body. The rim further is formed with an annular and elastically deformable lip projecting axially past a downstream face of the disk and a downstream end of the body. The grooves are formed in the lip. Thus the critical downstream ends of the flow passages constituted by the grooves are formed in an elastically deformable lip that can be deformed. Since the deposits are normally very hard, such deformation of the lip will flake any lime deposits off.

Abstract: A mixing valve has a housing, a valve cartridge fixed in the housing and having valve elements movable to vary rate and temperature of flow through the cartridge, and a handle connected to the valve elements and movable through a predetermined angular displacement about a temperature-adjustment axis to vary the temperature of flow through the cartridge and a flow-adjustment axis orthogonal to the temperature-adjustment axis to vary the rate of flow through the cartridge. A sleeve-like casing surrounding the cartridge is rotatable on the housing about one of the axes and is traversed by the handle. Interengaging formations on the casing and on the housing axially retain the casing on the housing except in a predetermined angular position of the casing on the housing relative to the one axis.

Abstract: A plumbing fixture has a housing provided with a water inlet and formed with a water outlet and with a circuit pocket. This housing is secured to a support surface. An electrically operated valve in the body between the inlet and outlet has an electrical feed wire energizable for movement of the valve between a closed position blocking flow between the inlet and outlet and an open position permitting such flow. An insert fittable in the pocket is formed with a battery compartment holding a battery. A screw or the like fixed the insert in the pocket. An electrical circuit in the insert connected to the feed wire and to the battery opens the valve on detection of a solid object in front of the housing.

Abstract: A flow-control valve has a valve housing and a valve element in the housing rotatable about an axis through at most 360.degree. between a fully open position for substantially unimpeded fluid flow through the housing and a fully closed position for substantially no fluid flow through the housing and through intermediate positions for intermediate levels of flow through the housing. A spindle coupled to the element extends along and is jointly pivotal with the element about the axis. A handle fixed on the spindle is provided offset from the axis with a handle stop so that the handle stop orbits about the axis as the handle and spindle are rotated to adjust the valve.

Abstract: A shower head has a rigid body forming a pressurizable compartment having a downstream wall of composite synthetic-resin material having an inner face and formed with an array of throughgoing holes so that pressurized water in the compartment will exit therefrom through the holes. A unitary liner sheet of a soft elastomer has an outer face bonded to the inner face of the downstream wall and is formed with respective tubular nipples fitting in and projecting through the holes. Each nipple forms a throughgoing passage having an inner end opening in the compartment and an outer end opening outside the body. The liner sheet and integral nipples are molded in situ against the inner face of the plate forming the downstream wall of the shower body. The composite synthetic-resin material is a polybutyleneterephthalate and the elastomer is silicone or the composite synthetic-resin material can be polypropylene and the elastomer a thermoplastic.

Abstract: A shield is used in combination with a wall having an outer surface and formed with a throughgoing hole having an edge and with a plumbing fixture almost entirely recessed behind the wall surface and having a control part projecting forward through the hole past the surface. The shield is elastically deformable waterproof and is formed unitarily with a cup-shaped body generally surrounding the plumbing fixture and with an annular bellows-type cuff surrounding the control part and having a rear edge unitarily joined to the body and a front edge fixed to the wall surface at the hole edge. The plumbing fixture also has a laterally projecting connection nipple behind the wall adapted to be mated with a pipe behind the wall and the body is formed with a laterally throughgoing orifice fitted tightly around the nipple. Furthermore the shield is unitarily formed with an annular flange projecting laterally from the front edge of the cuff and fixed to the wall surface at the hole edge.

Abstract: A bracket for supporting a hand shower adjacent a wall has a base part adapted to be fixed to the wall, formed with a throughgoing passage extending along a horizontal axis generally parallel to the wall, and having axially oppositely directed sides. A holder part pivotal on the base part about the axis on one of the axial sides of the base part is formed on the axis with an upwardly open seat adapted to receive the hand shower. A bolt extending axially through the passage has to the other axial side of the base part a threaded end and to the one axial side of the base part a radially projecting flange bearing axially toward the base part on the holder part. Interengaging formations on the bolt and base part rotationally fix the bolt in the base part while permitting it to move axially therein. A nut threaded on the threaded end of the bolt and bears axially on the other axial side of the base part.

Abstract: A hand shower has a shower housing having an inner end formed centered on an axis with an axially open central recess and an outer end carrying a shower head. A male coupling part adapted to be fixed to the end of a supply hose has a tubular outlet end engageable axially in the housing inner end. A latch element can be displaced radially of the axis in the inner end between a holding position engaging and axially retaining the coupling part in the recess and a freeing position allowing the coupling part to move axially freely into and out of the recess. The housing has a central feed tube forming the inner and outer ends and at least one rigid outer housing part surrounding and completely enclosing the central feed tube. Furthermore the shower includes a pair of such latch elements radially oppositely displaceable between the positions. These elements can be fitted without soldering or fusing into the housing for a very inexpensive and simple assembly of the device.

Abstract: A mounting bracket for a hand shower having a support stem has a support adapted to be stationarily fixed, a holder formed with a forked seat shaped to receive the hand-shower stem, and interengaging formations on the holder and support for pivoting of the holder on the support about a normally horizontal axis while retaining the holder and support against relative axial movement. An array of radially extending ridges formed on the support, surrounding the axis, and projecting toward the holder engage with complementary ridges formed on a flange of a retaining element rotationally coupled to the holder. A locking bolt axially fixed in the support axially presses the retaining-element ridges against the support ridges so that the holder can be pivoted about the axis on the support with elastic deformation of the flange.

Abstract: An escutcheon used with a plumbing fixture that is recessed in a wall and that has a part projecting through the wall itself has a plate shaped to fit around the part flatly against the wall and formed offset from the part with a throughgoing hole. Structure fixed relative to the fixture forms a throughgoing hole offset from the part snugly receiving a radially expansible anchor tube also extending through the plate hole and having an enlarged head lying against an outer face of the plate. A screw engaged in the tube radially expands same into tight engagement with the structure hole.

Abstract: A shower head has a housing having an end wall provided with a plurality of sets of spray nozzles, a partition element defining in the housing a pressurizable inlet chamber and formed offset from the axis with an axially throughgoing outlet hole, and a valve element rotatable in the housing on the partition about the axis, overlying the outlet hole, and formed offset from the axis with a plurality of axially throughgoing apertures radially equispaced from the axis and angularly spaced thereabout, selectively alignable with the partition hole, and each associated with a respective set of the nozzles. The housing also is formed with respective passages connecting the apertures with the respective sets of nozzles. One of the elements is provided with a restriction formation for progressive restriction of the outlet hole from a fully open to fully closed condition on rotation of the valve element through a predetermined angular stroke.

Abstract: A control assembly used on a thermostatically regulated mixing valve has a housing extending along an axis and a stem in the housing axially displaceable to adjust the thermostatically regulated temperature of the valve. The assembly has a nut threaded on the housing, axially linked to the valve stem, and rotatable about the axis in one direction to move axially inward and move the stem axially inward and rotatable in the opposite direction to move axially outward and move the stem axially outward. An abutment sleeve engageable over the valve housing is formed with a radially outwardly open passage and interengaging formations on the abutment sleeve and valve housing rotationally couple same together. The housing is formed in the sleeve with a radially outwardly open groove level with the passage and a clip engages through the passage with the groove and axially couples the sleeve to the valve housing.

Abstract: A shower has a housing defining an axis, a conduit in the housing normally supplied with water under pressure and having an axially forwardly open outlet end, and a shower head having an axially rearwardly directed face axially confronting the outlet end and rotatable on the housing about the axis. The shower head is provided with at least two sets of axially forwardly directed spray nozzles and is formed with respective axially rearwardly open passages connected to the sets of nozzles. A seal disk extending across the axis between the outlet end and the rear face of the shower head is formed with an axially throughgoing hole and is fixed in the housing against rotation about the axis while being limitedly axially movable in the housing. An elastically compressible seal ring engaged axially between the outlet end of the conduit and the seal disk around the seal-disk hole presses the seal disk axially forward against the rear face of the shower head.

Abstract: A shower head has a body having a wall and forming therewith a pressurizable compartment. This wall has an inner face in the compartment and an outer face and is formed therebetween with an array of throughgoing perforations. Respective flexible tubular extensions are provided on the outer face of the wall at the perforations. These extensions can be deformed to flake off lime formations adhering to the extensions. The extensions can be unitary with the wall, in which case the wall is made of an elastomer, or respective tubular liners in the perforations having outer ends projecting past the outer face can form the respective extensions. In this case each liner can have laterally projecting inner and outer ridges respectively bearing against the inner and outer faces of the wall. Furthermore each liner has a predetermined diameter of between 1 mm and 2 mm, preferably 1.2 mm, and each extension extends beyond the outer face by a distance generally equal to the respective diameter.