Masco Corporation of Indiana

Masco Corporation

Masco Corporatiopn of Indiana

Daniel A Pickerrell

Donald C Schrock

John Inch

Larry G Turner

Larry Shock

A single handle ball valve faucet (10) having a ball valve element (24) mounted in the housing (12) such that the handle lever (82) is moved to a rearward and up position to place the ball valve in an off position and to an easily accessible forward and down position to place the ball valve element (24) to an on position. A control plate (50) has a control opening (70) with a rearward facing apex 72 for receiving the control stem (80) of the ball valve when in the off condition and a wide forward edge (74) for allowing lateral motion of the stem (20) therealong for adjusting temperature mix of the water when the ball valve element (24) in the full flow on condition.

Ball valve faucet with improved flow characteristics and handle operation

A low consumption toilet fixture (10) has a bowl (20), a tank (16) having a central exit (43), a waterway passage extending from the tank to the bowl (20) and an angled trap (22) that has a bottom well (24). The downstream end (34) of the trap (22), inlet (42) of the waterway, and well (24) all bisect a central vertical reference plane which divides the toilet into two halves. The angled trap has an intermediate upper section (30) which is laterally offset with respect to the inlet (42) of the waterway (21) and has a height greater than a lower wall (50) of the horizontal leg (44) of the waterway that extends from the central inlet (42). The waterway (22) has an exit opening into the well (24). The exit has an upper groove (49) and notch (51) directing water into the bottom of bowl (20). The well (24) is canted laterally and forwardly downwardly with respect to the central vertical reference plane.

Low water consumption toilet fixture

The flush valve adapter (32) has a tubular body with a lower threaded section (36) which engages a connection ring (70) permanently mounted to an upper section of jetway (72). A seal is created between the tank (10), flush valve adapter (32) and jetway (72). The adapter (32) has an upper threaded section (40) which engages a bottom threaded end (30) of a standard flush valve. A coaxially spaced sealing ring section (48) has a groove (62) that seats an O-ring (64) that seals against the bottom section (30) of the flush valve to create a seal therebetween. A lock nut (78) is also threaded onto section (30) and abuts against top shoulder (41) of the adapter (32) to lock the flush valve into place onto the adapter member (32).

Flush valve adjustable adapter

A valve housing assembly includes a valve body member that has an exterior threaded section which can engage an interior threaded section of a cap member. The cap member and valve body member have opposing shoulders. An abutment ring made from a semi-rigid material of talc filled propylene is interposed between the two opposing shoulders and provides for seal between the two opposing shoulders to the threaded section. Furthermore, the semi-rigid abutment ring will undergo slight compression when the cap member is fully tightened onto the body member and will creep back over a period of time to alleviate vertical forces which can cause seizing of the threaded sections of the cap member and body member which would otherwise prevent easy removal of the cap member from the body member. Furthermore, the sealing of the ring between the two shoulders reduces the chance of corrosion by eliminating water leaking into the threaded section from the interior of the valve body. The seal further reduces forces that seize the cap onto the body member and provides for a cap member which is easily removable from the body member long after it has been tightened onto the body member.

Growing community of inventors

Fishers, IN, United States of America

Daniel A Pickerrell