Moen Incorporated

S-b Power Tool Company

Edward A Nasser

Manfred W Staebler

John C Holzheimer

John Adam Griffin

Charles Allen McCormick

Jeffrey B Cox

An aerator includes a housing, a throttle assembly, a mixing chamber, a screen and an elastometric ring. The throttle assembly includes a first or upper throttle member and a second or lower throttle member, each of the upper and lower throttle members defining a portion of a snap element. The snap element allows for retention and relative rotation of one of the first and second throttle members in order to change the air content of the water stream from a closed aerator position which provides a substantially non-aerated water stream to an opened aerator position which provides a combined water and air stream. One embodiment of a snap element being defined by upper throttle projections and a lower throttle flange whereby the lower throttle flange is urged upstream of the upper throttle projections. The lower throttle member is retained by the upper throttle member for selective rotation by the user. The lower throttle upstream projections and beveled edges facilitate the insertion of the lower throttle member into the upper throttle member for a snap engagement therewith. Selective rotation of the lower throttle member by the user varies the air volume in the water stream. During rotation the lower throttle projections change the size of the air passageways defined by an upper throttle opening to allow more or less air through the passageways. Serrated edges on the upper and lower throttle members prevent rotation of the aerator unless manual force is applied. A slot located on a downstream end of the lower throttle member allows the user to rotate the lower throttle member.

Aerator with variable air input

A faucet spout assembly includes a centerbody, a spout hub with an outwardly extending spout and a retainer located therebetween to limit rotational movement of the spout hub on the centerbody and more specifically to limit the rotational movement of the spout to a range defined by the open area of the sink. The centerbody includes a recess which receives an inward projection of the retainer and limits rotational movement thereof relative to the centerbody. The spout hub includes a cavity with an arcuate recess which receives a retainer outward projection. The length of the arcuate recess is preferably sized to limit the rotational movement of the spout to the open area of the sink. The centerbody includes an annular groove which receives a ledge of the retainer to assist in retainer positioning around the centerbody.

Kitchen faucet spout retainer

The reciprocating plunger of a power tool has a planar surface for substantial co-extensive engagement with one side of the mounting portion of plural ones of blades of varying thicknesses. A housing mounted to the plunger includes a cavity and rotatably supports a cam block in the cavity. The cam block has an arcuate cam face establishing respective plural axial lines of contact with the other side of the mounting portion of ones of the blades of varying thicknesses. Each of the lines of contact occupies an over-center relationship with respect to a plane perpendicular to the blade and containing the axis of rotation of the cam block.

Growing community of inventors

New Bern, NC, United States of America

Edward A Nasser