Flushing plug for water control valve

Abstract

A water control valve has a plurality of ports and a mixing chamber and a removable cartridge in the chamber for controlling water flow. A flushing plug is receivable in the chamber in place of the cartridge for enabling flushing and pressure testing of the ports. A retainer removably holds either the cartridge or the flushing plug in the chamber. A method of pressure testing and/or flushing a water control system includes the steps of removing a clip that holds a mixing cartridge in a valve body; removing the mixing cartridge from an opening in the valve body; inserting a flushing plug into the opening in the valve body; and replacing the clip to hold the plug in the opening in the valve body.

Having described the invention, I claim:  
     
         1 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a water control valve having a valve body with a plurality of ports and a chamber interconnecting said ports and a removable cartridge receivable in said chamber for controlling water flow through said valve body between said ports; and    a flushing plug receivable in said chamber in place of said cartridge for enabling flushing and pressure testing of said ports.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a retainer engageable between said valve body and said cartridge to retain said cartridge on said valve body, said retainer being engageable between said valve body and said plug to retain said plug on said valve body.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said retainer is a clip, said valve body and said cartridge and said plug having respective grooves, said clip being receivable in said grooves of said valve body and said cartridge to retain said cartridge on said valve body, said clip being receivable in said grooves of said valve body and said plug to retain said plug on said valve body.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said plug is insertable into said chamber to replace said cartridge and said plug has an overall configuration similar to that of the cartridge that it replaces.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said plug has a generally tubular cylindrical configuration with inner and outer ends, and said plug has an inner wall that blocks fluid flow along the interior of said plug between said inner and outer ends of said plug.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said plug has a seal engageable with a wall surface of said valve body to block fluid flow along the exterior of said plug between said inner and outer ends of said plug.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a water control valve having a plurality of ports, a chamber interconnecting said ports, a removable cartridge receivable in said chamber for controlling water flow through said valve between said ports, and a retainer that removably holds said cartridge in said chamber; and    a flushing plug receivable in said chamber in place of said cartridge;    said retainer being operative to removably hold said flushing plug in said chamber.    
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said retainer is engageable between a valve body of said valve and said cartridge to retain said cartridge on said valve body, said retainer being engageable between said valve body and said plug to retain said plug on said valve body.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said retainer is a clip, said valve body and said cartridge and said plug having respective grooves, said clip being receivable in said grooves of said valve body and said cartridge to retain said cartridge on said valve body, said clip being receivable in said grooves of said valve body and said plug to retain said plug on said valve body.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a valve body with a chamber and a plurality of ports that open into said chamber;    a cartridge insertable into said chamber through an opening for controlling fluid flow through said chamber between said ports;    a retainer engageable between said valve body and said cartridge to retain said cartridge on said valve body; and    a plug for plugging said opening when said cartridge is not inserted in said chamber, said retainer being engageable with said valve body and said plug to retain said plug on said valve body.    
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said retainer is a clip, said valve body and said cartridge and said plug having respective grooves, said clip being receivable in said grooves of said valve body and said cartridge to retain said cartridge on said valve body, said clip being receivable in said grooves of said valve body and said plug to retain said plug on said valve body.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said valve body has hot and cold water inlet ports and two outlet ports and wherein said cartridge is operable to direct water from either said hot inlet port or said cold inlet port or both said hot and cold inlet ports to one or the other of said two outlet ports.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said plug is insertable into said chamber to replace said cartridge and said plug has an overall configuration similar to that of the cartridge that it replaces.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said plug has a generally tubular cylindrical configuration with inner and outer ends, and said plug has an inner wall that blocks fluid flow along the interior of said plug between said inner and outer ends of said plug.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 14  wherein said plug has a seal engageable with a wall surface of said valve body to block fluid flow along the exterior of said plug between said inner and outer ends of said plug.  
     
     
         16 . A method of pressure testing and/or flushing a water control system that includes a hot and cold mixing valve, said method comprising the steps of: 
 removing a clip that holds a mixing cartridge in a valve body;    removing the mixing cartridge from an opening in the valve body;    inserting a flushing plug into the opening in the valve body; and    replacing the clip to hold the plug in the opening in the valve body.    
     
     
         17 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said step of removing a clip includes removing a clip that is engaged in a first groove in the valve body and in a second groove in the cartridge, and wherein said step of replacing the clip includes replacing the clip in the first groove in the valve body and simultaneously engaging the clip in a third groove in the plug.  
     
     
         18 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said step of inserting a flushing plug includes inserting a flushing plug having an overall configuration similar to that of the cartridge.  
     
     
         19 . A method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein said step of inserting a flushing plug includes inserting a flushing plug having a generally tubular cylindrical configuration with inner and outer ends and an inner wall that blocks fluid flow along the interior of the plug between the inner and outer ends of the plug, the plug also having a seal engageable with a wall surface of the valve body to block fluid flow along the exterior of the plug between the inner and outer ends of the plug.