Valve assembly

Abstract

A valve assembly suitable for use as a draincock in an automobile radiator. The valve elements can be preassembled and installed in a stamped opening in a radiator tank by simple snap-in action. The assembly includes three elements: (1) an insert, (2) a threaded plug, and (3) a gasket that forms a seal between the plug and wall of the radiator tank.

I claim: 
     
       1. A valve assembly for a liquid container comprising: an insert member received within an opening formed in a wall of the container and   a plug member received within said insert member and   seal means positioned between a portion of said plug member and a portion of the wall about said opening,   said insert member including a portion having a cross sectional shape which cooperates with the shape of said opening to prevent rotation of said insert relative to said opening,   a threaded portion having an axis extending generally perpendicular to said wall portion,   first abutment means engageable with the inner surfaces of said wall adjacent said opening,   said plug member including a stem portion received within said insert member and having a threaded portion engageable with the threaded portion of said insert,   a head portion of dimensions greater than said opening,   said plug member being rotatable relative to said insert causing said threaded portions to displace said plug member axially relative to said insert member and to compress said seal means and said wall portion between said abutment means and said head portion.       
     
     
       2. A valve assembly according to claim 1, said plug member including retention means engageable with said insert member when the threaded portion of said plug member is completely withdrawn from the threaded portion of said insert member.   
     
     
       3. A valve assembly according to claim 2, said retention means comprising at least one cantilevered finger including an abutment engageable with said insert member when the threaded portion of said plug member is withdrawn from the threaded portion of said insert member.   
     
     
       4. A valve assembly according to claim 2, said retention means comprising a plurality of cantilevered fingers extending axially inwardly from the threaded portion of said plug member, said fingers including abutment means engageable with the end of the threaded portion of said insert member, said fingers being deformable to permit the passage of said fingers through the threaded portion of said insert member upon application of a predetermined axial withdrawal force to said plug member when the threaded portions of said plug member and insert member are disengaged.   
     
     
       5. A valve assembly according to claim 1, said insert member including second abutment means .[.engageable with the outer surface of said wall adjacent said opening..]. .Iadd.extending radially outwardly on the side of said wall opposite said first abutment means. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       6. A valve assembly according to claim 5, said insert member including at least one axially extending finger, said first abutment means positioned on said just-mentioned finger, said finger being deformable to permit passage of said first abutment means through said opening upon insertion of said insert assembly into said opening.   
     
     
       7. A valve assembly according to claim 5, said insert member including a pair of axially extending fingers, said first abutment means positioned on each of said fingers, said fingers being deformable in a radially inwardly direction to permit passage of said first abutment means through said opening upon insertion of said insert assembly into said opening.   
     
     
       8. A valve assembly according to claim 7, said first abutment means including ramp means causing said fingers to be radially inwardly deformed as the insert member is inserted into said opening.   
     
     
       9. A valve assembly according to claim 7, said stem portion of the plug member including a shoulder portion received within said fingers to preclude radially inward deformation of said fingers sufficient to permit the withdrawal of said insert member from said opening when the threaded portion of said plug member is received within the threaded portion of said insert member,   said stem portion including a reduced diameter portion received within said fingers permitting radially inward deformation of said fingers sufficient to permit the insertion or withdrawal of the insert member into or from said opening when the threaded portion of said plug member is withdrawn from the threaded portion of the insert member.   
     
     
       10. A valve assembly according to claim 7, said fingers including end portions extending through said opening when said insert is fully received within said opening, said end portions being accessible from the outside of the container when the threaded portion of the plug member is withdrawn from the threaded portion of the insert member.   
     
     
       11. A valve assembly according to claim 5, openings formed in said insert member permitting the passage of liquid through said insert member and about said reduced diameter portion of said plug member when the threaded portion of said plug member is disengaged from the threaded portion of said insert means.   
     
     
       12. A valve assembly for a liquid container comprising an insert member received within an opening formed in a wall of the container and   a plug member received within said insert member and   seal means positioned between a portion of said plug member and a portion of the wall about said opening,   said insert member including a portion having a cross sectional shape which cooperates with the shape of said opening to prevent rotation of said insert relative to said opening,   a threaded portion having an axis extending generally perpendicular to said wall portion,   a plurality of axially extending first fingers, first abutment means positioned on each of said fingers engageable with the inner surface of said wall adjacent said opening, said fingers being deformable in radially inwardly directions to permit passage of said first abutment means through said opening upon insertion of said insert assembly into said opening,   second abutment means .[.engageable with the outer surface of said wall adjacent said opening,.]. .Iadd.extending radially outwardly on the side of said wall opposite said first abutment means, .Iaddend.   said plug member including a stem portion received within said insert member and having a threaded portion engageable with the threaded portion of said insert,   a head portion of dimensions greater than said opening,   retention means comprising a plurality of cantilevered second fingers extending axially inwardly from the threaded portion of said plug member, said second fingers including abutment means engageable with the end of the threaded portion of said insert member, said fingers being deformable to permit the passage of said fingers through the threaded portion of said insert member upon application of a predetermined axial withdrawal force to said plug member when the threaded portions of said plug member and said insert member are disengaged,   said plug member being rotatable relative to said insert causing said threaded portions to displace said plug member axially relative to said insert member and to compress said seal means and said wall portion between said abutment means and said head portion.