AN IMPROVED TAP SPINDLE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to an improved tap spindle assembly. One known tap spindle assembly has a spindle with a first end terminating in an attachment portion to which a handle may be secured and a second end projecting into a valve body. The spindle normally extends through a spindle housing which is screw threaded into engagement with the valve body. The second end receives a valve member and rotation of spindle causes the spindle to move longitudinally of the housing and thus the valve member is moved into or out of engagement with a valve seat within the valve body. In this way a tap with a spindle assembly constructed in this way may be opened and closed and a fluid may be dispensed.

Taps which dispense hot fluids can be a hazard to young children and currently there is no ready way of making tap spindles child proof to prevent accidental scalding from occurring.

United States patent specifications 4691895, 4549716, 3986409 and 2780333 provide child proof tap and control knobs for liquid or gas valves. The construction of all of these rely on particular handle configurations and are not concerned with improved spindle constructions. These arrangements are not readily adaptable to existing taps and are relatively complex in their construction.

Australian patent specification 24995/95 discloses an adaptation for a tap which renders it less easily operable by children. The adaptation involved modification to that end of the spindle to which a handle is normally secured to allow it to receive a separate spindle engagement member mountable to the end of the spindle. The separate member is movable longitudinally of the spindle to bring it into driving engagement with the spindle such that rotation of the separate member causes the spindle to rotate to open and close the tap.

The device of specification 24995/95 requires modification of an end of the spindle and the presence of a separate component which fits over the modified spindle. This device is relatively complex. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tap spindle assembly which at least minimises the disadvantages referred to above.

According to one aspect, the invention provides a tap spindle assembly for a tap, the spindle assembly including a housing adapted for engagement with a tap, a first spindle member receivable by the housing, a second spindle member receivable by the housing, the second spindle member being engagable with a valve member for moving the valve member between an open and a closed position, a spring normally biasing the first spindle member away from the second spindle member, said spindle members having opposed engaging portions whereby the first spindle member is movable against the bias of the spring and into engagement with the second spindle member to facilitate movement of the second spindle member to allow the valve member to be moved between the open and the closed positions.

The first spindle member may have a handle formed at or received at an end thereof. Preferably a handle is received at that end. That part of the spindle member may have a stem to which the handle may be mounted.

The housing is adapted to receive the first spindle member such that the stem projects from it and is accessible beyond the housing. Preferably, the housing has an aperture through which the stem may project. The housing may be substantially tubular and have a threaded portion to allow the housing to be mounted to the tap body.

The second spindle member is preferably adapted for screw threaded engagement with the housing. Preferably the second spindle member has an external

screw thread extending at least part way along its length.

At least one of the spindle members is in sealing engagement with the interior of the housing. Preferably, the second spindle member is in sealing engagement with the interior of the housing. In one embodiment the second spindle member carries a sealing ring for this purpose.

The engaging portions on the spindle members may comprise engaging projections extending from them. Alternatively one of the spindle members may have an engaging projection while the other spindle member has an engaging recess. Preferably, the engaging portions are complementary. As mentioned, the spindle members are normally biased apart but movable towards one another to enable the engaging portions to co-operate such that rotation of the first spindle member causes the second spindle member to also rotate. A spring may be used for this purpose. Preferably a coil spring is present.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In one embodiment one of the spindle members has a longitudinally extending bore for receiving a shaft extending from the other spindle member. The spring which biases the spindle members away from one another may be located within the bore.

The spindle assembly preferably includes a lock which allows the spindle members to rotate in one direction relative to one another when the spindle members are biased away from one another. This one direction is the direction of rotation which causes the valve to open when the opposed engaging portions are in engagement with one another. The lock prohibits relative rotation of the spindle members when the first spindle member is rotated in a direction opposite to the one direction. In this way, the valve may be closed without having to move the spindle parts into engagement against the bias.

The lock includes a biased locking member located within a bore extending transversely into the one spindle member and tangentially relative to the bore in that member. The transverse bore communicates with the longitudinal bore such that the shaft extending from the other spindle member may engage the locking member and move that member against its bias when the shaft is rotated in the one direction.

A particular preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a spindle assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the spindle assembly of Figure 1 shown assembled and attached to a tap; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the assembly taken along line III-III of Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 shows a tap spindle assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The assembly 10 is shown adjacent part of a tap 11 to which the assembly may be secured in use.

The spindle assembly 10 includes a housing 12 having a lower threaded portion 13 for securing the assembly to a tap 11. A hexagonal fastener portion 14 of the housing 12 assists in the mounting of the housing 12 to the tap 11. Upper threaded portion 15 of the housing may receive a cover which completes a tap/spindle assembly combination from an aesthetic point of view. A bore 16 extends through the housing.

A first spindle member 20 is received within the housing 12 and stem 21 projects from the housing 12.

The stem 21 has an end 22 adapted to receive an operating handle (not shown) . Enlarged end 23 of member 20 has a cruciform recess 24 formed in its end face.

A second spindle member 30 is shown having an upstanding shaft 31 which is received by member 20. A

transversely extending projection 32 extends across the member 30 and is able to mate with the branches of the cruciform recess 24. The lower end 33 of member 30 is screw threaded and receivable by the internal thread provided within the housing 12. Member 30 has an O ring 34 mounted to it for sealing against the inside of the housing 12.

Figure 2 shows spindle member 20 and 30 mounted relative to the housing 12 and to a tap 11. The member 20 has a central bore 40 which receives a spring 41. The spring 41 normally biases member 30 away from member 20 so that rotation of member 20 in an anticlockwise direction about its longitudinal axis does not cause rotation of member 30 unless member 20 is first pressed against member 30 to engage projection 32 with recess 24. When so engaged and rotated valve member 42 is moved away from seat 43. When valve member 42 moves away from seat 43 the tap is open. Figure 2 shows the tap 11 in its closed position. Valve member 42 or washer has a stem 44 receivable by a bore 45 formed in member 30. Member 30 is in screw threaded engagement with housing 12 while the housing 12 is in screw threaded engagement with the tap 11. O ring 34 is retained in a groove 46. Member 30 has an upstanding shaft 31 which projects into the bore 40 formed in member 20 and has an end 48 which abuts the spring.

Figure 3 shows a lock which allows clockwise rotation of member 20 to cause clockwise rotation of member 30 without the need for engaging projection 32 into recess 24 by moving member 20 towards member 30.

The lock includes a bore 50 which extends tangentially of bore 40 and communicates with that bore. A ball 51 is located within bore 50 and is biased towards retaining screw 52 by spring 53. Shaft 31 within the bore 40 extends slightly into bore 50 and when spindle member 20 is rotated in an anticlockwise direction ball 51 is pressed against the spring 53 and the members 20

and 30 are free to rotate relative to each other unless of course projection 32 is engaged within recess 24. When member 20 is rotated in a clockwise direction (the direction of rotation which re-seats valve member 42 against seat 43 to close the tap) . The shaft 31 contacts ball 51 and attempts to draw the ball towards the retaining screw 52 and this action locks the two spindle members relative to each other. This action allows the spindle assembly to be rotated to close the tap without having to overcome the bias of spring 41 which normally separates projection 32 from recess 24.