The convenience of hot and cold running water in residences is taken for granted in modern times. Nevertheless, the necessity of running water poses unintended safety hazards for children and the infirm. Ordinarily residential faucets are opened and closed numerous times each day. The inherent simplicity of rotating a knob and receiving water is invaluable, however, the ability to fill a basin or tub with hot or cold potable water by a simple turn of a knob can pose substantial risk of ham to children or the mentally infirm. The accidental scalding and drowning of unsupervised infants is all to familiar. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a water faucet safety handle that is simple to operate, but that requires more than simple rotation alone, to permit the free flow of hot or cold water.
Although numerous devices for preventing the operation of knobs have been developed these devices either require the removal of parts prior to operating the knob and replacement of these same parts to prevent operation each time the knob is rotated, or they are difficult to operate in slippery soapy water environments which are commonly encountered in and around tubs and wash basins.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds