Water control fixture having thermostatically controlled bypass valve

Abstract

A water control fixture having an operating valve and a thermostatically controlled bypass valve disposed in the fixture for bypassing water away from the fixture until the water temperature reaches a desired level. When pressurized water from the hot water heater reaches the desired temperature level at the fixture, the bypass valve closes and hot water is made available to the fixture. The bypass valve has a thermal actuator element that is thermally responsive to the temperature of the water. The fixture can have a housing with an interior chamber for operatively receiving the bypass valve. Various passages or channels can be provided to facilitate communication between the bypass valve and the water supply lines. Alternatively, the bypass valve can be positioned in the operating valve, including the moveable ball and the replaceable cylindrical valving cartridge types. A system using the in-fixture bypass valve is also provided.

1 . A water control fixture, comprising: 
 an operating valve in said water control fixture for controlling the flow of water from a pressurized supply of hot water; and    a thermostatically controlled bypass valve disposed in said water control fixture, said bypass valve having a thermally sensitive actuating element therein configured to bypass water from said supply of hot water to a supply of cold water until the temperature of the water is at a preset level.