US3811619A

US3811619A - Spray producing device

Info

Publication number: US3811619A
Application number: US00266039A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Aghnides
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-26
Filing date: 1972-06-26
Publication date: 1974-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-21

Abstract

An aerator arranged to vary the velocity and aeration of the issuing jet of water having a casing with one or more screens, which may have holes in them, arranged thereon and rotatable to vary and/or eliminate the screen resistance for producing alternately different sprays wherein the jets may or may not be bubbly. A rotatable sealing device may be arranged to cover various holes in a diaphragm mounted on the upstream side of the aerator. The velocity and aeration of the output jets may be varied by manually adjusting either the rotatable screens or the sealing disc, or through cooperation of both.

Description

United States Patentv n91 Aghnides r111 3,811,619 51 May 21, 1974 SPRAY PRODUCING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Elie P. Aghnides, 795 Fifth Ave.,

New York, NY. 10021 [22] Filed: June 26, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 266,039

[52] U.S. C1,; 239/4285, 239/5903, 239/5905 [51] Int. Cl. E03c 1/084 [58] Field of Search 239/4285, 553.5, 553.3,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,388,868 6/1968 Watsonet al 239/4285 X 2,950,063 8/l960 Ripley, Jr 239/4285 2,998,923 9/1961 Aghnidesm' 239/5903 X 2,962,224 11/1960 Aghnides; 239/5903 X 3,417,924 12/1968 Aghnides .Q 239/4285 3,633,824 l/l972 Ahhnides 239/5903 X 3,276,697 10/1966 Aghnides 239/4285 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Michael Y. Mar

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William D. Hall [57 ABSTRACT An aerator arranged to vary the velocity and aeration of the issuing jet of water having a casing with one or more screens, which may have holes in them, arranged thereon and rotatable to vary and/or eliminate the screen resistance for producing alternately different sprays wherein the jets may or may not be bubbly. A rotatable sealing device may be arranged to cover various holes in a diaphragm mounted on the upstream side of the aerator. The velocity and aeration of the output jets may be varied by manually adjusting either the rotatable screens or the sealing disc, or through cooperation of both. 1

17 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Pmmimm 21 1974 3.81 1.619

SHEU 1 0f 2 FIG. 1.

2ATENTEBHAY2I m4 SHEU 2 BF 2 FIG. 4A;

SPRAY PRODUCING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spray producing device, and more particularly to an aerator having adjustable means to permit wide variationin the degree of aeration of the issuing jets for producing alternately different sprays wherein said jets may or may not be bubbly.

2. Description of the Prior Art My prior US. Pat. No. 3,633,824 teaches and describes the use of a. water cup arranged on the upstream side of the diaphragm of a water aerator. This water cup arrangement is particularly useful when the water pressure is low. Under such circumstances, the water cup may be arranged to cover several of the holes in the diaphragm to increase the velocity of the issuing stream. Correspondingly, when the water pressure is high, the cup may be removed to prevent the velocity of the flow of the water through the holes from being excessive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of the paresent invention is to provide a spray device which permits variation in the velocity and/or aeration of the jets produced. To attain this, the present invention provides a diaphragm arrangement comprising one or more discs each having orifices in them. and of which one may be rotatable. A screen arrangement is provided downstream from the diaphragm. The screen arrangement comprises one or more screens each of which may have a plurality of holes or cut-out parts in them. The screen. and the ori-- fices in the diaphragm may be adjusted in relation to one another so that the holes and orifices are flush with one another and the device produces an unaerated needle shower. The screen and diaphragm arrangements may, alternately, be rotated to vary the speed and aeration of the issuing jets over a wide range.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide means to vary the velocity and/or aeration of.

a stream of water.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for retaining proper aeration of the water under relatively reduced pressure.

A further object is to provide means for varying the screen resistance of an aerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for discharging from the device alternately a spray in which at least some of the jets are bubble-free or a spray in which the jets are swollen with bubbles.

Still another object is to vary the flow of water through a diaphragm arrangement of an aerator;-

Other objects, advantagesand novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawmgs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along 2A-2A;

FIG. 2B is a view of sealing disc 33 from the upstream side;

FIG. 2C is a view of the diaphragm 20 of FIG. 2 from the. upstream side.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative arrangement of a pair of orifices on the diaphram 20 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a sectional view of FIG. 4 taken along line AA; and

FIG. 5 is an alternative diaphragm arrangement of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, diaphram 1 which is 3 millimeters thick has three circular rows of orifices, 8 in the periphery, 4 in the middle and 4 in the inner row. The center to center distances of the circular rows of orifices are 34 millimeters, 23 millimeters, and I4 millimeters respectively. The orifices are inclined 65, 5 and 35 respectively as shown. The square or arcuated orifices 8 are L25 X 1.25 millimeters and each opening under the bridges is 1.0 millimeter high and 0.95 millimeter wide. A screen 2 is mounted on rotatable member 3 which is attached to tubular member S. Tubular member S is arranged to rotate around shaft 4. The upper portion of tubular member S has four spherical cavities D arranged circumferentially around it with the second cavity being 67.5 away from the first; the third 1 away from the second; and the fourth 67.5 from the third and the fourth l12.5 away from the first. A ball 5 rendered captive is urged by spring 6 toward the bottom of a sleeve in the diaphragm l as shown to engage one of the spherical cavities to retain the diaphragm 1 in one of four discreet rotational positions.

Screen 2 has preferably 16 openings 7 such as those shown by

openings

48 and 49 in FIG. 4A. Member 3 may be manually rotated at the bottom of tubular member S at 10 to permit the jets from openings 8 to go directly through the holes 7 of screen 2 and impinge upon a lower screen 11. Alternatively member 3 may be rotated so that the holes 7 are not directly beneath the orifices 8 to increase the screen resistance of the jet passing through the orifices. Air inlet 19 permits air to be mixed with the stream of water. The wire mesh screens are preferably 40 X 40 wires (with 0.0085 inches wire diameter).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 diaphragm 20 is about 3 millimeters thick and has substantially the same dimensions as diaphragm l of FIG. LDiaphragm 20 has three circular rows of holes with the diameters of the circles being 63 millimeters, 50 millimeters and 33 millimeters respectively. Each of the circular rows has four pairs of holes 21 as shown in FIG. 2C which is a partial top view of the diaphragm 20. Diaphragm 20 is threaded on its periphery for its attachment to the coupling 22 for connection to the shower arm. The threaded diaphragm may then be connected directly to a handle at the end of a hose. The casing 26 is arranged downstream from the diaphram and contains three

screens

23, 24 and 25. The casing is rotatable around shaft 27. The casing and its tubular portion 28 in the center are connected by members 29 as shown in FIG. 2A. The tubular portion 28 has arranged therein, spring 30 and steel ball 31 as shown. A circle of spherical cavities 32 is arranged circumferentially around the diaphram 20 to enable ball 31 which is urged by spring 30 to engage one of the cavities to cause the casing 26 to remain in a discreet rotational position. The cavities are preferably arranged at 30 degree intervals from each other.

A sealing disc 33 is arranged on shaft 27 as shown in FIG. 2 and in the top view of a sealing disc 33 shown in FIG. 2B. As shown in FIG. 2B, sealing disc 33 has holes 42 which are arranged in close circumferential proximity to the innermost circle of holes 42a on diaphragm 20. The rotational movement of the sealing disc 33 with respect to the diaphragm 20 is limited by the pin 36 which is arranged through hole 41 on sealing disc 33 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2B. Shaft 27 has two ribs 34 and member 35 has corresponding grooves so that rotation of member 35 rotates the sealing disc 33. The rotation of sealing disc 33 controls the admission of water in the four pairs of orifices in the innermost row. The four pairs of orifices in the peripheral row as well as the four pairs in the middle row permit the flow of water therethrough at all times.

Bolt 37 is captive'within member 35 and is arranged within the casing 26 so that when it is unscrewed, member 35 slides down from the ribs 34 and the casing comes off or separates from diaphragm 20 and shaft 27. A perforate member or diaphram 38 may be used in any of the constructions shown herein. Furthermore, member 35 is held loosely by the lower end of the tubular portion 28 for rendering also captive the spring 30 and ball 31 so that when the device is disassembled no parts are lost. The screen 25 is removable to permit cleaning and screens 23 and 24 may be cleaned from above and below with the openings 40 permitting any dirt falling in between to come out. Screen 24 has preferably 24 holes, 12 as shown by 39 and 12 as shown by 40 in FIG. 2A.

Screens

23 and 25 each have 12 holes 39 further shown in FIG. 2A.

If the water pressure is relatively low, sealing disc 33 may be rotated by rotating member 35 to close the access of water into holes 42. This closes the four pairs of bridged orifices in the inner row of holes 21. At the same time, of course, water flows through the middle and outer row of orifices 21 of diaphragm 20. Further control of the speed and aeration of the flow of water is obtained by rotating casing 26. Casing 26 may be rotated to locate the holes of

screens

23, 24 and 25 under holes 21 of the diaphram. This would cause a direct jet of water coming through holes 21 as well as holes 39 to thereby emerge as an unaerated jet of water for a needle shower. Casing 26 may be further rotated to locate under holes 21 the

screens

23 and 25, as it may be further rotated for locating under holes 21 the 3 screens 23, 24 and 25, to further increase the screen resistance, to increase and maintain the bubbles in the issuing jets at high water pressures. Thus the rotation of casing 26 permits the user to manually adjust the device to cause it to issue either a needle shower or a spray of bubble jets produced by two or three screens according to the desired jet velocity or to the available water pressure. The device thereby renders the use of water more effective, pleasant and economical.

FIG. 3 shows

openings

61 and 62 arranged to permit water to flow through holes 60 which are aligned radially from the center of the diaphragm rather than in circumferential rows such as the arrangement for holes 21 shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the outside walls of the entrance openings should be inclined at least at an angle a, which is at least as great as angle b of inclination of the orifices and the inner walls of the entrance openings should form an angle c with the upper side of the diaphragm which is no less than 90 to permit proper molding. In the case of several rows of openings as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the angle of openings should preferably be inclined from the vertical 6.5 for the outer row, five for the middle row and 3.5 for the inner row as shown.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention wherein diaphragm 51 is located upstream casing 52 with

screens

53 and 54 mounted on the casing just as screens 23 and 24 are mounted on casing 26 in FIG. 2.

Screens

53 and 54 are mounted above and below the legs 55 which connect the casing 52 to a sleeve or tubular portion T as shown in FIG. 4A. The sleeve T is mounted around a central shaft C which is integral with the diaphragm 51 in the manner in which the diaphragm 1 is integral with the central shaft in FIG. 1. The diaphragm 51 has preferably 16 orifices such as those shown by 59 in FIG. 4A. Each screen has 16 openings. The device may be built without screen 56, screen 53 may have 16 openings and screen 54 may have only 8 in the peripheral or outer row. Such a device built with center to center distances of 19-28-40 mm, in the inner, middle and outer rows respectively gave either 16 bubbly jets formed by 2 screens or upon rotation of casing 52 16 jets of which the 8 peripheral jets traversed no screen whereas the four middle jets and the four inner jets traversed one screen. In a device built with screen 56 the said distances were increased to 335063 mm. and screen 54 was also provided with 16 holes.

Screen 56 has a frame 57 at its periphery and is partly rotatable during the rotation of casing 52 by post 58 which enters into cut-out portion 61 along the periphery of the frame. The cut-out portion of the frame is such that when casing 52 is rotated, clockwise for instance, screen 56 is rotated so that the holes in the screen 56 are directly beneath the orifices 59 and remain so no matter how much farther said casing is clockwise rotated and when casing 52 is rotated counter-clockwise screen 56 is directly beneath orifices 59 no matter how much farther said casing is rotated counter-clockwise. When the device embodies screen 56, and casing 52 is rotated so that the holes in screen 56 are flush with those of

screen

53 and 54 to cause the issuing jet of water from orifice 59 to pass through the holes of the three screens without any screen resistance. In a second possible arrangement, casing 52 may be further rotated so that while the holes in screen 56 continue to remain directly beneath orifices 59, the holes in

screens

53 and 54 do not remain directly beneath the orifices 59. In this arrangement, the resistance of two screens is offered to the jets issuing from orifices 59. In a third possible arrangement, casing 52 may be rotated in opposite direction so that the holes in screen 56 are not directly beneath orifices 59 but the holes of

screens

53 and 54 are directly beneath the orifices 59. In this arrangement, the resistance of one screen, screen 56, is offered to the jets issuing from the orifices. In a fourth possible arrangement, casing 52 is rotated father in said opposite direction so that the holes in none of the

screens

53, 54 and 56 are beneath the orifices 59. In this arrangement, the resistance of all three screens is offered to jets issuing from orifices 59.

- In the first possible arrangement described above, it is seen that the device may be adjusted so that no screen resistance is offered to jets issuing from orifices 59. It will be seen that in this arrangement the jets discharged from orifices having bridges on their upstream side, such as orifice 8 in FIG. 1, 21 in FIG. 2, and 59 in FIG. 4, form a better dispersed conventional bubble free shower. This arrangement permits the spreading of water more evenly over the body of the user than the jets from orifices 71 of FIG. 5. In the second, third and fourth possible arrangement described above, the device may be adjusted to offer the resistance of one, two, or three screens respectively. Thus the relative position of the screens may be varied to vary the speed and/or aeration of the issuing jets over a wide range, producing the conventional needle spray or foamy jets, as desired or as best suited under the water pressure available.

FIG. 5 shows a variation of the diaphram arrangement which prevents the destruction of the bubbles in the issuing jet of water under high pressure. A perforated diaphragm member 70 is arranged downstream from another perforated diaphragm member 72. The perforated members may be curved to cause the jets from orifices 71 to diverge to any desired degree. Under conditions of relatively high pressure the bubbles in the stream of issuing water would be destroyed if diaphragm 70 were arranged in the system without the presence of diaphragm 72. Thus the presence of the upstream diaphragm prevents this shortcoming especially when it increases the back pressure over and above that created by the downstream diaphram. The bridge type diaphragms shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, however, retain the bubbles in the issuing bubbly jets more radially under high pressure, even in the absence of an upstream diaphragm than the non-bridge type pair of

diaphragms

70 and 72 shown in FIG. 5.

As a result, whether the orifices are of the bridgedtype or not, in some instances, the use of a second diaphragm will permit the operation of the device without locating under the jets the entire stream resistance available and thereby increase aeration. Thus, in my present invention, the bridged orifices 8 shown in FIG. 1, 21 shown in FIG. 2, and 59 shown in FIG. 4, produce a better diffused spray. The second diaphragm permits the use in some instances of less screen resistance than would be required in the absence of the additional diaphragm. These noval features are not applicable to the non-adjustable spray device shown in my US. Pat. No. 3,633,824.

The diaphragms are preferably molded out of plastics such as polyethylene, Delrin (a member of the acetal family of plastics), nylon or polyvinyl chlorides, to retard or prevent clogging by calcium deposits which would impair proper operation of the device. The casings of FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 are preferably made of plastic material. The screens in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 are preferably imbedded on the ledge ribs or legs shown therein by heat or some ultrasonic method.

The present invention may be readily used by attachment to a shower arm or to a handle at the end of a flexible hose, or adapted to run up and down with an adjustable bracket along a slide bar attached to the wall. It may further be attached by a swivel joint to a single shower head extension or to a swivel articulated shower head extensions orto a swivel articulated shower head extension with the free end connected by a swivel joint to the shower arm. It may further be attached to an armored flexible tube which may be bent at will to the desired height and position for the discharge of the foamy jets near the desired part of the body.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the intended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A shower head comprising jet forming means for producing a multiplicity of independent jets in the form of a spray, and variable resistance means in the path of said jets for converting one of more of said jets into a coherent aerated bubbly stream, said variable resistance means including means to vary the amount of resistance thereof, said jet forming means comprising a diaphragm having orifices and said variable resistance means including at least one screen and also having at least one opening in it and movable so that at least one opening may or may not be directly in at least one path of a jet.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said resistance means, includes a plurality of screens each being in the path of a jet, and having one or more holes in it and movable so that more than one screen may be in the path of a jet.

3. A device as described in claim 2 wherein said resistance means includes means for'retaining said resistance means in discrete rotational position.

4. The device of claim 3 in which part of said resistance means may rotate only to one position clockwise and only to a single other position counterclockwise, to locate under said jets in one position only holes in the other part of said resistance means, whereas the remaining resistance means may rotate to successive alternating positions in both directions.

5. The device as described in claim 3 wherein said means for retaining said resistance means in discrete rotational positions includes a spring and ball arrangement.

6. The device as described in claim 1 wherein said diaphragm contains a plurality of orifices topped at their upstream ends by bridges each open at least on one side.

7. The device as described in claim 1 further comprising arotatable sealing disc arranged to cover one or more of said orifices or vary said multiplicity of independent jets.

8. The device as described in claim 1 further comprising a second diaphragm having at least one hole in it and arranged upstream from said diaphragm to prevent the destruction of bubbles under high pressure.

9. The device of claim 6 in which said orifices are inclined outwardly to diverge the jets and are aligned in concentric circular rows, each of said bridges being open on both sides the inner annular side walls of which being at an angle of at least from the plane of the diaphragm and the outer annular side walls inwardly inclined at least as much as said orifices are inclined outwardly. 7

10. The device of claim 9 in which the inclination of the orifices in one row is different from that in the other row.

11. The device of claim 1 further comprising a rotatable sealing disc arranged to cover one or more of said orifices to vary said multiplicity of independent jets, in which one or more of said orifices is covered to decrease the rate of flow and said resistance means includes more than one screen in the path of the jets to swell the jets and increase the volume of flow to thereby save water.

12. A spray device adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the positions, comprising:

jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity,

resistance means at least partly removable from a position in the path of said jets, said resistance means being proportioned with said velocity, for breaking up said jets and mixing them with air to produce said separate foamy jets, nd

means for controlling said proportioning between said resistance means and said jet velocity to vary the velocity of the output spray discharged within a range between said jets of high velocity and that of a spray in which the jets became foamy by said resistance means,

said resistance means comprising superposed screens arranged so that at least one of the screens is removable from the path of said jets,

said resistance means permitting the removal of screens from the path of at least some of the jets to produce a spray formed partly by jets which have traversed no screen at all and partly by jets which have traversed at least one screen.

13. A spray device adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the positions, comprising:

jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity,

resistance means at least partly removable from a position in the path of said jets, said resistance means being proportioned with said velocity, for breaking up said jets and mixing them with air to produce said separate foamy jets, and

said removal being effected by the rotation of at least one of the screens with respect to the stationary jet forming means.

14. The device of claim 13 in which the rotating screen is carried by a rotatable member within the device which has at its center a sleeve arranged around a shaft running along the axis of the solid ary with said jet forming means, said shaft extending downstream from said screens for manually rotating said sleeve to remove alternately said holes and said screens from the path of the jets.

15. A spray device adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the position, comprising:

jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity,

resistance means at least partly removable from a position in the path of said jets, said resistance means being proportioned with said velocity, for breaking up said jets and mixing them with air to produce said separate foamy jets, and means for controlling said proportioning between said resistance means and said jet velocity to vary the velocity of the output spray discharged within a range between said jets of high velocity and that of a spray in which the jets became foamy by said resistance means, said resistance means comprising superposed screens arranged so that at least one of the screens is removable from the path of said jets, at least one of said screens having holes and said resistance means being arranged to project at least some of the jets through said holes, said screens being carried by a casing in which a central sleeve is connected with an inner wall of said casing, said sleeve being arranged to surround a shaft which is perpendicular to the plane of the jet forming means with the rotation of said casing arranged to at least partly remove alternately said screens and said holes from the path of said jets. 16. A spray adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the positions, comprising:

jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity,

said resistance means comprising superposed screens arranged so that at least one of the screens is re movable from the path of said jets,

' said resistance means being arranged to be removable completely from the path of the jets to produce a spray devoid of foamy jets, said removal being effected by the rotation of at least one of the screens with respect to the stationary jet forming means.

17. The device of claim 16 in which the rotating screen is carried by a rotatable member within the device which has at its center a sleeve arranged around a shaft running along the axis of the solid ary with said jet forming means, said shaft extending downstream from said screens for manually rotating said sleeve to remove alternately said holes and said screens from the path of thejets.

Claims

3. A device as described in claim 2 wherein said resistance means includes means for retaining said resistance means in discrete rotational position.

7. The device as described in claim 1 further comprising a rotatable sealing disc arranged to cover one or more of said orifices or vary said multiplicity of independent jets.

9. The device of claim 6 in which said orifices are inclined outwardly to diverge the jets and are aligned in concentric circular rows, each of said bridges being open on both sides the inner annular side walls of which being at an angle of at least 90* from the plane of the diaphragm and the outer annular side walls inwardly inclined at least as much as said orifices are inclined outwardly.

12. A spray device adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the positions, comprising: jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity, resistance means at least partly removable from a position in the path of said jets, said resistance means being proportioned with said velocity, for breaking up said jets and mixing them with air to produce said separate foamy jets, nd means for controlling said proportioning between said resistance means and said jet velocity to vary the velocity of the output spray discharged within a range between said jets of high velocity and that of a spray in which the jets became foamy by said resistance means, said resistance means comprising superposed screens arranged so that at least one of the screens is removable from the path of said jets, said resistance means permitting the removal of screens from the path of at least some of the jets to produce a spray formed partly by jets which have traversed no screen at all and partly by jets which have traversed at least one screen.

13. A spray device adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the positions, comprising: jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity, resistance means at least partly removable from a position in the path of said jets, said resistance means being proportioned with said velocity, for breaking up said jets and mixing them with air to produce said separate foamy jets, and means for controlling said proportioning between said resistance means and said jet velocity to vary the velocity of the output spray discharged within a range between said jets of high velocity and that of a spray in which the jets became foamy by said resistance means, said resistance means comprising superposed screens arranged so that at least one of the screens is removable from the path of said jets, said removal being effected by the rotation of at least one of the screens with respect to the stationary jet forming means.

15. A spray device adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the position, comprising: jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity, resistance means at least partly removable from a position in the path of said jets, said resistance means being proportioned with said velocity, for breaking up said jets and mixing them with air to produce said separate foamy jets, and means for controlling said proportioning between said resistance means and said jet velocity to vary the velocity of the output spray discharged within a range between said jets of high velocity and that of a spray in which the jets became foamy by said resistance means, said resistance means comprising superposed screens arranged so that at least one of the screens is removable from the path of said jets, at least one of said screens having holes and said resistance means being arranged to project at least some of the jets through said holes, said screens being carried by a casing in which a central sleeve is connected with an inner wall of said casing, said sleeve being arranged to surround a shaft which is perpendicular to the plane of the jet forming means with the rotation of said casing arranged to at least partly remove alternately said screens and said holes from the path of said jets.

16. A spray adjustable to different positions for producing a spray in which, for a given rate of flow, the velocity of the jets discharged from the device may be varied and which jets are separate and foamy in at least one of the positions, comprising: jet forming means for producing jets of high velocity, resistance means at least partly removable from a position in the path of said jets, said resistance means being proportioned with said velocity, for breaking up said jets and mixing them with air to produce said separate foamy jets, and means for controlling said proportioning between said resistance means and said jet velocity to vary the velocity of the output spray discharged within a range between said jets of high velocity and that of a spray in which the jets became foamy by said resistance means, said resistance means comprising superposed screens arranged so that at least one of the screens is removable from the path of said jets, said resistance means being arranged to be removable completely from the path of the jets to produce a spray devoid of foamy jets, said removal being effected by the rotation of at least one of the screens with respect to the stationary jet forming means.

17. The device of claim 16 in which the rotating screen is carried by a rotatable member within the device which has at its center a sleeve arranged around a shaft running along the axis of the solid ary with said jet forming means, said shaft extending downstream from said screens for manually rotating said sleeve to remove alternately said holes and said screens from the path of the jets.