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A faucet valve cartridge for a dual handle faucet which facilitates conversion between a lever-operated faucet and a knob-operated faucet utilizing identical components. The cartridge may be used to control either the hot-water supply or the cold-water supply to the faucet spout. The cartridge inclu

A faucet valve cartridge for a dual handle faucet which facilitates conversion between a lever-operated faucet and a knob-operated faucet utilizing identical components. The cartridge may be used to control either the hot-water supply or the cold-water supply to the faucet spout. The cartridge includes an integrally formed stop member and housing within which is rotatably disposed a valving member. The housing includes a pair of outlet ports and is open to the bottom to receive the valving member and a pair of cooperating valving plates which control fluid flow. Orientation of the valving plates within the housing controls the specific configuration of the valve cartridge. Preferably the valving plates are made of a ceramic material to reduce wear and facilitate rotation.

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A faucet valve cartridge adapted to be used in both the hot water supply and the cold water supply of a knob-operated and a lever-operated faucet, said faucet valve cartridge seated within a housing chamber of the faucet having an axial inlet passage and an outlet passage fluidly communicating with

A faucet valve cartridge adapted to be used in both the hot water supply and the cold water supply of a knob-operated and a lever-operated faucet, said faucet valve cartridge seated within a housing chamber of the faucet having an axial inlet passage and an outlet passage fluidly communicating with the faucet spout, said faucet valve cartridge comprising: a valve body having an axial bore and a pair of side outlet ports commnicating with said axial bore, said valve body fixedly seated within the housing chamber with one of said outlet ports in communication with the outlet passage of the housing chamber; a valving member rotatably received within said axial bore of said valve body, said valving member cooperating with said valve body to form a fluid flow passageway open to the bottom of said valving member and capable of selective registry with at least one of said valve body outlet ports, said valving member including a valve stem extending through the upper end of said valve body and a flow control member having a plurality of flow control channels formed the length of said fluid flow passageway to direct fluid flow towards said valve body outlet ports; a first fluid flow plate fixedly attached to said valving member within said axial bore of said valve body, such that said first flow plate rotates with said valving member, said first flow plate having a single inlet aperture in registry with said fluid flow passageway of said valving member to form an inlet port for said passageway of said valving member; a second fluid flow plate fixedly mounted within said axial bore of said valve body to prevent rotation thereof, said second flow plate having a single inlet aperture adapted for selective registry with said inlet port of said fluid flow passageway upon rotation of said valving member and first fluid flow plate; and retaining seal means for retaining the said first and second flow plates within said valve body and sealing said axial abore of said valve body against the inlet passage in the bottom of the housing chamber, said retaining seal means including an elastomeric tubular seal disposed within the end of said axial bore and adapted to elastically engage the bottom of said housing chamber and a retaining ring to secure said seal within said axial bore; wherein upon rotation of said valving member and first flow plate said inlet aperture of said first plate is brought into selective registry with said aperture of said second flow plate to provide fluid flow through said fluid flow passageway, said passageway being in registry with at least one of said valve body outlet ports and the outlet passage, said fluid flow being selectively interrupted by bringing said inlet aperture of said first flow plate into and out of registry with said aperture of said second flow plate; said inlet aperture of said second flow plate being offset from the center of said plate and the rotational axis of said valving member, said second flow plate capable of being reversibly mounted within said valve body to reorientate said inlet aperture of said second flow plate relative to said valve body, said second flow plate being mounted within said valve body in a first position with said inlet aperture offset to a first side relative to said valve body to provide fluid flow through said fluid passageway over a first set of rotational positions of said valving member and in a second position with said offset inlet aperture reversed 180°to a second side relative to said valve body to provide fluid flow through said passageway over a second set of rotational positions of said valving member.