U.S. patent number 3,742,525 [Application Number 05/150,961] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-03 for drain fitting.
This patent grant is currently assigned to American Brass and Aluminum Foundry, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert A. Oropallo.
United States Patent |
3,742,525 |
Oropallo |
July 3, 1973 |
DRAIN FITTING
Abstract
A fitting for a drain floor having an opening toward which a
plastic pipe projects comprises: A. a tubular plastic body sized
for reception in said opening and having an outwardly projecting
top flange to overlie the floor extent bounding the opening, an
external thread below said opening at the body exterior, and a nut
threadably engaging the thread and rotatable relative to the body
to effect clamping of said floor extent between the top flange and
nut, said body, flange, thread and nut consisting of molded plastic
material, B. the body having an internal flange defining an axially
downwardly facing stop shoulder spaced below the level of said top
flange, and the body defining a bore extending below said stop
shoulder and sized to receive said pipe with push fit interference
so that the pipe upper end may be engaged with the stop shoulder,
whereby the pipe and body may be rapidly made up and bond connected
at said bore.
Inventors: |
Oropallo; Robert A. (South
Pasadena, CA) |
Assignee: |
American Brass and Aluminum
Foundry, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
22536731 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/150,961 |
Filed: |
June 8, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/288; 4/292 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03C
1/22 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E03C
1/22 (20060101); E03c 001/26 () |
Field of
Search: |
;4/145,146,189-191,208,286-288,292 ;137/362 ;210/163,164,166
;220/42B,42C ;248/42,58,161,205,238 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Whitney, J. L., ABS In Machine Design. 38(14): p. 43-45, June 16,
1966..
|
Primary Examiner: Artis; Henry K.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a fitting for a drain floor having an opening toward which a
drain pipe projects, the combination comprising
a. a tubular body sized for reception in said opening and having an
outwardly projecting top flange to overlie the floor extent
bounding the opening, an external thread below said opening at the
body exterior, and a nut threadably engaging the thread and
rotatable relative to the body to effect clamping of said floor
extent between the top flange and nut, said body, flange, thread
and nut consisting of molded plastic material,
b. and a plate having a flange overlying said top flange and a
grille bounded by said flange, and the body defining a bore
extending below the level of said grille and sized to receive said
pipe with push fit interference, whereby the pipe and body may be
rapidly made up and bond connected at said bore,
c. the body defining a counterbore located inwardly of said flange
and a support shoulder formed between the bore and counterbore,
d. and the plate having an integral annular boss which bounds the
grille in radially outwardly spaced relation thereto, the boss and
said counterbore having interference engagement whereby the boss is
deflected inwardly toward the grille upon assembly of the plate
onto the body and the boss frictionally retains the plate and body
in removably assembled relation, the boss terminal located
proximate said support shoulder whereby the plate is supported via
the boss and independently of the plate flange.
2. The combination of claim 1 including said drain pipe which
consists of plastic material, said drain pipe received in said
bore.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plastic consists of
ABS.
4. The combination of claim 1 with the body having an internal
flange defining an axially downwardly facing stop shoulder spaced
below the level of said top flange and located to be engaged by the
pipe upper end.
5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plate consists of molded
plastic material.
6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plate consists of
metallic material.
7. The combination of claim 1 including an annular seal clamped
between the nut and the floor underside.
8. The combination of claim 2 including a metallic drain pipe
spaced below the plastic drain pipe, and a plastic adapter pipe
interconnecting the metallic pipe and plastic drain pipe, in drain
intercommunication.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to plumbing fixtures, and more
particularly concerns improvements in drain fittings as may be used
in shower stalls.
It has long been customary to install brass drains in shower
stalls. Such installation is time consuming and expensive due to
the cost of the brass metal in the fitting, and the time consumed
in preparing and applying lead waste to the joint as packing
between the fitting and drain pipe. If it is found that if plastic
drain pipe has previously been installed, then a serious problem
arises due to the fact that hot lead melts the plastic in the drain
pipe.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a major object of the invention to provide a solution to the
above problems and difficulties through the use of a plastic drain
fitting of unusually advantageous construction, and particularly
well adapted to use with both plastic and metallic drain pipe.
Basically, the fitting comprises a tubular plastic body sized for
reception in a drain floor opening and having an outwardly
projecting top flange to overlie the floor extent bounding the
opening, an external thread below the opening at the body exterior,
and a nut threadably engaging the body thread and rotatable
relative to the body to effect clamping of the floor extent between
the top flange and the nut; also, the body has an internal flange
defining an axially downwardly facing stop shoulder spaced below
the level of the top flange, and the body defines a bore extending
below the stop shoulder and sized to receive the pipe with push fit
interference so that the pipe upper end may be engaged with the
stop shoulder, whereby the pipe and body may be rapidly made up and
bond connected at the bore, at the job site.
Further, the upper end of the body is adapted to receive a cover
plate with grille overlying the body interior, and a flange
bounding the grille and overlying the body flange. The plate may
also consist of molded plastic material, and the plate and body may
have interfitting support shoulders within the body upper extent to
support the plate independently of the flange. In this regard, the
support shoulder on the plate may be formed by an annular boss
integral with the plate and bounding the grille received downwardly
within the body upper extent. The boss may also, by inward
deflection, serve to retain the plate on the body, a snug fit to
the counterbore producing the frictional retention force. Finally,
the body is also adapted to receive a metallic cover plate, and to
be connected to a metallic drain pipe by means of an adapter, as
will be seen.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as
the details of illustrative embodiments, will be more fully
understood from the following description and drawings, in
which:
DRAWING DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is an elevation, in section;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan of drain plate;
FIG. 3 is an elevation, partly in section; and
FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 2, of a modification.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 1, the drain fitting 10 for floor 11 is adapted to be
quickly installed and made up to plastic drain pipe 13 projecting
upwardly toward the opening 14 formed by the floor. The latter may
for example be a shower enclosure floor pan.
The fitting 10 includes a tubular plastic body 16 sized for
downward reception in the opening 14, with a body flange 17
overlying the floor extent 11a bounding the opening 14. An external
thread 18 on the body projects below the flange, and a molded
plastic nut 19 threadably engages the thread, and is rotatable
thereon relative to the body to effect clamping of the floor extent
11a between the nut and the top flange 17. A seal may be effected
by providing an annular elastomer washer 20 and a thin annular
gasket 21 to be clamped between the nut 19 and the floor
underside.
The body 16 has an internal flange 24 defining an axially
downwardly facing stop shoulder 25 spaced below the level of the
top flange 17, the body also defining a bore 26 extending below
that stop shoulder. The bore is sized to receive the pipe 13 with
push fit interference, so that the pipe upper end may be engaged
with the stop shoulder, whereby the pipe and body may be rapidly
made up, with predetermined location, and bonded together at the
bore. Typically, the pipe and fitting may consist of acrylonitrile
butadiene styrene (known as ABS), and the bonding may be carried
out by solvent welding, wherein a suitable liquid organic solvent
(aromatic or aliphatic) for ABS is applied to the joint to dissolve
the surface material which unites after solvent evaporation. One
such solvent is toluene, others also being usable. Accordingly, the
time-consuming and expensive conventional techniques for joining
metallic fittings and pipe, using lead waste, are avoided. Also,
inasmuch as the fitting 10 consists of molded plastic, the
relatively much higher cost of brass in a metallic fitting is
eliminated. Downward tapering of the flange 24 at 30 prevents
build-up of waste deposits on the flange.
FIGS. 1 and 2 also illustrate the provision of a drain plate, as
for example that indicated at 31 having a flange 32 overlying the
top flange 17, and a grille 33 bounded by the flange 32. Plate 31
may also advantageously consist of plastic material, such as ABS,
with grille 33 received downwardly in the body bore upper extent.
For example, the body bore 34 may have a counterbore 34a proximate
the top flange 17. In addition, the plate 31 and body 10 may have
interfitting support shoulders within the body bore upper extent to
support the plate independently of the flange. The support shoulder
on the body may be formed at 36 between bore 34 and counterbore
34a, and the support shoulder on the plate may be formed at the
lower end of annular boss 37 integral with the plate and also
bounding the grille. A gap 38 separates the grille 33 and boss 37,
whereby the boss is inwardly deflectible by the counterbore 34a to
an extent producing a snug interference fit acting to retain the
plate 31 in downwardly assembled relation to the body 10, while
allowing removal of the plate as desired, for drain cleaning
purposes.
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate metallic plate 40 having a flange
41 (corresponding to flange 32) bounding grille 42. Legs 43 project
downwardly from the plate for interference engagement with
counterbore 34a, to permit retention as well as periodic removal of
the plate with respect to body 10.
FIG. 3 shows a method of adapting the plastic pipe 13 to a metallic
drain pipe 50, below the level of the described fitting. Adapter
51, which may consist of plastic such as ABS, has a box end 52 to
receive the lower end of the pipe 13, with suitable solvent welding
at 53. The lower flanged end 54 of adapter 51 abuts the upper end
55 of metallic pipe 50, and a sealing coupling 56 straddles this
joint, a tightened band 57 pressurizing the seal.
* * * * *