Gasket For Sealing Outlet Connection Of A Toilet Bowl

Abstract

A gasket for sealing the connection between the outlet of a toilet bowl and the collar connected to the toilet bowl outlet which includes a ring of wax-like material that engages the horn of the outlet of the toilet bowl and a plastic tube that extends downwardly from the wax-like ring into engagement with the inner wall of a connecting pipe that has its inlet surrounded by the collar for sealing contact therewith. A plastic annular is seated on the wax-like ring to form an annular ridge thereon for sealing engagement with the outer wall of the outlet of the toilet bowl.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heretofore, putty was employed between the outlet of a toilet bowl and the collar surrounding the inlet of the connecting soil pipe to seal the connection therebetween against leakage. In addition, rubber gaskets were employed for the same reason. However, it was found that rubber deteriorated after a period of time. It was also found advantageous to use a gasket having a wax ring and a plastic tube as a seal between the outlet of a toilet fixture and the collar surrounding the inlet of the connecting soil pipe. The wax ring provided a seal against leakage and the plastic tube served to align the gasket with the inlet end of the soil pipe. However, it was found that the algae, moisture and the like caused the wax ring not to be totally satisfactory against leakage after a period of time.

Patents of interest are:

Schwartz et al. -- No. 3,349,421

Gantzert -- No. 3,568,222

Madison -- No. 2,295,416

Harvey -- No. 3,400,411

Williams -- No. 2,152,719.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A gasket for sealing the outlet connection of a toilet bowl to a collar surrounding the inlet of a connecting pipe in which a wax ring surrounds the outlet of the toilet bowl in sealing engagement therewith; a plastic tube is disposed in sealing contact with the inlet end of the connecting pipe; and a plastic annular is seated in the wax ring to form an annular ridge in sealing contact with the wall of the outlet of the toilet bowl and the collar.

By virtue of the present invention, an improved seal against leakage is found at the connection between the outlet of the toilet bowl and the collar surrounding the inlet of the connecting soil pipe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an outlet for a toilet bowl connected to a pipe extending through a floor and cut away to illustrate an installed gasket embodying the present invention for establishing a seal between the outlet of the toilet bowl and the collar surrounding the inlet end of the connecting pipe.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the gasket embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the gasket shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a conventional toilet bowl or closet bowl 10 of the floor type that includes a well-known and conventional outlet 11 with a horn 12. Extending through the floor F and aligned with the horn 12 is a conventional cast iron soil pipe 15. A collar 16 engages the inlet end of the soil pipe 15. The toilet bowl outlet is bolted to the floor F through the collar 16.

For sealing the connection of the outlet 11 of the toilet fixture 10 with the collar 16 surrounding the inlet end of the soil pipe 15 against leakage or seepage of water, moisture, gas and the like, a gasket 20 embodying the present invention is employed. The gasket 20 comprises a well-known wax-like ring 21, which embraces the outer wall of the horn 12. The inner circumferential surface of the wax-like ring 21 is curved in profile to form a rounded flared inner rim to conform with the configuration of the outlet horn 12 of the toilet bowl 10. Thus, the wax-like ring 21 surrounds the horn 12 in sealing engagement therewith.

Depending from the inner wall of the wax-like ring 21 is a plastic tube 30 which is shaped similar to the inlet end of the soil pipe 15. The plastic tube 30 comprises a radial flange 31 (FIG. 4) embedded in the inner wall of the wax-like ring 21. Depending from the radial flange 31 of the plastic tube 30 is a cylindrical wall 32 of greater diameter. A conical wall 36 of the plastic tube 30 joins the cylindrical wall 32 and a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter 34. The plastic tube 30 seats in the collar 16 and the inlet end of the soil pipe 15 to align the gasket 20 with the collar 16 and the inlet end of the soil pipe 15 and to form a sealing contact with the inner wall of the inlet end of the soil pipe 15. The foregoing has been employed in the Kant-Leak toilet bowl gasket manufactured by Radiator Specialty Company of Charlotte, North Carolina.

According to the present invention, concentric annular grooves 40a and 40b (FIG. 4) are formed in the upper wall of the wax-like ring 21. Seated in the annular grooves 40a and 40b is an annular plastic member or ring 45 made of suitable material, such as polyethylene. Thus, the plastic annular 45 is embedded in the upper wall of the wax-like ring 21. The plastic annular 45 forms an annular ridge which embraces the outer wall of the horn 12 of the toilet bowl outlet 11 to reduce leakage between the outlet 11 of the toilet bowl 10 and the collar 16 surrounding the inlet end of the soil pipe 15 of moisture, water and gas.

In the exemplary embodiment, the polyethylene ring 45 has an outer diameter of 5.25 inches, an inner diameter of 4.38 inches and a material thickness of 0.03 inches. The plastic annular 45 is cemented to the bottom of the toilet bowl outlet 11 by a suitable adhesive, such as RTV silicone cement or "Form-A-Gasket" manufactured by Permatex Company, Inc., of Brooklyn, New York, and Kansas City, Kansas.

Claims

I claim:

1. A gasket wherein its upper top wall is employed as a sealing connection between a toilet bowl outlet and a collar comprising:

a. a ring of wax-like material to surround the toilet bowl outlet in sealing engagement with the collar; and

b. a plastic annular ridge embedded in said upper top wall of said wax-like ring for engaging the toilet bowl outlet in sealing contact for reducing leakage between said toilet bowl outlet and the collar.

2. A gasket as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wax-like ring is formed with an annular groove in the upper wall thereof in which is seated said plastic annular ridge.

3. A gasket for sealing the connection between a toilet bowl outlet and a collar comprising:

a. a ring of wax-like material to surround the toilet bowl outlet in sealing engagement with the collar; and

b. a plastic annular embedded in an upper wall of said wax-like ring for engaging the toilet bowl outlet in sealing contact for reducing leakage between said toilet bowl outlet and the collar,

c. said wax-like ring being formed with a plurality of concentric grooves in the upper wall thereof in which is seated said plastic annular.

4. A gasket as claimed in claim 2 wherein said plastic annular ridge is made of polyethylene.

5. A gasket as claimed in claim 3 wherein said plastic annular is made of polyethylene.

6. A gasket as claimed in claim 1 wherein said collar surrounds the inlet end of a connecting pipe and said gasket comprises a tube depending from said wax-like ring and received by said inlet end of said connecting pipe in sealing contact therewith for aligning said gasket.

7. A gasket as claimed in claim 6 wherein said tube comprises a cylindrical wall of greater diameter adjacent said wax-like ring; a cylindrical wall of lesser diameter spaced from said cylindrical wall of greater diameter; and a conical wall interconnecting said cylindrical wall of greater diameter and said cylindrical wall of lesser diameter.

8. A gasket as claimed in claim 6 wherein the toilet bowl outlet is in sealing engagement with said wax-like ring; and wherein said tube depending from said wax-like ring is telescopically received by said inlet end of said connecting pipe.