AU2015200108B2

AU2015200108B2 - Tundish

Info

Publication number: AU2015200108B2
Application number: AU2015200108A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Adrian Michael Lockley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-01-12
Filing date: 2015-01-12
Publication date: 2016-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 2035-01-12
Also published as: AU2015200108A1

Abstract

According one aspect the present invention relates to a tundish (10) for installation in a wall cavity. The tundish (10) comprises a tundish body (12) having at least one inlet (16) and at least one outlet (18). The tundish body (12) defines a body interior (20) in fluid communication with the at least one inlet (16) and the at least one outlet (18). The tundish (10) further includes a tundish insert (14) for operative attachment to the tundish body (12). The tundish insert (14) includes a viewing window (24) to enable visual inspection of the body interior (20). The tundish insert (14) is movable relative to the tundish body (12) between a retracted position and an extended position. (9474920 1):AEM 10 --------------- ----- 46-- 38 38 ---24

Description

1 2015200108 12 Jan 2015

TUNDISH

FIELD

[0001] The invention concerns a tundish. In one particular but non-exclusive aspect the invention concerns an in wall tundish for use in a plumbing installation.

BACKGROUND

[0002] A tundish is a plumbing fitting installed on overflow pipes to provide an air-gap and a visual window into the flow of water that may pass through an overflow pipe system. The purpose of the air gap in the tundish is to prevent back-contamination which may occur when there is an unsanitary cross connection between an overflow or discharge pipe and a sewer line or drainage piping. In wall tundishes may, for example, be used to receive liquids dispensed from home appliances such as clothes washers or dishwashers which is to be discharged into drain piping. Because of the potential for back-contamination from drain piping, in wall tundishes are required to provide an air gap between the tundish inlet and outlet.

[0003] Conventional in wall tundishes are produced from stainless steel and typically comprise a stainless steel body for fitment inside a wall cavity and a stainless steel face plate having a viewing window attachable to the stainless steel body when located within a wall cavity. Due to variances in wall thickness it is difficult to provide a neat finish around an in wall tundish body while also ensuring that the face plate is properly secured in position on the tundish body.

[0004] Furthermore, a conventional tundish body typically includes two lateral attachment flanges to which the face plate is attached with screws. As a result of careless workmanship, the attachment flanges are often covered during tiling or drywall installation so that the face plate cannot be secured in position. This requires a tradesperson to remove the incorrectly applied tiles or drywall to provide access to the attachment flanges whereafter damage to the tiling or drywall is to be repaired.

OBJECT

[0005] It is the object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least to ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

(9474920_1):AEM 2 2015200108 13 Sep 2016

SUMMARY

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed herein a tundish for installation in a wall cavity, the tundish comprising: a tundish body having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the tundish body defining a body interior in fluid communication with the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet; a tundish insert for operative attachment to the tundish body, the tundish insert including a viewing window to enable visual inspection of the body interior, wherein the tundish insert when attached to the tundish body is movable relative to the tundish body between a retracted position and an extended position; and a seal to provide a seal between the tundish body and the tundish insert in both the retracted and extended positions.

[0007] Preferably the tundish body defines an insert recess, the tundish insert being adapted for slidable location within the insert recess.

[0008] Preferably, the outlet tube may be severed from the tundish body to enable installation of the tundish directly onto a drain pipe inlet using an adhesive.

[0009] Preferably the outlet includes an outlet tube outwardly extending from the tundish body and terminating in a threaded end.

[0010] Preferably the tundish body includes a tundish top, a tundish base and a tundish side wall connecting the tundish top and tundish base, wherein the tundish base is sloped so as operatively to feed liquid towards the outlet.

[0010a] Preferably, the tundish base is convex.

[0011] Preferably the tundish body includes an insert attachment formation extending inwardly into the body interior of the tundish body.

[0012] Preferably the tundish insert includes a body attachment formation operatively associated with the insert attachment formation and adapted for attachment to the insert attachment formation

AH26(11734897_1):KEH 2a 2015200108 13 Sep 2016 [0013] Preferably the insert attachment formation of the tundish body comprises at least one body projection having a body projection hole.

AH26(11734897_1):KEH 3 2015200108 12 Jan 2015 [0014] Preferably the body attachment formation of the tundish insert comprises at least one insert projection having an inset projection hole operatively adapted to be located in register with the body projection hole when the tundish insert is attached to the tundish body.

[0015] Preferably the tundish body and the tundish insert are produced from a plastics material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described hereinafter, by way of an example only, with reference to the accompany drawings, wherein: [0017] Figure 1 is a front view of an embodiment tundish; [0018] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a tundish body of the embodiment tundish; [0019] Figure 3 is a top view of the tundish body of Figure 2; [0020] Figure 4 is a front view of a tundish insert of the embodiment tundish; and [0021] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the tundish insert of Figure 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Figure 1 shows an embodiment tundish, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10, to be installed inside a wall cavity. In use the tundish 10 can be fitted to a plumbing installation of a building to provide an air gap between drainage piping and home appliances so as to prevent back-contamination of drainage liquids. The tundish 10 comprises a tundish body 12 and a tundish insert 14.

[0023] Referring also to Figures 2 and 3, the tundish body 12 includes at least one inlet 16, in this embodiment there are three inlets, and at least one outlet 18. The tundish body 12 further defines a body interior 20, depicted in Figure 2, in fluid communication with the inlets 16 and the outlet 18. The tundish body 12 defines an insert recess 22 adapted to receive and hold the tundish insert 14.

(9474920_1):AEM 4 2015200108 12 Jan 2015 [0024] The tundish insert 14 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is operatively adapted to be slidably located within the insert recess 22. The tundish insert 14 includes a viewing window 24, here in the form of a transparent plastic sheet, to enable visual inspection of the flow of a liquid through the tundish body 12. The tundish insert 14 is movable relative to the tundish body 12 between a retracted position and an extended position. The tundish insert 14 can also be located in various positions between the retracted and extended positions. The purpose of being able to adjust the position of the tundish insert 14 within the tundish body 12 is to accommodate variances in the wall thickness of building structures where the tundish 10 is to be installed.

[0025] To prevent spillage of liquid passing through the tundish 10, a seal 26 is provided. In this embodiment the seal is an O-ring and is fitted within a seal recess 28 on an inner surface of the tundish body 12. The O-ring 26 provides a seal between the tundish body 12 and the tundish insert 14.

[0026] The outlet 18 includes an outlet tube 30 which extends outwardly from the tundish body and terminates in a threaded end 32. The threaded end 32 can in use threadingly engage a complementally threaded drainpipe inlet. To enable enhanced fitment capabilities the threaded portion 32 or the entire outlet tube 30 may be severed from the tundish body 12. The tundish 10 can then be secured onto a drainpipe inlet via a suitable adhesive with the outlet 18 mouthing directly into the drainpipe inlet. That feature enables an optimum low level installation.

[0027] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the tundish body 12 includes a tundish top 34, a tundish base 36 and a tundish side wall 38 connecting the tundish top 34 and tundish base 36. The tundish base 38 is sloped so as operatively to feed liquid towards the outlet 18. In this embodiment the tundish base 36 is convex in shape to ensure self-draining of liquids from the tundish body 12.

[0028] The tundish body 12 includes an insert attachment formation 40 extending inwardly into the body interior 20 of the tundish body 12. The tundish insert 14 includes a complemental body attachment formation 42 operatively associated with the insert attachment formation 40 and adapted for attachment to the insert attachment formation 40. The insert attachment formation 40 of the tundish body 12 comprises at least one body projection 44, here there are two body projections 44 located on opposing sides of the tundish side wall 38. The body projections 44 include body projection holes 46.

(9474920_1):AEM 5 2015200108 12 Jan 2015 [0029] The body attachment formation 42 of the tundish insert 14 comprises at least one insert projection 48 having an inset projection hole 50 operatively adapted to be located in register with corresponding body projection hole 46 when the tundish insert 14 is slidably located within the insert recess 22 of the tundish body 12. Once the tundish insert 14 has been extended from the tundish body to a desirable position, fasteners such as screws are located within the body projection holes 46 and corresponding insert projection holes 48 and thereafter fastened.

[0030] Having the insert attachment formation 40 and the body attachment formation 42 located within the tundish 10 addresses the drawback discussed in the background when careless workmanship results in the attachment flanges of conventional in wall tundishes being covered during tiling or drywall installation. Inwardly located attachment formations eliminate the possibility of those being covered in the manner encountered with conventional tundishes.

[0031] The tundish body 12 and the tundish insert 14 are produced from a plastics material. In this embodiment those components are produced from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This is contrary to existing practice wherein tundishes are produced from steel. It is envisaged that the production costs associated with plastic tundishes will be far lower than those of steel tundishes. It will be understood that a range of plastics materials could be employed to produce an embodiment tundish body and tundish insert. Such plastics materials include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), poly phenylene (PPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE) and polybutylene (PB).

[0032] In providing that the tundish insert 14 is movable relative to the tundish body 12, the tundish insert 14 can be installed at angles offset from 180° to the tundish body 12 for instances where the tundish body 12 has not been squarely installed within a wall cavity.

[0033] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

(9474920_1):AEM

Claims

1. A tundish for installation in a wall cavity, the tundish comprising: a tundish body having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the tundish body defining a body interior in fluid communication with the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet; a tundish insert for operative attachment to the tundish body, the tundish insert including a viewing window to enable visual inspection of the body interior, wherein the tundish insert when attached to the tundish body is movable relative to the tundish body between a retracted position and an extended position; and a seal to provide a seal between the tundish body and the tundish insert in both the retracted and extended positions.

2. A tundish according to claim 1, wherein the tundish body defines an insert recess, the tundish insert being adapted for slidable location within the insert recess.

3. A tundish according to claim 3, wherein the outlet tube may be severed from the tundish body to enable installation of the tundish directly onto a drain pipe inlet using a suitable adhesive.

4. A tundish according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet includes an outlet tube outwardly extending from the tundish body and terminating in a threaded end.

5. A tundish according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tundish body includes a tundish top, a tundish base and a tundish side wall connecting the tundish top and tundish base, and wherein the tundish base is sloped so as operatively to feed liquid towards the outlet.

6. A tundish according to claim 5, wherein the tundish base is convex.

7. A tundish according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the tundish body includes an insert attachment formation extending inwardly into the body interior of the tundish body.

8. A tundish according to claim 7, wherein the tundish insert includes a body attachment formation operatively associated with the insert attachment formation and adapted for attachment to the insert attachment formation.

9. A tundish according to claim 8, wherein the insert attachment formation of the tundish body comprises at least one body projection having a body projection cavity.

10. A tundish according to claim 9, wherein the body attachment formation of the tundish insert comprises at least one insert projection having an inset projection cavity operatively adapted to be located in register with the body projection cavity when the tundish insert is attached to the tundish body.

11. A tundish according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tundish body and the tundish insert are produced from a plastics material.