CN112096962A

CN112096962A - Industrial pipe fitting adapter kit and method

Info

Publication number: CN112096962A
Application number: CN201910522690.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 保罗·D·克里斯蒂尼克
Original assignee: Bao LuoDKelisidinike
Current assignee: Bao LuoDKelisidinike
Priority date: 2019-06-17
Filing date: 2019-06-17
Publication date: 2020-12-18

Abstract

An industrial pipe fitting adapter kit and associated method for connecting a handle assembly to a water valve. The kit may be used with a variety of water valves where different spacings exist between the handle and the water valve. The kit includes an adapter having a tapered member and a hollow tube. A bushing may be mounted between the tapered member and the external threads of the adapter, and a handle may be threaded to the adapter and received in the bushing to form a handle assembly. An interchangeable adapter element is connectable to the water valve. A plurality of interchangeable adapter elements are provided, each having a different length and a different configuration head. An interchangeable adapter element is secured to the stem of the water valve and is received within the hollow tube of the adapter when the handle assembly is secured to the fastener trim.

Description

Industrial pipe fitting adapter kit and method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the general field of hand tools and to the particular field of pipe running tools and methods of using the same.

Background

The bathtub and/or shower faucet is typically mounted through a wall surrounding the bathtub or shower stall. The faucet is anchored against a rear bolt and/or to a wall panel and is coupled to a supply of water behind the wall by a water valve stem that projects forwardly adjacent the wall opening to control the water valve from the indoor side of the wall.

Most of these water valves are mixer valves that receive both hot and cold water; the mixing valve controls the proportion and volume of water passing through the mixing valve; when the water valve is opened, the mixing valve delivers the mixed outlet stream to a bathtub injector or shower head. An example of such a mixer valve is disclosed in U.S. patent No. 5,467,799 entitled "mixer valve" to Dana f. buccicone et al, 11/21/1995. Other such valves only control the volume of a single cold or hot water supply.

Such valves are typically designed so that the valve stem protrudes into the room through a hole in the wall of the room and a surrounding decorative escutcheon is used to effectively conceal the hole in the wall of the room. The escutcheon also prevents leakage through the wall hole and limits the transfer of heat and cold between opposite sides of the wall.

Since the thickness of the wall may vary depending on the building material selected by the builder or customer, plumbers or plumbers often make rough installations and then correct the final material. Final adjustment is typically achieved by providing threads on the valve housing to which the escutcheon may be screwed down to provide a range of adjustment.

In the case of particularly thin or unusually thick walls, the amount of adjustment allowed by such threads may be insufficient, requiring the plumber to reposition the valve when access to the valve may be limited. Such a situation can be time consuming and may damage any structure that has been made around the valve housing.

Several mounting assemblies have been developed in an attempt to address this problem. For example, U.S. patent No. 4,662,389 entitled "adjustable stem assembly" issued to Muhammad Ighal 5/5 1987 discloses a valve assembly having a valve extension that can be threaded to change the position of an escutcheon. A disadvantage of this mounting assembly is that many parts and separate fasteners are required.

U.S. patent No. 4,842,009 entitled "valve handle adaptor kit" to Richard l.reback at 27/6/1989 discloses a mounting assembly adapted to receive various adaptors. The length of the mounting assembly can be varied by eliminating or adding extensions. The mounting system requires multiple components.

U.S. patent No. 4,445,529 entitled "adjustable valve handle" issued to Carmen j.langarelli on 5/1 of 1984 provides a less complex assembly in which a plastic insert having internal splines is adjustably mounted along the length of the shaft by a set screw. However, the use of set screws in the context of this document can be cumbersome.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide an industrial pipe fastener adapter kit that allows a plumber or worker to easily obtain a variety of valves, valve stems, or the like that may be used to install mounting assemblies into walls of various thicknesses.

There is also a need in the art to provide an industrial pipe fastener adapter kit and a method of using the industrial pipe fastener adapter kit.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides such a need. The present invention provides an industrial pipe fitting adaptor kit comprising a plurality of interchangeable adaptor elements, each adapted for a particular mixing valve or stem, and each having a length adapted for the particular work being performed. The kit includes an adapter element that connects a selected adapter element to the handle via a bushing that will allow the handle to be rotated to operate a valve connected to the handle.

In the present invention, an industrial pipe fitting adaptor kit for mounting a handle to a water valve comprises: an adapter including an adapter body having a first end and a second end, the first end having external threads; a tapered element fixedly mounted on the adapter body at a location spaced from the first end of the adapter body; a hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter body, the hollow tube being linearly aligned with the adapter body and having a second end spaced from the first end, the hollow tube being rectangular in cross-section and having an opening defined on the second end; a bushing mountable on the adapter body proximate the conical member, the bushing being positionable between the conical member and the external threads of the adapter, the bushing having external threads; a first isolator washer mountable on the adapter body adjacent the bushing and between the bushing and the external threads of the adapter; a handle having internal threads and adapted to be threadably attached to the external threads of the adapter; and a replaceable adapter element having a portion that is rectangular in cross-section, having a first end configured to be received within the defined opening of the hollow tube, and having a head configured to be connected to the stem of the conduit hardware.

The kit also includes a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each having a different length relative to one another, and each having a head for connecting the adapter element to the pipeline hardware. The adapter, bushing, first isolation washer, and handle form a handle assembly. The fastener trim has internal threads for engaging external threads of a bushing of the handle assembly formed for attaching the handle assembly to the fastener trim and for freely rotating the handle within the fastener trim for opening and closing the plumbing hardware or water valve.

A moisture resistant gasket may optionally be mounted on the adapter body against the bushing, and a second gasket may be mounted on the adapter body against the moisture resistant gasket. A set screw located near the second end of the interchangeable adapter secures the interchangeable adapter element to the pipeline hardware. The configuration of the head of each interchangeable adapter element may be different relative to each other and may correspond to the configuration of the conduit hardware.

In one embodiment of the invention, the kit includes an industrial pipe fastener trim made of malleable cast iron screw mounting that can accommodate any single handle rough-in valve body and mixing valve. The adapter kit includes a two-piece assembly in which one piece can be swapped out to accommodate any form of rod.

The kit of the invention enables the worker to adapt to any rough-in mixing valve that is covered in the outer wall of the finished product without causing any damage to the wall of the finished product.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood and appreciated when the following description is read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of components comprising an industrial pipe fixture adapter kit of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the adapter and interchangeable adapter element of the kit of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, exploded, front elevational view of the interchangeable adapter element of the kit of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the components of FIG. 2 with interchangeable adapter elements received into the adapters of the kit of the present invention.

Detailed Description

An industrial pipe fitting adaptor kit is shown in figures 1, 2,3 and 4. Referring first to FIG. 1, the kit of the present invention includes fastener trim 20, adapter 30, bushing 80, washer 90, handle 100, interchangeable adapter element 110 and moisture resistant washer 140. It should be understood that the kit of the present invention is used to install fixed trim pieces 20 via a handle 100 having a bushing 80, an adapter 30 having a gasket 90, and an optional moisture resistant gasket 140, and an interchangeable adapter element 110 for plumbing hardware H, H' or H ", such as a wall water valve. Examples of water valves that may be used in conjunction with the industrial pipe fitting adapter kit of the present invention may be manufactured by a number of companies, such as

And

and

as a standard, water valves have a stem and water tube for delivering water into a conduit (not shown) that is attached to a conduit connector 22 (fig. 1) of the fastener trim 20. It should be understood that adapter 30 is shown in both fig. 1 and 2; however, the adapter 30 in fig. 1 and the adapter 30 in fig. 2 are slightly different in structure. However, the adapter 30 of fig. 1 and 2 may function in a similar manner, more of which will be explained further below.

With particular reference to fig. 2 and 4, the adapter 30 of the industrial pipe fixture adapter kit of the present invention has an adapter body 32 having a first end 34 and a second end 36. External threads 40 are provided on the adapter body 32 proximate the first end 34. The tapered member 50 is mounted on the adapter body 32 proximate the second end 36 thereof at a location spaced from the first end 34 of the adapter body 32 of the adapter 30. A hollow tube 60 having a first end 62 and a second end 64 is fixedly attached to second end 36 of adapter 30 proximate to tapered element 50 of adapter 30. Hollow tube 60 is preferably rectangular in cross-section, is linearly aligned with adapter body 32 of adapter 30, and has an opening 66 defined at its second end 64.

The industrial pipe fitting adaptor kit of the present invention further includes a bushing 80, the bushing 80 being mountable on the adaptor body 31 of the adaptor 30 adjacent the conical member 50. As shown in fig. 1, the bushing 80 is generally in the form of a circular member having external threads. Although not shown, the handle 100 has internal threads that engage the threads 40 of the adapter 30. That is, the adapter 30 receives the bushing 80 between the tapered member 50 and the external threads 40 of the adapter 30. A first spacer washer 90 is mounted on the adapter body 31 against the conical element between the conical element 50 and the first end 34 of the adapter 30. The bushing 80 allows the handle 100, which is fixedly attached to the adapter 30, to rotate freely within the fastener trim 20, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings of the present disclosure. In assembling some components of the kit of the present invention, with reference to fig. 1, 2 and 3, these steps include: 1) mounting a first isolator washer 90 onto adapter body 32 of adapter 30 and against conical element 50 on the side of adapter 30 having threads 40; 2) mounting the bushing 80 on the adaptor body 32 of the adaptor 30 in a manner to receive the handle 100; 3) mounting moisture gasket 140 to adapter 30 and against bushing 80; 4) mounting second spacer washer 90 on adapter 30 against moisture barrier washer 140; and 5) screwing the handle 100 onto the thread 40 of the adapter 30 so as to constitute the assembly of the parts shown in the lower part of figure 1. It will be appreciated that this assembly of handle 100 within sleeve 80 allows handle 100, along with adapter 30, to rotate freely with fastener trim 20, with hollow tube 60 extending outwardly from sleeve 80.

As described above and with reference to fig. 1, the handle 100 has internal threads (not shown) for engaging with the external threads 40 of the adapter body 32 of the adapter 30 for controlling wall water valves or plumbing hardware, such as those designated by reference letters H, H' and H "in fig. 2.

With particular reference to fig. 2 and 4, the interchangeable adapter element 110 has a first end 112 and a second end 114, the first end 112 being received in the opening 66 of the hollow tube 60 of the adapter 30, the second end 114 having a pointed tip or head 116. Interchangeable adapter element 110 has a rectangular cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of hollow tube 60 of adapter 30. The head 116 is fixedly mounted to the interchangeable adapter element 110 and has an opening (not shown) for receiving and engaging the conduit hardware H' of FIG. 2. It can be seen that the head 116 and the plumbing hardware H 'both have rectangular cross-sections for engaging one another to operate the plumbing hardware H' or water valve, as will be discussed further below. Still referring to fig. 2, the attachment of the head 116 to the pipe hardware H' is accomplished by a set screw (set screw) 115.

The kit of the present invention further includes a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements 110, 110', each having a predetermined length. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, an interchangeable adapter element 110 'is shown having a length L and a head 116'. It will be appreciated that a plurality of such interchangeable elements 110 'will be provided in the kit of the invention, the length L of each interchangeable element 110' varying depending on the application and the depth of the wall in which the water valve is located. It should also be understood that the configuration of each head 116 'of each interchangeable adapter element 110' will vary depending on the configuration of the plumbing hardware or water valve. That is, the head 116' may have an opening for connection with a valve stem or mixing valve having the configuration of the conduit hardware H or H "of FIG. 2.

As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, although two interchangeable elements 110, 110' are shown in fig. 2 and 3, respectively, it will be appreciated that the kit of the present invention provides several different lengths of such interchangeable elements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure or claims associated therewith. Additionally, while the heads 116, 116' are shown in fig. 2 and 3, respectively, it is understood that a number of such differently sized heads and/or heads having various configurations of different openings may be provided without departing from the scope of the present disclosure or claims associated therewith. The heads 116, 116' may be polygonal in shape, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, or they may be spherical or any other shape that conforms to the stem or mixing valve of the plumbing hardware using the kit of the present invention.

Referring again to fig. 1, the fastener trim 20 is configured to be attached to a handle 100. That is, the fixing trim 20 has internal threads 22 and the bushing 80 on the handle 100 has corresponding external threads 102 for engaging the internal threads 22 of the fixing trim 20 to connect the handle 100 and the adapter 30 to the fixing trim 20.

It should be understood that the adapter 30 in fig. 1 is slightly different in structure than the adapter 30 of fig. 2 and 4; however, the adapter 30 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is all that can be installed and used with the present invention. It will be further appreciated that the upper portion 22 of the fastener trim 20 of fig. 1 is connected to a vertical tube which is then connected to a horizontal tube having a showerhead at one end for delivering water down into a shower or bath.

As mentioned above, in the operation of the adapter 30 with the interchangeable adapter element 110, the following steps will occur: i) fixedly attaching the head 116 of the interchangeable adapter element 110 to the water valve stem or conduit hardware H' by means of set screw 115; ii) installing the fastener trim 20 against the wall surface with the water valve of the plumbing hardware H' aligned by screws (not shown) such that the rectangular member of the interchangeable adapter element 110 extends from the fastener trim 20; iii) the handle assembly 100 with the bushing 80, the moisture resistant washer 140 and the second washer 90 as shown in the lower portion of FIG. 1 is threaded into the internal threads 26 of the fastener trim 20 through the threads of the bushing 80, wherein the rectangular hollow tube 60 receives the rectangular member of the interchangeable adapter element 110, thereby allowing the stem of the water valve (H') to be turned in one direction by the handle assembly of FIG. 1 to open the water valve, or turned in the opposite direction by the handle assembly of FIG. 1 to close the water valve.

The method of the invention comprises the following steps: (a) providing an industrial pipe fitting adaptor kit comprising: (i) an adapter having an adapter body with an externally threaded first end, a tapered element on the adapter body spaced from the first end of the adapter; and a hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter, the hollow tube being linearly aligned with the adapter body and having a second end spaced from the first end, the hollow tube having an opening defined at the second end; a bushing for mounting to the adapter body adjacent the conical element, (ii) a bushing positionable between the conical element and the external threads of the adapter; (iii) a first washer for mounting the adapter body adjacent the bushing between the bushing and the adapter external threads; (iv) a handle having an internal thread and adapted to be threadably attached to the external thread of the adapter body; (v) a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each adapter element having a first end adapted to be received in an opening defined in the hollow tube of the adapter, and each adapter element having a head adapted to be connected to the conduit hardware; (b) mounting the bushing onto the adapter body and against the tapered element of the adapter; (c) mounting a first washer to the adapter body of the adapter and against the bushing; (d) mounting a handle to the adaptor body of the adaptor for engagement with the bushing and the first washer and engaging the internal threads of the handle with the external threads of the adaptor to form a handle assembly and for projecting a portion of the hollow tube out of the bushing and away from the handle; (e) selecting an interchangeable adapter element from a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements; (f) attaching the selected interchangeable adapter element to the pipeline hardware so as to extend the interchangeable adapter element outwardly; (g) attaching a fastener trim to the surface and around the interchangeable adapter element; and (h) securing the handle assembly of step (d) to the fastener trim to engage the hollow tube of the adapter with the interchangeable adapter element to rotate the handle and open and close the conduit hardware.

While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.

Claims

1. An industrial pipe fitting adaptor kit for mounting a handle to a water valve, comprising:

an adapter including an adapter body having a first end and a second end, the first end having external threads;

a tapered element fixedly mounted on the adapter body at a location spaced from the first end of the adapter body;

a hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter body, the hollow tube being linearly aligned with the adapter body and having a second end spaced from the first end, the hollow tube being rectangular in cross-section and having an opening defined in the second end;

a bushing mountable on the adapter body proximate the conical element, the bushing being positionable between the conical element and the external threads of the adapter, the bushing having external threads;

a first isolator washer mountable on said adapter body adjacent said bushing and between said bushing and said adapter external threads;

a handle having internal threads and adapted to be threadably attached to the external threads of the adapter; and

an interchangeable adapter element having a portion that is rectangular in cross-section, having a first end configured to be received within the defined opening of the hollow tube, and having a head configured to be connected to the stem of the conduit hardware.

2. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each interchangeable adapter element having a different length relative to one another.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein each interchangeable adapter element has a head for connecting the adapter element to the pipeline hardware.

4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the adapter, the bushing, the first isolation washer, and the handle form a handle assembly; and further comprising a fastener trim having internal threads for engaging with the external threads of the bushing to attach the handle assembly to the fastener trim.

5. The kit of claim 1, further comprising: a moisture resistant gasket adapted to be mounted on the adapter body against the bushing; and a second gasket adapted to be mounted on the adapter body and against the moisture resistant gasket.

6. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a set screw located proximate the second end of the interchangeable adapter for connecting the interchangeable adapter element to the pipeline hardware.

7. The kit of claim 1, wherein the configurations of the heads of the interchangeable adapter elements are different relative to each other and correspond to the configuration of the conduit hardware.

8. A method of attaching a handle to a pipe fixture, the steps comprising:

(a) there is provided an industrial pipe fitting adaptor kit, the kit comprising:

(i) an adapter having an adapter body with an externally threaded first end, a tapered element on the adapter body spaced from the first end of the adapter; a hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter, the hollow tube being linearly aligned with the adapter body and having a second end spaced apart from the first end, the hollow tube having an opening defined in the second end; the bushing is adapted to be mounted on the adapter body adjacent the conical element,

(ii) a bushing between the conical element and the external thread of the adapter;

(iii) a first washer for mounting on the adapter body adjacent the bushing between the bushing and the external threads of the adapter;

(iv) a handle having internal threads and adapted to be threadably attached to the external threads of the adapter body;

(v) a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each adapter element having a first end adapted to be received in an opening defined in the hollow tube of the adapter, and each adapter element having a head adapted to be connected to conduit hardware;

(b) mounting the bushing onto the adapter body and against the tapered element of the adapter;

(c) mounting the first washer to the adapter body of the adapter and against the bushing;

(d) mounting the handle to the adapter of the adapter for engagement with the bushing and the first washer, and engaging the internal threads of the handle with the external threads of the adapter to form a handle assembly and for projecting a portion of the hollow tube out of the bushing and away from the handle;

(e) selecting an interchangeable adapter element from the plurality of interchangeable adapter elements;

(f) attaching selected interchangeable adapter elements to the pipeline hardware so as to extend the interchangeable adapter elements outwardly;

(g) securing a fastener trim to a surface and around the interchangeable adapter element; and is

(h) Securing the handle assembly of step (d) to the fastener trim to engage the hollow tube of the adapter with the interchangeable adapter element to rotate the handle and open and close the conduit hardware.