GB2114021A

GB2114021A - Baths

Info

Publication number: GB2114021A
Application number: GB8301201A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Richard Randle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-01-19
Filing date: 1983-01-17
Publication date: 1983-08-17
Also published as: GB8301201D0; GB2114021B

Abstract

An air admission device (1) for an air/water massage bath comprises a tubular member (2) which has an annular flange (3) at one end and a nipple (5) at the other end, the flange having four grooves (8) which extend to its periphery from a bore (9) of the tubular member (2), together with a slightly domed cap (10) having an annular skirt (11) which encircles a recess (12) in the cap, the recess having a diameter greater than the diameter of the flange, the skirt having four grooves (13) extending from the recess (12) to the periphery of the cap (10). Air is supplied from a blower to a plurality of such devices and passes through the bore (9), through the grooves (8) to the annular gap (14) between the flange and the skirt (11) of the cap (10), and through the grooves (13) to the bath interior, which results in an air/water massage type of flow. The member and cap may be of ABS. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Baths This invention relates to baths, more particularly to air/water massage baths, and has for its object the provision of air admission devices for converting any ordinary (i.e. single-skinned) bath into an air/water massage bath.

According to the present invention, an air admission device comprises a tubular member having an annular flange at one end for sealing against the inside of a bath around a hole forShe tubular member and having a nipple at the other end for connection of a hose or pipe from an air blower, the flange having at least one groove (and preferably four) extending to its periphery from the bore of the tubular member, together with a slightly domed cap having an annular skirt encircling a recess in a cap substantially equal in depth to the thickness of the flange on the tubular member, the recess having a diameter greater than the diameter of the flange, the skirt having at least one groove (and preferably four) extending from the recess to the periphery of the cap, and the flange and the recess having interfitting means whereby the flange is located within the recess for bonding of the flange to the cap with an annular gap between the periphery of the flange and the periphery of the recess.

In use, the tubular member of the device (or preferably of each of a number of such devices) is passed from inside the bath through a hole in the bath, sealant (such as a silicone sealing compound) is provided between the flange and the inside of the bath around the hole, which sealant may effect securing of the tubular member to the bath or - preferably - the tubular member is screw threaded externally between the flange and the nipple to receive a nut for tightening against the outside of the bath (or for any support for external reinforcement thereof), surplus sealant is removed from around the flange, and the cap is bonded on to the flange of the tubular member, whereby, when air is supplied from a blower by a hose or pipe connected to the nipple, the air passes through the bore of the tubular member, through the groove (or grooves) in the flange to the annular gap between the flange and the skirt of the cap (which gap is now bridged by the inside of the bath), and through the groove (or grooves) in the skirt to the interior of the bath, which when containing water results in an air/water massage type of flow.

The advantages of.having four grooves in both the flange of the tubular member and the skirt of the cap are that, within a shallow domed cap and corresponding thin flange, it is possible to maintain a total cross-sectional area of flow passages substantially equal, to the crosssectional air of the bore of the tubular member, and it is unlikely that all four grooves in the skirt of the cap could be closed simultaneously by anyone sitting or lying on the cap.

The interfitting means may consist of a slight shoulder in the recess to locate on the flange.

The tubular member and the cap may be conveniently formed by injection moulding plastics material (e.g. acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or "A.B.S."), which is readily bonded, as by solvent cement, the tubular member being provided with an external screw thread and/or whatever shaping (e.g. ribs) may be required on the nipple, whilst a fixing nut may be of brass.

In an installation having a plurality of such devices distributed over the bottom of a bath, hoses may run one from each device to a manifold (with a corresponding plurality of outlet nipples) connected to a blower unit, preferably through a non-return valve, and the blower unit preferably has a remotely operated switch.

A non-return valve may be provided within the bore of the tubular member and may comprise a ball housed within a counterbore, of a diameter appreciably greater than that of the ball and preferably provided with axial ribs to guide the ball within the counterbore.

Alternatively the non-return valve may comprise a disc normally resting across the end of the bore of the tubular member within the annular flange, the thickness of the disc being less than the depth of the grooves.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an air admission device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged crosssection of the device of Figure 1 fitted to a hole in a bath; Figure 3 is a plan view of a bath with several air admission devices in position; Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation along the lines IV--IV of Figure 3; and Figures 5 and 6 each correspond to Figure 2 but show two forms of non-return valve.

In Figures 1 and 2 an air admission device 1 comprises a tubular member 2 which has an annular flange 3 at one end for sealing against the inside of a bath 4 and a nipple 5 at the other for connection to a hose 6 by a clamp 7, the flange having four grooves 8 which extend So its periphery from a bore 9 of the tubular member 2, together with a slightly domed cap 10 having an annular skirt 11 which encircles a recess 12 in the cap substantially equal in depth to the thickness of the flange on the tubular member, the recess having a diameter greater than the diameter of the flange the skirt having with four grooves 1 3 extending from the recess 1 2 ta the periphery of the cap 10, and the flange 3 and the recess having interfitting means (consisting of a slight shoulder 1 2X in the recess) whereby the flange is located within the recess for bonding of the flange to the cap with an annular gap 14 between the periphery of the flange and the periphery of the recess.

In use, the tubular member 2 of each of a number of such devices (see also Figures 3 and 4) is passed from inside the bath 4 through a hole in the bath, silicone sealing compound is provided between the flange 3 and the inside of the bath around the hole, the tubular member being screwthreaded externally between the flange and the nipple 5 to receive a nut 1 5 for tightening against the outside of the bath, surplus sealant is removed from around the flange, and the cap 10 is bonded on to the flange, whereby, when air is supplied from a blower 16 via a main pipeline 17 (having a non-return valve 18) a manifold 19, pipes 20 and T-junctions 21, and the hoses 6, connected to the nipples 5, the air passes through the bore 9 of each tubular member 2, through the grooves 8 in the flange 3 to the annular gap 14 between the flange and the skirt 11 of the cap 10, and through the grooves 13 in the skirt to the interior of the bath 4, which when containing water results in an air/water massage type of flow.

The blower is housed at the end of the bath 4 remote from the taps and is provided with a remotely operated switch 22.

In Figure 5 a non-return valve is provided in an air admission device 1 and comprises a ball 23 housed within a counterbore 24 in the tubular member 2, the ball being guided within the counterbore by axial ribs 25 and resting when not in use on a seat 26 at the end of the bore 9 of the tubular member. When air is pumped through the air admission device the ball is urged upwardly to the broken line position touching the inside of the cap 10 and the air passes easily to the inside of the bath. When the air flow is stopped the ball returns to its seat in the countersink and prevents any water from the bath entering the bore 9 of the tubular member 2 and the piping connection to it.

In Figure 6 a non-return valve comprises a disc 27 which normally rests across the end of the bore 9 in the annular flange and the disc has a thickness substantially less than the depth of the grooves 8 in the flange 3, so that the disc can be urged upwardly to the broken line position by air passing to the inside of the bath.

Claims

1. An air admission device comprising a tubular member having an annular flange at one end for sealing against the inside of a bath around a hole for the tubular member, having a nipple at the other end for connection of a hose or pipe from an air blower, the flange having at least one groove extending to its periphery from the bore of the tubular member, together with a slightly domed cap having an annular skirt encircling the recess in a cap substantially equal in depth to the thickness of the flange on the tubular member, the recess having a diameter greater than the diameter of the flange, the skirt having at least one groove extending from the recess to the periphery of the cap, and the flange and the recess having interfitting means whereby the flange is located within the recess for bonding of the flange to the cap with an annular gap between the periphery of the flange and the periphery of the recess.

2. An air admission device as in Claim 1, wherein the annular flange is provided with four grooves.

3. An air admission device as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the annular skirt is provided with four grooves.

4. An air admission device as in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the interfitting means consists of a slight shoulder in the recess to locate on the flange.

5. An air admission device as in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the tubular member and the cap are formed by injection moulding plastics material.

6. An air admission device as in Claim 5, wherein the plastics material is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

7. An air admission device as in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the tubular member is provided with an external screw thread for a fixing nut.

8. An air admission device as in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the tubular member is provided with a non-return valve.

9. An air admission device as in Claim 8, wherein the non-return valve comprises a ball housed within a counterbore being of a diameter appreciably greater than that of the ball.

10. An air admission device as in Claim 9, wherein the counterbore is provided with axial ribs to guide the ball within the counterbore.

1 An air admission device as in Claim 8, wherein the non-return valve comprises a disc normally resting across the end of the bore of the tubular member within the annular flange, the thickness of the disc being less than the depth of the grooves.

12. A bath incorporating a pluraiity of air admission devices as in any of the preceding Claims having hoses running one from each device to a manifold connected to a blower unit through a non-return valve and the blower unit having a remotely operated switch.

1 3. An air admission device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or as modified in Figure 5 or Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A bath incorporating a plurality of air admission devices having hoses running one from each device to a manifold connected to a blower unit through a non-return valve and the blower unit having a remotely operated switch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.