GB2129913A

GB2129913A - Replacement of tap tops

Info

Publication number: GB2129913A
Application number: GB08328058A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger John Vowles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-10-21
Filing date: 1983-10-20
Publication date: 1984-05-23
Also published as: GB2129913B; GB8328058D0

Abstract

A tubular adaptor 30 with internal and external 34 threads enables the connection of a tap top 16 to a non-complementary tap fixed portion 12. A kit may include a tap top 16 and a plurality (n) of adaptors 30, enabling the top 16 to be fitted to (n+1) different sizes of fixed portions 12. The adaptors 30 may be colour coded to assist selection. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Replacement of tap tops The present invention relates to the replacement of tap tops. In various aspects it provides components, kits of parts, and a method for use in replacing tap tops.

An ordinary tap, such as may be found on a domestic sink or bath, has a fixed portion with a water inlet, an outlet nozzle, and a threaded cavity containing a seat for a washer. A tap top assembly is screwed into the threaded cavity. It includes an abutment element which is displaceable, by operation of a hand-grip, towards and away from the washer of the seat in the fixed portion.

Now, the fixed portion and the tap top assembly are both relatively complicated and expensive pieces of equipment. There is some measure of standardisation of parts, but nevertheless there are several different standards in widespread use. That is, not every tap top assembly can be screwed into the threaded cavity of any particular fixed portion. This means that it is necessary to manufacture and stock a large number of different components to ensure that a customer can buy a tap top assembly that will fit his existing fixed portion and also meet such other requirements as he may have (e.g. for external dimensions and matching of appearances).

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a tap adaptor comprising a bushing having an external thread for engaging in the threaded cavity of a fixed portion of a tap; and an internal thread for engaging with the external thread of a tap top assembly; whereby a tap top assembly and a tap fixed portion whose threads are non-complementary can be mutually connected.

In another aspect, the invention provides, in combination, a tap top assembly and an adaptor.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts comprising a tap top assembly and at least one adaptor. Preferably, the kit includes sufficient adaptors to enable the tap top assembly to be fitted to any standard fixed portion. Thus, the tap top assembly may have an external thread corresponding to the 21' B.S.P. standard, and there may then be two adaptors, each with the " B.S.P.

internal thread, and with external threads respectively according to the " and i" sizes as laid down by British Standard 1010.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a method of attaching a tap top assembly to a tap fixed portion comprising the steps of threadedly attaching (a) the tap top assembly, and (b) the tap fixed portion to the same adaptor.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a tap assembly including an adaptor; Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale of the tap top assembly; Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 2, but showing the tap top assembly with an adaptor attached; and Figs. 4 and 5 are views of an adaptor in, respectively, plan and elevation.

A tap assembly 10 as seen in Fig. 1 includes a fixed portion 12 (that is, a portion which is adapted to be fixed, e.g. to a sink). This has a threaded cavity 14, which opens upwardly. Within the cavity 14, but not visible, there is a seat for a 3f washer. This illustrated fixed portion 1 2 is a fitting, according to British Standard 101 0. (The dimension of the ' does not relate to the threaded cavity.) The illustrated tap top assembly 1 6 has, at its bottom end, a projecting bush 1 8 having an external thread 20. This is of the smallest type in common use, namely " B.S.P. Beneath the bush 1 8 there is a shank 22 bearing, near its lower end, an abutment piece 24.Projecting at the top of the assembly 1 6 is a shaft 26 which may be attached to a handle 28 (the handle 28 will generally be a separate, detachable component.) The shaft 26 is coupled to the shank 22 so that rotation of the shaft 26, by means of the handle 28 causes axial displacement of the shank 22 with the abutment piece 24.

An adaptor 3û has the form of a bush with an enlarged flange 32 at its upper end. Below the flange 32, there is a cylindrical surface bearing an external thread 34 which is complementary to the internal thread in the cavity 14 of the fixed portion 12. Internally, the adaptor 30 has a cylindrical surface with an internal thread 36 complementary to the external thread 20 on the bush 1 8 of the tap top assembly 1 6. The free passage through the adaptor 30 is large enough to accommodate the abutment piece 24. Thus, the adaptor 30 can be screwed onto a tap top assembly 16, with the end portion of the shank 22 including the abutment piece 24 projecting beneath it, as shown in Fig. 3.

A tap washer 38 may be pushed over the end of the shank 22 so as to lie against the abutment piece 24. The whole can then be screwed onto the tap fixed portion 12.

A kit of parts embodying the invention may consists of a tap top assembly 1 6 (possibly including a handle 28), an adaptor 30 as described, and a second adaptor differing in that its external thread 34 corresponds in size to the threaded cavity of a tap fixed portion 1 2 according to the -" British Standard 1010. The tap top assembly 16 can then be fitted to any of the three usual sizes of fixed portions 12:+" B.S.P. (without using an adaptor); +" British Standard 1010 (using the second adaptor): or per British Standard 1010 (using the illustrated adaptor 30).

The depth of the seat for the washer within the fixed portion 12 beneath the mouth of the threaded cavity 14 tends to be different in different models of tap. Preferably, this is accommodated by using a tap top assembly 16 in which the shank 22, and hence the abutment piece 24 and washer 38, have a long maximum travel. Alternatively or additionally, washers of extra thickness may be used. Such washers may be included in the kit.

The kit may also include a fibre washer to fit between an adaptor and the tap top assembly 1 6.

The skilled man will be able to choose suitable materials for manufacturing adaptors from. For example, they may be of brass. But for the large, illustrated adaptor 30 (for the 4" British Standard 1010), this provides rather a heavy and expensive unit. It might better be made of a plastics material.

However, the other adaptor (+" British Standard 1010) has a much thinner cylindrical wall, and therefore it may be best to make this of metal.

The adaptors illustrated and described have a flange 32 whose primary function is to prevent the adaptor from being screwed too far down into the threaded cavity 14. Of course, this need not always be present. It will be appreciated that adaptors of sizes other than those specifically described above may be required for some purposes.

The adaptors in a kit may be coloured differently so as to be readily distinguishable. This facilitates their selection, and the provision of instructions for the unskilled user.

Claims

1. A kit of parts comprising a tap top assembly and at least one adaptor, said adaptor comprising a bushing having an external thread for engaging in the threaded cavity of a fixed portion of a tap; and an internal thread for engaging with the external thread of the tap top assembly; whereby a tap top assembly and a tap fixed portion whose threads are non-complementary can be mutually connected.

2. A kit according to claim 1 including a plurality of adaptors with different external threads.

3. A kit according to claim 2 wherein different adaptors differ in colour.

4. A kit according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the tap top assembly has an external thread corresponding to the +" B.S.P. standard, and the kit includes two adaptors, each with the 2n B.S.P.

internal thread, and with external threads respectively according to the 21 and 4311 sizes as laid down by British Standard 1010.

5. A kit of parts for repiacing a tap top substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. A tap adaptor comprising a bushing having an external thread for engaging in the threaded cavity of a fixed portion of a tap; and an internal thread for engaging with the external thread of a tap top assembly whereby a tap top assembly and a tap fixed portion whose threads are noncomplementary can be mutually connected.

7. An adaptor according to claim 6 wherein the bushing has a +11 B.S.P. internal thread and an external thread according to either the " or the 4311 size as laid down by British Standard 1010.

8. An adaptor according to claim 6 or 7 having a radial flange to limit its entry into the cavity of a tap fixed portion.

9. An adaptor substantially as any described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of attaching the tap top assembly to a tap fixed portion comprising the steps of threadedly attaching (a) the tap top assembly,.

and (b) the tap fixed portion to an adaptor.

according to any of claims 6 to 8.

11. A method according to claim 10 including the preliminary step of selecting the adaptor from a plurality thereof differing in thread sizes.

12. A method of fitting a fixed portion of a tap with a tap top comprising providing a kit according to any of claims 1 to 5, determining the complementarity of the threads of the fixed portion and the tap top, and threadedly connecting them, if necessary via an adaptor.