GB2142056A

GB2142056A - Waste assemblies; drainage traps

Info

Publication number: GB2142056A
Application number: GB08415707A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Jeffery Evans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-06-24
Filing date: 1984-06-20
Publication date: 1985-01-09
Also published as: GB2142056B; GB8415707D0

Abstract

A waste assembly (2), for example for a shower tray (1), comprises an integral or attached body (6) defining a chamber (8) which is divided into inlet and outlet compartments (16, 18) by a tubular member (14). The member (14) is attached to an inlet element (10) which is secured in position by a bolt (34). The inlet element (10) has apertures (12) so that water from the shower tray can pass into the inlet compartment (16), under the lower edge (20) of the tubular member (14) to the outlet compartment (18) and thence to an outlet (24). After use of the shower tray, a pool of water remains in the chamber (8) to isolate the inlet and outlet compartments (16, 18) from each other, so as to provide a trap. The body (6) may be cleaned by removing the inlet element (10) and the tubular member (14) from the top. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Waste assemblies The present invention relates to waste assemblies, for example for use in shower trays and similar vessels.

Waste assemblies for showers, basins, baths and similar vessels conventionally comprise a perforated plate through which water can flow to a U-bend or bottle trap and thence to a waste pipe. Access to the U-bend or bottle trap for cleaning purposes can be gained only from the underside of the shower tray or other vessel, which is highly inconvenient. Particularly with shower trays, the limited space between the shower tray and the floor makes it awkward to connect the U-bend or bottle trap to the waste pipe.

According to the present invention there is provided a waste assembly comprising a body which defines a chamber provided at the top with an inlet element, a partition being disposed in the chamber to divide the chamber into inlet and outlet compartments which communicate with each other through a passage at the lower region of the chamber, the inlet element having an inlet aperture which opens into the inlet compartment, and an outlet aperture being provided which opens into the outlet compartment, the inlet element and the partition being removable from the top of the chamber and the lowest point of the outlet aperture being situated at a higher level than the passage whereby, in use of the waste asembly, liquid accumulates in the chamber to such a level that the passage is submerged, thereby to isolate the inlet compartment from the outlet compartment.

The body may be integral with the base of a shower tray or other vessel, or it may comprise a separate compartment.

Preferably, the partition comprises a tubular member, the inlet compartment then comprising the interior of the tubular member and the outlet compartment comprising the annular space between the tubular member and the body.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view from the underside of a shower tray incorporating a waste assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line ll-ll in Fig. 1, on a larger scale; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 4; Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a third embodiment; and Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line Vll-Vli in Fig. 6.

Fig. 1 shows the underside of a shower tray generally designaed by reference numeral 1 having, in the illustrated embodiment, two sides 1 a, 1 b formed as box sections, and two sides 1 c, 1 d formed as flanges which may be used to seal the shower tray with respect to surrounding tiles (see Fig. 3).

The shower tray 1 has a floor 3 in one corner of which is provided a waste assembly 2. The floor 3 may slope from the corner 3a opposite the waste assembly 2 towards the waste assembly 2, and/or it may have a slightly domed central region so that water will drain towards the edges of the floor 3 and thence to the waste assembly. The tray may be made of any suitable material, such as glass-reinforced plastics, and may be reinforced, as shown, by a wooden framework 4.

The waste assembly 2 is shown in more detail in Fig. 2, and comprises a body 6 which defines a chamber or well 8 beneath the main portion of the floor 3. The chamber 8 is covered at the top by an inlet element in the form of a plate 10 which is provided with apertures 12.

A partition in the form of a tubular member 14 extends from the plate 10 into the well 8, and terminates some distance (for example 1 cm) above the bottom of the well 8. The tubular member 14 divides the interior of the well 8 into two compartments, namely an inlet compartment 1 6 and an outlet compartment 1 8. The inlet compartment 1 6 is constituted by the interior of the tubular member 14, while the outlet compartment 1 8 is an annular compartment defined between the tubular member 14 and the outer wall of the body 6. The compartments 1 6 and 1 8 are in communication with each other through a passage defined between the lower edge 20 of the tubular member 14 and the base of the body 6.

It will be noted that the apertures 1 2 are positioned so that they open into the inlet compartment 1 6. An outlet fitting 22, defining an outlet aperture 24, is bonded to the outer wall of the body 6 and is also bonded to a waste pipe 26. As is clear from Fig. 2, the lowest point 28 of the outlet aperture 24 is situated at a level above the lower edge 20 of the tubular member 14.

A sealing ring 30 is provided between the plate 10 and a shoulder 32 formed in the floor 3 where it meets the body 6. The plate 10 is releasably secured at the top of the well 8 by a bolt 34 which has a screwthreaded end 36 which engages a tapped hole 38 formed in a boss 40 at the bottom of the well 8. The bolt 34 has a head 42 which is provided with a slot or other formation so that it can be engaged by a screwdriver or other tool for securing and releasing the plate 10.

As indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, the waste pipe 26 is flexible and can be bent as required to connect up to a drain pipe at any position around the periphery of the shower tray.

This means that it is possible for the waste pipe 25 to be connected to a drain pipe outside the shower tray, which again avoids the need to gain access to the underneath of the shower tray once it has been installed. By way of example, the following dimensions may be taken as typical for the components of the waste assembly: upper diameter of the well 8 = 9 cm lower diameter of the well 8 = 6 cm diameter of the tubular member 14 = 3.5 cm depth of the well 8 = 7.5 cm diameter of the outlet aperture 24 = 3.5 cm.

In use of the shower tray, water runs off the floor 3, through the apertures 1 2 into the inner compartment 1 6. From the inner compartment 16, the water flows under the lower edge 20 of the tubular member 14 into the outlet compartment 18, from which it flows through the outlet aperture 24 to the waste pipe 26. When the shower is turned off, not all of the water will drain from the well 8. Instead, as is shown in Fig. 2, a pool of water will remain in the well 8 below the level of the lowest point 28 of the outlet aperture 24.The lower end region of the tubular member 14 will be submerged, with the result that the remaining pool of water isolates the inlet compartment 1 6 from the outlet compartment 18, thus forming a trap which prevents foul gases from passing from the drains through the waste pipe 26 into the room in which the shower tray is installed.

Should the flow path through the waste assembly 3 become blocked or otherwise require cleaning, it is a simple matter to unscrew the bolt 34 to release the plate 10 and the tubular member 14, after which any debris can be removed from the well 8 and the components can be cleaned. This operation can be conducted entirely from the top of the shower tray, no access being required to the underneath.

Another embodiment is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this embodiment, the shower tray 1 does not have an integral body 6 as shown in Fig. 2. Instead, a separate component 50 is provided.

The floor 3 of the shower tray is formed with a groove 52 which extends around part of the periphery of the opening in the floor 3 in which the plate 10 is seated and also extends from this opening to the adjacent outer walls 54 of the shower tray. The component 50 has an upper edge 56 which engages the groove 52 and also has an upwardly extending wall 58 which lies against the walls 54. The component 50 may be bonded in position to form a chamber 60 which, as in the preceding embodiment, is divided into inlet and outlet compartments 1 6 and 18 by the tubular member 14. An outlet spigot 62, defining an outlet aperture 64, extends through the walls 54 and 58 and projects outwardly for connection to a waste pipe. As in the previous embodiment, the lowest point 66 of the outlet aperture 64 is above the lower edge 20 of the tubular member 14.The spigot 62 can be fitted after the shower tray has been set in position. This is done by forming a suitable hole through the walls 54 and 58 and bonding the spigot 62 in position. It will be appreciated that the spigot 62 can be fitted at any position within the range indicated by the arrows B in Fig. 4, in order to engage the waste pipe.

Alternatively, the spigot 62 can be fitted in a vertical orientation, as indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 5 in order to engage a vertical waste pipe. The same end can be achieved by forming the spigot 62 as a right-angle elbow.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a third embodiment which corresponds in many respects to that of Fig. 1, although the body 6 is not moulded integrally with the shower tray, but comprises a separate component formed integrally with an outlet spigot 70, corresponding to the fitting 22 of Fig. 2.

The body 6 engages a circular groove 72 formed in the shower tray around the opening in which the plate 10 seats. The engagement between the upper edge of the body 6 and the groove 72 is such as to prevent the body 6 from falling out of position, while allowing rotation of the body 6 relatively to the shower tray in order to enable the spigot 70 to be moved into the most convenient position for connection to a waste pipe. Alternative positions of the spigot 70 are shown in Fig. 6 in dotted outline. When the bolt 34 is tightened, the body 6 become locked in place relatively to the shower tray.

The embodiments of Figs. 4 to 7 function in the same way as that of Fig. 2 and again can be cleaned by removing the plate 10. In all three embodiments, it is necessary to make only one connection to the waste (i.e. to the pipe 26 or the spigots 62 and 70) which reduces the possibility of leakage.

Claims

1. A waste assembly comprising a body which defines a chamber provided at the top with an inlet element, a partition being disposed in the chamber to divide the chamber into inlet and outlet compartments which communicate with each other through a passage at the lower region of the chamber, the inlet element having an inlet aperture which opens into the inlet compartment, and an outlet aperture being provided which opens into the outlet compartment, the inlet element and the partition being removable from the top of the chamber and the lowest point of the outlet aperture being situated at a higher level than the passage whereby, in use of the waste assembly, liquid accumulates in the chamber to such a level that the passage is submerged, thereby to isolate the inlet compartment from the outlet compartment.

2. A waste assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the partition is fast with the inlet element.

3. A waste assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the passage is defined between the lower edge of the partition and the bottom of the chamber.

4. A waste assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the partition is a tubular member, the inlet compartment being constituted by the interior of the tubular member and the outlet compartment being defined between the tubular member and the outer wall of the body.

5. A waste assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the inlet element is removably secured to the body by fastening means which engages the inlet element and the bottom of the chamber.

6. A waste assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which the fastening means comprises a bolt having a head which engages the inlet element and a screwthreaded end which engages a tapped hole at the bottom of the chamber.

7. A waste assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the outlet aperture is defined by a spigot provided in the body.

8. A waste assembly as claimed in claim 7, in which the spigot is connected to a flexible waste pipe.

9. A vessel having a waste assembly in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, the body of the waste outlet being integral with the vessel.

10. A vessel having a waste assembly in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 8, the body of the waste assembly being formed separately from the vessel.

11. A vessel as claimed in claim 10, in which the body of the waste assembly engages the vessel in a manner permitting rotation of the body relatively to the vessel.

1 2. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, which is a shower tray.

1 3. A waste assembly substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, Figs. 1 to 3, Figs. 4 and 5, or Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A shower tray substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, Figs.

1 to 3, Figs. 4 and 5, or Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.