GB2156022A - Waste traps with swivellable joints - Google Patents

Abstract

A waste trap for use with sanitary appliances for connection to the outlet of sanitary appliance comprises a plurality of interconnected tubular parts (10, 11, 12) forming along their connected length a generally U-shape bend intermediate the trap inlet (14) and outlet (15). Each interconnection between adjacent tubular parts (10, 11 and 11, 12) comprises a freely swivellable and fluid-tight joint (17, 18) arranged such that the trap inlet can be readily displaced relative to the trap outlet. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Waste traps and waste trap installations for sanitary appliances This invention relates to adjustable waste traps for sanitary appliances and methods for their installation.

More particularly the invention relates to waste traps formed from a plurality of individual sections adjustably connected to each other so that the relative orientations between their inlet and outlet ends can be varied.

In certain applications such adjustable waste traps of known construction may be difficult to install. For example, when installing a waste trap of this kind beneath a drainage tray of a shower, the available space beneath the shower tray may be insufficient to allow free access to the trap.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a waste trap for sanitary appliances and a method for its installation which overcomes the aforementioned difficulties, particularly where access to or space available beneath the appliance is restricted.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waste trap for use with sanitary appliances comprising an inlet for connection with an outlet of a sanitary appliance and an outlet for connection with a drain and having a plurality of interconnected tubular parts forming along their connected length a generally U-shape bend intermediate said trap inlet and outlet wherein the or each interconnection between said parts comprises a freely swivellable and fluid-tight joint arranged such that the trap inlet can be readily displaced relative to the trap outlet.

The waste trap may have three parts interconnected in series with a said joint between each adjacent pair of interconnected parts. In this case, the rotational axes of the two joints may be parallel with the trap inlet axis and offset from one another and from the trap inlet axis whereby the trap inlet is capable of movement in both angular and distance relationship with the trap outlet.

The two swivellable joints may be conveniently disposed in respective up-standing legs of the U-shape bend. The or each swivellable joint may be capable of allowing 360 rotation between the respective joined parts.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of installing a waste trap in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention between an outlet of a sanitary appliance and a drain comprising the steps of connecting the outlet of the trap with the drain, manipulating the inlet of the trap so as to displace the inlet with respect to its outlet until the trap inlet is aligned with the outlet of the sanitary appliance and thereafter connecting the trap inlet with the appliance outlet.

The step of manipulation may include disposing a member through the outlet of the appliance to engage with the trap inlet and manoeuvring the member to achieve alignment between the trap inlet and appliance outlet.

In the case of an appliance of the kind in which the outlet thereof is to be connected to the trap inlet by means of a bolt passing through the appliance outlet and engaging with the trap, the aforementioned member may comprise this bolt.

Waste traps and methods for their installation between a sanitary appliance and drain in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view through a waste trap according to the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are respectively end and part cross-sectional views of one form of joint capping strap used in the waste trap; Figure 4 is an end view of an alternative form of joint capping strap; and Figure 5 shows in cross-section an alternative form of inlet of the waste trap of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, the waste trap comprises an assembly of three interconnected tubular parts 10, 11 and 12 which define a through circular-section bore having a Ushape bend. The trap includes an inlet 14 provided by the part 12 for connection with the outlet of a sanitary appliance and an outlet 15, provided by the part 10, for connection with a drain. The three parts 10, 11 and 12 are all conveniently moulded from plastics material.

The parts 10 and 11 and 11 and 12 are connected respectively by freely swivellable and fluid tight joints 17 and 18 which will be described in detail hereinafter. The joints 17 and 18 are disposed at the ends of the upstanding legs of the U-shape part 11. The part 10 is joined to the part 11 through the joint 17 and comprises a bend which terminates at the trap outlet 15.

The part 12 is joined to the part 11 through the joint 18 and comprises a double bend configuration, being generally S-shape, whose free end defines the trap inlet 14 and is provided with a flange 20 to aid connection with the sanitary appliance. The part 12 is commonly referred to as an offset component as its bore axes at its inlet and outlet ends are parallel to, but transversely displaced, or offset, from one another. The part 12 further includes a recess 21 at its side wall directly beneath the trap inlet 14 and along the inlet axis in which an insert (not shown) having a screw-threaded bore is disposed whose centre is vertically aligned with the centre of the circular inlet 14.

Means are provided at the free end of part 10 for facilitating connection with the drain.

To this end, any suitable connection means may be employed. The particular connection means shown in Figure 1 is generally similar to that described in the Applicants Patent Application No. 8028486 and comprises a cylindrical liner 30 extending into an enlarged end portion 31 of the part 10 with the end of the liner abutting a radial shoulder 32 at the end of portion 31 such that the liner 30 and portion 31 define therebetween a cylindrical recess 37 in which the drain pipe is received.

A nut 33 is screw-threaded on to the outer peripheral surface of the portion 31 and has an inwardly-directed radial flange 34 overlying the end face of portion 31 which bears against a slip ring 35 and a tapered sealing ring 36 surrounding the entrance of the cylindrical recess 37. To connect the part 10 with the drain, the free end of part 10 is pushed over the drain pipe so that the drain pipe slides into the cylindrical recess 37. Thereafter, the nut 33 is screwed on to the portion 31 so as to compress the sealing ring 36 and urge it radially inwards via its tapered surface to grip sealingly the drain pipe and retain the part 10 on the drain pipe.

The swivellable joints 17 and 18 both readily permit relative rotation of the respective parts 10 and 11 and 11 and 12 connected thereby whilst simultaneously maintaining a fluid-tight seal. They do not require any dismantling or slackening in order to allow swivelling. The joints 17 and 18 are substantially identical and for this reason only joint 18 will be described in detail.

The up-standing leg of the part 11 terminates in an enlarged-diameter portion 40 defining an annular recess in which the end of part 12 is received in spigot fashion. A circumferential prismatic rib 42 is formed on the part 12 inwards of its end, which slidingly engages with the end portion 40 of the part 11. The end of part 12 is slid into the portion 40 until its end face abuts the radial end wall of portion 40 so that an enclosed cylindrical recess 43 is defined by the end of part 12, the rib 42 and the portion 40. A ring seal 45 is trapped within this recess against the rib 42 and compressed between the axially-overlapping surfaces of the portion 40 and the end of part 12 to provide fluid-tight sealing between the parts 11 and 12.

The joined parts 11 and 12 are secured together in this manner by means of a joint capping strap 46, one form of which is shown in greater detail in Figures 2 and 3. Referring to these figures the strap 46 comprises a circular length of flexible and resilient plastics material U-shape in section having a base 47 and inwardly directed side walls 48. A rectangular slot 49 is formed transversely of the base 47 adjacent one end 50 of the strap.

The portion 51 of base 47 between the end 50 and the slot 49 is of reduced thickness to accommodate thereunder part of a locking tongue 52 projecting from the other end 53 of the strap. The tongue 52 is formed as an extension of the base 47 of end 53 and has a rectangular recess 54 on its outer surface defined by transverse shoulders, the depth and width of which corresponds to the thickness and length respectively of the base portion 51. The ends 50 and 53 of the strap are respectively inclined in opposite senses at an angle to radial lines passing through their end points as shown in Figure 3.

The strap 46 is wrapped around the joined ends of parts 11 and 12 with the enlarged portion 40 of part 11 and the rib 42 of part 12 being totally enclosed within the trough of the strap. The tongue 52 of the strap 46 is then pushed under the base portion 51, its end being tapered for this purpose, until the first of the transverse shoulders defining the recess 54 reaches the slot 49 at which point the tongue end springs outwardly through the slot to lock the strap ends together in a snapfit manner through engagement between that shoulder and the wall of the slot 49. In this position, the base portion 51 nests in the recess 54 such that the strap presents a continuous outer surface.As will be seen from Figure 1 with the strap 46 locked, the side walls bear against the outer peripheral surfaces of the parts 11 and 12 adjacent their overlapped portions and prevent separation of those portions. Naturally, the strap can be unlocked to dismantle the joint if necessary but this is not required in normal use.

With regard to Figure 4, there is shown an alternative form of joint capping strap 46. In this case the strap 46 comprises two semicircular parts, 60 and 61, of generally Ushape section which, when assembled together as shown, define a continuous trough like that of the strap of Figures 2 and 3 in which the rib 42 and overlapping portion 40 of parts 12 and 11 respectively are received and trapped. The two parts 60 and 61, conveniently comprising mouldings of resilient plastics material, are identical, each having at its one end an integral, outwardly projecting, shouldered tongue 63 formed as an extension of the base wall of its trough section, and at its other end a radial enlargement 64 defining a tongue receiving aperture 65.

In use, the parts 60 and 61 are disposed around the joined ends of parts 11 and 12 and pushed together such that the tongue 63 of each part is flexed and passes through the aperture 65 in the other part as shown in Figure 4 with the shoulders of the tongues 63 then springing outwardly to engage the radial surface of its respective associated enlargement 64 in a snap-fit manner to lock the two parts 60 and 61 together. When so locked the side walls and base of the continuous trough section surround the joined ends of the parts 11 and 12 in the manner shown in Figure 1 to prevent their separation whilst at the same time allowing relative rotation between those two ends. By flexing the tongues 63 and the two parts 60 and 61 inwardly and pulling the two parts away from one another, the two parts can of course be unlocked and separated to permit dismantling of the joint if required.

Referring now again to Figure 1, the joint 17, as previously mentioned, is constructed in a similar manner to joint 18. Both joints permit free swivelling of the parts connected thereby through a full 360 whilst at the same time maintaining a fluid-tight seal.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the joints 17 and 18 are arranged for rotation in parallel horizontal planes about parallel axes which are also parallel to the plane and axis of the end face of part 12 defining the trap inlet 14. It will be appreciated therefore that by appropriate manipulation of the parts 10, 11 and 12, the trap inlet 14 can be fully displaced in a horizontal plane, both in angular and distance relationship with respect to the trap outlet 15.

Installation of the waste trap between a drain and a sanitary appliance, for example a shower tray, will now be described and for this purpose it will be assumed that the appliance is of the kind commonly used having a circular grill located over its outlet through the centre of which a bolt or the like is passed to engage with the waste trap in order to secure the trap to the appliance.

The waste trap is firstly disposed beneath the location of the appliance and the part 10 firmly connected with the drain pipe in the aforementioned manner. This may be done either before or after the appliance has been located depending on whether access to the space beneath the appliance is available with the appliance in position. The horizontal position of the inlet 14 of the waste trap is then manually adjusted with respect to the fixed trap outlet 15, and possibly also appliance, until rough alignment is obtained between the trap inlet 14 and the appliance outlet. Thereafter, with the appliance now in position, a tool, which may conveniently comprise the securing bolt of the appliance outlet, is inserted through the appliance outlet grill into the waste trap to engage with the insert disposed in the recess 21 of the part 12.The tool is manipulated until precise alignment between the trap inlet 14 and appliance outlet is achieved with the insert vertically beneath the centre of the appliance outlet and the trap is then connected with the appliance. Of course if the securing bolt is used as the tool, it is simply a matter of securing the bolt into the threaded insert tightly in order to secure the parts together. Although not shown in Figure 1, suitable sealing means is provided around the flange 20 of part 12 to seal with the underside of the appliance.

In an alternative form of the waste trap, the inlet portion of the waste trap of Figure 1 may be modified as shown in Figure 5 with a separate tubular make-up body 70 being mounted on the upper end of part 12', corresponding to part 12 of Figure 1 ,to define with the upper end of part 12' the trap inlet 14, and with the threaded insert for the appliance outlet grill securing bolt being carried thereon rather than on the part 12 as before.

The make-up body is of plastics material and has at its lower end an internal thread which co-operates with a thread provided externally on the upper end of part 12' to facilitate screwing of body 70 onto part 12' as shown in Figure 5 with the bore of body 70 aligned with that of part 12'. An o-ring 72 is disposed between respective opposed radial faces of the body 70 and part 12' to provide a fluid-tight seal. The upper end of body 70 is formed with a rimmed, radially-extended annular surface 73 which supports an annularlyribbed rubber ring 74 for sealing against the underside of the sanitary appliance (not shown).

The body 70 has one or more arms 76 which extend generally radially inwards from its internal wall and which terminate in a cylindrical portion that contains centrally of the inlet bore of body 70 and part 12' an internally-threaded insert 77 for the aforementioned appliance outlet grill securing bolt, referenced at 78.

The appliance outlet grill is shown at 79 and comprises a circular member which carries on the outer marginal portion of its under- side a ribbed annular seating member 80 for engaging the upper surface of the appliance around its outlet, and which has a central aperture shaped to receive the enlarged head of bolt 78 surrounded by a number of apertures (not visible) through which waste flows.

The installation of this version of the waste trap is substantially the same as described with regard to the preceding trap. That is, the trap is first disposed beneath the appliance location and its part 10 securely connected with the drain pipe. Then, with the appliance in place, the trap inlet 14, defined by body 70 and part 12', is manipulated roughly into alignment with the appliance outlet, and thereafter a tool, for example the securing bolt 78, inserted through the outlet grill apeture into the insert 77 in inlet 14 and manoeuvred so as to align accurately the trap inlet 14 with the appliance outlet.

Finally, by screwing then the bolt 78 into the insert 77, the waste trap is secured to the appliance with the sealing ring 74 and seating member 80 being clamped firmly against the underside and upperside respectively of the appliance around its outlet. The seating member 80 could alternatively be a fibre washer.

The thickness of the wall of the appliance around its outlet can vary between appliances and it will be appreciated that in these circum- stances, this particular version of waste trap is advantageous in that the nature of cooperation of the bolt 78 with insert 77, and more especially the fact that the insert 77 is open ended such that the bolt 78 can be secured through, rather than just into, the insert, enables a large variation in spacing between the grill 79 and body 70 and thus allows the trap to be used with appliances of different wall thickness. Furthermore, by suitably selecting the make-up body 70 used in the trap from a number having different axial lengths, variations in the height levels between the drain pipe and the appliance outlet can also be accommodated .

Referring now to both versions of the waste trap described above, it can be seen that any mis-alignment or variation in relative position between the drain and appliance outlet in a horizontal sense can be accommodated readily by the waste trap through appropriate adjustment of the position of the trap inlet with respect to the trap outlet by means of the swivelling joints without there being any need to partially dismantle the trap as with earlier arrangements.

This is particularly advantageous in the case of a shower tray installation for example where access to, and space available beneath, the shower tray may be severely restricted once the tray has been located.

It is envisaged that the trap may be provided with only one freely swivellable and fluid-tight joint. However, such an arrangement would afford only arcuate movement of the inlet with respect to the outlet and would thus be less flexible in use than that described above. Conversely, it is envisaged that the trap may be provided with more than two swivellable joints, thereby allowing an even greater degree of flexibility.

Furthermore, additional parts may be used in the trap such that alternative trap shapes and sizes may be constructed.

Of course these additional parts need not be connected by swivable joints as described but rather by means of fixed joints.

In application to appliances other than shower traps having the particular type of flat appliance outlet grill/trap inlet grill 79 shown in Figure 5, the trap could be adapted to accept the more normal "cupped" or "re- cessed" outlet grill (suitable itself to accept a plug).

Claims (1)

1. A waste trap for use with sanitary appliances comprising an inlet for connection with an outlet of a sanitary appliance and an outlet for connection with a drain and having a plurality of interconnected tubular parts forming along their connected length a generally U-shape bend intermediate said trap inlet and outlet wherein the or each interconnection between said parts comprises a freely swivellable and fluid-tight joint arranged such that the trap inlet can be readily displaced relative to the trap outlet.

2. A waste trap according to claim 1, and having three parts in series with a said joint between each adjacent pair of interconnected parts, the rotational axes of the two joints being parallel with the trap inlet axis and offset from one another and from the trap inlet axis, whereby the trap inlet is capable of movement in both angular and distance relationship with the trap outlet.

3. A waste trap according to claim 2, wherein the two swivellable joints are disposed in respective upstanding legs of the Ushape bend.

4. A waste trap according to claim 3, wherein the or each swivellable joint is capable of allowing 360 rotation between the respective joined parts.

5. A waste trap according to any preceding claim, wherein at each said joint one said tubular part fits spigot fashion into the adjacent tubular part so that it forms a rotatable joint, a sealing ring fits within the joint and a strap extends around the outside of the joint to hold the tubular parts together.

6. A waste trap according to any preceding claim and for use with a shower tray, wherein the inlet of the trap is provided with a separately formed make-up body which screws on to the adjacent tubular part and is provided with a sealing ring for sealing with the underside of the shower tray, and a threaded insert for receiving the securing bolt of the shower tray outlet grill.

7. A waste trap according to claim 6, wherein the threaded insert is open-ended.

8. A method of installing a waste trap according to any preceding claim between an outlet of a sanitary appliance and a drain comprising the steps of connecting the outlet of the trap with the drain, manipulating the inlet of the trap so as to displace the inlet with respect to its outlet until the trap inlet is aligned with the outlet of the sanitary appliance and thereafter connecting the trap inlet with the appliance outlet.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of of manipulation includes disposing a member through the outlet of the appliance to engage with the trap inlet and manoeuvring the member to achieve alignment between the trap inlet and appliance outlet.

10. A waste trap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1 and 2 above have been deleted or textually amended.

New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows: Claims 3 to 10 above have been renumbered as 2 to 9 and their appendancies corrected.

1. A waste trap for use with sanitary appliances comprising an inlet for connection with an outlet of a sanitary apeliance and an outlet for connection with a drain and having three tubular parts interconnected in series and forming along their connected length a generally U-shape bend intermediate said trap inlet and outlet, wherein each of the two interconnections between said parts comprises a freely swivellable and fluid-tight joint arranged such that the trap inlet can be readily displaced relative to the trap outlet and wherein the rotational axes of the two joints are parallel with the trap inlet axis and offset from one another and from the trap inlet axis, whereby the trap inlet is capable of movement in both angular and distance relationship with respect to the trap outlet.