GB2238709A

GB2238709A - Mounting arrangement for a ceramic bathroom fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2238709A
Application number: GB8926124A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Pennell
Original assignee: OFFERTOKEN Ltd
Current assignee: OFFERTOKEN Ltd
Priority date: 1989-11-18
Filing date: 1989-11-18
Publication date: 1991-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-18
Also published as: GB2238709B; GB8926124D0

Abstract

A mounting bracket has a mounting limb 2 for attachment to a wall and an upstanding support limb 4. The rear surface 9 of the fitting contains a recess having its upper edge provided with a depending wedge-shaped lip 13 which locates between the support limb 4 and the wall. The upper face 14 of the recess abuts the upper edge of the support limb 4 and the lower face 15 of the recess can be brought to positively locate against the lower edge of the mounting limb 2 by rotational movement of the fitting so that substantial vertical movement of the fitting is prevented. <IMAGE>

Description

MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR A BATHROOM FITTING TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a mounting arrangement by which a bathroom fitting may be attached to a vertical surface, usually a wall, and which permits easy removal of the fitting, e.g. for cleaning.

BACKGROUND Ceramic bathroom fittings are often secured to a wall by screws. Apart from the obvious disadvantage that the fitting is not easily removable, great care must be taken not to overtighten the screws and break. the fitting. There is therefore a need for a mounting arrangement which will enable the fitting to quickly and easily removed from the wall.

Another problem which must be taken into account when devising a mounting arrangement suitable for ceramic fittings is that there is always a significant and unavoidable variation in size and shape of such fittings which occurs during the manufacturing process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a mounting arrangement for a bathroom fitting, including a mounting bracket having a plate-like mounting limb for attachment to a vertical surface and a plate-like support limb which is upstanding from the upper edge of the mounting limb in use in a spaced relationship to the said surface, and the bathroom fitting has a rear surface for mounting against the vertical surface and which contains a recess for reception of the mounting bracket therein, the recess having an upper face which is provided with a depending lip which locates between the support limb and the vertical surface in use.

The lip preferably has a front face which is upwardly inclined away from the rear surface of the fitting so that the lip is generally wedge shaped. Thus, as the fitting is pressed down onto the mounting bracket the support limb is urged away from the vertical surface by the wedging action of the lip. This assists in retaining the fitting on the bracket. In order to provide a positive lower position for the fitting the lip is preferably shorter than the support limb and the upper face of the recess is arranged to abut the upper edge of the support limb.

The recess preferably has a lower face which can be brought to positively locate against the lower edge of the mounting limb by rotational movement of the fitting about the support limb, so that when the rear surface of the fitting abuts the vertical surface, substantial vertical movement of the fitting is prevented by contact of the uper and lower faces of the recess with the respective upper and lower edges of the mounting bracket.

The mounting bracket may be of slightly lesser width than the recess to prevent lateral movement of the fitting when engaged with the mounting bracket.

Whilst the mounting arrangement could be used with plastics or metal fittings for example it is particularly suited to ceramic fittings since it is tolerant of variations in size and shape of the fitting, and in particular of the mounting recess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mounting bracket for use in a mounting arrangement of the invention, Figure 2 is a vertical section through the mounting bracket secured to a wall and with a ceramic fitting in the process of being mounted thereon, and Figure 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but showing the fitting in its final mounted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings show a mounting bracket 1 which is preferably formed of Nylon or similar tough but resilient plastics material, although it could also be formed of resilient metal. The bracket is in the form of a cranked plate and comprises a substantially rectangular plate-like mounting limb 2, which is shown vertical in the drawings. A bridge portion 3 extends angularly along the upper edge of the mounting plate, and a further substantially rectangular plate-like support limb 4 is upstanding along the upper edge of the bridge portion 3. The mounting and support limbs 2 and 4 therefore lie on different but substantially parallel planes. The two limbs are also of equal width.

The mounting limb 2 contains a pair of mutually perpendicular slots 5, 6 so that it can be fastened to a wall by screws 7, as shown in Fig.s 2 and 3, with the support limb spaced from the wall and projecting upwardly.

A ceramic fitting 8 such as a soap dish, toothbrush holder, hook, towel rail or loop, toilet roll holder or a shelf for example, has a substantially flat rear surface 9. This rear surface contains a recess 10 which, when viewed from the rear of the fitting, is of substantially rectangular shape, the width of the recess being only very slightly less than the horizontal width of the bracket 1. The upper face of the recess 10 has a first part 11 which extends substantially perpendicularly away from the rear surface 9 and leads into an upwardly directed part 12 inclined away from the rear surface 9. These two parts 11 and 12 together with the rear surface 9, define a generally wedge-shaped lip 13 which depends along the upper rear edge of the recess 10. At its upper end, the inclined part 12 leads into a further, downwardly inclined part 14.

The lower face 15 of the recess extends substantially perpendicularly from the rear surface 9 of the fitting, and is of substantially the same width in a front-rear direction as the thickness of mounting limb 2. This lower face leads into the rear face 16 of the recess, which is curved away from the rear face 9 in an upward direction until it eventually meets the downwardly inclined part 14.

To mount the fitting on the bracket 1 the recess 10 is offered up to the bracket with the rear surface 9 of the fitting inclined towards the wall in an upward direction. The lip 13 is guided between the support limb 4 and the wall as indicated in Fig. 2. By pushing the fitting downwards the lip 13 is urged between the support limb 4 and the wall with a wedging action, so that the support limb is bent away from the wall slightly. When the upper edge of the support limb 4 approaches the downwardly inclined face 14 of the recess the fitting can be angularly rotated so as to engage the lower face 15 of the recess beneath the lower edge of the mounting limb 2 and at the same time bring the rear face 9 of the fitting up against the wall, as shown in Fig. 3.

The fitting is now securely mounted on the bracket with the upper edge of the support limb in contact with the top faces 12 and 14 of the recess and the lower edge of the mounting limb 2 in contact with the lower face 15 of the recess. The fitting is thus unable to substantially move up or down on application of upward or downward pressure, nor can it move from side-to-side due to the close fit of the bracket against the sides of the recess.

To demount the fitting it is simply necessary to apply an upward pressure to the fitting whilst at the same time pulling its lower edge away from the wall.

Variations in size and shape of the mounting recess 10 will not adversely effect the secureness of the mounting, and at worst, an oversize recess will permit a small amount of vertical movement of the fitting.

However, since the support limb will be exerting pressure on the inclined face 12 the fitting will still not be slack.

Claims

1. A mounting arrangement for a bathroom fitting, including a mounting bracket having a platelike mounting limb for attachment to a vertical surface and a plate-like support limb which is upstanding from the upper edge of the mounting limb in use in a spaced relationship to the said surface, and the bathroom fitting has a rear surface for mounting against the vertical surface and which contains a recess for reception of the mounting bracket therein, the recess having an upper face which is provided with a depending lip which locates between the support limb and the vertical surface in use.

2. A mounting arrangement according to Claim 1, in which the lip has a front face which is upwardly inclined away from the rear surface of the fitting.

3. A mounting arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the lip is shorter than the support limb and the upper face of the recess is arranged to abut the upper edge of the support limb.

4. A mounting arrangement according to Claim 3, in which the recess has a lower face which can be brought to positively locate against the lower edge of the mounting limb by rotational movement of the fitting about the support limb, so that when the rear surface of the fitting abuts the vertical surface, substantial vertical movement of the fitting is prevented by contact of the uper and lower faces of the recess with the respective upper and lower edges of the mounting bracket.

5. A mounting arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the mounting bracket is of slightly lesser width than the recess to prevent substantial lateral movement of the fitting when engaged with the mounting bracket.

6. A mounting arrangement which is substantially as described with reference to the drawings.