GB2244812A - Mounting assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A mounting assembly has a mounting unit formed by a base (10) and a support plate (12) connected by flow-ways. The support plate (12) supports a meter unit (14) and a stop-cock assembly (20) so that the meter unit (14) is in fluid communication with flow-ways in the support plate (12) and hence with inlet and outlet pipes (22, 24). Insulation (34) encloses the meter unit (14) and the head-works of the stop-cock assembly (20) and rests in an insulation support plate (42) which is engageable by a suitable tool which permit the insulation support plate (42) and hence the insulation (34) to be lifted clear of the meter unit (14) and replaced easily. A one-way outlet duct (64) in the lid (60) of sealed housing (32) allows water to escape. The inlet and outlet pipes (22, 24) are rotatable, to enable their orientation to be adjusted. <IMAGE>

Description

METERING ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a mounting assembly for mounting a flow meter unit and/or a stopcock assembly. It is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with arrangements in which that meter unit is for metering the flow of water.

In GB-A-2210465, GB-A-2230614, GB-A-2232181, and GB 9026997.8, various mounting assemblies for flow meters were discussed. The present invention seeks to modify and adapt such mounting assemblies.

It is now increasingly common for water meters to be buried in the pavement outside domestic houses, at the curtlidge, and, for example, GB-A-2230164 referred to above discloses arrangements in which that meter unit is mounted on a mounting unit, which mounting unit is then located in a hole in the ground, which hole may be lined by e.g. a concrete wall. There may further be a housing connected to the mounting unit and enclosing the meter unit.

If such a mounting - assembly is located sufficiently deeply within the ground, e.g. greater than 750 mm, it is below the frost line, at least in the UK, and thus it will be relatively unaffected by changes in temperature. However, if the assembly is located less deeply (and this is more common because it is usually desirable to get access to the assembly from the surface) then there is a possibility that the meter unit will be affected by frost. To overcome this, it has been proposed to surround the meter unit with insulation.

However, little consideration has been given to the fact that it is sometimes necessary to remove the meter unit from the mounting unit (e.g. for assembly or replacement), and in such circumstances the insulation must also be removed. In practice, particularly because the insulation is difficult to remove, it is not uncommon for the person working on the meter unit to fail to replace the insulation.

There may then subsequently be problems with frost.

This problem is particularly accentuated in arrangements in which the mounting assembly has a housing enclosing the meter unit, because the insulation may then be fitted tightly between the meter unit and the housing, increasing the difficulties of removal and also increasing the probability that the insulation will not be replaced.

Therefore, in a first aspect, the present invention proposes that the insulation material be supported on an insulation support plate, and for there to be means for engaging that insulation support plate to permit the insulation support plate, and hence the insulation, to be removed from around the meter unit.

For example, the means for removing the insulation support plate may be a tool in the form of a key which is insertable through a bore in the insulation, so that it can engage the insulation support plate. The engagement may be, for example by means of mutually engaging screw threads in the key and the insulation base plate.

There may be one such bore, or a plurality of them, to permit more than one key to be used, and the insulation will normally then have further bores therein for receiving the meter unit, so that the insulation closely surrounds the meter unit.

In GB-A-2210465 a mounting assembly is discussed in which the meter mounting unit has an upper meter support plate, to which the meter unit is attached, and a base, the meter support plate and the base being connected by flow-ways, and also possibly by one or more pillars. In such an arrangement, there is then a space between the meter support plate and the base, and again this may be filled with insulation material.

In such circumstances, to make removal of that insulation material easier, a further insulation support plate may be provided, supporting the insulation between the meter support plate and the base, and for that further insulation support plate to be removable in a similar way to the insulation support plate which supports the insulation around the meter by using the same or a similar tool. Of course, to remove that further insulation support plate, and the insulation it supports, it is first necessary to remove the meter support plate, but this is sometimes necessary during repair of the mounting assembly.

In the above discussion it has been assumed that the mounting unit supports a meter unit. However, the first aspect of the invention discussed above is also applicable to arrangements in which the mounting assembly supports a stop-cock assembly, or in which it supports both a flow meter unit and a stop-cock assembly. In each of these cases, the insulation will be shaped so as substantially to enclose the meter and/or stop-cock assembly head-works.

In the first aspect of the present invention, discussed above, there may be a housing enclosing the meter unit. If that housing is not sealed, then there is a risk of water entering the housing from the exterior thereof, which water may be contaminated. If contaminated water then enters the housing, there is the risk that that contaminated water will leak into the flow-ways of the mounting assembly and so could contaminate the mains supply to the user. To overcome this, therefore it is desirable that the housing be sealed.

However, a further problem has then been found.

If the housing is sealed, any water leaking from the flow-ways of the mounting assembly into the space in the interior of the housing will not be able to escape. If this leaking process continues, there is a risk of pressure build-up inside the housing. If the meter unit then has to be repaired, there will be problems from the water pressure inside the housing.

Therefore, a second aspect of the present invention proposes that there is at least one one-way outlet duct from the interior of the housing to the exterior thereof for permitting fluid communication therethrough only in a direction out of the housing.

Thus, if water leaks from the flow-ways of the assembly into the interior of the housing, then that water may escape through the one-way duct. However, water cannot enter the housing through that duct.

This latter feature is particularly important because, when the assembly is mounted in the ground, water may sometimes fill the pit in which the assembly is mounted and thus there will be times when the housing is submerged under water. It should be noted that arrangements discussed above, in which the pit was lined with a wall of e.g. concrete do not normally prevent water entering the pit.

Again, such an arrangement is applicable to mounting assemblies for flow meters, for stop-cock assemblies, or both.

It has also been found that, where the lid of the housing is at least partially transparent, so that the meter unit display may be read through that transparent part, the use of a sealed housing, to prevent the ingress of contaminated water from outside the housing, may also result in the development of condensation on the meter unit display, or on the surface of the transparent part of the lid, making the meter unit display impossible to read. The provision of a one-way outlet duct enables that condensation to escape from the interior of the housing, thereby making the meter easier to read.

Many different arrangements of one-way ducts are possible. For example, where a stop-cock is provided and the shaft of the handle extends through the lid of the housing, a one-way duct may be formed by the seal of that shaft to the lid of the housing.

Alternatively, a separate one-way duct must be provided.

In the latter case, it is particularly desirable that the one-way duct be substantially U-shaped, with the arms of the "U" extending downwardly. The reason for this is that a one-way valve may then be provided in the arm of the "U" which extends into the housing, and the other arm of the "U" then extends downwardly in the pit in which the mounting assembly is located.

If the water level rises in the pit, so that it reaches the free end of the arm of the "U" outside the housing, it will then trap a bubble of air between the surface of the water in the duct and the one-way valve. That trapped air bubble will then reduce the risk of water leaking the wrong way through the oneway valve.

Since most houses will already have a mains water supply, the increasing use of water meters requires that those meters are inserted into the existing supply pipes. Although it is possible to get access to those supply pipes by digging a suitable pit, it is then necessary to connect flow pipes of the mounting assembly to the supply pipes of the mains supply. If the flow pipes are welded to the rest of the mounting unit, as was suggested in e.g. GB-A-2210465, problems may then occur in connecting those flow pipes.

Therefore, a third aspect of the present invention proposes that the or at least one flow pipe be rotatable relative to the flow-way of the mounting unit to which it connects, and to be sealed by a suitable resilient seal to that flow-way. The rotation permits the position of the flow pipes to be adjusted relative to the mounting unit so that it is easier to connect those flow pipes to the supply pipes of the main supply. However, it is then necessary to ensure that the water pressure within the respective flowways do not force the ends of the flow pipes out of the flow ways. Therefore, it is proposed that the or each flow pipe has a wider section within the corresponding flow-way, which widened section carries the resilient seal, and the end of the flow-way corresponding to the pipe has an inward projection.

That inward projection then defines an opening which is narrower than the widened section of the flow pipe, so that the flow-pipe cannot be removed.

Again, this invention is applicable to mounting assemblies for mounting a flow meter, for mounting a stop cock assembly, or both.

The widened section of the flow pipe may be a bush fixedly mounted to the rest of the pipe, which bush may then have grooves therein for receiving 0rings which form the resilient seals. Such an arrangement may permit the fixing together of the bush and the rest of the pipe after the pipe has been inserted into the mounting unit.

In a further development, the end of the flow-way corresponding to the flow pipe is defined by a plug, releasably mounted in the rest of the flow-way (e.g.

by a screw-fitting), with the plug defining the inward projection. In this way, the widened section of the flow pipe may be inserted into the flow-way, and then the plug inserted to hold that widened section within the flow-way.

The present invention is applicable to many different types of mounting assemblies. It is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to arrangements in which the mounting unit comprises an upper support plate and a lower base, connected together by flow-ways.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a sectional view through a mounting assembly being a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a detail of part of the mounting assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a sectional view through a mounting assembly being a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 shows a partly sectional view through a mounting assembly being a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 shows a sectional view through a mounting assembly being a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 shows a partly sectional view through a mounting assembly being a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and FIg. 7 shows a detail of an embodiment of Fig. 6.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a mounting assembly comprises a base 1 and a support plate 12, which each contain flow-ways and are connected by flow-ways. A meter unit 14 is mounted on the support plate 12 so that the flow-ways of the meter unit 14 are in fluid communication with the flow-ways in the support plate 12. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the meter unit has an outer casing 16 which fits into a recess in the support plate 12, and is held on the support plate 12 by a locking ring 18. That locking ring 18 has a screw engagement with the support plate 12. A stop-cock assembly 20 is also mounted on the support plate 12, which stop-cock assembly 20 permits the flow-path to the meter unit 12 to be sealed, or opened as appropriate.

An inlet pipe 22 and an outlet pipe 24 are connected to the base 10. Furthermore, that base 10 has a flange 26 which engages between blocks of a concrete wall 28 surrounding the mounting assembly.

The resulting structure is normally within a pit in the ground and is covered by a lid 30. Furthermore, a housing 32 may be provided to enclose the meter unit 14, which housing 32 is mounted on the base 10.

The resulting mounting assembly, as described above, is similar to that in e.g. GB-A-2230614, and the base 10 and the support plate 12 may be interconnected by pillars as in GB-A-2210465.

Therefore, for further details of these parts of the mounting assembly, reference should be made to those specifications, to GB 2232181, and to GB 9026997.8.

However, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the interior of the housing 32 has insulation 34 therein, which insulation 34 surrounds the meter unit 14 and the head-works of the stop-cock assembly 20. The insulation 34 is shown in more detail in Fig. 2, and it can be seen that the insulation 34 has bores 36, 38 therein to receive the meter unit 14 and a shaft 40 of the head-works of the stop-cock assembly 20.

There is an insulation support plate 42 between the support plate 12 and the insulation 34, which insulation support plate 42 may be fixed to the insulation 34 if desired. The insulation 34 may be in a single piece or a plurality of separate pieces. A tool 44 may then be inserted through bores 46 in the insulation 34, which tool 44 terminates in a screw thread 48 which can engage a corresponding threaded bore 50 in the insulation support plate 42. That tool 44 may thus permit the insulation support plate 42, and hence the insulation 34, to be lifted from the position shown in Fig. 1 out of the housing 32, to permit access to the meter unit 14 and/or the stopcock assembly 20. Fig. 2 also shows that the insulation support plate 42 has bores 52, 54, therein which fit around the meter unit 14 and the stop-cock assembly 20.

Thus, it becomes relatively simple to remove the insulation from the rest of the assembly, even when the insulation 34 is tightly fitted within the housing 32. It is also relatively simple to replace that insulation, particularly when the insulation 34 is fixed to the insulation support plate 42 because then all that is needed to lower the insulation support plate 42 in to place using the tool 44 (which has a handle to facilitate this) and then dis-engaging the tool 44 from the insulation support plate 42 and removing it from the bores 46 in the insulation 44.

Fig. 1 also shows insulation 56 between the support plate 12 and the base 10. It is sometimes necessary to remove that insulation 56 in order to get access to the base 10, although of course, the support plate 12 must be removed first. However, particularly if the insulation 56 is tightly fitted within the housing 32, and because of its greater depth below the surface, it may again be difficult to remove the insulation 56. Therefore, in a further development of the invention, a further insulation support plate 58 is provided, which normally rests on the base 10, and the insulation 56 is then located on that further insulation support plate 58. Again, the insulation 56 may be fixed to that insulation support plate 56 if desired.A suitable tool, which may be the same as the tool 44 which engages the insulation support plate 42, or may be different, may then engage the further insulation support plate 58, e.g. through bores in the insulation 56, again permitting relatively easy removable of the insulation 56 by lifting the further insulation support plate 58 clear of the base 10.

This has the further advantage that the replacement of that insulation is again relatively straightforward.

As was mentioned previously, the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is normally mounted in the ground, and to prevent the ingress of contaminated water from the pit in which the assembly is mounted, the casing 32 is normally sealed to the base 10, and has a lid 60 sealed to the rest of the housing 32. There is then the possibility that if water leaks from the flow-way of the mounting assembly, it may collect in the space 62 below the lid 60, and an over-pressure may develop.

Then, when the lid 60 is removed to permit access to the meter unit 14, the water in the space 62 is suddenly released. Furthermore, condensation may develop in the space 62, making difficult the reading of the display of the meter unit 14.

Therefore, an opening 64 is provided in the lid 60 of the housing 32, which opening 64, together with a one-way valve 66, forms a one-way outlet duct to permit water or condensation to escape from the space 62 to the exterior of the housing 32. However, contaminated water from the exterior of the housing 32 cannot enter, as it is prevented by the one-way valve 66.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the mounting assembly supports both a meter unit 14 and a stop-cock assembly. Fig 3 shows an arrangement in which there is no meter unit, and the mounting assembly supports only a stop-cock. Many of the features of the embodiment of Fig. 3 are the same or similar to those of the embodiment of Fig, 1, and the same reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts. Further details of these parts will not be given now.

In this embodiment, the shaft 40 of the headworks of the stop-cock assembly extends through the lid 60 of the housing 32, and terminates in a handle 70. A suitable seal 72 seals the shaft 42 to that lid 60. Furthermore, the meter unit 14 is replaced by a cover 74, which is secured to the support plate 12 by the locking ring 18.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the wall 28 extends only part of the way down the housing 32, but this is not of significance.

Furthermore, in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the one-way outlet duct is in the form of a U-shaped tube 76, with one arm 78 of that "U" tube extending through the lid 60 into the interior space 82 of the housing 32, and having the one-way valve 66 therein. The other arm 80 of the "U" tube 76 extends downwardly outside the housing 32. Suppose now that water fills the space 84 between the wall 28 and the outside of the housing 32.

As the water level in that space 84 rises, it will reach the free end of the arm 80, and will thereby trap an air bubble between the water surface and the one-way valve 66. If the water level continues to rise, the pressure of the air in that air bubble will increase, but the existence of the air bubble between the water surface and the one-way valve 66 will reduce the possibility of water reaching the one-way valve from the space 84, so reducing the risk of such water leaking into the space 82 within the housing 34. This design of outlet duct is then particularly advantageous.

Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment represents a development of embodiments disclosed in e.g. GB 9026997.8, and that specification should be consulted for details of the detailed structure of the mounting unit 100, the meter unit 102, and the stop-cock assembly.

In this embodiment, the mounting unit 100 is substantially H-shaped, with downwardly extending legs connecting to the inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24, and the upwardly extending arms receiving the meter unit 102 and the stop-cock assembly 104 respectively. A pressure check duct 106 extends from a side passage 108 in the H-shaped mounting unit 100, the purpose of which is discussed in more detail in GB 9026997.8 and will not be discussed in further detail now. A fixing 110 connects the mounting unit 100 to a base plate 112 mounted in a casing 114. That casing 114 has a lid, and the embodiment of Fig. 4 shows in more detail how the lid 116 is sealed to the housing 114 by a seal 118. The lid 116 contains a one-way outlet duct 120, having a one-way valve 122 therein, and possibly a removable cover 124 on the external opening of that duct 120.As in the previous embodiment, this one-way duct 120 allows water or condensation to escape from the space 126 within the housing 114.

It can also be seen that the shaft 128 of the stop-cock assembly 104 extends through the lid 116, and is sealed thereto by a suitable grommett 130. In a further development, that grommett 130 is designed so that when you put water pressure in the space 126 it exceeds a predetermined amount, it forces open a gap along the line 132 between the grommett 130 and the shaft 128, allowing the water to escape. If the pressure in the space 126 is reduced, the line 132 is sealed, preventing the entry of contaminated water.

Fig. 4 this shows two different designs of one-way outlet ducts, but of course either may be present in any particular embodiment.

When the mounting unit is mounted in a hole in the ground, it is then necessary to connect the inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24 to mains supply pipe.

Normally, the mains supply pipe will already be present and there will then be the problem of ensuring that the inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24 are aligned with the supply pipes before connection. In arrangements such as those discussed in GB-A-2210465, in which the inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24 were welded to the base, it is then difficult to adjust the position of those inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24 to connect to the mains supply pipes.

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment in which this problem may be overcome, or at least ameliorated. Considering first the outlet pipe 24, it can be seen that its end can is received within a downwardly extending flow-way 140 of the base 10. A bush 142 is fixed to the end of the outlet pipe 24 within that flow-way 140, and that bush 142 has 0-rings 144 mounted thereon to seal the bush 142 to the inner wall 148 of the flow-way 140.

The use of 0-rings 144 permits the bush 142, and hence the outlet pipe 24, to rotate relative to the flow-way 140, and hence relative to the base 10. To prevent the water pressure forcing the bush 142 out of the end of the flow-way 140, the end of the flow-way has an inwardly extending projection 148 forming a lip which rests over the bush 142 and so prevents that bush 142 being removed from the flow-way 140.

The structure of the connection of the outlet pipe 24 and the flow-way 140 is shown in full section in Fig. 5. The connection of the inlet pipe 22 and the relevant flow-way of the base 10 is the same, and the same reference numerals are used. However, Fig.

5 shows the bush 142 on the inlet pipe 22 in side view, rather than in section, so that the 0-rings 144 can be seen more clearly.

In the assembly of the embodiment of Fig. 5, the inlet and outlet pipes (22,24) will have the corresponding bush 142 welded thereto and will be inserted into the base 10 in a downward direction in the orientation shown in Fig. 5.

It should be noted that the other components of this embodiment including the support plate 12, the meter unit 14 and stop-cock assembly 20 may be the same as in the embodiment as Fig. 1 and will not be discussed in detail.

Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment, which is a development of the embodiment of Fig. 4, but with the inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24 rotatably mounted in the mounting unit 100. Parts of this embodiment which correspond to parts of the embodiment of Fig. 4 are indicated by the same reference numerals. However, in this embodiment, the lid 150 of the housing 144 is different, but the configuration of this lid 150 is not relevant to the present invention, and will not be discussed in detail. Reference may be made to GB 9026997.8.

In the embodiment of Fig. 6, the inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24 terminate in bushes 152, which are received in the downwardly extending legs 154 of the H-shaped mounting unit 100. Those bushes 152 support 0-rings 156.

This configuration is shown in more detail in Fig. 7, and it can be seen that the downwardly extending legs 154 terminate in plugs 158 which engage the walls 160 of the downwardly extending legs 154, by means of screw engagement 162. The insertion of the plug 158 in the downwardly extending legs 154 clamp the bush 152 within the respective legs 154, so that axial movement is substantially prevented, but the bush 152, and hence the inlet or outlet pipe 22, 24, may rotate relative to the mounting unit 100. Such an arrangement enables easy insertion of the inlet and outlet pipes 22, 24 into the downwardly extending legs 154, because, with the plugs 158 removed, the bushes 152 fit easily into the legs 154, and then the engagement of the plug 158 and the respective wall 160 holds the bush 152 in place.

Although particularly developed for the mounting of water meters, the present invention is not restricted thereto, nor is it restricted to arrangements which necessarily have a stop-cock assembly. However, the present invention improves existing mounting assemblies for flow meters and/or stop-cocks, particularly when the assembly is located in the ground.

Claims (19)

1. A mounting assembly for a flow meter, comprising: a meter mounting unit; a meter unit mounted on the meter mounting unit, the meter mounting unit having flow-ways therethrough for fluid communication with the meter unit; an insulation base plate having an opening through which the meter unit extends the insulation baseplate being located at or proximate the meter mounting unit; insulation material on the insulation base plate, the insulation material surrounding the meter unit; and means for engaging the insulator base plate to permit the insulation base plate and the insulation material simultaneously to be removable from the meter unit in a predetermined direction.

2. A mounting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the meter mounting unit also supports a stop-cock assembly for releasably sealing at least one flow-way in the support plate.

3. A mounting assembly for a stop-cock, comprising: a stop-cock mounting unit; a stop-cock assembly mounted on the mounting unit, the stop-cock mounting unit having flow ways therein, the stop-cock assembly being for releasably sealing at least one of those flow ways; an insulation base plate having an opening through which the stop-cock assembly extends, the insulation baseplate being located at or proximate the stop-cock assembly; insulation material on the insulation base plate, the insulation material surrounding the stop-cock assembly; and means for engaging the insulator base plate to permit the insulation base plate and the insulation material simultaneously to be removable from the stopcock assembly in a predetermined direction.

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the insulation has a bore therethrough for passage of the engaging means.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engagement of the insulation base plate and the engaging means is by mutual engagement of screw threads.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, having an outer housing enclosing the meter unit and/or stop-cock assembly, at least part of the mounting unit, the insulation base plate and the insulation material.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mounting unit has a base and a support plate, the base having flow-ways in fluid communication with flow-ways of the support plate, and the flow-ways of the support plate being in fluid communication with the base, there being further insulation material between the base and the support plate, a further insulation base plate located at or proximate the base, whereby the further insulation material is removable simultaneously with the further insulation base plate after removal of the support plate from the base.

8. A mounting assembly for a flow meter comprising: a mounting unit having a plurality of flow-ways therein; a meter unit mounted on the mounting unit such that the meter unit is in fluid communication with the flow-ways; and a housing sealed to the mounting unit and enclosing the meter unit, there being at least one one-way outlet duct from the interior of the housing to the exterior thereof for permitting fluid communication therethrough only in a direction out of the housing.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the mounting unit also supports a stop-cock assembly for releasably sealing at least one flow-way of the mounting unit.

10. A mounting assembly for a stop-cock, comprising: a mounting unit having a plurality of flow-ways therein; a stop-cock assembly mounted on the mounting unit for releasably sealing at least one flow-way of the mounting unit; and a housing sealed to the mounting unit and enclosing the stop-cock assembly, there being at least one one-way outlet duct from the interior of the casing to the exterior of the assembly for permitting fluid communication therethrough only in a direction out of the casing.

11. An assembly according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the one-way outlet duct is coaxial with a handle of the stop-cock assembly, which handle extends through the housing.

12. An assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the one-way outlet duct is substantially U-shaped, with the arms of the "U" extending downwardly.

13. A mounting assembly for a flow meter comprising: a mounting unit having a plurality of flow-ways therein; a meter unit mounted on the mounting unit such that the meter unit is in fluid communication with the flow-ways,; and at least one flow pipe communicating with a corresponding flow-way, wherein an end of the or each flow pipe is rotatable relative to the corresponding flow-way but is sealed to the wall of the corresponding flow-way by at least one resilient seal the end of the or each flow pipe having a widened section within the flow-way, which widened section carries the resilient seal(s), and the end of the flow-way corresponding to the flow pipe has an inward projection defining an opening narrower than the widened section of the corresponding flow pipe, through which opening part of the flow pipe extends.

14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein the mounting unit also supports a stop-cock assembly for releasably sealing at least one flow-way of the mounting unit.

15. A mounting assembly for a stop-cock, comprising: a mounting unit having a plurality of flow-ways therein; a stop-cock assembly mounted on the mounting unit for releasably sealing at least one flow-way of the mounting unit; at least one flow pipe communicating with a corresponding flow-way wherein an end of the or each flow pipe is rotatable relative to the corresponding flow-way but is sealed to the wall of the corresponding flow-way by at least one resilient seal, the end of the or each flow pipe having a widened section within the flow-way, which widened section carries the resilient seal(s), and the end of the flow-way corresponding to the flow pipe has an inward projection defining an opening narrower than the widened section of the corresponding flow pipe, through which opening part of the flow pipe extends.

16. An assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the widened section is fixedly mounted to the rest of the flow pipe.

17. An assembly according to claim 16, wherein the bush has a plurality of grooves therein, the grooves receiving corresponding, 0-rings, which 0-rings form the resilient seal.

18. An assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the end of the flow-way is defined by a plug, releasably mounted in the rest of the flow-way, the plug defining the inward projection.

19. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting assembly comprises a base and a support plate, with flow-ways extending therebetween.