GB2311576A

GB2311576A - Shower or like fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2311576A
Application number: GB9606387A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Paul Kinsey
Original assignee: Kohler Mira Ltd
Current assignee: Kohler Mira Ltd
Priority date: 1996-03-27
Filing date: 1996-03-27
Publication date: 1997-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 2016-03-27
Also published as: GB2311576A8; GB9606387D0; GB2311576B

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SHOWER FITTINGS This invention concerns improvements in or relating to shower fittings, in particular, but not exclusively, fittings for connecting a spray head to a water supply.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shower fitting for connecting a spray head to a water supply that can be installed in a simple manner.

Other objects, benefits and advantages of the invention will be understood from the description later herein of two exemplary embodiments.

According to the present invention there is provided a shower fitting comprising a first part for mounting on a support surface such as a wall, a second part for connection to a water supply, and a third part for connection to the first part by engagement of bayonet formations on the first and third parts, the third part defining a passageway for conducting water from the supply to an outlet.

The third part may comprise a support arm for a spray head connected to the outlet for swivelling movement to adjust the trajectory of the spray.

Alternatively, the third part may comprise an inlet adaptor for connection to a flexible hose connected to a spray head in the form of a handset.

Advantageously, at least one bayonet formation is arranged to act in the manner of a self-locking latch which is preferably releasable to allow the first and third parts to be disconnected if required.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is an exploded isometric view of a shower fitting according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a side view showing the assembled fitting; FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the fitting shown in Figure 2; FIGURE 4 is side view, partly in section, similar to Figure 2; FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; FIGURE 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4; FIGURE 7 is an exploded isometric view of a shower fitting according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled fitting.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, a first embodiment of shower fitting 1 is shown having a spray head 2 connected to a support arm 3 for swivelling movement to vary the spray trajectory.

The support arm 3 has a hollow outer body 4 and a hollow inner chassis 5 permanently secured within the outer body 4 and sealed by an O- ring 6. The rear end portion 7 of the outer body 4 is flared for flush mounting with a support surface 12 of a wall or partition to conceal a releasable bayonet connection between the inner chassis 5 and a mounting bracket 8.

The mounting bracket 8 is of circular shape having a through hole 11 for passage of an externally threaded pipe 13 for connection at the rear end to a water supply (not shown). An internally threaded bush 14 is screwed onto the front end of the pipe 13 and has an external collar 15 intermediate its ends for engagement with an annular seat 16 provided by a counterbore in the hole 11 to hold the bracket 8 against the support surface 12. The outer end of the bush 14 has opposed flats 17 for engagement by a spanner to tighten the bush 14. Alternatively, or additionally the bracket 8 may be secured by fixing screws 9 with an optional backing plate 10 for use when fixing the bracket 8 to stud and plasterboard walls.

The bracket 8 has four circumferentially spaced bayonet recesses 18,19,20,21 each comprising an axial entry 22 leading from the front face to a blind circumferential slot 23. The inner chassis 5 has four circumferentially spaced radial bayonet projections at the rear end comprising three lugs 24,25,26 and a cantilever spring leg 27 having the function of a self-locking latch as described later herein.

The support arm 3 is secured to the mounting bracket 8 by first pushing the support arm 3 in an axial direction and then twisting the support arm 3 in a clockwise direction to engage the bayonet projections 24,25,26,27 in the bayonet recesses 18,19,20,21 respectively.

The interengageable bayonet formations on the support arm 3 and bracket 8 have a matching non-uniform circumferential spacing so that the support arm 3 can only be secured to the mounting bracket 8 in one orientation to engage the cantilever spring leg 27 in the recess 21 which is arranged uppermost when the bracket 8 is secured to the wall. Any number andlor arrangement of interengageable bayonet formations may be provided.

The recess 21 has a circumferentially extending cam surface 21a terminating in a radial abutment surface 21b. The spring leg 27 is compressed by the cam surface 21a and the free end of the spring leg 21 engages the radial abutment surface 21b in the manner of a self-locking latch to prevent reverse rotation of the support arm 3 to release the bayonet formations.

The abutment surface 21b leads to a radial slot 28 extending through the wall of the bracket 8 behind the free end of the spring leg 21 when engaged with the abutment surface 21b. The slot 28 aligns with an opening 29 in the flared end portion 7 of the outer body 4 allowing a tool to be inserted to release engagement of the free end of the spring leg 27 with the abutment surface 21b to allow reverse rotation of the support arm 3 to release the bayonet formations for detaching the support arm 3 from the bracket 8.

The front end of the bush 14 is received in the rear end of the chassis 5 when the support arm 3 is secured to the bracket 8 with an O- ring 30 mounted on the front end of the bush 14 engaging the internal surface of the chassis 5 to provide a fluid-tight seal.

The spray head 2 has a hollow inlet spigot 31 that is received in a through bore 32 of a part-spherical ball 33 mounted for swivelling movement at the front end of the support arm 3. The bore 32 has an axial groove 34 in which a longitudinal rib 35 on the spigot 31 is located for mounting the spray head 2 in one orientation. The spigot 31 has resilient detents 36 arranged to snap into an annular recess 37 in the bore 32 to axially retain the spigot 31 in the bore 32 with an O-ring 38 mounted on the spigot 31 providing a fluidtight seal.

The ball 33 is engaged by a part-spherical fixed seat 39 on the outer body 4 and by a part spherical seat 40 on a tubular sleeve 41 axially biased by a spring 42 extending between the sleeve 41 and the chassis 5 to urge the seats 39,40 together to allow frictionally restrained swivelling movement of the ball 33 for holding the spray head 2 in any selected one of range of angularly adjusted positions.

The spray head 2 has a spray plate 43 retained by an annular grip ring 44 clipped to the body of the spray head 2 so as to be removable for detaching the spray plate 43 for cleaning when required. The ball 33 has two pins 45,46 arranged to project radially from the ball 33 for engagement with a respective rib 47,48 on the inner surface of the outer body 4 to limit axial rotation of the ball 33 to keep the spray plate 43 always pointing in a generally downward direction.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, a second embodiment of shower fitting 101 is shown principally comprising a mounting bracket 102, a bush 103, a hollow elbow connector 104 and an outer cover 105.

The mounting bracket 102 has a through hole 106 for passage of an externally threaded inlet pipe 107 connected to a water source (not shown).

The bush 103 is internally threaded for screwing onto the inlet pipe 107 and has an external collar 109 intermediate the ends which engages an annular seat 110 provided by a counterbore in the hole 106 to hold the mounting bracket 102 against a mounting surface 111 such as a wall or partition. The outer end of the bush 103 has opposed flats 112 for engagement by a spanner to tighten the bush 103. Alternatively, or additionally, the mounting bracket 102 may be secured by fixing screws with optional backing plate as described for the first embodiment.

The mounting bracket 102 has three circumferentially spaced bayonet recesses 113,114,115 each comprising an axial entry 116 and a blind circumferential groove 117. The elbow connector 104 has an annular flange 118 at the rear provided with three circumferentially spaced bayonet projections comprising two lugs 119,120 and a cantilever spring leg 121 having the function of self-locking latch as described later herein.

The elbow connector 104 is secured to the mounting bracket 102 by first pushing the elbow connector 104 in an axial direction and than twisting the elbow connector 104 in a clockwise direction to engage the bayonet projections 119,120,121 in the bayonet recesses 113,114,115.

The circumferential spacing of the bayonet recesses 113,114,115 is non-uniform and matches the circumferential spacing of the bayonet projections 119,120,121 so that the elbow connector 104 can only be fitted in one orientation with the outlet end pointing downwards and the spring leg 121 received in the recess 115. Any number and/or arrangement of interengageable bayonet formations may be provided.

The spring leg 121 is engageable in the recess 115 in the manner of a self-locking latch as described in the first embodiment to prevent reverse rotation of the elbow connector 104 to release the bayonet formations.

A radial slot 122 extends through the wall of the bracket 102 and opens into the recess 115 behind the spring leg 121 for inserting a tool to release the spring leg 121 for detaching elbow connector 104 from the bracket 102.

The front end of the bush 103 is received in the inlet end of the elbow connector 104 when the elbow connector 104 is secured to the bracket 102 with an O-ring 123 mounted on the front end of the bush 103 engaging the internal surface of the elbow connector 104 to provide a fluid-tight seal.

The outer cover 105 fits over the elbow connector 104 and is releasably secured to the mounting bracket 102 flush with the mounting surface by snapping circumferentially spaced radial lugs 124 on the mounting bracket 102 into aligned recesses 125 in the inner surface of the cover 105. Three flanges 126,127,128 on the elbow connector 104 assist location of the outer cover 105 and provide support for the outer cover 105 when fitted.

The outer cover 105 has a hole 129 in the underside providing access to the outlet end of the elbow connector 104 which is externally threaded for attaching an internally threaded coupling 130 at one end of a shower hose 131 connected at the other end to a shower handset (not shown). A washer 132 seated in the coupling 130 engages the end face of the elbow connector 104 to ensure a fluid-tight connection.

The outer cover 105 is detachable from the mounting bracket 102 allowing access to the slot 122 for inserting a suitable tool to move the spring leg 121 out of the slot 122 allowing the elbow connector 104 to be detached by first rotating in an anticlockwise direction to align the bayonet projections 118,119,120 with the axial entry 115 of the associated bayonet recess 112,13,114 and then pulling in an axial direction to withdraw the projections 118,119,120 from the recesses 112,113,114.

It will be understood that the invention has general application for connecting a water supply to an ablutionary appliance and is not limited to the embodiments above-described.

Claims

Claims:

1. A shower fitting comprising a first part for mounting on a support surface such as a wall, a second part for connection to a water supply, and a third part for connection to the first part by engagement of bayonet formations on the first and third parts, the third part defining a passageway for conducting water from the supply to an outlet.

2. A shower fitting according to Claim 1 wherein the third part comprises a support arm for a spray head.

3. A shower fitting according to Claim 2 wherein the spray head is connected to the support arm for swivelling movement to adjust the trajectory of the spray.

4. A shower fitting according to Claim 3 wherein the swivel connection comprises a ball joint adapted to hold the spray head in a selected position of adjustment by friction.

5. A shower fitting according to Claim 4 wherein the friction is created by a spring loaded seat for the ball.

6. A shower fitting according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the ball joint is arranged to limit swivelling movement of the spray head.

7. A shower fitting according to Claim 1 wherein the third part comprises an inlet adaptor for connection to a spray head in the form of a shower handset.

8. A shower fitting according to Claim 7 wherein the inlet adaptor is adapted for attaching a flexible hose connected to the spray head.

9. A shower fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the bayonet formations on the first and third parts are arranged for securing the parts in a pre-determined orientation.

10. A shower fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims including a self-latching detent for securing the bayonet formations.

11. A shower fitting according to Claim 10 wherein the detent is releasable so that the first and third parts can be disconnected.

12. A shower fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the second part is adapted for securing to a water supply pipe.

13. A shower fitting according to Claim 12 wherein the second part has an internal screw thread for engagement with an external screw thread on the supply pipe.

14. A shower fitting according to Claim 12 or Claim 13 wherein the first part is adapted to be located and retained on the support surface when the second part is secured to the supply pipe.

15. A shower fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the first part is adapted to be located and retained on the support surface by fixing screws.

16. A shower fitting according to Claim 15 including a back plate for securing the fixing screws on the side of the support surface remote from the first part.

17. A shower fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the second part is located and sealed at one end of the passageway when the third part is secured to the first part.

18. A shower fitting according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the third part is provided with a cover for concealing the connection between the first and third parts.

19. A shower fitting according to Claim 18 wherein the cover is detachable.

20. A shower fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A shower fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.