GB2350845A

GB2350845A - Overflow fitting for a flushing cistern

Info

Publication number: GB2350845A
Application number: GB9911168A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Hugh Mccool; Peter Mark Sturley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-05-14
Filing date: 1999-05-14
Publication date: 2000-12-13
Also published as: GB9911168D0

Abstract

A combined flush pipe consists of a flush pipe 1 and moulded tee-piece 2, both arms of the said tee-piece being sealed by moulded caps 3 which include circular ridges for easy removal. The appropriate moulded cap is removed to allow the insertion of an overflow pipe which is sealed with adhesive. Overflowing liquid from the tank is discharged directly into the flush pipe, rendering external overflow pipework, overflow flush pipe attachments and multi-banked overflow arrangements unnecessary.

Description

COMBINED FLUSH PIPE This invention relates to an overflow warning device.

It is particularly applicable to, but is not limited to, a toilet cistern.

Where water is stored in cisterns in domestic or commercial premises, there is usually an overflow pipe in case the cistern overfills. Most commonly, this overflow pipe is routed to the outside of the building. This often leads to the inability to detect the overflow thus wasting water.

This problem is exacerbated in flats and multi-occupancy buildings where there may be one overflow for a large number of individual flats. Even if water is seen or heard escaping, there is no way of knowing which flat it is coming from.

At present, the only alternative to drilling through the wall and routing the overflow pipe to the outside of the building is a bolted clamp-on flange type fitting which requires a cutting tool to cut into the existing flush pipe. This method is labour intensive and time consuming.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a replacement for the existing simple flush pipe design, embodying a moulded tee-piece thus rendering external overflow pipework, overflow flush pipe attachments and multi-banked overflow systems obsolete.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 shows the down piece of a standard sized flush pipe with moulded tee-piece. Figure 2 shows the overall arrangement of the invention in a standard water closet system.

Referring to Figure 1, the moulded tee-piece, 2, is sealed by moulded caps, 3, with circular ridges for easy removal. The installer decides the optimum side for the overflow pipe to be fitted then removes the appropriate cap, 3, usually with a junior hacksaw, removing any burrs from the inside of the tee-piece, 2, with a pen-knife or similar. The overflow pipe is then inserted into the tee-piece, 2, sealing with normal plastic adhesive.

Figure 2 shows a completed installation with the overflow pipe, 4, connected to the left-hand entry of the tee-piece, 2. The moulded cap, 3, has been removed on this side and the same left in place on the righthand side. The excess water drains down the flush pipe, 1, into the toilet bowl below,

Claims

2 CLAIMS

1. A conveyance pipe for conveying liquid from a tank containing liquid and which has an overflow pipe through S which overflowing liquid can pass out of the tank, the conveyance pipe comprising a first end which is connectable to a said tank and having means for allowing an overflow pipe of said tank to be connected to the conveyance pipe to allow liquid overflowing from said tank to pass into the conveyance pipe.

2. A conveyance pipe according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises at least one opening in a side wall of the conveyance pipe.

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3. A conveyance pipe according to claim 2, comprising a cap for closing said opening and which is removable to allow a said overflow pipe to be connected to the conveyance pipe.

4. A conveyance pipe according to claim 3, wherein said cap is integrally formed with said conveyance pipe.

5. A conveyance pipe according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises two openings in a side wall of the conveyance pipe which are selectively connectable to a said overflow pipe.

6. A conveyance pipe according to claim 5, comprising two caps for respectively closing said openings and which are selectively removable to allow a said overflow pipe to be connected to the conveyance pipe.

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7. A conveyance pipe according to claim 6, wherein each of said caps is integrally formed with said conveyance pipe.

S 8. A conveyance pipe according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said openings are provided at different angular positions of said conveyance pipe.

9. A conveyance pipe according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the or each opening is provided by an open end of a connection pipe which projects from the side wall of the conveyance pipe.

10. A conveyance pipe according to claim 9, wherein the or 1-5 each connection pipe is integrally formed with the conveyance pipe.

11. A method of connecting a conveyance pipe to a tank for conveying liquid from the tank, the tank having an overflow pipe through which overflowing liquid can pass out of the tank, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a first end of the conveyance pipe to the tank to allow liquid to be conveyed from the tank through the conveyance pipe; and, 25 connecting the overflow pipe to connection means of the conveyance pipe to allow liquid overflowing from said tank to pass into the conveyance pipe.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said connection means comprises at least one opening in a side wall of the conveyance pipe, the method comprising the step of connecting the overflow pipe to said opening.

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13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the conveyance pipe comprises a cap for closing said opening, the method comprising the step of removing said cap to allow the overflow pipe to be connected to said opening.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said cap is integrally formed with said conveyance pipe.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein said connection means comprises two openings in a side wall of the conveyance pipe, the method comprising the step of selectively connecting the overflow pipe to one of said openings.

16. A method according to claim 15, comprising two caps for respectively closing said openings, the method comprising the steps of removing a cap from one of said openings and connecting the overflow pipe to said one opening.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein each of said caps is integrally formed with said conveyance pipe.

18. A method according to any of claims 15 to 18, wherein said openings are provided at different angular positions of said conveyance pipe.

19. A method according to any of claims 12 to 18, wherein the or each opening is provided by an open end of a connection pipe which projects from the side wall of the conveyance pipe.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the or each connection pipe is integrally formed with the conveyance pipe.

21. A method according to any of claims 12 to 20, wherein said tank is a toilet cistern and the conveyance pipe is a flush pipe of said toilet cistern.

22. A conveyance pipe, substantially in accordance with 10 any of the examples as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

23. A method of connecting a conveyance pipe to a tank for is conveying liquid from the tank, substantially in accordance with any of the examples as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.