GB2382398A

GB2382398A - Tap adaptor

Info

Publication number: GB2382398A
Application number: GB0123551A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Jonathan Wright
Original assignee: Pegler Ltd
Current assignee: Pegler Ltd
Priority date: 2001-10-01
Filing date: 2001-10-01
Publication date: 2003-05-28
Also published as: GB0123551D0

Abstract

There is disclosed a tap adaptor (50) for enabling a tap to be fitted to an appliance such as a bath, basin or sink. Where the tap is a single-hole mixer tap designed for use with an appliance having a single hole for receiving the mixer tap, the adaptor (50) enables the single-hole mixer tap to be adapted to a two-hole type appliance designed to employ two separate taps. The adaptor (50) includes an enclosed body (51) having a pair of water supply inlets (58 and 60) each in fluid communication with an outlet (52) arranged to receive a single-hole type mixer tap (20). Inlets (58 and 60) may be provided in the base of the body (51) of the adaptor such that they may be aligned with corresponding holes (5 and 6) in the rim (3) of an appliance such as a bath. Outlet holes (66 and 68) of the adaptor (50) may be connected to a fluid conduit of a single-hole type mixer tap (20) via a tube-like connector (100).

Description

Tap Adaptor This invention relates to tap fittings and more particularly to a tap adaptor for enabling a tap to be fitted to an appliance such as a bath or sink.

Generally there are two types of bath, examples are depicted in Figs la and lb. Fig la shows a top down view of a traditional two-hole type bath 1 in which two separate holes 5 and 6 are provided in or near the bath rim 3-usually one for hot water and one for cold water. The holes may be preformed or in some cases they are made by the plumber when first fitting taps to the bath. The two holes are some distance apart and according to a British standard the distance between the holes' respective centres should be 180 millimetres apart.

Typically each hole has a diameter of about 30 millimetres although this may vary. Each respective hole provides access to a respective water pipe connected to the building's plumbing system. Usually the first hole 5 will provide access to a hot water pipe and the second hole 6 will provide access to a cold water pipe.

Generally the water pipe is located just beneath the hole, although it may extend through it. A separate tap

is fitted at each hole and connected to the relevant pipe. Thus there is a separate hot tap and cold tap and each is operated independently. Alternatively a mixer tap, which has a single spout and combines hot and cold water may be used. In this case the tap has to have a broad base so that it can have a separate inlet at each hole and the tap base is formed integrally with the tap spout. Other appliances such as basins, kitchen sinks, hospital sinks etc also have two holes, generally the holes will be 100-200mm apart. For a kitchen sink or bath the holes'respective centres are kitchen sink/bath 175- 185mm apart, usually about 180mm apart; for a basin 95- 105mm, usually 100mm apart; and for a hospital sink 195- 205mm, usually 200mm apart.

An example of a more modern bath 10 is depicted in Fig lb. More modern baths have a single hole 7 in the bath rim 3. Two adjacent pipes (one for hot and one for cold water) are accessed through this single hole. Usually the pipes are slightly offset so as to enable a spanner to be applied to one without interfering with the other, however they must be close together so that they can both fit within the same bath rim hole, Typically each pipe will have a diameter of around 15 millimetres and the single hole in the bath rim has a diameter of 35-60 millimetres.

Taps designed for a single hole type bath are of the combined hot and cold water (or mixer) type and have a single spout. An example of such a tap is provided in Fig 2. The single hole mixer tap 20 has a bottom portion 21 designed to rest on the surface presented by the rim 3 of

a single hole type bath. The bottom portion 21 is shaped to fit over the single hole 7 of the rim 3 and is fixed in place by a screw fitting 23. An 0-ring 4 may be provided for sealing. One end of the screw fitting 23 screws into a threaded internal cavity 24 of the tap, the other end of the screw fitting extends through the single hole 7 to the other side of the rim 3 and receives a nut 22, which can be screwed in place in order to fix the tap to the rim 3. The tap 20 is adapted to be connected with a hot water pipe and a cold water pipe, both of which are accessed through and located just beneath the single hole 7 and have diameters of approximately 15 millimetres. The tap has a pair of internal conduits one for channelling hot water to a mixer unit 30 and one for channelling cold water to the mixer unit 30. Each conduit receives a tail pipe, the bottom end of which can be connected to a water supply pipe of the building's plumbing system. As Fig 2 is a side cross-section only the hot water conduit 29 is shown. The conduit 29 terminates at one end in the mixer unit 20 and at the other end in a hole at the bottom of the tap. The conduit 29 receives the top end of a tail pipe 25, the bottom end of the tail pipe can be connected to a hot water supply pipe of the building's plumbing system by any appropriate means. The top end 27 of the tail pipe may be threaded and engage with a threaded portion of the hot water conduit, alternatively the tail pipe may extend further up the internal conduit than shown in Fig 2 so that its top end engages with the mixer unit 30. The cold water conduit is the same as the hot water conduit just described and receives a cold water tail pipe. Two sheet like elements : a washer 8 and a clamp plate 9 are positioned between the bottom surface

of the bath rim 3 and the nut 22. The washer B is made from rubber or another suitable material and prevents water from the tap leaking beneath the bath rim and the clamp plate 9 protects the washer 8 from the nut 22. The washer 8 and clamp plate 9 are provided with holes or gaps through which the screw fitting 23 and tail pipes 25 can pass.

The hot water conduit 29 and cold water conduit (not shown) lead to a valve and mixer unit 30 (often called a mixer cartridge) which mixes the hot and cold water and allows it to pass through the spout at a rate and in proportions determined by operation of the tap handle 35.

Fig 2 shows a single lever handle 35. The above is given by way of example only and as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, numerous variations are possible but all'one-hole'type taps are limited by the design constraint that they are adapted to fit'over and access water supply pipes through a single hole in or near the bath rim (or basin or sink rim as the case may be).

Thus, at present, a tap designed for a single-hole type bath (or other appliance) cannot be fitted to a two-hole type bath (or other two hole type appliance). This is a difficulty for manufacturers as single-hole type baths, although at the more profitable end of the market, are not as common as the more traditional two-hole type baths. Therefore a manufacturer of taps designed for a single-hole type bath has a limited market.

The present invention seeks to enhance the versatility of a single-hole mixer tap (hereinafter also referred to as a single hole type tap or a tap designed for a single hole bath/bathroom appliance), by providing a method of adapting the single-hole mixer tap to enable it to be used on a two-hole type appliance (such as a bathroom appliance, especially a bath, but also possibly a bidet, basin or a sink such as kitchen sink or hospital sink).

Accordingly a first aspect of the present invention provides an adaptor for connecting a single hole mixer tap to a two-hole type appliance, the adaptor comprising an enclosed body having a pair of water supply inlets and, in fluid communication therewith, an outlet arranged to receive a single-hole mixer tap. Such an adaptor may include a body having an outlet adapted for receiving a single hole mixer tap, a laterally spaced pair of inlets each adapted for connection to a water supply, and a channel or channels enabling fluid communication between the inlets and the outlet so that in use water can flow from the inlets to the tap receiving outlet.

In use the adaptor is to be fitted between the single hole type tap and the two bath holes. A single hole mixer tap is connected to the adaptor outlet and the adaptor inlets are fitted over the two bath holes and each inlet is connected to a water supply pipe.

Usually the bath holes will be in the top surface of the bath rim, however in some cases they may be provided near the bath rim, for example towards the top of a sidewall of the bath or in a bathroom wall above the bath. The bath holes provide access to water supply pipes.

Preferably the adaptor has a flat base suitable for sitting on the upper surface presented by a bath rim and the inlets are inlet holes in the base of the adaptor.

Thus when the adaptor is fitted in place its base is sat on the bath rim and its inlets are aligned with the holes in the bath rim.

Preferably each inlet is a hole surrounded by a protruding flange adapted to fit inside the bath rim hole and to receive a pipe extending within or beneath the bath rim hole. More preferably each inlet is in the form of a tail pipe extending from (and preferably integral with) the adaptor base, each tail pipe being suitable for connection to a water supply pipe. Thus there may be a hot water inlet comprising a hot water tail pipe and a cold water inlet comprising a cold water tail pipe.

Preferably the tail pipes have threaded outer walls. Then when the adaptor is put in place, the tail pipes can extend down through the bath rim holes and nuts may be screwed on from below in order to fix the adaptor to the bath rim.

Seals may be added in the form of 0-rings or rubber seals etc. In a preferred embodiment a base washer is provided for fitting between the adaptor and t. he rim or other surface which the adaptor is to be sat on. The base washer may be made of any suitable material, e. g. rubber, and has holes or gaps through which the adaptor inlet tail pipe$ can pass. A silicon seal may also be applied.

Usually the seals are added by the plumber when fitting the adaptor.

The tap is to be fitted to an outlet on an outer edge (but not the base) of the body of the adaptor. Preferably the outlet is provided in a top wall of the adaptor opposite the base. In the case that the adaptor base is to sit on the side wall of an appliance or on a bathroom wall, then preferably the adaptor outlet is aligned to face upwards.

Preferably the outlet is provided in a position laterally intermediate the two inlets. Most preferably the outlet is positioned half way between the two inlets (e. g. at or near the centre of the adaptor).

The outlet includes at least one hole for communicating with the mixer tap. Preferably the outlet includes two adjacent outlet holes. The first outlet hole can then be used for communicating with a hot water conduit in the tap and the second outlet hole can be used for communicating with a cold water conduit within the tap.

Usually a single-hole type tap will be adapted to receive hot and cold water from two separate pipes and have separate hot and cold water conduits leading to a mixer within the tap.

The adaptor is provided with a channel or channels linking the inlets in fluid communication with the outlet. Preferably there is provided a first channel linking the first inlet with a first outlet hole and a second channel linking the second inlet with a second

outlet hole, wherein the two channels are separated from each other so that in use water entering through the first inlet does not contact water entering through the second inlet as it flows through the adaptor.

Preferably the outlet presents a flat surface suitable for placing the base portion of a tap onto. Preferably the flat surface has two outlet holes, one each for communicating with a hot water conduit and a cold water conduit in the tap as described above.

When the adaptor is fitted to a mixer tap, each respective outlet hole may be connected to a respective tap conduit by a tube like connector provided separately from the adaptor and the tap. Preferably the bottom of each tube like connector is adapted to fit into an adaptor outlet hole (an o-ring may be provided for sealing) and a top part of the tube like connector is adapted for connection to a tap conduit (again an o-ring may be provided for sealing). More preferably still the top part of the connecter may be provided with a screw thread for threading into a thread provided on the interior of a tap conduit.

The adaptor may also be provided with a fixing means for fixing the adaptor to the tap, for example an extra hole may be provided in the flat surface of the outlet, said extra hole being suitable for receiving a fixing means such as a clamp or a screw. In a preferred embodiment said extra hole extends from the top surface of said adaptor to the bottom surface of said adaptor so that a screw or other fixing means may be inserted from the

bottom of said adaptor and fixed to the tap. In this preferred embodiment said extra hole is not in fluid communication with the adaptor channels, only the outlet holes are in fluid communication with the inlet holes.

When the tap and adaptor are fitted in place, the outer surface of the adaptor body other than its base and the outlet, will be exposed. Preferably the adaptor body has a smooth presentable outer surface, as the outer surface will be visible when the tap is fitted in place. The outer surface of the body may for example be in the form of polished chrome metal (e. g. chrome brass).

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a tap adaptor according to the first aspect of the invention in combination with a single hole-type tap having a water supply inlet for hot and cold water, a mixer for combining hot and cold water, and a valve for regulating the flow of water into a single spout, wherein the tap inlet is arranged for fluid communication with the adaptor outlet. Thus the mixer tap may be connected to the adaptor with the tap water supply inlet in fluid communication with the adaptor outlet.

The second aspect of the invention may in addition have any of the preferred features of the first aspect of the invention described above. In particular the tap may be connected to the adaptor with the tube-like connector means and a fixing means as described above.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of connecting a single hole

mixer tap to a two-hole type appliance, especially a bath. The method includes the steps of providing an adaptor according to the first aspect of the invention, fitting the adaptor over a laterally space pair of holes each of which gives access to a water supply pipe such that the adaptor inlets are aligned with said holes, putting each adaptor inlet in fluid communication with a water supply pipe accessed by the hole which said adaptor inlet overlies, and fitting a single hole mixer tap to the adaptor outlet so that it is in fluid communication with the adaptor channel (s).

The method may also include one or more of the following steps: using tube like connector fittings to connect a pair of outlet holes in the outlet to a pair of tap conduits, placing a base washer between the surface (e. g. bath rim) having the holes and the adaptor, and securing said adaptor to the bath rim or other surface by screwing nuts into place on a screw thread provided on each adaptor inlet.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides a kit of parts including an adaptor according to the first aspect of the invention and one or more of the following: a tube like connector for connecting an adaptor outlet hole to a tap conduit, an o-ring for said tube like connector, a base washer for placing between the adaptor base and a surface on which the adaptor base is to be sat so as to prevent leaking, a nut for screwing onto an adaptor outlet so as to fix the adaptor to an appliance (such as a bath) and a fixing means for fixing the adaptor to a tap.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which ;- Fig la is a top-down view of a two-hole type bath which has already been described, Fig lb is a top-down view of a single-hole type bath which has already been describedFig 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a tap adapted for connection to a single hole type bath, Fig 3a is a front view of an adaptor for connecting a single hole type tap to a two-hole type bath, Fig 3b is a cross sectional front view of the adaptor of Fig 3 Fig 3c is a top down view of the adaptor of Fig 3a Fig 4 is a front view of the adaptor of Figs 3a connected to a single hole type tap, with a cut out showing the interior of the tap and the adaptor at their interface, and Fig 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the adaptor of Fig 3a connected to the single hole type tap of Fig 2.

An adaptor 50, shown in Fig 3a, for connecting a single hole type tap to a two hole type bath has a body 51 provided with two laterally spaced inlets 58 and 60 and an outlet 52. The body 51 is in the form of a hollow shell of an appropriate material, e. g. chrome brass, and has a flat base portion 54 suitable for laying flat onto the rim of a bath. The inlets 58 and 60 are provided in the base of the body so that they can be aligned with the bath holes when the adaptor base is laid onto the upper surface of the bath rim. The inlets are positioned an

appropriate distance apart so that each can be aligned with a respective bath hole. In this example the inlets' respective centres are 180 millimetres apart.

The first inlet 58 comprises an inlet hole 59 surrounded by a tail pipe 63 which protrudes downwardly from the base. The tail pipe a threaded outer wall 63a. The tail pipe is formed integrally with the adaptor and shaped so that it can fit through the hole in the rim of a bath and connect with a water supply pipe positioned beneath or extending within a bath rim hole. The second inlet 60 is the same as the first inlet and also includes an inlet hole 61 and protruding tail pipe 64 having a threaded outer wall 64a.

The adaptor body 51 has an outlet 52 on its upper surface 53 opposite the base 54. As can be seen from the top down view of Fig 3c, the outlet 52 is in the form of a flat surface 65 having two outlet holes 66 and 68. The outlet holes 66 and 68 are each adapted to communicate with a one hole type tap. More specifically each outlet hole 66, 68 is designed to receive tubular connector which can be connected to or which forms part of an internal conduit in the single hole type tap to which the adaptor is to be attached. A third hole 70 is provided to facilitate attachment of the adaptor 50 to a tap ; preferably the hole 70 is not in fluid communication with the internal channels 72 and 74 of the adaptor, but extends all the way through the adaptor from its top wall to its base and is adapted for receiving a screw, peg or other fixing means for attaching a tap to the adaptor. This third hole is optional and other means of attachment could be used.

As shown in Fig 3e, the adaptor body 53 is in the form of a hollow shell and houses two channels 72 and 74. The first channel 72 leads from the first inlet 58 to the first outlet hole 66 and the second channel 74 leads from the second inlet 60 to the second outlet hole 68. The two channels are separated by a wall 75 so that when water flows through the adaptor, water entering from the first inlet 58 is kept separate from water entering the second inlet.

Figs 4 and 5 show the adaptor 50 of Fig 3a fixed in place between a bath rim 3 and a single-hole type tap 20. The left part of the adaptor 50 is shown in'cut out'cross section to illustrate how it fits to the the bath rim and to the internal parts of the tap.

A hot water supply pipe (not shown) extends near a first hole 5 in the bath rim 3, A cold water supply pipe (not shown) extends near a second hole 6 in the bath rim 3.

Both water supply pipes are part of a water distribution system (e. g. the building's plumbing system). The hot water supply pipe is connected to the first adaptor inlet via the first inlet's tail pipe 63 and the cold water supply pipe is connected to the second adaptor inlet 60 via the second inlet's tail pipe 64. The tail pipes are formed integrally with the adaptor (or formed separately and then securely attached e. g. by soldering).

The adaptor 50 is placed On the top surface 3a of the bath rim 3 so that its flat base 54 lies over the bath rim surface 3a. A base washer (not shown) is provided

placed between the tops surface of the bath rim 3a and the adaptor base 54 to prevent leaking. The base washer is a sheet like element made of rubber or another suitable material and has a pair of holes-one for each tail pipe. The adaptor 50 is positioned so that it covers the bath rim holes 5 and 6 and its tail pipes 63 and extend through the bath rim holes. A nut 86 engages with the threaded outer wall of the tail pipe 63 and is screwed into place until it engages with the bath rim's lower surface and effectively holds the adaptor in place.

The tail pipe 64 is also provided with a nut 86 for securing the adaptor to the bath rim 3.

Sealant 90 is used round the edges of the adaptor base to effect a seal and to keep it in place. A silicon sealant may be used.

A single hole mixer tap 20 is fitted to the adaptor outlet 52. The fit is such that the first outlet hole 66 is placed in fluid communication with a hot water conduit of the tap 20. The second outlet hole 68 is placed in fluid communication with a cold water conduit of the tap 20 (not shown). The tap's hot and cold water conduits are separate and lead to a mixer (not shown) where the hot and cold water are mixed (as is conventional).

Each of the tap conduits is connected to a respective adaptor outlet hole by a tube like connector 100. Each tube like connector is hollow and has a bottom end which is adapted to be received by an adaptor outlet hole and a top end which has a screw thread on its outer wall and is adapted to be screwed into a tap conduit. An o-ring is

provided around each end of the connector to effect a seal. Only the hot water adaptor outlet hole, connector and conduit is shown in Figs 4 and 5.

A fixing means in the form of a screw connector 110 fixes the tap to the adaptor. The top end 111 of the screw connector 110 screws into a thread in a cavity in the base of the tap. The bottom end of the screw connector 110 screws into a threaded hole 70 provided in the adaptor. The hole 70 extends through the adaptor so that the screw connector may be inserted from beneath. In alternative embodiments different fixing means may be used, e. g. a peg instead of screw connector.

The above embodiment is provided by way of example only and as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art various modifications and adaptations are possible. For example with a few modifications, readily apparent to a person skilled in the art the invention could also be applied to a bath where the holes giving access to the water supply were provided on an edge wall of the bath, or on a bathroom wall near the bath. The invention can also be used with appropriate modification of dimensions etc for a kitchen sink, other bathroom appliances such as a bidet or sink or hospital sinks. The invention is also applicable to single hole mixers which use a shower head as well as or instead of a tap.

In addition the illustrated embodiment shows an adaptor having a unitary body 53 constructed in a single piece which may be preferred in terms of ease of manufacture and use. An alternative (less preferred) adaptor may

comprise a combination of adaptor components capable of being brought together so as to provide a pair of water supply inlets, an outlet for retaining a single-hole mixer tap and, within an enclosed body, one or more channels arranged to enable fluid communication from the water supply inlets to the tap retaining outlet.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An adaptor for connecting a single hole mixer tap to a two-hole type appliance, the adaptor comprising an enclosed body having a pair of water supply inlets and, in fluid communication therewith, an outlet arranged to receive a single hole mixer tap.
2. An adaptor according to Claim 1 including a body having an outlet adapted for receiving a single hole mixer tap, a laterally spaced pair of inlets each adapted for connection to a water supply, and a channel or channels enabling fluid communication between the water supply inlets and the outlet.
3. An adaptor according to any preceding claim wherein the adaptor has a flat base suitable for sitting on the upper surface presented by a bath rim and the water supply inlets are holes formed in the base of the adaptor.
4. An adaptor according to Claim 3 wherein each water supply inlet is a hole surrounded by a protruding flange adapted to fit inside the bath rim hole and to receive a pipe extending within or beneath the bath rim hole.
5. An adaptor according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein each inlet is in the form of a tail pipe extending from the adaptor base, each tail pipe being suitable for connection to a water supply pipe.

<Desc/Clms Page number 18>
6. An adaptor according to any preceding claim wherein the outlet is provided in a top wall of the adaptor opposite the base of the adaptor.
7. An adaptor according to any preceding claim wherein the outlet is provided in a position laterally intermediate the two water supply inlets.
8. An adaptor according to any preceding claim wherein the outlet includes at least one hole adapted for communicating with a mixer tap.
9. An adaptor according to Claim 8 wherein the outlet includes two adjacent outlet holes being a first outlet hole for communicating with a hot water conduit in a tap and a second outlet hole for communicating with a cold water conduit within the tap.
10. An adaptor according to any preceding claim and provided with a channel or channels linking the water supply inlets in fluid communication with the outlet.
11. An adaptor according to Claim 9 including a first channel linking a first water supply inlet with a first outlet hole and a second channel linking the second water supply inlet with a second outlet hole, wherein the two channels are separated from each other so that in use water entering through the first inlet does not contact water entering through the second inlet as it flows through the adaptor.

<Desc/Clms Page number 19>
12. An adaptor according to any preceding claim adapted to be fitted to a mixer tap, in combination with a tubular connector adapted to connect each respective outlet hole to a respective tap conduit.
13. An adaptor according to Claim 12 wherein the bottom of said tubular connector is adapted to fit into an outlet hole of said adaptor and a top part of the tubular connector is adapted for connection to a tap conduit.
14. An adaptor according to any preceding claim and provided with a fixing means for fixing the adaptor to a tap.
15. An adaptor according to any preceding claim in combination with a single hole-type tap having a water supply inlet for hot and cold water, a mixer for combining hot and cold water, and a valve for regulating the flow of water into a single spout, wherein the tap inlet is arranged for fluid communication with the adaptor outlet.
16. A method of connecting a single hole mixer tap to a two-hole type appliance including the steps of providing an adaptor according to any preceding claim, fitting the adaptor over a laterally spaced pair of holes formed within said two-hole type appliance each of which gives access to a water supply pipe such that each of the water supply inlets of the adaptor is separately aligned with a respective one of said holes, putting each said water supply inlet in fluid communication with a water supply pipe accessed by the hole which said adaptor inlet

<Desc/Clms Page number 20>

overlies, and fitting a single hole mixer tap to the adaptor outlet so that it is in fluid communication with the adaptor.
17. A method according to Claim 16 including one or more of the following steps: providing a tubular connector fitting, using said tubular connector fitting to connect a pair of outlet holes in the outlet of said adaptor to a pair of tap conduits of said single hole mixer tap, and securing said adaptor to a surface of said two-hole type appliance.
18. A kit of parts including an adaptor according to any of claims 1 to 15 and one or more of the following: a tubular connector for connecting an adaptor outlet hole to a tap conduit, an o-ring for said tube-like connector, a base washer for placing between the adaptor base and a surface on which the adaptor base is to be sat so as to prevent leaking, a nut for screwing onto an adaptor outlet so as to fix the adaptor to a two-hole type appliance and a fixing means for fixing the adaptor to a tap.
19. An adaptor substantially as described in any one embodiment hereinbefore with reference to figures 3a, 3b, 3c, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
20. A method substantially as described in any one embodiment hereinbefore with reference to figures 3a, 3b, 3c, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.