GB2401119A

GB2401119A - Support frame for sanitary appliance

Info

Publication number: GB2401119A
Application number: GB0309923A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dean Avery
Original assignee: Polypipe Building Products Ltd
Current assignee: Polypipe Building Products Ltd
Priority date: 2003-04-30
Filing date: 2003-04-30
Publication date: 2004-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2023-04-30
Also published as: GB2401119B

Abstract

A support frame 3 for mounting a sanitary appliance in a room wherein the appliance is not in contact with the floor of the room comprises a frame 3, means 4, 5 to secure the frame to substrates which are substantially at right angles to one another and means 6 to adjust the height of the appliance above the floor.

Description

2401 1 19

A SUPPORT FRAME

The invention relates to a support frame, particularly to such a frame which can support a wall mounted water closet (WC), i.e. such a W.C. which is not in contact at all with a floor of a room in which it is installed.

It will be understood that the terms 'water closet" or "W.C." used herein include within their scope bidets, urinals, wash basins, vanity basins and the like. Moreover, the term "room" includes cubicles, wash-rooms, changing facilities and the like and wall" and "floor" generally refer to substrates which mount water closets or W.C.s as hereinbefore defined which substrates include walls, partitions, floors, podiums, pedestals and plinths.

In all such cases, it is often the case that a W.C. cannot be mounted on a structural support at a desired adjacent position. In the past, only one height position is possible, or any variation has to be carried out with undesirable inconvenience in situ.

It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for mounting a water closet as hereinbefore defined in a room out of contact with a floor of the room, comprising a frame, means adapted to secure the frame to substrates substantially at right angles to one another, and means to adjust the height of the water closet above the floor.

The substrates may comprise a floor and a wall of the room, and the means to adjust the height may comprise two relatively height adjustable frame parts. This provides for ease of construction, and use.

J

There may be means adapted to mount a cistern, and the vertical distance between the cistern and the flush pipe may be constant whatever the height adjustment of the frame.

There may be respective means adapted to secure a flush pipe from the cistern and water closet connector.

The respective means may comprise clamps mounted one above the other. This is a simple yet effective construction. The means adapted to mount a cistern may comprise a support rail of a main frame part of the two frame parts.

The apparatus may further include a further frame part adapted for height adjustment relative to the main frame part independently of the first mentioned frame parts and which may have means for securing to the wall.

The other of the frame parts of the two frame parts may comprise elongate members which may be slidable with respect to the main frame part to set the required adjusted vertical height of the water closet.

The height may be set by means to secure the elongate members in the required height adjusted position.

The securing means may comprise releasable and tightenable locking bolts.

The further frame part may comprise a top (in use) substantially horizontal rail which is adjustable in height by releasable tightening means by which the height is set.

The releasable tightening means may comprise bolts.

The means adapted to mount a cistern may comprise a substantially horizontal rail of the two frame parts which may have securing means by which a cistern is adapted to be mounted and secured in position.

The securing means may comprise holes for receiving securing bolts.

There may be holes in which bolts may be received for securing the water closet to the frame.

The apparatus may comprise means to secure the frame to the respective substrates.

The said securing means may comprise brackets.

The frame may suitably comprise steel.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a water closet system, comprising apparatus as hereinbefore defined, in combination with a cistern and water closet.

The respective outlets from the cistern and water closet may be secured in the frame and the water closet may be connected thereto.

The water closet may be connected to the respective outlets with a push fit. There may be an extension connector between the water closet outlet and the water closet.

The system may comprise soil stack connections and water supply connections to the cistern mounted within the frame.

There may be a dwarf wall connecting the frame.

The system may be modified by the cistern being mounted directly on a substrate.

Also, the system may be housed in a cabinet, the dwarf wall or cabinet suitably comprising timber.

An apparatus and system embodying the invention are hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of apparatus according to the invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are respective front views of a system incorporating the apparatus of Fig. 1, with a W.C. pan removed for clarity; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of apparatus according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are referred to by like reference numerals where possible, there is provided apparatus 1,100 for mounting a water closet (not shown) as hereinbefore defined, in a room out of contact with a floor of the room, comprising a frame 3, means 4,5 adapted to secure the frame 3 to substrates substantially at right angles to one another, and means 6 to adjust the height of the water closet above the floor.

The frame 3 is an adjustable steel framework.

The frame 3 has in the first embodiment two frame parts 7,8, respectively a main frame part 7 and a second or other frame part 8 which is height adjustable with respect to the main frame part 7. This is achieved by the second frame part 8 comprising U- channel section extensions which slide up and down inside the bottom of the (box) section 9 of the main frame part 7, being adjusted to the required adjusted height, and set or secured at that height, by a plurality of, in the embodiment two, screw-threaded bolts 10 screwed into or out of threaded bosses 11 in each box section 9. When being screwed in the bolts 10 clamp the channel sections 8 in place at the required height for the W.C. pan. There is a cross rail 12 with two pairs ofthreaded holes 13 for securing bolts to secure the W.C. thereto through a rear (in use) wall thereof. A rear rail 14 has fixing brackets 15 to secure the apparatus I to a timber frame wall. The frame also has two clamps 16 and 17 respectively for securing and clamping in position a flush pipe 18 from the cistern to the W.C. and an outlet 20 which receives a W.C. bend.

The clamps 16,17 are split clamps.

The frame 1 has a further or top as viewed frame part 22 which can be adjusted independently of the main 9 and other frame parts 8 after the height of the W.C. has been adjusted and set. This is achieved by releasing securing means in the form of clamping bolts 20 at the rear, as viewed, of the top of the front box sections 9 of the main frame and sliding the inner channel 23 (or smaller dimension box section) within the box sections 9 until the required height of the further frame part 22 is achieved, for example so that it corresponds with the height of a window cell or shelf below which the apparatus l is mounted. The clamping bolts 21 are then re-tightened to secure the further frame part 22 at the required adjusted height, and angled brackets 5 are then secured to the wall using fasteners such as screws or bolts (depending on the material/construction of the wall) to provide a secure and stable structure.

There is a top rail 24 having spaced holes 25 to secure as by bolts the cistern 19 (which can be of injection mounded plastics), which bolts pass through holes in the rear of the cistern aligned with the holes 25.

l he base of the frame I rises from substantial feet or metal plates 26 for securing the apparatus to the floor.

The distance between the cistern and the flush pipe is constant, being fixed by the frame 1 whatever the height adjustment(s) made.

The W.C. is engaged with the flush pipe 10 and outlet pipe 20 with a push fit, thereby obviating a need to have access behind a panel covering the frame 1 to make the necessary connections. Pipe and fittings to connect the W.C. to a soil stack in the building are made within the frame 1. Furthermore, a water connection to an outlet valve in the cistern is also made within the frame.

As shown, there is also a fixing rail for the flushing cistern which can be fixed to the rail using the pre-drilled holes in the rail rather than fixing the cistern to the wall of the building. (Although this could be done as a further option, if required). The cistern does not require access through a port in the finished wall surface over the frame as the cistern can be accessed from above to carry out any maintenance or adjustment of valves etc. The cistern typically includes an inlet valve and an outlet valve which would conveniently be a pneumatic or cable operated valve to allow the operating button to be positioned remote from the actual cistern.

After installation of the apparatus, additional framework or timber battens are used to complete a dwarf wall incorporating the frame so that, for example, the wall could be extended to cover the full width of the room to give a neat installation as pipework and cistern are all hidden by the dwarf wall. Other similar fixing frames could be used to support wall-hung washbasins, urinals or bidets and these could all be integrally incorporated into the dwarf wall. The structure would be finished by fixing plasterboard or similar over the framework, cutting the necessary connection holes and then plasteringltiling etc as required for the room in question before the W.C. pan is finally fitted onto the finished wall surface.

Referring now to the second embodiment 100, Fig. 4, the upper part of the frame 9 which includes the cistern fixing and the adjustable top section could be dispensed with and the bottom section could be used to support the W.C. structurally and clamp the W.C. connector and flush pipes. Floor and wall bracketing would be used as necessary depending on the type of wall/floor to give a structurally secure installation.

In this case, the cistern 19 would be fixed to the wall and the dwarf wall would be constructed around the supporting framework using wooden battens/plasterboard etc as described above or a purpose made wooden cabinet could be fitted around the frame as an item of bathroom furniture rather being incorporated into a wall structure.

In all embodiments, an apparatus, and a system incorporating same, provides for height adjustment of a W.C. which does not ever contact the floor, the W.C. being fixed to the frame using threaded bars (rails) and bolts, the frame providing for two independent height adjustments and for a constant or fixed distance between the cistern and W.C. whatever the height adjustment(s).

The apparatus can be fixed to a solid or wooden floor, and to a masonry, block, etc. or timber wall.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. Apparatus for mounting a water closet as hereinbefore defined

in a room out of contact with a floor of the room, comprising a frame, means adapted to secure the frame to substrates substantially at right angles to one another, and means to adjust the height of the water closet above the floor. I
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, the substrates comprising a floor and a wall I of the room, and the means to adjust the height comprising two relatively height adjustable frame parts. i
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, comprising means adapted to mount a I cistern.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, the vertical distance between the cistern and a flush pipe being constant whatever the height adjustment of the frame.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising respective means adapted to secure a flush pipe from the cistern and water closet connector.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, the respective means comprising clamps mounted one above the other.
7. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 6, the means adapted to mount a cistern comprising a support rail of a main frame part of the two frame parts.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, including a further frame part adapted for height adjustment relative to the main frame part independently of the first mentioned frame parts and having means for securing to the wall.
9. Apparatus according to either of claims 7 or 8, the other of the frame parts of the two frame parts comprising elongate members which are slidable I with respect to the main frame part to set the required adjusted vertical height of the water closet.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, the height being set by means to secure the elongate members in the required height adjusted position.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, the securing means comprising releasable and tightenable locking bolts.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11, the further frame part comprising a top (in use) substantially horizontal rail which is adjustable in height by releasable tightening means by which the height is set.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12, the releasable tightening means comprising bolts.
14. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 13, the means adapted to mount a cistern comprising a substantially horizontal rail of the two frame parts which has securing means by which a cistern is adapted to be mounted and secured in position.
15. Apparatus according to claim 14, the securing means comprising holes for receiving securing bolts.
16. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 15, there being holes in which bolts are received for securing the water closet to the frame.
17. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising means to secure the frame to the respective substrates. I
18. Apparatus according to claim 17, the said securing means comprising brackets.
19. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, the frame comprising steel.
20. Apparatus for mounting a water closet in a room out of contact with a floor of the room, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
21. A water closet system, comprising apparatus according to any preceding claim, in combination with a cistern and water closet. i
22. A system according to claim 21, the respective outlets from the cistern and water closet being secured in the frame and the water closet being connected thereto.
23. A system according to claim 22, the water closet being connected to the respective outlets with a push fit.
24. A system according to claim 23, there being an extension connector between the water closet outlet and the water closet.
25. A system according to any of claims 21 to 24, comprising soil stack connections and water supply connections to the cistern mounted within the frame.
26. A system according to any of claims 21 to 25, comprising a dwarf wall concealing the frame.
27. A system according to any of claims 21 to 26, modified by the cistern being mounted directly on a substrate.
28. A system according to claim 27, housed in a cabinet.
29. A system according to any of claims 26 to 28, the dwarf wall or cabinet comprising timber.
30. A water closet system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.