GB2416824A

GB2416824A - Tap mounting means

Info

Publication number: GB2416824A
Application number: GB0514692A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Roland Bradley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-04
Filing date: 2005-07-19
Publication date: 2006-02-08
Also published as: GB0514692D0; GB2416821A; GB0417329D0

Abstract

A tap mounting means for mounting a lower portion 7 of a tap adjacent a surface, the lower portion including a tail pipe. The means comprises at least one spacer ring 8 for mounting on the tail pipe, a compression ring 10 for mounting on the tail pipe and a gripper device 11 for gripping the tail pipe. The arrangement is such that with the at least one spacer ring, compressing ring and gripper device mounted to the tail pipe, the gripper urges the compressing ring against the at least one spacer ring and the the surface and holds the lower portion of the tap in a desired position against the surface. Also included is a two part tap characterised by a tap body and a lower tap portion.

Description

24 1 6824

TAP MOUNTING MEANS

The present invention relates to a tap mounting means, in particular a mounting means for a tap including a tail pipe.

Taps are used extensively in domestic or industrial environments to facilitate controlled access to water, other fluids or gases. Conventional taps for water systems include an upper portion arranged to permit or prevent water flow from a spout into a receptacle such as a sink, bath, or other fixture, the top portion resting on the fixture, or work surface in which the fixture is mounted. Conventional taps further comprise a lower portion, including a tail pipe which is narrower than the top portion thereby fitting through an opening in the work surface, the tail pipe being connected to a water supply so that water enters the top portion of the tap through the tail pipe. The tail pipe is screw threaded, and the tap is held in place by means of a nut, screwed on to the tail pipe and engaging with the underside of the work surface to clamp the tap in place on the work surface.

This arrangement has several disadvantages. In particular, taps are often positioned such that access to the screw-threaded tail pipe is difficult, such as when a sink obstructs access, or behind a bathtub. In addition, the nut may become cross threaded, or break, and may need to be replaced, and the screw-threaded tail pipe must be machined with care at some cost.

The present application seeks to overcome these disadvantages. The present invention provides, in a first aspect, a tap mounting means for mounting a lower portion of a tap adjacent a surface, the lower portion including a tail pipe and comprising at least one spacer ring for mounting on the tail pipe, a compressing ring for mounting on the tail pipe, and a gripper device for gripping the tail pipe, the arrangement being such that with the at least one spacer ring, compressing ring and gripper device mounted to the tail pipe, the gripper urges the compressing ring against the at least one spacer ring and the surface, thereby holding the lower portion of the tap in a desired position against the surface.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a mounting means for lower portion of a tap, wherein the tap is a two-part tap. In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides a mounting means for lower portion of a tap, wherein the tap is a single piece tap.

The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I shows a longitudinal sectional view of a tap mounting means of the present invention mounted on a lower portion of a two-part tap, Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a gripper device of the tap mounting means of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a gripping member of the gripper device of Figure 2, Figure 4 shows a detail of the lower portion of the two-part tap of Figure I, and Figure 5 shows a cross-section of a tap body for attachment to the lower portion of the two-part tap of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1 there is disclosed a lower portion of a two-part tap I held in place adjacent a work surface or fixture 2 by the arrangement of the present invention.

In a first embodiment the lower portion ofthe two-part tap comprises an upper section 4 shaped to accept attachment of a tap body; an intermediate section 5 shaped to rest on the work surface 2; and a lower section 7 comprising a tail pipe adapted to fit into an opening in the work surface. The lower section extends away from the upper and middle sections and in a preferred embodiment includes a smooth exterior surface.

Spacer rings 8, preferably made from a compressible material such as plastics or rubber, are provided around the tail pipe 7 adjacent to the work surface 2 and include a side surface 6, preferably provided with an adhesive layer. A compressing ring 10, preferably made from a rigid, strong material, is provided adjacent the spacer ring farthest from the work surface 2 and includes a side surface 9 preferably provided with an adhesive layer. A gripper device 11 is provided adjacent the compressing ring 10, and also preferably includes an adhesive layer on a surface 12 adjacent the compressing ring.

The gripper device 11 is shown in more detail in Figure 2 and comprises a cylindrical first portion 13 with an opening 14 sized to provide a pushfit onto the tail pipe 7 of the lower portion I of the two-part tap, this opening widening to provide a hollow internal section 16, surrounded by a wall, the outside of the wall including a screw threaded external surface 17. Figure 2 further shows two gripping members 19 retained within the hollow internal section, each gripping member provided to grip the tail pipe 7. A washer 21 may optionally separate the gripping members. An outer holding member 20 is provided which screws onto the threaded external surface 17 of the first portion 13 to hold the gripping members securely within the gripper device.

The gripping members 19 held within the hollow internal section 16 of the gripper device 11 are shown in detail in Figure 3. Each gripping member comprises a conventional gripping ring 22 sized to fit around the tail pipe 7 and includes fingers 23 aligned along the length of the tail pipe to extend the surface area of the gripping member in contact with the tail pipe. Figure 3 further shows a component, 25, provided to an internal surface of each finger 23 to increase the grip of the gripping member 19. The component may comprise a raised surface of the finger, possibly roughened to increase friction, or may be made from a material different from that of the gripping member, such as plastics, metal or some other suitable material.

Figure 4 shows a detail of the upper section 4 of the lower portion of the two-part tap 1 of the first embodiment, including raised seating 27 for attachment of a tap body.

The raised seating includes a smooth cylindrical portion 28, a portion including external vertical ridges or splines 29, and a cylindrical groove 31.

The tap body 32 of Figure 5 fits over the raised seating 27 shown in Figure 4, and includes several internal vertical grooves 33 which cooperate with the splines 29 of Figure 4 to adjustably position the tap body 32 against the upper section 4 of the two part tap. The tap body 32 further includes two small openings 35, of which only one is shown, positioned such that when the tap body 32 is mounted in a desired orientation to the upper section 4 of the two-part tap small screws, for example grub screws, can be fixed in the openings 35 to engage with the cylindrical groove 31 shown in the upper section in Figure 4. The tap body still further includes a cylindrical groove, 34, for mounting a washer.

In a second embodiment of the present invention the upper section 4 comprises a tap 1 0 body.

In the case of a single piece tap or a two-part tap, the tap body may comprise a single tap or a mixer tap.

In use, when desiring to fit a tap, the tail pipe 7 of an upper section 4 may be inserted through an opening of a fixture 2. To improve accessibility, one or more spacers 8 may be fitted around the tail pipe 7 and a compressing ring 10 fitted adjacent the spacers. A gripper device 11 may be pushed onto the tail pipe 7 until it abuts the compression ring 10, and may then be further pushed against the compressing ring 10 to urge the spacers 8 against the underside of the fixture 2. The arrangement is such that gripping members 19 hold the gripper device 11 in a desired position on the tail pipe 7, and the intermediate portion 5 of the lower portion of a tap 1, resting on the upper surface of the fixture 2, acts with the gripper device 11 to hold the lower portion of the tap firmly in place. Optional adhesive layers, on sides 6, 9 and 12 of the spacers, compressing ring and gripper device respectively, provide an additional attaching action fixing the components of the tap mounting means in position on the tail pipe.

The tail pipe 7 of the tap may then be connected by conventional means to the water supply. Br; r

For a two-part tap, a tap body 32 may be mounted to the lower portion of the tap 1, the internal vertical grooves 33 of the tap body engaging with the external splines 29 of the lower portion to secure the tap body 32 in a desired orientation. Screws may be inserted into the openings 35 on the tap body 32 to engage with the cylindrical groove 31 on the lower portion to secure the tap body to the lower portion. A washer, placed adjacent the cylindrical groove 34 in the tap body engages with the smooth portion 28 of the upper section 4 of the lower portion of the tap and is compressed between the tap body and the lower portion to provide a watertight seal. Advantageously, when a tap body in a two-part tap is replaced, a new washer will be provided with the tap 1 0 body.

On mounting the lower portion of the tap on a surface, a sealant might further be added, for example between the intermediate section 5 and the fixture 2 to assist in the provision of a watertight seal, for example to protect the arrangement from splashes during use.

In addition, while the tap body in a two-part tap may be any conventional tap design it may also be shaped to assist the disabled or other specialist groups, or for novelty purposes may comprise shapes or figures appealing to children or others.

Advantageously, such a novelty tap body for a two-part tap may be easily replaced if desired.

For a one-part tap, the upper section 4 and intermediate section 5 comprise a tap body.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment.

For example, the spacer rings 8 may comprise any compressible material other than plastics or rubber. The compressing ring 10 may comprise any material, such as steel or other metal, a strong plastics material, or wood, strong enough to urge the spacer ring against an underside of a work surface. The seating 27 of the lower portion of the tap in a two- part tap, for attachment of the tap body, may not be raised. The tap body in a two-part tap may be mounted to the lower portion ofthe tap by means other than cooperating ridges and splines 29.

The gripper device 11 may include a gripper holder 20 which is secured to the gripper body 13 by alternative means than a screw thread 17 such as by a push-fit, by adhesive, by welding, by a welding adhesive, or by other means. In addition, the gripper device may be an alternative shape to a cylinder, and, indeed, the gripper device may be provided as a sealed unit. Side surfaces of the spacer, compressing ring and gripper may be provided with an adhesive layer and this adhesive layer may be provided to only one surface - for example in the case of a spacer to the side surface adjacent the fixture 2, or to a side surface adjacent a spacer nearer to the fixture 2, in the case of the compressing ring to the side surface of the compressing ring adjacent to a spacer, may be provided to both side surfaces of each spacer and the compressing ring, or may be absent. A strip, the adhesive being exposed by tearing off the strip prior to use, may further cover the adhesive layer. In addition, the spacer rings, compressing ring and gripper may also collectively be provided within a sealed unit, the units made available in different sizes.

The tail pipe of the lower portion of a tap preferably includes a portion with a smooth external surface but the present arrangement can be adapted for use with any tail pipe, including the screw-threaded tail pipe of a conventional tap or two-part tap.

Claims

1. A tap mounting means for mounting a lower portion of a tap adjacent a surface, the lower portion including a tail pipe, the means comprising: at least one spacer ring for mounting on the tail pipe; a compressing ring for mounting on the tail pipe; and a gripper device for gripping the tail pipe; the arrangement being such that with the at least one spacer ring, compressing ring and gripper device mounted to the tail pipe, the gripper urges the compressing ring against the at least one spacer ring and the surface and holds the lower portion of the tap in a desired position against the surface.

2. The tap mounting means of claim 1, wherein the or each spacer ring includes an adhesive layer on at least one side.

3. The tap mounting means of claim I or claim 2 wherein the compressing ring includes an adhesive layer on at least one side.

4. The tap mounting means of any one of claims], 2 or 3, wherein the gripper device includes an adhesive layer on a side proximal the surface.

5. The tap mounting means of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tail pipe includes a smooth external surface portion.

6. The tap mounting means of claim 1, wherein the gripper comprises a first portion for mounting on the tail pipe, the first portion including a hollow internal section; a second portion comprising at least one gripping member; a third portion attachable to the first portion for holding the gripping member in the hollow internal section. lo

7. The tap mounting means of claim 6, wherein each gripping member comprises a gripping ring with a plurality of fingers, each gripping member held within the hollow internal section of the first portion

8. The tap mounting means of claim 7 wherein each gripping ring includes a component on an internal surface of each finger, to increase grip.

9. The tap mounting means of claim 8 wherein two gripping members are provided separated by a washer.

10. The tap mounting means of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tap is a two-part tap.

1 1. The tap mounting means of any one of the claims I to 9, wherein the tap is a single piece tap.

12. A two part tap comprising a lower tap portion and a tap body, the lower tap portion including: seating for attachment of the tap body, the seating including at least one vertical ridge, a cylindrical groove, and a tail pipe; the tap body including at least one vertical groove cooperating with the at least one ridge, a cylindrical groove, and openings through which engagement means can engage with the cylindrical groove of the seating to fix the position of the tap body on the lower tap portion.