GB2446633A

GB2446633A - Bath foot device

Info

Publication number: GB2446633A
Application number: GB0702744A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert George Faulkner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-02-13
Filing date: 2007-02-13
Publication date: 2008-08-20
Also published as: GB0702744D0

Abstract

A bath foot device prevents a bath tub from moving from its position on the floor by means of a shaped block 5 which may be secured to the floor adjacent to the foot of a bath tub in order to prevent the movement of the said bath tub foot. A bracket attachable to the block for receiving a bath panel may also be provided.

Description

1 2446633

A BATH INSTALLATION ACCESSORY

The present invention is an accessory which is intended for use primarily but not exclusively when installing a domestic bath tub. It is used firstly for preventing the feet of the bath from moving in relation to the floor upon which the bath stands when the bath is in use. A second and further use for the present invention is to provide a securing point for a side bath panel.

It has long been understood that certain expansion and contraction movement occurs in bath tubs due to the filling of the tub with hot water and the subsequent cooling when the tub is emptied.

However modern bath tubs have a certain degree of additional flexibility which comes about as a result of the materials used in their construction. It is common these days to manufacture a bath tub from either some form of fibreglass based material or of a plastic based material and there are various types of these materials in use.

All of these plastic and fibreglass materials are to some extent flexible and that results in the shape of the bath tub changing when it is stressed in any way.

Operating stresses occur quite normally when a bath tub is in use particularly when the tub is filled with water and the filling and emptying of a tub with water will result in constant change in the shape of the tub.

Further changes will occur when additional weight is applied to the tub by, for example, someone stepping into the tub.

The result of this constantly changing shape is that the feet upon which the tub stands and which are usually located on the outside of the base of the tub will move in relation to the floor and this results in the bath tub itself moving sufficiently to stress the pipe joints. Over time this can cause leaks in both the waste outlet pipe and the water feed pipes. It also causes the water seal between the bath tub and the wall to become detached and water to leak into the surrounding plaster.

A further problem which occurs is that it is often difficult to fix the side panel to the bath and various arrangements have been used in the past to overcome this difficulty. These arrangements usually consist of timber of differing sizes fixed or wedged to the side of the bath tub and possibly to the floor upon which the tub stands.

The present invention seeks to solve both the problem of the movement which occurs in the bath tub and the fixing of side panels by providing a block for attaching to the floor which will secure the position of the feet of the bath tub on the floor and also providing a fixing point for a bracket to which can be mounted the bath side panel.

In this specification the expression "feet" or "foot" is intended to refer to the supports or support respectively, for a bath tub. These supports include short legs upon which the bath tub stands and may also include any adjustable portion of the leg used for the purpose of levelling the bath tub.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided one or more blocks for fixing to the floor which blocks are provided with a means of restricting the movement of the bath tub feet According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided one or more blocks for fixing to the floor which blocks are provided with a recess which acts as a means of restricting the movement of the bath tub feet by receiving part of a foot into said recess.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided one or more blocks for fixing to the floor which blocks are provided with a means of restricting the movement of the bath tub feet which blocks are intended to receive a bracket which bracket is used to secure a bath side panel.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a bracket intended for attaching to one or more blocks which blocks are provided for restricting the movement of the bath tub feet. The said bracket is intended to receive a bath side panel.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: -Figure 1 is a side view of a part of a typical bath tub with foot.

Figure 2 is a plan view of two blocks Figure 3 is a perspective view of one block Figure 4 is an illustration of the bracket for attaching a side panel Referring now to figure 1, A typical bath tub 1, would have foot assemblies consisting of a leg 2, a threaded support 3 and a support pad 4 which would be attached to the threaded support 3. The support pad and the threaded support would typically be rotated to increase or decrease the length of the foot and thereby level the bath tub on the floor upon which it stands.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of two blocks 5a and 5b as they would normally be aligned to accept the bath foot. Blocks would be positioned on either side of the bath foot and the support pad portion 4 would be partially surrounded by recess 6. Obviously to increase the number of different directions in which the movement of the tub will be restrained then more than one block would be used for each foot. When more than one block is used then normally they would be positioned as is shown in the plan view of figure 2.

The block 5 would be secured to the floor by any suitable means including any form of adhesive or by use of a fixing means inserted through holes 7.

Referring now to figure 4, a bracket 8 is provided for fixing to the side of the blocks 5, by means of fixing holes 9. A bath side panel may subsequently be attached to the bracket by means of fixing holes 11 which may receive any suitable fixing means.

Holes 10 are provided in the said bracket for additional fixing, these holes may or may not be used.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the shape of the block illustrated in the drawings and any suitable shape may be used which would, by virtue of its shape, capture the bath feet.

Further examples of the invention are planned which would consist of a block made to totally surround the bath foot in which case a single block would be used instead of the two blocks shown in the plan view of figure 2.

Claims

1 A shaped which in use is intended for fixing to a floor adjacent to one of the feet of a bath the said block having means for restricting movement of the said bath tub foot.

2 A shaped block intended for fixing to a floor adjacent to one of the feet of a bath the said block having means for restricting movement of the said bath tub foot according to claim I where the said means for restricting movement of the said bath tub foot is a recess which when in use is in the side of the block and is intended to engage with the foot of the said bath tub.

3 A shaped block intended for fixing to a floor adjacent to one of the feet of a bath according to claims 1 or 2 which may be fixed to the floor by any

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4 A shaped block intended for fixing to a floor adjacent to one of the feet of a bath according to any previous claim in which there are provided in use holes extending through from the top to the bottom surface for use with any suitable means for fixing the said block to the floor.

A shaped block intended for fixing to a floor adjacent to one of the feet of a bath according to any previous claim where the said block is provided with means for receiving a bracket which bracket in use is intended for receiving a bath side panel.

6 A bracket for use with a block which is provided for restricting the movement of bath tub feet which bracket is intended for attaching to the said block so that in use a bath side panel may be attached to the said bracket. * ** * * * * ** **** * * **** *

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