GB2505951A

GB2505951A - Apparatus and method for mounting a tap or faucet to a sink, basin or bath

Info

Publication number: GB2505951A
Application number: GB1216602.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Anthony Fearnley
Original assignee: Kohler Mira Ltd
Current assignee: Kohler Mira Ltd
Priority date: 2012-09-18
Filing date: 2012-09-18
Publication date: 2014-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2032-09-18
Also published as: CN104812969B; HK1212405A1; GB2544658B; EP2898152B1; CN107227769A; GB201620646D0; EP2898152A1; CN107227769B; GB2505951B; GB2544658A; WO2014045033A1; CN104812969A; GB201216602D0

Abstract

The invention relates to apparatus for mounting a tap or faucet 7 to a deck 5 of a basin, sink or bath where the deck has an opening 13 extending between an upper surface 5a and a lower surface 5b. The apparatus includes one or more elongate coupling members 17a, 17b connectable to the tap or faucet 7 so as to extend through the opening 13 in the deck 5. One or more fastening members 27a, 27b co operate with the coupling members 17a, 17b on an underside of the deck 5. The fastening members 27a, 27b are rotatably connected to a clamping plate 23 such that the tap or faucet 7 is fixed to the deck 5 by tightening the fastening members 27a, 27b on the coupling members 17a, 17b to seat the clamping plate 23 on the underside of the deck 5.

Description

I

PLUMBING FITTINGS

The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to installation of a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening for a water supply S connectable to the plumbing fitting. The invention has particular, but not exclusive application to the installation of faucets such as taps, valves and mixers.

Faucets arc commonly installed on the deck of plumbing fixtures such as basins, sinks or baths. Typically, the faucets are secured to the deck from below which often involves several components to be installed from the underside of the deck. Access to the underside of the deck is often restrictcd with only limited space available in which to work. As a result, installation can be awkward and may require two people -one to hold the faucet in place on the deck and another to secure the faucet from below the deck.

In view of the above, a need exists for improved apparatus, systems and methods for installing plumbing fittings on a deck that overcomes or at least mitigates the problems and disadvantages aforementioned and which may simplify installation by allowing an installer to fix the plumbing fitting to the deck without assistance and which may allow faster installation.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for mounting a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening, the apparatus including at least one elongate coupling member connectable to the plumbing fitting so as to extend, in use, through the opening in the deck, and a base part arranged, in use, on an underside of the deck, and at least one rotatable fastening member connected to the base part, wherein the elongate coupling member and fastening mcmber have co-operating threaded portions such that, in use, the plumbing fitting is secured to the deck by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck.

The elongate coupling member may have an external threaded portion for connecting the elongate coupling member to the plumbing fitting. For example the elongate coupling member may connect to a threaded bore in the underside of the plumbing fitting.

The elongate coupling member may have a further external threaded portion for connecting the elongate coupling member to the fastening member. For example the elongatc coupling member may connect to a threaded bore in the fastening member.

It may be that the elongate coupling member comprises a rod having external threaded portions at opposite ends for connection to the plumbing fitting and to the fastening member.

The base part may be configured to seat on the underside of the deck around the opening when the fastening member is tightened. The deck may be clamped between the plumbing fitting and the base pan by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck with the plumbing fitting seated on top of the deck The base part may include a plate with the fastening member rotatably connected to the plate. The plate may be rigid. The base part may include a gasket or similar spacer element located between the plate and the underside of the deck.

The gasket may be resilient.

The fastening member may be configured to be tightened by hand. Alternatively or additionally, the fastening member may be configured to be tightened with a tool. For example the fastening member may have an external profile that facilitates tightening by hand and/or with a tool. Thus the fastening member may have a hexagonal external profile that can be gripped by hand and which can also be engaged by a tool to tighten the fastening member. In this way, the fastening member can be initially tightened by hand with final tightening to securely fix the plumbing fitting to the deck being achieved using tile tool.

The fastening member may comprise a nut engageable with the external threaded portion of the elongate coupling member such that the plumbing fitting is secured by tightening the nut. The nut may have a bore to receive the external threaded portion of the elongate coupling member.

Thc bore may have a lead-in portion and an internal threaded portion with the external threaded portion of the elongate coupling member being a clearance fit in the lead-in portion and engageable with the threaded bore porion for tightening the fastcning member.

The nut may be rotatably connected to the plate by any suitable means to iS provide a permanent connection or a releasable connection. For example, a head portion of the nut may be inserted through a hole in the plate and be permanently secured by swaging or releasably secured by a removable retainer such as a circlip. Combining the plate and fastening member in a sub-assembly facilitates installation of a plumbing fitting by one person in a simple manner.

The nut may be pivotally and rotatably connected to the plate by any suitable means so that the nut can be tipped to clear the external threaded portion of the elongate coupling member and then tipped back and tightened onto the external threaded portion of the elongate coupling member.

It may be that more than one elongate coupling member and fastening member are provided. The co-operating threaded portions may be configured so that fewer turns are required to tighten at least one of the fastening members. In this way, the time to install the plumbing fitting may be reduced.

In one embodiment, two elongate coupling members and two fastening members arc provided. One of the fastening members may have a shorter threaded portion than the other fastening member such that it can be tightened with fewer turns.

Alternatively or additionally, one of the elongate coupling members may be shorter than the other elongate coupling member such that the associated fastening member may be tightened with fewer turns.

S

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of mounting a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening, the method including providing an elongate coupling member, attaching the elongate coupling member to a plumbing fitting, positioning the plumbing fitting on top of the deck so that the elongate coupling member extends, through the opening in the deck, providing a base part including a rotatable fastening member, positioning the base part on an underside of the deck, and rotating the fastening member to engage complementary threaded portions of the elongate coupling member and fastening member to tighten the fastening member and urge the base part against the underside of the deck.

The method may include providing at least two elongate coupling members connectable to the plumbing fitting and at least two fastening members rotatably connected to the base part for engagement with the elongate coupling members.

The method may include providing the elongate coupling members and fastening members with co-operating threaded portions configured so that at least one fastening member can be tightened with a reduced number of turns.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a fixing kit for installing a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening, the kit including at least one elongate coupling member connectable to the plumbing fitting so as to extend, in use, through the opening in the deck, and at least one rotatable fastening member engageable with the elongate coupling member on an underside of the deck to urge a base part against the underside of the deck, wherein the at least one fastening member and base part are connected or connectable for rotation of the at least one fastening member relative to the base part such that, in use, the plumbing fitting can be secured to the deck by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck.

The fixing kit may include any of the features of the apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention. The fixing kit may be suitable to carry out the method according to the second aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is providcd a system for installing a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening, the system including at least one elongate coupling member connectable to a plumbing fitting and having a threaded portion that, in use, extends through the opening in thc deck with the plumbing fitting on top of the deck, a base part that, in use is positioned on an underside of the deck, and at least one fastening member engageable with the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member, the fastening member being attached to the base part and rotatable relative to the base part to engage the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member such that, in use, the plumbing fitting can be secured to the deck by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck.

The system may include any of the features of the apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention. The system may be suitable to carry out the method according to the second aspect of the invention. The system may employ the fixing kit according to the third aspect of the invention.

Other features, benefits and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description hereinafter of exemplary embodiments which are provided for the purpose of illustration only. Many modifications and variations of the exemplary embodiments will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Therefore the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which arc now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings where i n: Figure I is a perspective view of a plumbing fitting; Figure 2 is a perspective view of component parts of a fixing kit embodying the invention for installing the plumbing fitting of Figure 1 on a deck; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a sub-assembly of tile fixing kit shown in Figure 2: Figure 4 is a perspective view of the plumbing fitting and fixing kit in an assembled condition with the deck omitted for clarity; Figure 5 is a view in tile direction of arrow A in Figurc 4 with the deck added in C ctio 11; Figure 6 is a view in the direction of arrow B in Figure 4 with the deck added in section; and Figure 7 is a sectional view of the plumbing fitting and fixing kit I the assembled condition with tile deck added.

Referring to the drawings, a fixing kit i for installing a plumbing fitting 3 on a deck 5 is shown. In this embodiment, the plumbing fitting 3 is a tap and the deck 5 is a basin. It wil I be understood the invention is not limited to taps and that the fixing kit could be used for installation of other plumbing fittings. It will also be understood the invention is not limitcd lo use with basins and that the fixing kit could be used for installation of plumbing fittings on other decks including sinks or baths or countertops.

Thc tap 3 may be a mixer tap and has a body 7 for connection to supplies of hot and cold water (not shown). A valve mechanism (not shown) housed in tile body 7 is operable by means of a control handle 9 mounted on the body 7 to control flow rate and temperature of water delivered to a spout ii having an outlet (not shown) for discharge of water. Such valve mechanisms and control handles are well known to those skilled in the art and are not described further herein.

Thc tap body 7 is adapted to seat on an upper surface 5a of the basin 5 around an opening 13 in the basin 5. A washer 15 is interposed between the tap body 7 and the upper surface Sa of the basin 5. The washer 15 may be made of rubber or similar material and is preferably resilient.

The fixing kit I includes two elongate coupling members in the form of threaded rods 17a, 17b that are attached at one end to the tap body 7 by screwing the rods l7a, l7b into two blind tapped bores l9a, l9b that extcnd in an axial direction from the underside of the tap body 7. The rods 17a, 17b pass through the opening 13 in the basin 5 when the tap 3 is mounted on the upper surface Sa of the basin S. The rods 1 7a, 1 7b may be made of metal or alloy or plastics.

The fixing kit I also includes a base part 21 adapted to seat on a lower surface Sb of the basin 5 around the opening 13 in the basin 5. The base part 21 includes a clamping plate 23 and optionally a gasket 25 interposed between the clamping plate 23 and the lower surface Sb of the basin 5. The clamping plate 23 may be made of metal or alloy or plastics and is preferably rigid. The gasket 25 may be made of rubber or similar material and is preferably resilient.

The clamping plate 23 has three integrally formed tabs 23a spaced around the peripheral edge and the gasket 25 has a corresponding plurality of aligned notches 25a that receive the tabs 23a to locate the gasket 25 relative to the clamping plate 23. The number of tabs 23a and notches 25a may be varied or replaced by any other means to locate the gasket 25.

The fixing kit 1 also includes two fastening members in the form of threaded nuts 27a, 27b attached to the clamping plate 23. A head portion 29a, 29b of each nut 27a, 27b extends through a hole 31a, 31b in the clamping plate 23 and has an annular groove 33a, 335 in which a retainer such as a circlip 35a, 35b is received to secure releasably the nuts 27a, 27b to the clamping plate 23.

In this way, the clamping plate 23 with attached nuts 27a, 27b and the gasket 25 forms a sub-assembly for ease of handling during installation and the nuts 27a, 27b are free to rotate relative to the clamping plate 23 for engagement with the rods 17a, 17b inserted through the opening 13 in the basin 5 when installing the tap 3 on the basin 5 In use, the rods 1 7a, 1 7b are attached to the tap body 7 and the tap body 7 with the washer 15 on the underside is seated on the upper surface 5a of the basin 5 with the rods 17a, 17b extending through the opening 13 in the basin 5. The clamping plate 23 with the gasket 25 located on the upper surface is positioned under the opening 9 to align the nuts 27a, 27b with the lower ends of the rods 17a, 17b. The nuts 27a, 27b have through bores with a lead-in portion 37a, 37b and a threaded portion 39a, 39b. The cnds of the rods 17a, 17b are a clearance fit in the lead-in portions 37a, 37b and the nuts 27a, 27b are rotatable to engage the threaded portions 39a, 395 with the rods I 7a, 175. The clamping plate 23 and gasket 25 are raised by tightening the nuts 27a, 27b on the rods 17a, 17b to seat on the underside Sb of the basin 5 and fix the tap 3 to the basin 5.

The threaded portion 39a, 395 may be of different lengths and, in this embodiment, threaded portion 39b of nut 27b is of shorter length than threaded portion 39a of nut 27a. This allows one nut to be tightened before the other and reduces the number of turns to tighten the nut having the shorter threaded portion which speeds up installation. This is not essential and the threaded portions 39a, 39b may be the same length. The nuts 27a, 27b have hexagonal or other suitable external forms that allow tightening by hand and/or by a suitable tool such as a socket wrench or spanner.

Incoming hot and cold water supplies (not shown) can be connected to inlets (not shown) on the underside of the tap body 7 through the opening 13 in the basin 5. For this, the clamping plate 23 has a cut-out section 41 to accommodate the hot and cold water supplies and the gasket 25 has a larger cut-out section 43 to accommodate the rods 17a, 17b and the hot and cold water supplics. The gasket 25 also provides clearance between the head portions 29a, 29b of the nuts and the underside Sb of the basin 5 for rotating the nuts 27a, 27b to secure the tap 3 to the basin 5.

Thc hot and cold water supplies may be flexible hoses configured for connection to the inlets by any suitable means. For example the hoses may be provided with connectors that screw into the inlets in the underside of the tap body 7 or with connectors that are a push-fit in the inlets in the underside of the tap body 7. The hot and cold water supplies may be connected to the inlets before or more preferably after the tap 3 has been secured to the basin 5.

Features of the fixing kit may provide any of the following advantages: * installation of the tap by one person in a simple manner * faster installation * easier alignment of the tap on the basin It will be understood the invention is not limited to the embodiment above-described. For example it may be that the fixing kit may comprise one or more rods for attaching to the plumbing fitting with a corresponding number of nuts rotatably mounted on the clamping plate. It may be that each rotatable nut is permanently secured to the clamping plate. For example a head portion of the nut may be swaged or otherwise configured to secure rotatably the nut to the clamping plate. It may be that a quick/release thread/nut may be employed to secure the clamping plate on the underside of the basin.

It may be that the rods are connected to the body of the plumbing fitting as described in the exemplary embodiment. Alternatively, the plumbing fitting may include a separate base mounting element that is secured to the deck with the body of the plumbing fitting being connectable to the basc mounting element.

It may be that the plumbing fitting is connected to supplies of hot water and cold water. Alternatively, the plumbing fitting may be connected to a supply of hot water only or to a supply of cold water only.

It may be that the plumbing fitting includes any type of faucet for controlling flow and/or temperature of water such as taps, valves, mixers and like fittings.

Any feature of any of the aspects of the invention may be employed separately or in combination with any other feature of the same or different aspect of the invention and the invention includes any feature or combination of features disclosed herein as well as equivalents of such features and combination of features suitable for carrying out the invention in any of its aspects.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for mounting a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening, the apparatus including at least one elongate coupling member connectable to the plumbing fitting so as to extend, in use, through the opening in the deck, and a base part arranged, in use, on an underside of the deck, and at least one rotatable fastening member connected to the base part, wherein the elongate coupling member and fastening member have co-operating threaded portions such that, in use, the plumbing fitting is secured to thc deck by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongate coupling member has an external threaded portion for connecting the elongate coupling member to the plumbing fitting.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, whercin the elongate coupling member is connectable to a threaded bore in the underside of the plumbing fitting.
4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the elongate coupling member has an external threaded portion for connecting the elongate coupling member to the fastening member.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the elongate coupling member is connectable to a threaded bore in the fastening member.
6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the elongate coupling member comprises a rod having external threaded portions at opposite ends for connection to the plumbing fitting and to the fastening member.
7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the base part is configured to seat, in use, on an underside of the deck around the opening when thc fastening member is tightcncd.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the deck is clamped, in use, between the plumbing fitting and the base part by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck with the plumbing fitting seated on top of the deck.
9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the base part includes a plate with the fastening member rotatably connected to the plate.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plate is rigid.
11. Apparatus according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the base part includes a gasket or spacer element located between the plate and the underside of the deck.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the gasket is resilicnt.
13. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the fastening member is configured to be tightened by hand.
14. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the fastening member is configured to be tightcned with a tool.
15. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 14, wherein the fastening member has an external profile Ihat facilitates tightening by hand and/or with a tool.
16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the fastening member has a hexagonal external profile that can be gripped by hand and which can also be engaged by a tool to tighten the fastening member.
17. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 16, wherein the fastening member comprises a nut having a bore to receive the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member.

S
18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the borc has a icad-in portion and an internal threaded portion with the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member being a clearance fit in the lead-in portion and engageable with thc threaded bore portion for tightening the fastening member.
19. Apparatus according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the nut is rotatably connected to the plate by means that provide a permanent connection or a releasable connection.
20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein a head portion of the nut extends through a hole in the plate and is permanently secured by swaging or relcasably sccurcd by a removable retainer
21. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 16, wherein the fastening member comprises a nut that is pivotally and rotatably connected to the plate so that the nut can be tipped to clear the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member and then tipped back and tightened onto the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member
22. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein more than one elongate coupling member and fastening member arc provided.
23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein co-operating threaded portions of the coupling members and fastening members are configured so that fewer turns are required to tighten at least one of the fastening members.
24. Apparatus according to claim 22 or claim 23, wherein two elongate coupling members and two fastening members arc provided.
25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein one of the fastening members has a shorter threaded portion than the other fastening member such that it can be tightened with fewer turns.
26. Apparatus according to claim 24 or claim 25, wherein one of the elongate coupling members is shorter than the other elongate coupling member such that the associated fastening member may be tightened with fewer turns.
27. A method of mounting a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening, the method including providing an elongate coupling member, attaching the elongate coupling member to a plumbing fitting, positioning the plumbing fitting on top of the deck so that the elongate coupling member extends, through the opening in the deck, providing a base part including a rotatable fastening member, positioning the base part on an underside of the deck, and rotating the fastcning member to cngagc complementary threaded portions of the elongate coupling member and fastening member to tighten the fastening member and urge the base part against the underside of the deck.
28. The method of claim 27, further including providing at least two elongate coupling members connectable to the plumbing fining and at least two fastening members rotatably connected to the basc part for engagement with the elongate coupling members.
29. The method of claim 28, further including providing the elongate coupling members and fastening members with co-operating threaded portions configured so that at least one fastening member can be tightened with a reduced number of turns.
30. A fixing kit for installing a plumbing fining on a deck having a surface with an opening, the kit including at least one elongate coupling member connectable to the plumbing fining so as to extend, in use, through the opening in the deck, and at least one rotatable fastening member engageable with the elongate coupling member on an underside of the deck to urge a base part against the underside of the deck, wherein the at least one fastening member and base part are connected or connectable for rotation of the at least one fastening member relative to the base part such that, in usc, the plumbing fitting can be secured to the deck by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck.
31. A system for installing a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening, the system including at least one elongate coupling member connectable to a plumbing fitting and having a threaded portion that, in use, extends through the opening in the deck with the plumbing fitting on top of the deck, a base part that, in use is positioned on an underside of the deck, and at least one fastening member engageable with the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member, the fastening member being attached to the base part and rotatable relative to the base part to engage the threaded portion of the elongate coupling member such that, in use, the plumbing fitting can be secured to the deck by tightening the fastening member to urge the base part against the underside of the deck.
32. Apparatus for mounting a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
33. A method of mounting a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
34. A fixing kit for installing a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
35. A system for installing a plumbing fitting on a deck having a surface with an opening substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.