GB2514999A

GB2514999A - Apparatus for use in a WC bowl

Info

Publication number: GB2514999A
Application number: GB1307171.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Haigh; David Broadbent
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-04-21
Filing date: 2013-04-21
Publication date: 2014-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-21
Also published as: GB201307171D0; GB2514999B

Abstract

Apparatus 1 for locating a stopper at an outlet (2 figure 1) of a range of toilet bowls 3, (4 figure 4) to prevent the backflow of fluid during flooding. The stopper comprises a carrier i.e. a shaft 9 and a block 11 which allows the stopper to be mounted to the toilet and the shaft axis 5 adjusted to match the angle of the bowl outlet axis. The apparatus may comprise a crossbar 12 which fits under the toilet rim. The stopper may comprise a foam bung

Description

Apparatus for use in a WC bowl The invention relates to apparatus for use in a WC bowl, and particularly to such apparatus for locating a stopper or bung which is temporarily insertable in an outlet from the bowl in order to seek to obviate back flow of liquid through the outlet by blocking the outlet against fluid flow. The stopper or bung usually comprises a foam which is expansible in contact with water to block the outlet in situ.

WC5 are usually connected up with a sewage system for carrying away discharge from the bowl of the WC to a remote location for processing. While this is a well-tried and generally satisfactory process, situations can arise where owing to flood or storm conditions a surge of liquid sewage can flow back into the WC through the outlet. In a worst-case scenario, the volume of back flow liquid can overflow out of the WC bowl and cause flooding, which can be catastrophic in both domestic and commercial installations. The stopper is designed to seek to obviate the backflow. However, while there is a notional axis through the centre of the outlet of a WC upwardly to the rim of the WC bowl, there are various makes and design of WC each with its own such axis. The stopper ideally would lie along this axis, but owing to the various makes and design the stopper would generally lie off this notional axis, and in this case the sealing capability of the stopper can be compromised, and commensurately back flow cannot be guaranteed to be obviated.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for locating stopper means at an outlet of a range of WC bowls each having a respective particular axis of orientation to a rim of the bowl, comprising a device adapted to mount a carrier of the stopper means in use substantially along a said particular axis, whereby to substantially obviate back flow of liquid through the outlet.

Using the invention it is possible to provide apparatus which can be used in substantially all WC5 to prevent backflow of liquid and to obviate flooding.

The device may comprise a body having seatings for the carrier.

The seatings may comprise a plurality of bores through the body adapted to receive the carrier, there preferably being two through bores each oriented at substantially 900 to each other. This provides a relatively simple yet effective means for supporting the carrier. The carrier itself may suitably comprise an elongate member carrying the stopper means at the distal end thereof and the device at or adjacent the proximal end thereof.

The elongate member may comprise a plurality of separable and interengageable parts.

One of the said parts may be, when separated from the remainder of the elongate member, mountable in a substantially horizontal bore of the body for location of the opposite ends of the part under the rim of the WC bowl in a particular axis of orientation of the outlet.

The elongate member may also be mountable in a substantially vertical bore of the body adjacent the proximal end and the body being adapted to locate under the rim of the WC bowl in a particular orientation of the outlet.

There may be locking means such as a turn-screw for locking the body and elongate member together.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a WC in combination with apparatus as hereinbefore defined for locating stopper means at an outlet of a range of WC bowls each having a respective particular axis of orientation to a rim of the bowl.

Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show respectively and schematically cross-sections through two WC bowls indicating their respective outlet axis orientation, Fig.1 showing one axis and Fig.2 an axis nearer the vertical; Fig.3 shows schematically to an enlarged scale part of the WC bowl of Fig.1 with part of apparatus embodying the invention in place to obviate back flow through the outlet; Fig.4 shows schematically a view similar to that of Fig.3 but for the WC of Fig.2; Fig.5 shows schematically to a smaller scale a perspective view from above of Fig. 4; and Fig.6 shows schematically a further embodiment of apparatus embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is shown apparatus 1 for locating stopper means ( not shown) at an outlet 2 of a range of WC bowls 34 ( of which only two are shown by way of example) each having a respective particular axis 5,6 of orientation to a rim 7 of the howl 34,comprising a device 8 adapted to mount a carrier 9 of the stopper means in use substantially along a said particular axis 5,6,whereby to substantially obviate back flow of liquid through the outlet 2.

In Fig.1, the axis 5 through the outlet 2 is inclined from right to left as considered in a direction upwardly away from the outlet 2. In Fig. 2 the axis 6 is also inclined, but is nearer a vertical orientation than that of Fig.1.

The deviceS for mounting the carrier 9 of the stopper means has a body 11 with two through bores 12, 13 providing seatings for the carrier 9, which itself is in the embodiments an elongate member which is made up of a plurality of separable and interengageable carrier parts 1415. In the embodiments these parts are separably interengageable by threaded spigot and sockets 16 (of which only the spigot is shown in Figs. 4 and 5) at in use facing ends of respective parts. Thus the elongate carrier member 9 can be lengthened or shortened by screwing or unscrewing separate parts 14, 15. In the embodiments, there are two parts.

In Fig.1, the axis S as described above is raked forwardly of the bowl 3 towards the front lip 7 of the bowl 3. In order to secure the stopper means at the correct position in the outlet 2 of the bowl 3, the whole carrier member 9 is used, in other words the two parts 14, 15 are screwed together. The proximal end is seated in the bore 13 and locked in position by locking means 18 in the form of a turn-screw, a nose 19 of the body 11 being firmly engaged under the forward rim 7 of the bowl 3 to restrain the apparatus on, at or near the axis 5.

In Figs. 4 and 5, where the axis 6 is nearly vertical, the top, in use, part 14 of the carrier element 9 is unscrewed from the lower in use part 15, which carries the stopper means, and is inserted in the seating formed by the bore 12 in the body 11. The part 14 extends on each side of the body 11 so that opposite ends are located under the rim 7 of the bowl 4 at the sides, see FigS, to restrain the apparatus ion, at or near the axis 6.

In a modification, not shown, where the axis 6 of the outlet 2 is substantially vertical, then the body 11 of the device 8 is turned from the Fig.2 position through 180 so that it engages the rim 7 of the bowl 4 at the rear 20.

The deviceS is slidable along the elongate member 9 to any desired position to provide for restraint of the elongate member 9. The body 11 of the device 8 is also lockable on the elongate element in all positions and angle of inclination of the axis 5,6.

It will be understood that the stopper means or bung of a desired configuration is located at the end of the carrier 2 in the outlet 2 of a WC. In order to push the bung of desired configuration more firmly into the outlet2, an end load is applied to the proximal end of the carrier 9. This is achieved by providing a thread (not shown) on the support 9 at least below the body 11. A tightening member such as a knurled nut, (also not shown), of a desired size is mounted on the thread below the body 11. When the nut is tightened against the body 11, which is firmly held in place under rim 7, an end load is effectively applied to the carrier 9 and a reaction force is transmitted down the carrier 9 to the bung, which is forced more firmly into the outlet 2, so enhancing the seal.

Referring to Fig.6, there is shown apparatus 100 comprising a cross-bar 101 mounted on a threaded carrier or strut 102 by sliding cooperative engagement of the strut 102 and a blind slot 103 in an enlarged central body part 104 of the cross-bar 101. Parts 105,106 projecting laterally from the body part 104 are adapted to engage under the rim of a WC in use.

The cross-bar 101 is formed integrally of any suitable material and is therefore a strengthened member essentially equivalent to carrier part 14 of Figs. 4 and 5. There is a threaded member in the form of a knurled nut 107 of slightly larger diameter than the body part 104 to facilitate tightening and untightening of the nut 107. A foam stopper means or bung 108 for insertion in a WC outlet is mounted at the distal end of the strut 102.

In use the nut 107 is tightened up against the underside of the body 104 to lock the cross-bar 101 firmly under the rim of a WC bowl. The cross-bar 101 and associated support parts for supporting the bung of the embodiment 100 shown in Fig. 6 provide for reliable reinsertion of the apparatus into a whole range of WC bowls having once been removed from one and inserted in another of a different design.

The foam stopper means or bung 108 can have or has a design specific to a particular WC outlet into which the apparatus 100 is inserted. The bung 108 is of such a good fit in the WC outlet that it (or one of identical design and manufacture) can be reinserted into the same WC every time a flood is threatened, the cross-bar 101 and associated supports parts ensuring that the bung 108 performs to stop back-flow and prevent flooding on every insertion into the WC outlet.

It will be understood that the apparatus 1,100 described with reference to the drawings are generally applicable to provide that stopper means in the outlet 2 will give maximum sealing whatever the angle of the axis of the outlet 2 over a range of WC bowl designs. It will be understood too that the apparatus 100 always applies a measured load via the nut 10] and threaded strut 102 down through the central or particular axis of the WC and hence to the bung 108.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for locating stopper means at an outlet of a range of WC bowls each having a respective particular axis of orientation to a rim of the bowl, comprising a device adapted to mount a carrier of the stopper means in use substantially along a said particular axis, whereby to substantially obviate back flow of liquid through the outlet.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, the device comprising a body having means to support the carrier substantially along a said particular axis in use.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, the said means comprising respective separate seatings for the carrier.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, the seatings comprising a plurality of bores through the body adapted to receive the carrier.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, there being two through bores each oriented at substantially 900 to each other.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the carrier comprising an elongate member carrying the stopper means at the distal end thereof and the device at the proximal end thereof
7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, the elongate member comprising a plurality of separable and interengageable parts.
8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, one of the bores through the body being substantially horizontal in use, the elongate member being extendible whereby it is adapted to be mountable in a range of WC bowls of varying bowl diameters.
9. Apparatus according to Claiml, one of the said parts being,when separated from the remainder of the elongate member, mountable in a substantially horizontal bore of the body for location of the opposite ends of the part under the rim of the WC bowl in a particular axis of orientation of the outlet.
10.Apparatus according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, the elongate member being mountable in a substantially vertical bore of the body adjacent the proximal end and the body being adapted to locate under the rim of the WC bowl in a particular orientation of the outlet.
11.Apparatus according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, comprising locking means for locking the body and elongate member together.
12.Apparatus according to Claim 11, the locking means being adapted to apply a load along the elongate member to the stopper means along the said particular axis.
13.Apparatus for locating stopper means at an outlet of a range of WC bowls each having a respective particular axis of orientation to a rim of the bowl, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14.A WC bowl, in combination with apparatus according to any preceding Claim.