NZ226153A - Through-wall plumbing fitting - Google Patents

Description

■v 2261 J 3 .;* © Patents Form No. 5 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TAPS" ([ " f OThis Application is a Complete After Provisional v ^Ciy £ D ^ No. 226253 and Dated 12 September 1988 WE, HARDWARE MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, of 447 Rosebank o Road, Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand, a New Zealand company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to ns, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a fitting which is locatable in an aperture in a wall or fascia. Preferably, the fitting is a tap or valve which needs to be located in a thin wall or fascia.

Providing taps or valves in thin fascias or walls is generally a problem. Usually, the tap or valve has a threaded spigot which is positioned through an aperture in the wall. A lock nut is threaded on the spigot and used to tighten the valve or tap to the wall. Unfortunately, it is relatively expensive to provide a spigot with an external screw thread. Also, the lock nut often comes loose.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fitting which is locatable in an aperture in a wall.

In one aspect, this invention provides a fitting which is locatable in an aperture in a wall. The fitting comprises: a first body portion having a threaded bore, the base of the first body portion at the opening of the bore being larger than the aperture in the wall; a second body portion having an externally threaded spigot, the spigot threadable in the bore of the first body portion to tighten together the second body portion and the first body portion; and a resilient washer member being receivable on the spigot of the second body portion and being of outer dimension larger than the aperture in the wall; cL o J. O O the washer member arranged to be received on the spigot and positioned between the wall adjacent the aperture and the remainder of the second body portion so that tightening together of the second body portion and the first body portion causes deformation of the washer member and urging of the washer member into contact with the inner periphery of the aperture and with the first body portion.

Preferably, the fitting further comprises an annular sealing means locatable on the spigot and receivable in the bore of the first body portion.

The first body portion may have a flange projecting outwardly from it adjacent to the opening of the bore. Also, the second body portion preferably has a flange extending outwardly from it adjacent the base of the spigot; the flange being smaller than the aperture in the wall but larger than the spigot.

Conveniently, the first body portion, or the second body portion, or both, may include spanner flats to facilitate tightening together of the body portions. Conveniently, the washer member is in the form of a flat washer or a centr. depressed washer.

In a further aspect, this invention provides a method mounting a fitting to an apertured wall. The method comprises the steps of providing a fitting as described above; locating \) JL O the washer member on the spigot of the second body portion; aligning the spigot with the aperture in the wall; positioning the first body portion on the opposite side of the wall with its bore aligned with the aperture in the wall; and engaging the spigot in the bore and tightening together the body portions to deform the washer member so that a portion of the washer member is positioned between the first body portion, the second body portion and the inner walls of the aperture.

An embodiment of this invention is described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which; Figure 1 is a side view, in part cross-section, of a fitting in an aperture of a wall prior to tightening together of the portions of the fitting; Figure 2 is a view of Figure 1 with the body portions together; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but with the having a centre depressed washer. a Referring to the drawings, a valve 1 is arranged to be mounted in a thin wall 2. The valve 1 has a first body portion 5 arranged on one side of the wall 2 and a second body portion 8 arranged on the other side of the wall 2.

The first body portion 5 is a conventional valve body but has a bore 16 extending into it. The bore 16 has a threaded portion 2261 9 intermediate its ends. The diameter of the bore 16 is slightly larger between its opening and the start of the threaded portion 9 than in the threaded portion 9. The first body portion 5 has a flange 4 extending outwardly of it adjacent its base at the opening of the bore 16. The radial dimensions of the flange 4 are larger than those of the aperture 3 in the wall 2. The flange 4 includes a slightly raised seat 12 extending about the opening the bore 16. The outer diameter of the seat 12 is just less than the diameter of the aperture 3 so thay it is snugly received in the aperture 3 of the wall 2.

The second body portion 8 has s spigot 18 extending from it. The spigot 18 has a threaded portion 10 which can be threaded with the threaded portion 9 of the bore 16 of the first body portion 5. A flange 20 extends about the second body portion 8 adjacent the base of the spigot 18. The flange 20 has a diameter which is larger than that of the spigot 18 but which is smaller than that of the aperture 3 of the wall 2. The second body portion 8 includes a valve spindle 11 as is conventional in valves.

A resilient, annular, washer 7 is positioned over the spigot 18. The aperture of the washer 7 is of a diameter just larger than the diameter of the spigot 18 but smaller than the diameter of the flange 20. The outer diameter of the washer 7 is larger than the diameter of the aperture 3 of the wall 2. An annular seal 14 is positioned on the spigot 18 adjacent the 226153 flange 20. The second body portion 8 may include spanner flats 13 to facilitate threading of the second body portion 8 on the first body portion 5. Plainly, the first body portion 5 may also include spanner flats.

In use, a suitable aperture 3 is made in a wall 2. A washer 7 and a seal 14 are slipped over the spigot 18 of the second body portion 8. A first body portion 5 is positioned with its bore 16 in alignment with the aperture 3 of the wall 2. The second body portion 8 is positioned on the opposite side of the wall 2 with its spigot 18 aligned with the bore 16 of the first body portion 5. The second body portion 8 is then pushed toward the first body portion 5 to engage the threads 10 on the second body portion 8 with the threads 9 on first body portion 5. The second body portion 8 is then tightened on the first body portion 5. Tightening of the second body portion 8 results in deformation of the washer 7 because the flange 20 pulls the washer 7 inwardly into the aperture 3 of the wall 2.

In the fully tightened position of the second body portion 8 on the first body portion 5, the washer 7 is trapped between the flange 20 of the second body portion 8 and the seat 12 of the first body portion. The outer edge of the washer 7 remains outside of the aperture 3. The seal 14 is forced into the bore 16 of the first body portion 5.

In its deformed position, the washer 7 imparts an engaging bias between the first body portion 5, the second body portion 8, and the walls of the aperture 3. This bias tends to lock the valve in position in the aperture 3. 226153 Turning to Figure 3, the washer 7 may be replaced by a centre depressed washer 22. The diameter of the depression 24 of the washer 22 is just larger then the outer diameter of the flange 20. Apart from the depression, the washer 22 operates as the washer 7 would except that tightening together of the first body portion 5 ana the second body portion 8 is made easier. Plainly, the depression 24 may be any suitable shape ana not only the shallow depression 24 illustrated.

The washer 7 or the washer 22 is conveniently manufactured from resilient material such as mild steel, spring steel, and suitable plastics. The first body portion 5 and the second body portion 8 may be manufactured from any suitable material as is conventional.

Plainly, the fitting need not be a valve as illustrated but may be any device which is attached to a wall through an aperture in the wall. For example, the fitting may be a tap.

The invention provides a fitting which- may be attached to a wall without the need for providing additional, externally threaded portions on the second body portion 8. Also, lock nuts to lock the second body portion 8 to the wall 2 are not required. Also, owing to the bias of the deformed washer 7 or 22, there is an engagement force applied between the fitting and the wall 2 which results in a secure attachment of the fitting to the wall 2.

Numerous variations may be made to the described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the claims.

Claims (9)

c 2 uiOu o o - 8 - What we claim is:

1. A fitting locatable in an aperture in a wall, the fitting comprising; a first body portion having a threaded bore, the base of the first body portion at the opening of the bore being larger than the aperture in the wall; a second body portion having an externally threaded spigot, the spigot threadable in the bore of the first body portion to tighten together the second body portion and the first body portion; and '5^-- a resilient washer member being receivable on the of the second body portion and being of dimens than the aperture in the wall; the washer member arranged to be received on the and positioned between the wall adjacent the aperture and the remainder of the second body portion so that tightening together of the body portions causes deformation of the washer member and urging of the washer member into contact with the first body portion and the inner periphery of the aperture.

2. A fitting according to claim 1 in which the washer member is an annular washer or a centre depressed washer.

A fitting according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the first body portion has an outwardly projecting flange adjacent its base; the flange being of dimension larger than the aperture.

A fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the second body portion has a flange at the base of the spigot; the flange being of dimension larger than the diameter of the spigot but smaller than the aperture.

A fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 4 further comprising an annular sealing member locatable on the spigot and receivable in the bore of the first body portion.

A fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the first body postion, or the second body portion, or both, include spanner flats to facilitate tightening together of the body portions.

A fitting according to claim 1 and substantially as described in this specification with reference to figures 1 and 2.

A method of mounting a fitting in an apertured wall, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fitting according to any one of claims i to 7 r'y © o s o G n<~i5 3 - - 10 - locating the washer member on the spigot of the second body portion; aligning the spigot with the aperture in the wall; positioning the first body portion on the opposite side of the wall with its bore aligned with the aperture in the wall; and j engaging the spigot: in the bore and tightening together the body portions to deform the washer meniber so that a portion of the washer member is positioned between the first body portion, the second body portion and the inner walls of the aperture.

9. A method according to claim 8 and substantially as described in this specification with reference to figures 1 and 2. HARDWARE MANUFACTURING. COMPANY LIMITED BY THEIR ATTORNEYS BALDWIN, SON & CAREY j(z ' | ~ 5JUNl99l£i/ ,{ V* / r %£§jvjX II