US3333284A

US3333284A - Plumbing fixture

Info

Publication number: US3333284A
Application number: US422301A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul C Symmons
Original assignee: SYMMONS ENGINEERING Co
Current assignee: SYMMONS ENGINEERING Co
Priority date: 1964-12-30
Filing date: 1964-12-30
Publication date: 1967-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-01

Description

1957 P. c. SYMMONS v 3,333,284

PLUMBING FIXTURE Filed Dec. 50, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PAU L, ,.C. SYMMONS Jazz/9M ATTORNEY Aug. 1, 1967 RC. SYMMONS PLUMBING FIXTURE Filed Dec. 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTDR PAUL C.SYMMONS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,333,284 PLUMBING FIXTURE Paul C. Symmons, Newton, Mass., assignor to Symmons Engineering Company, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Dec. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 422,301 17 Claims. (Cl. 4192) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The specification discloses a modular shower bath unit adapted for single or multi-station shower installations. Each modular unit comprises a mixing valve having a pair of inlet ports and an outlet port, a water supply pipe section secured to each inlet port, and a water delivery pipe section secured to the outlet port, bracket means on the valve for securing it to a supporting wall, a fitting on the end of the delivery pipe for securing the delivery pipe to the same supporting wall, a cover member concealing the pipes and all of the valve except its operating handle, means securing the cover member to the valve body and also to the fitting on the delivery pipe, and a shower head assembly secured to the cover member and communicating with the delivery pipe through the fitting. A soap dish is adapted to be secured to the cover member so as to close off the bottom end of the cover member.

This invention relates to plumbing fixtures and more particularly to a modular multi-station surface-mounted plumbing fixture.

Schools and other large establishments require multistation shower installations in selected bathing areas. For a long time such installations involved a system of piping which was installed prior to completion of the building walls and which consisted of main hot and cold water supply headers located behind building walls and branch pipes in the walls leading from the headers to each station. Necessarily the branch pipes were installed prior to completion of the walls While the several fittings for each station, e.g. shower head, valves, etc., were installed in the final stages of construction. The obvious disadvantage of this type of installation is that it can be completed only in several stages; moreover, it requires extensive on-the-job cutting and fitting of pipes, as well as individually mounting and connecting each valve and shower head. Accordingly there have been attempts to provide prefabricated surface-mounted multi-station shower systems which could be installed after the building walls have been finished, i.e., fully plastered or tiled. I-Ieretofore such attempts at prefabrication have not been satisfactory fora variety of reasons, including excessive cost, poor appearance, lack of easy adaptability to existing supply headers, inconvenient location of shower valves, excessive size, difiiculty of installation, and need for several types of prefabricated units to permit mounting on right angle walls.

Accordingly the general object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-station plumbing fixture which may be mounted on the walls of a building after the walls have been fully constructed.

Another general object of the invention is to provide a modular plumbing fixture which may be mounted on completed building Walls and which may be connected to existing hot and cold water headers together with other like fixtures to provide a multi-station plumbing installation.

Another object is to provide novel prefabricated plumbing fixture modules each including a shower head and hot and cold Water valve means, and each designed to be mounted on an existing building wall to serve as individual shower stations.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a surfacemounted, multi-station plumbing fixture wherein the distance between adjacent stations is variable.

Still another object is to provide a surface-mounted, multi-station shower fixture made up of prefabricated wall-mounted modules each equipped with shower heads and a mixing valve, the modules being relatively simple in construction, pleasing in appearance, and easy to install.

Described briefly, plumbing fixtures embodying the present invention consist of one or more prefabricated standard units which are adapted to be readily hung on the finished building walls. Each of these units consists of a mixing valve, a shower head, a pair of pipes for conmeeting the mixing valve to hot and cold water supply lines, a riser connecting the outlet of the mixing valve to the shower head, bracket means for attaching the foregoing assembly to a building wall, and a removable cover panel concealing all of the foregoing members except the shower head and the handle portion of the valve. The valve is provided with integral stops, i.e., shutoifs, which are accessible without removal of the cover panel. As an optional feature a soap dish is attached to the bottom of the cover panel. Each unit is adapted for connection to: (a) thru-wall water supply pipes, i.e. pipes projecting from a vertical Wall or ceiling, or (b) horizontally extending pipes mounted on the outer surface of a finished wall. These modular units are adapted to be fabricated in two dilferent sizes, one size for adults and the other size for children, Without any material change in basic design.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention are believed to be readily apparent from the following detailed description which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of several prefabricated modules mounted on the walls of a building and connected to water supply lines introduced from three dilferent dire ctions;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of two adjacent modules with one module exploded to illustrate certain details thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the top of one module, with a portion of the front panel broken away to illustrate certain details thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a special bracket member forming part of each module.

As previously indicated, the invention provides novel prefabricated modular units designed to be mounted on the surface of a finished wall at spaced points to provide a multi-station plumbing or shower fixture. FIG. 1 illustrates that these novel units do not require one specific supply line piping arrangement but are adapted for connection to supply lines extending at ditferent angles. Five like prefabricated units, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E are shown in FIG. 1. The unit 2A is mounted on a Wall 4 and is supplied with hot and cold water from the back via a pair of pipes 6 protruding from the Wall at right angles thereto. The adjacent unit 2B, also is mounted on wall 4 but it is supplied with hot and cold water from the top via a pair of wall'mounted pipelines 8 extending vertically down from the ceiling 10. The next unit 2C also is mounted on wall 4 while the other two units, 2D and 213, are mounted on a second wall 12 which forms a right angle corner with wall 4. These three units are connected to common hot and cold Water supply lines 14 which are wall mounted like pipelines 8 but extend horizontally. These horizontal supply lines 14 are dead-ended at unit 2C. Further details regarding the five units of FIG. 1 are presented hereinafter.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, each unit comprises a mixing valve 16 having a rotatable operating handle 18, two

inlet ports

20 and 22, and an outlet port 24. Adjustable stops 26 of conventional design are mounted in the inlet ports to permit Shutting off the flow of water into the valve when it is necessary to repair or inspect the mixing valve mechanism. Although not shown it is to be understood that the mixing valve mechanism is of conventional design, preferably of the pressure-responsive type disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,099,996 issued to Paul C. 'Symmons, one of the applicants herein. With such a mixing valve mechanism, rotation of operating handle 18 will permit adjustment of mixed water temperatures and assurance that it will not rise or drop with changes in supply line water pressures. Valve 16 also includes two laterally-extending

bracket members

30 and 32 which are formed integral with the inlet port sections and which have holes to accommodate screws for attachment to a wall.

It is to be noted that the two inlet ports and the outlet port are all located on the top side of the mixing valve body and face in the same direction. Attached to these ports are hot and

cold supply pipes

38 and 40 respectively and a mixed water delivery pipe 42. The two supply pipes are fitted with unions 44. The delivery pipe 42 is somewhat shorter than the two supply pipes and affixed to its upper end is a special fitting identified generally at 46. As seen best in FIGS. 3 and 4, fitting 46 includes a hollow casing 48 which is open at its bottom end 50 and has a right angle tubular extension 52 of reduced diam eter acting as an outlet. The bottom end 50 fits onto and is secured to the delivery pipe 42. Fitting 46 also includes two

bracket plates

54 and 56. The rear bracket plate 54 is slightly lower and has a pair of holes 58 to receive screws 60 (FIG. 3) used to attach the fitting to a wall. The front bracket plate 56 extends on opposite sides of tubular extension 52 but the latter projects forward a substantial distance from the front face of the former. Bracket plate 56 has a set of threaded holes 62 located at its ends and a second set of holes 64 located close to tubular extension 52. The purposes of

holes

62 and 64 are described hereinafter.

Each prefabricated unit also includes a cover member 68 which is generally U-shaped in cross-section so as to provide a front panel 70 and a pair of angular side panels 72. The front panel has a large hole 74 near its bottom end for valve 16 and a smaller hole 76 near its top end for the tubular extension 52 of fitting 46. Mounted directly on the panel is a shower head assembly identified generally at 78. Each shower head assembly includes a shower head 80 secured by a conventional ball-type swivel connection 82 to a tubular inlet pipe 84 that is mounted in a hollow mounting head 86 of polygonal shape. The rear surface of mounting head 86 is flat so as to fit against the front panel of cover 68 and also has an aperture to accommodate the tubular extension 52 of fitting 46 in the manner shown in FIG. 3. The shower head assembly is attached to the cover 68 by means of four bolts 90 (FIG. 3) which pass through four holes 92 arranged symmetrically about hole 76 in the front panel 70 and screw into the back of mounting head 86.

It is to be noted that the shower head assembly 78 and the cover member 68 form a discrete sub-assembly which can remain intact when the cover is removed for inspection or repair of valve 16. This discrete sub-assembly is held in place with respect to the other components of the modular unit by two sets of

screws

94 and 96 which pass through the front panel of the cover plate. Screws 94 screw into two bosses 98 formed integral with opposite sides of the body of valve 16, while screws 96 screw into the tapped holes 62 of front bracket plate 56. Holes 64 in the same bracket plate are aligned with two of the holes 92 and are large enough to accommodate the heads of the bolts 90 which are located in those two holes.

The length of cover member 68 is sufiicient for it to conceal the unions 44 at its top end and all but the handle portion of valve 16 at its bottom end. The bottom end may be left open or closed off. Preferably the latter is accomplished by providing a soap dish 100 having a flat extension 102 which functions as an end plate for the cover member. Extension 102 is secured to the cover member by screws 104. The latter pass through suitable holes 106 formed in the cover member and screw into tapped holes formed in ears 110 that are struck out of extension 182.

The upper end of the cover member is closed off in various ways. In those cases where the

supply pipes

38 and 40 are connected to pipelines projecting out of the wall (as shown at 2A in FIG. 1 and also FIG. 3), the upper end of the cover member is closed off by a flat end plate 112 which is secured in place by screws. Preferably end plate 112 has ears (not shown) like ears 110 to enable it to be secured in place by screws 114.

In the case of through-ceiling supply piping (e.g. unit 28 in FIG. 1), a matching cover extension 116 is provided. The bottom end of the cover extension is secured to the main cover member by the screws 114 which would be used to lock end plate 112. Preferably the cover extension has ears (not shown) which extend down inside of the main cover member in position to receive screws 114.

In the third type of installation shown in FIG. 1 (units 2C, 2D, and 2E), the cover panels abut U-shaped housing members 120 that cover the horizontal supply lines 14. It is to be noted that these housing members may be made in different lengths and that two or more can be mounted in near-abutting relation on the same wall. Thus FIG. 2 illustrates two housing members 120A and 120B of different lengths in end-to-end alignment. For convenience of mounting, it is preferred that these housing members have flanges 112 provided with suitable holes 124 to receive screws whereby they may be fastened to the wall. The near-abutting ends of the two housing members are covered by a matching strap member 126 having flanges 128 which are secured to the wall by screws 130. Where two housing members are mounted on adjacent walls meeting at a right angle, e.g. walls 4 and 12, they are joined by a corner housing member 134. The latter is designed to abut the main housing members and has flanges 136 corresponding to flanges 122. Each corner housing member has ears 138 at each end which extend inside of the adjacent housing members 120 and are secured thereto by screws 140. Although not shown, it is to be understood that in the case where supply lines 14 are dead-ended, an end member is provided for the end housing member. Preferably the end member has ears similar to ears 138 so as to be secured in place by screws.

As is also illustrated in FIG. 2, the bottom side of each housing member 120 has a slot 142 at each station to accommodate the branch pipelines leading from the horizontal headers 14 to the

supply pipes

38 and 40 of the modular unit at the station. Slots 142 enable the housing members to be mounted in place either before or after the connections have been made to unions 44. In this connection it is to be observed that at each station the connection to the cold water header (identified as 14A in FIG. 2) is made by a standard T 144 and a nipple of appropriate length. The connection to the hot water header (14B in FIG. 2) also involves a T and nipple but the two are connected by a special bypass fitting 146 which is curved to fit over and extend around half of the cold water header within the space permitted by the associated housing member 120.

It is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description that the invention is flexible in application as well as being easy to install. It is suited for installations where piping is completed in stages as well as where supply headers are mounted on the outside surfaces of building walls. Because the lengths of cover members 68 and

supply pipes

38 and 40 are variable, the invention is applicable equally well to adult or child-size installations.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts specifically described or illustrated, and that within the scope of the appended claims, it may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described or illustrated.

I claim:

1. A prefabricated unit for a surface mounted plumbing system of the character described comprising a control valve with at least one inlet port and also an outlet port, said valve also having an operating handle projecting from one side thereof, means for attaching said valve on a supporting wall, each inlet port adapted for connection to a water supply pipe, a liquid delivery pipe connected to said outlet port, a fitting on the end of said delivery pipe adapted for securing said delivery pipe to said wall, a cover member having a front wall and opposed side walls, said cover member positioned so that it embraces said valve and also said fitting and delivery pipe, means securing said cover member to said valve and said fitting, and a shower head assembly secured to said cover member and communicating with said delivery pipe through said cover member.

2. A prefabricated unit as defined by claim 1 wherein the handle portion of said valve is exposed while substantially all of the rest of said valve is concealed by said cover member.

3. A prefabricated unit as defined by claim 1 wherein said cover member is elongated with said shower head assembly mounted at one end and said valve handle exposed at the other end thereof.

4. A prefabricated unit as defined by claim 1 including a water supply pipe attached to each inlet port, and further wherein said pipes are parallel to each other and extend in the same direction away from said valve.

5. A prefabricated unit as defined by claim 1 further including a supply pipe connected to each inlet port, each supply pipe supported by said valve in parallel relation to said delivery pipe behind said cover member and being adapted for connection to a water supply line.

6. A multi-station plumbing fixture comprising a plurality of elongated vertically-extending prefabricated units each comprising a mixing valve having an operating handle and means adapted to secure said valve to a building wall, a pair of hot and cold water supply pipes connected to inlet ports of said valve and a mixed water delivery pipe connected to the discharge port of said valve, a member for securing said delivery pipe to the surface of a building wall, a removable cover member exposing said handle while concealing substantially all of the rest of said valve and said pipes, and a shower head attached to said cover member and communicating with said delivery pipe.

7. A multi-station plumbing fixture as defined in claim 6 wherein said shower head has a cover-mounting portion with an inlet hole in which resides a tubular water discharge element connected to said delivery pipe.

8. A multi-station plumbing fixture as defined by claim 7 wherein said tubular water discharge element is part of said pipe securing member.

9. A multi-station plumbing fixture as defined by claim 6 wherein the hot and cold water supply pipes of each unit terminate at the top end of each unit and are fitted with unions for coupling to hot and cold water supply lines.

10. A multi-station plumbing fixture as defined by claim 6 wherein the said supply pipes of each unit are coupled to horizontally extending hot and cold water supply lines mounted on the surface of the said building wall, and further wherein said supply lines are concealed by removable elongated cover panels, the upper ends of the cover members of said units fitting close to the cover panels of said supply lines.

11. A multi-station plumbing fixture as defined by claim 6 further including a soap dish for each prefabricated unit, each soap dish having an extension that is removably secured to a cover member in position to close ofl? the bottom end thereof while simultaneously acting as a support for said soap dish.

12. A prefabricated modular plumbing unit comprising a mixing valve having a pair of inlet ports and an outlet port facing in the same direction, a pair of hot and cold water supply pipes connected to said inlet ports, a mixed water delivery pipe connected to said outlet port, bracket means formed integral with said valve for attaching it to the outer surface of a building wall, a fitting mounted on the remote end of said delivery pipe, said fitting including a tubular water discharge portion extending at a right angle to said delivery pipe, a cover member attached to said fitting, and a shower head mounted on said cover member and having an inlet communicating with said tubular water discharge portion.

13. A prefabricated plumbing unit as defined by claim 12 wherein said tubular water discharge portion extends through a hole in said cover member and is in telescoping relation to said shower head inlet.

14. A prefabricated plumbing unit as defined by claim lz wherein said cover member is secured to said valve.

15. A prefabricated plumbing unit as defined by claim 12 wherein said pipes are all parallel and said supply pipes extend beyond said fitting.

16. A prefabricated plumbing unit as defined by claim 12 further including a soap dish with a fiat extension, said extension removably secured to said cover member in position to close off the bottom end of said cover member While simultaneously acting as a support for said soap dish.

17. A prefabricated shower unit of the character described, comprising a control valve having (a) hot and cold water inlet ports, (b) a mixed water outlet port, (0) an operating handle projecting from one side thereof, and (d) manually operable hot and cold water stops at one end thereof, said valve also having means adapted for mounting it on the surface of a supporting vertical wall, first and second pipes secured to said valve and communicating with said inlet ports, a third pipe secured to said valve and communicating with said outlet port, a fitting on the end of said third pipe adapted for securing said third pipe to said wall, a cover member covering said valve and also said fitting and pipes, said cover member having a hole through which said operating handle projects, means securing said cover member to said valve and fitting, and a shower head assembly secured to said cover member and communicating with said third pipe through said cover member via said fitting, said hot and cold water stops being accessible from one end of said cover member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,301 12/1931 Hennessey 4-191 2,825,909 3/1958 Morris 4-145 2,992,437 7/1961 Nelson et al. 4-192 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

HAROLD J. GROSS, Examiner,

Claims

1. A PREFABRICATED UNIT FOR A SURFACE MOUNTED PLUMBING SYSTEM OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A CONTROL VALVE WITH AT LEAST ONE INLET PORT AND ALOS AN OUTLET PORT, SAID VALVE ALSO HAVING AN OPERATING HANDLE PROJECTING FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF, MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID VALVE ON A SUPPORTING WALL, EACH INLET PORT ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A WATER SUPPLY PIPE, A LIQUID DELIVERY PIPE CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET PORT, A FITTING ON THE END OF SAID DELIVERY PIPE ADAPTED FOR SECURING SAID DELIVERY PIPE TO SAID WALL, A COVER MEMBER HAVING A FRONT WALL AND OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, SAID COVER MEMBER POSITIONED SO THAT IF EMBRACES SAID VALVE AND ALSO SAID FITTING AND DELIVERY PIPE, MEANS SECURING SAID COVER MEMBER TO SAID VALVE AND SAID FITTING, AND A SHOWER HEAD ASSEMBLY SECURED TO SAID COVER MEMBER AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID DELIVERY PIPE THROUGH SAID COVER MEMBER.