Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Supply outlet for a sink or bath
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-19
2003-07-08
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Supply outlet for a sink or bath
C004S496000, C004S678000, C137S801000, C285S090000, C285S330000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06588031
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a bath tap fitting with
a) a securing device which can be fitted to a mounting plate and has:
aa) a securing body which is composed of a lower part and an upper part which can be pushed onto the lower part so that it cannot turn but can be adjusted for height;
ab) an adjusting bush which in the upper area is axially fitted on the upper part of the securing body, but in contrast to this can be turned and in the lower area is screwed into a threaded hole of the lower part of the securing body;
ac) a securing device, which sets the height of the upper part of the securing body in relation to the lower part;
b) an outlet spout which can be fitted onto the upper part of the securing body.
Mounting plates, on which bath fittings, in particular bath taps, have to be secured, frequently have a decorative covering, for example tiling. Since this decorative covering in individual cases can have varying thickness, the securing device for the bath tap fitting must be designed so that the underside of the outlet spout can be set at varying heights. In order to achieve this, until now bath taps have been installed with the securing device described above which have a securing body composed of a lower part and an upper part. Since the upper part of the securing body must be moved in contrast to the lower part, a certain, although minor play is essential for the non-turning connection of these two parts.
Bath tap fittings which satisfy higher demands for quality and comfort, have considerable dimensions. If a user holds onto these for support, very great forces can occur which act on the securing body. Any play between the upper part and the lower part of the securing body is unpleasantly perceived by the user as “looseness”, even though this is in fact very minute and would be insignificant for any objective useful measurement.
With known outlet fittings of the type mentioned at the beginning a grub screw, which is screwed through a threaded hole of the upper part against a face of the lower part is generally used as a securing device, which sets the height of the upper part of the securing body in relation to the lower part. This however is linked with a dual disadvantage: on the one hand accessibility of the grub screw from the side in many instances is difficult for reasons of space; on the other hand it is not possible with the aid of the grub screw to completely compensate for any play between upper part and lower part of the securing body and thus to guarantee a completely firm connection of the outlet spout to the securing body.
The aim of the present invention is to design a bath tap fitting of the type mentioned at the beginning so that the securing device is easier to access, particularly from above, and any play between upper part and lower part of the securing body is completely eliminated in their locked position.
This aim according to the invention is achieved in that
c) the upper part of the securing body grips over the lower part so that it cannot turn with a skirt which is divided into segments from underneath by slits and in which the area adjacent to the slits bears an outer thread;
d) a nut is screwed onto the outer thread of the skirt of the upper part which through cam effect in each case depending on the amount of turn presses the segments of the skirt of the upper part to a greater or lesser extent against the lower part of the securing body.
The securing device according to the invention is thus now no longer formed by a grub screw but by the segments having a certain flexibility in the radial direction in the lower skirt area of the upper part of the securing body which reacts cam-wise with the nut which can be screwed onto the outer thread of the skirt. This has the dual advantage that it can be used from above without difficulty since the nut can be easily reached with a corresponding tool. Furthermore the skirt of the upper part lies uniformly on all sides against the lower part so that in fact any play between upper part and lower part of the securing body is eliminated in all directions when the nut is tightened. This contrasts with the state of the art, where when the grub screw is tightened any play between these parts can only be eliminated in the direction of movement of the grub screw.
With an advantageous embodiment of the invention the cam effect is produced by the skirt of the upper part being expanded downward in the area of the slits over a cone face and the inner surface of the nut being expanded downward at its lower end over a complementary cone face.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3827728 (1974-08-01), Hynes
patent: 4303263 (1981-12-01), Legris
patent: 4798404 (1989-01-01), Iyanicki
patent: 6301727 (2001-10-01), Bertrand et al.
patent: 6378912 (2002-04-01), Condon et al.
patent: 41 08 458 (2002-09-01), None
Factor & Partners
Hansa Metallwerke AG
Kokabi Azy
Walczak David J.
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