Kit for installing bath spouts

Details Kit for installing bath spouts Kit for installing bath spouts

1998-03-11

2001-01-23

Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)

Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons

Supply outlet for a sink or bath

Faucet or spout

Reexamination Certificate

active

06175972

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to bath spouts and more particularly to a kit for enabling a bath spout to fit with a wide variety of pipe connections.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bath spouts typically have a shell surrounding a central conduit through which water flows for use in the bath. The conduit requires a fitting to connect to a feed pipe extending from a wall adjoining the bath. This feed pipe, also known as a nipple, may have typical dimensions and end finishes such as a ¾ pipe with a ¾ or ½ threaded end, a ½ inch pipe with a threaded or smooth pipe end.
There are devices with which a bath spout's inner conduit can be mounted to ¾ or ½ inch threaded pipes. A need exists whereby a single kit can provide an installer with the connection capabilities suitable for most typical wall pipe ends.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one universal and adjustable bath spout kit in accordance with the invention a spout shell is provided with a wholly or partially replaceable inner conduit to which one of several different adapters can be affixed to couple the inner conduit to a pipe nipple extending from the wall. The kit includes a metal or plastic spout shell having an internal end wall with a discharge port therein through which water is passed to a typically downwardly directed spout opening. An internally threaded coupling is positioned inside the spout shell over the discharge port and serves to enable an installer to insert the inner conduit. The inner conduit can be formed of a plurality of connectable plastic fittings that are screwed together to control the length of the inner conduit.
Alternatively the inner conduit can be made of a unitary plastic part. This part has a proximal or wall end where an adapter for attachment to the pipe nipple can be threaded. At a distil end the unitary inner conduit is provided with first and second external spaced apart screw threads each of which mesh with the threaded coupling inside the spout shell. Hence, when the inner conduit needs to be shortened, because a particular adapter is axially too large to enable a substantially flush fit of the spout shell with the wall, the distal screw thread on the inner conduit can be removed by cutting it off to shorten the inner conduit while leaving the second thread for attachment to the internal coupling.
When the inner conduit is formed of a single unitary part its cost can be significantly reduced and the various adapters necessary to accommodate the bath spout kit to various wall nipples as may be encountered in the field can be used while enabling a flush fit of the spout shell against the wall from which the pipe nipple extends.
As described herein for one embodiment in accordance with the invention the bath spout kit includes an inner conduit formed of a plurality of interfitting threaded segments with which the length of the inner conduit can be adjusted. This length adjustment is needed to enable the installer to assure a sealed connection with the pipe extending from the wall while having the enclosing spout shell fit essentially flush with the wall from which the pipe extends.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a universal bath spout kit with which an installer can adapt the spout to anyone of a variety of pipe ends.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a universal spout kit with adjustable features to facilitate the installation of a bath spout.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention can be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the drawings.


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