Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-16
2001-04-10
Fetsuga, Robert M. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Miscellaneous
C004S613000, C081S436000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212709
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tools and, more particularly, to tools for use by plumbers or ceramic tile contractors for installing and removing drains. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention provides a tool to facilitate installation and removal of a shower drain typically employed in a shower having a tile floor.
Many tools have been developed for use by the construction industry. Various general purpose tools are commonplace, such as a hammer, saw, screwdriver, wrench, and numerous other tools. Certain tools have been developed or refined for particular trades, for example, roofing hammers have been developed for roofers, miter saws have been developed for finish carpenters, side cutters have been developed for electricians, and pipe wrenches have been developed for plumbers, etc. Specialized tools facilitate efficient completion of the work required to be performed by the particular tradesman.
By way of example, plumbers typically possess various tools, such as a pipe wrench, pipe cutter, breaker bar, T bar, etc. Plumbers also typically use specialized tools that enable them to more efficiently complete certain tasks, such as the installation of drain hardware.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,276 discloses a wrench for installing a strainer base (
30
) in a sink. The wrench includes a drive bar (
16
) attached to a depth limiting device (
20
). The depth limiting device (
20
) “. . .is dimensioned so as to permit it to enter the upper part of the throat (
36
), but to come to rest in a mid portion of the throat.” See column 6, lines 1-4 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,276. The drive bar (
16
) is configured to engage notches (
40
) in the strainer base (
30
). Consequently, the drive bar (
16
) is dimensioned to fit entirely through the throat (
36
) of the sink base and to reside in a position in which each end of the drive bar (
16
) engages one of the opposed notches (
40
). Therefore, the strainer base installation tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,276 is specialized for installation of an internally tapered strainer base having notches.
There are other types of drains, for example, shower drains, which are difficult to install and remove. One known type of shower drain is a type employed for drains in showers having tile floors and is commonly known as an E-Z Test drain. An E-Z Test drain, generally indicated by the numeral
1
, is shown in FIG.
1
. The E-Z Test drain
1
has an internally threaded flange
2
which is rotated onto an externally threaded drain pipe
3
. The flange
2
has a lip
4
. The E-Z Test drain
1
also has a rim
5
. A waterproof shower pan membrane
6
is captured between the flange
2
and the rim
5
, and the rim is mounted to the flange by bolts
7
. The rim
5
also has internal ribs
8
having threaded holes
9
for mounting a strainer screen (not shown) to the E-Z Test drain
1
.
Conventionally, in order to install the E-Z Test drain
1
, a plumber or ceramic tile contractor uses a pipe wrench. He or she places the pipe wrench over the lip
4
of the flange
2
of the E-Z Test drain
1
and applies torque to tighten the flange onto the drain pipe
3
. Then, the rim
5
is bolted onto the flange
2
to capture the shower pan membrane
6
between the flange and the rim. The plumber or ceramic tile contractor reverses the procedure to remove the E-Z Test drain
1
. Removal is often difficult, since the bolts
7
are embedded in grout and the flange
2
is often fused by corrosion to the drain pipe
3
. If the plumber or ceramic tile contractor simply grasps the rim
5
between the jaws of a pipe wrench and applies torque, the rim can break without effecting removal of the E-Z Test drain
1
.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide a tool for removal of a commonplace shower drain used in a shower having a tile floor, such as the E-Z Test drain. It would also be desirable to provide a tool to facilitate installation of such a drain. Preferably, such a tool would be rugged in construction and inexpensive and yet provide an effective tool for removal and installation of a shower drain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the present invention provides a tool to remove a shower drain commonly used as a drain for a shower having a tile floor. The shower drain tool in accordance with the present invention can also facilitate installation of the drain.
The shower drain tool in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a blade for engagement with the ribs of a shower drain so that the drain can be rotated by torque applied to the blade. The shower drain tool also comprises a stabilizer plate connected to the blade to seat the tool on the shower drain and prevent the tool from falling through the drain into the drain pipe. Additionally, the shower drain tool preferably comprises means coupled to the stabilizer plate for imparting rotation to the blade.
In one embodiment, the means coupled to the stabilizer plate for imparting rotation to the blade of the shower drain tool comprises a tool adapter comprising an approximately square nut to be spanned by an adjustable wrench or open-end wrench and rotated to apply torque via the blade to the shower drain to remove or install the drain. In an alternative embodiment, the tool adapter of the shower drain tool comprises an approximately square hole into which a socket wrench drive or the tip of a breaker bar or T bar can be inserted to rotate the tool. The tool adapter can also have a pipe wrench extension so that a pipe wrench can be used to rotate the tool. In a modified embodiment, the means coupled to the stabilizer plate for imparting rotation to the blade of the shower drain tool comprises means, such as a T bar, integrated with the stabilizer plate.
The present invention also provides a method for removing and installing a shower drain. The method for removing the shower drain comprises the steps of providing a shower drain tool having a blade and a stabilizer plate, positioning the tool on the shower drain with the blade engaging the ribs of the drain and the stabilizer plate preventing the tool from falling through the drain into the drain pipe, and rotating the blade to apply torque to the ribs of the drain to remove the drain. The method for installing the shower drain comprises the steps of providing a shower drain tool having a blade and a stabilizer plate, rotating the flange of the drain onto a drain pipe until finger-tight, temporarily securing the rim of the drain to the flange, positioning the tool on the rim with the blade engaging the ribs of the rim and the stabilizer plate preventing the tool from falling through the drain into the drain pipe, rotating the blade to apply torque to the ribs of the rim to tighten the flange on the drain pipe, removing the rim from the flange, positioning a shower pan membrane atop the flange, and permanently securing the rim to the flange.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a shower drain tool for removal of a commonplace shower drain used in a shower having a tile floor, such as the E-Z Test drain. The shower drain tool also facilitates installation of such a drain. Advantageously, while the shower drain tool in accordance with the present invention provides an effective tool for removal and installation of a shower drain, the shower drain tool has a rugged construction and can be inexpensively produced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 494579 (1893-04-01), Lunken
patent: 2515558 (1950-07-01), Kluth
patent: 2605664 (1952-08-01), Galbraith
patent: 2803981 (1957-08-01), Stoecker
patent: 2859452 (1958-11-01), Seewack
patent: 2956461 (1960-10-01), Anderson
patent: 4237755 (1980-12-01), Gunnell, III
patent: 4982629 (1991-01-01), Germain
patent: 5090276 (1992-02-01), Groskey
patent: 5214985 (1993-06-01), Rinehart
patent: 5685209 (1997-11-01), Fiedler
patent: 5946990 (1999-09-01), Bonacci
Fetsuga Robert M.
Milks, III William C.
Russo & Hale LLP
LandOfFree
Shower drain tool and method for installing and removing a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Shower drain tool and method for installing and removing a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Shower drain tool and method for installing and removing a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2473657