Pipes and tubular conduits – With closures and plugs
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-17
2001-02-20
Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
With closures and plugs
C138S09600T, C138S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189573
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to mounting fittings such as those which receiving legs or poles to support a table or other object above a surface, and more specifically to a stopper for plugging the central hole in such a fitting when the support leg is not in place.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Boats and wheeled recreational vehicles (RVs) are commonly equipped with seats, tables, and other objects which are supported by legs or poles which fit into mounting fittings disposed on a floor or other surface of the vehicle. This type of mounting holds the chair or table firmly in its operative position to prevent the object from sliding around when the boat or RV is in motion. If it is desired to move the object to provide more usable space of to store the item elsewhere, the object may be moved from its operative by simply pulling the support leg upwardly out of the mounting fitting. Smaller objects such as flag poles or fishing rod holders are also removably held in mounting fittings.
Such mounting fittings usually take the form of a circular metal plate having a central hole and a hollow cylindrical sleeve extending downwardly from the central hole. The sleeve may be slightly tapered, narrowing toward the bottom, to match a similar taper on the end of the leg that mates with the fitting. The fitting is placed over a hole formed in the floor or other mounting surface so that the disk lays flat against the upper surface and the sleeve fits downwardly into the hole. Screws or equivalent fastening means pass through the disk and into the underlying surface to hold the fitting in place. Mounting fittings of this type are available in a wide variety of sizes to receive support legs of different diameters.
When the support leg is removed from the mounting fitting, the fitting is exposed and may constitute a tripping hazard. A person walking on the floor may catch his or her toe in the hole or may slide on the smooth upper surface of the disk. Another drawback associated with such mounting fittings is that water or other debris may get into the central hole and be difficult to remove. There is, therefore, a need for a device capable of covering a range of differently sized mounting fittings when they are not in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a stopper which is easily modified by the user to cover a range of different sized mounting fittings in a floor or other surface. The stopper comprises a thin, flat cover and a generally conical plug extending downwardly from the center thereof. The cover is preferably of sufficient diameter to cover most or all of the flange portion of a mounting fitting with which it is used. The upper end of the plug is slightly greater in diameter than the smallest hole with which the stopper is intended for use, and the lower is slightly greater in diameter than the largest hole with which the stopper is intended for use. The stopper is preferably made of rubber or a synthetic elastomer. To modify the stopper to fit a fitting of a particular size, the user cuts off the lower end of the plug at the correct distance below the cover to leave a newly cut lower end with a diameter of the proper size to provide a snug fit within the interior of the mounting fitting hole. The plug is inserted into the fitting and deforms as necessary to achieve a snug fits in the hole to retain the device in place. The cover overlays the fitting plate to provide a non-skid surface.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, the plug has a series of axially spaced circumferential ribs projecting from its outer surface. Each of the ribs defines a location along the axis of the plug having a larger diameter than the one above it. The circumferential ribs provide an easily deformable surface which increase the area of surface contact between the plug and the interior surface of the fitting hole to thereby provide a more secure fit. The ribs also serve as cutting guide lines to make it easier to cut the plug in a straight line.
The invention stopper may also include markings at axially spaced locations along the plug to indicate the correct locations at which to cut the plug to modify it for use with holes of particular diameters.
The present invention also provides a method of covering a mounting fitting in a floor in which the lower end of a generally conical plug is cut off to leave a newly-cut lower end having a diameter sized to fit snugly into a central hole in the mounting fitting, and the plug is inserted into the hole until a generally flat cover extending radially outward from an upper end of the stopper is flush with an upper surface of the mounting fitting.
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 235859 (1880-12-01), Dudley et al.
patent: 327246 (1885-09-01), Delamater
patent: 707712 (1902-08-01), Nethery
patent: 2010569 (1935-08-01), Sitzler
patent: 3370615 (1968-02-01), Tamaki et al.
patent: 3749131 (1973-07-01), Burger
patent: 4062299 (1977-12-01), Smith
patent: 4587921 (1986-05-01), Currey
patent: 5197406 (1993-03-01), Rabal et al.
patent: 5496141 (1996-03-01), Popsys
patent: 5622211 (1997-04-01), Martin et al.
patent: 5816292 (1998-10-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 5833385 (1998-11-01), Carnahan et al.
Brinson Patrick
Young & Basile PC
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