Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet bowl support – coupling – seal or fastener – Flange with aperture for fastener
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-11
2002-08-27
Fetsuga, Robert M. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet bowl support, coupling, seal or fastener
Flange with aperture for fastener
Reexamination Certificate
active
06438765
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of toilet bowl mounting devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, toilet bowl mounting devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of mounting toilets upon sewer pipes are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,890 to Dismore a toilet bowl sealing assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,308 to Handal discloses a toilet sealing ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,590 to Papp discloses an adjustable floor drain apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,139 to Stokes discloses a mounting ring assembly for a toilet bowl.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,761 to Harbeke discloses a method of using a toilet-flange cast-in mount.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,451 to Piskula discloses a floor drain plate assembly.
In this respect, the toilet sealing ring adapter assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of coupling toilets within four inch sewer pipes.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly which can be used for coupling toilets within four inch sewer pipes. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of toilet bowl mounting devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly for use in association with a toilet, the toilet sealing ring adapter assembly comprising, in combination: a four inch sewer pipe, the sewer pipe having a horizontally oriented open mouth with an upper periphery; a rubber seal formed in a generally cylindrical configuration with a central aperture having a plurality of internal screw threads, the rubber seal having a smooth outer surface, an upper extent with a circumference and a lower extent, the seal adapted to be positioned within a four inch sewer pipe; and a toilet ring fabricated of cast iron and formed in a generally cylindrical configuration with a central aperture, the ring including an upper region and a lower region, the, upper region having a larger inner diameter than the lower region with a gradually decreasing diameter therebetween, the upper region including a planar circular shaped ledge extending therefrom, the ledge including an upper surface and a perimeter with diametrically opposing elongated closet bolt recesses formed contiguously with the perimeter, each recess including a closet bolt extending therethrough and above the ledge, the ledge also including diametrically opposing closet bolt apertures extending therethrough, the ledge further including four equidistantly spaced beveled holes extending therethrough, the lower region including a plurality of external screw threads, the lower region adapted to be threadedly coupled within the rubber seal, in an operative orientation the upper surface of the ledge supporting a toilet bowl with the closet bolts securing the toilet bowl in place.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly which has all of the advantages of the prior art toilet bowl mounting devices and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such toilet sealing ring adapter assembly economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toilet sealing ring adapter assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to couple toilets within four inch sewer pipes.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved a toilet sealing ring adapter assembly for use in association with a toilet and a sewer pipe, the toilet sealing ring adapter assembly comprising: a flexible seal formed in a generally cylindrical configuration with a central aperture including coupling devices, the flexible seal adapted to be mounted within a sewer pipe; and a toilet ring formed in a generally cylindrical configuration with a central aperture, the ring including an upper region and a lower region, the upper region including a planar ledge extending therefrom, the ledge including a plurality of apertures to permit coupling to a toilet and mounting surface with bolts, the lower region including coupling devices to permit secure coupling within the flexible seal.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity
Johnson Michael W.
Sesser Gregory L.
Fetsuga Robert M.
Gardere Wynne & Sewell LLP
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