CN112096962B

CN112096962B - Industrial pipe fitting adapter kit and method

Info

Publication number: CN112096962B
Application number: CN201910522690.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 保罗·D·克里斯蒂尼克
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-06-17
Filing date: 2019-06-17
Publication date: 2024-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 2039-06-17
Also published as: CN112096962A

Abstract

An industrial plumbing fixture adapter kit and associated method for connecting a handle assembly to a water valve. The kit can be used with a variety of water valves where there are different spacings between the handle and the valve. The kit includes an adapter having a tapered element and a hollow tube. The bushing may be mounted between the tapered element and the external threads of the adapter, and the handle may be threaded to the adapter and received in the bushing to form the handle assembly. The interchangeable adapter element is connectable to the water valve. A plurality of interchangeable adapter elements are provided, each having a different length and a different configuration head. The interchangeable adapter element is secured to the stem of the water valve and is received in the hollow tube of the adapter when the handle assembly is secured to the fixture trim.

Description

Industrial pipe fitting adapter kit and method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the general field of hand tools and to the particular field of pipe running tools and methods of using the same.

Background

Bathtub and/or shower faucets are typically mounted through a wall surrounding a bathtub or shower stall. The faucet is anchored against the rear bolt and/or to the wall panel and is coupled to the water supply behind the wall by a water valve stem that projects forwardly adjacent the wall opening for controlling the water valve from the interior side of the wall.

Most of these water valves are mixing valves that receive both hot and cold water; the water mixing valve controls the proportion and the volume of water passing through the water mixing valve; when the water valve is open, the mixing valve delivers a mixed outlet flow to the bathtub injector or shower head. An example of such a mixing valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,799 to Dana F.Buccicon et al entitled "mixing valve" at month 11 and 21 of 1995. Other such valves control only the volume of a single cold or hot water supply.

Such valves are typically designed such that the valve stem protrudes into the room through an aperture in the wall of the room, and a surrounding decorative escutcheon is used to effectively conceal the aperture in the wall of the room. The escutcheon also prevents leakage through the wall holes and limits heat and cold transfer between opposite sides of the wall.

Because the thickness of the wall will vary depending on the building material chosen by the builder or customer, plumbers or pipe installers often make rough installations and then correct the final material. Final adjustment is typically achieved by providing threads on the valve housing to which the escutcheon can be screwed down to provide a range of adjustment.

In the case of particularly thin or abnormally thick walls, the amount of adjustment allowed by such threads may be insufficient, requiring plumbers to reposition the valve when access to the valve may be limited. Such conditions can be time consuming and can damage any structure that has been made around the valve housing.

Several mounting assemblies have been developed in an attempt to address this problem. For example, U.S. patent No. 4,662,389, issued to Muhammad Ighal, 5, 1987, entitled "adjustable stem assembly", discloses a valve assembly having a valve extension that can be threaded to change the position of an escutcheon. The disadvantage of this mounting assembly is the need for many parts and separate fasteners.

U.S. patent No. 4,842,009 to Richard l.reback, entitled "valve handle adapter kit" to month 27 of 1989 discloses a mounting assembly suitable for receiving various adapters. The length of the mounting assembly may be changed by eliminating or adding extensions. The mounting system requires multiple components.

U.S. patent No. 4,445,529 to Carmen j.lagarelli entitled "adjustable valve handle" to 5/1 in 1984 provides a less complex assembly in which a plastic insert with internal splines is adjustably mounted along the length of the stem by set screws. But the use of set screws in the present case can be cumbersome.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide an industrial piping fastener adapter kit that allows plumbers or workers to easily obtain various valves, valve stems, or the like that can be used to install the mounting assembly into walls of various thicknesses.

There is also a need in the art to provide an industrial piping mount adapter kit and a method of using the industrial piping mount adapter kit.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides this need. The present invention provides an industrial piping fixture adapter kit comprising a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each adapted for a particular mixing valve or valve stem, and each having a length adapted for a particular job being performed. The kit includes an adapter element that connects a selected adapter element to the handle via a bushing that will allow the handle to be rotated to operate a valve connected to the handle.

In the present invention, an industrial plumbing fixture adapter kit for mounting a handle to a water valve includes: an adapter comprising an adapter body having a first end and a second end, the first end having external threads; a tapered element fixedly mounted on the adapter body at a location spaced from the first end of the adapter body; a hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter body, the hollow tube being linearly aligned with the adapter body and having a second end spaced from the first end, the hollow tube being rectangular in cross section and having an opening defined on the second end; a bushing mountable on the adapter body proximate the tapered element, the bushing positionable between the tapered element and the external threads of the adapter, the bushing having external threads; a first spacer washer mountable on the adapter body adjacent the bushing and between the bushing and the external threads of the adapter; a handle having internal threads and adapted to be threadably attached to the external threads of the adapter; and a replaceable adapter element having a portion with a rectangular cross-section, having a first end configured to be received within a defined opening of the hollow tube, and having a head configured to be connected to a stem of the plumbing hardware.

The kit further includes a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each having a different length relative to each other, and each having a head for connecting the adapter element to the pipe hardware. The adapter, bushing, first spacer washer and handle form a handle assembly. The fixture trim has internal threads for engaging external threads of a bushing of the formed handle assembly for attaching the handle assembly to the fixture trim and for freely rotating the handle within the fixture trim for opening and closing plumbing hardware or water valves.

A moisture resistant gasket may optionally be mounted on the adapter body against the bushing, and a second gasket may be mounted on the adapter body against the moisture resistant gasket. A set screw located near the second end of the interchangeable adapter secures the interchangeable adapter element to the pipe hardware. The configuration of the head of each interchangeable adapter element may be different relative to each other and may correspond to the configuration of the pipeline hardware.

In one embodiment of the invention, the kit includes an industrial plumbing fixture trim made from a malleable cast iron screw mount that can accommodate any single handle rough-in valve body as well as a mixing valve. The adapter kit includes a two-piece assembly in which one piece can be swapped out to accommodate any form of rod.

The kit of the present invention enables a worker to accommodate any rough-in water mixing valve that is covered within the finished outer wall without causing any damage to the finished wall.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood and appreciated when the following description is read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Furthermore, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the components of an industrial piping mount adapter kit including the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of an adapter and interchangeable adapter element of the kit of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, exploded, front view of the interchangeable adapter element of the kit of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the components of fig. 2 with interchangeable adapter elements received into the adapters of the kit of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Industrial piping mount adapter sets are shown in fig. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Referring first to FIG. 1, the kit of the present invention includes a fastener trim 20, an adapter 30, a bushing 80, a gasket 90, a handle 100, an interchangeable adapter element 110, and a moisture resistant gasket 140. It should be appreciated that the kit of the present invention is used to mount a fixed trim 20 via a handle 100 having a bushing 80, an adapter 30 having a gasket 90, and an optional moisture resistant gasket 140, and an interchangeable adapter element 110 for plumbing hardware H, H' or H ", such as a wall water valve. Examples of water valves that may be used in connection with the industrial plumbing fixture adapter kit of the present invention may be manufactured by multiple companies, such as AndAndAs a standard, the water valve has a stem and a water tube for delivering water into a pipe (not shown) that is attached to a pipe connector 22 (fig. 1) of the fixture trim 20. It should be appreciated that adapter 30 is shown in both fig. 1 and 2; however, the adapter 30 in fig. 1 is slightly different in structure from the adapter 30 in fig. 2. However, the adapter 30 of fig. 1 and 2 may function in a similar manner, further to the following.

Referring specifically to fig. 2 and 4, the adapter 30 of the industrial piping mount adapter kit of the present invention has an adapter body 32 having a first end 34 and a second end 36. External threads 40 are provided on the adapter body 32 proximate the first end 34. The tapered element 50 is mounted on the adapter body 32 proximate the second end 36 thereof at a location spaced from the first end 34 of the adapter body 32 of the adapter 30. A hollow tube 60 having a first end 62 and a second end 64 is fixedly attached to the second end 36 of the adapter 30, adjacent the tapered element 50 of the adapter 30. The hollow tube 60 is preferably rectangular in cross-section, is linearly aligned with the adapter body 32 of the adapter 30, and has an opening 66 defined at its second end 64.

The industrial piping mount adapter kit of the present invention further includes a bushing 80, the bushing 80 being mountable on the adapter body 31 of the adapter 30 adjacent the conical member 50. As shown in fig. 1, the bushing 80 is generally in the form of a circular member having external threads. Although not shown, the handle 100 has internal threads that engage the threads 40 of the adapter 30. That is, the adapter 30 receives the bushing 80 between the tapered element 50 and the external threads 40 of the adapter 30. A first spacer washer 90 is mounted on the adapter body 31 against the tapered element 50 and the first end 34 of the adapter 30. The bushing 80 allows the handle 100 fixedly attached to the adapter 30 to freely rotate within the fixture trim 20 as will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings of the present disclosure. In assembling some components of the kit of the present invention, and referring to fig. 1,2 and 3, these steps include: 1) Mounting the first spacer washer 90 to the adapter body 32 of the adapter 30 and against the conical element 50 on the side of the adapter 30 having the threads 40; 2) Mounting the bushing 80 on the adapter body 32 of the adapter 30 in a manner to receive the handle 100; 3) Mounting a moisture resistant gasket 140 to the adapter 30 and against the bushing 80; 4) Mounting the second spacer washer 90 on the adapter 30 and against the moisture resistant washer 140; and 5) screwing the handle 100 onto the thread 40 of the adapter 30, so as to constitute an assembly of the components shown in the lower part of figure 1. It will be appreciated that such assembly of the handle 100 within the bushing 80 allows the handle 100 to freely rotate with the adaptor 30 along with the fixture trim 20 with the hollow tube 60 extending outwardly from the bushing 80.

As described above and with reference to fig. 1, the handle 100 has internal threads (not shown) for engagement with the external threads 40 of the adapter body 32 of the adapter 30 for controlling wall water valves or plumbing hardware, such as those indicated by reference letters H, H' and H "in fig. 2.

Referring specifically to fig. 2 and 4, the interchangeable adapter element 110 has a first end 112 and a second end 114, the first end 112 being received in the opening 66 of the hollow tube 60 of the adapter 30 and the second end 114 having a tip or head 116. The interchangeable adapter element 110 has a rectangular cross section corresponding to the cross section of the hollow tube 60 of the adapter 30. The head 116 is fixedly mounted to the interchangeable adapter element 110 and has an opening (not shown) for receiving and engaging the pipe hardware H' of fig. 2. It can be seen that the head 116 and the plumbing hardware H 'both have rectangular cross sections for engaging one another to operate the plumbing hardware H' or water valve, as will be discussed further below. Still referring to fig. 2, attachment of the head 116 to the pipe hardware H' is accomplished by a set screw 115.

The kit of the present invention further comprises a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements 110, 110', each having a predetermined length. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, an interchangeable adapter element 110 'is shown having a length L and a head 116'. It will be appreciated that a plurality of such interchangeable elements 110 'will be provided in the kit of the present invention, the length L of each interchangeable element 110' varying depending on its application and the depth of the wall in which the water valve is located. It should also be appreciated that the configuration of each head 116 'of each interchangeable adapter element 110' will vary depending on the configuration of the plumbing hardware or water valve. That is, the head 116' may have an opening for connection with a valve stem or a water mixing valve having the configuration of the plumbing hardware H or H "of fig. 2.

While two interchangeable elements 110, 110' are shown in fig. 2 and 3, respectively, as described in the preceding paragraph, it is to be understood that the kit of the present invention provides several different lengths of such interchangeable elements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure or the claims associated therewith. Additionally, while heads 116, 116' are shown in fig. 2 and 3, respectively, it is to be understood that several such heads of different sizes and/or heads having different openings of various configurations may be provided without departing from the scope of the present disclosure or claims associated therewith. The heads 116, 116' may be polygonal in shape, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, or they may be spherical or any other shape that conforms to the valve stem or mixing valve of the plumbing hardware using the kit of the present invention.

Referring again to fig. 1, the fastener trim 20 is configured to be coupled to a handle 100. That is, the securing ornamental piece 20 has internal threads 22 and the bushing 80 on the handle 100 has corresponding external threads 102 for engaging the internal threads 22 of the securing ornamental piece 20 to connect the handle 100 and the adapter 30 to the securing ornamental piece 20.

It should be appreciated that the adapter 30 of fig. 1 is somewhat different in structure than the adapter 30 of fig. 2 and 4; however, the adapter 30 of FIGS. 1,2 and 3 is intended to be installed and used with the present invention. It will be further appreciated that the upper portion 22 of the fixture trim 20 of fig. 1 is connected to a vertical tube which is then connected to a horizontal tube having a shower head at one end for delivering water down into the shower stall or tub.

As described above, in operation of adapter 30 with interchangeable adapter element 110, the following steps will occur: i) The head 116 of the interchangeable adapter element 110 is fixedly connected to the stem or pipe hardware H' of the water valve by means of a set screw 115; ii) mounting the fixture trim 20 against the wall surface by aligning the fixture trim 20 with the water valve of the plumbing hardware H' with screws (not shown) such that the rectangular member of the interchangeable adapter element 110 protrudes from the fixture trim 20; iii) Handle assembly 100 with bushing 80, moisture barrier gasket 140 and second gasket 90 as shown in the lower portion of fig. 1 is threaded into internal threads 26 of fixture trim 20 by threads of bushing 80, with rectangular hollow tube 60 receiving the rectangular member of interchangeable adapter element 110, thereby allowing the stem of water valve (H') to be turned in one direction by the handle assembly of fig. 1 to open the water valve or in the opposite direction by the handle assembly of fig. 1 to close the water valve.

The method of the invention comprises the following steps: (a) Providing an industrial piping mount adapter kit comprising: (i) An adapter having an adapter body with a first end with external threads, a tapered element on the adapter body spaced from the first end of the adapter; and a hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter, the hollow tube being in linear alignment with the adapter body and having a second end spaced apart from the first end, the hollow tube having an opening defined at the second end; a bushing for mounting to the adapter body adjacent the tapered element, (ii) the bushing positionable between the tapered element and the external threads of the adapter; (iii) A first washer for mounting on the adapter body adjacent the bushing between the bushing and the external threads of the adapter; (iv) A handle having internal threads and adapted to be threadably attached to the external threads of the adapter body; (v) A plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each adapter element having a first end adapted to be received in an opening defined in a hollow tube of the adapter, and each adapter element having a head adapted to be connected to plumbing hardware; (b) Mounting the bushing to the adapter body and against the tapered element of the adapter; (c) Mounting a first washer to the adapter body of the adapter and against the bushing; (d) Mounting a handle to the adapter body of the adapter for engagement with the bushing and the first washer and with the internal threads of the handle engaged with the external threads of the adapter to form a handle assembly and for projecting a portion of the hollow tube out of the bushing and away from the handle; (e) Selecting an interchangeable adapter element from a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements; (f) Attaching the selected interchangeable adapter element to the pipe hardware so as to extend the interchangeable adapter element outwardly; (g) Attaching a fastener trim to a surface and surrounding the interchangeable adapter element; and (h) securing the handle assembly of step (d) to the fixture trim to engage the hollow tube of the adapter with the interchangeable adapter element to rotate the handle and open and close the plumbing hardware.

While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the drawings, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function without deviating therefrom. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such variations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.

Claims

1. An industrial plumbing fixture adapter kit for mounting a handle to a water valve, comprising:

an adapter comprising an adapter body having a first end and a second end, the first end having external threads;

A tapered element fixedly mounted on the adapter body at a location spaced from the first end of the adapter body;

a hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter body, the hollow tube being in linear alignment with the adapter body and having a second end spaced from a first end, the hollow tube being rectangular in cross section and having an opening defined in the second end of the hollow tube;

a bushing mountable on the adapter body proximate the tapered element, the bushing positionable between the tapered element and external threads of the adapter, the bushing having external threads;

A first spacer washer mountable on said adapter body adjacent said bushing and between said bushing and external threads of said adapter;

a handle having internal threads and adapted for threaded attachment to external threads of the adapter; and

An interchangeable adapter element has a portion with a rectangular cross-section, has a first end configured to be received within a defined opening of the hollow tube, and has a head configured to be connected to a stem of plumbing hardware.

2. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each having a different length relative to each other.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the kit comprises a plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each having a head for connecting the adapter element to the pipe hardware.

4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the adapter, the bushing, the first spacer washer, and the handle form a handle assembly; and further comprising a fixture trim having internal threads for engaging the external threads of the bushing to attach the handle assembly to the fixture trim.

5. The kit of claim 1, further comprising: a moisture resistant gasket adapted to be mounted on the adapter body against the bushing; and a second gasket adapted to be mounted on the adapter body and against the moisture resistant gasket.

6. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a set screw located proximate to the second end of the interchangeable adapter element for connecting the interchangeable adapter element to the pipe hardware.

7. The kit of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the heads of the interchangeable adapter elements are different relative to each other and correspond to the configuration of the pipe hardware.

8. A method of attaching a handle to a pipe mount, the steps comprising:

(a) There is provided an industrial pipe fitting adapter kit, the kit comprising:

(i) An adapter having an adapter body with a first end with external threads, a tapered element on the adapter body spaced from the first end of the adapter;

A hollow tube fixedly attached to the second end of the adapter, the hollow tube being in linear alignment with the adapter body and having a second end spaced from the first end, the hollow tube having an opening defined in the second end of the hollow tube; a bushing is for mounting on the adapter body proximate the conical element,

(Ii) A bushing located between the conical element and the external thread of the adapter;

(iii) A first washer for mounting on the adapter body adjacent the bushing between the bushing and the external threads of the adapter;

(iv) A handle having internal threads and adapted for threaded attachment to external threads of the adapter body;

(v) A plurality of interchangeable adapter elements, each adapter element having a first end adapted to be received in an opening defined in the hollow tube of the adapter, and each adapter element having a head adapted to be connected to plumbing hardware;

(b) Mounting the bushing to the adapter body and against the tapered element of the adapter;

(c) Mounting the first washer to the adapter body of the adapter and against the bushing;

(d) Mounting the handle to the adapter body of the adapter for engagement with the bushing and the first washer, and engaging the internal threads of the handle with the external threads of the adapter to form a handle assembly and for projecting a portion of the hollow tube out of the bushing and away from the handle;

(e) Selecting an interchangeable adapter element from the plurality of interchangeable adapter elements;

(f) Attaching the selected interchangeable adapter element to the pipe hardware so as to extend the interchangeable adapter element outwardly;

(g) Securing the mount trim piece to a surface and around the interchangeable adapter element; and

(H) Securing the handle assembly of step (d) to the fixture trim to engage the hollow tube of the adapter with the interchangeable adapter element to rotate the handle and open and close the plumbing hardware.