AU674143B2

AU674143B2 - Plug assembly

Info

Publication number: AU674143B2
Application number: AU42114/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Albert Edward Worthington
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-25
Filing date: 1993-07-21
Publication date: 1996-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-21
Also published as: AU4211493A; NZ244073A

Description

1

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SP E C I F I CATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

or ro o ro or o o Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: ALBERT EDWARD WORTHINGTON Albert Edward WORTHINGTON SHELSTON WATERS 55 Clarence Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 "PLUG ASSEMBLY" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -la- This invention relates to a plug assembly for use in connection with domestic, commercial and industrial drains, sinks, baths (etc).

Known sink assemblies and plugs are generally of two types a sink plug that is totally separate from the sink unit into which it fits, and a sink plug that is attached in some manner (eg a chain) to the sink unit. Both of these have obvious drawbacks.

Whilst there have been a number of solutions proposed to this problem, prior art arrangements have introduced their own disadvantages. For example, some prior art plugs engage a pin which extends across the internal diameter of the sink pipe to which it is fitted. Such arrangements tend to obstruct waste water from flowing freely through the interior of the pipe, which is exacerbated by an inevitable build-up of food scraps and other debris over time.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least substantially ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art.

olooo Accordingly, there is provided a plug assembly for a sink, said plug assembly including: a sink waste pipe unit; a plug slidably engaged with an inner bore of said sink waste pipe unit at or adjacent a sink end of the sink waste pipe unit; drainage means associated with said plug; peripheral interengaging means operable between a sink waste pipe unit and the plug to allow said plug to be moved between a closed position and an open position and to prevent removal of the plug during normal operating conditions, said interengaging means being configured to permit fluid to pass through said drainage means and into said k 'AIZ <P t: i lbsink waste pipe when said plug is in the open position, said interior of said plug and of said sink waste pipe having no elements of the interengaging means present other than at the periphery of the sink waste pipe unit and plug respectively, such that the peripheral interengaging means in no way obstructs flow of liquid from the sink.

Preferably said unit further includes means to enable the plug to be left in an open position for draining. Preferably also the unit includes means to enable the plug to sit flush with the sink when the plug is in the closed position.

Preferably said pipe unit includes a waste chamber cavity immediately adjacent the botcml of the plug when closed.

o 4 a -2- By way of example only a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a cross-section of the present invention with a first embodiment of a plug; Fig. 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a cross-section of part of a third embodiment of the plug of the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section of part of a fourth embodiment of the plug of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a side view of a fifth embodiment of the plug of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the fifth embodiment of the plug of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is thereshown. The assembly includes a plug 2 and sink waste pipe unit 3. The plug 2 :"-includes: a pivotable handle 4 which is secured at one end to the top of the plug 2; a groove 5 for placement of a rubber O-ring (not shown); a hollow cylindrical body 8 with a. o two or more draining holes 6 positioned adjacent said groove 5; and a shaped slot 7 positioned along the length of said body 8.

The handle 4 may be secured to the plug 2 by a swivel pin (not shown). The handle 4 may be of known shape provided that when flat the exterior dimensions of the handle 4 are such that the handle 4 fits within the cross-sectional area of the plug 2. If the handle 4 is not so shaped, then it cannot lie flat or fit within a suitably shaped cavity (not shown) on the top of the plug 2. If so desired a top end 11 of the pipe 3 may include 2a an indentation shaped to enable a finger or thumb to be inserted under the handle 4 when the handle 4 is in a closed position.

As an alternative, the handle 4 may be secured rigidly to the plug 2 in a fixed position in known manner, if so desired.

The 0-ring provides a seal between the plug 2 and waste pipe 3 when the plug 2 is in a closed position. The draining holes 6 allow fluid to move from the sink to the waste pipe 3 via the interior of the plug 2 within the cylindrical body 8 of the plug 2 and- S. *o S *o a. Al, 1' -v~ kN-t 3 through the open end 9 of the plug 2.

The waste pipe 3 includes a hole 10 through which a locking screw (not shown) may be secured. The locking screw is of known type, seals the pipe 3 so that fluid cannot escape through hole 10, and is dimensioned such that it slides freely within a slot 7.

The hole 10 is positioned adjacent the top end 11 of the pipe 3 such that the locking screw engages with the slot 7 in the plug 2. The slot 7 is shaped in the form of an E with the middle bar missing. Thus there is an open position (corresponding to the positioning of the locking screw in arm 7a of the slot 7) and a closed position 10 (corresponding to the positioning of the locking screw in arm 7b of the slot 7) into which ooooi the plug 2 may be moved.

A spring 12 is positioned between the end 9 of the plug 2 and a retaining rim 13 within the pipe 3. The spring 12 is tensioned so that the plug 2 will remain in the open position once it is so placed, and cannot be accidentally knocked to the closed position. Also, the fact that the plug 2 can be locked in the open position allows for the V avoidance of water hammer.

Referring to Fig. 2 a second preferred embodiment of the present assembly is S. thereshown. The following elements of the first preferred embodiment are also present and are as described above: handle 4; groove 5 (but shown with O-ring 13); draining holes 6; slot 7 (with arms 7a and 7b, corresponding respectively to the open and closed positions of the plug cylindrical walls 8; open end 9; hole 10 (with locking screw not shown); and top end 11.

The plug 2 further includes a lower groove 14 positioned adjacent the open end 9 of the plug. The lower groove 14 includes an O-ring (not shown). This O-ring acts as 4 a means to prevent the plug 2 sliding to the closed position of the plug 2 is knocked so that the locking screw is moved from a position in arm 7a the open position).

If so desired the assembly can include a waste chamber cavity 15 positioned adjacent the open end 9 of the plug 2 (when in the closed position).

Referring to Fig. 3 a third preferred embodiment of the plug 2 is thereshown.

This embodiment is a variation of the second preferred embodiment. The draining holes 6 are positioned adjacent the open end 9. A plurality of secondary draining holes 16 are positioned adjacent the handle 4. With this embodiment of the plug 2 the waste chamber cavity 15 is essential and must be positioned such that a lower portion of the plug 2 (including the draining holes 6) is within the cavity 15 when the plug 2 is in the closed position.

Alternatively, if so desired, secondary draining holes 16 are uniformly positioned across a grating 16a positioned below said handle 4.

Thus the flow of waste fluid is from the sink through the secondary draining holes 16, down the inside of the plug, out the draining holes 6 and into the waste chamber cavity The slot 7 is shaped in the form of an L with an arm 7a (corresponding to the open position when engaged with the locking screw, not shown). The closed position corresponds to the location of the locking screw at the top of the L shape.

If so desired, the plug 2 shown in Fig. 3 may be positioned within the pipe 3 below the top end 11 of the pipe 3.

Referring to Fig. 4, a fourth preferred embodiment of the plug 2 is thereshown.

This embodiment is a variation of the first or second preferred embodiments. The draining holes 6 are adjacent the O-ring 13 and groove 5. The locking screw slides freely within slot 7, the upper arm 7a of which slopes downward to the lower arm 7b.

A small slot 19 is cut into the wall 8 of the plug 2 for retention of one end of the spring (not shown in Fig. This slot 19 can be added to other embodiments for the same reason, if so desired.

Referring to Fig.s 5 and 6, a fifth embodiment of the plug 2 is thereshown. This is a variation of the third embodiment of the invention. The handle 4 is secured to the plug 2 by a swivel pin 17. The top of the plug 2 is shaped so that the handle 4 fits within the cross-sectional area of the plug 2.

The draining holes 6 and lower groove 14 are as described with reference to Fig.

S 10o 3.

i Referring to Fig. 6, the draining holes 16 are shown in plan and are positioned adjacent the handle 4 within the grating 16a. A finger groove 18 is appropriately positioned on the rim of the top of the plug 2 for insertion of a finger to lift the handle 4 to the upright position.

The plug 2 and pipe 3 may be made of the same or of separate materials that C are suitable for such components. For example, the plug may be of brass and the pipe 3 of a plastics material. The parts may, for example, be of a plastics material, brass, stainless steel, or a chromed material. The spring 12 may be of any suitable material but is preferably stainless steel.

The pipe 3 can be fitted to any sink or other unit in known manner. The plug 2 is then inserted into the pipe 3 and the hole 10 and slot 7 aligned. The locking screw is then secured in place.

It will be appreciated that whilst the invention has been described with reference to three separate preferred embodiments, the slot 7 described with reference to the third 6 preferred embodiment (Fig. 3) may be used in the first or second embodiments.

Similarly, the option of the waste chamber 15 and lower positioning of the draining holes 6 may be used in any of the embodiments shown.

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Claims

1. A plug assembly for a sink, said plug assembly including: a sink waste pipe unit; a plug slidably engaged with an inner bore of said sink waste pipe unit at or adjacent a sink end of the sink waste pipe unit; drainage means associated with said plug; peripheral interengaging means operable between a sink waste pipe unit and the plug to allow said plug to be moved between a closed position and an open position and to prevent removal of the plug during normal operating conditions, said interengaging means being configured to permit fluid to pass through said drainage means and into said sink waste pipe when said plug is in the open position, said interior of said plug and of said sink waste pipe having no elements of the interengaging means present other than at S the periphery of the sink waste pipe unit and plug respectively, such that the peripheral interengaging means in no way obstructs flow of liquid from the sink.

2. A plug assembly according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral interengaging means are configured to allow said plug to be retained in the open position.

3. A plug assembly according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said sink waste pipe unit further includes a waste chamber cavity immediately adjacent a lower portion of said plug when said plug is in the closed position.

4. A plug assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said plug includes: a pivotable handle secured at an upper end of said plug; a circumferential groove for locating a resilient O-ring seal; A 0y -8- a hollow cylindrical body configured for telescopic engagement with the interior of said sink waste pipe unit; a plurality of drainage ports adjacent said groove; and a slot extending axially along said cylindrical body for engagement with pin extending from the inner bore of said sink waste pipe unit.

A plug assembly according to claim 4, wherein said peripheral interengaging means includes a locking screw secured through a hole in said sink waste pipe unit, said locking screw engaging said slot.

6. A plug assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a spring positioned between the lower portion of said plug and rim formed on an inner circumference of said sink waste pipe unit, such that said plug is biased upwards into an open position.

A plug assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein additional drainage holes are positioned adjacent the lower end of said plug.

8. A plug assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 7, further including a plurality of secondary draining holes in a grating position below and adjacent said handle.

9. A plug assembly unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any .one of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 19th day of SEPTEMBER, 1996 ALBERT EDWARD WORTHINGTON Attorney: STUART M. SMITH Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of SHELSTON WATERS