GB2387630A

GB2387630A - Swivel joint for wall mounted radiators

Info

Publication number: GB2387630A
Application number: GB0207263A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John David Statham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-27
Filing date: 2002-03-27
Publication date: 2003-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-27
Also published as: GB2387630B; GB0207263D0

Abstract

A swivel joint for coupling a radiator (fig. 1, R) to a valve fitting (V) comprises a tubular spigot (10) having one end (11) for fitting to a respective port of the radiator, and a coupling collar (14) carried at its opposite end: the collar (14) is formed with an internal screw-thread (17) for coupling the collar to an externally screw-threaded port (18) of the valve fitting(V) and an annular seal (19) is provided for reception by the collar (14) and clamping between a seat on the spigot (10) and a seat (22) on the port of the valve fitting. The arrangement allows the spigot to turn relative to the collar when the collar is tightened to the valve fitting, so enabling the radiator to be turned between its normal, upright position and a lowered position.

Description

RADIATOR SWIVEL JOINT

The present invention relates to hot water radiators and more particularly for arrangements enabling a radiator to be pivoted between its normal, upright position and a lowered position in which free access is gained to the wall behind the 5 radiator.

Generally conventional panel radiators are mounted in a fixed position to the wall, with the water inlet/outlet ports of the radiator fixedly coupled to a pair of valve fittings at its opposite ends. The arrangement requires the valves to be 10 shut off, then the radiator to be drained and disconnected from its valve fittings, before it can be removed to allow access to the wall behind the radiator, for decorating or other purposes. Arrangements have been proposed hitherto, which permit 15 the radiator to be pivoted to a lowered position without closing the valves and disconnecting the radiator from them.

However, such arrangements have generally been of complicated construction or have required special valve fittings.

I have now devised a swivel joint which can be used, in 20 pairs, to couple a conventional radiator to conventional valve fittings, the swivel joints enabling the radiator to be pivoted from its normal position to a lowered position without interrupting the flow of water.

In accordance with the present invention, there is 25 provided a swivel joint for coupling a radiator to a valve fitting, the swivel joint comprising a tubular spigot having one end for fitting to a respective port of the radiator, a coupling collar carried at its opposite end, said collar being formed with an internal screw-thread for coupling the collar 30 to an externally screw-threaded port of the valve fitting, and an annular seal arranged to be received by said collar and clamped between a seat on said spigot and a seat on said port of said valve fitting, the arrangement allowing the spigot to turn relative to said collar when tightened onto said valve 35 fitting.

Thus, when the coupling collar is tightened onto the

valve fitting, the seal is clamped between a seat formed on the valve fitting and a seat formed e.g. on the end of the spigot.

The port of the conventional valve fitting has a tapered seat and the seal of the swivel joint is therefore preferably 5 complementarily tapered.

Preferably the end of the spigot is formed with a flange which is radially-outwardly directed. Preferably the coupling collar has a flange which is radially-inwardly directed and lies behind the flange of the spigot. Preferably 10 an annular seal is provided between the flange of the spigot and the flange of the coupling collar, and is clamped between these flanges when the coupling collar is tightened onto the valve fitting.

Typically the spigot is fitted to the respective end of 15 the radiator, after the usual radiator spigot is removed. It will be appreciated that a swivel joint in accordance with the invention is provided at each end of the radiator, for coupling the radiator to the respective valve fittings which connect the radiator to the incoming and outgoing water pipes. The 20 arrangement then enables the radiator to be pivoted between its normal, vertical position, against the wall, and a lowered, generally horizontal position, in which free access is gained À to the wall behind the radiator.

Preferably, for each swivel joint, a support bracket is 25 provided. Preferably the support bracket comprises a receptacle to receive the coupling collar, and a mount for fixing to the wall. Preferably the receptacle is arranged to prevent or inhibit the coupling collar turning within it, so that the collar cannot be inadvertently loosened from the valve 30 fitting when the radiator is turned between its normal and lowered positions. Preferably the outer surface of the collar and the inner surface of the receptacle are provided with complementary interengaging formations, e.g. longitudinal splines or flutes.

35 Preferably retaining clips are provided for engaging the top brackets conventionally found on the rear of panel radiators. Thus, also in accordance with the invention, there

is provided a retaining clip which comprises a body for securing to the wall behind a radiator, and a pair of catches for engaging, respectively, over the top and bottom edges of a respective top bracket of the radiator.

5 Preferably the pair of catches are arranged to be displaced towards and away from each other, preferably upon turning a screw. Preferably the catches are carried on a pair of arms interconnected by the screw and preferably the arms are pivotally-mounted to the body of the clip.

10 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a front view of a radiator mounted to a wall by means of a pair of swivel joints in accordance with the 15 invention; FIGURE 2 is a front view of the radiator when turned to a horizontal position on its swivel joints; FIGURE 3 is a view of the radiator from one end when turned to a horizontal position; 20 FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, sectional view of a swivel joint in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 5 is an end view of a mounting bracket for the À swivel joint; FIGURE 6 is a front view, partly in section, of the 25 mounting bracket; FIGURE 7 is a view of the back of the radiator; FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, front view of a retaining clip for one of the top brackets of the radiator; FIGURE 9 is a side view of the retaining clip; and 30 FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of the retaining clip.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a conventional hot water, panel radiator R mounted to its conventional valve fittings via a pair of swivel joints J. The arrangement enables the radiator R to be pivoted between 35 its normal vertical orientation, shown in Figure 1 and indicated in outline in Figure 3, and a generally horizontal, lowered position as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the

radiator R is in its lowered position, free access is gained to the wall W behind the radiator, for decorating purposes.

Figure 4 shows one of the swivel joint arrangements in detail. The usual spigots, projecting from the ports in the 5 ends of the radiator adjacent its bottom edge and provided for the passage of water into and out of the radiator, have been unscrewed and each replaced by a spigot e.g. 10 having an external screw thread 11 at one end (by which it is screwed into the radiator) and an outwardly-directed radial flange 12 10 at its outer end. A cylindrical collar 14 is carried by the spigot 10, with an annular seal 15 interposed between the radial flange 12 of the spigot 10 and radially-inwardly directed flange 16 provided at one end of the collar 14: the opposite end of the collar 14 is formed with an internal screw 15 thread 17, for coupling to the external screw-thread 18 of a conventional valve fitting V. An annular seal 19 is received within the collar 14 and has a flat side 20 to seat against the end of the flange 12 of the spigot 10, and a tapered side 21 to seat against the tapered entrance 22 of the valve fitting 20 V. It will be appreciated that the collar 14 is tightened onto the valve fitting V, clamping the seal 19 between the end À of the spigot 10 and the valve seat 22, and clamping the seal 15 between the flanges 12, 16, and so forming a sealed passage 25 through the valve fitting V and the spigot 10 into the radiator. However, the radiator can be pivoted between its normal and lowered positions, because the spigots e.g. 10 are free to turn within their coupling collars 14, although tightened onto their respective valve fittings. In particular, 30 the spigot 10 is able to slide rotationally relative to the seals 15, 19, which are preferably of synthetic plastics material. Brackets e.g. 30 are provided to support the coupling collars 14 of the two swivel joints and to prevent rotation of 35 the collars themselves as the radiator R is pivoted between its normal and lowered positions. The bracket 30 comprises a cylindrical receptacle 32 to receive the collar 14: in the

example shown, the external surface of the collar 14 is fluted and the internal surface of the receptacle 32 is correspondingly fluted, as indicated at 33 in Figures 5 and 6; thus, when the receptacle is slid over the collar 14, the two 5 members interengage to prevent relative rotation. The receptacle 32 is mounted on a back plate 34 which is formed with holes 35 enabling it to be screwed to the wall W. for example after the radiator has been mounted and coupled to its valve fittings V and the receptacle 32 slid into position over 10 the collar 14.

Arrangements for retaining the radiator R in its normal, vertical position, against the wall W. are shown in Figures 7 to 10. The back of the radiator R is conventionally provided with a pair of brackets S adjacent its top, in the 15 form of strips of metal extending horizontally, welded to the radiator at their opposite ends and having intermediate portions which are spaced outwardly from the back surface of the radiator. In accordance with the present invention, a pair of retaining clips are provided, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, 20 for mounting to the wall W behind the radiator and for engaging the top brackets S of the radiator.

Each of the retaining clips comprises a body 40 formed À at its rear with holes 41 enabling it to be screwed to the wall. The clip further comprises upper and lower catches 42 25 arranged to engage over the top and bottom edges of one of the radiator brackets S. In the example shown, the catches 42 are formed at the front ends of pivoted arms 44, the rear ends of these arms being interconnected by a vertical screw 46, the head 48 of which projects upwardly. A screwdriver can 30 therefore be inserted down behind the radiator R to engage the screw 46: then by turning the screw 46, the arms 44 can be displaced either to open the catches 42 apart or to close them together, respectively to release or retain the radiator bracket S. The screw 46 may be of selected length, appropriate 35 for access by a screwdriver.

Claims

Claims

1) A swivel joint for coupling a radiator to a valve fitting, the swivel joint comprising a tubular spigot having one end for fitting to a respective port of the radiator, a 5 coupling collar carried at its opposite end, said collar being formed with an internal screw-thread for coupling the collar to an externally screw-threaded port of the valve fitting, and an annular seal arranged to be received by said collar and clamped between a seat on said spigot and a seat on said port 10 of said valve fitting, the arrangement allowing the spigot to turn relative to said collar when tightened onto said valve fitting. 2) A swivel joint as claimed in claim 1, in which said opposite end of said spigot is formed with a flange which is 15 radially-outwardly directed.

3) A swivel joint as claimed in claim 2, in which said coupling collar has a flange which is radially-inwardly directed and lies axially- inwardly of said flange of said spigot. 20 4) A swivel joint as claimed in claim 3, in which an annular seal is provided between said flanges and is clamped between said flanges when said coupling collar is tightened onto the valve fitting.

5) A swivel joint as claimed in any preceding claim, 25 provided with a support bracket which comprises a receptacle for receiving said coupling collar, and a mount for fixing to a wall.

6) A swivel joint as claimed in claim 5, in which said

receptacle is arranged to prevent or inhibit said coupling collar turning within it.

7) A swivel joint as claimed in claim 6, in which the outer surface of said coupling collar and the inner surface of said 5 receptacle are provided with longitudinal, interengaging splices or flutes.

8) A retaining clip which comprises a body for mounting to the wall behind a radiator, and a pair of catches for engaging, respectively, over the top and bottom edges of a respective top 10 bracket of the radiator.

9) A retaining clip as claimed in claim 8, in which said pair of catches are arranged to be displaced towards and away from each other.

10) A retaining clip as claimed in claim 9, in which said 15 catches are arranged to be displaced towards and away from each other upon turning a screw.

11) A retaining clip as claimed in claim 10, in which said catches are carried on a pair of arms which are interconnected by said screw.

20 12) A retaining clip as claimed in claim 11, in which said arms are pivotally-mounted to said body of the clip.

13) A retaining clip substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 8 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

14) A swivel joint substantially as herein described with 25 reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.