US3905052A

US3905052A - Method and apparatus for mounting a plumbing fixture

Info

Publication number: US3905052A
Application number: US431075A
Authority: US
Inventors: Costanzo Deangelis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-01-07
Filing date: 1974-01-07
Publication date: 1975-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-16

Abstract

A method for mounting a toilet bowl on a bathroom floor by attaching a hold-down ring to the floor with a pair of threaded studs projecting through and above appropriate openings in the toilet bowl flange. A nut having a blind hole is mounted on each stud and then screwed down with the stud to attach the toilet bowl to the hold-down ring flange.

Description

[4 1 Sept. 16, 1975 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING A PLUIVIBING FIXTURE [76] Inventor: Costanzo DeAngelis, 23720 Glenn St., Westland, Mich. 48185 [22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 431,075

[52] US. Cl 4/252 R; 4/68; 285/56; 285/58 [51] Int. Cl. E03D 11/00; EO3D 11/13 [58] Field of Search 4/252 R, 68, 170; 285/31, 285/32, 56, 58, 61, 62, 63, 189, 192

2,942,277 6/1960 Manas 4/252 R 3,251,073 5/1966 Rawson.... 4/252 R 3,311,391 3/1967 Harrell..... 285/58 3,323,143 6/1967 Pope..... 4/252 R 3,339,215 9/1967 Flood.... 4/252 R 3,579,670 5/1971 Frank 4/252 R Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or F irmCharles W. Chandler 5 7 ABSTRACT A method for mounting a toilet bowl on a bathroom floor by attaching a hold-down ring to the floor with a pair of threaded studs projecting through and above appropriate openings in the toilet bowl flange. A nut having a blind hole is mounted on each stud and then screwed down with the stud to attach the toilet bowl to the hold-down ring flange.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing'Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,291,041 1/1919 Lumsden 2-85/56 1,548,850 8/1925 Rudolph 285/56 2,932,037 4/1960 Mamas 4/252 R BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is related to methods andlap paratus for attaching a toilet bowl to a bathroom floor, and more particularlyto a novel fast ening apparatus in which the hold-down studs are screwed down intoan opening in the floor in order to'attach the toilet bowl to a hold-down flange mounted in the floor opening.

The conventional practice for mounting a toilet bowl to a bathroom floor is to form a floor opening in which a plastic hold-down ring is seated. The ring has a flange, and a tubular body connected to a drain pipe. A pair of screws are disposed on opposite sides of the floor opening so as to project up through the flange. The toilet bowl is mounted on the screws and then a nut is manipulated downward on each screw until the toilet bowl is securely fastened to the hold-down ring. Normally the upper end of each screw extends above its respective nut. This upper end of the screw is then cut off by the workman to provide a neat appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The broad purpose of this invention is to eliminate the necessity of cutting off the excess length of the hold-down screwsv The preferred embodiment of the invention provides a floor opening beneath each holddown screw which is then screwed with the upper nut down into the floor opening as the toilet bowl is being fastened to the floor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for frictionally supporting the hold-down screw or stud in a raised above the floor opening until the top hold-down nut is mounted on the upper end of the stud.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The description refers to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a conventional toilet bowl mounted on a bathroom floor in accordance with the method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the hole formed in the floor in ac cordance with the preferred method;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the manner in which a conventional holddown ring is mounted in the floor opening;

FIG. 4 is a top opening of the hold-down ring;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating one of the hold-down studs mounted to receive its upper hold-down nut; and

FIGv 6 is a view illustrating the final position of the hold-down studs as they fasten the toilet bowl to the floor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to drawings, a conventional toilet bowl 10 is mounted on the floor 12 of a bathroom. In the preferred method. a circular opening 14 is formed in floor 12 with a pair of

grooves

16 and 18 on opposite sides of the opening. Referring to FIG. 3, conventional plastic floor mounted flange or hold-down ring 20 is illus .-trated as having a tubular body 22 disclosed in opening 14, and a flange 24 seated'on the floor about opening 1 l4. As'iliustrated-i'n FIG. 4, four threaded'fasteners 26 attach ring 20 to floor 1-2 in the conventional manner. Flange 24 has a pair of

elongated openings

28 and 30 disposed above grooves 16 and '18, respectively; It is to 1 benoted that flange 24 has an integral ridge 32 adjacent each of the

openings

28 and 30.

Referring toFIG. 5, anelongatedmetal stud 34 is disposed in opening 28. A 'flat' nut 36 is threadibly mounted on the lower end of stud 34 engaged with ridge 32. Ridge 32 prevents nut 36 from being rotated as stud 34 is being rotated.

A friction member 38 preferably formed of a rubber washer is mounted on stud 34 above flange 20. Member 38 has an inner diameter frictionally engaging stud so that when in contact with upper flange 24, the friction member prevents the stud from falling downwardly through opening 16, and also retains nut 36 engaged with ridge 32 until the user can mount a nut on the upper end of the stud. A second stud 34 and friction member is also mounted in opening 30. The toilet bowl is then mounted on ring 20 so that appropriate openings in toilet bowl flange 40 receive the two studs.

Referring to FIG. 6, a nut 42 is then mounted on the upper end of each of the studs 34. Nut 42 has a blind opening so that it can be seated on the extreme upper end of the stud. The nut and the stud are then rotated downwardly until the nut engages a metal washer 44 on flange 40 of the toilet bowl so that both the toilet bowl flange and the hold-down ring flange are clamped tightly between upper nuts 42 and lower nuts 36. When both of the nuts 42 have been attached to their respective studs, the toilet bowl flange is then firmly attached to floor 12 as well as to the hold-down ring 20.

Thus it can be seen that any excess length of stud 34 is disposed in the opening beneath the hold-down ring thereby obviating the necessity of trimming the excess length as is required in the conventional practice,

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A plumbing assembly, comprising:

a support having an opening;

a hold-down ring having a body mounted in said support opening and a flange seated on the support about the opening, the flange having a flange openmg;

a plumbing fixture mounted on the support, said plumbing fixture having an opening adjacent said flange opening;

an elongated threaded member disposed in the flange opening and the fixture opening such that an upper end of the threaded member is above the fixture opening and the opposite, lower end of the threaded member below the flange opening;

a lower nut mounted on the threaded member beneath the flange;

first means carried by the flange for engaging the lower nut to prevent its rotation as the threaded member is being rotated;

a washer mounted on the threaded member between the plumbing fixture and the flange, and frictional means carried by the washer and engaging the threaded member to prevent passage thereof through the flange opening except by rotation thereof, said washer being slidably movable with respect to the threaded member as it is being rotated about its longitudinal axis whereby the between said flange and the upper nut.

3. A plumbing fixture assembly as defined in claim 1, in which the upper nut has a blind hole and the threaded member is threadibly mounted in said blind hole.

4. A plumbing fixture assembly as defined in claim 1, in which the flange has a ridge engageable with the lower nut to prevent its rotation.

Claims

1. A plumbing assembly, comprising: a support having an opening; a hold-down ring having a body mounted in said support opening and a flange seated on the support about the opening, the flange having a flange opening; a plumbing fixture mounted on the support, said plumbing fixture having an opening adjacent said flange opening; an elongated threaded member disposed in the flange opening and the fixture opening such that an upper end of the threaded member is above the fixture opening and the opposite, lower end of the threaded member below the flange opening; a lower nut mounted on the threaded member beneath the flange; first means carried by the flange for engaging the lower nut to prevent its rotation as the threaded member is being rotated; a washer mounted on the threaded member between the plumbing fixture and the flange, and frictional means carried by the washer and engaging the threaded member to prevent passage thereof through the flange opening except by rotation thereof, said washer being slidably movable with respect to the threaded member as it is being rotated about its longitudinal axis whereby the washer is operative to prevent separation of the lower nut from said first means; and an upper nut so mounted on the upper end of the threaded member as to be operative to be rotated with the threaded member whereby said hold-down ring flange and the plumbing fixture are clamped together between said upper nut and said lower nut.

2. A plumbing assembly as defined in claim 1, including a metal washer mounted on the threaded member between said flange and the upper nut.