US3228083A - Positioning, supporting and leveling device for floor drains - Google Patents

Description

; Jan. 11, 1966 1.. c. GARDNER, sR., ETAL 3,

POSITIONING, SUPPORTING AND LEVELING DEVICE FOR FLOOR DRAINS Filed Nov. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l l l l l INVENTORS LELAND c. emuuemsr. 6r Lawson F. kDQwRogJr.

ATTORNEY 6 F ZZMLWI 11, 1966 c. GARDNER, sR., ETAL 3,228,083

POSITIONING, SUPPORTING AND LEVELING DEVICE FOR FLOOR BRAINS Filed Nov. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS LELAND cannoumsn 5-LAUJSON F. wHLDROEJr.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,22%,d83 Patented Jan. 11, ldfifi 3,223,683 PGSITiGNiNG, SUPIGRTING AND LEVELING EVIQE I- GR FLGGR BRAINS Leland C. Gardner, S12, 519 Rich Se, and Lawson F. Waldrop, .Ir., 529 S. York Ave, both of Rock Hit], SC. Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,273 Ciaims. (Cl. 24271) This application is a continuation-in-part of prior copending application Ser. No. 343,253, filed Feb. 7, 1964, now United States Patent 3,192,614, issued July 6, 1965, for Positioning, Leveling and Supporting Device Mountable upon an Upright Pipe or the Like, Leland C. Gardner, Sr., and Lawson F. Waldrop, In, inventors.

This invention relates to a device which facilitates the installation of floor drains on cast iron soil pipe stubs and the like.

An object of the invention is to improve upon the construction disclosed in said prior application by providing a device of the mentioned character which is more economical to manufacture, stronger in its gripping ac tion with the pipe upon which it is mounted and highly reliable and efiicient in operation. The objectives in general are the same as those specified in said prior ap plication, namely, to provide a secure positioning level ing and supporting device for a door drain upon an upstanding pipe, while the floor drain is being connected thereto in a fluid tight manner.

Other specific objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an assembled invention device prior to closing permanently around a pipe stub;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the invention device assembled with a pipe stub;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the invention device after complete closing thereof upon the pipe stub and showing the device supporting a floor drain in a level manner;

FIGURE 4 i an enlarged horizontal cross section taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an adjustable encircling strap employed in the invention device; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary radial section taken on line 77 of FIGURE 5.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustra tion is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 18 designates a thick annulus or ring formed of rubber or rubber-like material of medium hardness. As shown in FIGURE 7 for example the rubber annuhis 10 is rectangular in cross section and has fiat parallel end faces 11 and a cylindrical bore 12 which is square with the end faces. The peripheral face of the annulus 1G is preferably provided with a shallow groove 13 to receive the metal strap clamping unit 14 shown generally in FIGURE 6. The annulus It) is characterized by being thick radially and approximately square in cross section so as to be capable of service as a support ing and leveling device for the cast iron lioor drain 15, FIGURE 3, mounted upon an upstanding soil pipe stub 16, in turn connected with a cast iron trap 17 below floor level.

The rubber annulus it receives thereon, FIGURE 1, the metal clamping unit 14 aforementioned. The unit 14 comprises a preferably precoiled steel strap 13 which tends to slightly grip the annulus 19 when assembled therewith even prior to tightening. The strap 18 includes a full width portion 19 of sufiicient length to encircle the annulus 19 at least one full turn, and a further integral portion Zll of reduced width also adapted to completely encircle the annulu it} by at least one full turn. Intermediate the ends of the full width por tion 19, the same carries a pair of lateral bendable lugs 21 Whose use will be further described. These lug-s may be formed integral with the metal strap or they may be carried by a short cross piece secured to the strap by welding, riveting or the like.

At the juncture of the strap portions 1 and Ztl, a bendable relatively heavy gage closing and securing lever 22 is provided and includes an interior curved extension 23, riveted at 24 to the metal strap portion .19. The width of the element 22 is preferably equal to the width of the wider strap portion 19, as shown. The lever 22 is of uniform width and thickness throughout its length. Near its longitudnal center, the lever 22 has a through slot 25 to receive therethrough the reduced width portion 20 and the lever is engaged by narrow shoulders 26 on opposite sides of the slot, said shoulders being formed where the full Width and reduced width portions of the strap are joined. As shown in FIGURE 4, the lever 22 is bent adjacent the slot 25 so that the external portion thereof projects radially outwardly of the assembly for a considerable distance. Formed with in this outwardly projecting portion is an opening 27 having a locking tongue 23 disposed therein for engagemerit selectively within any one of a plurality of adjustment openings 29 formed through the terminal end portions of the trap. The parts shown particularly in FIGURE 6 and described immediately above constitute a prefabricated assembly or unit which may be applied over the rubber annulus 1t and will cling thereto even before final closing of the clamping unit. The full width strap portion 19, FIGURE 7, is of the proper width to be received snugly within the groove 13 of the annulus.

The device is used in the following manner in con nccti'on with the proper mounting of the floor drain 15 upon the soil pipe stub 16.

After the pipe stub 16 has been firmly installed upon the trap 17 by conventional or special methods, the floor drain 15 may be placed over the pipe stub 16 and positioned roughly in relation to the floor level and an approximate height for the drain may be inscribed on the pipe stub 16. The drain may then be set aside. The invention device loosely assembled as depicted in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 is now applied over the top of pipe stub 16 and adjusted along the pipe stub to the desired elevation and finally the invention device is brought to an accurate and final elevation and position on the pipe stub 16 for leveling and supporting the floor drain. When this position is achieved and while the tongue 28 is engaged through a proper opening 29, the projecting portion of the lever 22 is bent downwardly to conform to the exterior of the circular band and to assume the position shown in FIGURE 5. The lever 22 unlike the strap 18 is not formed of springy material and will not tend to open up after being bent over. However, to assure the final locating of the lever 22, the lugs 21 are bent over the lever in the manner shown and the clamping unit 14 is now tightly and permanently in gripping relation with the annulus 1t and causes the latter to firmly grip the pipe stub 16 with great force so that the drain 15 can be supported upon the pipe stub in a very secure manner and at exactly the desired elevation and in a level manner while a proper joint and seal is being formed with conventional or special means between the drain and the pipe stub.

When the floor drain 15 is completely joined and sealed to the pipe stub 16, the invention device has actually served its purpose and is no longer needed upon the pipe stub 16. However, due to the economical construction of the invention unit, the same may be left permanently attached to the pipe stub Where it can never do any harm, and it is economically unnecessary t-o retrieve the invention device. The annulus may obviously be formed in various sizes as may the clamping unit 14. In any event, the invention has sufiicient adjustability to assure an exceedingly tight gripping engagement with the pipe stub and a firm support for the bottom of the drain 15. The fiat faces '11 of the rubber annulus provide an adequate broad bearing surface for the drain to facilitate positioning, supporting and leveling the same. The invention is very easy to assemble, adjust and install upon the pipe stub. The advantages of the construction should be clear to those skilled in the art without the necessity for any further description.

It -is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A device to facilitate the installation of a floor drain upon a soil pipe stub comprising a preformed closed ring of rubber-like material engageable over the pipe stub and being substantially rectangular in cross section and having a wide radial end face, said ring having an external annular groove, a precoiled spring steel encircling strap within said groove tending to cling to the ring, one end portion of the strap having spaced adjusting openings, a bendable closing lever for said strap secured fixedly thereto intermediate the ends of the strap and having a slot receiving one section of the strap therethrough and having a locking tongue engageable selectively within any one of said adjusting openings, said lever projecting radially of the ring outwardly of said slot, and at least one lateral bendable lug on said strap intermediate the ends thereof adapted to be bent over said lever after bending of the latter to secure the lever closely to the exterior side of said device.

2. A floor drain positioning supporting and leveling device mountable upon a soil pipe stub in a selected posi tion comprising a rubber ring which is radially thick and provided with at least one broad fiat end face, said ring being approximately rectangular in cross section and having a shallow groove in its periphery, a precoiled steel clamping strap mountable upon said ring and being of a width to seat within said groove and having an end portion of reduced width, said end portion having adjusting openings, a bendable securing lever attached to said strap intermediate the ends thereof and having a part projecting radially outwardly thereof including a tongue engageable through a selected one of said openings, and a bendable lug on said strap adapted to secure said lever in a bent-over position for closing said strap upon said ring.

3. The invention as defined by claim 2, and wherein said bendable level has one end portion rigidly secured to the strap and has a through slot intermediate its ends receiving a reduced width portion of the strap and also has a locking tongue radially outwardly of said slot.

4. A device of the character described comprising a ring formed of rubber-like material and being rectangular in cross section and thick radially, a separ-ately formed metal encircling strap mountable upon said ring, a bend able closing lever for said strap secured thereto intermediate the ends of the strap and having a slot receiving the strap and a locking tongue outwardly of the slot, a free end portion of the strap being apertured to engage the locking tongue of said lever, and bendable means on the strap to hold said lever in a bent-over strap closing position.

5. A device to facilitate the installation of a floor drain upon a soil pipe stub comprising a thick walled annulus of rubber-like material adapted to engage over the soil pipe stub telescopically, a separately formed metal encircling strap mountable upon the periphery of said annulus and completely encircling the same, and lever adjusting means carried by said strap and operable to draw the strap into tight gripping engagement with the annulus to that the annulus in turn grips said pipe stub tightly, said annulus then adapted to support a floor drain upon the pipe stub in a level manner and at a selected elevation, said strap including a port-ion of full Width approximating the axial width of said ring and a reduced width portion, said lever adjusting means including a bendable lever having a Width substantially equal to the full width portion of the strap and secured thereto, said lever having a slot receiving the reduced width portion of the strap and also having a locking tongue, a terminal end portion of said strap having plural adjustment openings each adapted to receive said locking tongue, and bendable lugs on said strap to secure said lever in a bent-over locking position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 867,518 10/1907 Mark 24-271 1,436,317 11/ 1922 Kriescher 24-271 1,971,438 8/1934 Yoder 285-252 X 2,336,139 12/1943 Vogel 24-20 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 4. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A RING FORMED OF RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL AND BEING RECTANGULAR IN CROSS SECTION AND THICK RADIALLY, A SEPARABLE FORMED METAL ENCIRCLING STRAP MOUTABLE UPON SAID RING, A BENDABLE CLOSING LEVER FOR SAID STRAP SECURED THERETO INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE STRAP AND HAVING A SLOT RECEIVING THE STRAP AND A LOCKING TONGUE OUTWARDLY OF THE SLOT, A FREE END PORTION OF THE STRAP BEING APARTURED TO ENGAGE THE LOCKING TONGUE OF SAID LEVER, AND BENDABLE MEANS ON THE STRAP TO HOLD SAID LEVER IN A BEND-OVER STRAP CLOSING POSITION.

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