GB2282156A

GB2282156A - Floor drain

Info

Publication number: GB2282156A
Application number: GB9417772A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur Cochrane; Geoffrey Greenhough
Original assignee: INVA DEX Ltd
Current assignee: INVA DEX Ltd
Priority date: 1993-09-28
Filing date: 1994-09-05
Publication date: 1995-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-05
Also published as: GB9319949D0; GB2282156B; GB9417772D0

Abstract

A floor drain comprises an open topped channel member (10) adapted for permanent fixture within the floor with the open top of the channel at or below floor level and a cover member (30) for fitment on the channel member at floor level, said cover member having drainage apertures therethrough and, together with the top of the channel, providing means for trapping a sheet-like floor covering which extends upto and over the edges of the channel between said channel edges and the underside of the cover member. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in or Relatir The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to drains, especially but not exclusively floor drains for use, for example, in shower rooms.

Traditionally shower rooms have tiled floors which slope toward the circular drain. More recently shower room floors have been covered by a plastics sheet material and difficulties are experienced in providing a fluid-tight seal between the edges of the sheet material and the drain, especially when the drain is a standard circular drain.

Another recent development has been the provision of elongate drains which extend over a relatively large length of the shower room floor.

The present invention concerns an elongate drain of this nature and has been designed with a view to obviating and mitigating disadvantages inherent in existing drains.

According to the present invention there is provided a drain comprising a bottom, open topped channel member adapted for fixture in a floor with the open top of the channel at or below floor level, said member defining a peripheral ledge, a cover member having drain apertures formed therethrough seatable on said ledge, and means for trapping sheet like flooring material between said ledge and said cover.

The drain may be formed from a non-metallic material, preferably glass reinforced plastics.

Preferably an outlet assembly is fitted at a low point of the channel, said outlet assembly having a fluid trap incorporated therein and preferably said trap is cleanable from said channel.

Preferably said ledge has a plurality of spaced threaded passages therein for reception of non-metallic fixing screws adapted to pass through complimentary passages in the cover.

Preferably the channel member has an outwardly directed flange by which it can be mounted in a preformed aperture formed in a wooden or concrete floor.

The flange may include a ledge at a distance below the top of the flange equal to the thickness of the cover.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a cover member of a drain; Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a channel member of a drain; Fig. 3 shows a top view of the cover member; Fig. 4 shows a top view of the channel member; and Fig. 5 shows a top view of a modified cover member.

Referring firstly to Figs. 2 and 4, there is shown a channel member 10 of a drain moulded from a glass reinforced plastics material, although it will be realised that any suitable non-metallic material can be employed.

The channel member 10 has a base 12, a pair of opposed upstanding side walls 14,16 and a pair of opposed upstanding end walls 18,20. Each wall terminates at its top in an outwardly directed flange 22 which incorporates a ledge 24 having a plurality of threaded passages 26 therethrough. The base 12 of the channel falls towards one end 20 at which there is positioned an outlet 28 to which is fitted an outlet trap (not shown) which may be of a proprietary design.

The outlet trap is of generally cylindrical construction having a closed base and an outlet port in one side thereof. The outlet port is shielded by a sleeve and in operation liquid from the channel collects in the cylindrical trap until a sufficient depth of liquid of achieved at which stage further liquid drains through the side outlet, the outlet being shielded from the rest of the trap by the sleeve which extends from near the top to near the bottom, the sleeve having an upper covering in which there is provided a removable cover so that the trap can be cleaned from the channel.

Figs. 1 and 3 show the cover 30 for the channel member which, when fitted to the channel member 10, completes the drain assembl. The cover 30 is also moulded from fibre reinforced plastics material and is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending drainage slots 32. Ridges 34 may be formed in a chevron fashion on the top of the cover to reduce the danger of slippage thereon. Around the periphery of the cover are formed a plurality of counter-sunk passages 36 corresponding in their position to the passages 26 in the ledge 24 on the flange 22 of the channel member 10.

The drain of the type described above is fitted to a shower room floor firstly by providing a channel or opening in the floor, which may be a wooden floor or a concrete floor, the dimensions of which are slightly greater than the dimensions between the end and side walls 18,20; 14,16. A rim is provided around the periphery of the opening to accommodate the flange 22 such that the upper surface of the flange 22 is effectively co-planar with the floor. The channel member may be permanently fitted in the opening by screws passing through fixing holes into the floor or, for example, in a concrete floor, it may be fixed in place by a mastic type adhesive/sealant.

The drain is intended particularly, but not exclusively, for use in shower rooms where the floor is covered by a plastics sheet material which normally has a thickness of some 2mm. The material is laid over the drain and a rectangular aperture cut therein, the dimensions of which are less than the dimensions between the end and side walls 18,20; 14,16 of the channel member 10such that the edge of the aperture can be wrapped over the edges of the channel member. Notches may be cut into the material from the opening or holes may be formed therethrough such that the screws for fixing the cover 30 to the channel 10 may pass through the sheet of covering material.The covering material can have adhesive/sealant applied to its underside to increase its sealing effect with the channel member 10 and thereafter the cover 30 may be fitted and held in position by the screws passing therethrough, these screws on being tightened, sandwiching the covering material between the cover member and the ledge on which it sits and thereby ensuring a good seal.

Fig. 5 shows a modified cover 30 which is generally similar in most respect to the cover shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and has similar reference numbers for similar components but includes also a circular aperture 40 above the outlet 28 so that the trap can be reached without removing the lever 30. A removable grill 47 is fitted in the aperture 40.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example, the drain can have any convenient shape. Drain traps of differing constructions can be employed and if necessary more than one outlet member can be provided on the floor of the channel member. A pump may be incorporated in the drain to pump away waste water.

The cover member can have different configurations of apertures formed therethrough, for example the apertures could be circular, lattice like, chevron or any other suitable shape.

In a further modification the panel and cover members need not be formed from glass reinforced plastics but could be formed from other plastics materials by vacuum forming, rotational moulding or other suitable forming techniques.

Claims

1. A drain comprising a bottom, open topped channel member adapted for fixture in a floor with the open top of the channel at or below floor level, said member defining a peripheral ledge, a cover member having drain aperatures formed therethrough seatable on said ledge, and means for trapping sheet like flooring material between said ledge and said cover.

2. A drain as claimed in claim 1, formed from a non-metallic material.

3. A drain as claimed in claim 2, in which the non-metallic material is glass reinforced plastics.

4. A drain as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which an outlet assembly is fitted at a low point of the channel, said outlet assembly having a fluid trap incorporated therein.

5. A drain as claimed in claim 4, in which said trap is cleanable from said channel.

6. A drain as claimed'in any one of the preceding claims, in which said ledge has a plurality of spaced threaded passages therein for reception of non-metallic fixing screws adapted to pass through complimentary passages in the cover.

7. A drain as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the channel member has an outwardly directed flange by which it can be mounted in a preformed aperture formed in a wooden or concrete floor.

8. A drain as claimed in claim 7, in which the flange includes a ledge at a distance below the top of the flange equal to the thickness of the cover.

9. A drain substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.