WO2001065913A1

WO2001065913A1 - Device for aligning plumbing fittings

Info

Publication number: WO2001065913A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2001/000030
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carel Johannes Viljoen
Original assignee: Carel Johannes Viljoen
Priority date: 2000-03-09
Filing date: 2001-03-09
Publication date: 2001-09-13
Also published as: AU2001250070A1

Abstract

A device (100) for aligning plumbing fittings is disclosed, the device comprising a bar (102) having end portions (104) and a centre portion (106). Sockets (108) are provided at each end of the bar (102), the sockets (108) having bores (110) therein. Shafts (122) can be pushed into the bores (110). The shafts (122) have threaded sections (126) which are compatible with the threading of the fittings. The shafts and sockets have splines (112, 134) respectively. A spirit level (120) is carried by the bar (102) and rods (116) are tight fits in transverse bores (114) in the bar (102). The device is usable to position a pair of plumbing fittings on which a mixer tap is to be mounted.

Description

DEVICE FOR ALIGNING PLUMBING FITTINGS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a device for aligning plumbing fittings.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Where a mixer tap is to be fitted in, for example, a shower or bath, two

pipes are chased into the wall, one for hot water and one for cold water. These pipes

each terminate in an internally threaded pipe fitting. The mixer tap includes a pair of

externally threaded spigots which have to be screwed into the wall mounted pipe

fittings. If the fittings are perfectly aligned and spaced, the fitting of the mixer tap takes

a few minutes. However, in many cases the axes of the fittings are not parallel to one

another and/or the fittings are at different heights and/or the fittings protrude forwardly

from the wall at different distances to one another. Fitting of a mixer tap to misaligned

fittings can take an hour or more because, prior to the plumber fitting the mixer tap, the

wall has been plastered and the fittings are difficult to move to positions in which they

are properly aligned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a device for aligning a

pair of plumbing fittings, the device comprising a bar, a pair of externally threaded elements mounted on the bar, said elements being spaced apart along the bar with

their axes parallel, said elements being rotatable so that they can be connected by their

threading to the pair of plumbing fittings thereby to align said fittings.

Said bar can be in two parts, said parts being displaceable with respect to

one another to enable the distance between said axes to be varied.

Said parts can comprise a tube and a rod, the rod sliding telescopically in

the tube. Graduation marks can be provided from which the distance between said

axes can be determined.

Said device can further include releasable means for locking said

elements against further rotation after they have been connected to said fittings.

Said device can further include a spirit level.

A pair of parallel rods can be provided which extend transversely of the

bar, each rod being manually displaceable in the direction of its longitudinal axis to

enable the positions of wall engaging ends of the rods to be adjusted with respect to the

bar. The rods can be threaded and pass through internally threaded sockets (eg

hexagonal nuts) mounted on said bar. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the

same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the

accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device for aligning plumbing fittings;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrating a further form of the device;

and

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 and showing the device of Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 the device 10 illustrated comprises a

bar 12 consisting of two parts designated 14 and 16. The part 14 is constituted by a

square section tube 18 which has a socket 20 welded to one end thereof.

An opening 22 is cut in the top wall of the tube 18 and a transparent

window 24 is secured to the tube 18 so that it overlies the opening 22. The window 24

has a length indicating line 26 across it.

A bore is drilled in the tube 18 at an angle to the top wall of the tube. A

nut 28 is welded onto the tube 18 with its axis coincident with that of the bore. A threaded screw 30 with a wingnut 32 attached to it is screwed into the nut 28, the end

of the screw 30 remote from the wingnut 32 being inside the tube 18.

The part 16 comprises a short length of square section tube 34 which is

welded to a socket 36. A square section rod 38 is inserted into the tube 34 and welded

or otherwise secured to it. The rod 38 is a close fit in the tube 18. Graduation marks

40 are provided on the rod 38, these being visible through the opening 22 when the rod

38 is in the tube 18.

Shafts 42 and 44 pass through the sockets 20 and 36 respectively. Each

shaft has a central threaded section 46. It also has a knurled section 48 at one end

which enables the shaft to be rotated by hand. The portion 50 of the shaft beyond the

section 46 is not threaded and has a disc-like stop 52 fixed to it. The stops 52 cannot

move along the shafts 42 and 44. At the end of the shaft remote from the section 46

there is a key 54 on the shaft. The key 54 is between the stop 52 and the end of the

shaft.

A collar 56 comprising a flange 58, external threading 60 and an internal

key way is fitted onto the shaft. The flange 58 is against the stop 52. In the end of the

shaft there is a threaded, axial blind bore. A stud 62 with an Allen key socket in its

head is screwed into the bore of the shaft. There is a washer 64 between the head of

the stud 62 and the face of the collar 56. An externally knurled lock nut 66 is screwed onto each threaded section

46 between the respective socket 20, 36 and the section 48.

It will be understood that the axes of the shaft 42, 44 are parallel to one

another.

Two nuts 68, 70 are welded onto the top faces of the tubes 18 and 34. A

bolt 72 is screwed through each nut 68, 70. At one end of each bolt 72 there is a

bearing pad 74 and at the other end of each bolt there is a formation 76 which enables

the bolt to be gripped and turned.

A spirit level 78 is mounted on the top face of the tube 18.

The hot and cold water pipes are chased into the wall and the plumbing

fittings (not shown) at the outlet ends thereof located in approximately the correct

positions. The plumbing fittings are normally in the form of elbows.

The wingnut 32 is turned to withdraw the screw 30. The rod 38 is now

free to slide in the tube 18. The position of the rod 38 is adjusted until the line 26 on

the window 24 is aligned with the appropriate one of the graduation marks on the rod

38. The value read-off is the distance between the axes of the shafts 42, 44. The wingnut 32 is then turned to force the tip of the screw 30 against the

rod 38. This urges the rod 38 diagonally with respect to the tube 18 and against the

inside surfaces of its rear and bottom walls.

The locknuts 66 are then released so that the shafts 42, 44 can be rotated

freely in the sockets 20 and 36 and slide axially in the sockets. The collars 56 are

presented to the pipe fittings and are screwed into the pipe fittings thereby ensuring that

the fittings are correctly spaced and parallel to one another. The nuts 66 are then

tightened against the sockets 20 and 36. The position of the device can be adjusted

until the spirit level 78 shows that the bar 12 is horizontal.

The final adjustment is achieved by rotating the bolts 72 until the pads 74

bear on the unplastered wall. By looking down on the bar 12 it is relatively easy to

judge that the bar is parallel to the wall. The plumbing fittings are either pushed into the

wall or pulled out until they are correctly positioned with respect to the surface of the

wall. What has to be achieved is that each fitting protrudes the same distance from the

wall, this being necessary to ensure that the wall can be plastered to the requisite

thickness. Once the fittings have been properly positioned they are fixed in their

adjusted positions. For example, wedges and steel nails driven into the unplastered

wall can be used temporarily to secure the fittings which are then plastered in.

Collars 56 of different sizes can be provided. This is because not all mixer taps have the same size spigots and different plumbing fittings must be used. By

removing the studs 62 using an Alley key, the collars 56 can be removed and replaced

by other collars with threading of a format to fit the plumbing fittings in the wall.

Turning now to Figures 3 and 4, these illustrate a further form of device

which is designated 100 and which is injection moulded in synthetic plastics material.

In this form the bar, designated 102, is moulded in one piece and comprises two end

portions 104 and a short centre portion 106. The portions 104 are of hexagonal cross

section and the portion 106 is of circular cross section. The centre portion 106 is of

smaller cross-sectional area than the portions 104.

Sockets 108 are moulded integrally with the portions 104. Each socket

108 has a bore 110 therethrough and part of the length of each bore is formed with

splines 112 (Figure 4).

Transverse bores 114 of hexagonal shape are provided in the sections

104, these bores serving to receiving hexagonal section rods 116. Each rod 116 is a

friction fit in the respective bore 114 so that it is not free to move in its bore unless a

force sufficient to overcome the frictional grip of the bore on the rod is applied.

A groove 118 in the surface of one of the portions 104 receives a spirit

level 120. The device 100 further includes two shafts 122 one of which is shown

inserted in one of the bores 110 and the other of which is shown prior to insertion.

Each shaft 122 comprises, at one end thereof, a portion 124 of square

cross section which facilitates gripping and turning. At its other end each shaft has a

threaded section 126 and a collar 128. The threading of the section 126 is compatible

with that of the plumbing fittings.

Between the portion 124 and the collar 128 the shaft has two portions

130, 132 of circular cross section separated by a section which is formed with splines

134. The portion 130 is of smaller diameter than the portion 132.

In use of the fitting of Figures 3 and 4, the sections 126 of the shafts 122

are screwed into the plumbing fittings using a wrench or other tool applied to the

portions 124. The fittings are, at this time, almost certainly misaligned. Once the shafts

124 have been screwed into the fittings, the bar 102 is presented to the shafts so that

the shafts enter the bores 110 until the portions 130 of the shafts are in the bores. By

using the spirit level 120, the bar 102 can be adjusted to a horizontal position which

means that the fittings are at the same level. Vertical adjustment of the fittings on the

water pipes may be necessary.

The bar is then pushed towards the wall so that the shafts 122 slide in the bores 110 until the splines 112 engage with the splines 134. Relative rotation between

the shafts 122 and the sockets 108 is prevented by inter-engagement between the

splines and further more the shafts 122 can no longer move axially along the bores

110. By viewing the device from above it is possible to see when the bar 102 is parallel

to the wall which means that the front faces of the fittings are in the same vertical plane.

The final step is to tap the rods 116 through the bores 110 so that their

ends bear on the unplastered wall. As the rods 116 are tapped forward, the bar 102

moves away from the wall pulling the fittings with it. This adjustment enables the fittings

to be positioned far enough from the unplastered wall to eηable a plaster layer of the

requisite thickness to be applied without plastering over the fittings.

The fittings are then located by steel nails driven into the wall and/or by

wedges so that they cannot move during plastering.

When the mixer tap is to be fitted, the plumber pulls the rods 116 back

slightly so that they are clear of the wall, and cuts through the portion 106. The

separated parts of the device can now be wound off the fittings by rotating them about

the axes of the shaft 124.

The fittings remain in the correct position which enables the mixer tap to

be fitted without the need to re-align the fittings.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A device for aligning a pair of plumbing fittings, the device comprising a

bar, a pair of externally threaded elements mounted on the bar, said elements being

spaced apart along the bar with their axes parallel, said elements being rotatable so

that they can be screwed into the pair of plumbing fittings thereby to align said fittings.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said bar is in two parts, said parts

being displaceable with respect to one another to enable the distance between said

axes to be varied.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 and including a socket at each end of the

bar, each socket having a bore therethrough and said elements passing through said

bores.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said elements are threaded over

an end section thereof, there being a collar between said end section and the

remainder of the element.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 , 2, 3 or 4 and which further includes a spirit

level.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 , and including a pair of parallel rods which

extend transversely of the bar, each rod being manually displaceable in the direction of

its longitudinal axis to enable the positions of wall engaging ends of the rods to be

adjusted with respect to the bar.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said rods are threaded and pass

through internally threaded sockets mounted on said bar.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said bar comprises a centre

portion which is of smaller cross sectional area than the end portions which are on each

side thereof thereby to facilitate cutting through the bar.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 and including a transverse bore through

each end portion, there being rods in the bores, the rods being friction fits in the bores.

10. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each bore has a plain section and

a splined section, and said elements each have two plain cylindrical portions with a

section between them which is splined.