Abstract:
A height adjustable water spout mounting assembly includes a sleeve having an external threaded surface for deck mounting the sleeve and an internal threaded surface. There is a spout interface formed and adapted to extend above the spout deck with an outer surface which is at least in part threaded and sized to extend within and have its exterior threads interact with the interior threads on the sleeve for relative height adjustment of the spout interface with the spout mounting deck. There is further a height adjustable diverter lift rod associated with the sleeve and spout interface.

Description:
THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to roman tub faucets and more specifically to a faucet assembly which permits ease of height adjustment after the spout nipple has been installed to the deck of the roman tube. Additionally, the invention pertains to a diverter assembly which is also height adjustable, after the spout has been mounted to the tub deck. 
     Conventionally, during the rough-in assembly of the spout nipple to a roman tub deck the nipple will be attached to the deck through the use of a mounting nut which threads on the exterior of the nipple from below the tub deck. If subsequently a decorative surface is added to the tub deck, for example granite, marble, or some other decorative material, in the past it was necessary to remount the spout nipple to accommodate the increased thickness of the deck surface which will mount the roman tub spout. The present invention provides a mounting assembly for a roman tub faucet which is height adjustable after the spout nipple has been attached to the sink deck during the rough-in stage. 
     The mounting assembly includes the spout nipple with an exterior thread for mounting it to the tub deck. The inside of the spout nipple is at least in part threaded and there is a spout interface with an exterior thread. The exterior threads of the spout interface interact with the interior threads of the spout nipple permitted telescopic height adjustment to accommodate for variations in tub deck thickness after installation of the spout nipple. 
     The invention further provides an adjustable height diverter rod assembly. The diverter assembly extends down through the center of the spout interface and nonrotatably mounted in the diverter body. The upper end of the diverter rod includes a threaded socket and the lift rod includes a threaded end. After positioning of the spout on the spout nipple and onto the tub deck, the lift rod is placed through an opening in the spout and is threaded into the diverter rod to a height appropriate to the deck thickness, taking into account the position of the roman tub spout on the tub deck. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a roman tub spout with an integral diverter and particularly to a roman tub spout assembly which is height adjustable after the rough-in stage. 
     More specifically, the present invention relates to a telescopic mounting assembly for a roman tub faucet spout which includes a spout nipple and a spout interface which is telescopically adjustable relative to the spout nipple, after the spout nipple has been attached to the roman tub deck. 
     Another purpose of the invention is to provide a simply constructed reliable roman tub mounting assembly which permits height adjustment at the spout location after the spout nipple has been attached to the tub deck. 
     Another purpose of the invention is a height adjustable diverter assembly for a roman tub spout 
     Another purpose is to provide a diverter assembly in which the lift rod thereof may be height adjustable after the spout is attached to the sink deck. 
    
    
     Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating the height adjustable diverter spout assembly of the present invention mounted to a sink deck; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of the height adjustable diverter spout assembly; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the diverter body; and 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the height adjustable diverter spout assembly. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In FIG. 1, the deck of a conventional roman tub is indicated at  10  and the height adjustable diverter spout assembly is indicated generally at  12  and is shown attached to the bottom of the deck through the use of a mounting nut  14 . The diverter assembly extends through the sink deck and a spout  16  is shown mounted on the upper surface of the deck. The purpose of the present invention is to accommodate an increase in the thickness of the tub deck by the addition of a decorative surface to the top of the deck after the rough-in installation. What is shown in FIG. 1 is the rough-in installation, with the spout added on thereto, but without the addition of a decorative surface. Such an addition would require an adjustment in the height of the spout interface, as will appear in more detail hereinafter. 
     Focusing on FIGS. 2 and 3, the diverter assembly includes a spout interface  18  and a diverter sleeve  20 . The diverter sleeve  20  has an exterior thread  21  to receive the threaded mounting nut  14 . In assembly, the mounting nut  14  will be threaded fast up against the bottom of the sink deck  10 , with a mounting washer  22  and a mounting clip  24  being used to secure the assembly  12  from the upper side of the deck  10 . As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the clip  24  will extend into a groove  26  in the diverter sleeve  20  and it will overlie the washer  22 , thus the clip and the washer secure the diverter assembly from the top and the nut  14  secures it from the bottom. 
     A diverter body is indicated at  30  and will have a hot water inlet conduit  32  and a cold water inlet conduit  34  connected thereto, as shown particularly in FIG.  4 . At the bottom of the diverter body  30  there is a diverter outlet  36  which will direct water to a water discharge apparatus other than the spout  16 , for example, a hand-held spray hose or the like. 
     The diverter sleeve  20  has an internal lower thread  38  which co-acts with an exterior threaded upwardly-extending boss  40  on the diverter body. There is a seal ring  42  where these elements are joined together. In this manner, the diverter sleeve is attached to the diverter body. 
     A portion of the interior surface of the diverter sleeve is threaded, as at  44 , with this threaded section terminating in a shoulder  46 . Positioned within the diverter sleeve is the spout interface  18  which has an exterior thread  48  which interacts with the interior thread  44  on the diverter sleeve to permit the spout interface to be telescopically vertically adjustable relative to the diverter sleeve. This vertical adjustment will acconmmodate varying thickness in the tub deck  10 . The interior end of the spout interface  18  includes a flange  50  having a seal ring  52  which bears against the interior smooth surface  54  of the diverter sleeve. The shoulder  46  functions as a stop limiting upward movement of the spout interface once the flange  50  has contacted the shoulder. Thus, it is impossible to remove the spout interface in an upward direction by attempting to adjust it to an excessive height above the tub deck. 
     Positioned within the interior of the spout interface and the diverter sleeve is the diverter which comprises a diverter rod  56  having a socket  58  at its upper end, with the socket including a threaded nut  60 . Threaded into the nut  60  is a lift rod  62  which has a threaded end which interacts with the nut  60 . This permits vertical adjustment of the lift rod relative to the diverter rod after assembly. 
     At its lower end the diverter rod  56  is threaded into a diverter rod nut  64  having a hexagonal exterior surface, as shown in FIG.  2 . This hexagonal surface will extend within an oval shaped slot  66  in the diverter body, which thus prevents rotation of the diverter rod nut, and thus the diverter rod, but permits the flow of water about the exterior of the diverter rod nut through the discharge passage  36 . 
     The diverter assembly further includes a diverter seal  68  held to the diverter rod  56  by a lower seal washer  70  and an upper seal washer  72 . A spring  74  encircles the assembly and normally biases the diverter toward a closing position, rather than the open position illustrated in FIG.  4 . When the diverter is in the closed position, the diverter seal  68  will be closed upon a seat  76  in the diverter body. The upper end of the spring  74  will bottom against a should  78  in a diverter cap  80 . The cap will be threaded into the diverter body, as illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     In use, the first step is to mount the diverter assembly to the tub deck  10 . The spout interface will be pushed up through an appropriate opening in the tub deck at a height which would accommodate attachment of the spout  16 . The mounting washer  22  will be placed about the spout interface and then the clip  24  will be positioned in the groove  26  so that the assembly is secured from the top to the tub deck. The mounting washer  14  will then be screwed up against the bottom of the tub deck to complete the rough-in attachment. At this point in time the lift rod has not been assembled to the diverter and the spout has not been attached. At this point a jam nut  82 , which has a threaded section  84 , is slid onto the exterior of the spout interface and pushed down by an appropriate tool until its exterior threads interact with the interior threads  44  on the diverter sleeve and the jam nut extends in a distance where it bottoms upon a shoulder  85  on the spout interface. This prevents someone from pushing on the top of the spout interface and having it turn down into the diverter sleeve to the point where the spout could not be attached to it. 
     If no decorative surface is to be further added to the tub deck  10  the spout may be attached by a suitable set screw, after which the lift rod  62  will extend down through the opening in the spout and will be threaded into the nut  60  a distance appropriate so that the lift rod will be located above the spout in a position to be grasped by a user. A special tool may be utilized to turn the jam nut in, as the nut has tool receiving openings  86  and the tool may also be used to properly gauge the height of the lift rod above the spout. 
     If a decorative surface is to be added to the tub deck before the spout is attached, the jam nut may be loosened by the use of the same tool, permitting height adjustment of the spout interface to accommodate the increased thickness of the tub deck. After so doing, the spout and lift rod will be assembled in the manner described previously. 
     Of particular advantage in the invention is the fact that the diverter sleeve, or spout nipple, as it is often termed, has a telescopic height adjustable spout interface which permits vertical adjustment of the location of the spout relative to the spout nipple after the spout nipple has been roughed in to the roman tub deck. Further, the lift rod is height adjustable relative to the diverter rod, again to accommodate a variation in the thickness of the roman tub deck. 
     Whereas the invention has been described particularly in connection with a roman tub, it is obvious that the use of an adjustable height spout nipple diverter assembly is equally suitable for other types of plumbing installations, with or without an accompanying diverter. 
     Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there may be many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto.