Abstract:
The invention relates to a drain, comprising: a container with a bottom surface and an upright edge along the periphery of the bottom surface; a discharge opening arranged in the bottom surface of the container; an adjusting frame placed on the container and having adjusting means for adjusting the height of the top side of the adjusting frame; wherein the adjusting frame fits within the upright edge and the adjusting frame is manufactured from strip material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a drain, comprising:
         a container with a bottom surface and an upright edge along the periphery of the bottom surface;   a discharge opening arranged in the bottom surface of the container;   an adjusting frame placed on the container and having adjusting means for adjusting the height of the top side of the adjusting frame.       

     Such drains are for instance used in tiled floors. The container is then arranged in the concrete sub-floor, after which the adjusting frame is set such that the top side of the adjusting frame lies flush with the top surface of the tiles. This adjusting frame provides for a neat finish of the side of the tiles. 
     Drains known in the prior art have an adjusting frame which is manufactured from sheet steel. This results in a relatively wide edge. In addition, such an adjusting frame manufactured from bent sheet steel is difficult to make to the desired tolerances. Furthermore, with adjusting frames manufactured from bent sheet steel it is practically impossible to make an adjusting frame with a form other than a rectangular form. A drain in the shape of a circle or heart is for instance not possible with such drains. In addition, the prior art adjusting frames are larger than the container, whereby the frame must be present during assembly and tiling. 
     It is now an object of the invention to reduce or even obviate the above stated drawbacks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This object is achieved according to the invention with a drain characterized in that the adjusting frame fits within the upright edge and that the adjusting frame is manufactured from strip material. Any desired form can be made with a strip material. The use of strip material moreover has the advantage that accurate tolerances can be obtained. Finally, the upper surface of a strip material is relatively small. Compared to a bent steel sheet, the upper surface of the adjusting frame manufactured from a strip material is smaller. Little water can hereby flow over the small upper surface of the adjusting frame. In addition, the container can be incorporated per se into a floor in that the inner dimensions of the upright edge are also the outer dimensions of the adjusting frame. 
     In an embodiment of the drain according to the invention the bottom surface of the container is rectangular and the adjusting frame lies against the upright edge of the container. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the drain according to the invention a mastic sealant is arranged between the adjusting frame and the upright edge of the container. This sealant ensures that no water can flow under the tiles from the container. 
     In another embodiment of the drain according to the invention the adjusting means support on the bottom surface of the container. A simple construction is hereby obtained. It is however also possible to have the adjusting means support on protrusions arranged in the upright edge. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the drain according to the invention the container is provided with a flange along the upper edge of the upright edge. Using the flange the container is arranged in a concrete sub-floor and the tiles are laid at least partially over the flange. A mastic sealant can here be arranged as required between the upright edge of the container and the adjusting frame. If the mastic sealant is omitted the advantage can be gained that, in the case of leakage through the tile floor, the water can still flow to the drain over the top side of the concrete substrate. 
     In a highly preferred embodiment of the drain according to the invention the flange is at least partly flexible. Particularly when such a gutter is arranged between two walls a fixed flange can form a limitation in that this flange requires a certain distance between the container and the wall. By now giving the flange an at least partly flexible form the container can still be laid closely against the wall, wherein the flexible flange is folded upward and partially covered by for instance wall tiles. The invention further comprises a container for a drain according to the invention, which container is provided with a bottom surface, a discharge opening arranged in the bottom surface, an upright edge arranged along the periphery of the bottom surface, and a flange is provided along the upper edge of the upright edge. The flange is preferably at least partly flexible. 
     The container or drain according to the invention is preferably of sheet steel. This provides a simple method for manufacturing a container. The sheet steel container forms a cost-effective solution, particularly in combination with the adjusting frame. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features of the invention are further elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a drain according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of the drain according to  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a second embodiment of the drain according to the invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a third embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a drain  1  according to the invention. This drain  1  has a sheet steel container  2  with a discharge opening  3 . This discharge opening  3  is placed asymmetrically in container  2 . Particularly in the case of a joist floor the container  2  can then be placed such that discharge opening  3  fits between two joists and structural modifications to the floor can be avoided. An adjusting frame  4  is arranged in sheet steel container  2 . This adjusting frame  4  is manufactured from a strip of metal which is bent into a rectangular shape. Arranged on the underside of adjusting frame  4  are two transverse connections  5  in which adjusting bolts  6  are placed. By rotating the adjusting bolts  6  the height of upper edge  7  of adjusting frame  4  can be adjusted such that in the finished situation of drain  1  upper edge  7  lies flush with for instance the top surface of a tiled floor. 
       FIG. 2  shows a cross-section of drain  1  according to  FIG. 1 . Container  2  has a bottom surface  8  with an upright edge  9  along the periphery. Provided on the upper side of upright edge  9  is a flange  10  which is substantially parallel to bottom surface  8 . In one embodiment, the flange  10  is arranged along a top surface of the upright edge  9 . 
       FIG. 2  further shows how adjusting bolts  6  rest on bottom surface  8  and that the height H of the upper surface  7  of adjusting frame  4  can be adjusted relative to bottom surface  8  by rotating the adjusting bolts  6  screwed into connecting piece  5 . As seen in  Fig. 2 , the adjusting bolts  6  are not attached to the bottom surface  8  or the container  2 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a second embodiment  15  of the invention. Drain  15  here also has a container with a bottom surface  16 , an upright edge  17  and a flange  18  arranged thereon. Flange  18  is extended by means of a flexible flange part  19 . Using this flexible flange part  19  it is possible to arrange container  16 ,  17 ,  18  closely against a wall by folding and arranging the flexible flange part behind wall tiles  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , floor tiles  21  are arranged on flange  18 ,  19  on the other side of the container. 
     Further arranged once again in the container is an adjusting frame  22  of a strip material and adjusting bolts  23  with which the upper surface of adjusting frame  22  can be made flush with the top surface of floor tiles  21 . 
     Further placed on strengthening strip  24  is a grating  25  which conceals the opening of drain  15  from view and provides an aesthetic appearance. Adjusting frame  22  and adjusting bolts  23  can moreover be used to make the top surface of grating  25  flush with the top surface of floor tiles  21 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a third embodiment  30  according to the invention. This embodiment corresponds largely with the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . A container  31  has an upright edge with a flange  32  fixed thereto. A discharge opening  33  is arranged asymmetrically in the bottom of container  31 . Placed in container  31  is an adjusting frame  34  which consists of strip material and can be adjusted in the height by means of transverse connections  35  and adjusting bolts  36 . The adjusting frame can optionally be positioned at a slight angle by unscrewing the adjusting bolts  36  to greater or lesser extent on one side than on the other side. On the end surfaces flange  32  is shortened and flexible flaps  37  are arranged. This drain  30  can hereby be arranged between two walls so that after tiling of the two walls there is substantially no longer any space between the tiles and adjusting frame  34 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a fourth embodiment  40  of the drain according to the invention. In this embodiment a container  41  is likewise provided with an upright edge  42  and a flange  43  on which a flexible flange part  44  is arranged. On one side the upright edge  42  is lengthened and edge  45  is bent inward. This creates a wide edge on which tiles  46  can be placed. A flexible seal  47  is arranged for sealing purposes. 
     An adjusting frame  48  is further placed in container  41 , this frame being height-adjustable by means of adjusting bolts  49 . Finally, a grating  50  is placed on adjusting frame  48 . 
     The advantage of bent edge  45  is that drain  40  can be installed closely against a wall and that a neat finish is obtained due to bent edge  45 . 
     Finally,  FIG. 6  shows a fifth embodiment  55 . This variant is particularly suitable for arranging a drain  55  floors completely covered with a vinyl layer  56 . This is usual for instance in the case of wooden floors. Drain  55  likewise has a container  57 , the upright edge  58  of which runs obliquely outward. A flange  59  is further provided on upright edge  58 . As is usual, container  57  is fixed to the ground by means of screws. The vinyl  56  is laid in drain container  57 , after which an inner container part  63  is placed on drain container  57 . This inner container part  63  is screwed into place, whereby it is tightened against drain container  57  and vinyl  56  is secured. 
     A matching adjusting frame  60  is further provided in drain  55 , this frame once again being height-adjustable by means of adjusting bolts  61 . The drain is further covered by a grating  62 .