Closet flange assembly

A closet flange assembly for anchoring a water closet to a floor and sealingly connecting the water closet to a waste drain conduit. The closet flange assembly includes a drain body having a flange for attachment to the floor and to the water closet and having a compression gasket circumferentially compressingly contained and held against axial movement within the axial bore provided in the drain body. The compression gasket has an axial bore which provides an interference fit with the periphery of the waste drain conduit when the drain body and compression gasket are axially slidingly pushed onto the waste drain conduit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates generally to devices for connecting plumbing 
fixtures to waste drain conduits, and more particularly to the combination 
of an especially configured flanged drain body and sealing gasket which 
mounts a water closet on a supporting floor surface and sealingly 
interconnects the water closet and a waste drain conduit. 
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
Traditionally, water closets are attached to the supporting floor and 
sealingly connected to a waste drain conduit by means of a body which is 
mechanically connected to both the water closet and the floor by means of 
suitable fasteners with the sealed interconnection being made by a lead 
and oakum joint. As is well known in the art, making up a lead and oakum 
joint is a time consuming operation and requires a relatively high degree 
of skill on the part of the installer. 
Due to the skill and time factors involved in making up lead and oakum 
joints, several alternative devices have been proposed in efforts to 
reduce costs and simplify the installations. The alternative devices 
include what is commonly referred to as a "mechanical joint" for forming 
the sealed interconnection of the water closet and the waste drain 
conduit. Generally, these alternative prior art devices include a flanged 
drain body, compression gasket, and some sort of mechanical device for 
exerting compressive forces on the gasket for seal forming purposes. 
Examples of this alternative type of device, which are the most relevant 
prior art known to the Applicant, are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,579,670; 
3,896,511; 3,952,340; and 4,090,267. 
In prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,670, a sealing gasket and compression ring 
are located below and externally of the flanged drain body, all of which 
are in circumscribing relationship with the waste drain conduit. A 
plurality of screws extend downwardly from the flanged drain body to the 
compression ring and are used to move the compression ring axially toward 
the flanged drain body to axially exert compressive forces on the gasket 
which is interposed therebetween to cause radial expansion, or swelling, 
of the gasket into sealed engagement with the conduit and the flanged 
drain body. The downwardly extending plurality of screws must be brought 
into threaded engagement with aligned bores formed in the compression ring 
with this being a blind operation and thus not particularly easy to 
accomplish. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,511, the sealing gasket is disposed within the bore 
of the flanged drain body so as to be in circumscribing relationship with 
the waste drain conduit. An externally threaded compression ring is 
threadingly mounted in the bore of the flanged drain body and is moved 
axially downwardly to axially exert compressive forces which radially 
swells the gasket. As in all large diameter threaded devices, achieving a 
proper threaded engagement between the ring and the flanged drain body is 
not always easily accomplished and a special tool, such as a spanner 
wrench, is needed to achieve the desired and often needed amount of 
compression force. A particular problem with this type of device is that 
after it has been installed for any length of time, corrosion, 
contamination, and the like, will make it particularly difficult, if not 
impossible, to disassemble should it become necessary to repair or replace 
the closet flange or reset the water closet. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,340, is a device similar to that described above in 
regard to U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,511, with the exception that a snap ring is 
used in place of the externally threaded compression ring to exert axially 
applied compressive forces to radially swell and hold the gasket in place. 
The compressive forces exerted by the snap ring is not adjustable in that 
it is limited by the physical placement of the snap ring groove in which 
the snap ring is mounted. Additionally, should the need arise to remove 
the snap ring, such removal can be difficult. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,267, provides another similar closet flange device 
which includes a flanged body with a compression gasket within the bore 
thereof and a flanged compression ring which is axially movable in the 
bore of the flanged drain body. The compression ring is moved downwardly 
into compressing engagement with the gasket by means of plural screws 
which interconnect the flanges of the body and the compression ring. As 
with any device which relies on circumferentially spaced multiple 
fasteners to exert an axially applied force, in this prior art device it 
can be very difficult to achieve equal circumferentially applied 
compressive forces on the gasket. And, as mentioned above, subsequent 
removal of threaded fasteners used in a hostile environment, such as is 
the case in closet flange applications, can prove difficult and sometimes 
impossible. 
The above described mechanical joint closet flange devices while providing 
some installation labor saving advantages over the traditional closet 
flange which employs the lead and oakum joint sealing arrangement, they 
are not without problems as described above. And, generally, they are more 
expensive from an initial cost standpoint due to their being three 
component assemblies, i.e., flanged drain body, compression gasket and 
compression ring. Further, these prior art mechanical joint closet flanges 
require more than an ideal amount of installation time and skill. 
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved closet flange which 
overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved closet flange 
assembly is disclosed for attaching a water closet to a supporting floor 
and forming leak-proof interconnection between the water closet and a 
waste drain conduit which extends at least part way through a hole formed 
in the floor for that purpose. 
The closet flange assembly of the present invention includes a flanged 
drain body and compression gasket which are especially configured to 
cooperate with the waste drain conduit to circumferentially apply 
compressive forces on the gasket as opposed to the axially applied 
compression forces of the prior art. In this manner, the closet flange 
assembly of the present invention will be seen to be a two component 
assembly in that it does not require the use of any of the devices or 
components for applying axially compressive forces on the sealing gasket. 
The flanged drain body is of generally cylindrical configuration with an 
endless flange extending integrally and radially from the upper end 
thereof. The flange is provided with a first array of apertures through 
which suitable fasteners are passed to attach the flanged body to the 
floor in a position where the cylindrical body portion thereof depends 
through the hole provided in the floor. A second array of apertures is 
provided in the flange for retaining other fasteners which extend upwardly 
therefrom for mounting of the water closet. The flanged drain body is 
provided with an especially configured bore which passes axially 
therethrough. The bore is formed at its upper flanged end with a diameter 
which is somewhat larger than the outside diameter of the waste drain 
conduit to which the flanged drain body is to be attached so that the 
conduit will pass axially and freely through the upper bore portion. The 
lower bore portion of the flanged drain body is of increased diameter, 
i.e., it is counterbored, for receiving the resilient compression gasket 
which is inserted axially therein from the lower non-flanged end of the 
flanged drain body. The counterbore is provided with a diameter which 
provides an interference fit with the compression gasket and has an 
annular groove formed proximate the bottom open end of the counterbore. 
The compression gasket is formed of a resilient elastomeric material such 
as Neoprene and has a sleeve-like body of generally cylindrical 
configuration which defines an axial bore therethrough. An endless flange, 
or rim, extends radially from the lower end of the gasket body and an 
annular bead is provided about the periphery of the gasket body adjacent 
and axially spaced from the flange. When the compression gasket is mounted 
in the counterbore of the flanged drain body, the annular bead of the 
gasket is disposed within the annular groove of the counterbore, and the 
endless rim of the gasket is in abutting engagement with the ring-shaped 
lower end of the depending cylindrical body portion of the flanged drain 
body. In addition to the interference fit of the gasket in the axial bore, 
the annular bead and the endless rim of the gasket interact respectively 
with the annular groove and the ring-shaped lower end of the flanged drain 
body to prevent axial displacement of the compression gasket. 
The compression gasket is provided with an endless annular deflectable flap 
which extends angularly and upwardly from proximate the inner edge of the 
lower end of the gasket into the bore thereof. Similarly, the upper end of 
the gasket is provided with an endless annular deflectable ridge which 
extends angularly upwardly and inwardly into the bore of the gasket. 
When the flanged drain body having the compression gasket installed 
therein, is pushed axially downwardly onto the waste drain conduit, the 
deflectable flap and the deflectable ridge of the gasket form an 
interference fit with the waste drain conduit with the result being that 
the flap and ridge are deflected outwardly with this outward deflection 
being resisted by the confining of the gasket within the counterbore of 
the flanged drain body. Therefore, circumferentially applied forces are 
applied outwardly on the gasket body by the waste drain conduit and 
circumferentially compressive forces are exerted inwardly on the periphery 
of the compression gasket by the flanged drain body, to form a leak-proof 
sealed connection between the flanged drain body and the waste drain 
conduit. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved closet flange assembly for attaching a water closet to a floor 
and making a leak-proof connection between the water closet and a waste 
drain conduit. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved 
closet flange assembly which is simple to install and highly reliable. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved 
closet flange assembly which is a two component assembly comprising in 
combination, a flanged drain body and a resilient compression gasket. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a closet flange 
assembly of the above described character wherein circumferentially 
compressive forces are applied to the resilient compression gasket to form 
the leak-proof sealed interconnection between the flanged drain body and 
the waste drain conduit. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a closet flange 
assembly of the above described type wherein the flanged drain body is 
provided with an axial bore for constrainingly receiving the resilient 
compression gasket and preventing axial displacement thereof. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a closet flange 
assembly of the above described character wherein the flanged drain body 
is provided with an annular groove in the axial bore thereof with the bore 
being sized to provide an interference fit with the resilient compression 
gasket which is axially mounted therein. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a closet flange 
assembly of the above described type wherein the resilient compression 
gasket has a sleeve-like cylindrical body with an annular bead which is 
disposed in the annular groove of the flanged drain body and has a 
radially extending rim which is in abutting engagement with the 
ring-shaped end which circumscribes the axial bore of the flanged drain 
body. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a closet flange 
assembly of the above described character wherein the bore of the 
resilient compression gasket forms an interference fit with the periphery 
of the waste drain conduit so that the gasket is circumferentially 
compressed by interaction of the waste drain conduit and the flanged drain 
body. 
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention, as well as the 
invention itself, may be more fully understood from the following 
description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a fragmentary 
side elevational view of a typical water closet installation wherein a 
water closet 10 is shown as being attached to the surface 11 of a floor 
12. The floor 12 is provided with a hole 13 through which a waste drain 
conduit 14 extends upwardly for connection to the water closet 10. The 
attachment of the water closet 10 to the floor 12 and the interconnection 
of the waste drain conduit 14 to the water closet is accomplished by the 
closet flange assembly of the present invention which is indicated in its 
entirety by the reference numeral 16. 
As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the closet flange assembly 16 includes a 
flanged drain body 18 having a resilient compression gasket 20 installed 
therein as will hereinafter be described in detail. 
The drain body 18 includes a substantially cylindrical body portion 22 with 
an integral endless flange 24 extending radially from the uppermost end of 
the body 22. The flange 24 is provided with a first aperture means in the 
illustrated form of a diametrically opposed pair of radial slots 26 and a 
second aperture means in the illustrated form of a pair of diametrically 
opposed arcuately configured key-hole shaped apertures 28. These slots 26 
and apertures 28 are for use in anchoring the closet flange assembly 16 to 
the floor 12, such as by means of screws (not shown) in the case of wooden 
floors, anchor bolts (not shown) in the case of concrete floors, and for 
attaching the water closet 10 to the anchored closet flange assembly, such 
as by means of the T-bolts 30 shown best in FIG. 2. It should be noted 
that the slots 26 and apertures 28 can be selectively used to accomplish 
the two different anchoring and attaching functions as required by the 
particular installation. In the illustrated example, the T-bolts 30 are 
shown as being mounted in the radial slots 26 and extending upwardly 
therefrom for attachment of the water closet to the flanged drain body. 
The apertures 28 are of arcuate key-hole shaped configuration to allow 
rotational positioning of the closet flange assembly 16 into a position 
where the water closet 10 can be attached thereto in the proper aligned 
relationship with respect to building walls, and the like. 
When mounting the water closet 10 on the water closet flange assembly 16, a 
suitable compressible gasket 32 is interposed between the upwardly facing 
surface of the flange 24 and the downwardly facing surface of the water 
closet to achieve a tight leakproof seal therebetween. 
The drain body 18 includes a substantially cylindrical body portion 22, as 
hereinbefore mentioned, and an especially configured axial bore 34 is 
formed therethrough. When the drain body 18 is anchored to the floor 12 as 
described above, the body portion 22 extends susbstantially coaxially 
through, or at least into, the hole 13 provided in the floor with the 
waste drain conduit 14 extending coaxially upwardly in the bore 34 of the 
drain body 18. As shown in FIG. 2, the water closet 10 is provided with a 
depending lip 36 which circumscribes the lower end of the waste passage 37 
provided in the water closet. When the water closet 10 is anchored to the 
water closet flange assembly 16, the depending lip 36 extends axially into 
the bore of the waste drain conduit 14 as shown. 
The flanged drain body 18 is configured to provide the axial bore thereof 
with an upper bore portion 40 through which the waste drain conduit 14 is 
freely axially passed, and a diametrically enlarged bore portion 42, or 
counterbore, which is formed in the mouth, or lower end, of the bore 34. 
The flanged drain body 18 is further configured to provide an annular 
groove 44 which is adjacent the mouth of the bore 34 and opens inwardly 
into the counterbore 42. 
The counterbore 42 is provided to captively contain the compression gasket 
20 which is axially inserted therein from the mouth end of the bore 34. 
The compression gasket 20 shown in the drawings, and to be described below, 
is commercially available through recognized plumbing distribution 
outlets. The gasket 20 is identified as SV Ty-Seal and is manufactured by 
Tyler Pipe, a subsidiary of the Tyler Corporation, P.0. Box 2027, Tyler, 
Tex. 75710. In addition, the compression gasket is fully disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,081,102 and 3,573,871. 
In view of the commercial availability of the compression gasket 20 and its 
full disclosure in the above referenced U.S. Patents, the following 
description thereof will be brief. The gasket 20 is of a resilient 
elastomeric material with it being preferably formed of Neoprene due to 
the well known physical characteristics thereof among which are its 
inherent resistance to the deteriorating chemical actions, such as those 
resulting from effluents in the waste drain pipe 14, chemicals in the 
soil, or any other elements which normally are present in the environment 
of the intended use of the device 16 of the present invention. The gasket 
20 is of a sleeve-like configuration having a generally cylindrical sleeve 
body 46 which defines an axial bore 48. An endless flange or rim 50 
extends radially and integrally from the lower end of the sleeve body 46 
and an integral endless annular bead 52 is formed about the periphery of 
the sleeve body in axially spaced proximate relationship to the rim 50. An 
endless annular deflectable flap 54 extends angularly and upwardly into 
the bore 48 from proximate the inner edge of the lower end of the sleeve 
body 46 and similarly, an endless annular deflectable ridge 56 is provided 
on the opposite end of the sleeve body and which extends angularly into 
the bore 48 in the same direction as the deflectable flap 54. 
The inside diameter of the counterbore 42 of the flanged drain body 18 is 
sized so as to provide an interference fit with the periphery of the 
gasket 20 when the gasket is axially inserted therein through the mouth 
end of the drain body. When installed as shown best in FIG. 4, the rim 50 
of the gasket 20 will be in abutting engagement with the ring-shaped end 
which circumscribes the mouth of the bore 34 of the flanged drain body 18, 
and the annular bead 52 of the gasket is disposed within the annular 
groove 44 of the drain body. The annular groove 44 of the drain body 18 
and the annular bead 52 along with the rim 50 of the gasket form 
cooperating elements of a retaining means by which the gasket is held 
against further axial movement into the bore 34 of the flanged drain body 
18. And, the gasket is circumferentially compressed and constrained by the 
cylindrical body portion 22 of the drain body 18 by virtue of the 
interference fit therebetween. 
When installing the closet flange assembly 16 in the environment 
hereinbefore described, the drain body 18, having the gasket 20 captively 
retained in its bore 34, is pushed axially down onto the upstanding end of 
the waste drain conduit 14. The axial bore 48 of the gasket 20 forms an 
interference fit with the periphery of the waste drain conduit 14, and the 
axial movement of the gasket 20 will radially deflect the flap 54 and 
ridge 56 of the gasket 20 from their normal positions shown in FIG. 4 to 
their radially deflected positons shown in FIG. 2. 
In view of the above, it will be seen that when the closet flange assembly 
16 is installed as shown in FIG. 2, the waste drain conduit 14 will 
circumferentially apply outwardly directed forces on the compression 
gasket 20 and the flanged drain body will counteractingly apply 
circumferential forces inwardly on the compression gasket 20. Thus, the 
resilient compression gasket will be squeezed between the periphery of the 
waste drain conduit 14 and the counterbore 42 of the flanged drain body 16 
and will form a leak-proof seal therebetween. 
While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an 
illustrated embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled 
in the art, many modifications of structure, arrangements, proportions, 
the elements, materials, and components used in the practice of the 
invention, and otherwise, which are particularly adapted for specific 
environments and operation requirements without departing from those 
principles. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover and 
embrace any such modifications within the limits only of the true spirit 
and scope of the invention.