Patent Publication Number: US-3967326-A

Title: Flange assembly for installing a toilet fixture

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The mounting of toilet fixtures for handling sanitary waste generally requires special skills and tools in order to adequately install the fixture to the terminal end of the outlet or soil pipe. The soil pipe is usually installed while the building is being erected, with the end thereof being arranged as conveniently as possible so that sanitary water closets, including urinals, floor drains, and the like, may be suitably connected thereto by placing the outlets thereof in axially aligned and sealed relationship respective to the upwardly opening terminal end of the soil pipe. 
     It is desirable that a sealed coupling be formed between the soil pipe and the bathroom fixture, and that the coupling be absolutely perfect so that reasonable sanitary conditions can be maintained above the floor level. 
     The proper installation of a coupling between the bathroom fixture and the soil pipe requires a skilled artesian with special tools. It is to be expected that over a long period of time, normal useage coupled with normal deteriation necessitates replacement of the coupling means. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable that installation of the coupling member require a minimum amount of time, thereby eliminating costly labor charges. More importantly, it is desirable that the coupling member cooperate with the floor, soil pipe and bathroom fixture so that each is suitably affixed to the other. 
     It is also desirable that such a coupling member form a positive seal between the interior of the soil pipe, the soil beneath the floor area, and the upper living area. It is also desirable that any potential leakage of sanitary waste into the living area or into the soil beneath the floor area be completely eliminated. 
     Furthermore, it is desirable that installation of such a coupling require no special talents other than a labor using a simple wrench; and further, that a simiflexible connection be effected between the soil pipe and the floor by the coupling. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     
         Currier                                                                   
       3,421,551        Karlinski 2,908,513                               
Robinson                                                                  
       2,837,750        LeTarte   2,082,348                               
 
    
     In the above cited prior art, Robinson provides an inner surface or ring which must be plugged with plastic or putty, while a groove thereof must be caulked by filling with molten lead. 
     LeTarte discloses a toilet fixture for use in conjunction with a water closet of special design, so that when the closet is removed from the fixture, part of the coupling is of necessity removed therewith. Karlinski is similar to LeTarte and fails to provide suitable sealing means between the supporting surface 5 and the soil pipe. Currier is similar to the LeTarte and Robinson disclosure. 
     None of the art cited above discloses a mounting flange assembly which rigidly supports a bathroom fixture from a concrete floor while resiliently tying the soil pipe to the concrete floor in sealed relation to the fixture sanitary waste outlet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a flange assembly which resiliently attaches a marginal end portion of a soil pipe to a floor so that a toilet fixture can be affixed to the flange assembly in a manner which precludes leakage of sanitary waste therefrom. 
     In particular, the flange assembly comprises a horizontally disposed flange from which there downwardly depends a cylindrical skirt member. A resilient gasket is interposed between the downwardly opening skirt member and a compression ring, with the flange, skirt member, resilient gasket, and compression ring being superimposed upon one another in axially aligned relationship. 
     A tension bolt moves the compression ring toward the cylindrical skirt, thereby radially expanding the resilient gasket, causing it to be outwardly deformed into engagement with the supporting surface, and inwardly deformed into engagement with a marginal outer peripheral wall surface of an end portion of the soil pipe. 
     The toilet fixture is bolted onto the upper face of the flange in sealed relation therewith so that sanitary waste is directed from the fixture directly into the soil pipe, thereby avoiding contamination of the area above and below floor level. 
     Therefore, a primary object of the invention is to provide improvements in a mounting flange assembly for toilet fixtures. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in mounting flange assemblies which enables a toilet fixture to be rapidly connected to a soil pipe in supported relation respective to a floor. 
     A further object of this invention is to disclose and provide a mounting flange assembly which resiliently affixes a soil pipe to a concrete floor so that a toilet fixture can be mounted in an affixed relationship to the soil pipe, the floor, and the flange. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide a mounting flange assembly for connecting a toilet fixture to a soil pipe in a new and unobvious manner. 
     Another and still further object is to provide a mounting flange assembly for mounting and connecting a toilet fixture to a soil pipe received through a floor in a simple and economical manner. 
     These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description and claims and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
     Throughout the remainder of this specification, like numerals generally refer to like or similar parts. 
     The above objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by the provision of an apparatus fabricated in a manner substantially as described in the above abstract and summary. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view which discloses a mounting flange assembly made in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a reduced, broken, part cross-sectional representation disclosing one method of using the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a reduced, fragmentary, part phantom, disassembled view of the present invention operatively associated with a toilet fixture; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, part cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, part cross-sectional top plan view of FIG. 4; and, 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, part cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 discloses a mounting flange assembly 10 made in accordance with the present invention. The assembly comprises a compression flange 12, a compression ring 14 spaced from and axially aligned with the compression flange, and a resilient neoprene gasket 16 interposed between the compression flange and compression ring. 
     In FIG. 2 a supporting surface, specifically a concrete floor 18, receives an upstanding soil pipe 20 therethrough. The upper terminal end of the soil pipe usually terminates slightly recessed respective to the upper surface of the floor. Generally, the floor is apertured in a manner so that at least the upper marginal end of the soil pipe is spaced from the wall of the concrete, thereby leaving an annular area or void 24 between the concrete floor and the outer surface of the soil pipe. 
     The annulus formed between the pipe and floor preferably is formed by a void forming foam plastic insert 26, arranged in the illustrated configuration of FIG. 2. The annulus formed in this manner more precisely cooperates with the assembled flange apparatus made in accordance with the present invention. 
     Numeral 28 discloses a conventional wax ring which is compressed between a toilet fixture and the mounting flange when the fixture is permanently attached thereto. 
     In FIG. 3 there is disclosed a sanitary water closet 32 having a base 30 arranged to bear against a supporting surface such as the before mentioned concrete floor. 
     Looking now to FIGS. 4 and 5, in conjunction with other figures of the drawings, the compression flange is provided with the illustrated upper and lower opposed faces, with a downwardly depending circumferentially extending cylindrical skirt member 36 being attached to the lower face thereof, and having a circumferentially extending lower edge portion 38 disposed horizontally to the upper flange face. 
     The resilient gasket has an upper face 40 which is brought into engagement with the circumferentially extending concave lowermost edge portion 38 of the skirt member. Lower face 42 of the gasket is brought into engagement with the upper convex face 44 of the annular compression ring. The compression ring is provided with a lower face 46 spaced from face 44. 
     As best seen in FIG. 4, the outer peripheral surface area of a marginal end portion 48 of the soil pipe is spaced from an inner circumferentially extending surface area 50 of the concrete support surface 18, thereby leaving the before mentioned annular area 24 therebetween. The before mentioned resilient gasket is sized so that it can be forced into engagement with the spaced vertical walls forming the annular area 24 to thereby firmly but resiliently secure the soil pipe and the mounting flange to the concrete floor. 
     Radially spaced apart tension bolts 52 are received through radially spaced vertical bores 54, which extend in axial aligned relation through the flange, skirt, resilient gasket, and into the compression ring so that tightening of the tension bolt forces the compression ring toward the skirt member. 
     Spaced threaded fastening means 56 provide a simple means by which the bathroom fixture can be readilly attached to the upper face of the flange by utilizing the existing apertures found in the base 30, thereby rigidly securing the fixture to the conrete floor in sealed relationship respective to the soil pipe. 
     In FIG. 6 the compression ring 114 is provided with an upwardly depending skirt member 47 concentrically arranged in overlapping and telescoping relationship respective to skirt member 36 of the flange. 
     The outwardly disposed flange 12 of FIG. 6 can be disposed at an angle respective to the illustrated pipe, if desired, so that the apparatus can be used on either a flat or sloped roof for the purpose of running a vent line therethrough with the roof being arranged in underlying relationship respective to the outwardly directed flange. 
     In operation, the tension bolts preferably are provided with an &#34;allen head&#34; so that a common &#34;allen wrench&#34; can be included in a package comprised of two fastener means 56&#39; by which a bathroom fixture is attached to threaded aperture 56, four tension bolts 52, the compression flange, a resilient neoprene gasket, a compression ring, and a void forming plastic insert 26. 
     During formation of a concrete floor 18, the foamed plastic insert 26 is placed about the marginal end portion of the soil pipe so that an annulus is formed therebetween. 
     After the structure associated with the concrete floor has been completed, an unskilled workman can easily install the fixture by substituting the assembled mounting flange assembly for the void forming insert and tightening the tension bolts with the provided allen wrench. The tension bolts are made up sufficiently tight to cause deformation of the resilient neoprene gasket, thereby forcing the deformed gasket into sealing engagement with the spaced vertical walls forming the annular area between the soil pipe and the concrete floor. 
     With the lower face of the flange suitably seated on the upper supporting surface of the concrete, the usual wax ring is next properly positioned in superimposed axially aligned relationship respective to the soil pipe, the bathroom fixture is positioned thereabove, and thereafter fastened to the compression flange by two or more of the radially spaced threaded fastener means, thereby completing the installation of the invention.