Abstract:
Tub box systems, apparatus and methods of assembling in concrete floors under bath tubs. Tub boxes with water sealing members can include troughs/gutters about the perimeter edges of the tub box which collect water leakage between the tub box and concrete floors. Raised ribs on the outside of the tub boxes block water flowing on the surfaces of the tub box from reaching lower drain lines. Water barrier rings with flat outwardly extending sides and concentric raised ridges which attach about downwardly projecting drain bases underneath the tub box further prevent water leaks running down the drain bases. Fire stop material can be clipped about the drain bases and expand from heat to prevent fire from traveling upward around the drain lines in the concrete floors under bathtubs.

Description:
This invention relates to floors that receive plumbing systems, in particular to apparatus, systems and methods of installing and preparing concrete poured floors for bathtub type plumbing systems and for sealing and preventing water leakage about tub boxes and floor drains and forming fire stops about the floor based piping systems. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     In the past it has been known to extend piping systems through concrete floors by knocking out holes in the floor and boring such holes after the floor has been formed, and then extending pipes through the floors. After the pipes have been inserted into the holes, workman have had to pour additional material such as more concrete or other caulking material to seal up the spaces between the voids and the pipes extending through the voids. However, such attempts to use concrete or caulk to seal up the spaces has not been effective to future problems down the road such as from water leaks and fires that travel through any void spaces between the floors. 
     Any water caused by overflowing tubs, leaks, broken water lines, etc., can end up at the tub box, drain and the perimeter of the tub box. 
     However, the traditional bathtub tub boxes installed in concrete floors underneath the piping system still allow for substantial water leakage. For example, water traveling on a concrete floor toward a tub box has been known to pour into any minute crevice about the perimeter of the tub box. Additionally, water flowing directly into the tub box can overfill the box and also pour into any sized crevice or crack about the perimeter of the tub box. Still furthermore, the exterior perimeter of the main pipe lines still have void spaces that are not fully sealed by extra concrete and/or caulk so that water leaks can still flow downward around the main piping drains that run through the floors. 
     Any water then flowing downward through the flooring will eventually cause damage to the ceiling and rooms beneath the bathtub. This problem becomes compounded in high rises having multiple bathrooms on each floor, where large amounts of damage often results in costly repairs and exasperation, and downtime for the users of those bathrooms. Furthermore, constant leaks have been known to cause health hazards since undesirable and dangerous mold and bacteria will form around the leak areas. 
     Additionally, tub boxes have generally been boxes with thin side sides and floors that are may not be durable to last over many years. 
     Still furthermore, the crevices and cracks about the piping systems in the floors are also a conduit for fires traveling upward through a multi-floor building. Again, current sealing techniques that have included concrete and/caulk do not effectively seal against all void spaces about the main drain lines. In fact fires have often had the opposite effect of shrinking any caulk seals which results in opening of the crevices and voids about the plumbing systems causing a pathway for fires to travel through the floors of the buildings about the pluming systems. 
     Various types of floor preparing techniques have been proposed over the years. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,338,688 to Petty; 4,823,527 to Harbeke; 4,848,043 to Harbeke; 4,888,925 to Harbeke; 4,953,235 to Cornwall: 5,325,549 to Cornwell; 5,953,872 to MacMillian et al.; 6,336,297 to Cornwall; 6,615,860 to Didone et al.; 6,848,227 to Whitty; and U.S. Published Patent Application: 2007/0175649 to Moselle. However, none of these techniques solves all the problems addressed above. 
     Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, systems and methods of preparing concrete poured floors for bathtub type plumbing systems and for sealing and preventing water leaks traveling on floors to tub boxes and passing through the crevices/cracks between the tub boxes and the floors and continuing onward. 
     A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, systems and methods of preparing concrete poured floors for bathtub type plumbing systems and for sealing and preventing overflow water leaks from tub boxes through the crevices/cracks between the tub boxes and the floors and continuing a downward travel. 
     A third objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, systems and methods of preparing concrete poured floors for bathtub type plumbing systems and for sealing and preventing water leakage through crevices/cracks about main piping drain lines between the floors and continuing downward. 
     A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, systems and methods of preparing concrete poured floors for bathtub type plumbing systems with tub boxes that are strengthened to last longer overtime with rib members that also obstruct the flow of leaks flowing around the tub boxes. 
     A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, systems and methods of fire stop seals in voids/spaces and crevices/cracks about main piping drain lines between the floors. 
     A seventh objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus, systems and methods of forming fire stops in any voids/spaces and crevices/cracks about main piping drains between the floors with heat expandable fire stop material wrapped about pipes. 
     A preferred embodiment of the tub box assembly for concrete flooring can include a tub box having a floor and perimeter side walls encircling about the floor, and a seal member for preventing water leakage from passing through concrete floor in which the tub box is installed, and passing downward. 
     The seal member can include a trough completely encircling about all exterior perimeter side walls of the tub box, wherein the trough forms a gutter for collecting any of the water passing around the exterior edges of the perimeter wall and the concrete floor and helping any water in the trough to be absorbed back into the concrete. 
     The trough can be mounted below a top edge of the perimeter side walls of the tub box, and be sloped downward from the rear of the tub box to the front. An elongated sponge material within the trough for absorbing any water that collects inside. 
     The seal member can also include a base extending downward from a main drain opening in the tub box, along with a water barrier lower seal about the base, the water barrier lower seal able to expand and contract with the concrete floor in which it is installed while forming water seal between the concrete floor and the tub box base. The water barrier lower seal can include a resilient ring having flat sides extending outward from a center opening, and at least one concentric raised ridge in the flat sides. The ring can have at least one concentric raised ridge is protrudes upward. Alternatively, the ring can have at least one concentric raised ridge protrudes downward. Still furthermore, the ring can have a combination of at least one upward protruding ridge on the flat sides and at least one downward protruding ridge on the flat sides. 
     The tub box can have rows of raised ribs underneath the floor and about exterior of the perimeter side walls for both strengthening the tub box and for obstructing the water leakage flowing around the tub box. 
     The tub box can have a fire stop material circumferentially wrapped about a lower portion of the downwardly extending base, the fire stop material expands from heat to prevent fire from traveling upward around the main drain opening. 
     The fire stop material can be held in place by a ring shaped clip with a central opening and upwardly projecting bendable prongs, wherein the central opening of the ring shaped clip fits about the main drain opening, and the bendable clips hold the fire stop material about the lower portion of the downwardly extending base. The bendable clips hold the fire stop material about the lower portion of the downwardly extending base and the outside prongs on the fire ring are for securing the ring in to the concrete. 
     Another embodiment of the tub box system for concrete flooring, can have the combination of a tub box having a floor and perimeter side walls encircling about the floor, a trough completely encircling about all exterior perimeter side walls of the tub box, wherein the trough forms a gutter for collecting any of the water passing around the exterior edges of the perimeter wall and the concrete floor, a base extending downward from a main drain opening in the tub box, and a water barrier lower seal about the base, the water barrier lower seal able to expand and contract with the concrete floor in which it is installed while forming water seal between the concrete floor and the tub box base, the water barrier lower seal having a ring having flat sides extending outward from a center opening, with at least one concentric raised ridge on the flat sides, and a fire stop material wrapped about a lower portion of the downwardly extending base, the fire stop material expands from heat to prevent fire from traveling upward about the main drain opening. 
     The invention can include a method of preventing water leakage beneath tub boxes, that can include the steps of providing a tub box having a floor with a main drain and perimeter side walls encircling about the floor and a downwardly extending base beneath the main drain, inserting the tub box into a concrete floor, and preventing water leakage from passing through concrete floor in which the tub box is installed. 
     The water leakage preventing step can include collecting the water leakage between the tub box and the concrete floor by a trough-gutter which substantially encircles the perimeter side walls of the tub box and helping any water that is in the trough to be drawn back into the concrete. 
     The water leakage preventing step can include blocking the water leakage about the downwardly extending base by a ring having outwardly extending flat sides with at least one concentric raised ridge on the flat sides. 
     The water leakage preventing step can include preventing water flowing about the tub box by rows of raised ribs located underneath the floor and about exterior surfaces of the perimeter side walls, and strengthening the tub box with the rows of raised ribs on the tub box. 
     The method can further include fire stops that include the steps of wrapping fire stop material circumferentially about a lower portion of the downwardly extending base of the tub box, expanding the fire stop material by heat generated by a fire, and blocking fire from traveling up around the sealing the base with the concrete floor with the expanded fire stop material. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional side view of a tub box assembly embodiment for a 1.5″ drain installed in a concrete floor. 
         FIG. 2A  is an exploded side view of the tub box assembly of  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 2B  is an exploded opposite side view of the tub box assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2C  is a front end exploded view of the tub box assembly of  FIG. 2A  along arrow  2 C. 
         FIG. 2D  is a rear end exploded view of the tub box assembly of  FIG. 2A  along arrow  2 D. 
         FIG. 2E  is a top view of the tub box assembly of  FIG. 2A  along arrow  2 E. 
         FIG. 2F  is a bottom view of the tub box assembly of  FIG. 2A  along arrow  2 F. 
         FIG. 2G  is a lower left rear perspective exploded view of the tub box assembly. 
         FIG. 2H  is a rear end partial assembled view of the tub box assembly of  FIG. 2G . 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view of the tub box of the tub box assembly from the preceding figures. 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of the tub box of  FIG. 3A  along arrow  313 . 
         FIG. 3C  is a front end view of the tub box of  FIG. 3A  along arrow  3 C. 
         FIG. 3D  is a bottom view of the tub box of  FIG. 3B  along arrow  3 D. 
         FIG. 3E  is a rear end cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3D  along arrow  3 E. 
         FIG. 3F  is a side cross-sectional view of the tub box of  FIG. 3A  along arrow  3 F. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the trough seal rod member used in the tub box assembly. 
         FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view of the seal rod member of  FIG. 4  along arrow  4 A. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the foam insert used in the tub box assembly. 
         FIG. 5A  is a front end view of the foam insert of  FIG. 5  along arrow  5 A. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the water harrier lower seal ring used in the tub box assembly. 
         FIG. 6A  is a side cross-sectional view of the water barrier lower seal ring of  FIG. 6  along arrow  6 A. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the fire stop ring used in the tub box assembly. 
         FIG. 7A  is a side cross-sectional view of the fire stop ring of  FIG. 7  along arrow  7 A. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the tub box seal for the tub box base. 
         FIG. 8A  is a side view of the tub box seal of  FIG. 8  along arrow  8 A. 
         FIG. 8B  is an enlarged view of section  8 B of  FIG. 8A . 
         FIG. 8C  is an enlarged view of section  8 C of  FIG. 8A . 
         FIG. 9  is another cross-sectional view of the assembled tub box assembly in a concrete floor with bathtub mounted to the tub box assembly. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of another assembled tub box assembly in a concrete floor with bathtub mounted thereto for 1″ drain. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     A listing of components will now be described.
       1  tub box assembly     10  concrete floor     15  opening in floor for tub box     20  side drain overflow ninety degree coupling     25  overflow drain pipe     30  t-coupling     40  bottom drain ninety degree coupling     45  drain pipe     50  upper vertical drain pipe in tub box     60  lower coupling to vertical drain pipe     70  below floor drain pipe     90  foam insert     100  tub box     110  front wall     120  side wall     130  opposite side wall     140  rear wall     142  left rear pipe leg coupling     148  right rear pipe leg coupling     150  floor     155  main drain opening     157  main drain coupling     160  trough/gutter     170  rod seal member/upper water barrier     180  upper seal     190  parallel raised ribs     200  tub box base     210  elongated pipe upper base     215  lower end of elongated pipe base     220  inside wall lower base     222  raised circumferential edge     230  mounting plate     300  tub knockout     301  rear pipe legs     310  left rear pipe leg     320  left rear pipe leg support     330  right rear pipe leg     340  right rear pipe leg support     400  water barrier lower seal     410  inner clip edge     420  upper roof edge     430  outer wall member     440  flat ring     450  upper concentric ridges     460  lower concentric ridges     500  fire stop assembly     510  fire ring anchoring prongs     520  lower fire stop ring     530  prongs that hold fire material     600  fire stop wrap     700  lower seal member for tub box base     710  plug/seal     715  inwardly angled edge     717  sealing protruding ring     719  sealing protruding ring     720  plug seal top     800  bathtub     1000  another assembled tub box   

       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional side view of a fully assembled embodiment of a tub box assembly embodiment  1  for a 1.5″ drain installed in a concrete floor  10 . A side drain overflow coupling  20  (the significance of which is shown later in  FIG. 9 ) can be attached to a t-coupling  30  that can be mounted inside the main drain opening  155  of the tub box  100 . A bottom drain coupling  40  (the significance of which is shown in  FIG. 9 ) can be attached to another end of the t-coupling  30 , the latter of which can be attached to an upper vertical drain pipe  50  that passes through a tub box base  200  and to a lower coupling pipe  60 , which can be attached to a standard drain lines  70  that can run beneath the concrete flooring  10 . 
       FIG. 2A  is an exploded side view of the tub box assembly  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2B  is an exploded, opposite side view of the tub box assembly  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2C  is a front end exploded view of the tub box assembly  1  of  FIG. 2A  along arrow  2 C.  FIG. 2D  is a rear end exploded view of the tub box assembly  1  of  FIG. 2A , along arrow  2 B.  FIG. 2E  is a top view of the tub box assembly  1  of  FIG. 2A  along arrow  2 E.  FIG. 2F  is a bottom view of the tub box assembly  1  of  FIG. 2A  along arrow  2 F.  FIG. 2G  is a lower left rear perspective exploded view of the tub box assembly  1 .  FIG. 2H  is a rear end partial assembled view of the tub box assembly  1  of  FIG. 2G . 
       FIG. 3A  is a top view of the tub box  100  of the tub box assembly from the preceding figures.  FIG. 3B  is a side view of the tub box  100  of  FIG. 3A  along arrow  3 B.  FIG. 3C  is a front end view of the tub box  100  of  FIG. 3A  along arrow  3 C.  FIG. 3D  is a bottom view of the tub box  100  of  FIG. 3B  along arrow  3 D.  FIG. 3E  is a rear end cross-sectional view of the tub box  100  of  FIG. 3D  along arrow  3 E.  FIG. 3F  is a side cross-sectional view of the tub box  100  of  FIG. 3A  along arrow  3 F. 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the trough seal rod member (upper water barrier)  170  used in the tub box assembly  1 .  FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view of the seal rod member (upper water barrier)  170  of  FIG. 4  along arrow  4 A. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the foam insert  90  that can be used in the tub box assembly  1 .  FIG. 5A  is a front end view of the foam insert  90  of  FIG. 5  along arrow  5 A. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A-5 , a preferred embodiment of the main components of the tub box assembly can include a tub box  100  with lower extending tub box base  200 , water barrier lower seal member  400 , fire stop assembly  500  and lower seal member  700  for the tub box base  200 . The tub box  100  can have an open box shape with floor  150  and front wall  110  having a smaller length than a rear wall  140  so that side walls  120  and  130  form a generally wedge shape. A trough type gutter  160  can be located around the outside perimeter of front wall  110 , side walls  120 ,  130  and rear wall  140  and be positioned below the top edges of the respective walls. The trough/gutter  160  can be located at an angle so that the portion of the trough/gutter  160  against front wall  110  is below the portion of the trough/gutter against rear wall  140  so that any water that collects therein would tend to run downhill toward the front wall  110  located above the main drain  155 . 
     Inside the trough/gutter  160  can be an elongated rod seal member (upper water barrier)  170  that can be formed from open cell foam, and the like to act as a sponge to absorb any water leakage that seeps in any cracks/crevices and openings between concrete floor  10  and the outer walls  110 - 140  of the tub box  100 . In return the surrounding concrete helps draw water from trough area back in to the concrete. 
     Raised parallel ribs  190  can be about side walls  120 ,  130  and along the outside of floor  150  to act as both strengtheners for the tub box  100  and as buffers to block water seepage from passing to drain openings in the concrete floor  10 . Extending from the rear wall portion  140  of the tub box  100  can be left rear pipe leg coupling  142  and right rear pipe coupling  148  that can be used to support and hold rear pipe legs  301  in place to the tub box  100 . The tub box with trough/gutter  160 , ribs  190  and leg couplings  142 ,  148  can be formed from molded plastic, and the like. A left rear pipe leg  310  can have an upper end mateably attached as a male member into the female coupling  142 , and a right rear pipe leg  330  can have an upper end mateably attached as a male member into female coupling  148 . Leg support feet  320 ,  340  can be attached to lower ends of pipe legs  310 ,  330 , respectively, where the enlarged foot portions of the leg support feet  320 ,  340  can be positioned &amp; secured below the concrete floor  10  to stabilize and hold the tub box  100  in place during the pouring of the concrete floor  10 . 
     Attached to a main drain coupling  157  extending below the main drain  155  of the tub box can be a tub box base assembly  200 , wherein the upper end of an elongated pipe upper base  210  is mateably coupled as a male member into the female coupling  157 . Fixably mounted about the lower end of the elongated pipe upper base  210  can be the inside wail lower base  220  so that the lower end  215  of the elongated pipe base protrudes concentric within the hollow interior of the inside wall lower base  220 . Extending outward from the bottom of the lower inside wall lower base  220  can be a flat mounting plate  230 . 
     A fire stop assembly  500  can include a fire stop ring  520  and cylindrical fire stop wrap material  600  (nonflammable material). The fire stop ring  520  can have a lower ring portion  520  with upwardly protruding bendable tabs/prongs which can wrap about the fire stop wrap material holding it in place about the lower end  215  of elongated pipe upper base  210  within the lower inside wall lower base  220 . Fire wrap material  600  can be an intumescence fire wrap that expands from the fire and heat to many sizes its size. With the heat expansion (intumescence), expansion begins at approximately 410 F (approximately 210 C) with a significant expansion at approximately 555 F (approximately 290 C). Free expansion applies to approximately 25 times (within approximately 5 minutes @ approximately 662 F (approximately 350 F). 
     A water barrier lower seal member  400  which will be described in further detail in reference to  FIGS. 6-6A  adds an extra seal about the tub base  200  and the concrete floor  10 . Additionally, a lower seal member  700  adds an extra water seal about the lower end of tub base box  200 . 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of water barrier lower seal ring  400  used in the tub box assembly.  FIG. 6A  is a side cross-sectional view of the water barrier lower seal ring  400  of  FIG. 6  along arrow  6 A. The water barrier lower seal ring  400  can be a resilient material such as a seal/pliable material, and the like, and can have an inner clip edge  410  such as an interior concentric lip that attaches to an outer concentric wall member  430  by an upper roof edge  420  so that the water barrier lower seal ring  400  can wrap about a raised circumferential edge  222  of the inside wall lower base  220  (see for example  FIG. 1 ). Extending out sideways from outer wall member  430  can be a generally flat ring  440  having raised concentric upper ridges  450 , and lower ridges  460 , the latter of which add extra water sealing to any water that travels outside of the tub box base from the bottom of the tub box  100 . 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the lower fire stop ring  520  used in the tub box assembly  1 .  FIG. 7A  is a side cross-sectional view of the lower fire stop ring &amp; prongs  510 ,  520  &amp;  530  of  FIG. 7  along arrow  7 A which can have a ring portion  520  and upwardly extending bendable tabs/prongs  530 . The lower fire ring  520  can be formed from metal such as but not limited to aluminum, galvanized metal, and the like. 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the tub box seal  700  for the tub box base  200 .  FIG. 8A  is a side view of the tub box seal  700  of  FIG. 8  along arrow  8 A.  FIG. 8B  is an enlarged view of section  8 B of  FIG. 8A .  FIG. 8C  is an enlarged view of section  8 C of  FIG. 8A . Tub box seal  700  can have a plug/seal portion  710  having inwardly angled ends  715  for inside the lower open end  215  of elongated pipe upper base  210  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), and having an enlarged head portion/plug seal top  720 . Additional sealing protruding rings  717 ,  719  will be used for additional sealing of the drain openings in the concrete floor  10  and prevent any water leakage therethrough. 
       FIG. 9  is another cross-sectional view of the assembled tub box assembly  1  of the preceding figures in a concrete floor  10  with bathtub  800  mounted to the tub box assembly  1 . 
     A tub knockout  300  will be inside the tub box  100  and be removed after the concrete pour and the appropriate testing of the drain lines are complete. 
     The operation and the function of the tub box device is generally for the installation of the drain and overflow of the bath tub  800  and will now be described in reference to FIGS.  1 -. 9 . When the rub box assembly  1  is installed in the concrete slab  10  it will form out a void for the drain and overflow to fit in so it is under the tub  800 . General assemblies of tub boxes into concrete floors are described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,527 to Harbeke, which is incorporated by reference. The tub box assembly  1  protects the opening  15  (concrete floor slab) in which the tub box device is in against water intrusion and fire intrusion through the entire penetration in which the device is installed within. 
     Tub box  100  can have a piece of 2½″ Styrofoam  90  that can be inserted in to the tub box  100  to make up the pour thickness and to also protect the inside of the tub box  100  during the pour of the concrete so concrete does not get in the tub box  100 . 
     The tub box assembly  1  can have a water barrier lower seal member  400  that can be placed on the tub box base  200 , where the water barrier lower seal member  400  being formed from a resilient material, and the like, can expand and contract with the concrete  10  while at the same time allowing for a water tight seal between the concrete slab  10  and the tub box base  200 . This water barrier lower seal member  400  is to stop water intrusion from the upper part of the concrete slab  10  to the underside of the concrete slab  10  in which the tub box assembly  1  is installed within. 
     The tub box  100  can have a trough/gutter  160  built around the outside rim walls  110 - 140  of the tub box  100  which also helps against water intrusion. A piece of open cell backer rod material upper water barrier  170  can be compressed in to the trough  160 . This trough  160  is used to hold water that may intrude between the tub box  100  and the concrete slab  10  in which it is installed. The backer rod material upper water barrier  170  that is compressed in the trough  160  can absorb water while allowing the concrete  10  to draw the water from the backer rod  170  and trough area back in to the concrete slab  10 . The trough/gutter  160  can be on a slope towards the front of the tub box  100  and tub box base where the water barrier lower seal  400  is on. 
     The sloped trough/gutter  160  allows any access water to flow down the trough to the front of the tub box  100  where it will overflow out of the trough  160  in to the concrete. Any access water from the trough  160  is to flow towards the water barrier lower seal member  400  an the tub box base  200  while allowing for a water tight seal between the water barrier lower seal member  400  and the concrete  10  in which the tub box assembly  1  is installed within. The trough  160  is to stop water intrusion from reaching the back legs  310  &amp;  330  on the tub box  100 ; this is why the trough is on a slope towards the front of the tub box. The trough  160  is used to divert any water intrusion towards the water barrier lower seal member  400  on the tub box base  200  where the water barrier lower seal  400  forms a water tight seal between the concrete slab  10  and the tub box base  200  and water barrier lower seal member  400  of the tub box assembly  1 . 
     The ribs  190  on the bottom and sides of the tub box  100  are for strength of the tub box  100  itself and also for stopping the flow of water from the front underside of the tub box  100  to the back underside of the tub box. 
     The tub box  100  can have two seals  700  and interior raised rib edges  219  that will adapt the tub box base  200  and tub box  100  to except either 1½ ″ schedule 40 PVC pipe (drain and overflow for tub), PVC tubing size (drain and overflow for tub) or brass (drain and overflow for tub). These two seals can be used according to the application which may require the seal to be used in the tub box or the bottom of the tub box base. The plumber will only use one of the seals for which ever application he is using for the tub box. The plumber will have to use the appropriate fittings for the drain on the bottom of the tub box base, the bottom of the base can except 2″ pipe (drain) which will be glued in to the bottom of the tub box base or use a reducer bushing to adapt to 1½″ pipe (drain) if applicable. When using the tubing size PVC or brass (drain and overflow for tub) you will use the correct seal that will insert in the tub box at the top, this will allow the plumber to glue a 2″ drain in to the bottom of the tub box base or glue a reducer bushing in the bottom of the tub box base to adapt to 1½″ drain pipe, whichever is applicable. 
     On the seal for the schedule 40 PVC (drain and overflow for tub) the plumber can insert it in the tub box top or bottom it all depends on the application. It all depends on how much clearance is needed under the tub for the drain connection. If the tub is high enough you can put the appropriate seal in the top of the tub box, this will allow the plumber to glue in a 2″ drain in the bottom of the tub box base or glue a reducer bushing when 1½″ drain pipe is used. The plumber can also use cast iron or copper drain pipe with the appropriate fittings to adapt to the bottom of the tub box base on both schedule 40 PVC or tubing size/brass drain &amp; overflow for tub. In the application where you do not have the clearance you will insert the seal for schedule 40 PVC (drain and overflow for tub) in the bottom of the tub box base and use the appropriate fittings to adapt to the size of drain pipe you are using “1½″, 2″ or cast iron pipe size. 
     For fire protection, the tub box base  200  can have a tire stop assembly  500  having a lower fire ring &amp; prongs that hold fire material  520  &amp;  530  and fire wrap material  600  that inserts in the bottom of the tub box base  200 . This part of the assembly works in case there is a fire and the way it works is when there is a fire it will cause the fire ring  520  to heat up and also draw heat to the fire wrap material  600  causing the fire wrap material  600  to expand during a fire. When this happens it will start to expand and start to close off the opening where the pipe is running through the tub box device. Everything works together, when the pipe starts to melt the tire wrap material is already expanding to close off the opening. This will keep the fire from penetrating through the openings  15  in the concrete slab  10 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of another assembled tub box assembly  1000  in a concrete floor with bathtub mounted thereto for the tubing sized drain. The invention tub box assembly can be used with all the features or can be used with only one or any combination of the sealing and fire stop features. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.