Sink strainer apparatus
An improved plumbing component is disclosed. The plumbing component includes a basket strainer includes a basket strainer body and a tail piece extending therefrom. The tailpiece includes sufficient spacing between the lower aspect of basket strainer body and the upper aspect of tailpiece to support one or more shaped tool-engaging flats, for receiving a wrench tool for assembly/disassembly of the installed apparatus. According to another embodiment, a retrofittable tailpiece having tool-engaging flats may be applied to prior art tailpieces and secured in place to enable single-handed assembly/disassembly.
not applicable
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT:not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plumbing apparatus and systems, and more particularly, to an improved sink strainer apparatus for use with sinks, bathtubs, and other especially deep basin type plumbing fixtures.
2. Description of the Related Art
A problem associated with drain waste lines and related systems arises in the installation or removal of plumbing components utilized with basin-type plumbing fixtures including sinks and bathtubs. Especially with deep basin kitchen sinks and bathtub drain fixtures, these components require separate personnel to secure a top portion against rotation while a tailpiece located under the basin is tightened into a final secure, leak-free position. Thus, to tighten these plumbing components in place, or to loosen these drain pieces for removal, a plumber's assistant will use a first tool which is inserted down into the basin drain piece to prevent the upper component from rotation, while the plumber will use a second tool from underneath the plumbing fixture to tighten or loosen the components as required. It is thus apparent that the use of two persons with two separate tools to tighten or loosen these plumbing components is expensive in terms of personnel costs.
Thus, in addition to the need for a tool to alleviate the problems associated with the installation and removal of plumbing components such as the drain pieces discussed above, there has continued to be a need for a tool to facilitate the tightening and loosening of flanged faucet mounting nuts, flanged drain test plugs, sink basket strainers, and similar pieces or parts, while eliminating the prior art need for additional expensive personnel.
Various efforts have been made at satisfactorily meeting this need. The drain basket also sometimes termed a “strainer” is a fitting which is secured at the discharge opening in the bottom of a fixture such as a basin, sink or bathtub. The drain basket is typically cup-shaped and is positioned in the drain or outlet of the plumbing fixture and has an external threaded body portion which is in threaded engagement with the drain line. Cross members extend across the bottom of the basket. Removing the basket when plumbing repairs are necessary can be difficult particularly if the basket or strainer has been installed for some period of time and has become rusted. There are various specialized tools in the prior art for removing and installing drain fixtures such as those found in sinks and tubs.
U.S. Pat. No. D382,788 shows an ornamental design for an alignment tool for installing bathtub drains which has a number of adjustable arms which can be extended to engage the bottom and side walls of the tub. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,798 shows a centering tool for disposing and maintaining a basket sink strainer in concentric and parallel relationships with respect to the sink drain hole. The tool of the '798 patent comprises a tubular spider having upper and lower horizontal arms with telescopically extensible tubular elements that are positional to contact the corners of the sink. An adapter depending from the center carries a pronged element that engages the slots in the bottom well of the sink strainer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,698 shows a tool for use that is attachable to the drain basket of a sink. The tool has a cylindrical body with lugs projecting longitudinally from one end. The lugs of the tool are shaped in dimension to fit into the drain apertures near the bottom of the cup. There is a radially extending ring around the base. The tool is attached to the external bottom of the drain basket by inserting the lugs through the cup-like portion into the slots and then applying a lower flange around the tool body and threading it onto the lower threaded fitting which extends down from the cup.
Nevertheless, there exists a need for a tool to assist plumbers in removing drain baskets, which tool is simple to use and effective for the intended purpose.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for enabling a single person to fully assemble/disassemble plumbing components in deep basin plumbing fixtures.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for enabling a single person to fully assemble/disassemble plumbing components in deep basin plumbing fixtures, with positive feedback indicia for indicating complete installation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a improved plumbing component retrofittable with known basin drainage components, for enabling single-person assembly/disassembly thereof.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved plumbing component for retrofittable application to a basin drainage system, to be packaged and sold independently for use with existing systems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hand tool for use in connection with the present invention.
According to the present invention, an improved sink strainer/basket strainer includes a basket strainer body opening upwardly for optionally receiving in cooperating agreement a common basket strainer or stopper in the concavity provided therein. A lower threaded tailpiece extends downwardly through intermediate extension, that extension having sufficient spacing between the lower aspect of basket strainer body and the upper aspect of tailpiece to support one or more shaped tool-engaging flats, for receiving a wrench tool for assembly/disassembly of the installed apparatus. The tool-engaging flats preferably include sufficient height and clearance to enable access of common tools such as common slip joint pliers, plumbers wrenches and the like. The upper periphery of the basket strainer body supports an outwardly extending flange to be supported on upper surface of a counter top or other mounting surface. The lower aspect of the tailpiece includes a threaded periphery for connection to a drainpipe as is well known in the prior art. Accordingly, assembly of the inventive apparatus eliminates the need for multiple plumbing personnel, as a simple long handled wrench may be applied to the tool-engaging flats and held in that position by the plumber while he concurrently manipulates the upper basket strainer apparatus and flange to secure it in desired registration relative to the front of the basin in which the apparatus is to be secured.
It should be noted and understood that with respect to the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein, the materials and apparatus disclosed and suggested may be modified or substituted to achieve the desired protected structures without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed and claimed invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views,
With reference now to
In an effort to overcome these prior art problems, and with reference now to
The upper periphery of the basket strainer body 42 supports an outwardly extending flange 46 to be supported on upper surface of a counter top or other mounting surface in the manner previously described 32. Further the lower aspect 54 of tailpiece 44 includes a threaded periphery for connection to a drainpipe in the manner previously described in connection with the prior art description of
Attention is now directed to another embodiment of the present invention, shown in
With reference now to
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. An improved basket strainer supported by a flange engagable with a sink, comprising:
- a basket strainer body for receiving a fluid flow;
- a tail piece extending from the basket strainer body for conducting the fluid flow therethrough; and
- a tool engaging feature provided about a periphery of the tail piece.
2. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 1, wherein the tool engaging feature includes at least one pair of diametrically opposed tool engaging flats.
3. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 1, wherein the tool engaging feature is provided about an upper extent of the tail piece adjacent a lower portion of the basket strainer body.
4. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transition section between the basket strainer body and the tail piece, the tool engaging feature being supported on the outer periphery of the transition section.
5. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 4, wherein the tool engaging feature is a tool engaging flat.
6. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 1, wherein the tool engaging feature is integrally formed with the tail piece.
7. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 1, wherein the tool engaging feature is adapted to receive a complimentary-shaped wrench head.
8. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 1, wherein the tool engaging feature is provided separate from the tail piece adapted for engagement therewith.
9. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 8, wherein the tool engaging feature is comprised of an annulus having an outer surface having at least one pair of diametrically-opposed tool-engaging flats.
10. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 8, wherein the tool engaging feature includes a threaded region for engaging with a complimentary shaped threaded region along an extent of the tail piece.
11. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 10, wherein the tool engaging feature may be permanently secured at a peripheral extent of the tail piece.
12. An improved basket strainer, comprising:
- a basket strainer body for receiving a fluid flow;
- a tail piece extending from the basket strainer body for conducting the fluid flow therethrough; and
- a tool engaging feature provided at an upper extent of the tail piece, the tool engaging feature having at least one pair of diametrically opposed tool engaging flats formed about a periphery of the tail piece.
13. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 12, wherein the tool engaging feature is integrally formed with the tail piece.
14. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 12, wherein the tool engaging feature is provided separate from the tail piece adapted for engagement therewith.
15. The improved basket strainer as recited in claim 14, wherein the tool engaging feature is comprised of an annulus having a radially outer surface having at least one pair of diametrically-opposed tool-engaging flats, and a radially inner threaded region for engaging with a complimentary shaped threaded region along an extent of the tail piece.
16. An improvement for a basket strainer, the basket strainer having a basket strainer body for receiving a fluid flow, and a tail piece extending from the basket strainer body for conducting the fluid flow therethrough, the improvement comprising:
- a tail piece extension having upper and lower threaded engagement regions, the upper threaded engagement region supporting a locking ring for engaging a lower extent of the tail piece, the locking ring further including a tool engaging feature having at least one pair of diametrically opposed tool engaging flats, the lower threaded engagement region supporting a drain pipe locking ring.
17. The improvement as recited in claim 16, wherein the locking ring may be permanently secured at a peripheral extent of the tail piece to create a joint sufficient to withstand a torsional resistance necessary to achieve a watertight installation of the assembly of the tail piece extension and basket strainer within a cockhole to which the assembly is to be installed.
18. The improvement as recited in claim 16, wherein the tool engaging feature is adapted to receive a complimentary-shaped wrench head.
19. The improvement as recited in claim 16, wherein the tool engaging feature includes a plurality of diametrically-opposed tool-engaging flats.
20. A kit, comprising:
- a basket strainer having a basket strainer body for receiving a fluid flow, and a tail piece extending from the basket strainer body for conducting the fluid flow therethrough; and
- a tail piece extension having upper and lower threaded engagement regions, the upper threaded engagement region supporting a locking ring for engaging a lower extent of the tail piece, the locking ring further including a tool engaging feature having at least one pair of diametrically opposed tool engaging flats.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 27, 2004
Publication Date: Mar 30, 2006
Inventor: Anthony Isgro (Santa Monica, CA)
Application Number: 10/951,050
International Classification: A47K 1/14 (20060101); E03C 1/26 (20060101);