Drain fixture

Abstract

This disclosure provides a drain fitting having a discharge portion comprising a chamber formed by walls extending between and around an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being wider than the outlet or having a greater cross-sectional area than the outlet and the walls having interior surfaces sloping inwardly between the inlet and outlet.

Claims

1. A drain fitting comprising: a chamber comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the inlet having an inlet cross-sectional flow area that is greater than an outlet cross-sectional flow area of the outlet, wherein the wall comprises an interior surface that slopes toward a central axis of the chamber from the inlet to the outlet such that an inner periphery of the chamber decreases from the inlet to the outlet; and a connector portion comprising an annular wall and a connector outlet that is configured to connect to piping to direct fluid away from the drain fitting along a central axis of the connector portion, the connector portion connected to the chamber with the central axis of the connector portion being perpendicular to the central axis of the chamber, wherein the wall of the chamber merges with the annular wall of the connector portion and extends at least to a central longitudinal plane of the connector portion, wherein the central longitudinal plane extends along the central axis of the connector portion and is perpendicular to the central axis of the chamber.

2. The drain fitting of claim 1, further comprising a drain closure fitting extending across the inlet that is configured to receive a plug.

3. The drain fitting of claim 2, further comprising an actuator that is configured to move the plug to open and close the inlet.

4. The drain fitting of claim 3, further comprising a cable assembly that is configured to manipulate the actuator.

5. The drain fitting of claim 1, wherein the wall of the chamber has a shape that is generally that of a truncated cone.

6. The drain fitting of claim 1, wherein the inlet has a diameter that is greater than 1½ inches.

7. The drain fitting of claim 1, further comprising a flange that annularly surrounds the inlet and extends radially away from the central axis of the chamber, wherein the flange is configured to be supported by a surface of a bathing apparatus.

8. The drain fitting of claim 1, wherein a first cross-sectional flow area at the merger is larger than a second cross-sectional flow area through the connector portion.

9. A drain fitting comprising: an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet opening being larger than the outlet opening; a wall extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, the wall comprising an inner surface forming a generally tapered section between the inlet opening and the outlet opening; and a connector portion connected to the wall, the connector portion comprising an annular wall forming a hollow body and a connector outlet that is configured to be connected to piping to direct fluid away from the drain fitting, the annular wall having a diameter perpendicular to a central axis of the connector portion, wherein the wall merges with the annular wall of the connector portion at least to opposing points on the annular wall such that the diameter of the connector portion extends between the opposing points and through the central axis of the connector portion, wherein the central axis of the connector portion is perpendicular to a central axis of the inlet opening, wherein the wall extends at least to a central longitudinal plane of the connector portion, and wherein the central longitudinal plane extends along the central axis of the connector portion and is perpendicular to the central axis of the inlet opening.

10. The drain fitting of claim 9, wherein the inlet opening has a diameter that is greater than 1½ inches.

11. The drain fitting of claim 9, further comprising a flange annularly surrounding the inlet opening and extending radially away from a central axis of the inlet opening, wherein a lower surface of the flange is configured to be supported by a surface of a bathing apparatus.

12. The drain fitting of claim 9, wherein the drain fitting is generally elbow-shaped.

13. The drain fitting of claim 9, wherein a first cross-sectional flow area at the merger is larger than a second cross-sectional flow area through the connector portion.

14. A drain fitting comprising: a wall extending between an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being larger than the outlet, and wherein the wall comprises an interior surface that slopes inwardly between the inlet and the outlet such that an inner periphery decreases from the inlet to the outlet; and a connector portion comprising a tube, the connector portion comprising a connector outlet that is configured to be connected to piping to direct fluid away from the drain fitting along a central axis of the tube, wherein the wall merges with the tube of the connector portion such that a first cross-sectional flow area at the merger is larger than a second cross-sectional flow area through the tube, wherein the central axis of the tube extends through the first cross-sectional flow area, wherein the central axis of the tube is perpendicular to a central axis of the inlet, wherein the wall extends at least to a central longitudinal plane of the tube, and wherein the central longitudinal plane extends along the central axis of the tube and is perpendicular to the central axis of the inlet.

15. The drain fitting of claim 14, wherein the inlet has a diameter that is greater than 1½ inches.

16. The drain fitting of claim 14, further comprising a flange annularly surrounding the inlet and extending radially away from a central axis of the inlet, wherein a lower surface of the flange is configured to be supported by a surface of a bathing apparatus.

17. The drain fitting of claim 14, further comprising a drain closure fitting extending across the inlet that is configured to receive a plug.

18. A bath comprising the drain fitting of claim 14.

19. The bath of claim 18, further comprising an overflow pipe that is connected to the connector portion and is configured to connect to a waste fluid pipe, wherein the inlet, outlet, and wall are configured to cause fluid to fill the overflow pipe to a height approaching a height of fluid in the bath.

20. The bath of claim 18, wherein the bath comprises a door.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Some preferred embodiments will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a drain fitting according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of a drain fitting according to the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of another drain fitting according to the invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is cross-sectional view of the drain fitting of FIG. 3 taken along the line 4-4 in the direction shown in FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a bath draining through a drain shoe or drain fitting of this disclosure into a waste pipe and connected to a typical over flow pipe system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(7) Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a drain fitting (100) comprising an inlet (101) and an outlet (102) having walls (103) there between. Inlet (101) typically has a circular periphery (104) and may have seated therein a waste plug assembly (105) with a strainer (106). Walls (103) slope gradually inwards from inlet (101) to outlet (102), preferably forming a generally truncated conical shape. Walls (103) merge into the walls (107) of a generally cylindrical short tube (108), typically having one end closed at (109) and the other end open at (101) having an outlet (111) to form a drain tail piece having a connector element (112) for attachment to a sewer or waste pipe (not shown).

(8) Walls (103) function to gather water exiting a bath or shower or the like through a relatively large inlet (101) and, despite the reduction in flow area caused by the smaller cross-sectional area of tube (108), achieve full capacity flow from that tube.

(9) Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a drain fitting (200), according to this disclosure. Drain fitting (200) comprises an inlet (201) which is generally circular in cross section. Extending across the inlet (201) is a fitting (202) for receiving a drain closure (not shown).

(10) Inlet (201) communicates with an internal chamber (203) formed by walls (204). As shown in FIG. 1, walls (204) converge or taper generally downwards towards outlet (205) to communicate with a tail piece fitting (206) comprising a cylindrical tube having an outlet (207) with an enlarged fitting (208) for connection to a sewer pipe.

(11) A cable drain mechanism may be provided comprising a cable assembly (300) and an actuator (301) located at the bottom of chamber (203). In a conventional manner, cable assembly (210) operates actuator (211) to drive the closure upward and downward so as to open and close the water inlet.

(12) In FIG. 3 there is shown a low profile drain fitting or drain shoe (300) comprising a plug assembly (301) that is intended to fit in the outlet of a shower or bath.

(13) Plug assembly (301) comprises a fitting (302) having a central hole (303) for receiving a pop-up drain plug (not shown).

(14) Fitting (301) provides a circular inlet (304) for water to flow into when in use draining a shower or bath. Inlet (304) is in fluid communication with a tail piece (305) extending generally perpendicularly to the central axis of inlet (304). Tail piece (305) comprises a generally cylindrical body (306) terminating in an outlet (307) formed by a connector portion (308), used for connecting to a waste or sewer pipe in a conventional manner.

(15) The drain shoe in FIG. 3 further comprises a housing (309) for a cable mechanism (not shown) which can be used to open and close a pop-up closure (not shown). As can be seen in more detail in FIG. 4, fitting (301) comprises walls (310) that taper towards each other forming a generally frusto-conical shape that merges into the cylindrical body of the outflow connector (305). In order to make this embodiment a low profile drain shoe, wall (311) adjacent the outlet from the connector (305) is made relatively short and is substantially shorter than the opposing wall (312). Walls (311) and (312) form a chamber (313) which houses an assembly (314) for a pop-up valve (not shown). Adjacent the bottom wall (314) a connector portion there is provided a passageway (315) for receiving an actuator mechanism for the pop-up valve (not shown).

(16) Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a bath (500) containing water (501). The bath has an outlet (502) of which is connected to a drain fitting or drain shoe according to this disclosure (503).

(17) A tail pipe (504) is connected to an overflow pipe (505) as well a pipe connection (506) to waste. Bath (500) has a wall (507) with a hole (508) receiving a conventional drain plug pop-up actuator (509).

(18) When the Bath (500) is draining, the water in the bath produces a force on outgoing water. Similarly, water height in the overflow pipe (505) acts like a “water tower” and applies direct gravity force to the outgoing water in the drain pipe so that ultimately, for example at (510), the pipe system drains at full flow and gravity force and with preferably little or no trapped air and provide gravity pressure to accelerate the flow of the water into waste, such as a sewer pipe.