Plumbing fixtures for commercial sink with pre-rinse unit

Abstract

Improved plumbing fixture fittings for commercial sinks having a faucet with a pre-rinse unit includes a universal tap and flexible steel hoses to connect the universal tap of the faucet with the building's source of supply of water to the sink. Special packaging for the pre-rinse fixtures can include a rigid plastic shell that shields at least some of the underlying fittings from the shrink-wrap material that holds the fittings against movement on a rigid substrate. The fittings are pre-assembled before being mounted to the rigid substrate by the shrink-wrap material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] N / A STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] N / A BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] As shown in a packing case 10 in FIG. 1, plumbing fixtures for commercial sinks include faucets 11 with a pre-rinse unit. Included as components of the pre-rinse unit are a vertically disposed riser 12 having one end connected to the faucet 11, a flexible stainless steel hose 13 having one end connected to the opposite end of the riser, and a spray nozzle 14 at the opposite end of the flexible steel hose 13. A finger hook 15 is connected to the riser to retain the spray nozzle next to the riser when the spray nozzle is not in use. [0004] As shown schematically in FIG. 2, the hot water line 16 and the cold water line 17 must be attached to the faucet 11 from beneath the sink. The depth of the sink's basin can be on the order of two feet, and the space between the kitchen wall and the wall of the basin closest to the kitchen w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] It is also a principal object of the present invention to provide plumbing fixture fittings for commercial sinks with a pre-rinse unit wherein the connections to the hot and cold water supplies can be effected more reliably and with a reduction in the time and effort that the installer expends to complete these connections.

[0012] It is another principal object of the present invention to provide plumbing fixture fittings for commercial sinks with a pre-rinse unit wherein the unit is supplied in a package that protects the fittings from nicks and scratches while reducing the effort required of the installer to unpack the fittings and install them with less effort and time than conventionally packed fittings.

[0013] It is an additional principal object of the present invention to provide plumbing fixture fittings for commercial sinks with a pre-rinse unit wherein many of the fittings are packaged in a pre-assembled way that still protects the fittings from nicks and scratches while reducing the effort required of the installer to unpack the fittings and install them with less effort and time than conventionally packed fittings.

[0014] It is a further principal object of the present invention to provide plumbing fixture fittings for commercial sinks with a pre-rinse unit wherein a variable length riser support is provided with a configuration that reduces the time and effort of installation.

[0016] However, because of these threaded holes in the universal tap, the installer need not use the conventional spreader body that has openings brought into alignment with the holes in the conventional tap of the faucet provided for hot and cold water. Instead of the conventional spreader body, the installer can use two flexible stainless steel hoses that are provided. Each such flexible stainless steel hose has a threaded male end that can be threaded into one of the threaded holes of the universal tap. An O-ring or sealing gasket can be provided at the threaded end of each of the flexible stainless steel hoses to form a water tight seal when the threaded end of the flexible stainless steel hose is screwed into the appropriate threaded hole of the universal tap. In this way, the installer can rotate the flexible stainless steel hose from beneath the sink at the remote end of the flexible steel hose. This convenience eliminates the need for the installer to work with an awkward spreader body and turnbuckle in the narrow space between the kitchen wall and the wall of the sink's basin in order to attach the water supply hoses to the conventional spreader body. This apparatus of the present invention also provides for a more reliable connection to the water service and a connection that is more easily maintained.

[0018] A faucet with pre-rinse assembly can be provided in a shipping package that facilitates quick and easy removal and installation of the packaged fittings by the installer. Such a product includes a first rigid substrate that has been rendered porous to the passage of air therethrough. The tension spring of the pre-rinse assembly rests on the substrate. A flexible steel hose is connected to a connection fitting and is disposed through the spring until the fitting is received within the spring and protrudes from one end thereof in a position that is ready for connection to the riser. A polyurethane inner sleeve lines the inside of the stainless steel flexible hose. A rigid shell is configured and disposed to cover the spring and the hose and rest against the substrate. The shell is desirably composed of clear polyvinychloride having a basis weight of about 0.105 kg / cubic meter. A sheet of flexible material is heated and shrink-wrapped over the shell and the substrate and holds the shell against the substrate. The sheet of flexible material desirably comprises a polyethylene film having a basis weight in the range of 920 kilograms per cubic meter to 950 kilograms per cubic meter. The sheet of flexible material is heated to a temperature in the range of 70 to 110 degrees Centigrade before being shrink-wrapped. Thus, the rigid shell is disposed between the underlying rigid substrate and the shrink-wrapped plastic sheet so that both the spring and the hose are protected from entanglement with the heated sheet of flexible material.

Problems solved by technology

But this space typically is relatively cramped and less than one foot wide.

Because of the limited space available for the installer to work when attaching the spreader body 20 to the underside of the faucet 11, such installation can become both tedious and unduly time consuming for the installer.

If the installer is not careful, the installation can become less than satisfactory.

For example, if the turnbuckle 21 is not properly tightened, leaks can result.

Such damage can cause leaks.

If the fittings are permitted to touch one another during shipment, such nicks and scratches will result.

However, this method has its drawbacks.

This requires time consuming removal of the plastic, since care must be taken to avoid nicking and scratching the surfaces of the fixture fittings during the removal process.

Images