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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. In a food waste disposer having an outturned top flange and lower body,
improved securing means for securing the disposer to a sink in a bottom
opening thereof with the disposer flange resting on the sink at the edge
of said opening and with the disposer body extending downwardly therefrom
through said opening, said securing means comprising:
a clamp ring adapted to be disposed about said body, said clamp ring having
an upper portion adapted to engage the underside of the sink at the edge
of said opening, and a lower portion defining a plurality of
circumferentially related downwardly facing continuously inclined cam
surfaces;
outwardly projecting shoulder means on said disposer body, said cam
inclined surfaces engaging said shoulder means and urging said upper
portion of the clamp ring upwardly to a clamping position as an incident
of relative coaxial rotation of the clamp ring and shoulder means, whereby
said clamp ring upper portion may cooperate with the disposer flange in
infinitely adjustably clamping the disposer to the sink; and
means for locking the clamp ring in said adjustable clamping position.
2. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 1 wherein said
shoulder means is integral with said disposer body.
3. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 1 wherein said
shoulder means comprises means removably secured to said disposer body.
4. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 1 wherein said
shoulder means comprises a plurality of protrusions on said disposer body.
5. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 1 wherein said
shoulder means includes an annular groove in said disposer body, a snap
ring in said groove, and means abutting said snap ring and defining cam
follower means for slidably engaging said cam surface to urge said clamp
ring axially as an incident of relative rotation between said cam surface
and said cam follower means.
6. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 1 wherein said
shoulder means includes an annular groove in said disposer body, a snap
ring in said groove, and a locking ring rotatable coaxially about said
disposer slidably against said snap ring and defining a cam follower
surface upwardly engaging said cam surface to urge said clamp ring axially
as an incident of rotation of said locking ring.
7. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 1 wherein said
shoulder means includes an annular groove in said disposer body, a snap
ring in said groove, and a locking ring rotatable coaxially about said
disposer slidably against said snap ring and defining a cam follower
surface upwardly engaging said cam surface to urge said clamp ring axially
as an incident of rotation of said locking ring, said clamp ring lower
portion further defining at least one additional circumferentially spaced
such cam surface, and said locking ring further defining a corresponding
plurality of such cam follower surfaces associated one each with said cam
surfaces for providing a distributed clamping force for securing the
disposer to the sink.
8. The food waste disposer securing structure of Claim 1 wherein said
disposer body defines a plurality of axially spaced mounting portions and
said shoulder means is selectively mounted to any one of said mounting
portions for selective adjustability in the urging of the cam means
upwardly as an incident of said relative rotation.
9. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 8 wherein said
mounting portions comprise a plurality of axially spaced annular grooves
on said disposer body, said shoulder means being selectively installed in
any one of said grooves for causing said selective adjustability of the
urging of the cam means upwardly as an incident of said relative rotation.
10. In a food waste disposer having an outturned top flange and a lower
body, improved means for installing the disposer to a sink in a bottom
opening thereof with the disposer flange resting on the sink at the edge
of said opening and with the disposer body extending downwardly therefrom
through said opening, said installing means comprising:
a clamp ring adapted to be disposed about said body, said clamp ring having
an upper portion adapted to engage the underside of the sink at the edge
of said opening, and a lower portion defining a plurality of
circumferentially related downwardly facing continuously inclined cam
surfaces;
outwardly projecting shoulder means on said disposer body, said cam
inclined surfaces engaging said shoulder means and urging said upper
portion of the clamp ring upwardly to a clamping position as an incident
of relative coaxial rotation of the clamp ring and shoulder means, whereby
said clamp ring upper portion may cooperate with the disposer flange in
infinitely adjustably clamping the disposer to the sink;
means for locking the clamp ring in said adjustable clamping position;
a water inlet connector removably mounted to said body subjacent said
shoulder means; and
a waste discharge connector removably mounted to said body below said water
inlet connector.
11. The food waste disposer installing means of claim 10 wherein said
disposer defines an upper open throat portion adapted to pass said
connector downwardly therethrough for extension thereof outwardly through
said body subsequent to the extension of said body downwardly through said
sink opening.
12. The food waste disposer installing means of claim 10 wherein said waste
discharge connector includes a tubular element having an annular connector
portion extending through said disposer body, collar means on said
connector portion, and clamp means encircling said disposer and clamping
said collar means to said disposer body for removably securing said
connector to said disposer body.
13. In a food waste disposer having an outturned top flange and lower body,
improved securing means for securing the disposer to a sink in a bottom
opening thereof with the disposer flange resting on the sink at the edge
of said opening and with the disposer body extending downwardly therefrom
through said opening, said securing means comprising:
a clamp ring adapted to be disposed about said body, said clamp ring having
an upper portion adapted to engage the underside of the sink at the edge
of said opening, and a lower portion defining a plurality of
circumferentially related downwardly facing continuously inclined cam
surfaces;
outwardly projecting shoulder means on said disposer body, said cam
inclined surface engaging said shoulder means and urging said upper
portion of the clamp ring upwardly to a clamping position as an incident
of relative coaxial rotation of the clamp ring and shoulder means, whereby
said clamp ring upper portion may cooperate with the disposer flange in
infinitely adjustably clamping the disposer to the sink;
means for locking the clamp ring in said adjustable clamping position; and
a water inlet connector comprising a tubular member having an annular
flange end within said body, a tubular portion extending outwardly through
said body, and shoulder means on said tubular portion cooperating with
said annular flange for removably locking said connector to said body.
14. The food waste disposer securing structure of claim 13 further
including annular sealing means abutting said annular flange and said body
for sealing said connector to said body and biasing said shoulder means
into frictionally retained association with said body. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to food waste disposers and in particular to the
mounting of food waste disposers in kitchen sinks and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,788,541 of Warren N. Kemnitz, a floor attachment for a
vacuum cleaner is shown to include a tubular outlet secured around the
body of the vacuum cleaner by a strap and buckle means.
In French Pat. No. 1,250,604 of M. Wambergue, a sewer evacuation device is
shown for comminuting sewage such as delivered to a toilet bowl. The
device is adapted to be mounted to the bowl by an overlying flange and
underlying clamp ring with a resilient gasket being disposed between the
flange and toilet bowl. A waste discharge conduit is connected to the body
of the device by a threaded ring and sealing plastic ring.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,922,526 of William Ohmann, a drain funnel is disclosed
wherein the funnel is mounted to a lower end of a washing machine tub by
means of an enlarged upper flange and cooperating locking ring engaging
the underside of the tub.
George R. Coss, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,639, shows a food waste disposer
adapted to be mounted to a securing ring previously secured to the sink.
Arthur A. Voudy, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,654, shows a sink outlet connection
having a connector clamped to the sink outlet opening edge portion.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,021, Lauren W. Guth shows a bearing unit for
mounting a food waste disposer in hanging relationship to a downwardly
projecting outlet portion of the sink.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,490, Paul G. Dunmire shows a pipe saddle having a
flexible strap adapted to be disposed about a pipe into which a branch
line is connected.
Robert F. Phillips, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,009 shows a pipe saddle for
attaching service lines to larger diameter pipelines, the saddle being
defined by a strap clamped about the pipeline and having an opening for
accommodating a standard corporation stop valve.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,416, Lauren W. Guth shows a sink mount support
assembly for mounting a disposer to a sink drain sleeve defining the
bottom discharge opening of the sink.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,768,742 of John L. Preher et al, and 3,797,764 and
3,827,730 of Lauren W. Guth, disclose a sink mount support assembly
generally similar to that of the Guth 3,734,416 assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprehends an improved method of installing a food
waste disposer in a sink in a bottom opening thereof and improved mounting
means for effecting such installation.
More specifically, the method of installing the food waste disposer
includes the steps of moving the disposer downwardly through the opening
in the bottom wall of a sink to cause an outturned top flange of the
disposer to set on the sink at the edge of the outlet opening. Clamp means
are then moved upwardly about the disposer to mount on the disposer
subjacent the sink and means are provided for manipulating the clamp means
to cooperate with the disposer flange to secure the disposer to the sink
against vertical movement in the outlet opening. A water inlet connector
to which a dishwasher drain conduit is connected may be mounted to an
upper portion of the disposer to extend outwardly therefrom subjacent the
sink and a waste discharge conduit is mounted to the disposer below the
water inlet connector.
Thus, the invention comprehends installing a compact disposer having a
diameter preselected to permit dropping of the disposer through the sink
opening so as to hang from the sink on an annular top flange of the
disposer. Securing of the disposer to the sink is then facilitated by
clamping of the flange downwardly to the sink by means installed from
below the sink.
In one form, the clamp ring engages protrusions on the disposer body so as
to be cammed upwardly as a result of rotation of the clamp ring coaxially
about the disposer in engagement with the protrusions.
In another form, the disposer is provided with one or more annular grooves
in a top portion thereof adapted to selectively receive a snap ring for
cooperation with a locking ring and cam ring in effecting a camming-type
clamping of the disposer flange to the sink.
Upon securing of the disposer to the sink, a water inlet connector may be
installed by movement downwardly through the upper portion of the disposer
and subsequently outwardly through a horizontal opening in an upper
portion of the disposer. The connector may include suitable locking means
for locking the connector to the disposer body in the outwardly projecting
arrangement.
A waste discharge conduit is secured to the disposer subjacent the water
inlet connector by means of a strap adapted to be clamped about the
disposer body and provided with a mounting portion adapted to engage a
flange on the waste discharge conduit for drawing the conduit flange
tightly to the disposer body in the installed arrangement.
Thus, the invention comprehends an extremely simple and economical method
of installing a food waste disposer to a sink and includes structure for
effecting the same which is extremely simple and economical while yet
providing the above discussed advantages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sink having a food waste disposer
installed therein in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the installation of the food waste
disposer and associated mounting means;
FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the installed assembly;
FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 4--4 of a
portion of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line
5--5 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line
6--6 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 7--7 of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section illustrating a modified
mounting of the disposer relative to a sink having a thin wall;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating a modified form of
clamping of the disposer to the sink; and
FIG. 10 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 10--10
of FIG. 9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a
food waste disposer generally designated 10 is installed in a kitchen sink
generally designated 11 which may, in turn, be mounted in a conventional
floor-mounted cabinet 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The sink may have a
conventional relatively thick bottom wall 13, as shown in FIG. 3, or
alternatively, may have a relatively thin bottom wall 14, as shown in FIG.
8. As further shown in FIG. 3, the sink bottom wall 13 may be provided
with a drain opening 15 defined by a downturned annular flange 16, and as
shown in FIG. 8, sink bottom wall 14 may be provided with a drain opening
17 defined by a downturned flange 18.
The present invention comprehends the installation of the food waste
disposer in the sink by a novel method wherein the disposer is brought
downwardly through the sink opening. As shown in FIG. 2, the disposer
includes an upper portion 19 terminating in an annular outturned top
flange 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the top flange 20 rests on the sink bottom
at the edge of opening 15 when the disposer is fully inserted into the
sink.
To secure the disposer in the installed position, clamping means generally
designated 21 are provided, as best seen in FIG. 3. The clamping means
herein include a cam or clamp ring 22 having an upper outturned annular
flange 23 adapted to engage the underside surface 24 of the sink wall 13.
The camming means, in turn, may be urged upwardly against the wall surface
24 by coaction with a locking ring 25 and shoulder means generally
designated 26.
As shown in FIG. 3, the disposer upper portion 19 defines a pair of annular
grooves 27 and 28 disposed below the lower level of flange 16 when the
disposer flange 20 is set on the wall 13.
Shoulder means 26 further includes a snap ring 29 which, when installed
selectively in either of grooves 27 or 28, defines an outwardly extending
annular shoulder against which an inner edge portion 30 of the locking
ring is abutted for drawing the disposer downwardly as a result of the
camming action of cam ring 22, thereby to correspondingly urge the flange
20 securely against sink wall 13 about opening 15.
As best seen in FIG. 2, cam ring 22 includes a tubular wall portion 31
extending downwardly from flange 23 and defining, on its lower edge, a
plurality of cam surfaces 32 circumferentially spaced about the axis of
the ring. The locking ring 25 includes a plurality of ears 33
correspondingly spaced about the axis of the locking ring and having inner
cam follower portions 34 adapted to engage the camming surfaces 32.
To effect the desired mounting of the disposer to the sink, as shown in
FIG. 3, the locking ring is rotated about the axis of the disposer with
the edge portion 30 bearing against the stop shoulder defined by snap ring
29 in the selected groove. Such rotation causes the follower portions 34
to move along the cam surfaces 32 suitably to provide a reaction wherein
the cam ring is urged upwardly and the disposer body portion 19 is urged
downwardly thereby to clamp the sink wall 13 between the flanges 20 and 23
and secure the disposer against vertical movement in the sink opening.
Upon securing of the disposer thusly, the adjusted position of the locking
ring may be secured by suitably threading a plurality of screws 35 through
the ears 33 into engagement with the cam ring flange 23.
The food waste disposer is thusly firmly secured to the sink by the
improved facilitated installation method discussed above which requires a
simple rotation of the locking ring and securing of the adjusted
positioning of the locking ring by simple threading of the screws 35 to
complete the mounting.
As discussed above, in installing the disposer, the disposer body is
firstly moved downwardly through the sink opening. To this end, the
disposer body has a maximum diameter less than the diameter of the sink
opening 15, and more specifically, the disposer includes a lower body
portion 36 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the sink
opening. To facilitate connections of a dishwasher drain outlet and a
waste discharge line to the disposer, further improved installation
structure is provided within the scope of the invention which, in the
installed arrangement, may project substantially outwardly from the
disposer body portions 19 and 20, respectively.
More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the water inlet connector 37
comprises a tubular element having an annular flange 38 at its inner end
and a pair of diametrically opposed locking lugs 39. The disposer body
portion 19 is provided with a keyhole opening 40 having diametrically
opposed rectangular recesses 41 adapted to pass the locking lugs 39 when
the water inlet connector 37 is brought downwardly into the body portion
19 and then outwardly through the opening 40, as shown by the arrows in
FIG. 2. With the connector thusly extended through the opening 40, the
connector is then rotated to move the lugs 39 into overlying relationship
with the disposer wall, as shown in FIG. 3, to secure the water inlet
connector 37 to the disposer body for suitable connection of a dishwasher
drain conduit (not shown). The disposer wall may be provided with raised
points 40a for preventing overtravel of the connector in installation. A
clamp, or other suitable fastener means may be used in securing the
connection between the water inlet connector 37 and the dishwasher drain
conduit, and liquid discharged from the dishwasher will then be introduced
into the disposer chamber through the opening 40 for discharge from the
disposer through a horizontal opening 47 to the household drain. Of
course, if it is not necessary to accommodate a dishwasher drain outlet,
the water inlet connector may be omitted or a plug may be inserted into
the opening 40. In one form of the invention, the water inlet connector 37
may have a thin membrane 101 (see FIG. 3) molded across its opening. This
membrane is removed by breaking it out when a dishwasher drain connection
is to be made, or may be left intact where no such connection is desired.
As shown in FIG. 3, the connector 37 may be provided with a sealing ring 42
adapted to be clamped between flange 38 and the body wall when the
connector is secured to the wall, as discussed above. The sealing ring
further biases the connector axially inwardly so as to frictionally retain
the lugs 39 against movement along the disposer wall surface to retain the
connector in locked association with the disposer.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a waste discharge conduit, or tailpiece,
generally designated 43 is also connected to the disposer, and more
specifically, to the lower portion 36 of the disposer. The conduit 43
includes an outturned flange 44 at its inner end. A plastic adapter collar
45 is provided with an inner tubular portion 46 received in the opening 47
of the disposer. The adapter collar further includes a radially outturned
mid-portion 48 and an axially outturned distal portion 49. A first annular
gasket 50 is disposed between the tailpiece flange 44 and adapter
mid-portion 48 and a second annular gasket 51 is disposed between adapter
mid-porton 48 and the wall of disposer portion 36.
The tailpiece 43 is secured in sealed association with the disposer portion
36 by means of a strap clamp generally designated 52. As best seen in
FIGS. 2 and 7, the clamp 52 includes an annular pressure ring 53 having a
pair of diametrically opposed, outwardly projecting connecting portions
54. The clamp includes a first strap 55 extending from connecting portion
54 to a turned distal end 56. The clamp includes a second strap 57
extending from the opposite connecting portion 54 to a turned distal end
58 facially juxtaposed to end 56 and threadedly connected thereto by a
screw 59 for tightly drawing the clamp about the disposer body portion 36.
As best seen in FIG. 2, the opening 47 may be vertically aligned with
opening 40 for facilitated installation of the water inlet and waste
discharge means. The opening 47 is disposed subjacent the comminuting
means 60 of the disposer schematically illustrated in FIG. 3 for
discharging the effluent subsequent to the comminuting operation.
As indicated briefly above, the invention contemplates utilizing either of
the grooves 27 or 28 in effecting the installation depending on the
thickness of the sink bottom wall. Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, the snap ring
29 may be installed in the upper groove 27 where the sink wall 14 is a
thin wall to provide a clamping of the disposer flange 20 to the sink wall
substantially in the same manner as relative to the thick wall, as
illustrated in FIG. 3.
In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIGS. 9 and 10, the
shoulder means provided on the disposer are illustrated as comprising
integral protrusions 61 adapted to be engaged by the camming surfaces 32
as the camming ring 62 is rotated coaxially about the disposer portion 19
by means of a downturned handle portion 63 projecting downwardly from
flange 64 of camming ring 62.
Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 9, the camming operation is effected by
rotation of the camming ring with the camming surfaces 32 bearing directly
against the shoulder means or projections carried by the disposer, the
locking ring being omitted in the arrangement. The locking of the camming
ring in the adjusted position may be effected by the frictional facial
engagement between the camming ring flange 64 and the sink flange 20.
By means of the present invention, the installation of the disposer is
facilitated and simplified. It is unnecessary to support the disposer from
below the sink during the installation as is required in the conventional
prior art devices wherein the disposer is mounted to a previously
installed sink drain opening flange. The disposer is supported by its own
top flange once it is lowered through the sink opening and all
undercounter operations may be readily and simply effected relative to the
thusly supported disposer. The use of threaded and rotative camming means
permits the installation with standard simple tools and permits the
installation to be rapidly and securely made.
The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the
broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.
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