Toilet flange that can be rotated during insertion having a gripping ring and a durable safety seal

A toilet flange apparatus for facilitating installation of a toilet onto an outer surface of a drain pipe, the toilet flange apparatus being rotationally adjustable while being irreversibly placed onto the drain pipe, the apparatus comprising:

• a flanged pipe having a pipe portion and a flange portion,
• the flange portion having a flange upper surface,
• the flange upper surface having at least one fastener projecting therefrom,
• the pipe portion having a pipe inner surface, and a pipe leading end,
• the pipe inner surface having a circumferential groove disposed between the flange portion and the pipe leading end, the circumferential groove being configured to seat a sealing ring,
• the pipe inner surface having a circumferential channel disposed between the flange portion and the pipe leading end;
• and
• a circumferential gripping ring including:
• a channel guide ring configured to be seated rotatably within the circumferential channel;
• and
• a plurality of gripping projections extending from the channel guide ring towards the flange portion, and terminating with a trailing edge at an acute angle away from the pipe inner surface,
• the circumferential gripping ring cooperating with the circumferential channel so as to provide rotational adjustment of the flanged pipe as it is irreversibly inserted onto the drain pipe.

A method of installing a toilet onto a drain pipe, comprising the steps of:

• providing a toilet flange having a flange portion and a pipe portion;
• connecting a plurality of gripping projections to the pipe portion, wherein the gripping projections are rotatable about the pipe portion;
• connecting the flange portion to a lower portion of the toilet to form a substantially fluid-tight seal with the lower portion of a toilet;
• connecting the pipe portion to the drain pipe after connecting the flange portion to a lower portion of the toilet, to form a second substantially fluid-tight seal between the pipe portion and the drain pipe, wherein the plurality of gripping projections irreversibly engages the drain pipe, and wherein the pipe portion is rotatable about the drain pipe.