Apparatus and method for connecting shower heads and tub spouts to a stub out

A spout installation system, comprising:

• a. a stub out which extends outward from a wall;
• and
• b. an adapter which includes:
• i. a housing with a central opening sized to accommodate the stub out;
• ii. a female threaded receiver in said housing which is sized to accept a male threaded end of a spout supply tube such that the spout supply tube, when threaded into said female receiver, is placed in communication with said stub out;
• iii. a ferrule which is concentric with said female threaded receiver and positioned to be engaged by said male threaded end of said spout supply tube and compressed against said stub out when said male threaded end of said spout supply tube is threaded into said female receiver;
• iv. a gripper ring attached to said housing in a position surrounding said central opening, said gripper ring including a plurality of teeth which extend inward from said gripper ring and which are angled toward said threaded receiver;
• v. an O-ring seal positioned within said housing in a position such that it surrounds and engages said stub out when said adapter is positioned on said stub out;
• and
• vi. a retaining flange which is concentric with said central opening on a rear surface of said housing, said retaining flange being integrally molded with said housing and deformable to retain said gripper ring and said O-ring in position.

A spout installation system, comprising:

• a. a stub out which extends outward from a wall;
• and
• b. an adapter which includes:
• i. a housing with a central opening sized to accommodate the stub out;
• ii. a female threaded receiver in said housing which is sized to accept a male threaded end of a spout supply tube such that the spout supply tube, when threaded into said female receiver, is placed in communication with said stub out;
• iii. a ferrule which is concentric with said female threaded receiver and positioned to be engaged by said male threaded end of said spout supply tube and compressed against said stub out when said male threaded end of said spout supply tube is threaded into said female receiver;
• and
• iv. a base flange including a plurality of escutcheon plate gripper fingers extending radially outwardly therefrom, said gripper fingers being separated by respective gaps.

A plumbing adapter comprising:

• a. a housing with a central opening sized to accommodate a plumbing stub out;
• b. a gripper ring attached to said housing in a position surrounding said central opening, said gripper ring including a plurality of teeth which are angled to grip a plumbing stub out received in said central opening to prevent removal of the adapter from the plumbing stub out;
• c. a seal positioned within said housing in a position such that it surrounds a stub out gripped by said gripper ring;
• d. a female threaded receiver surrounding said central opening, said receiver being sized to accept male threads from a plumbing fixture;
• and
• e. a base flange including a plurality of escutcheon plate gripper fingers extending radially outward therefrom, said gripper fingers being separated by respective gaps.

A plumbing adapter for connecting a first tube to a second tube wherein the outer diameter of the first tube is smaller than the inner diameter of the second tube, said plumbing adapter comprising:

• a. a housing with a central opening extending therethrough sized to accommodate a plumbing stub out;
• b. said housing having a female threaded receiver surrounding said central opening at one end thereof and sized to receive a male threaded end of the second tube;
• c. a ferrule fixedly secured to said housing and having a tapered ring portion extending inward in spaced relation from an inner end of said female threaded receiver;
• said ferrule having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the first tube when said ferrule is in an uncompressed state such that said adapter may be positioned on said first tube such that said first tube extends through said ferrule;
• said tapered ring portion of said ferrule sized to be compressed inward against the first tube upon threading of a male threaded end of said second tube into said threaded receiver between said tapered ring portion of said ferrule and said threaded receiver.

A method of installing a spout into a plumbing system, comprising the steps of:

• a. connecting a stub out to a water supply and extending the stub out through a wall;
• b. providing an adapter including:
• i. a housing with a central opening sized to accommodate the stub out;
• ii. a gripper ring attached to said housing in a position surrounding said central opening, said gripper ring including a plurality of teeth which are angled to grip the stub out to prevent removal of the adapter from the stub out;
• iii. a seal positioned within said housing in a position such that it surrounds said stub out;
• iv. a female threaded receiver in said housing which is sized to accept male threads from a spout supply tube such that the spout supply tube, when threaded into said female receiver, is placed in communication with said stub out;
• and
• v. a base flange extending outwardly from said housing;
• c. sliding said central opening of said adapter onto said stub out and pushing said adapter along the stub out until said base flange engages said wall;
• d. placing a spout supply tube over the stub out and threading it into the threaded receiver of said adapter;
• and
• e. installing a spout onto said spout supply tube.

A method of installing a spout into a plumbing system, comprising the steps of:

• a. connecting a stub out to a water supply and extending the stub out through a wall;
• b. installing a spout supply tube over the stub out, with an adapter including:
• i. a housing with a central opening sized to accommodate the stub out;
• ii. a gripper ring attached to said housing in a position surrounding said central opening, said gripper ring including a plurality of teeth which are angled to grip the stub out to prevent removal of the adapter from the stub out;
• iii. a seal positioned within said housing in a position such that it surrounds said stub out;
• iv. a female threaded receiver in said housing which is sized to accept male threads from a spout supply tube such that the spout supply tube, when threaded into said female receiver, is placed in communication with said stub out;
• and
• v. a base flange including a plurality of escutcheon plate gripper fingers extending radially outwardly therefrom;
• c. placing a spout supply tube over the stub out and threading it into the threaded receiver of said adapter;
• d. placing an escutcheon plate over said spout supply tube and snapping it into position over said gripping fingers of said adapter;
• and
• e. installing a spout onto said spout supply tube.

A plumbing adapter for connecting a spout to a plumbing stub out extending outwardly from a wall, the adapter comprising:

• a. a housing with a central opening sized to accommodate a stub out;
• b. a gripper ring attached to said housing in a position surrounding said central opening, said gripper ring including a plurality of teeth which are angled to grip a stub out received in said central opening to prevent removal of the adapter from the stub out;
• c. a seal positioned within said housing in a position such that it surrounds a stub out gripped by said gripper ring;
• d. a female threaded receiver surrounding said central opening, said receiver being sized to accept male threads from a plumbing fixture;
• and
• e. a base flange extending outwardly from said housing around said central opening and positioned to engage a wall around a stub out received in said central opening.