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US 7,191,794 B2Granted
Mixing valve mounting assembly
AssigneeJames Bruno
InventorB. Eugene Hodges
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly for mounting a tub/shower mixing valve onto a fiberglass shower stall wall. The assembly comprises a valve mounting sleeve and a locking plate that helps secure the mounting sleeve to the shower stall wall. Alternatively, the mounting sleeve may be secured to the shower stall wall by bolts threadably connected to the mounting sleeve.
Claims13
The combination of a mixing valve, mounting assembly and shower stall wall, the mounting assembly comprising:
- a) a mounting sleeve having an annular ring portion, a plurality of flexible locking legs extending forward from the periphery of the annular ring for insertion into and engagement with said shower stall wall, each leg having one-way ratchet means for holding a locking plate against a backside of said shower stall wall and terminating in a radially outwardly extending flange, and a plurality of rearward extending hook portions positioned to capture pipes connected to the mixing valve, and
- b) a substantially planar locking plate having radially extending sections that abut the backside of said shower stall wall when said locking plate is held against the backside of the shower stall wall by said one-way ratchet means.
The combination of a mixing valve, mounting assembly and shower stall wall, the mounting assembly comprising:
- a) a cylindrical mounting sleeve having a plurality of flexible forwardly-extending locking legs, each of said locking legs being adapted to pass through and engage said opening and terminating in an outward-extending radial flange for overlying and gripping a front side of said shower stall wall,
- b) a substantially planar circular locking plate captured within said cylindrical mounting sleeve and having a central opening for receiving said mixing valve, said locking plate having a plurality of radially extending arc segments parallel to the backside of said shower stall wall and larger than said opening and cut-out sections for slidably receiving each of said locking legs,
- c) ratchet means on each locking leg for engaging a corresponding cut-out section of said locking plate for allowing one-way movement of said locking plate toward said shower stall wall, and
- d) said mounting sleeve having a plurality of rearward-extending hook elements for engaging, capturing and retaining supply pipes connected to said mixing valve.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.