GB2156671A - Shower fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

One end (13) of elongate body (11) has a clamp 19 to enable the fitting to be secured to a mounting e.g. a rail which is, in use, attached to a support surface. The other end of the body (11) has a complementary shower head mounting to enable a shower head to be secured either to the mounting on the support surface, or to the fitting which is in turn attached to the mounting instead of a clamp and rail arrangement shown the two ends of the fitting may have a spigot and socket respectively to suit a complementary shower head and mounting. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Domestic shower fitting This invention relates to a domestic shower fitting.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a shower fitting comprising an elongate body, one end of the body means having to enable the fitting to be secured to a shower head mounting which is, in use, attached to a support surface, the other end of the body having a shower head mounting to enable a shower head to be secured to the fitting rather than to the shower head mounting on the support surface.

It is known to provide an adjustable shower head mounting attached to a support surface, such as a wall or ceiling, or a mounting to enable the shower head to be secured in different orientations, but in each case the proximity of the shower head relative to the support surface is fixed. Hence a shower user has to stand (or sit) adjacent the shower head mounting attached to the support surface. The water which issues from the shower head, in use, can in known shower installations be angled so as to present a flow of water over the user, but it is not always possible for the user to place himself directly underneath the flow of water.

A fitting according to the present invention overcomes this problem and enables the position of the shower head to be removed from the fixed position on the support surface.

Particularly where the support surface is a wall, this enables the shower head to be mounted away from the wall so that a user can stand (or sit) immediately beneath the shower head and receive the maximum flow of water therefrom.

Two main types of shower head mountings are known. First, shower head mountings which comprise a rail, usually vertically mounted on the support surface, the shower head having a clamp means to enable the head to be moved along the rail and secured in any desired longitudinal position thereon.

Thus these allow for vertical adjustability of the shower head.

In a fitting in accordance with the present invention, said one end of the body may have a clamp means or the like to enable the fitting to be secured to the rail. The fitting may at its other end itself comprise a rail part to which clamp means of the shower head can be secured.

Secondly, shower head mountings are known which comprise a boss having one or more apertures therein to receive a spigot provided on the end of the shower head.

Accordingly, a fitting in accordance with the present invention may have at said one end, a spigot to be received in the, or one of the apertures on the shower head mounting attached to the support surface, whilst the other end of the fitting may provide one or more apertures to receive the spigot of the shower head.

If desired, the body of the shower fitting may comprise a one-piece rigid constructon which may be cut to a desired length, or may comprise a telescopic body to enable the length thereof to be telescopically adjusted. If desired the means on said one end of the body may permit pivotal movement of the fitting about an axis transverse relative to the axis of its elongate body to provide added flexibility, and/or if desired the shower head mounting on the other end of the body may include means to enable pivoting of the shower head at that end, if the shower head does not itself have means to enable such pivoting.

According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a shower installation comprising a shower head, a hose connecting the shower head to a water supply, a shower head mounting attached to a support surface of the installation, a fitting in accordance with the first aspect of the invention mounted in the shower head mounting attached to the support surface, and the shower head being secured to a shower head mounting at the other end of the fitting.

If necessary, the hose may be clipped to the body of the fitting by clip means which may be integral with the body of the fitting, or comprise a separate component or components relative thereto.

The invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a shower fitting in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation of the fitting of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the fitting of Figs.

1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, a shower head fitting 10 comprises an elongate body 11 which, in the present example, comprises a tubular member having a central axis 1 2.

At one end 1 3 of the body 11 which is closed by a closure cap 1 3a, there is provided a clamp means attached to the tube to enable the fitting 10 to be secured to a conventional rail attached to the support surface of a shower installation.

The clamp means comprises a first cooperating formation 1 4 which is attached to the tube 11 by welding or otherwise, which formation comprises a planar base part 1 5 and a curved portion 16, and a second cooperating formation 1 7 which also has a planar base part 18 and a curved portion 19.

Each of the planar parts 1 5 and 1 8 have an aperture 1 9 and 20 respectively therethrough, at least the aperture 1 9 being internally threaded to receive a complementarily threaded shank 25 of a locking key 26.

Thus, by tightening the key 26, the two planar parts 1 5 and 1 8 are urged towards one another.

It can be seen that the curved portions 1 6 and 1 9 of the formations 14 and 1 7 each present an internal curved surface 26, 27 respectively of a radius corresponding to the external radius of the rail to which the clamp means is to be secured.

Thus, when the rail is received between the curved portions 1 6 and 19, the fitting may be slid along the rail to any desired longitudinal position and locked thereto by tightening of the locking key 26.

The other end 27 of the tube 11 is also closed by means of a closure cap 30 to present a neat end appearance.

The diameter of the tube 11 corresponds to the diameter of the curved portions 1 6 and 1 9. It will be appreciated that a shower head normally has a clamp means similar to that at the one end 1 3 of the body 11, to enable the shower head to be attached to the rail.

Accordingly, this clamp means of the shower head may be engaged on the other end 27 of the body 11 at any desired position along the body and secured thereto by tightening the clamp means of the shower head.

The body 11 may be made telescopic if required so that the distance of the shower head from the support surface to which the fitting 10 is secured, can be varied, although if desired, the body 11 can be merely cut to length and the end fitting 30 placed in the end of the tube. However, in the embodiment described, the position of the shower head fitting is adjustable along the length of the body by virtue of the clamp means of the shower head and thus cutting to size would not be required.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown), in place of a rail shower head mounting attached to a support surface, a boss having three rectangular shaped apertures is provided and the shower head has a spigot arranged to be received in any one of the apertures, depending upon the angle required.

Hence the fitting 10 may have at said one end 1 3 in place of the clamp means described, a spigot arranged to be received in one of the apertures of the boss. In this event, the other end 27 of the fitting 10 would be provided with a rectangular aperture or apertures of corresponding size to those provided in the boss, to enable the shower head to be secured to the other end 27 of the fitting. In this event, the body 11 need not be tubular, but could be of any desired configuration.

Any other type of mounting means may be provided on the fitting to receive the shower head as appropriate, and any desired means for securing the fitting to a shower head mounting attached to a support surface may also be provided.

Thus the fitting described permits extension of the shower head from the support surface.

Particularly in the embodiment described with reference to the drawings, where the mounting means is a rail, it will be appreciated that the body of the fitting 11 can be pivoted about an axis perpendicular to the axis 1 2 thereof and secured in any desired angular position. Further, the shower head can be pivoted about axis 1 2 of the body 11 to any desired position by virtue of its clamp means.

The body 11 may be made from metal or plastics as required, and the clamp means and mounting means may be provided in metal or plastics, although it is envisaged for the entire fitting 10 to be made in a plastics material so that different colours may easily be produced to suit different bathroom suites.

Claims (11)

1. A shower fitting comprising an elongate body, one end of the body having means to enable the fitting to be secured to a shower head mounting which is, in use, attached to a support surface, the other end of the body having a shower head mounting to enable a shower head to be secured to the fitting rather than to the shower head mounting on the support surface.

2. A fitting according to Claim 1 wherein said one end of the body has a clamp means to enable the fitting to be secured to a rail.

3. A fitting according to Claim 2 wherein the fitting, at its other end, comprises a rail part to which clamp means of the shower head can be secured.

4. A fitting according to Claim 1 wherein the fitting, at said one end, has a spigot to be received in the, or one of the apertures of a shower head mounting attached to the support surface, the other end of the fitting providing one or more apertures to receive a spigot of the shower head

5. A fitting according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the body of the shower fitting comprises a one-piece rigid construction cut to a desired length.

6. A fitting according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the body of the fitting comprises a telescopic body to enable the length thereof to be telescopically adjusted.

7. A fitting according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein means are provided on said one end of the body to permit pivotal movement of the fitting about an axis transverse relative to the axis of its elongate body.

8. A fitting according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the shower head mounting on the other end of the body includes means to enable pivoting of the shower head at that end.

9. A fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 0. A shower installation comprising a shower head, a hose connecting the shower head to a water supply, a shower head mounting attached to a support surface of the installation, a fitting in accordance with any one of the preceding claims mounted in the shower head mounting attached to the support surface, and the shower head being secured to a shower head mounting at the other end of the fitting.

11. An installation according to Claim 10 wherein the hose is clipped to the body of the fitting by clip means.