Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a sink fastening device designed to
facilitate the installation of a sink in a counter top.
One problem of such an installation is the necessity for providing
proper contact between the rim of the sink and the counter top.
The sink is normally composed of stainless steel or porcelainated
steel metal. The counter top is usually constructed of wood, plywood or similar
material. Protection must be provided against leakage of water under the sink
rim which would run beneath the normally waterproof counter top upper surface.
Prior art sink fastening devices'are rather complicated and awkward to
assemble. Canadian Patent No. 464,719 of Andrew H. Galley, issued April 25,
1950, discloses a sink fastenin~ device in which sheet metal bearing pla~es are
welded to the sides of a sink. Separable bracket members fit into these plates
and hold a clamping bolt and a nut. Turning the bolt advances it tc engage the
underside of a counter and the nut pushes down on the bracket to pull the sink
down. The brackets and bolts are attached after the sink is put in the opening
in the counter top. This structure requires a specially formed bearing plate
and bracket member and is somewhat complicated to construct.
Canadian Patent No. 815,203 of Karl K. Kaempfer, issued June 17, 1969,
discloses a sink fastening device in which base members are welded to a sink. A
bracing member is provided with a slot through which fl scrcw fits. The shaft of
the screw A].SO fits in a ll-shaped ~lot locatod on a lip l)ortiol~ o~ tho baso
member. Tightening a win~ nu~ on ~he scrow pu;lls a rlln ~lango o~ the sink down
against the counter. l'he force is not straight down, as in tho present inVOll-
tion, so that it w~u'ld tend to pul] the base member away from the sink, a
problem avoided by the present invention.
Canadian Patent No. 878,242 of Edward I. Blake, issued ~ugust 17,
]971, discloses a fastening device in which a saddle is welded to the underside
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of a sink. l~hen in use the saddle would be subject to tension forces, not shear
forces as in the present invention. The saddle has a slotted dimple to accommo-
date the head of a bolt. A clamp bar is moved up the bolt by a wing nut.
The present invention provides a sink fastening device which is of
simple construction and is easy to assemble. Also, the device is attached to
the sink prior to placing the sink in the counter and before vision is obstruc-
ted by the cabinet.
The sink fastening device comprises a fastening bracket which is
secured to the sink, a threaded bolt which is engageable with the fastening
bracket, and a metal claw adapted to move vertically along said bolt when said
bolt is rotated. The bolt is easily rotated causing the metal claw to move
vertically until the claw makes contact with the underside of a counter top.
Further rotation of the bolt causes the sink to be pulled down so that the rim
of the sink is brought into firm engagement with the colmter top.
The sink fastening device remains conveniently in the vertical plane,
perpendicular to the sink rim and the counter top, even when under considerable
stress, due to the broad, flat nature of the metal claw.
The fastening bracket is welded to the sink in the ideal location for
enabling the fastening device to exert the optimum force on the sink which has a
flexible ledge (rim). The flexible ledge allows the sink to be drawn down to
the counter top to create a very tight seal between the sinlc rim and the colmter
top, evon if tho colJntor top is not per~octly ~ t. Tho ~ovora~o of ~ho Insten-
ing device mit~ lizes thc necessary ~Irivo torque on the bolt.
The principle of the fastening device and t]lC location of the fasten-
ing bracket re.sults in the application of a tensile force to the fastening
brackot which subjects the weld to a shear force, rather than imposing a twist-
ing force on the bracket which would cause a peeling or pulling force on the
weld.
The fastening device allows for installation of a sink in counter tops
o various thickness, for example up to 2", which is important in the event of
installation in a position on the counter where there is additional support
material.
The attachment of the bolt directly to the fastening bracket facili-
tates the turning action of the bolt and avoids binding, even under considerable
stress. Fastening is facilitated because the bolt turns freely in the fastening
bracket, but the bolt cannot move up or down. This facilitates the fastening
procedure because the head of the bolt remains in essentially the same position
throughout the fastening procedure. Unfastening is equally easy.
More particularly, according to the present invention, there is
provided a sink fastening device comprising a bolt having a head and a threaded
shank, said shank having a first and second portion in between which is a
portion of reduced diameter; a fastening bracket adapted to be secured to a sink
body and having a slot which accommodates the portion of reduced diameter on
said bolt; and a clamp means comprising a metal claw screw-threadably engaged
with the shank of said bolt, whereby when the bolt is rotated in a predetermined
direction the metal claw moves vertically along said bolt until said claw makes
contact with the underside of a counter top, further rotation causing said sink
to be pulled down so that the rim o the sink is brought into firm engagement
with the counter topO
The advantages and other features of the present invention will be
more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a sink installed Oll a
counter top and showing a sink fastening device according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a vertical side view showing more clearly the details of
the sink fastening device; and
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Figures 3, 4, and 5 are perspective views showing how the bolt is
engaged with the fastening bracket.
Reference should first be made to Figure 1 in which 10 illustrates a
portion of a sink and 11 illustrates a portion of a counter top. A flexible
ledge (rim) 12 on the sink 10 allows the sink to be drawn down to the counter
top 11 to create a very tight seal between the sink rim and the counter top,
even if the counter top is not perfectly flat.
The fastening device comprises a fastening bracket 13, a bolt 14, and
a metal claw 15.
The bolt 14 comprises a head 18, and a threaded shank having a top
portion 21 and a lower portion 19, in between which is a portion of reduced
diameter 20.
The fastening bracket 13 is welded to the sink body at 16 e.g. by
spot welds (not shown). The bracket 13 has a slot 17 which acconmodates the
portion of reduced diameter 20 on the bolt 14. More details on the fitting of
the bolt 14 into the slot 17 will be provided when Figures 3 to 5 are discussed.
Fastening is accomplished through the use of the metal claw 15 having
teeth 22 at one end and a threaded hole 23 at the other. The threaded hole 23
is screw-threadably engaged with the lower portion 19 of the threaded shank.
The metal claw 15 is a broad, flat piece of metal that is bent a total of 90
between the hole 23 and the tecth 22.
~ ur~ 2 shows mor~ .ll~arly ~ho ~ boncl o:f tl)o mol:al claw 15 botwocn
the threadcd hole 23 and thc tceth 22. Ihe motal claw L5 has two bends 24 alld
25 of about 45 each in order to achieve a total bcnd of 90.
~s thc bo1t 14 (w:;th its portion of reduced diameter 20 in the slot 17
of the fastening brackot 13) is turned in a predetermined direction, e g. clock-
wise~ the claw 15 travels upwards to make contact with the underside of a
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counter top 1I to ensure firm engagement of the sink rim 12 with the counter
top 11. The head 18 of the bolt is preferably designed to accommodate either a
socket driver, a flat screwdriver, or a Robertson screwdriver.
Reference should now be made to Figures 3, 4, and 5 for a more
detailed discussion of how the bolt 14 fits into the bracket 13. The fastening
bracket 13 comprises a back portion 31 and a hollow rectangular portion 30 that
is as wide as the back portion 31, said hollow rectangular portion 30 extending
outwardly from the bottom part of the back portion 31. The hollow rectangular
portion 30 comprises an upper surface 32, a lower surface 33, and a front
surface 34.
The slot 17 which accommodates the portion of reduced diameter 20 of
the bolt 14 comprises an enlarged portion 35 on the centre of the upper surface
32 which is slightly wider than the diameter of the bolt 14 and slightly longer
than the length of the top portion 21 of the bolt 14, a vertical portion 36 on
the centre of the frollt surface 34 which extends along the entire height of the
front surface 34 and is slightly wider than the portion of reduced diameter 20
on the bolt 14, and a portion 37 on the centre of the lower surface 33 which
extends inwardly from the front surface to a depth that will enable the bolt to
rest in a vertical position and is slightly wider than the portion of reduced
diameter 20 on the bolt 14.
The slot 17 in the rect~mgular portion ~0 allows t.h~ port:ion ol
reduced diamoter 20 to ontQr ~,and l-o renlove~l~ only frolll tllO tOI~ ~Ind Ollly Whell
the bolt l~ :i.s hor.izolltll:l, as SIlOWII in l~iguros 3 ~md 4. Wllon tllO bo:lt :i.s swung
from a horizontal position as in ~igure 4 to a vertica~ oslt:ion as in l~;.gure 5,
it is restrictcd against vertical movement by cngagement with the sides of tho
port.i.on 37 of slot 17. I-lowever, tho bolt is still frec to turn around :its
centre line.
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As the bolt 1~ is turned in a pre-determined direction, e.g. clock-
wise, the metal claw 15 travels vertically upwards until the teeth 22 make
contact with the counter top 11 and further turning draws the sink rim 12 down
into firm engagement with counter 11. Thus, a tight fit between the sink and
counter top is attained and because the bolt 14 remains in a vertical position,
the welds joining the fastening bracket 13 to the sink 10 are subject to a shear
force only, and will therefore have less tendency to break than if subjected to
tension forces.
The fastening bracket 13 can be formed by stamping or cutting the slot
17 in a flat piece of metal and then bending the metal to the shape shown in
the drawings. If required to provide strength, the flat portion 50 (Figure 5)
may be welded to the back portion 51.
