Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a one piece toilet
tank gasket for use under the tank bottom wall. It
also functions to provide washer surEaces inside the
tank and cushionary bumpers between the tan~ bottom
5 and bowl extension.
In assembling a toilet tank to a toilet bowl
in a "two piece" type toilet, the tank bottom wall
usually rests on a rearward extension from the bowl.
It is then necessary to employ several fastening and
10 sealing components to connect the outlet of the tank
to the inlet of the toilet extension, and also to
secure the toilet tank to the toilet bowl. Usually,
several bolt holes are formed in the tank bottom wall
and bowl extension upper wall. Bolts then extend
15 through these holes. To prevent leakage, a washer is
then required in the tank (under the bolt head). Also,
a gasket is raquired under the tank bottom wall to
seal between the tank bottom wall and the extension.
In addition, cushionary bumpers are usually inserted
20 around each bolt (between the tank and bowl extension).
This results in the use of numerous component
parts which can be easily misplaced or discarded, and
a time consuming and somewhat complex assembly. While
the bumpers have on occasion been formed integrally
25 with the gasket, these parts were all for placement
outside of the tank, and separate washers still ha~ to
be used even with the improved construction.
The object of the present invention is to
provide an improved gasket for sealing engagement be
30 tween a bottom surface of a toilet tank and an upper
surface of a toilet bowl extension.
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The present invention provides a one-piece gasket
for sealin~ engagement between a bottom surface of a toilet
tank that has a tank outlet opening therethrough, and an
upper sur~ace of a toilet bowl extension that has an inlet
opening therethrough, said gasket being suitable for use
when the tank and bowl extension are secured together by a
fastener extending through fastener holes in the tank bottom
and extension top, comprising a resilient gasket wall having
an opening therethrough that is alignable with the tank out- .
let and extension inlet, said gasket wall having a sealing
portion around said gasket opening that is suitable to be
sandwiched by the tank bottom and bowl extension top; a
connector integrally attached to said gasket wall and extend-
ing upward therefrom, said gasket wall defining between said
connector and said sealing portion a flexible narrowed
hinging flange portion, said gasket wall extending directly
from said sealing portion to said connector to provide a
triangular connecting web, said connecting web surrounding
said connector along those portions of the connector facing
said sealing portion, a triangular portion of the web being
opposite the portion of said connector which is disposed away
from said sealing portion, said connector having an axial
fastener through bore and also having an enlarged integral
washer head adjacent to its upper end, said washer head hav-
ing a sloped top portion and being spaced from said gasketwall, said washer head constructed and arranged to be able to
be compression fitted through a tank bottom fastener.hole;
whereby said axial through bore may be aligned with a tank
fastener hole when the gasket wall opening has been aligned
as aforesaid, and the washer head ma~ be positioned at the :..
side of the fastener hole opposite said gasket wall to form a
washer in the tank when the gasket wall is still outside the
tank; and wherein a thickened resilient bumper section is
formed integrally with the gasket wall so as to be suitable to
surround a portion of the fastener hole under the tank, so as
to provide a cushion between the tank and the extension.
Preferably, the washer head is of a frusto-conical
~ configuration.
,
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In addition, the sealing portion may comprise a
depending lower ring suitable to surround the gasket wall
opening and an upper washer ledge.
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In the drawings:
Figure 1 is an exploded assembly view, with
a part of a tank broken away, illustrating -the gasket
of this invention during assembly between a toilet
5 tank and a toilet bowl.
Figure 2 is an enlarged partial view in
vertical section showing the toilet tank gasket as-
sembled between the toilet tank and the toilet bowl.
Figure 3 is another enlarged partial sectional
10 view of just -the toilet tank gasket of this invention.
Figure ~ is a bottom plan view of the gasket
illus~rated in the previous figures.
Proceeding to a detailed description of the
toilet tank gasket of this invention (generally 10),
15 and particularly a description of Figure 1, the gasket
10 is shown positioned between a standard toilet tank
11 and a standard toilet bowl extension 12. The
toilet tank 11 will have the usual fastener openings 13
for the passage of the bolts 14 therethrough. A
20 central opening 15 is also provided through the bottom
wall 16 for the reception of a lower portion of the
flush valve 18.
The usual inlet pipe 41 provides a source of
water to the flush valve 18.
The one piece toilet tank gasket 10 includes
a substantially flat gasket wall portion 19 in which is
formed an opening 20 for orientation with the opening
15 in the toilet tank 11. The w211 19 has opposing
sides 21 and 22 with a central depending sealing ring
30 23 extending from the lower side 22 and including an
annular lip member 33 surrounding an annular washer
ledge 34. This is bets seen in conjunction with Fig-
ures 2, 3 and 4.
A separate and optional friction washer 24 can
35 be accommodated within the lip member 33 of ring 23,
and will be held therein by the flànge 26 of the val~e
nut 25. The usual opening 27 is provided in the toilet
bowl extension 12 into which will be positioned the
lower portion 17 of the ~lush valve 18. The usual
fastener openings 28 are also provided in the flange
5 section 39 of the toilet bowl extension 12 for the
reception of the bolts 14 to which will be attached
the nuts 29.
Referring specifically to the toilet tank
gasket 10, it will be seen that there are three mushroom-
10 like connector members 30 which extend upwardly fromthe wall 19. Each will have a frusto-conical washer
head end portion 31 at one end with the small diameter
portion disposed at the upper end. There is also
for each a spacing bumper element 32 at the lower end.
15 The connectors also have axial through bores 32A.
Referring specifically to Figure 4, it will
be noted that the wall 19 as it extends from the lip
member 33 provides three flat walled flange portions
35, 36 and 37. In this particular geometric configura-
20 tion the connectors 30 are positioned at the apexes
of these portions. It will be particularly noted that
the flange portions 35, 36 and 37 provide an overall
geometric configuration in the form of an isosceles
triangle.
A better understanding of the advantages of
the toilet tank gasket 10 of this invention will be
had be a description of its assembly. ReEerring to
Figures 1 and 2 specifically, the gasket 10 will be
orientated with respect to the toilet tank 11 in
30 a manner shown in Figure 1. This will be with theopenings 32A orientated with the openings 13 of the
toilet tank 11 member and 28 of the bowl extension,
and the opening 20 of the gasket 10 aligned with the
openings 15 of the toilet tank and 27 of the bowl ex-
35 tension.
The frusto-conical member portions 31 of
the washer heads will be force fitted through the
openings 13 until they will snap in place (they are
thus expansion fitted therein by car~ming therethrough).
They then are inside the bottom tank wall 16 as in-
dicated in Fic~ure 2. But in this position the gasket
5 will be held in place under the tank in proper auto-
matic alignment with the threaded portion 17.
The next step in assembly is the placement
of the friction washer 24 against the inner washer
ledge 34 and screwing the valve nut 25 onto the threaded
10 portion 17 so as to sandwich the friction washer 24 as
well as the washer ledge 34 against the outside of the
bottom wall 16 of the toilet tank. With the gas~et
member 10 positioned with respect to -the toilet tank
11 and the flush valve 18 also secured thereto, the
15 next assembly step is the a~tachment to the toilet
bowl extension 12. This will be effected by locating
the toilet tank 11 so that the openings 13 are orien-
tated with the openings 28 of the toilet bowl extension
12 as well as with the connectors 30. When this is
20 effected, the bolts 14 will be placed therethrough in a
manner indicated in Figure 2, and the nuts 29 attached
so that they-will contact the under surface of the
flange 39 of the toilet bowl extension.
It will be specifically noted in conjunction
25 with Figure 2 that the flange 39 of the toilet bowl 12
has a curved surface 38 for better contact with the
ring lip 33 of the gasket member 10. Also as best
seen in Figure 2, as the nuts 29 are fastened onto
the bolts 14 the heads 40 of the bolts will compress
30 the frusto-conical portions 31 of the sealing members 30
so -that they assume a more perfect mushroom-type con-
figuration. Further, it will be noted that the spacing
members 32 will provide the proper spacing and cushion-
ing of the flange 39 of the toilet bowl extension 12 from
35 the bottom wall 16 of the toilet tank 11.
It will thus be seen that an important feature
of the gasket member 10 of this inven-tion is its ease
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of assembly. Separate washer parts are eliminated and
proper alignment of all parts is quickly achieved.
Further, since only a single large gasket element is
used, loss of small washers does not occur nor does
5 failure to include washers during assembly occur.
Also, less plumbing skill is required to use this
gasket, and a handyman at home is therefore more
likely not to need to hire a skilled plumber when
installing a toilet.
Rubber is the preferred material for the
gasket, but other materials may also suffice i~ they
have appropriate sealing and compression character-
istics. Also, while three connectors have been illus-
strated for use with the gasket member, any number of
15 such connectors could be utilized, depending upon the
number of threaded fastening elements required. Fur-
ther, the washer ends of the connectors have been
illustrated as being frusto-conical in configuration.
Many other enlargements forming the washer heads (e.g.,
20 spheres) could as effectively be utilized to provide
the expansion fit. Also, while a integral unit made of
a single material is shown, separately made parts could
be assembled into one piece unit, yet follow the
present design.
~5 Thus, while a preferred embodiment has been
described above, it is readily apparent to those
skilled in the art that a number of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention.
