Flexible-Wet-Floor Drain Having Tiling Adaptor

Abstract

A flexible-wet-floor waste for engagement with flexible waterproof floor covering material, comprises a waste body, a waste-water inlet ( 28 ) for the passage of waste water into the waste body, a waste-water outlet for connection of the waste body to a drain, means ( 30, 32 ) for engaging flexible waterproof floor covering material with the waste, and a tiling adaptor ( 10 ). The tiling adaptor ( 10 ) includes an adaptor body ( 12 ) having an upper surface ( 18 ) with a perimeter edge ( 24 ) for lying flush or substantially flush with an upper surface of adjacent or abutting tiles, an aperture ( 14 ) formed in the adaptor body ( 12 ) for liquid communication with the waste-water inlet ( 28 ), and means ( 32, 38, 42 ) for directly or indirectly engaging the body ( 12 ) of the tiling adaptor ( 10 ) with the waste body. A single kind of waste can thus be used with both tiles and flexible waterproof floor covering material.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A flexible-wet-floor waste which is engagable with flexible waterproof floor covering material, the flexible-wet-floor waste comprising a waste body, a waste-water inlet through which waste water can pass into the waste body, a waste-water outlet by which the waste body is connectable to a drain, floor covering material engaging means for engaging flexible waterproof floor covering material with the waste, and a tiling adaptor including an adaptor body having an upper surface with a perimeter edge which can lie flush or substantially flush with an upper surface of adjacent or abutting tiles, an aperture formed in the adaptor body which is liquidly communicable with the waste-water inlet, and adaptor engaging means for directly or indirectly engaging the body of the tiling adaptor with the waste body, wherein the adaptor engaging means is or is included as part of the flexible waterproof floor covering material engaging means. 
     
     
         18 . A flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the adaptor engaging means includes a clamp element for clamping the tiling adaptor to the waste body. 
     
     
         19 . A flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the aperture of the tiling adaptor includes a stepped bore defining a clamping surface for receiving the clamp element. 
     
     
         20 . A flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the adaptor engaging means includes one or more screw-threaded fastening devices for directly or indirectly fastening the adaptor to the waste body. 
     
     
         21 . A flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the upper surface of the adaptor body slopes downwardly from the perimeter edge to the aperture. 
     
     
         22 . A flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising a flange which extends from a lower perimeter edge of the adaptor body. 
     
     
         23 . A flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the flange is discontinuous. 
     
     
         24 . A method of installing a flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 17 , the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing the waste body of the flexible-wet-floor waste in a shower area;   b) positioning the tiling adaptor on the waste body; and   c) securing the tiling adaptor to the waste body via the adaptor engaging means.   
     
     
         25 . A method as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the flexible-wet-floor waste includes a clamp element which can clamp flexible waterproof floor covering material to the waste body, the tiling adaptor being secured to the waste body in step (c) by the clamp element. 
     
     
         26 . A method as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein, in step (a), the flexible-wet-floor waste is provided in or on a wet floor former. 
     
     
         27 . A method as claimed in  claim 24 , further comprising a step (d), subsequent to step (c), of tiling the area surrounding the tiling adaptor so that a perimeter edge of an upper surface of the tiling adaptor lies flush or substantially flush with adjacent or abutting tiles. 
     
     
         28 . A method of selectively installing a tiled floor surface or a flexible waterproof floor covering material on a shower area using a flexible-wet-floor waste as claimed in  claim 17 , the method comprising the steps of:
 a) locating the flexible-wet-floor waste in a shower area;   b) selecting whether tiles or a flexible waterproof floor covering material will cover the area surrounding the flexible-wet-floor waste; and   c) when tiles are selected, securing the tiling adaptor to the waste body of the flexible-wet-floor waste and then tiling the said surrounding area, or when the flexible waterproof floor covering material is selected, laying the flexible waterproof floor covering material over the said area and securing it to the waste body using the flexible waterproof floor covering engaging means,   so that a single kind of waste can be used with both tiles and flexible waterproof floor covering material.   
     
     
         29 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein, in step (a), a wet floor former is provided on the shower area and the flexible-wet-floor waste is located in or on the wet floor former. 
     
     
         30 . A method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein, in step (c), the tiling adaptor is secured to the waste body via a clamp element. 
     
     
         31 . A tiling adaptor for use with a wet floor waste as claimed in  claim 17 , the tiling adaptor comprising a body having an in use upper surface with a perimeter edge which can lie flush or substantially flush with an in use upper surface of adjacent or abutting tiles, an aperture formed in the body for waste water to pass into the wet floor waste, and means for directly or indirectly engaging the body of the tiling adaptor with the wet floor waste.