Quick-install mounting nut assembly for a single control kitchen faucet

• US 6,209,153 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Price Pfister Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emhart Inc. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Segien, Donald J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US09/570,903
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 4/675, 4/676, 4/677, 4/695, 137/359, 137/801, 285/205, 285/206, 285/207, 285/208, 285/310, 285/340, 403/322.1
• US Class Current: 4/695
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0401 Fixing a tap to the sanitary appliance or to an associated mounting surface, e.g. a countertop
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6977 Escutcheon type support

Abstract

A quick-install mounting nut assembly for connecting a shank of a faucet to a deck with the shank having an enlarged upper portion disposed above the deck and a smaller diameter lower portion extending through an opening of the deck. A strap of the assembly is loosely disposed on the lower portion of the shank to be axially raised thereon. The strap has a pair of ears formed thereon with apertures therein. A pair of clips are connected to the ears of the strap and each has an aperture therein aligned with the apertures of the ears of the strap. Each of the clips has a clamping portion biased downwardly into engagement with the lower portion of the shank. A pair of fastener members are separately disposed through the apertures of the strap and the clips and are in threaded engagement with the clips. A pair of nuts are separately disposed upon the ears of the strap to be threadedly engaged by the fastener members. The strap is axially shifted upwardly upon the shank to cause the upper end of each of the fastener members to contact the underside of the deck whereby the fastener members are tightened upwardly upon the underside of the deck to force the clamping portions of the clip downwardly to bite and come into clamping engagement with the shank and to affix the shank in assembled position with the deck.

Claims

1. A quick-install mounting nut assembly for connecting a faucet shank to a deck, with the shank having an enlarged upper portion disposed above the deck and a smaller diameter lower portion extending through an opening of the deck, the mounting nut assembly comprising:

a. a strap loosely disposed on the lower portion of the shank to be axially shiftable thereon, and having at least one ear formed thereon with an aperture therein;

b. a clip connected to the strap and having an aperture thereon aligned with the aperture of the ear of the strap;

c. the clip having a clamping portion biased downwardly into engagement with the lower portion of the shank;

d. a fastener member disposed through the apertures of the strap and the clip, and in threaded engagement with the clip;

e. a nut disposed upon the strap and threadedly engaging the fastener member; and

f. the strap axially shiftable upwardly upon the shank to cause the upper end of the fastener member to contact the underside of the deck whereby the fastener member is tightened upwardly into the deck to force the clamping portion of the clip downwardly into clamping engagement with the shank to affix the shank in assembled position to the deck.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:

a. the clip is disposed on the underside of the strap;

b. the nut is disposed on the upper side of the strap; and

c. the clamping portion of the clip is a spring member.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein:

a. a pad is disposed over the upper end of the fastener member to distribute the force over a wider area of the underside of the deck.

4. The combination claimed in claim 3 wherein:

a. a fastener member is loosened downwardly to remove contact of the pad with the deck and to unclamp the clamping portion of the clip from the shank to permit the shank to be disassembled by removal from the deck.

5. The combination claimed in claim 4 wherein:

a. a housing is disposed about the mounting nut assembly;

b. the housing has an aperture aligned with the strap and the clip apertures whereby the fastener means extends outwardly of the housing.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 wherein:

a. the strap has a pair of ears formed on opposite sides of the shank with apertures formed therein; and

b. the clip, the nut and the fastener member of the pad each are in pairs separately associated with one of the ears of the strap.

7. The combination claimed in claim 6 wherein:

a. the fastener members define thumbscrews.

8. The combination claimed in claim 6 wherein:

a. the fastener members define machine screws.