Mounting device for a garbage disposal

• US 7,185,408 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Louise R. Keith
• Original Assignee: Louise R. Keith
• Inventors: Keith, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson; Lee D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant; Alvin J
• Application Number:
  US11/135,087
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 292/29, 292/25, 292/68, 294/50, 294/51
• US Class Current: 29/229
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/266 Arrangement of disintegrating apparatus in waste pipes or outlets; Disintegrating apparatus specially adapted for installation in waste pipes or outlets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53613 Spring applier or remover
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5363 Circular spring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/539 Plier type means

Abstract

A tool for installing a garbage disposal to a sink flange extending below a sink includes a keeper and a platform. The keeper includes a head portion for engaging the sink flange above the sink and a leg portion extending along the sink axis through the sink flange. The platform carrying disposal mounting rings is releasably engaged with the leg portion below the sink to position it adjacent to and aligned with the end of the sink flange body. A snap ring is biased from the platform onto the flange body and into the annular groove in the flange body to trap the back-up ring and mounting ring on the flange body below the sink. The platform is disengaged from the leg portion and the tool is removed so that the disposal may be secured to the mounting ring in a known manner.

Claims

1. A tool for mounting a snap ring to a sink flange for supporting a garbage disposal below a sink, said sink having a top surface, a bottom surface and a sink drain opening having a central axis and extending between said surfaces, said sink flange having a flange lip supported by said top surface about said sink drain opening and a flange body having a cylindrical shape for extending coaxially through the drain opening to a lower end having an annular groove for receiving said snap ring, said tool comprising:

a) a keeper for temporarily securing a platform adjacent said flange body lower end below said sink bottom surface,

b) said keeper including a head portion for engaging said sink flange adjacent said top surface of said sink and a leg portion extending from said head portion through said flange body for engagement with said platform,

c) said platform including loading means, biasing means and a connector,

d) said loading means being arranged to hold said snap ring in an expanded condition for insertion in said annular groove,

e) said biasing means being operable to displace said snap ring from said loading means into said annular groove,

f) said connector being operable to releasably connect said platform to said leg portion whereby said head portion temporarily secures said platform adjacent to and axially aligned with said lower end of said flange body for axial movement of said snap ring into said annular groove upon operation of said biasing means.

2. A tool as in claim 1, wherein said garbage disposal is supported by a ring assembly adapted to receive and surround said flange body and to be retained on said flange body by insertion of said snap ring in said annular groove, said platform also including ring assembly mounting means for supporting said ring assembly on said platform and surrounding said flange body until said snap ring is inserted in said annular groove.

3. A tool as in claim 2, wherein said mounting ring assembly includes a back-up ring and a support mounting ring that fit about said flange body.

4. A tool as in claim 3, wherein said back-up ring and mounting ring are separate components nested together and supported on said ring assembly mounting means radially outward of said snap ring.

5. A tool as in claim 2, wherein said biasing means includes a slide member for axially pushing said snap ring from said loading means into said annular groove.

6. A tool as in claim 5, wherein said slide member includes a plurality of pins for axially pushing said snap ring into said annular groove.

7. A tool as in claim 6, wherein said slide member is mounted to said platform and resiliently retained in a normal position with said pins in a retracted position.

8. A tool as in claim 7, wherein said loading means comprises an annular shoulder provided by said platform, said shoulder having an axially extending wall connected to a radially extending wall, said snap ring being mounted on said shoulder in said expanded condition and said pins passing through said radially extending wall to bias said snap ring axially off said shoulder and into said annular groove.

9. A tool as in claim 8, wherein said flange body has an outside body diameter, and said axially extending wall of said shoulder has a diameter greater than the outside body diameter of said flange body to facilitate movement of said snap ring from said shoulder onto said flange body and into said annular groove.

10. A tool as in claim 8, wherein said platform also includes a latch movable to an extended snap ring mounting position to trap an annular portion of said snap ring against said annular shoulder as the remaining portion of said snap ring is expanded and positioned around said annular shoulder, and, after positioning said snap ring on said annular shoulder, said latch is movable to a retracted position clear of said snap ring and annular shoulder.

11. A tool as in claim 5, wherein said platform has a opening for receiving said leg portion of said keeper and said connector comprises a locking bar having a bar opening through which said leg portion extends, said locking bar being movable between an unlocked position in which said leg portion moves freely through said bar opening and a locked position angularly intersecting said leg portion to frictionally secure the leg portion within said bar opening.

12. A tool has in claim 11, wherein said locking bar is mounted to said platform for pivotal movement and resiliently biased to said locked position.

13. A tool as in claim 11, wherein said locking bar has a proximal end secured to said platform and a distal end pivotably movable between said locked and unlocked positions, said distal end extending to the lateral extent of the platform to facilitate manual pivotal movement of the bar.

14. A tool for mounting a support ring assembly with a snap ring to a sink flange for supporting a garbage disposal below a sink, said sink having a top surface, a bottom surface and a sink drain opening having a central axis and extending between said surfaces, said sink flange having a flange lip supported by said top surface about said sink drain opening and a flange body having a cylindrical shape for extending coaxially through the drain opening to a lower end having an annular groove for receiving said snap ring, said tool comprising:

a) a keeper for temporarily securing a platform adjacent said flange body lower end below said sink bottom surface,

b) said keeper including a head portion for engaging said sink flange adjacent said top surface of said sink and a leg portion extending from said head portion through said flange body for engagement with said platform,

c) said platform including a central platform opening for receiving said leg portion, an annular loading shoulder, a snap ring biasing member, a ring assembly mount and a connector for engaging said leg portion,

d) said annular loading shoulder having an axially extending wall connected to a radially extending wall, said snap ring being mounted on said shoulder in an expanded condition for insertion in said annular groove,

e) said snap ring biasing member being operable from a normally retracted position to an extended position to displace said snap ring from said shoulder into said annular groove,

f) said support ring assembly mount comprising angularly spaced members for engaging and supporting said ring assembly on said platform as the ring assembly is positioned about said flange body and secured in position by inserting said snap ring in said annular groove, and

g) said connector including a connector opening for receiving and releasably engaging said leg portion whereby said keeper temporarily secures said platform adjacent to and axially aligned with said lower end of said flange body for axial movement of said snap ring into said annular groove upon operation of said biasing member.

15. A tool as in claim 14, wherein said snap ring biasing member comprises a slide bar having a slide bar opening through which said leg portion passes during sliding movement of said slide bar, a plurality of pins extending from said slide bar through said platform to push said snap ring from said loading shoulder and into said annular groove.

16. A tool as in claim 15, wherein said connector comprises a locking bar including said connector opening through which said leg portion extends, said locking bar being movable between an unlocked position in which said leg portion moves freely through said connector opening and a locked position angularly intersecting said leg portion to frictionally secure the leg portion within said connector opening.

17. A tool as in claim 16, wherein said leg portion extends through said central platform opening, said slide bar opening and said connector opening to a free end that may be manually grasped to fix the position of said keeper and sink flange as said slide bar is moved to push said snap ring from said loading shoulder and into said annular groove.

18. A tool as in claim 17, wherein said slide bar and said locking bar are mounted on a said platform of said platform remote of said annular loading shoulder.