US3910550A — Drain plug assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 319 words

A drain plug assembly for connection to a fluid container comprising: an embossment forming a recess in a wall surface of the said container, said recess including a base and a continuous sidewall having a predetermined height, an aperture formed in said base, a body member having a pair of spaced apart portions joined together at one end thereof and slot means extending from adjacent said one end to the other end of said spaced apart portions, first shoulder means formed on said spaced apart portions intermediate the ends thereof, second shoulder means formed at said other end of said spaced apart portions and cooperable with said first shoulder means to firmly hold said body portion within said aperture formed in said embossment and with said second shoulder means having an axial extent equal to or less than said predetermined height to maintain said second shoulder means totally within said recess and below the wall surface of said container, said spaced apart portions adapted for resilient movement toward one another during insertion of said body member into said aperture, a stem member having an elongated shaft to be inserted into said body member between said spaced apart portions, fastener means formed on said elongated shaft and in said body member to provide a locking action therebetween when said stem member is tightened to said body member, a head portion formed at an exterior end of said elongated shaft, said head portion providing an area radially outwardly of said shaft to completely overlie said apertured recess and engage the wall surface about said recess to form a seal thereabout when said stem member is tightened to said body member, whereby untightening of said stem from said body member will disengage said head portion from the wall surface about said recess and fluid from within said container will flow from between said slot means of said body member and said shaft.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 319 words

A drain plug assembly for connection to a fluid container comprising: an embossment forming a recess in a wall surface of the said container, said recess including a base and a continuous sidewall having a predetermined height, an aperture formed in said base, a body member having a pair of spaced apart portions joined together at one end thereof and slot means extending from adjacent said one end to the other end of said spaced apart portions, first shoulder means formed on said spaced apart portions intermediate the ends thereof, second shoulder means formed at said other end of said spaced apart portions and cooperable with said first shoulder means to firmly hold said body portion within said aperture formed in said embossment and with said second shoulder means having an axial extent equal to or less than said predetermined height to maintain said second shoulder means totally within said recess and below the wall surface of said container, said spaced apart portions adapted for resilient movement toward one another during insertion of said body member into said aperture, a stem member having an elongated shaft to be inserted into said body member between said spaced apart portions, fastener means formed on said elongated shaft and in said body member to provide a locking action therebetween when said stem member is tightened to said body member, a head portion formed at an exterior end of said elongated shaft, said head portion providing an area radially outwardly of said shaft to completely overlie said apertured recess and engage the wall surface about said recess to form a seal thereabout when said stem member is tightened to said body member, whereby untightening of said stem from said body member will disengage said head portion from the wall surface about said recess and fluid from within said container will flow from between said slot means of said body member and said shaft.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said head portion includes a resilient seal element positioned about said shaft to provide a seal between said head portion and the wall surface about said recess.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 81 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 2, wherein said resilient seal is a washer-like member having an aperture to receive said shaft, and a plurality of ribs formed on said shaft adjacent said head portion to provide minimum contact area between said shaft and said washer-like member, whereby said washer-like member will remain substantially stationary when in contact with said wall surface during tightening of said stem member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 69 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid contained as set forth in claim 3, said plurality of ribs defining a plurality of voids between adjacent ribs, said voids having a volume sufficient to accept the volume of said washer-like member which is readily expanded into said voids when the washer-like member is compressed between the wall of said fluid container and said head.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 108 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced aPart portions are joined together with a predetermined thickness of material, a slot formed within said shaft at the end opposite said head portion, transversely outwardly directed shoulder means formed on said shaft adjacent said slot, an opening formed within said body through the material joining said spaced apart portions together, said shoulders of said shaft being urged through said opening during assembly of said drain plug, and said shoulders on said shaft retaining said stem member within said body member when they are loosened.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 58 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 5, wherein female threads are formed in said opening and male threads are formed on said shaft so that said member is threadedly tightened toward said body member to urge said head portion against the wall adjacent said aperture.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 80 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of fluid container as set forth in claim 6, wherein said material joining said spaced apart portions together is of a predetermined thickness, said male threads on said shaft being spaced from said shoulder means at the end of said shaft a distance at least equal to said predetermined distance to allow said threads to completely disengage and said shoulder means to retain said stem member within said body member.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 66 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 7 wherein said shaft has a reduced diameter portion adjacent the threaded portion thereof toward the head portion to allow collapsing of said spaced apart portions of said body member during insertion of said drain plug assembly into said aperture of the fluid container receiving the same.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 85 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 8, further including an enlarged diameter portion immediately adjacent to said reduced diameter portion and adjacent said head portion to provide an abutment surface against said other end of said spaced apart portions to maintain said first and second shoulder means of said spaced apart portions in firm engagement with the periphery of said aperture when said stem member is firmly tightened within said body member.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 50 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body member is substantially rectangular in configuration to fit within a rectangular aperture, thereby preventing rotation of said body member during tightening and loosening of said stem member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 70 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first shoulder means are provided with sloping forward edges relative to a plane passing through said second shoulder means to provide a gradually diminishing space between the locking surface edges of said first and second shoulder means to accommodate different thicknesses of wall material forming the fluid container.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 40 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said head portion is provided with tab means for hand manipulation during tightening and loosening of said stem member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

In the drain plug assembly for connection to the wall of a fluid container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said embossment is directed inwardly of the container.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-10-06	1979-04-07	1979-10-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-10-06	1983-04-07	1983-10-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-10-06	1987-04-07	1987-10-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Drain plug assembly

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag