US 11,718,980 B1
Water manifold fitting
James W. Chandler, Ashland, OH (US)
Assigned to Vista Water Group, LLC, Ashland, OH (US)
Filed by Vista Water Group, LLC, Ashland, OH (US)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/51,695.
Application 18/051,695 is a continuation of application No. 16/519,200, filed on Jul. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,492,789.
Application 16/519,200 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/351,543, filed on Nov. 15, 2016, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/256,917, filed on Nov. 18, 2015.
Int. Cl. E03C 1/122 (2006.01); E03C 1/182 (2006.01); E03C 1/284 (2006.01)
CPC E03C 1/1222 (2013.01) [E03C 1/182 (2013.01); E03C 1/284 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Apparatus comprising:
a water manifold fitting configured to receive a plurality of streams of water, wherein each of the streams is produced by a different device that delivers water to the fitting as a liquid or a mixture of liquid and vapor,
wherein the fitting is configured to be positioned below a sink water drain from a sink and above a drain trap that receives the water from the sink water drain,
wherein the fitting is configured to enable mixing and heat exchange between the plurality of streams and water received from the sink water drain,
wherein the fitting comprises:
a body, wherein the body bounds a generally open fluid collection interior area, wherein in an operative position the interior area extends symmetrically about a vertical axis,
a body inlet, wherein the body inlet is centrally axially located and is configured to enable receipt into the interior area through the body inlet of water from the sink water drain,
a body outlet, wherein the body outlet is centrally axially located and is configured to enable water to pass out of the interior area through the body outlet and toward the drain trap,
wherein the interior area extends continuously and annularly radially outward relative to the axis beyond the body inlet and the body outlet,
wherein in the operative position of the fitting a lower axial end of the interior area is bounded within the body by an annular tapered wall surface that extends to the body outlet, wherein the annular tapered wall surface is configured such that in the operative position of the fitting the annularly tapered wall surface is radially increasingly closer to the axis with increased downward axial proximity to the body outlet,
a plurality of drain fitting openings through the body, wherein each drain fitting opening,
extends through the body to the interior area,
in the operative position of the fitting is disposed in vertically overlying relation of the annular tapered wall surface,
is configured to engage with either a respective drain fitting that delivers a respective fluid stream or a plug that closes the drain fitting opening.