GB2222069A

GB2222069A - A support rail

Info

Publication number: GB2222069A
Application number: GB8814314A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie James; Diana Margaret Leslie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-06-16
Filing date: 1988-06-16
Publication date: 1990-02-28
Also published as: GB8814314D0

Abstract

A rail for supporting a shower curtain or towels comprises a first section 11 in the form of a tube and a second section 15 is in the form of a bar or tube which is slidably mounted in the first section 11 so that the rail is extensible. The first section can be integral with a base plate 10 which includes apertures to enable it to be fastened by screws to a wall. Alternatively, the base can comprise a first portion for mounting on a wall, and a second portion integral with the first section of the rail and mounted on the first portion in order to conceal the fixing screws. <IMAGE>

Description

A SUPPORT RAIL The invention relates to a support rail and is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with a rail for supporting a shower curtain in a bathroom.

Over the years, many forms of shower curtain rails have been proposed. One problem with prior shower rails is that when the shower curtain is drawn back after the shower has been used, the rail itself protrudes by a significant distance into the bathroom space and can be obtrusive. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved shower rail which reduces that problem.

According to the invention there is provided a support rail comprising first section to be mounted on a surface and second section mounted on the first section and movable relative to the first section to enable the rail to be extended.

With such an arrangement, the rail can be extended to form a rail of suitable length for a shower curtain when the shower is in use. However, after the curtain has been drawn back, the rail can be telescoped to reduce its length thereby reducing the distance that the rail protrudes into the bathroom space.

Preferably, the first section includes or is mounted on a base plate which can be secured by suitable means to, say, a wall.

The first section may be in the form of a tube into which the second section fits in a sliding manner.

The first and second sections may include surfaces arranged to co-operate as stops to limit the distance that the second section can be moved relative to the first section. The stop may include a projection on one of the members which engages an abutment on the other of the members.

Where a base is provided by means of which the rail is attached to the surface, the base may comprise a first portion which mounts directly upon the surface and a second portion which can be mounted on the first base portion. In such a case, the second portion may be attached to or integral with the first section of the rail. That particular arrangement is advantageous in that where screws are used to hold the first base portion onto the surface, the second base portion can fit over the first base portion so as to hide the heads of the screws.

Preferably, the second section has an end remote from the first section provided with stop means for retaining curtain mounting means on the rail.

If desired, the rail may be extended further by the provision of one or more further rail sections. In such a case, a third rail section may be slidable on the second rail section and a fourth rail section slidable on the third rail section and so on.

A rail in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.l is a perspective view of one form of support rail in accordance with the invention shown in an extended position, Fig.2 is a longitudinal cross-section of the rail in Fig.l, and Fig.3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the rail shown in Fig.l with the first section telescoped inside the second sect ion.

A base plate 10 is integral with an elongate tube 11. The tube 11 is cylindrical for the majority of its periphery but has flat undersides 12 converging to a lower curved edge 13.

The base plate 10 and tube 11 could be moulded in one piece from plastics material or made as an assembly of separate parts.

The end of the tube 11 remote from the base plate 10 is formed with a circular aperture 14. The base plate 11 is formed with screw holes 15 to enable it to be attached to the wall of a bathroom.

The elongate tube 11 (which constitutes the aforesaid first section) acts as a support for a circular cross-section bar 15. The bar 15 fits slidably within the bore 14 and is formed with a radial projection 16 at its inner end which can move through a space 17 between the inner surfaces of undersides 12 as the bar 15 is moved from the Fig.2 position to the Fig.3 position and vice versa. The opposite end of the bar 15 is formed with a circular flange 18 which projects from the bar 15. In the extended position of the bar as shown in Figs.1 and 2, the projection 16 engages an abutment 19 on the tube 11 to prevent the bar 15 from being withdrawn from the tube 11. In that manner the tube 11 and bar 15 form an extendable rail which can be used to support a shower curtain 20 part of which is shown indicated in broken lines in Figs.2 and 3.Where the user wishes to extend the curtain, the bar 15 is withdrawn into the Fig.1 and 2 position and the curtain drawn so that it is supported by the extended rail. It will be noted that the flange 18 prevents hooks 21 for the curtain from slipping off the end of the bar 15. After the shower curtain has been used, it can be drawn so that all the hooks 21 rest on the tube 11 and the bar 15 can then be telescoped into the tube 11.

Although specific reference has been made to a bar 15, the latter could, in fact, be in the form of a further tube. In such a case, a third element of the rail, in the form of a bar or a tube, could be telescopically mounted within the tube 15.

The base plate 10, as mentioned above, is attached to the wall by screws passing through apertures 9 therein. To improve appearance, the base plate 10 could be formed from first and second parts, one of which screws to the wall and the other of which slides onto the first part so as to cover the first part and the screws. The other base part would be attached to or integral with the tube 11.

Whilst specific reference has been made to the rail in the context of supporting a shower curtain, it could, of course, be used to support other items such as towels.

Claims

1. A support rail comprising a first section to be mounted on a surface and a second section mounted on the first section and movable relative to the first section to enable the rail to be extended.

2. A support rail as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the first section is in the form of a tube into which the second section fits in a sliding manner.

3. A support rail as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second sections include surfaces arranged to co-operate as stops to limit the distance that the second section can be moved relative to the first section

4. A support rail as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the stops include a projection on one of the members which engages an abutment on the other of the members.

5. A support rail as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the first section includes or is mounted on a base which is securable to a surface.

6. A support rail as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the base comprises a first portion which is mountable directly upon a surface and a second portion which can be mounted on the first base portion.

7. A support rail as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the second portion is integral with the first section of the rail.

8. A support rail as claimed in Claim 5, 6 or 7 wherein the base or the first base portion is in the form of a plate.

9. A support rail as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the second section has an end remote from the first section provided with stop means for retaining curtain mounting means on the rail.

10. A support rail as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein one or more further rail sections are provided such that the rail is extensible further.

11. A support rail as claimed in Claim 10, wherein each further rail section is slidable on the preceding rail section.

12. A support rail substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.