GB2308615A

GB2308615A - Safety lock for toilet lid or other wing

Info

Publication number: GB2308615A
Application number: GB9526497A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Christopher Nee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-12-23
Filing date: 1995-12-23
Publication date: 1997-07-02
Also published as: GB9526497D0

Description

TITLE: Safety locks DESCRIPTION This invention concerns safety locks, particularly but not exclusively for use with a toilet lid.

Most toilets have a seat and a lid both of which are pivotally mounted usually on a single rod or the like, so that they can be raised out of the way when not required. There is, however, a danger associated with such seats and lids because they can often easily be knocked or mishandled so that they can fall and hurt a toilet user especially a small child.

Another problem associated with toilets is that young children are inclined to drop items into the bowl, which can become blocked or the item can be damaged.

Furthermore, there are other items such as cupboards and trunks that could benefit from a safety lock that can prevent children from opening them but be relatively easily opened by an adult.

U.S. Patent No. 4,651,358 describes a toilet seat lid having an apparatus for locking the lid comprising a strut which holds the seat lid down, the strut extending between the seat lid and the toilet flush tank. The apparatus is unsightly and requires both hands to operate.

U.S. Patent No. 4,736,472 describes a toilet seat latch which has to be fitted separately to a toilet pan and so is obtrusive and unsightly. Furthermore, two actions are required on the latch before the seat can be raised.

U.S. Patent No. 5,003,641 also describes a latch for a toilet lid that requires two actions to be carried out before the lid can be raised.

U.S. Patent Nos. 5,267,357 and 5,347,663 describe releasable toilet lid and seat locking apparatus requiring sideways operations of an elongate rod to release the toilet lid. U.S. Patent No. 4,395,784 describes a releasable toilet lid having an interface hinge that is held firmly against the seat and lid and can be released by sideways operation of a spring-latch mechanism. Such apparatus may be difficult to operate for some, especially the elderly or infirm and operation may be hampered by proximity of other facilities alongside the toilet.

U.K. Patent Application No. 9516815.9 describes a safety lock apparatus which uses spigots to engage arms which extend from a lid and are pivotally mounted on a pivot bar to enable the lid to be raised, thereby preventing the rotation thereof.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved safety lock suitable for use with toilet lids and/or seats.

According to this invention there is provided a safety lock apparatus for releasably locking a pivotable item in one position using latch means, wherein the latch means comprises a movable bar being attached to said item and catch means, separate to said item, whereby movement of the bar enables or prevents pivotal movement of said item.

Preferably, the bar is surrounded by said item having only the end portion of the bar protruding from the item when the device is in the locked position.

It is preferable that the means for moving the bar comprises a dial, pivotably attached at its centre to said item and pivotably attached to the bar at a point off centre. The dial may be in the form of a circular raised dial or alternatively, a flat dial.

Rotation of the dial in one direction causes a corresponding movement of the bar part way around the circumference of the dial thereby releasing the bar from the catch means and enabling the item to be rotated about its pivot.

It is preferable that a spring mechanism is provided, say around the central pivot, to urge the bar back into the catch means when the dial is released.

The spring mechanism also resists movement of the bar such that a child can not unlock the item.

The catch means may be in the form of a housing, preferably being a cup-shaped socket. Preferably, the housing is provided with a spring trap door which opens in the downwards direction only. This enables the bar to enter the socket automatically by the application of downwards pressure but prevents movement of the bar in an upwards direction. Preferably, the trap door is a twin-platform spring trap door.

It is to be appreciated that the dial may extend from the bar at any point along its length in order to provide easy access thereto.

According to another preferred embodiment the means for moving the bar comprises a handle attached to a lever which communicates with said bar. When the bar is retained by the catch means, the lever is perpendicular to the bar whilst the handle is parallel thereto. In this position, pivotable movement of the item is prevented. The lever may extend from the bar in the horizontal plane of the item or alternatively, may extend vertically therefrom.

Movement of the handle in one direction causes a corresponding movement of the bar in the opposite direction, thus releasing the bar from the catch means and enabling the item to be rotated about its pivot.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention the bar may be provided with a rod extending therefrom to provide means for movement of the bar. Preferably, the rod will be provided with gripping means at the end thereof, such as a knob.

It is to be appreciated that the handle or rod may extend from the bar at any point along its length in order to provide easy access thereto.

The safety lock mechanism of the invention may be used in a variety of applications. Of particular interest is its application to toilet lids and seats.

Preferably, the safety lock mechanism will be associated with the lid or seat of a toilet. Arms extending from the lid or seat are generally pivotally mounted on a pivot bar attached to the toilet and the safety lock mechanism may be arranged to prevent said pivoting movement.

The toilet lid is constructed such that a bar runs through the length thereof, with one end of said bar being extendable over the boundary of the lid.

Alternatively, the bar may be attached to the surface or base of the lid. Preferably, the bar extends over the boundary of the lid at the rear end thereof. The rear of the toilet is provided with catch means, in the form of a housing, situated to receive the end portion of the bar when it extends over the boundary of the toilet lid.

The bar may be pivotably attached to a dial which is pivoted about its centre to the toilet lid. The dial may be a raised circular dial or flat dial.

Preferably, the dial is positioned below or level with the surface of the lid. Rotation of the dial results in a corresponding rotation of the bar thereby removing the end portion of the bar out of the housing and enabling the lid to be raised. Preferably, the dial is situated at the front end of the lid to enable easier access thereto.

Preferably, the central pivot of the dial is provided with spring means therearound to urge the bar into its locked position.

Preferably, the housing is in the form of a cupshaped socket which prevents upward movement of the bar.

Ideally, the housing is provided with a spring trap door which opens in a downward direction only.

This enables the bar to enter the housing by downwards pressure and hence allows the lid to be locked shut after the dial has been released and the bar has been urged back to the extended position by spring means but prevents upward movement of the bar once it has entered the housing.

Preferably, the trap door is a twin-platform spring trap door.

It is to be appreciated that the bar could extend laterally through the lid with catch means being provided at the side of the toilet to receive said bar.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention the bar may be provided with a lever perpendicular thereto extending in the horizontal or preferably, vertical plane of the toilet lid. The lever may be provided with a handle which preferably is positioned below or level with the surface of the lid with adequate space between the handle and lid to enable the operation thereof. Movement of the handle moves the bar in the opposite direction, thereby removing the end portion of the bar out of the socket and enabling the lid to be raised. Preferably, the handle and lever are situated at the front end of the lid to enable easier access thereto.

Alternatively, the bar may be provided with a rod perpendicular thereto which is provided with a knob to enable the movement thereof. It is preferable that the knob is positioned below or level with the surface of the lid.

The lid and seat may be mounted on the same pivot bar. Alternatively, the seat may be pivotally connected to the lid. In the latter case, of course, the seat may not be pivoted until the lid has been released and pivoted upwards.

The apparatus of the invention preferably includes alarm means for indicating an attempt to pivot the locked item, such as to raise a toilet lid or seat, without operation of the release means. The alarm means preferably give out an audible alarm signal.

Preferably, the alarm means is provided on the underside of the trap door inside the housing.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a toilet fitted with a safety lock mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the cross-section of the toilet lid of Figure 1 locked shut; Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the housing of a toilet fitted with a safety lock mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a toilet fitted with a safety lock mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 shows the cross-section of the toilet lid of Figure 4 locked shut; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the toilet lid of Figure 4 with the lid locked; and Figure 7 shows a longitudinal cross-section of a toilet lid fitted with a safety lock mechanism according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a toilet 10 has a pan 12 on a pedestal 14. An outlet 16 with an S-bend therein extends from the rear of the pan 12. A water tank 18 is arranged above and rearward of the pan 12 in order to discharge flushing water into the pan through a pipe (not shown). The flow of flushing water is controlled by a lever operated float valve within the tank 18. Hingedly mounted rearward of the pan 12 are a seat 20 and a lid 22. The seat is hingedly mounted to the underside of the lid and the lid is pivotally mounted on a spindle 24 by means of two arms 28 which at one end are secured to the lid and at the other end have formations with through holes so that they fit onto and are pivotable about the spindle 24, the spindle being mounted between end support 26.

The lid 22 is associated with a releasable safety lock mechanism for locking the lid in a down or closed position.

A bar 30 (represented by the inner dashed lines in Figure 2) runs in a longitudinal direction through the centre of the lid. In the locked position, the end of the bar to the rear of the lid protrudes therefrom and engages with catch means, in the form of a housing 34 provided to the rear of the toilet pan. This prevents the bar being raised upwards and thereby prevents the rotation of the lid about the spindle 24.

The bar 30 is provided at the opposite end thereof with a dial 32. The dial is pivotably attached at its centre to the base of the toilet lid and pivotably attached at one side to the bar.

Rotation of the dial 32 causes a corresponding rotation of the bar 30 part way around the circumference thereof thereby removing the bar from the housing. The lid is no longer retained and can be raised by rotation of the arms 28 about the spindle 24. Spring means (not shown) are also provided around the central pivot of the dial to urge the bar back into the housing 34 once the dial is released. The spring means may also be chosen to ensure that the pressure required to release the lid is greater than that which can be expected by a young child.

The lid 22 of the toilet is provided with a hollow cylindrical tube 38 running therethrough in which the bar 30 is contained and a vertical cylindrical tube in communication therewith through which the pivoted dial and spring can extend.

Referring to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings the housing 34 may be provided with a twin platform spring trap door 40 which opens in a downward direction only. This enables the lid of the toilet to be locked shut after the dial has been released and the bar has been urged back into the extended position by spring means. Once the bar has entered the housing the trap door cannot be opened in the upwards direction and hence the lid cannot be raised without prior operation of the dial to move the bar free from the housing.

Referring to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The same reference numerals as used for the corresponding features shown in Figures 1 to 3 for simplicity. The bar 30 is provided at the opposite end thereof with a lever 56 extending perpendicular thereto on the vertical plane of the lid. A handle 52, being below or level with the surface of the lid, is attached to the lever which can be pulled upwards thereby moving the bar 30 towards the front of the lid and releasing it from the socket. The lid is no longer retained and can be raised by rotation of the arms 287 about the spindle 24. Spring means 33 are also provided to urge the bar back into the housing 34 once the handle is released.

The spring means may also be chosen to ensure that the pressure required to release the lid is greater than that which can be expected to a young child.

The lid 22 of the toilet is provided with hollow cylindrical tube 38 (represented by the outer dashed lines in Figure 7) running therethrough in which the bar 30 is contained and a vertical cylindrical tube in communication therewith from which the lever and handle can extend.

Alternatively, the bar may be provided with a rod 44 perpendicular thereto which has a knob 42 to enable movement of the bar (as shown in Figure 7).

The safety lock mechanism may also be provided with an alarm device that emits an alarm signal when being unlocked.

Whilst the invention has been described specifically in relation to toilets, it will be appreciated that the safety lock mechanism may be used in other situations where access or entry is to be denied to young children.

Claims

1. A safety lock apparatus for releasably locking a pivotable item in one position using latch means, wherein the latch means comprises a movable bar being attached to said item and catch means, separate to said item, whereby movement of the bar enables or prevents pivotal movement of said item.

Preferably the bar is surrounded by said item having only the end portion of the bar protruding from the item when the device is in the locked position.

It is preferable that a spring mechanism is provided, say around the central pivot, to urge the bar back into the catch means when the dial is released. The spring mechanism also resists movement of the bar.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for moving the bar comprises a handle attached to a lever which communicates with said bar.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bar is provided with a rod extending therefrom to provide means for movement of the bar.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bar is provided with a lever perpendicular thereto extending in the horizontal or preferably vertical plane of a toilet lid.

5. Safety lock apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.