GB2445031A

GB2445031A - Detachable or movable pilaster

Info

Publication number: GB2445031A
Application number: GB0625870A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tim Jupp
Original assignee: AMWELL SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: AMWELL SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-21
Filing date: 2006-12-21
Publication date: 2008-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2026-12-21
Also published as: GB0625870D0; GB2445031B

Abstract

A pilaster 16 comprising a cover 18 and a body 17 attached to a partition or wall 1 of a cubicle. In use the cover 18 maybe detachable from the partition 1 or movable from a first position to a second position, both cases allowing an associated cubicle door to be opened in at least the other direction or both directions inwardly and outwardly. Preferably the detachable pilaster 16 is held on by a hook arrangement. The pilaster is intended to be used in toilet cubicles to allow access to the cubicle in case of emergency or injury to the person in the cubicle.

Description

PILASTER

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a pilaster for use with toilet cubicle doors wherein the pilaster is fixed to and extends vertically along at least part, usually the majority of, the vertical front edge of a partition dividing two adjacent cubicles or vertically along a structural wall of the cubicle. In the former case, one side of the pilaster is associated with the hinged edge of the door of one of the cubicles and the other side of the pilaster is associated with the :.:::. closure edge of the door of the other adjacent 15 cubicle, thereby shrouding those door edges and the hinges when viewed from outside the cubicle(s).

* In the vast majority of known cases however, the pilaster comprises a cover connected directly to the partition wall between a pair of cubicles or to an associated structural wall of, say, a single cubicle or an end cubicle.

However, another known but lesser used pilaster is formed generally as a unitary structure of a body which is secured or securable to the vertical front edge of a cubicle partition or to a structural wall of a cubicle and to which can be pivotally or otherwise hingedly mounted an associated cubicle door, and, also, an integral cover which shrouds the body of the pilaster and the hinged edge and hinges of the associated cubicle door(s). The cover may also provide a stop, on the inside thereof, for the closure edge of the door of an adjacent or the cubicle. In this manner, the corresponding cubicle door can be opened only inwardly with respect to its associated cubicle.

Until recently, toilet cubicle doors need open pivotally in only one direction, namely, inwardly.

However new Building Regulations implemented in 2004 require that doors to cubicles should be capable of being opened if a person has collapsed against the cubicle door whilst inside the cubicle. As a * consequence, such cubicles must have either doors which can be removed completely from their hinges or **** is doors which are openable at least outwardly, preferably both inwardly and outwardly. ***

* Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention *:*. provides a pilaster securable to a partition or 20 structural wall of a cubicle and having at least part thereof moveable between first and second positions, wherein, in use, and when said at least part of the pilaster is in its first position, an associated cubicle door can be opened in only one direction and, when said at least part of the pilaster is in its second position, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction, preferably both directions.

A second aspect of the invention resides in a pilaster comprising a cover securable detachably to a partition or structural wall of a cubicle, wherein, in 3 -use and when the cover is secured to a cubicle partition or structural wall, an associated cubicle door can be opened in only one direction, for example, inwardly, and, when the cover is detached from the cubicle partition or structural wall, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction, preferably both directions, for example, inwardly and outwardly.

A third aspect of the invention resides in a pilaster comprising a body and a cover which are readily connected or connectable detachably together.

::. A fourth aspect of the invention resides in a 15 pilaster comprising a body securable to a partition or *:*. structural wall of a cubicle and a cover having at least part thereof moveable between first and second * S....

* S positions, wherein, in use and when said at least part ** of the cover is in its first position, an associated *:*. 20 cubicle door can be opened in only one direction and, when said at least part of the pilaster is in its second position, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction, preferably, both directions.

A fifth aspect of the invention resides in a pilaster comprising a body securable to a partition or structural wall of a cubicle and a cover which is connected detachably to the body, wherein, in use and when the cover is connected to the body, an associated cubicle door can be opened in only one direction, for example, inwardly, and, when the cover is detached from the body, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction, preferably both directions, for example, inwardly and outwardly.

It is to be understood that the pilaster cover is secured or securable to a cubicle partition or structural wall or to the body of the pilaster, as the case may be, in such a manner that it can be detached readily therefrom, rather than by nails, screws or other components which are considered effectively permanent fixings.

Thus, the cover may be connected detachably to a cubicle partition or structural wall or to the 15 pilaster body, as the case may be, by a hook *:*. arrangement wherein hooks spaced along the length of the pilaster can engage corresponding support elements S.....

* also spaced along the length of the wall or body, or vice versa. However, any other suitable detachable connection means may be used.

A door of a cubicle may be mounted hingedly to the pilaster, such as to the body or cover, whilst the cover may be provided with a stop against which can abut the closure edge of the door of a cubicle.

Thus, when the covers of the pilasters of an adjacent pair of cubicles are detached from their respective walls or pilaster bodies, at least one door can be opened in at least an outward direction, preferably in both directions, with respect to its cubicle, namely, both inwardly and Outwardly thereof.

The invention also provides a cubicle partition or structural wall to which is secured a pilaster in accordance with any aspect of the invention defined above, as well as at least one cubicle incorporating such a wall and pilaster combination.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, an embodiment of pilaster in accordance therewith will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a toilet cubicle with a pair of pilasters provided on respective cubicle S...

15 dividing positions and with an associated door; S. S * . . * Figure 2 is a plan view of the toilet cubicle of S.....

* Figure 1 with the door opening inwardly thereof; * . * S S * .* Figure 3 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of pilaster in accordance with the invention secured to a cubicle partition wall, with doors on opposed sides thereof in their closed positions; Figure 4 is a section of the pilaster shown in Figure 3 but with its body and cover detached and with one door opened outwardly; Figures 5 and 6 are respective side views of the body and cover of the pilaster of Figures 3 and 4, showing a hook arrangement for detachably connecting the body and cover together; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of a second embodiment of pilaster; and Figure 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a pair of adjacent toilet cubicles embodying the pilaster of Figure 7.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, one of a plurality of cubicles, indicated generally at 10, comprises a pair of spaced :.:::. partition walls 1 secured at their rear ends to a back 15 wall 2 and, at their upper front ends, to an elongate support 3 located generally above a door 4.

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*SSS** * The lower front end of each partition wall 1 is supported off the floor by a leg 5. S. S * . S * S.

The vertical front edge of each partition wall 1 is provided with an elongate pilaster 6 comprising a body portion 7 which is secured to the vertical front edge of the corresponding cubicle partition wall 1.

Each pilaster 6 also has a cover portion 8.

In Figure 2, there is shown the arc 9 through which the door 4 is moved inwardly about at least one hinge 11 when opened.

A locking mechanism 12 is provided on the closure edge of the door 4 remote from the hinge(s) 11.

In a prior art pilaster arrangement described

above, the door 4 is openable pivotally only inwardly of the cubicle 10, due to the unitary structure of the pilasters 6. This is because the closure edge of the door 4 abuts the inner surface of one side of the corresponding pilaster (6), whilst the other edge of the door (4) which is mounted hingedly to the body portion of the opposite pilaster 6 and is prevented from any effective movement outwardly with respect to - ,I.

.... .d... * .1. .. .1. .1 * .. * S S ***.

If, however, the pilaster arrangement shown in *:*. Figures 1 and 2 is in accordance with the invention, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, then the pilaster 16 S.....

* comprises a body 17 and a cover 18 which are formed separately but are connectable detachably together.

S * . . * *.

The body 17 of the pilaster 16 is elongate in the vertical direction and is generally channel-shaped, the rear wall 25 thereof being secured by screws (not shown) to the vertical front edge of the cubicle partition wall 1.

The left-hand side wall 26 of the body 17 has mounted thereto, in conventional manner, the vertically-spaced hinges 31 of the associated lef t-hand door 24.

The cover 18 of the pilaster 16 also comprises an elongate, vertically-extending channel whose opposed sides 27 fit snugly, as shown in Figure 3, within the channel-shaped body 17.

When the cover 18 and the body 17 of the pilaster 16 are connected detachably together, as shown in Figure 3, a left-hand extension 28 of the cover 18 shrouds the hinges 31 of the left-hand door 24, when viewed from the front of the cubicle 1.

Similarly, a right-hand extension 29 of the cover 18 of the pilaster 16 shrouds the closure edge of the associated left-hand door 24' of the adjacent cubicle 10, which door 24' abuts a stop 30 provided on the inside face of the right-hand extension 29 of the pilaster cover 18. As shown in Figure 3, both the * left-hand and right-hand doors are in their closed positions with respect to their corresponding **. : 20 cubicles 10. * S.

In this arrangement, the doors 24 can be opened about their respective hinges 31 only inwardly of their corresponding cubicles 10.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the cover 16 is detachably mounted to the body 17 by means of a hooking arrangement, whereby a plurality, in this case four, of hooks 21 in the spaced side arms 27 of the cover 18 can engage with respective support elements 22 extending transversely between the side walls 26 of the body 17.

Thus, in an emergency, for example, if a person in one of the cubicles collapses therein and prevents the associated door 24, 24' from being opened inwardly, the cover 16 of each of the two pilasters 16 at opposed edges of the door 24, 24', can be detached along its length from the body 17 by disengaging the hooks 21 from their respective transverse supporting elements 22, as shown in Figure 4. I0

In this manner, the door 24 in this case can be opened outwardly with respect to its associated : cubicle 10 about its hinges 31.

15 Thereafter, the door 24 can be returned to at least its normally-closed position and the cover 18 reconnected detachably to the body 17. * .

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8 of the *:*. 20 accompanying drawings, a second embodiment of pilaster comprises a cover 48 which is secured detachably at 41 to the vertical front edge of each of two cubicle partition walls 51. The adjacent pair of cubicles 50 share a common rear structural wall 52 and the right-hand cubicle has a side structural wall 53.

Each cubicle 50 is provided with a door which is shown in its closed position at 54 and in its inwardly open position at 54'.

Each door 54, 54' is hinged adjacent the left-hand pilaster cover 48.

-JO-

As shown in more detail in Figure 7, each door 54, 54' is hinged at 55 to the region adjacent the vertical front edge of its corresponding cubicle partition wall 51.

In use, and with the pilaster covers 48 secured detachably to their respective partition walls 51, both doors 54, 51' can be opened only inwardly of their respective cubicles 50.

In an emergency, such as that described above, the pilaster covers 48 of, say, the left-hand cubicle can be removed from their respective partition S...

15 walls 51, thereby allowing the door 54 in its closed position to be opened outwardly of the cubicle 50.

* As far as the right-hand cubicle 50 is concerned, a modified pilaster 60 also has a cover 68 which is *:*. 20 secured detachably to the structural wall 53 of that cubicle. Again, in an emergency that pilaster cover 68 can be removed from that wall 53, along with the adjacent pilaster cover 48, to permit the right-hand door 54 to be opened outwardly of the right-hand cubicle 50.

Thus, it can be seen that the invention provides one or two part pilasters which meet the new Building Regulations, whilst also providing pilasters of simple, and hence inexpensive, construction which can be interchangeable and which maintain an aesthetically

-II -

pleasing view to the eye of a user from the outside of the cubicles.

Also, it is to be appreciated that although pilasters in accordance with the invention have been discussed above with particular reference to toilet cubicles, other cubicles, such as shower cubicles, can equally apply. * S. * S S *.* S... * S *5* S. S * . . * S.

S..... * S

SS S * S* * S. S* S

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Claims

1. A pilaster comprising a cover securable detachably to a partition or structural wall of a cubicle, wherein, in use and when the cover is secured to a cubicle partition or structural wall, an associated cubicle door can be opened in only one direction and, when the cover is detached from the cubicle partition or structural wall, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction or both directions inwardly and outwardly.

2. A pilaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover is connected detachably to a cubicle partition or structural wall or to the pilaster body by a hook arrangement wherein hooks spaced along the length of the pilaster can engage corresponding support elements also spaced along the length of the wall or body or vice versa.

:.

3. A pilaster as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein a door of a cubicle may be mounted hingedly to the cover, whilst the cover may be provided with a stop against which can abut the closure edge of the door of a cubicle.

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4. A pilaster securable to a partition or structural wall of a cubicle and

S **S.S

* having at least part thereof moveable between first and second positions, wherein, in use and when said at least part of the pilaster is in its first position, an associated cubicle door can be opened in only one direction and, when said at least part of the pilaster is in its second position, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction or both directions.

5. A pilaster comprising a body securable to a partition or structural wall of a cubicle and a cover having at least part thereof moveable between first and second positions, wherein, in use and when said at least part of the cover is in its first position, an associated cubicle door can be opened in only one direction and, when said at least part of the pilaster is in its second position, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction or both directions.

6. A pilaster comprising a body securable to a partition or structural wall of a cubicle and a cover which is connected detachably to the body, wherein, in use and when the cover is connected to the body, an associated cubicle door can be opened in only inwardly, and, when the cover is detached from the body, an associated cubicle door can be opened in at least the other direction outwardly. *S *

7. A pilaster for use with cubicle doors substantially as hereinbefore * * described and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings. lb S * a S * Sb

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***.** * .