US2170553A

US2170553A - Portable foot spraying apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2170553A
Application number: US202924A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick B Eilers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-04-19
Filing date: 1938-04-19
Publication date: 1939-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1956-08-22

Description

Aug, 22, 1939. F. B. ElLERs r PRTABLE FOOT SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 19:58 4

Fig. 5.

lllllllllllllll INVENTOR Frederzcfr B.E1lers ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This inventio-n relates to a portable foot vspraying apparatus, and has for its purpose to aiord a simple construction that can be economically manufactured, to be usedV in connection with swimming pools, .gymnasiums, and shower rooms, for conveniently `and. readily applying an antiseptic or cleansing liquid to the feet in a clean and thoroughly sanitary manner.

Heretofore, the practice has been to place a solution in a shallow pan, and immerse the foot in the liquid, even though the latter has become dirty from continued use, and itis a purpose of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of such a procedure by providing a foot receptacle separate from a liquid container, but combined in one portable unit, and spraying the liquid on to the foot while the latter is supported above the bottom of the receptacle so that each user has a fresh application. of the solution and there is no necessity of immersing the foot in the solution.

An additional object of the invention is to afford a practical structure involving a suitable foot rest in a receptacle, and a pump that can be conveniently operated and is operative to force a solution'` from the container into the foot receptacle, so as to spray the foot thoroughly while the latter is supported on the foot rest.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts that will appear clearly from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, the novel features being pointed out in the claims following the speciflcation.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a construction made in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken centrally of the device with parts appearing in elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1`

In the construction shown, which is exemplary of one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a low foot receptacle comprising a top wall I, bottom wall 2, end walls 3, and likewise side walls, all preferably made of sheet metal. The foot receptacle has an opening 4 in its top wall I, and 5 designates a protective bead extending around said opening 4 which may be in the form of a rod welded to the adjacent edge of the metal top I, as shown in Fig. 5.

The foot rest is preferably of inverted U- shaped cross-section, as indicated at 6, and is provided at the bottom with flanges I which are welded or otherwise permanently attached to the bottom 2 of the receptacle, while 8 designates openings provided in the opposite walls of the foot restl in order to permit the horizontally directed liquid spray to pass therethrough for a purpose that will appear hereinafter.

The supply of liquid is held in a container or tank that extends above the foot receptacle and is designated generally at 9, one end wall 3 of the foot receptacle constituting preferably also one side wall of the liquid container, although the device may be otherwise constructed without changing its` operation or effect. I5 designates a removable cap that is threaded on to a suitable collar surrounding a filling opening in the top of the container whereby the latter may be charged with the necessary supply of liquid antiseptic.

Located in the liquid container and arranged vertically therein is a double-acting pump comprising a stationary outer housing II that rests upon the bottom of the container and is held in place by a strap I2 secured to the side wall. Located within the housing II is a tubular piston I3 provided with ports I4, ball valve I5, and a gasket I6, while I'I designates a ball valve arranged in the valve support I8 in the housing I I. I9 is a pipe leading from the housing I6 near the top thereof to a spray nozzle 20 that extends through the wall 3 between the liquid container and the foot receptacle and is provided with a small centrally disposed opening so as to direct a fine spray in a generally horizontal direction toward the zone immediately above the top of the foot rest, causing the liquid to be thoroughly sprayed upon the foot while the latter is resting upon the top of the foot rest 6.

The. hollow plunger I3 has a handle 2| located above the liquid container, and it will be understood that while the user places one foot on the foot rest 5, he operates the plunger ZI upwardly and downwardly, causing `a continuous spray through the nozzle 20. During the initial upward movement of the piston, liquid is drawn in through openings 22 and past the ball valve II into the housing I I beneath the piston, and when the latter is next moved downwardly, the liquid passes the. ball I5 and fills the interior of the piston I3 and of the housing above the gasket I6. On the next up-stroke, liquid is again drawn in past the ball valve l'l and also forced out through pipe I9, and on successive downward and upward movements of the piston, liquid is forced out through openings I4 and through the pipe I9 to the spray nozzle.

Thus whenever the handle 2| is pulled upwardly andpushed downwardly, there is a continuous flow of liquid, resulting in an adequate spray that completely envelopes the foot on the foot rest in the receptacle. By providing the openings 8 in the opposite walls of the foot rest, the spray is prevented from impinging against the Walls and forming a, mist that would rise from the receptacle, but passes through the openings 8 and trickles down to the bottom of the receptacle. When the latter has collected a sufflcient quantity of liquid in its bottom, the en-` tire device can be turned over onend to empty the receptacle through the opening 4.

While the invention has` been described with reference to the particular construction herein disclosed, it is not confined to the details set forth, and this application is intended to cover any modifications or adaptations of the improvements coming within the purposes thereof or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A portable foot spraying apparatus comprising a liquid container, a foot receptacle having an opening in its top Wall, a foot rest in said receptacle having a convex foot engaging surface above the bottom and extending transversely of the receptacle to support a foot transversely at its central portion, and means for forcing liquid from the container into the receptacle in a spray directed in a generally horizontal direction toward the zone just above said foot rest.

2. A portable foot spraying apparatus comprising a foot receptacle having an opening in its top wall, a foot rest in said receptacle having a convex foot engaging surface above the bottom and extending transversely of the receptacle to support a foot transversely at its central portion, a liquid container adjacent to said receptacle and extending thereabove, a pump arranged --vertically in said liquid container and includengageable with a foot transversely at its central portion so as to leave the toes of the foot free and in spread relationship, and means for forcing liquid from the container into the receptacle in a direction generally toward said foot supporting means.

v FREDERICK B. EILERS.