US2239969A - Composition shower pan - Google Patents

Description

April 29, 1941- O G. A. MORTHLAND 2,239969 COMPOSITION SHOWER PAN Filed July 30, 195,8

lave/Zion Gle/:n.AZ/Varland.

Patented Apr. 29, 1941 ares lier

This invention relates generally to shower pans such as are installed in shower rooms, underneath the tile, to prevent any water which has seeped down throughthe tile and cementfrom reaching the sub-flooring, and relates more particularly to the provisionof a shower pan of a composition type;

It is common to use for this purposel a pan made of lead. A metal pan, however, is subject to deterioration by electrolysis and by reason of attack by the lime in the cement, Metal pans are also somewhat costlyY and `diiiicult to install, the installation of such a pan ordinarily requiring several hours labor.-

One object of the present invention vide a water-proof shower pan which is not subject to the deterioration characteristic of i the usually employed lead pan. p

A further object of the invention is to pro-vide a permanent, Vwater-proof shower pan of a comi position type, which Ais exceptionally strong against tearing or cutting, which conforms toirreglularities which may bepresent in the bottom and sides of the shower stall, and which is also conformable to the usual cement and Vtile laid above it, whereby stresses set up in the cement in which the tile is laid may be relieved, and an assembly provided which is in perfect equilibrium as regards internal strain.V

The shower pan4 of-'the present invention is` made up of a compositionof layers of exible material, at least onevof which isi of a fabric or felted type, preferably water-proofecl, and characterized by a certain 'amount of give, and at least another of which is a water-proof plastic subl Vlayer of kraft paper. l

The assembly as thus deScribedisentirely safe and water-proof, has adequate strength against tearing or cuttingby any uneven surface or edge on which the pan may rest, and is characterized by conformability to the Vcement and tile Vplaced inside it, whereby stresses and strains in the cement and tile are relieved, and a permanent structure is provided which is not `subject to deterioration, tearing, cracking or leaking.

The invention will be .bettelnunderstood by re- 1' is to pro- I ferring rnow to the following detailed description Vof several typical present embodiments thereof,

reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the lower portion of a shower room showing the installation of my improved shower pan;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing one form of shower pan in accordance with the present invention, the view demonstrating how the pan may be folded flat for shipment purposes, and unfolded to box form when ready to be installed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a corner of the shower pan of Fig. 2, a portion of the upper cover layer being broken away to expose the manner of folding of the different layers at the corners of the pan;

Fig. 4 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 1,

`being a cross-section through a portion of the shower pan;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modied formof shower pan in accordance with the present invention, parts being broken away; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1, numeral l0 designates generally a shower room, of the common stall shower type, the sub-ooring being designated at I I, the studding framing the shower room being indicated at I2, lathing at I3, and the shower pan of the present invention being generally designated by numeral I4. The shower pan is of the usual box form, itsI bottoml I5 resting on flooring Il, and its sides `It extending upwardly a matter cf approximately six inches from bottom Il adjacent lath- Ving I3. Numeral Il indicates the usual layer of cement placed over the bottom I5 of the shower pan, and numeral i8 designates the coating of cementitious material placedwover lathing I 3. The usual tiling is designated by numeral I9.

.The shower room is shown provided with the usual water drain 20, which .extends through a hole in flooring Ii and bottom I5 of shower pan I4. The cement and tile are installed around this drain in the usual manner.

Reference now being directed more particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the bottom or outside layer 25 of the shower pan serves Simply for a suitable bottomcover, and may-be composed of any one of' various materials. Preferably, however, this bottom layer 25 is formed of a l5 lb. asphalt roofing i'elt, which is not only strong but has water-proof characteristi'cs. In a later describedY modification, .the asphalt felt isfitself covered with a layer or douvble layerof water-proof paper, such as `kraft paper. If desired, such an outside bottom cover may be placed below layer 25.

Above layer 25 is a layer 26 consisting of a flexible fabric material which is strong against tearing or cutting. A woven fabric such as burlap may be used for this purpose. However, I may employ Vfor this layer a flax felt fabric, known to the trade as Irish flax felt. Either of these materials are exceptionally strong against tearing or cutting, and will give without parting or cutting if the pan should happen to be installed over an uneven surface or sharp edge. For the purpose of the specification and claims, the term fabric is used generically and covers a woven material,

such as burlap, as Well as. a felt type material, suchas flax felt.

Fabric layer 2t is water-proofed by .thoroughly impregnating it with a suitable preservative and y Water-proof substance, such as asphalt paint. Above layer 2S is placed a layer 21 of a waterproof lplastic material, such as asphalt plastic or asphalt putty A-material suitable to the-purpose is marketed under the YAtrade-name Hydroseal. 'This plasticmaterial within the shower pan causes the pan to be conformable to the cement and tile laid inthe pan. Thoughin. somefinstancesa single layer of the plastic material may be regardedias sufficient, -Fig. 4 Ashows a-preiferred form of the invention in which two layers -of the plastic material are employed. The upper plastic layer, which will be understood tobe of the same nature las the previouslyA described layer 21,V is designated at 2S, and may be separated from layer 2 by a separation layer 2B of -any suitable` material, though I preferably use for layer 29 va V15 lb. roofing felt of the same nature as used-for bottom layer 25. `V j Over plastic layer 28 isplaced a cover `of any suitable material. I preferably use for this pur-l pose a double layer 3B of heavy water-proof rbrovvn' around the edge SI1 of the assembled layers,I being,

of sufciently large dimensionsto lat least overlap marginal portions of bottom-layer25; In a later described form of the invention,- Vthis kraft paper covers the entire bottom of the-pan.- The advantage of suchY provision is that the roofing felt which otherwise constitutes the bottom layer of the pan is somewhatdirty to handle-. It will of course be obvious that, as inthe 4form of Figs. .5 and 6, this kraft paper-may, if desired, be used over the entire bottom of the form-of panillustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The several layers are preferably fastened together by any suitable fastening means, such as the clips indicated by numeral in Figs. 2 and 3. The described overlapping of the kraft paper over the marginal edges of the composite sheet has the very important advantage of enclosing the interior layers and protecting them against loss of the volatile constituents of the asphalt materials between the edges of the layers.

rIhe layers as above described are first assemV led in flat form, the outside dimensions being approximately six inches greater all around than the dimensions of the shower room into which the pan is to be installed. The side portions I6 are next bent up and the pan assembled Vinto box form. This is accomplished by folding the various layers at each corner of the pan in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. From inspection of that figure it will be evident that each paper or felted layer is given what is known as Veither a boxv or a dog-eared fold 36, the folds V'of successive layers being bent in opposite directions, so as to avoid. as much as possible, bulkiness on either side of the corner. The corner folds having been made in this manner, the paper cover 30 is bent over upper edges 3| and stapled or otherwise secured in assembly with the remaining layers making up the pan.

vFor packing for shipment purposes, the pan, at this time in box form, may then be folded along llines 31 -into a compact -.flat--folded form.

When the pan'. is to be installed inthe shower Y room, it is placed on the sub-flooring of the room in its flat-folded condition, after which its sides I6,ar.e bentout. These sides I6 may, if desired, bestapled4 against the lathing to hold them in placewhile-the cement is being placed. It will of course be understood that prior to placement of the cement'layerH, a hole 39 will be made in the pan for drain 20, and the bottom of the pan will be fitted and sealed around the drain in the usual manner.

The-composition panf as thus described has many advantages.- Itis thoroughly" water-proof. Thevl materials loffvvlfiicl'ritis composed -ar-e not subjecty tof deterioration, andthe installation is therefore'permanent." The flexible fabric or iiax felt layer 26 is exceptionally tough and strong, being adapted to-give without tearing or 4cutting Whenplaoed-over-uneven surfaces er sharp edges. This layer; Whichl is'-asphaltlimpregnated.v for watereproong purposes, thus gives strengthand toughnesstoAthe'bottom. of the pan.H The plastic layer or layers 21, 28,.:.typicall'y of nasphalt type, such as plastic asphalt andcement, is designed to give `the -bottom of the .pan the characteristic of conforma-bility tothe cement layer in the pan. For example, in 4'lay-ing nthe cementI and in setting the tile, certain stresses andstrainsA are produced causingthe bottomsurface Iofthe cement to be pressedmore or less-unevenly against vthe upper surface of the pan, P1astic-layers21l and-28 Aenablethe pan to conform to any suchunevennessas may beproduced, so that when the cement and-tile are finally placed and set, they-are uniformly supported at all points `bythe pan, with all interior stressesrand strains-eliminated' The assembly is'thus insa condition of equilibrium, with'tendencies to cracking of the cementand tile -dueto uneven support by the pan eliminated; The labor of installing the compositionr pan "ofthe present invention. is reducedto a minimum, nothingbeing required beyond-placingthe pan in the shower stall, unfolding itslsideportions I 6, and tting and sealing the bottom around thedrainpipe.

Figs.. 5 andj show avariationaliorm ofthe invention.. The form' of the invention show-nin Figs.. 2, v3 and 4 may bedelivered tothejob'inboxform, that is,v in .the .condition shown in. Fig. 2. In theform of .Fig'si 5 and. 6.,'lthe panmay be sent out.to the.job in flatform, rbeing formedinto box shape aftersplacement on. theoorof .the shower stalLf This isfa feature of particularadvantage, enabling the pan..to`.be.boxed .on .the job to meet the precise dimensions ofthe stall.V l

With particular reference lto.1!i'g".-..6, fthe pan in thislinstance. is shown as madevup .of a layerV 40 of asphalt .roofing felt, la layer 4I" of. asphaltimpregnated fabric orv felt," such. as flax felt,` a single layer 42"'ofasphalt plastic,` and ftop. and bottom cover layers 43 and 44, respectivelmwhich are preferably double 'thicknesses of water-.proof kraft paper.. A .doubleilayer ofthe plastic could of course. be `usedif -desired, the same-:fas in Figs; 2 to 4. `Paper. cover4 44A is shownas' overlapped Vover the edge of the pan, as indicated at 44a,

and the assembly is secured together by any suitable fastening means, as by means of staples 45. Preferably, a square of layers 4| and 42 is removed from each corner of the pan, as along lines 46 and 41, in order to avoid bulkiness when the pan is nally folded into box form as it is installed in the shower stall.

It will be understood the drawings are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the invention, since various changes and modifications in arrangement and in materials employed may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A composite shower pan or the like comprising a layer of asphalted felt, a layer of burlap impregnated with asphalt over said asphalted felt, a layer of plastic asphalt above said burlap, a layer of asphalted felt over said plastic, and a paper cover layer over the last mentioned layer.

2. A composite shower pan or the like comprising a layer of asphalted felt, a layer of a fabric adapted to give somewhat without tearing placed above said asphalted felt, a layer of plastic asphalt adjacent said last mentioned layer, a layer of asphalted felt above said last mentioned layers, and a cover layer of building paper over the last mentioned layer.

3. A composite shower pan or the like comprising upper and lower outside layers of smooth surfaced building paper, and inside waterproofing layers comprising two layers of asphalt felt, two layers of asphalt plastic, and a layer of asphalt impregnated burlap adjacent at least one of said layers of asphalt plastic.

4. A composite shower pan or the like comprising upper and lower outside layers of smooth surfaced building paper, and inside waterproofing layers comprising two layers of asphalt felt, two layers of asphalt plastic, and a layer of asphalt impregnated fabric of a character adapted to give somewhat without tearing.

5. A composite shower pan or the like comprising upper and lower outside layers of smooth surfaced building paper, and inside waterproofing layers comprising two layers of asphalt felt, two layers of asphalt plastic, and a layer of asphalt impregnated fabric of a character adapted to give somewhat Without tearing, one of said outside paper layers being folded around the edges of the composite pan so as to overlap the other of the paper layers, in such manner that the inside layers are entirely enclosed and protected against loss of volatile constituents of the asphalt materials between the edges of said layers.

6. A composite shower pan or the like comprising a layer of asphalted felt, a layer of a fabric adapted to give somewhat without tearing placed above said asphalted felt, a layer of plastic asphalt adjacent said last mentioned layer, a layer of asphalted felt above said last mentioned layers, and a cover layer of building paper over the last mentioned layer, said cover layer of building paper being folded around the edges of the composite pan so as to overlap the bottom of the composite sheet, in such manner that the inside layers are entirely enclosed and protected against loss of volatile constitutents of the asphalt materials between the edges of said layers.

GLENN A. MORTHLAND.

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