US2374490A - Shower enclosure - Google Patents

Description

lApril 24, 1945. L.. H. LEHMAN 2,374,490 I SHOWER ENcLosURE Filed Marchv 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l la la JLOUIS H. LEHMAN a?, n A 2@ 2 M WM j@ Mm April 24, 1945. L. H. LEAMAN 2,374,490

' SHOWER ENGLOSURE Filed March 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 LQuls H LEHMAN Hajj Patented Apr. 1945 z: fr Il inventionV relatesffgenerally to" shower an application of the `present invention to a bath#v enclosures and*v moreparticularly to animproved tub shower;

construction' of=` slidingdoonwhiclris` adaptedfor Figure 2 is a perspective view of" the' lower guideuseinA conjunction witlwi'` compartmentandbathtrackA 'for the shower-enclosing doors;

tub showers: f" "j 5 Figure 3` isa vertical sectionalview taken along Among" the* principal objects-of: theipres'ent in; the line 3 3 of Figure 1; Y

vention is to provide an arrangemeniv `a Figure l 'is a "partial elevational view; with pairy of slidably' mountedL glass paneleddiiors' are certainy parts shown in section, of the construcempl'oyed' to .complete theA shower en'closurejthe tion shjown in Figure 3;

v presentl invention:

arrangementA being such` as to* nsuref-'notfonly m Figure 5 is a partial elevational view, withicersmooth, easyi andi-quiet-operation'i oiffthedoors l y tain parts shown in section, offa modiied` erninM theopening and closing `of* tli'e same; but also bodiment of the present invention; f Y lao-insure againstl'eakageiofwater'across-thebot- Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional; viewof the tomed'ges vof thel doors; Inthis latter regard, construction shown inFigure 5*; the presentinventionhasasits further `object' the 15 "Figure 'iuris' a vertical sectional.viewtaken on provision ofl a` specially" designed guide track `for the line T T of Figure 5*;

the doors which is adapted" tobereadily installed Figure 8 is a ypartial elevational'view, with cer along the outer longitudinal edge* ofi-a-fbath'tub tain parts shown in section;` of a stilll further or as thethresholdpieceof *al` shower comparti modified embodiment of the present invention;`

without requiringitliepdrilling ofholesfinltheedge Figure 9-s a'vertical sectional View taken on ofu the' bath-tubior inetheoorof'"thetshower theiline 9-9of Figure f l 1 compartment. l Y l. Y `I f l Referringnowto the drawingslandj more par- Al further" and importantobjectf of-'gtheepresent ticularly to Figures f1 to 4 thereof, it will be invention is to provid'efa'slidngldoor"arrafnge 25 observed that the sliding door arrangement as ment wherein the doors aire `eCiu-illf'dfwith` conconstructed in accordance with and embodying cealed" rollers-'and' wherein@` a"specfally"dsigned the principles of the present invention includes track -isprovidedy forl saidrollerstoi-insuren'ot a pair ofglass panel doors IU and II which'are' only smooth and quietoperationfofthejlatterfbut adapted to serveV as the openable enclosure for alfsoto facilitatedrainingfthei track of fan-yjwater 30 the bath-tub type of shower shown in` FigureV 1.

that may-tend toaccumula'te-lthereinl 1 -w In this type of shower; the bath-tub` I2lis per- Still another object is'tof'provida-'guiiletracl manently enclosed along three of' its sides by the forthe roller-equipped` sliding dborsliaving-upvertically extending `walls I3, I4 and I5 to pro- Starldng rails `alongA which the rollers tIaVel, the vide aV showeri compartment wherein the tub4 |12 constructionofthe track being such as* toelimi- 35 serves asthe receptacle `for the waste `shower nate the Open guide Channels which'have been water. I Theopen side "of this compartment is employed heretoforeV more or less conventionally that Whichisadaptedftobe IenClO-Sedbythe slid. and in which dirt and sedimenttends to accumuing doors' IU and* II, it being notedI in this conflate to render them quite unsanitary.v nection that these doors" are guided along their Still other objects and `advantages of the pres- 40 lower edgesbya lower guide track I6 and along Ient invention, such as the provision of a slidingr their upper edgesbyan upper trackorguide I'I. door arrangementwhich'is simple in construc- Then lowertrack II6; which is shown' in perspec tion, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and tive in Figure" 2g``is mounted and extends along install, durable and efcient in useand sightly irl` the outer longitudinal edge or rim of the bathappearance; willV appear more fully hereinafter, it 45 tub |12", the'oppo'site endsofV the track being sebeinfg understood thatthe present invention concured in any suitable manner to the opposite sists substantially in the combination, co'nstruc- Walls I3 and I5 of the'shower enclosure. Theup tion-, location and relativearrangement `of'parts',` per guide I1 also extends between the-walls I3 all as described in detail hereinafter, as shown and lfwith' its opposite ends Ysecured 'thereto in in the accompanying drawings and afs `finally 50 any' suitable manner, it being understood, of`

pointed-out in the appendedlclaims. I course, that the said lower `traclrIi and the up- In theaccompanying drawings, wliich are illusper guide II are disposed in vertically spaced trativeV of certain preferred embodiments of the I parallel'relationl I 3' The sliding doors Illfand I'I are ofsubstan- Figure I isa front elevationalfviewshowing @5I tiallysimilar construction; each being provided with a frame within which is fitted a panel of glass or other such material. The doors I and II are each of a width slightly exceeding half the overall width of the opening vbetween the walls I3 and I5 of the shower enclosure, the door dimensions being such that they may be moved in opposite directions to conjointly close completely the front opening of the shower enclosure.

As appears most clearly in Figure 2, the lower track I6 for the sliding doors I0 and II is provided with'a relativelyl broad main base member I8 upon which are integrally formed a pair of laterally spaced, parallel track elements I9 and 2.0, the opposite ends of each of these track elements terminating short of the corresponding ends of the base I8. The base I8 of the track is provided along each of its longitudinally extending edges with depending flanges 2I-2I so as to provide the track base with a downwardly the track base I8 and the rim of the bath-tub is lled with a caulking material. The outer longitudinal edge of the track is provided with an upstanding flange 23 which rises somewhat above thetop surfaces of the track elements I9 and 20 and serves as a splash plate for preventingr water that may accumulate upon the track from passing outwardly thereof. The track elements I9 and 2U are each provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced weep holes 24 to permit free drainage of water from the outer sides of each track element toward and into the tub, it being observed in this connection that by terminating the track elements short of the opposite ends of the main base I8 of the track, water that may be accumulated on the track member between the track elements I9 and 20 may flow freely into the tub not only by way of the weep holes 24, but also through the clear space provided at opposite ends of the track elements. The arrangement thus provides for ready and adequate cleaning of any water and other matter that may accumulate between the track elements -I9 and 20 and between the track element I9 and the outer splash flange 23.

, The doors I0 and II are respectively mounted i site extremity thereof, the arrangement being such that the roller bearings 21 rest on thetrack elements I9 and 20 and so support the doors for sliding movement there along. In order to prevent lateral displacement of the doors I0 and II from their respective tracks I9 and 20, the opposite walls of the vertical rails 28-28 of each door are extended downwardly slightly below the top surfaces of the track elements I9 and 20, these downwardly extending parts of the side rails -being most clearly shown in Figure 3 wherein they are designated bythe reference numeral 29.

The upper guide header I'I for the'doors` is of the cross-section most clearly shown in Figure 3 wherein it will be observed that it is of generally double channel section, the bottoms of the channels 30 and 3| being each formed with longitudinally extending, relatively narrow openings 32 and 33.

Secured to the top rails of each of the doors I0 and II are a pair of longitudinally spaced guide members 34, each of the latter being preferably in the form of a fiat plate havingan enlarged head formed along its free extremity. The guide elements 34 are suitably secured to the ,upper rails of the doors I0 and II, preferably in the manner shown in Figure 3 by the transversely extending screws 36, the arrangement being such that the flat portions 34 of the guide members are adapted to ride freely along the slots 32 and 33 of the upper guide header Il with the enlarged heads 35 disposed within the channels 30 and 3| of the header. The mem-bers 34 thus permit free movement of the doors I0 and Il longitudinally of the header Il While preventing lateral displacement therefrom. The enlarged heads 35 of the upper guide shoes 34 serve to support the door from the header I'I should the bottom edge of the door be accidentally dislodged from its supporting track element.

It will be understood that to assemble the upper safety shoes 34 in operative relation with respect to the header II and the doors I0 and I las shown in Figure 3, the said shoes are first slipped lengthwise into the header before the latter is mounted in place. Thereafter the depending loWer portions of these shoes are tted into the slots 3l suitably provided therefor in the upper rails of the doors wherein they are secured bythe transversely extending screws 36.

Instead of fitting the doors with roller bearings as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and which bearings are journaled upon shafts 38 extending transversely between the opposite side walls of the bottom channel 26 of the doors, a modified arrangement of supporting roller for the door may 'be employed, such as is shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

In this modified arrangement, each door is slid@ ably supported above its ytrack element by a pair of intervening rollers 40-4I which are secured together in longitudinally spaced relation by a suitable carriage 42. consists of a longitudinally extending rod 43, the opposite ends of which are fitted with yokes 44-44 having transverse shafts 45-45 upon which the rollers 40 and 4I are respectively journaled. The distance between the centers of the rollers40 and 4I equals approximately half the width wof the door and inasmuch as the door is vfreeto moverelatively to the rollers while the rollers in turn are free to move relatively to the track element above which the door `is mounted, the door movesy twicethe distance traversed by the rollers. Consequently, when one of the doors is inv its extreme position, either fully closed or fully opened, it' may be readily .shifted to its .opposite extreme position upon the rollers 40 and 4I with the latter moving only half the distance actually traversed by the door. As in the modication shown in Figures 3 and4, the side walls of the opposite vertical rails of the door extend slightly downward as at 46, below the top edge of the track element above which the door is mounted to prevent ,lateral displacement of the door with respect yto said Vtrack element.l j

Figures 8 and 9 show still another modification of the present invention wherein-instead of the roller bearings of Figures 3 and 4 xedly mounted within the lower channels of the door, a pair of This carriage preferablyA loose rollers 41 and 48 are employed. ' Ihese rollers 41 and 48 are suitably disposed within the lower channel 49 of each of the doors Sil-50a, the upper wall of this channel being provided midway of its length with a downwardly projecting septiun 52 which serves to partition the channel into two longitudinally spaced parts respectively designated 53 and 54. Inasmuch as the rollers 41 and 48 are freely disposed respectively within the channeled portions 53 and 54, it will be apparent that as the door 50 is moved in one direction or another along its supporting track 28, it moves relatively to the rollers 41 and 48 while the latter rotate relatively to the said track 26. Ihe action thus is on the order of that of the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 the difference being that the rollers 41 and 48 are not tied together by a carriage as in the latter arrangement. Thus, when the door `5l) is at its extreme left hand limit as shown in Figure 8, the rollers 41 'and 48 assume the position shown in that figure. However, when the door is shifted to the right into its extreme right hand position,

, equal to half the width of the door, the opposite rails of the door are each recessed as at Sii-56. Also, to facilitate insertion ofthe rollers 41 and 48 between the door and its supporting track element and to make possible ready replacement of the rollers without necessitating removal of the doors from their supporting track elements, it is preferable to provide the opposite vertical rails of the doors withremovable inserts 51-51 which are normally held in position by the screws Sil-58. As in the previously described aps modifications, lateral displacement of the doors with respect to their supporting track elements is `prevented by extending the opposite side walls of the channeled vertical rails of the doors down wardly, as at 59, slightly below the top surfaces of the track elements.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications other than those hereinbefore den scribed, all of which may be made from time to time, and it is accordingly intended to claim the present invention broadly, as well as specically, as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is: 1. In a shower enclosure, in combination, a pair of sliding doors therefor, each having a longitudinally extending channel along its bottom v edge, a track member extending longitudinally across the base of the opening to be closed by said doors, said track member having an upstanding flange extending along the outer edge thereof for the full length of the base of said door opening and a pair of laterally spaced parallel track elements projecting above the base of said track member, roller means disposed within the depending channel of each door and adapted to rest upon the upper surfaces of the said track elements to thereby maintain the said rollers out of direct contact with any water accumulating onsaid track member below the upper surfaces of said track elements, said channel of each door being of a depth such that 1ts free edges terminate substantially in the horizontal plane of the roller contacting surface of the track element associated with the door whereby to effectually conceal the roller means from lateral view, and means in said track member operative to permit free drainage therefrom of any water that may accumulate between and to either side of said track elements.

2. In a shower enclosure, in combination, a pair of sliding doors therefor 'each having a downwardly presenting channel extending longitudinally along its bottom edge, a track member extending across the base of the opening to be closed by said doors, said track member having an upstanding flange extending along the outer edge thereof for the full length of the base of said door opening and a pair of laterally spaced parallel track elements projecting above the base of the track member upon which said doors are respectively supported and guided, `roller means disposed within the channeled bottom edges of each door for rolling engagement with the upper surfaces of said track elements, the lower free edges of the roller receiving channels being substantially ush with the roller contacting surfaces of the track elements throughout the major `portion of the length of each channel, the opposite ends of said track elements terminating short of the corresponding ends of the base of the door opening whereby to permit the free drainage of water from said track member about said terminal ends of the track elements toward the interior of said enclosure, and means at the opposite extremities of the bottom edgeof each door for preventing lateral displacement thereof with respect to its associated track element.

3. In a shower enclosure of the character de-f lined in claim 2 wherein said last-mentioned means is in the form of extensions of the channel walls arranged upon opposite sides of each track element and terminating below the roller contacting surfaces thereof.

4. In a shower enclosure, in combination, a pair of sliding doors therefor, each having a longitudinally extending channel along its bottom edge, a track member extending longitudinally across the base of the opening to be closed by said doors, said track member having an upstanding flange extending along the outer edge thereof for the full length of the base of said door opening and a pair of laterally spaced parallel track elements projecting above the base of said track member, roller means disposed within the depending channel 0f each door and adapted to rest upon the upper surfaces of the said track elements to thereby maintain the said rollers out of direct contact with any water accumulating on said track member below the upper surfaces of said track elements, said channel of each door being of a depth such that its free edges terminate substantially in the horizontal plane of the roller contacting surface of the track element associated with the door whereby to eifectually conceal the roller means from lateral view, and means in said track member operative to permit free'drainage therefrom of any `water that may accumulate between and to either side of said track elements, said last-mentioned means including drainage passages for the water extending transversely throughsaid track elements at points substantially surfaces thereof.

LOUIS H. LEHMAN.

below the upper

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