US2472383A - Air conditioning attachment for toilets - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1949; F. LhowENs I AIR CONDITIONING ATTACHMENT FOR TOILETS Filed May 22, 1946 Patented June 7, 1949 UN] T ED PATENT ,I FH

AIR: GONDITIONING. ATTACHMENT FOR TOILETS "Fre'd'L. Owens, Long Beach, Calif.

Application May 22, 1946, Serial No.5?671g504 6 Claims. '1

This invention, an air conditioning attachment ,:for toilets, is a modificationof the-air conditioning apparatus disclosed in ;my application Serial ,No. 576,255 filed February 5, .1945, now matured as Patent Non-2,406,507, dated ;August-27, 1946,

which covers-an arrangement to be installed in a flush tank and=with the=flush lever being-used selectively for flushing-.andair conditioning, while thismodification-covers an-attachment to be attached to one end of the flush-tankandoperated for :air conditioning through raising of the toilet ,seat cover, with the 'flush apparatus in thetank nated when the'cover is= closed down.

When the toiletseat-is-raised th'e'apparatus is placed in operation' andxbyleaving the seat in a raised position'thevaerating apparatus "will continue-operating as long as desired-to cool and condition the 7 air, and 'it' also can :be 1 installed :as a unit separate from the toilet :for straight air conditioning and can 'bedocatedato discharge into a sink and the water supply obtained from the kitchen sink tap through'a :flexib'le: connection 'or hose, thus providing :a :relatively universally applicable air conditioninginstallation.

The objects and advantages of :the invention are as follows:

First, to i rovide an air conditioning apparatus ein the form of an attachment which can "be applied to a conventional :toilet or can .be :mounted adjacent to a, sink or'theilike'foroperation by a conventional water tap.

Second, to .provide apparatus-as outlined with a Venturi type spray jet for suction and washing Third, to provide apparatus iasoutlined which be attached to the "side of a iconventional flush. tank. and placednin operation through raising of the seat cover of "a toilet.

Fourth, to provide apparatus as I outlined which is simple in-construction andarrangement, relatively easy to instalL lowincost,-and=economical .to operate.

Fifth, to provide apparatus as outlined which can be installed in 1 any location where a, supply of water under pressure and drainage facilities :are accessible, and which/apparatus requires a relatively small space.

In describing the invention :reference will "be made to theaccompanyingsdrawings in :which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevationvof a toilet andflush .tank partly broken away with my invention applied thereto.

Fig. '2 is a side elevation-lof Fig. 1. .Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional-elevationthrough the air-conditioning chamber.

The invention isillustrated as -vapplied to'-;a conventional toilet |0=througha special flushing connection 1 I i which replaces the standard "connection and which is quite-easily substituted-and includes an aerating chamber 1 2 which is *provided with a hook member it formed asan extension 45 of one side-w'all lfirandarr-angedto hook'over'the top of "one side :wall of the-flush tank l'l'. This-extension,:thoughnot soshown, can, if so desired, :be iormedwithout-th'e hook :and-instead can-be;prov-ided with-holes for fastening to a wall.

In addition to the side wall Hi, the aerating chamber has another side wall I 8, a :front wall l9, azrear wall"2il, a perforated cover 32! and:a bottom .22, a support 12-3 for-deodorant, and ea .series of inverted aL- shaped baffles 24,25 and 26 which extend between the front and backwalls,

with the first and third 'baffies :respectively "24 and '26 havingtheir-vertical legs extending only part way down to the bottom or to 'the sump water level to provide air gpassages at'the lower ends, and the second ".bafile :25 extending down into the sump below the water level :to form a seal. The intermediatezbaffle 25 has-passages -21 formed inthe horizontal leg :preferablynearthe side wall it, andthe-support1-23 has passages 28 formed throughout its extent. .threebafiles are shown the invention is not so limited.

Though only A fluid trap 29 projects upwardly into the chamber and is arrangedto maintain the .water level 39 above the bottom'3l of the baiile '25-and eachalternate bafiie-tifthere are more'than three. A Venturi tube 32 ext-ends'upwardlyto a point above thelower edge'3'3 of the bafile 2 B, anda jet 35 discharges axially throughithe pipe 13.2.

The jet 35 is connected through a T 36 :and pipe 31 Withra'valve 38 which is-opened'or released to open when the'seat '39 is raised, being indicatedas being normally 'opened'byxa spring flil andclosed by a'finger 4| attached to the cover 39. A supply pipe-42 or hose or'other flexible conduit connects thevalve to a source of water under pressuresuch 'asithe 'fiush tank. supply pipe "43. The other'connection fl, locatediin the 'im- .pulse zone 'of the jet is connected to the special flushing connection t! of a flush tank through .a pipe 46, and a drain ipipe '41 connects the f trap 3 29 with the flush connection II which functions as a suction chamber.

Normally the seat cover 39 is closed, which through the finger 4| keeps the valve 38 closed. When the cover is raised, the spring Ml opens the valve and water under pressure is ejected through the nozzle 35, into the venturi 32 through which it passes upwardly in the form of a spray, being projected as indicated at 38 against the horizontal leg of the bafile 24 and drawing air from the flushing connection H, or suction chamber through the pipe 46 and connection 44 and projecting it upwardly with the spray, the major portion of the water separating and being condensed on the baffle 24 and draining back to the sump as indicated at 49, the mixture of air and moisture passing through the curtain of water 49 and passing up between the vertical legs of the baflles 24 and thence through the passages 27, then back and down between the vertical legs of the bafiles 25 and 26 and around the lower end of the baflle 26 and thence upward between the bafile 26 and the side wall f8 of the chamber and discharging into the chamber 50 which may be supplied with any desired deodorant or aromatic 5|, the separated water being drained back to the flush connection each time that it rises above the trap 29.

The trap 29 forms a seal for the aerating chamber, and the vertical leg 25 in conjunction with the body of water in the sump forms a partition to require a predetermined path for the air-Water mixture for complete circulation and separation. A trap 52 is also supplied for the overflow pipe 53 in the tank to seal the upper end of the flushing connection.

When the seat cover is lowered it automatically closes the valve and terminates operation of the system.

For straight air conditioning purposes, the tank 12 can be hung on a wall or the like, with the pipe having an attached air intake pipe or suction chamber 45 open at both ends and discharging into a suitable drain, such as a sink, and the valve 38 connected to any suitable source of water under pressure such as to a kitchen faucet, through a length of flexible tubing substituted for the connection 42, under which conditions suitable hand control means (not shown because such controls are well known in the art) would be provided for the valve.

For purposes other than for toilet installations the suction chamber 45 can be coupled close to the aerating chamber IE to provide a very compact unit, this merely requiring the substitution of nipples or short lengths of pipe for the pipes 31, 46 and 41.

Thus a very compact and efficient apparatus is provided which can be coupled to suit the specific conditions of aerating desired, and which can be installed in any location where a source of Water under pressure and suitable drainage means is available.

I claim:

1. An air conditioner comprising; an air-water separating chamber having a sump, a jet pipe, and a circuitous path formed therein and discharging through the upper end of the chamber; a suction chamber; a source of Water under pressure; a spray nozzle having communication with said source of water under pressure and a control valve therefor and dischargin into and through said jet pipe into said air-Water separating chamber and a communication between said suction chamber and the outlet of said spray nozzle for drawing air from said suction chamber and discharging the same with the spray from said spray nozzle through said jet pipe for thorough washing of the air; said circuitous path including a series of bafiles forming forward and return passages therebetween; and a trapped drain for said sump; said suction chamber consisting of a toilet flushin connection, a pipe communicating between said flushing connection and said trapped drain; said control valve consisting of a normally open valve; a finger projecting from and mounted on the reaward end of a toilet seat cover with said valve mounted in cooperative relation thereto, and with said finger closing said valve when the toilet seat cover is closed and releasing said valve to open when the cover is raised, and a trap for a flush tank overflow pipe, and means for mounting said air-water separating chamber on one end of a flush tank.

2. An air conditioning unit comprising; an airwater separating chamber having a trapped drain extending upwardly from the bottom thereof to maintain a predetermined level of water in the chamber, and having a horizontal perforated partition in spaced relation to the top and a perforated cover for the top; a series of inverted L-shaped bailles having horizontal legs of different lengths with the ends of the legs sealed to one side wall of the chamber and vertically spaced, and with alternate ones of said horizontal legs having perforated end portions and with the depending legs horizontally spaced relative to each other and to the other side wall of the chamber and with the intervening ones of said depending legs terminating in spaced relation above the water level and the alternate ones extending below the Water level to form a water seal thereat, and with the sides of said baffles sealed throughout their extents to the respective front and back walls of said chamber and forming in conjunction with the Water seal and the other side wall of the chamber and perforated end portions a circuitous water-air separating path; a jet pipe projecting upwardly into spaced relation to the horizontal leg of the lowermost bafiic; a jet and a source of water under pressure for discharging upwardly through said jet pipe, and a suction chamber in communication with said jet pipe. and a valve for controlling said source of water; said one Side wall having a hook member at its upper end for attachment over the side wall of a toilet flush tank; and said suction chamber comprising a toilet flushing connection having said trapped drain in communication therewith, and said valve being mounted in cooperative relation for control by the seat cover of a toilet, and a trap for the overflow pipe of a flush tank for sealing the upper end of the toilet flushing connection.

3. An air conditioning unit comprising; an airwater separating chamber having a series of bafiies therein forming a circuitous air-water separating path, and having a perforated horizontal wall in spaced relation above the baffles and a perforated cover for the top and forming a deodorant container therebetween, and a trap for the lower end of the chamber to maintain a predetermined level of water with certain alternate bailles sealed at the lower ends thereby, a Venturi tube extending upwardly into said chamber and having a jet and a source 01 Water under pressure and a control valve therefor and having a suction line in communication therewith within the impulse zone of the jet; means for attaching said unit to a toilet flush tank having an overflow pipe; a trap for the overflow pipe; a toilet flushing connection having said suction line and a drain for said first mentioned trap in communication therewith; and valve operating means for the cover of a toilet seat with said control valve mountable in cooperative relation thereto for control by raising and lowering of the cover of the toilet seat.

4. An air conditioning unit comprising; an airwater separating chamber having a series of bafiles therein forming a circuitous air-water separating path, and having a perforated horizontal Wall in spaced relation above the bafiles and a perforated cover for the top and forming a deodorant container therebetween, and a trap for the lower end of the chamber to maintain a predetermined level of water with certain alternate baifies sealed at the lower ends thereby, a, venturi tube extending upwardly into said chamber and having a jet and a source of water under pressure and a control valve therefor and having a suction line in communication therewith Within the impulse zone of the jet; said unit having a hook member to hook over the top edge of a toilet flushing tank having an overflow pipe; a trap for the overflow pipe; a toilet flushin connection having said suction line and a drain for said first mentioned trap in communication therewith; an operating member for mounting on the hinged end of a toilet seat cover; said control valve consisting of a normally open Valve and mountable in cooperative relation to said operating member for closing the valve when the seat cover i closed and for releasing the valve to open when the seat cover is raised.

5. An air-conditioning attachment for toilets having a flush tank havin an overflow pipe and a hinged cover for the toilet seat, and a source of Water under pressure, comprising; a chamber having air-water separating means, a deodorant container forming the discharge path for air from said air-water separating means, and a trapped drain to maintain a predetermined water level and form a water seal, and a Venturi tube extending upwardly into said chamber and a jet for said venturi tube; a trap for the overflow pipe of the flush tank; a toilet flushing connection in communication with said trapped drain and having communication with said venturi at the impulse zone of said jet, a water connection and a control valve therefor for said jet, and a Valve controlling member for attachment to the toilet seat cover and cooperatively related to said valve for operation through raising and closing of said toilet seat cover.

6. A structure as defined in claim 5; said valve controllin member consisting of a finger attachable to the hinged end of the toilet seat cover and projecting rearwardly, and said control valve being spring-urged to open and being closed by said finger when the toilet seat cover is closed and released to open when the toilet seat cover is raised.

FRED L. OWENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 422,202 Furney Feb. 25, 1890 1,235,535 Bowman July 31, 1917 1,377,381 Worrall May 10, 1921 2,164,763 Buck July 4, 1939

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