US2509247A - Supporting panel for use on washbasins - Google Patents

Description

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U39 i953@ H, RAY

SUPPORTING PANEL FOR USE ON WASHBASINS Filed May 1B, 1,948

Lmuf J -l l i n INVENTOR HENRY RAY m/mawwdfwnmfwvmm ATTORN EYS Patented May 30, 1950 OFFICE SUPPORTING PANEL FOR USE ON WASHBASINS Henry Ray, New York, N. Y., assigner to Benjamin M. Hines, New York, N. Y.

Application May 18, 1948, Serial No. 27,682

(Cl. Li--l85) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an article of furniture, and more particularly to an apparatus adapted to be supported upon the wash basin in the bathroom of the home to provide a table top which is useful for a variety of purposes.

Because of the small average size of the present day bathroom, there is a need for a device which may be used to provide additional working surface therein and which at the same time may be conveniently removed and stored in a minimum of space when such working surface is not desired.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide such a device, the device .being adapted to be positioned upon the wash basin to form a table top which forms a convenient working surface.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the type indicated which is durable, which presents a safe, strong and stable working surface, and which at the same time is suniciently light in weight to be easily removed from the wash basin when not desired for use there.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the aforementioned character which may be easily adjusted to iit wash basins of different sizes.

1t is moreover an object of this invention to provide a device of the character indicated which is simple in construction and which may be manufactured at low cost.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent upon a further reading of this specincation.

The aforementioned and other objects are accomplished by providing a panel shaped in the form of a section of a cylinder and having on one of its straight sides iiexible means adapted to hold the panel in contact with the faucet stems on a wash basin.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a top view of the apparatus in position I,

on a Wash basin; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the numeral l represents a concave-convex panel of the apparatus and the numeral 2 represents a cylindrical length of gum rubber cord. The length of rubber cord is laced through the panel through the closelyfitting holes 3. The size of the rubber cord in cross section is so related to the size of the holes 3 that the cord will be adjustably and firmly retained in the holes by friction. Additionalhcles ll are provided in order that various adjustments of the position of the cord with respect to the panel may be made, and a cut-out 5 is also provided to make the apparatus more adaptable for use in basins having a spigot common to the two faucets or taps.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the panel had a length of about 2'? inches and a Width of about 20 inches, and the arcuate portion of the panel shown in section in Fig. 2 had a radius of about 25 inches. The panel was made of threesixteenth inch thickness [Masonite (a proprietary composition board made by a process in which wood chips are exploded by steam at a pressure of the order of 1000 pounds per square inch, after which the resulting bers are waterproofed with an emulsion having a paraffin base and then pressed into boards of the desired thickness) bent to the desired shape. The length of the gum rubber cord used was 29 inches andthe cord had a diameter of three-eighths inches.

Various modifications may be made` in the device specically described to provide other embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention. Thus, the size, depth and thickness of the panel may be varied, and it may be manufactured of materials other than Masonite, e. g., plywood, various synthetic resins, etc. In addition, the gum rubber cor-d may be replaced by cords made of other elastomeric materials, or by a helical spring, etc. Also, if desired, the bottom of the panel may be provided with two or more sponge rubber pads, to cushion the panel from the top of the wash stand. Other modications in the apparatus of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The forming of the panel with a concave upper surface and a convex lower surface enables one side edge of it to pass over the outlet portions of the faucets of a wash basin and to nt under the handles of the faucet stems where it may be securely held by the flexible cord 2, as shown in the drawings. By having the panel of concavoconvex form so that one side edge extends under the handles of the faucets, the panel can have greater width in a direction in front of the faucets Without any tendency of it to pivot about the front edge of the basin as a fulcrum, even when used on relatively small basins. Also, by having the upper surface concave, some portion thereof always will lie substantially horizontal, while the upwardly curved side edges give a sort of cradling effect which prevents anything placed 3 thereon from readily falling off. This latter effect is most advantageous when an infant is laid on the panel, as when it is being dressed.

The apparatus described herein is characterized by a Wide variety of other advantages. Thus, it can be inexpensively manufactured using equipment which is readily available, and is easily assembled if furnished the user disassembled. Furthermore, the device is strong and durable in construction, yet is suniciently light that it can be easily handled. In a-ddition, the apparatus may be easily adjusted to t wash basins of different sizes, yet retains a xed adjustment for a long period. The apparatus is particularly adapted to be positioned upon a wash basin placed in the corner of the room since, by positioning the exible means unsymmetrically with respect to the panel, such means will hold the side of the panel rigidly against the wall as Well as against the faucet stems and under the faucet handles.

The apparatus described is also possessed of a variety of uses, since it fills a definite need for more working surface in the bathroom of the average home. For example, it may be advantageously used when changing a babys diapers, or when drying and powdering a baby after a bath. If desired, the apparatus may also be used for supporting clothes, such as socks and sweaters, when they are being dried. The device described herein in fact fills the need for an additional table in the home, when additional table surface is needed.

-.I claim:

1. A supporting surface comprising a concavoconvex panel to be attached to a wash basin or the like with its concave side upward, and means to detachably secure the panel to the faucets of the Wash basin.

2. A supporting surface comprising a concaveconveX panel curved substantially in a single direction to be attached to a wash basin or the like with its concave side upward, and means to detachably secure the panel to the faucets of the wash basin.

3. A supporting surface comprising a concavconvex curved Ipanel to be attached to a wash basin or the like with its concave side upward, and means to detachably secure the panel to the faucets of the Wash basin, said panel presenting a substantially continuous supporting surface throughout.

4. A supporting surface comprising a panel in the general form of a longitudinal section of a cylinder to be attached to a wash basin or the like with its concave side upward, and flexible means to detachably secure the panel to the faucets of the wash basin.

5. A supporting surface comprising a concavoconvex panel to be attached to a wash basin or the like with its concave side upward, and means to detachably secure the panel to the faucets of the wash basin, said panel having a recess extending inwardly from a mid portion of the side edge adjacent which the detachable securing means are attached.

6. A supporting surface comprising a concavoconvex panel to be attached to a wash basin or the like with its concave side upward, said panel having a plurality of openings adjacent one side edge thereof, and means to detachably secure the panel to the faucets of the Wash basin including an elastic cord laced through said openings in the panel, the cross-sectional size of the elastic cord being so related to the size of said openings in the panel that the elastic cord will be adjustably retained in them by friction.

HENRY RAY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 914,120 Demarest Mar. Z, 916,283 Eccleston Mar. 23, 1969 1,587,693 Beland et al. June 8, 1925 2,367,321 Wheeler et al. Jan. 16, 1945

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