US2569825A - Bathtub - Google Patents

Description

H. J. OTlS Oct. 2, 1951 BATHTUB Filed June 7, 1948 M I. y I. I uwspfi v Patented Oct. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATHTUB Howard J. Otis, Kansas City, Mo.

Application June'i, 1948, Serial No. 31,510 7 Claims. (01. 4-173) This invention relates to improvements in bath tubs and has particular reference to bath tubs for the convenience of elderly people, invalids, and people generally.

It is hazardous and inconvenient for the old and invalids to get in and out of the standard bath tub. Furthermore, many bathers experience serious accidents due to the fact that the ordinary tub provides no suitable hand holds, and ofttimes the long flat bottom of the tub is slick, thus causing accidents due to falling.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a bath tub of relatively small floor area and of relatively high walls, having an opening in the upper portion of its side wall and a closure suitable for closing said opening whereby the bather may have accessto the tub through said opening while conveniently grasping the upper edge of said tub without bending over.

Another object of the invention is the provision of relatively high bath tub having a side door through which the bather has access to the tub and having a seat formed in one end of the tub adjacent said side door, whereby the bather may conveniently operate said door when seated in said seat.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a bath tub having a relatively small volume adjacent its bottom portion and an increasing relative volume as it progresses upwardly toward the top of the tub.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a bath tub having a seat positioned below the lower edge of the door opening.

Other objects are efficiency and economy of construction, ease and economy of operation, and adaptability for general use as a bath tub for all bathers.

With these objects in view, a well as other objects which will appear during the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bath tub embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the tub, partly broken away to disclose the internal structure.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bath tub.

Throughout the several views of the drawing, like reference characters refer to similar parts, and the numeral l designates a bath tub having a cabinet of general rectangular form having a bottom l2, side walls I4 and I6, and end walls I8 and 20. It will be noted that this tub is relatively high and short as compared with the standard bath tub and provides a top rolled rim 22 suitable for the bather to grasp whilev in the normal standing position. The front side l4 of the tub is provided with a door opening 24 which extends from the upper edge of the side wall to a point substantially half Way to the bottom of the tub. This door opening as shown is adjacent the forward end l8 of the tuband is provided with a closure 26hinged at 28 to side wall 14. This door is provided with suitable latching means 30 at it free edge whereby the door or closure is drawn tightly against a resilient door strip 32 by means of which the upper portion of the tub is made water tight when the door is closed.

The back end of the tub is provided with a seat 34 that extends across the tub and has an inclined back member 36 which extends downwardly to the seat which is normally inclined forwardly to drain into the tub therebelow. Seat 34 is provided at its forwardedge with an upwardly extending crotch member 40 which precludes possible slipping of the occupant from the seat. This seat is undercut at 42 to permit ofsufiicient foot room at the base of the tub. It will be noted that seat member 34 is positioned below door opening 24 and extends slightly forwardly of the rear of the door opening, thus facilitating easy access of the bather from the tub entrance to the seated position in the tub.

Positioned in the bottom of the tub in easy reach of the occupant is drain pipe 44 having a stopper 46. Directly in front of and in easy reach of the bather is a hot and cold faucet 48 which is mounted in end wall l8.

That portion of the cabinet or tub between the seat member and end wall 20 is partitioned off from the tub chamber, thus conserving water for filling the lower portion of the tub.

When it is desired to take a foot bath the water may be run into the tub any desired depth below the seat level, however, the body of the bather may be entirely emersed, if desired.

It is quite apparent that I have produced a bathing cabinet or tub which is convenient and comfortable for the bather, one that presents suitable hand gripping rails that insure safety while getting in and out of the tub, and a restricted bottom area that limits to a minimum possible slipping and falling in the tub.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A bath tub comprising a cabinet having side and end walls of substantially the same height as the length of the tub, a door opening extending downwardly from the upper edge of one of said Walls to substantially the vertical center of said wall, a hinged closure adapted to close said opening, and a seat formed in said cabinet adjacent said closure beneath the lower edge of said door opening, said door opening being in a wall transverse to said seat and extending forwardly from said seat.

2. A bath tub comprising a rectangular cabinet having a substantially square front wall provided with door opening extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof to a point substantially half way from the top to the bottom of said side wall, a closure hinged to said front wall for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto to close said door opening, and a seat formed in one end of said cabinet below said door opening, said door opening extending forwardly from said seat.

3; A bathtub comprising a rectangular cabinet having a substantially square front wall and having a rolled top hand gripping rail extending therearound, a seat member formed in one end portion of said cabinet to close off section of the'lower portion of said cabinet, said front wall having a door opening formed in the upper portion thereof entirely above said seat member, a horizontally hinged door adapted to close said door opening a water inlet adjacent the'upper edge of said cabinet and a drain pipe in the bottom thereof.

' 4. Abath tub comprisin a rectangular cabinet having a substantially square front wall and having a rolled top hand gripping rail extending therearound, a relatively low seat member formed in one end portion of said cabinet to close oil a section of the lower portion of said cabinet, said front'wall having a door openin formed in the upper portion thereof adjacent the other end of said cabinet, a horizontally hinged door adapted to close said door opening with its free edge sub-- stantially in transverse alignment with the front edge portion of said seat, a water inlet adjacent the upper edge of said cabinet and a drain pipe in the bottom thereof.

5. A bath tub comprising a rectangular cabinet having a substantially square front wall and having a rolled top hand gripping rail extending therearound, a seat member formed in one end portion of said cabinet to close off one end section of said cabinet whereby the cross sectional area of said cabinet is gradually reduced from its top to said seat, said front wall having a door opening formed in the upper portion thereof above said seat'member, a horizontally hinged door adapted to close said door opening, a water inlet adjacent the upper edge of said cabinet and a drain pipe in the bottom thereof.

6. In a bath tub of the class described, a seat member formed therein above the level of the bottom thereof, said seat member having a portion inclined downwardly toward the forward edge of the seat to provide drainage, and a portion inclined upwardly toward the forward edge of the seat to prevent the occupant from slipping from the seat.

7. In a bath tub' of the class described, a seat member formed therein above the level of the bottom thereof, said seat member having leg receiving depressions formed therein and inclined downwardly toward the forward, edge of said seat member, and a crotch piece inclined upwardly toward the forward edge of said seat.

HOWARD J. OTIS.

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

- UNITED STATES PATENTS Numher Name Date D. 104,933 Vaughan June 15, 1937 128,755 Robb July 9, 1872 1,962,076 Jadkowski June 5, 1934 1,997,249 Dobbs Apr. '9, 1935 2,075,933 Friedlander Apr. '6, 1937 2,344,990 Landauer Mar. 28, 1944 2,456,275 Harris Dec. 14, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 189,845 Switzerland June 1, 1-937

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