US2589280A - Rectangular bath fixture - Google Patents

Description

Mai-d1 18, 1952 Filed June 10, 1948 M. M. ocANA RECTANGULAR BATH FIXTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet l mum/0r Manuel Munar 000/70 By his afforneys March 18, 1952 M. M. ocANA 2,589,280

RECTANGULAR BATH FIXTURE Filed June 10, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GZ - mum/0r Manuel Munar 000/10 By his af/orneys March 18, 1952 M. M. OCANA 2,539,230

I RECTANGULAR BATH FIXTURE Filed June 10, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet s //71/e/7 for Manuel Munar 00000 By Ms 0/ forneys March 18, 1952 Filed June '10, 1948 v M. M. ocAfiA RECTANGULAR BATH FIXTURE 5 Sheets+Sheet 4 Manzjg/ Munar 000/70 'By h/sfif/omeys l mven 20/ March 18, 1952 RI 2,589,280

RECTANGULAR BATH FIXTURE Filed June 10, 1948 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A T A R B/ 7 PM W Rfii W W //71/e/7f0r Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECTANGULAR BATH FIXTURE m Manuel Munar Ocafia, Madrid, Spain, assignor to Sociedad Annima de Aplicaciones Sanitarias, Madrid, Spain, a. Spanish company 4 Claims.

This application relates to a rectangular bath fixture and more particularly to a combined receptacle for shower or foot-bath and bidet.

The constant increase in land values and the cost of labor, materials and the other elements which enter into construction, make it necessary to reduce the size of houses and raise the problem'of making eificient use of the space in the houses. Although the bathroom is given special preference in most cases because of its exceptional importance in the modern home, it also is affected by this same problem, and the standard bathtub has therefore frequently been replaced by the so-called shower-basin. This consists of a tray with discharge opening in the center on which a shower-bath is taken standing up. This represents an improvement over the bathtub because of saving in space and water, but it is inconvenient in use. It serves only for the purpose indicated by its name. In order to create a fixture which fulfills the greatest number of needs within the smallest amount of space, while still maintaining the strictest rules of hygiene and yet offering convenience and eificiency in use, I have invented a showerbath combined with foot-bath and bidet which occupies no more space than a shower-basin. It is no more expensive than the ordinary bathtub and has many advantages not found in either of those fixtures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my rectangular receptacle installed as part of a bathroom;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rectangular receptacle of Fig. l;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the wooden lattice or grating used when taking a. showerbath;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the rectangular receptacle of Fig. 2, taken on the line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a similar vertical section through the rectangular receptacle of Fig. 2, taken on the line 5-5 at right angles to the line 4-4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l of a preferred embodiment of my rectangular bath receptacle;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the rectangular receptacle shown in Fig. 6;

Figure 8 is a vertical section through the rectangular receptacle of Fig. 7, taken on the line 8-8; while Figure 9 is a vertical section through the receptacle of Fig. 7, taken on the line 99 at right angles to the line 8-8.

It is known that a bathtub is a less hygienic method of washing the body than a showerhath, not only because in a tub the body is submerged in stagnant water in which the dirt is present, whereas in the shower-bath the body is washed in a downwardly direction by means of a stream of water under pressure which dis-' solves and carries the secretions and dirt away into the discharge directly, but also because the bathtub is difi'icult to keep clean. My novel shower-bath, combined with foot-bath and bidet, because of its construction and arrangement, prevents a reduced surface very readily cleaned, and a surface which prevents adherence of materials of any type. The consumption of water in my fixture is reduced to such an extent that it uses only one-eighth to one-tenth the amount of water used in the bathtub. In ad dition, my unitary apparatus combines the shower-bath with the foot-bath and the bidet, figuring three fixtures in one occupying onefourth of the space which the three would normally occupy. In addition, in the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 6-9, a perineal bath can also be obtained, although the fixture occupies no more space than the form shown in Figs. 1-5. Another feature of novelty of my invention is the integral seat which the fixture provides, giving maximum convenience in use.

It is characteristic of fixtures made in accordance with my invention that there is a dividing lattice or grating which makes it possible to divide the main bath cavity'into two cavities, a lower one intended for a foot-bath and the upper one for a shower-basin.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-5, my invention is seen to refer to a rectangular receptacle, one of whose edges widens out or flares at the top, forming a small platform A at approximately right angles to a partition or vertical face B of the main bath cavity C (Fig. 5). This small platform Aserves as a convenient seat when the feet are being washed or for soaping ones self before taking a shower. At the two ends of the platform are found receptacles D and E having waste dis-- charge outlets F and G. These receptacles are intended to hold soap, sponges and the like. As

,can be seen best in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the main bath cavity C includes a lower part H (Fig. 4) which is used when taking a foot-bath. The bottom of this foot-bath cavity has a general outlet Y, and connecting to the discharge is a combined overflow of the upper cavity comprising the outlet holes J and the duct K.

The supply of cold, hot or mixed water is obtained by means of valves L, L, preferably located in the wall of the room near the rectangular fixture. These valves connect to a switch valve M which, by a simple motion of a lever, directs water either into the shower head P or the discharge pipe N which directs the water into the main bath cavity.

On either side of and above the lower foot-bath cavity H is a small lateral platform Q for supporting the feet while soaping ones self or while preparing the water and while drying. These lateral platforms are located at a level approximately equal to the upper edge of the lower cavity and may, if desired, be sloped slightly toward the lower foot-bath cavity.

When the fixture is to be used for taking showers or sponge baths, the lower foot-bath cavity H is covered with a wooden lattice or grating R, shown in Fig. 3. This is placed on four small ledges or points of support S located in the corners of the lower or foot-bath cavity H. These points of support are at such an elevation that the upper face of the grating R is preferably approximately fiush with the adjacent edges of the lateral foot platforms Q. This lattice or grating R forms the bottom of the dish or tray for a perfect shower, while the upper part of the main bath cavity C forms the sides. The contact of the feet on the wood does not produce the disagreeable sensation of cold given by iron or porcelain, and the numerous holes in the surface of the grating make is possible for the water to run off instantly. It will be seen that the seat A makes it very convenient to use the fixture as a bidet and that the lateral foot platforms Q also function in this connection.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the fixture of Figs. 6-9. It will be observed that this construction differs from the fixture of Figs. 1-5 primarily in the provision of a perineal shower. For this purpose I change the platform A of the embodiment of Figs. 1-5 in the following manner. In the first place, I slope the top of the platform or seat A slightly toward the interior of the receptacle. This facilitates the flow-off of water toward the interior of the receptacle. I provide a concavity T and locate the perineal shower U in the lower part of the concavity. The concavity is formed in the center of the seat, dividing the seat A almost into two halves. The concavity extends downwardly for one-half the total height of the wall or partition B of the main bath cavity. The perineal shower U is at the lower part of the concavity and is controlled by valves V, V, shown located on the outside of the fixture on the wall where the seat is located. The shape and arrangement of the concavity T make it possible to manipulate with full comfort and efiicacy, the person being seated toward the inside or toward the outside, as desired. The first position is generally used, the person being undressed and with his feet resisting in the interior of the fixture. If it is desired to use the perineal shower while dressed, the part to be washed is left uncovered and the person is seated with his feet outside the fixture, with the feet resting on the floor. In both cases the valves V, V can be manipulated with case. It will be noted that the division of the seat A into two halves follows the human anatomy and therefore constitutes a natural and convenient seat.

The shape of the concavity T makes it necessary to vary the over-flow system from that employed in the embodiment of Figs. 1-5 and I therefore provide a small discharge opening W at the top of the concavity to take care of any overflow. This overflow outlet is joined to a grating connected to a pipe (not shown) in direct connection with the discharge. The same discharge opening Y at the bottom of the lower foot-bath cavity H is provided as in the case of the embodiment of Figs. 1-5.

Reference is made to my co-pending application Serial No. 109,333, filed August 9, 1949 (now Patent No. 2,589,281), which is a continuation- 4 in-part of the present application. That continuation-in-part claims certain features of the present application in connection with a perineal shower cavity.

Reference is also made to may co-pending application Serial No. 148,027, filed March 7, 1950 (now Patent No. 2,589,592). That application claims certain features of the present application in connection with a bidet.

What I claim is:

1. A rectangular fixture for a shower or footbath and bidet in which there is a main bath cavity for a shower-bath, of uniform height in all its walls, one entire upper edge of the cavity being widened into a platform forming a seat flush with the upper edges of the other walls, said sea-t being adapted to be used when washing the feet or soaping ones self.

2. A combined shower-bath, foot-bath and bidet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which there is a rectangular lower cavity in the main bath cavity, said cavity being of an area that prevents slipping when the bather is standing up, and the volumetric capacity of which is designed to limit the consumption of water for washing the feet, in combination with lateral rests formed inside the side walls of the receptacle above the rectangular cavity for supporting the feet when entering the water or for use as seats for young children.

3. A rectangular fixture for a shower or footbath and bidet in which there is a main bath cavity suitable for a shower-bath, one entire upper edge of the cavity being widened into a platform forming a seat flush with the upper edges of the adjacent walls, said seat being adapted to be used when washing the feet or soaping ones self; in combination with small lateral platforms in the main bath cavity at a level intermediate the seat and bottom of the cavity, the platforms serving to support the feet while soaping ones self, preparing the water or while drying.

4. A rectangular fixture for a shower or foot bath and bidet in which there is a main bath cavity, one entire upper edge of the cavity being widened into a platform forming a seat adapted to be used when washing the feet or soaping oneself, two small lateral platforms in the main bath cavity for supporting the feet while soaping oneself, preparing the water on while drying, in

combination with support points in the main bath cavity adapted to hold a wooden grating at the level of the lateral platforms thus covering the lower part of the cavity when a shower or sponge bath is to be taken.

MANUEL MUNAR OCANA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the.

OTHER REFERENCES Cross-Connections in Plumbing Systems," U.

S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of j Standards Research Paper RP1086, April 1938.

Tamborello Dec. 16, 1947

Images