US2712654A - A sanitary - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1955 G. x. BATLAs ET AL 2,712,654

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING AND REMOVING A SANITARY, PAPER TOILET SEAT COVER Filed Sept. 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet l @M/V INVENToRs,

65ans X. 5211A: STEHVEN 34m/wx! July 12- 1955 G. x. BATLAs ET AL 2,712,654

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING AND REMOVING A SANITARY, PAPER TOILET SEAT COVER Filed Sept. 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS. 65e/eas X. 347015, Sfar/EN Banu/.sarl A/va EMM/acl. M P ,vmz/s BY ATTORNEY July 12 1955 G. x. BATLAS ET AL 2,712,554

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYNG AND REMOVING A SANITARY, PAPER TOILET SEAT COVER Filed Sept. 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 'f INVENTORS @Eo/eas X. IBAN-Las, SEP/lf Bern/vsn July 12, 1955 Filed Sept. 2, 1954 G. x. BATLAs ET AL 2,712,654 MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING AND REMOVING A SANITARY, PAPER TOILET SEAT COVER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 patented daily l2, i955 llEQHANESh/l FR AUTGMA'HCALLY APPLYlNG AI@ REP/QENG SANTY, PAPER TOLET SEAT CQVER George X. Batlas, Astoria, and Emmanuel N. Pantazis and Stephen Baransld, New York, N. Y.

Application September 2, 1954, Serial N 453,832

19 Claims. (Ci. 243) expensive to manufacture, install and maintain, while the l complexity of the mechanisms increases the incidence of failures and malfunctioning.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple mechanism for automatically applying and removing a sanitary, paper toilet seat cover, and wherein such mechanism can be easily installed in association with existing toilet structures and requires a minimum of alteration of the latter.

Another object is to provide mechanism of the described character which is sanitary and fool-proof in operation.

ln accordance with an .aspect of the invention, folded paper toilet seat covers are stored in a dispensing receptacle and adapted to be removed one at a time therefrom, and the toilet seat, which is swingable about a hinge axis adjacent its back end between an operative horizontal position and an inoperative upstanding position, is provided with gripping means engaging one of the seat covers when the seat is in its inoperative position so as to draw-out the gripped seat cover from the receptacle during subsequent movement of the seat to its operative position, whereupon the cover is disposed on the seat.

Another aspect of the invention provides mechanism for automatically removing the used seat cover and for discharging the latter into the toilet bowl in response to the return of the seat to its inoperative, upstanding position.

Another feature of mechanism embodying the invention resides in the automatic movement of the seat from its operative horizontal position to its inoperative upstanding position thereby to insure disposal of the used seat cover, with such movement being controlled so that, following placement of a new cover on the seat by the movement of the latter to its operative position, the seat may be released and an adequate interval of time will be provided before the seat reaches the elevated position at which the seat cover is removed to permit the user to adjust his or her garments preparatory to sitting on the covered seat.

Still another object is to ensure that the folded paper seat covers, when withdrawn from the dispensing receptacle, will lay relatively hat on the toilet seat.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the described character which automatically secures the paper seat cover to the toilet seat thereby to prevent adherence of the paper cover to the users body, and which releases the cover to permit removal and discharge thereof.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a mechanism embodying the present invention shown partly broken away and in section, with the associated toilet seat being represented in full lines in its inoperative or raised position and in broken lines in its operative or lowered, horzontal position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of a cover removing and discharging device included in the mechanism of Fig, l;

Fig. 3 is an axial sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through a cylinder included in the mechanism of Pig. 1 for effecting the controlled raising of the associated toilet seat;

lig. l is a top plan view of the toilet seat of Fig. l, but shown with a sanitary, paper cover disposed thereon;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, bottom plan view of a portion of the toilet seat;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view, partly broken away, of a dispensing receptacle for folded paper covers included in the mechanism of Fig. l, and with a cover being withdrawn from the receptacle; K

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic, side elevational View of the mechanism of Fig. l and illustrating two phases in the operation of placing a sanitary paper cover upon the toilet seat;

1Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but illustrating two phases in the operation of automatically removing the used paper cover from the toilet seat and discharging the removed cover into the toilet bowl;

Fig. 9 is a detail, sectional View taken along the line 9 9 of Fig` l;

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a paper cover gripping device at the back end of the toilet seat and with the latter shown in its operative position;

Fig. ll is an elevational view of the cover gripping device as viewed in the direction of the arrows 11--11 of Fig. l0; and

Fig. l2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the device of Figs. l0 and ll but with the seat shown in the position effecting release of the gripping device,

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to Fig. 1 thereof, a mechanism for automatically applying and removing a sanitary, paper toilet seat cover in accordance with the present invention is there illustrated and generally identified by the reference numeral 10. The mechanism l@ is associated with a conventional toilet seat 12 which may be of a generally U-shaped or horseshoe configuration opening at the front end. The seat 12 is hingedly mounted on top of a toilet bowl 22 to swing between the full and broken-line positions of Fig. 1. For this purpose, an axle 16 extends laterally through the back end of seat 12 and is secured relative to the latter, with the projecting opposite end portions of axle le being rotatably journalled in suitable bearing supports l extending upwardly from a mounting plate 20 secured on top of the toilet bowl 22.

ln accordance with this invention, the seat 12 is automatically and yieldably urged from the horizontal, operative position thereof, shown in broken lines on Fig. l, to an inoperative, upstanding position, shown in full lines on Fig. 1. ln order to effect such swinging movement of seat 12, a spur gear 24 is secured to each of the opposite ends of axle 16 outwardly of the adjacent bearing support 18 (Fig, 9) and meshes with a gear rack 26 (Fig. 1) formed on a horizontally reciprocatable plunger 23 which extends below the axle 16. Preferably, each gear rack 26 slidably rests upon a bearing 30 (Figs. l and 9) formed as a part of the adjacent support 18, and the related plunger 28 extends into a horizontally disposed cylinder 32 secured on plate 20.

28 connects to a piston 34, and a helical compression spring 36 is interposed between the back end wall 38 of the cylinder and the piston 34 to continuously urge the latter forwardly. The force exerted by the springs 36 in the cylinders 32 is sufticient to overcome the weight of the seat 12 so that, when the latter is free to swing upwardly, the pistons 34, plungers 28 and gear racks'26 move forwardly and, through the meshing engagement of the racks 26 with the gears 24, turn axle 16 counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. l, to swing the toilet seat to its raised or upstanding, inoperative position. Y

In order to permit manual lowering of the seat 12 to its operativeyhorizontal position without requiring contact between the users hands and the seat itself, the seat 12, adjacent its front end, is preferably provided with laterally extending metal tabs 40 which are secured to the un.- derside of the seat and project therefrom (Figs. 4 and 5), such tabs being easily cleaned and maintained in a Vsanitary condition Vand offering a sufiicient area'to be grasped in manual lowering of the seat.

As seen in Fig. 4, each of the sanitary paper covers to be disposed on the seat 12, and generally identitied by the. reference numeral 42, is substantially the same in plan-form as the toilet seat, but is preferably continuous, having'a portion 44 at the front to extend across the opening between the forward ends of the arms of the seat 12, and a pair of tabs 46 extend forwardly from the Vfront portion 44 to be gripped, in a manner hereinafter described in detail,V during the applying and disposition of a seat cover on the toilet seat. The paper seat covers are stored in folded condition in a stack with a dispensing receptacle which is generally identified by the reference numeral 48 (Figs. l and 6), with the lowermost ofthe stack of folded paper covers being automatically l" withdrawn from the receptacle 48 when the seat 12 is manually moved from its inoperative, `upstanding or raised position-to its operative, horizontal position.

-VR'eferring to Figs. l and 6, it will beV seen that the receptacle 48 includes a back Wall Si), a bottom wall 52 and opposite endwalls S4 which are suitably joined together to define a rectangular box opening upwardly and forwardly. A cover 56 of L-shaped cross-section is'hingedly connected along its back edge to the upper edge of the back wall 50,V as at 58, and,r when in its closed condition, as shown in the drawings, define the top and front `vvalls of the receptacle 48. As seen in Fig. 1, when the cover `56 is in its closed condition, the lower edge of the cover is spaced from the front edge of bottom wall 52 to define a discharge vslot 6@ through which the successive i tion, the front end of the seat 12 is disposed immediately r under the forward part of bottom wall 52 (Fig. l). In

Y order to provide for mounting of receptacle 48 in the above described position from a wall or the like (not shown), an L-shaped bracket 62 is arranged adjacent each of the'opposite ends'of the Vreceptacle and has one of its legs extending slidably forward through a suitable opening Vin back wall 50. 'The forwardly extending leg of Yeach bracket 62 isadjustably secured to the receptacle andfor thatpurpose may be longitudinally slotted, as at 64 (Fig. l), withY two bolts 66 extending through each end wall 54 and the slot 64 of the adjacent bracket to be threadably received in nuts 68 which are slidably and non-rotatably carried Vin aV channel 70 onV the inner side of the forwardly extending leg of bracket 62. Thus,

the brackets 62 may be secured to a supporting wall and the receptacle 48 adjustably located with respect to the Y*wall to occupy the desired position in relation to the Y seat 12. Preferably, inner end walls 54a are disposed inside the end walls 54 so that smooth surfaces are presented within the receptacle for guiding the folded covers stored in the latter.

Prior to being placed in the receptacle 48, each of the sanitary paper covers 42 is folded about three transversely extending fold lines 72, 74 and 76 (Fig. 4), and fold line 72 being disposed between the tabs 46 and the front portion 44 of the cover, while the fold lines 74 and 76 divide the remainder of the cover into zones 42a, 42b and 42C of substantially equal width. In folding the cover 42, the zone 42b is laid ontop of the zone and the zone 42e` is laid on top of the zone 42b (Fig. l). When'the folded covers are stacked within the receptacle 4S, the tabs' 46 of the lowermost folded cover are bent down and extended through the discharge i slot 66, while the tabs 46 of each of the superposed folded covers are folded under and disposed between the zones 42a and 42b of the next lower folded cover (Fig.

l). Thus, the lowermost folded cover can be removed Y from receptacle 48 through slot 6i) by pulling on the extended tabs 46 thereof. As the lowermost cover is drawn out of the receptacle 48, the tabs 46 of the next higher folded cover are drawn through the slot 60 to be available when the related cover, which then becomes the lowerrnost cover in the stack is to be removed from the receptacle.

in order to provide for removal of the ylowermost paper cover 42 from the receptacle 48 in response to movement of seat 12 from its inoperative, raised position to its operative, horizontal position,V the seat 12, adjacent its front end, is provided with gripping means, generally identified by the numeral 78, which are operative to grip the extended tabs 46 of the lowermost folded cover as the seat begins its downward swing from the raised, inoperative position thereof.

in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the gripping means 78 includes a lever 80 (Figs. l and 5) disposed below the front end portion of each of the arms of the seat 12, with each of the levers S0 being pivotally mounted adjacent its back end to the underside of the seat, as at S2, to swing toward and away from the underside` of the seat.V Each lever l80 is yieldably urged against the underside of lseat 12, for example, by a torsion spring 84 (Fig. 5), and, at its front end, is enlarged, as at 86, to there carry a pad 8S of slip-resistant material, such as, rubber and the like, on its upper surface for cooperation with a registering roughened portion 99 of the underside of seat 12 in gripping the tabs 46 therebetween.

As seen in Fig. l, each of the levers 80 extends beyond the front end of the related arm of seat 12 to engage against the front edge of bottom wall 52 of the receptacle 4S as the seat 12 Vswings to its raised, inoperative position under the action of the springs 36.Y The movement of seat 12 in the spring-urged direction (counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1) is limited by the contact of piston 34 against the front end wall of the related cylinder 32, and the several parts are dimensioned and arranged so that the spring-urged movement of the seat 12 continues for a small angular distance after the levers Si) have engaged the front edge of bottom wall 52, whereby the levers 80 are angularly separated from the underside of seat 12 (Fig. l) with the projecting tabs 46 then being disposed between the pads S8 on the levers 8i) and the roughened portions 90 .of the underside of the seat.

During initial movement of seat 12 toward its horizontal, operative position, the leversV 80 continue` to engage the front edge of bottom wall 5,2V while they swing about pivots 82 relative to seat 12 until the levers 80 vlie againstthe underside of the seat with Vthe tabs46 gripped therebetween.. As the swinging of seat 12 toward its horizontal, operative position rrcontinues, the lowermost paper cover 42, held to the seat at its front end by ,gripping means 78, isdrawn out of the receptacle 4,8,V

and in the course of being drawn out is unfolded, as repre- U sented in broken lines on Fig. 7. As the seat 12 approaches its horizontal, operative position, the withdrawal of the gripped cover 42 from the receptacle 48 is completed, and the cover 42 falls into place on top of the seat 12 to provide a sanitary covering for the latter, as shown in full lines on Fig. 7.

ln order to prevent refolding of the cover 42 about the fold lines 74 and 7&6 (Fig. 4) after the back end of the cover is released from the receptacle 4?, two spaced apart pins 92 (Figs. l and 6) project downwardly from the lower edge of cover 56 into the slot 6d and longitudinally crease the cover 42 along the lines 94. (Fig. 6) which cross the fold line 76, as the cover 42 is drawn out of the receptacle d3. Since the creases along the lines 94 open upwardly, while the fold along line 76 opens downwardly, the creases along the lines 9i prevent refolding of the released cover about the fold line 75.

The weight of a person seated on the covered seat 12 is of course more than suliicient to resist the upward swinging of seat l2 under the action of the springs 36. However, when the weight of the person is removed from the seat, the springs 36 and the associated transmission mechanism described above elfect the automatic return swinging of the seat 12 to its inoperative, raised position.

ln accordance with the present invention, the used cover 42 is automatically removed from the seat 12 and discharged into the bowl 22 in response to such return swinging of the seat to its inoperative position. ln the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the above functions are performed by a cover removing and discharging device which is generally identified by the reference numeral 26 and includes a hollow housing 9S secured to mounting plate 2l) and extending upwardly from the latter at a central location in back of the swinging axis of seat '12. A cover removing and discharging arm 168 is secured at one end to a shaft 132 which extends rotatably through the upper portion of housing 98, and the arm lill) is swingable between an upstanding position (Fig. 7) and a forwardly extending position (Fig. l). As shown in Figs. l, 2, 7 and S, the swinging movements of arm 1%3 are synchronized with the movements of the seat 12 so that the arm 109 moves from its upstanding position to its forwardly extending position as the seat is spring-urged from its operative, horizontal position to its inoperative, opstanding or raised position and so that the arm i) is returned to its upstanding position as the seat is manually moved to its operative position.

As seen in Figs. l, l and 9, the back portion of seat 12 is formed with a central, forwardly opening notch or recess 104 to accommodate arm 19d when the latter is in its forwardly extending position and the seat is raised to its inoperative position. Preferably, the free end of arm lili) carries a rounded, slip-resistant member lilo made, for example, of rubber and the like, to engage against the back portion of the used cover 42 during removal and discharging of the latter in the manner hereinafter described in detail.

As the seat 12 is raised by the action of springs 36, the member 166 contacts the rear portion of the used cover l2 when the seat and arm 160 have reached positions intermediate their opposite limits of swinging movement. Further, swinging of seat 12 toward its inoperative position is accompanied by further swinging of arm 1&0 toward its forwardly extending position and the arm ll crosses the plane of the seat 12, as shown in full lines on Fig. 8, to tension the cover 42 and to exert a pull on the latter away from the gripping means 78 and generally toward the bowl 22. During the final movement of seat 12 to its inoperative raised position, the arm 19@ moves to its forwardlv extending position (shown in broken lines on Fig. 8) with a snap action, following freeing of the tabs 46 of the cover 42 from the gripping means 78 by contact of the latter with the receptacle so Lil) that the freed cover is thereby propelledthrough the central opening of the raised seat and into the bowl 22.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the movement of arm 100 is coordinated with the movement of seat 12 by providing a vertically movable gear rack 198 (Fig. 2) which is slidably guided in housing 98 and meshes with a spur gear 11% secured on the shaft 102. A compression spring 1% 2 acts upwardly against the lower end of rack 168 thereby to yieldably urge arm 160 to its forwardly eX- tcnding position. The gear raclt 108 also meshes with a spur gear li secured on a shaft 111i which extends rotatably through the lower portion of housing 98. A radial cam 118 projects from the back end of seat 12 and is engageable by a follower roller 120 carried by the free end of an arm assembly 122 which extends radially from shaft 11e. The radial cam 118 may be integral with a mounting plate 124 which is secured to the seat t2 by screws 126 extending into suitably tapped bores of axle 16 to also perform the function of securing the seat on that axle.

Preferably, the gear 116 is of larger pitch diameter than the gear 116i so that a relatively small angular displacement of arm assembly 122 produces a relatively large angular displacement of arm lili?. It is apparent that the spring 112, in urging the rack liltl upwardly, tends to turn arm assembly 122 in the clock-wise direction, as viewed on Fig. 2, to engage roller 12) with the periphery of cam 1218. The periphery of cam 118 is shaped so that arm assembly 122 is turned in the counter-clockwise direction, as vi wed on Fig. 2, during movement of seat 12 from its raised, inoperative position to its horizontal position, and the gears 11" and 116 and the rack ESS transmit the turning of assembly 122 to the arm 169 to swing the latter to its upstanding position. As the seat is raised by the action of springs 36, the cam 11S permits turning of assembly 122 in the clockwise direction so that the arm ltl springs progressively toward its forwardly extending position. When the member 196 on arm 100 moves across the plane of seat 12 and engages the rear portion of the cover to tension or pull the cover against the resistance of the gripping means 7S, as shown in full lines on Fig. 8, the swinging of seat 12, and hence of cam 118 continues, while the turning of arm 160 under the influence of spring 112 is resisted so that the periphery of cam 11S moves away from the follower roller 12b. Thus, 'when the gripping levers engage the receptacle 48 to release the tabs 46, the pull exerted by member 166 on the cover 42 in response to the action of spring 112 pulls the tabs 46 from between the gripping levers Sli and the underside of seat 12, and the spring 112 completes the movement of arm 1li() from the full-line to the broken-line positions of Fig. 8, with a snap action to ensure the discharge of the released cover into the toilet bowl 22.

Following the removal and discharge of the used pap-er cover, the seat 12 again reaches its raised, inoperative position with the levers 3: angularly separated from the underside of the seat to receive the projecting tabs of the lower-most folded cover in receptacle 48 between the levers 3? and the underside of the seat.

Preferably, the speed of movement of seat 12 from its operative, horizontal position to its inoperative raised position under the influence of springs 36 is controlled so that, after swinging of the seat to its operative, horizontal position to dispose a new sanitary cover i2 on the seat, the seat can be released and will then move slowly toward its raised position to provide ample time for the user to adjust his or her garments preparatory to sitting on the covered seat before the upwardly moving seat reaches the position wherein the device 96 becomes effective to remove and discharge the unused cover. However, it is apparent that the upward swinging of the seat as it approaches the raised, inoperative position thereof must be accomplished at a relatively high speed in order The desired control Vof the upward swinging of seat 12 in the illustrated mechanism is effected by providing a hydraulic liquid in at least one of the cylinders 32 to variably resist the movement of the related piston 34 in the direction along the cylinder corresponding to raising of the seat 12. As seen in Fig. 3, piston 32 is formed with a control orifice 123 extending axially therethrough, and a control needle, generally identied by the numeral 13,0, extends through the orice 12S andabuts at its opposite ends against the opposite end walls of cylinder 32. Needle 130 includes a cylindrical, relatively large diameter portion 132 which cooperates with the orifice 128 during ,a substantial initial portion of the upward swinging of the seat 12 from its horizontal, operative position to define a relatively narrow annular space through which the hydraulic liquid can flow from the iight hand side to the left hand side of piston 34, as viewed on Fig.

3. The cylindrical portion 132 of needle 130 runs into a tapering portion 134 of progressively decreasing diameter which cooperates with the orifice 123 during the final portionY of the upward swinging of seat 12 to then reduce the hydraulic resistance to the movement of piston 34 under the action of spring 36. Preferably, the needle 130 is maintained concentric with the orice 128 by a guide sleeve 138 extending from the piston 34 and engaging closely around the needle 130.- In order that the clearance between the needle 130 and orifice 128 will determine the hydraulic resistance to movement of the piston 34 rather than the clearance between the body 136 of the needle and the sleeve 13S, the latter is formed with at least one relatively large radial opening 140 immediately adjacent the face of piston 34 against Which the springV 36v abuts.

In order that the Yvariable hydraulic resistance to move- Vment of piston 34 in cylinder 32 is imposed only during the upward swinging of seat 12, a relatively large auxiliary orifice 142 extends through the piston 34 and is provided with a suitable check valve 144 which permits ow through orice 142 in only one direction, that is, from left to right as viewed on Fig. 3. Thus, during raising `of seat 12 bythe action of springs 36, check valve 144 is closed and the hydraulic liquid can flow ,f

only through Vthe controlled orifice 128. However, when the seat is being manually lowered to its horizontal, op erative position, check valve 144 opens to permit flow of hydraulic liquid through auxiliary orice 142, wherebyV little or no hydraulic resistance is offered to such downward swinging of the seat,V In actual practice, it has been found that the check valve 144 may be desirably formed of a hemispherical valve member carried by a leaf Yspring which is mounted on the face of piston 34 and urges the hernispherical member against the adjacent end of orifice 142, as illustrated in in Fig. 3.

While the mechanism 16 described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings includes two cylinders 32, of which only one need have the hydraulic control arrangement described above, it is apparent that a mechanism embodying this invention may employ the hydraulic control arrangement in both cylinders or may employ only a single cylinder with the spring 36 thereinbeing of increased strength to effect the upward swinging of the seat without the lassistance of another similar Y spring.

In order to prevent lifting of the back portion of the cover 42 from the seat 12 by reason of adherence 42. Each of the gripping devices 146 includes an arm 148 having an offset lug 150 (Figs. l0 and l2) intermediate its ends which is rockably mounted on a pivot screw 152 threaded into the related end of the axle 16. At one end, each of the arms 143 is formed with a bent pad 154 which is adapted to bear down upon the back end of a cover 42 disposed on the seat 12 (Figs. l() and l1). Y

A tension spring 156 extends between a pin 15S Vprojecting axially from the upper portion ofY the adjacent bearing support 1S and a pin 160 extending from the end of arm 148 remote from the pad 154. The pin 158 is disposed so that, when the seat 12 is in its horizontalk operative position with the pad 154 bearing down on the top surface of the rear portion of the seat, the line of force of spring 156 will be disposed to one side of pivot screw 152 (Fig. l0) to urge the arm 148 to swing in the direction pressing pad 154 against the seat 12.

However, as the seat 12 is raised to itsrupstanding inoperative position (Fig. l2), the arm 148 swings with the seat until the movement of pin 160 with arm 148 relative to the xed pin 153 causes the line of force VofftensionV spring 156 to be displaced to the other side of the axis of screw 152 (Fig. l2), whereupon spring 156 rocks arm 14S relative to the seat 12 and axle 16 in the direction moving pad 154 away `frorn'the top surface of the toilet seat, thereby to free the previously gripped back and a cover 42 is deposited on the seat, in the manner Y described above, stop 164 swings with the seat about the axis dened by axle 16 and bears against the arm 148 of the related gripping device 146 to cause the arm 148 Vto swing with the seat. The various parts of each gripping device 146 are arranged so that when the seat has reached the position shown in full lines on Fig. 7, where the back end 'of the cover 42 has been drawn out of the receptacle 48 and falls onto the seat, therline of force of spring 156 passes the swinging axis of arm 148 and then rocks the latter in the direction moving pad 154 into gripping engagement with the back end of the cover 42 on the seat (Fig. 1G).

On the other hand, as the seat 12 is automatically raised and approaches the position shown in full lines on Fig. 8, the line of force of spring 156 shifts to thev other side of the pivoting axis of arrn 148 and then rocks the latter in the direction disengaging the pads 154 from the back end of the previously gripped cover 42 so that Vthe latter is then free to be removed and discharged by the device 96 in the manner previously described in detail. Y Y

It is apparent from the foregoing that the gripping devices 146 hold the back end of the cover 42 to the seat 12 when the user raises his or her body from the seat and thereby ensure that the cover 42 will be propery positioned for the removing and discharging action of the device 96 when the seat is automatically displaced upwardly to the position shown in broken Vlines on Fig. 8.

lt is to be noted that the upper surface of the seat 12 is substantially unobstructed by any of the mechanism provided in accordance with this invention for positioning and removing the paper cover 42, the pads 154 engaging only'the back edge portion of the seat, whereby rthe users comfort .is unaffected Vby such mechanism.

Further, the described mechanism operates to remove and discard the used sanitary Vcover in response to the y automatic upward movement of the seat V'following the U use thereof, while a new or clean cover is automatically disposed on the seat in response to the manual lowering of the latter preparatory to use of the toilet. These automatic operations are performed by relatively simple devices which can be installed on existing toilets with a minimum of alteration of the latter.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the invention is not limited to the construction and arrangements of that precise embodiment and various changes and modifications may be effected therein, by anyone skilled in the art, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl for swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between a horizontal operative position and an opstanding inoperative position; a device for applying and removing a toilet seat cover comprising a dispensing receptacle for toilet seat covers disposed adjacent the location of the front end of said seat when the latter is in said operative position and effective to project the toilet seat covers one at a time therefrom, means on said seat enffageable with a seat cover projecting from said receptacle when said seat is in said inoperative position and grippingthe projecting seat cover during movement of said seat to its operative position thereby to withdraw the gripped seat cover from the receptacle for disposition on said seat, and cover removing means operative in response to movement of said seat from said operative position toward said inoperative position of the seat to effect removal of the seat cover from said seat and discharge of the removed seat cover into said toilet bowl prior to the arrival of said seat at said inoperative position.

2. In combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl for swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between a horizontal operative position and an upstanding inoperative position; a device for applying and removing a toilet seat cover comprising a dispensing receptacle for toilet seat covers disposed adjacent the location of the front end of said seat when the latter is in said inoperative position and eective to project the toilet seat covers one at a time therefrom, means on said seat engageable with a seat cover projecting from said receptacle when said seat is in said inoperative position and gripping the projecting seat cover during movement of said seat to its operative position thereby to Withdraw the gripped seat cover from the receptacle for disposition on'said seat, cover removing means operative in response to movement of said seat from said operative position toward said inoperative position of the seat to eect removal of the seat cover from said seat and discharge of the removed seat cover into said toilet bowl prior to the arrival of said seat at said inoperative position, and means yieldably urging said seat from said operative position to said inoperative position thereof whereby, when the user rises from the covered seat, the latter automatically swings to said inoperative position and, during such swinging movement, the used seat cover is removed and discharged inte the toilet bowl to condition the seat for the reception of a new cover when the seat is again moved to said operative position thereof.

3. ln combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl for swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between a horizontal operative position and an upstanding inoperative position, a dispensing receptacle for containing a series of toilet seat covers and having a dispensing slot at the bottom of the front thereof through which the front ends of the covers successively project, said receptacle being disposed so that the front end of said seat moves rearwardly below said dispensing slot during swinging of said seat to said inoperative position thereof, and gripping elements moVabi-y mounted on the underside of said seat at the front end or" the latter and urged against the underside of the seat to grip the front end of a toilet seat cover between said gripping elements and the underside of said seat, said gripping elements extending beyond the front end of said seat and engaging the front of said receptacle during movement of said seat to its inoperative position whereby said gripping elements are moved away from said underside of the seat to receive the front end of the cover projecting from said receptacie between said underside of the seat and said gripping elements so that, upon movement of said seat to its operative position, the front end of the seat cover projecting from said receptacle is gripped between said underside and said gripping elements and the gripped seat cover is withdrawn from said receptacle through said dispensing siot to fall into covering position on said seat.

4. in combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl Jfor swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between a horizontal operative position and an upstanding inoperative position, a dispensing receptacle for containing a series of toilet seat covers and having a dispensing slot at the bottom of the front thereof through which the front ends f the covers successively project, said receptacle being disposed so that the front end of said seat moves rearwardly below said dispensing slot during swinging of said seat to said inoperative position thereof, gripping elements movably mounted on the underside of said seat at the front end of the latter and urged against the underside of the seat to grip the front end of a toilet seat cover between said gripping elements and the underside of said seat, said gripping elements extending beyond the front end of said seat and engaging the front of said receptacle during movement of said seat to its inoperative position whereby said gripping elements are moved away from said underside of the seat to receive the front end of the cover projecting from said receptacle between said underside of the seat and said gripping elements so that, upon movement of said seat to its operative position, the front end of the seat cover projecting from said receptacle is gripped between said underside and said gripping elements and the gripped seat cover is withdrawn from said receptacle through said dispensing slot to fall into covering position on said seat, and cover removing means operative in response to movement of said seat from said operative position toward said inoperative position of the seat to effect removal of the seat cover from said seat and discharge of the removed cover through said seat into the toilet bowi prior to the arrival of said seat at said inoperative position.

5. In combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl for swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between a horizontal operative position and an upstanding inoperative position, a dispensing receptacle for containing a series of toilet seat covers and having a dispensing siot at the bottom of the front thereof through which the front ends of the covers successively project, said receptacle being disposed so that the front end of said seat moves rearwardly below said dispensing slot during swinging of said seat to said inoperative position thereof, gripping elements movably mounted on the underside of said seat at the front end of the latter and urged against the underside of the seat to grip the front end of a toilet seat cover between said gripping elements and the underside of said seat, said gripping elements extending beyond the front end of said seat and engaging the front of said receptacie during movement of said seat to its inoperative position whereb.I said gripping elements are moved away from said underside of the seat to receive the front end of the cover projecting from said receptacle between said 'underside or the seat and said gripping elements so that, upon moveilY of the seat cover-projecting from said receptacle is gripped between said underside and said gripping elements and the gripped seat cover is withdrawn from said receptacle through said dispensing slot to fall into covering position on said seat, cover removing means operative in response Vto movement of said seat from said operative position toward said inoperative position of the seat to effect removal of the seat cover Vfrom said seat and discharge of the removed cover through said seat into the toilet bowl prior to the arrival of said seat at said inoperative position, auxiliary gripping means at the back end of said seat operative to hold the back end of the cover on said seat, and actuating means for said auxiliary gripping means responding to swinging of said seat between said operative and inoperative positions to render said auxiliary gripping means operative after the seat cover falls into covering position on said Vseat during movement of the Y latter toward its operative position and to release said auxiliary gripping means during the movement of said seat toward said inoperative position so that the released cover isthen free to be removed'and discharged by said cover removing means.

6. The combination according to auxiliary gripping means includes ably mounted on the swinging laxis of said seat and each having a pad at one end to engage against the upper surface of said seat at the back edge of the latter thereby to grip the back end of a cover on the seat between said claim 5; wherein said upper surface and said pads; and wherein said actuating v means includes a tension spring for each gripping lever connected to the other end of the latter and to a iixed anchor, and a stopV xed relative to said seat limiting the rocking of the related gripping lever with respect to said seat in the direction moving said pad away from the upper surface of the seat, said iixed anchor for the spring being disposed so that as the gripping lever moves with said seat the line of force of said spring is displaced from one side of the rocking axis of said gripping lever to the other side of said rocking axis thereby to rock said gripping lever between a released position against said stop and an operative position in which said pad bears on the upper surface of said seat.

7. In combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl for swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between a horizontal operative position and an upstanding inoperative position, a dispensing receptacle for containing a series of toilet seat covers andV having a dispensing slot at the bottom of the front thereof through which the front ends of the covers f seat and engaging the front of said receptacle during movement of said seat to its inoperative position whereby said gripping elements are moved away from said underside of the seat to receive the front end of the cover projecting from said receptacle'between said underside Vof the seat and said gripping elements so that, upon movefl ment of said seat to its operative position, the front end of the seat cover projecting from said receptacle is gripped between said underside and said gripping elements and the gripped seat cover is withdrawn from said receptacle through `said dispensing slot to fall into covering position j on said seat, cover removing means operative in response to movement of said seat from said operative position toward said inoperative position ofthe seat to effect removal of the seat cover from said seat and discharge of the removed cover throughsaid .seat into the toilet bowl prior to gripping levers rockto movement of said seat from said operative position to" the arrival of said seat at said inoperative position, and spring actuated means yieldably urging said seat to the inoperative position of the latter so that, when the seat is free to swing upwardly from said operative position, the seat automatically returns to its inoperative position with the used cover being removed and discharged during such automatic returnV thereby to condition the seat for the receipt of a new cover during its subsequent movement to the operative position of the seat. k

8. ln'combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl for swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between a horizontal operative position and an upstanding inoperative position, a dispensing receptacle for containing a series of toilet seat covers and having a dispensing slot at the bottom of the front thereof through which the front ends of the covers successively project, said receptacle being disposed Y so that the front end of said seat moves rearwardly below said dispensingV slot during the Vswinging of said seat to said inoperative position thereof, gripping elements movably mounted on the underside of said seat at the front end of the latter and urged against the underside of the seat to grip the front end of a toilet seat cover between said gripping elements and the underside of said seat, said gripping elements extending beyond the front end of said seat and engaging the front of said receptacle during movement of said seat to its inoperative position whereby said gripping elements are moved away from said underside of the seat to receive the front end of the cover projecting from said receptacle between said-underside of the seat and gripping elements so that, upon movement of said seat to its operative position, the front end of the,V

seat cover projecting from said receptacle is gripped between said underside and said gripping elements and the gripped seat cover is withdrawn from said receptacle through said dispensing slot to fall into covering position on said seat, cover removing means operative in response ward said inoperative position of the seat to effect removal of the seatcover from said seat and discharge of the removed cover through said seat into the toilet bowl prior to the arrival of said seat at said inoperative position, spring actuated means yieldably urging said seat to the inoperative position of the latter so that, when Vthe seat is free to swing upwardly from said Voperative position,

the seat automatically returns to its inoperative position with the used cover being removed and discharged during such automatic Lreturn thereby to condition the seat for the receipt of a new cover during its subsequent movement to the operative position of the seat, and means controlling the speed of the automatic return of said seat to its inoperative position so that initial movement of the seat from said operative position is at a relatively slow speed to provide a substantial Vtime interval between yfreeing of said seat and the arrivalk of the latter at the point in its swinging movement where the cover is rcmoved and discharged from the seat whereby, after deposit of a new cover on the seat by swinging of the latter to its operative position, the seat may be released without the risk of the removal and discharge of a newlcover during the time required for the user to assume a seated position on the covered seat;

9. The combination according to claim'S; wherein Vsaid cover removing means vincludes a support mounted centrally in back of the swinging axis of said seat, a cover yremoving arm mounted on said support for swinging about a transverse axis between an upstanding position and a forwardly extending position; and actuating means for said removing armV controlled by swinging of said seat to dispose said removing arm in said Vupstanding position when said seat is in said operative position and to swing said removing arm to said forwardly extending position thereof during the automatic return of said seat to its inoperative position, said removing arm being dimensioned to intersect the plane of said seat during swinging of said arm toward its forwardly extending position so that the free end of the removing arm acts forwardly and downwardly against the rear por ion of the paper cover and discharges the latter through the seat and into the toilet bowl upon the release of the cover from said gripping elements by contact of the latter with the front of said receptacle.

l0. The combination according to claim 9; wherein said means controlling the speed of the automatic return of said seat to its inoperative position effects relatively rapid movement of said seat as the latter approaches iis inoperative position whereby said removing arm, after intersecting the plane of the seat, travels angulsriy relative to said seat in the opposite direction at a high speed thereby to insure removal and discharge of the paper cover.

ll. The combination according to claim 9; wherein said actuating means for the removing arm includes a cam member fixed on the back end of said seat, a cam follower engageable with Said cam member, and transmission means connecting said cam follower to said removing arm to transmit the movements of said cam follower to said removing arm.

l2. The combination according to claim ll; said cam follower includes a roller mounted at the free end of a follower arm rockably mounted on said support, and Said transmission means includes spur gears respectively iixed to said follower arm and removing arm, a slidable gear rack meshing with said spur gears, and a spring acting longitudinally on said rack. to urge the latter in the direction moving said roller against said cam member and said removing arm toward said forwardly extending position so that, as said removing arm engages the paper cover in swinging across the plane of Said seat during the return of the latter toward its inoperative position, said removing arm first tensions the paper cover and the cam follower roller is lifted olf the cam member until the last mentioned spring Completes the movement of said removing arm with a snap-action to ensure proper removal and discharge of the paper cover.

i3. 'The combination according to claim 12; wherein the pitch diameter of the one of said spur gears fixed to said cam follower arm is larger than the pitch diameter of the other of said spur gears so that a relatively small angular displacement of said cam follower arm by said cam member produces a relatively large angular displacement of said removing arm.

i4. The combination according to claim 9; wherein said spring actuated means yieldably urging the seat to its inoperative position includes at least one spur gear fixed to said seat concentric with the swinging axis of the latter, a longitudinally movable gear rack meshing with each of said spur gears, a cylinder aligned with each gear rack and having a piston therein connected to an extension of the related gear rack, and a compression spring in said cylinder acting against said piston in the direction of movement of said gear rack effecting turning of the related spur gear in the direction causing movement of said seat toward its inoperative position.

15. The combination according to claim 14; wherein said means controlling the speed of the automatic return of said seat to its inoperative position includes an hydraulic uid in at least one of said cylinders, a valved orifice in the related piston to permit the ow of the hydraulic uid from one side of said piston to the other, and means controlling the size of the effective opening of said valved orifice during the movement of said piston wherein la within said cylinder thereby to vary the resistance to movement of said piston by said compression spring during dierent phases of sail return of the seat to its inoperative position.

lo, The combination according to claim l5; wherein said means controlling the size of the e'ective opening of said valved orifice includes a needle valve member extending through said oritice and fixed relative to said cylinder, said needle valve member including a relatively large constant diameter portion along which said piston moves durinU the initial phase of the return of said seat to its inoperative position and a tapering, relatively small diameter portion along which said piston moves during the final phase of said return of the seat to its inoperative position so that said final phase of the return is accomplished at a relatively high speed.

l?. rThe combination according to claim 16; wherein the opposite ends of said needle valve member abut against the ends of said cylinder and said needle valve member further includes a guide portion having a diameter larger than the diameters of said portions along which said piston moves, and a guide tube extending from said piston coaxially with said valved orifice and slidably receiving said guide portion of the valve member to hold the latter centered in said orifice, said guide tube having a relatively large radial opening adjacent said piston so that the clearance between said guide tube and guide portion of the needle valve does not affect the passage of hydraulic iluid through said valved orifice.

18. The combination according to claim l5; wherein said piston has a relatively large auxiliary orifice extending therethrough, and a check valve in said auxiliary orifice permitting ow through the latter only in the direction corresponding to the swinging of said seat to its operative position whereby the hydraulic resistance to swinging of the seat from its inoperative position to its operative position is minimized.

l. in combination with a toilet seat mounted on a toilet bowl for swinging about a transverse axis disposed adjacent the back end of said seat between an upstanding, inoperative position and a horizontal, operative position, a dispensing receptacle for a stack of toilet seat covers each of which is adapted to cover the upper surface of said seat, the covers in said receptacle being folded about transverse fold lines and stacked with front end portion of each folded cover disposed between the folds of the cover immediately thereunder, said receptacle having a dispensing slot along the bottom of the front thereof through which the front end portion of the lowermost folded cover in the stack projects, said receptacle being disposed so that said slot thereof is adjacent the from end of said seat when the latter is in its inoperative position, gripping means on said front end of the seat to engage the projecting front end portion of the lowermost folded cover when said seat is in its inoperative position so that the engaged cover is Withdrawn through said slot and unfolded during movement of said seat to its operative position to fall into covering position on said seat, and laterally spaced apart pins on said receptacle projecting downwardly into said slot to longitudinally crease each cover as the latter is withdrawn through said slot thereby to prevent refolding of the cover about its transverse fold lines as the cover falls into covering position on the seat.

No references cited.

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