US2823823A - Laundry tub cover - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1958 B. E. MUSTEE 2,823,823

LAUNDRY TUB COVER Filed Dec. 17, 1953 IN VEN TOR. BERNARD E. MUS TEE United States Patent LAUNDRY TUB COVER Bernard E. Mustee, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to E. L. Mustee & Sons, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Application December 17, 1953, Serial No. 398,830

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-24) This invention relates in general to laundry equipment, and relates more specifically to an improved work top lid for a laundry tub unit.

There has been considerable effort in recent years to improve the appearance and usefulness of laundry tubs. However, the tubs have remained open, or if a cover is provided, it is encumbered with lifting handles, hinges, and similar accessories which increase the cost thereof, and decrease its usefulness as a work top.

Further, many automatic washing machines have a suds saving feature requiring the extension of a hose into the tub. Further, a waste water hose from any washer must be led to a sewer opening, and the laundry tub is the most convenient and most used receptacle to receive the Waste water. This water then runs out the sewer provided for the tub.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an improved laundry tub lid cover which is unencumbered by handles or other associated accessories, in order to provide a clear work top area.

Another object of this invention is to provide such cover with portions having the dual function of hand grips for removing the cover, and access openings into the tub.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claim, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top view of the improved cover device of this invention installed upon a single unit laundry tub of modern design;

Figure 2 is a side view of the upper portion of the laundry tub, with the cover of this invention thereon;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section, taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged section, taken along line 44 of Figure 1.

The present invention is illustrated in connection with a laundry tub unit 10.

The improved cover device of this invention is indicated by the reference character 11.

As illustrated best in the Figures 3 and 4, the tub unit has an upper rim 12 defining the top opening of the tub. Cover 11 has an edge 14 encased in a rubber gasket 15.

The laundry tub unit 10, illustrated in the drawing, has a rectangular rim 12. The rectangular shape is the most usual in laundry tub units of this nature. The cover 11 has a form which is substantially complementary to the rectangular form of the rim 12, with the exception of one or more recessed portions, which are embodied in the two bridge edge portions 17 and 18 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention. These recessed bridge edge portions 17 and 18 expose respective corners of the tub and provide the dual function of an opening into the tub and a convenient hand grip for removing or installing the cover 11 upon the tub 10.

As heretofore stated, the drawing illustrates the pre- 2,823,823 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 ferred embodiment of the invention. Any edge recessed away from the form of the rim 12 will provide an opening into the tub into which the hose of an automatic washer may be inserted, and by which the cover may be grasped.

Although one such recess would suffice both for access to the tub and for gripping the cover, the illustrated embodiment provides two oppositely disposed recesses in the cover 11, by the provision of the bridge edge portions 17 and 18, whereby the automatic washer may be placed on either side of the tub unit 10. Thus, special right and left hand lids are unnecessary and a hand grip is provided for either left or right handed persons.

Furthermore, many persons prefer to use both hands for removing the lid, even though it is very light and can be readily lifted by a child.

The cover provided by this invention does not require hinges or counter balance devices, and has no handles or other protrusions extending about the top surface to interfere with the free use of the top surface as a work table top even while the tub within the unit 10 is being employed as a storage space for water from the type of automatic washing machine having a hot water and suds conserving feature, or as a waste water basin.

The cabinet illustrated in the drawing and the cover therefor is known as a single tub unit. Normally laundry tubs are considered in terms of two separate tubs with a dividing partition between. However, a removable extension member in the drain of the illustrated tub unit, as set forth in copending application Serial #287,93 3, now abandoned, entitled: Laundry Tub Drain Extension Member, provides a means whereby one tub unit can serve most of the purposes normally requiring two units.

Many modern automatic washing machines have a feature which permits the temporary storage of the hot, soapy water for re-use. Such storage requires a storage device such as the laundry unit shown in the drawing. However, it is usually not desirable to provide a separate waste drain for the laundry tube and one for the Washing machine, and consequently it is normal practice to employ the drain serving the laundry tub by running the waste hose of the machine into one laundry tub. Thus, with a double laundry tub as usually provided, the

' storage hose from the washing machine extends to one of the tubs and the hose for waste water extends to the other. The stopper is then used in the storage tub but removed from the tub serving as a waste water basin. Normally, therefore, the bulky and unsightly two-unit laundry tub is necessary. However, with the drain extension member of the application referred to above, the waste hose from the machine can be inserted into the extension member and the storage water can fill the tub around the extension member. One single unit then replaces the bulky double tubs for most purposes. The extension member is essentially a pipe with a fluid seal inter-connection with the outlet at the bottom of the tub. With the cover of the present invention, a hole 20 is provided in the cover substantially of the location of the drain at the bottom of the tub, and consequently the laundry tub of this invention may be employed with the improved new lid remaining in place. The hose from the washer servicing the storage water is inserted through the handle grip area at the corner of the tub, whereas the hose for the waste water is inserted through the hole 20 into the drain extension member. Thereby, the waste water passes through the extension member and out the drain provided for the laundry tub unit.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred 3 form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

In a laundry tub device having a tub portion with a rim defining a rectangular upper peripheral edge, the provision of a cover member adapted to provide an unencumbered work top surface for said tub and permit hose access from an automatic washer, comprising, a cover sheet fitting within the outline of said rim and having a first edge substantially complementary to said rim along one end, a second edge fitting less than the length of the rim opposite said one end, a third edge fitting less than the length of one side of the rim, a fourth edge fitting less than the length of the opposite side of the rim, a first bridge edge between said second and third edges to expose a first corner of said rim and provide a first opening into said tub, a second bridge edge References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 259,740 Ams June 20, 1882 766,592 Cheney Aug. 2, 1904 799,112 Thomas Sept. 12, 1905 1,535,928 Loudon Apr. 28, 1925 1,613,286 Odquist Jan. 4, 192

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