US2898605A - Water powered retractable showerhead - Google Patents

Description

FIG. ab

RQ c. PEARsoN WATER POWERED RETRACTABLE SHOWERHEAD Filed July 15, 1955 FIG. Bcl

Aug. 11, 1959 FIG. l 2/ IN VEN TOR Q4 WHO/V0 C ,DEA/@50N United States Patent O WATER POWERED RETRACTABLE SHOWERHEAD Raymond C. Pearson, Mount Vernon, N.Y.

Application July 13, 1955, Serial No. `521,935

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-145) into a bath tub by a simple downward manual movement of a valve handle and further controlled in novel and convenient manner.

An ancillary object is to have such a shower unit that is automatically locked in position at desired level, and

in which water is turned on and the unit caused to spray e water until no longer required, when the unit is automatically raised again above the users head.

Another object of my invention is to have such an easily operated and controlled shower unit that during use may be turned, twisted and moved about at Will in order to obtain maximum advantage and use of the shower in novel manner.

A further advantage of the invention is to have a shower device so convenient to use that itremoves anxiety and tension from elderly people as well as those who are infirm, and is proof against causing loss of footing or injury due to slippery tub bottoms, by making it perfectly practical to carry out washing and rinsing while actually seated in the tub in complete safety and accessibility to the control valves.

An advantage and object that is likewise to be included isl that young children and even their pets such as a cat or dog with them may be bathed readily because the shower unit can* be so far lowered and manipulated as to produce a miximum concentratlon of spray with a minimum of splashing when lthey are rinsed.

It is also a practical object to have such a novel shower unit that may replace ordinary xed installations.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in greater detail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of my invention for a proper appreciation of the salient features of the same, the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a water powered retractable flexible shower head or unit made according to my invention and embodying the same in a practical form;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a modification;

Figure 3a is a diagrammatic view of the device of Figure 1 showing a rst stage in a cycle of operation of the shower unit;

Figure 3b is a similar view showing another stage in the cycle of operation;

Figure 3c is also a similar view showing a third stage of operation in the cycle; and

Figure 3d is likewise a diagrammatic view showing the fourth stage in the cycle of operation.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts and features.

Showers now on the market and as installed generally are mainly permanently xed wall or ceiling mounted units. To be sure, there are to be found flexible shower units, but they lack any means for adjusting or maintaining their height or level, except by makeshift means, manual handling and fastening by hooks, clamps, vacuum cups and the like. Yet it is very much needed to have convenient and effective means available for freely adjusting and retaining a shower unit at any desired level. In addition to being convenient for the sake of convenience, such a unit must be easy to control and convenient to adjust without elort, because in a bath tub, a person located there is in a danger zone that must not be made lethal by any heavy or serious movements or burdens, else he may slip and suffer injury. Furthermore, convenient adjustment should also be possible so that the shower unit may be lowered with ease for use of sick or elderly people or even children, and likewise for mere washing and rinsing of the hair. Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to me that the shower unit should be completely controlled from special control valve and should be capable of a wide range of adjustments in more or less automatic manner. As a result of such consideration, I t have succeeded in producing a valve controlled and water operated shower head or unit along the lines already indicated, which will now be described in detail in the following.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and referring also again to the drawings, particularly to Figures l, 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d, the pipe 6 is connected to a cold and also hot water supply, such as the faucet of a bath tub (not shown) to which is connected a valve casing 7 within which is rotatably mounted a control valve 8 having a main water passage or channel 9 and two minor passages or channels 10 and 11. To the lower end of casing 7 is secured the upper end flange 12 of a cylinder 13 in the chamber of which is located a vertically reciprocable piston 14, the mentioned ange overlying the inner edge of the top 15 of a hose casing 16, while cylindrical apron or guard 17 surrounds the cylinder 13 and has its upper end ange 18 secured beneath flange 12, and these ilanges all secured to the massive flange 19 of valve casing 7 by bolts 20 (one shown).

Pipe 6 `communicates with the interior of the casing 7 by upper port 21, while an opposite lower port 22 communicates with a shower hose connector 23 that is connected to a `coiled hose 24 within hose casing 16, about apron 17. Piston 14 is operable by water pressure from the upper passage 25 connected to port '26 in the valve casing and adjustable by a set screw 27 for forcing the piston downwards. For shifting this piston upwards again, a depending tube 28 connects at its upper end with a side port 29 in the valve casing and at its lower end has a side port 30 by which it communicates with the interior of cylinder 13 below the piston. The purpose of this piston and its movement is to cause the hose 24 to unroll to a greater or lesser extent down through the bottom spout 31 so that a shower nozzle (not shown) below the lower end of the hose will be lowered to desired position.

The mentioned lowering of the shower nozzle by unrolling more or less of the hose is eiected by means of an operating spiral or screw 33 having its upper end 34 cylindrical and rotatably mounted in a bearing 35, while the lower end 36 mounted in O ring sealed bearing 37 rotating in outer race 38 located in the bottom 39 of the cylinder 13. Fixed on the lower end of operating screw 33 is a hub 40 having a pluralityl of radial arms 41, 41 extending therefrom and provided at their outer ends with the hose rollers 42, 42, and at one side with an auxiliary arm 43 with `a similar roller 42 thereon clasping the hose 24 at diametrically opposite points within casing 16.

The arrangement is such that, as also shown in Figures 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, that when a bather pulls on the control chain 44 connected by lever 45 to valve 8, it is but necessary to partly rotateV this valve about 45 .from its position of Figure 3d to that shown in Figures 1 and 3a, when water will ilow from pipe 6 to port 26, 'down passage 25 to the top of piston 14 and will force the latter down, and due to the sliding movement of this screw 33 through the piston, the screw will rotate and thereby rotate arms 42, 43 and thus unroll the hose 24 thru spout 31. Another pull on the chain 44 will rotate 'the valve 8 into the position shown in Figure 3b, through 45, when the direct water supply from pipe 6 will pass down port 21 and valve passage 9 to port 22 and into the hose. At the same time, the other passages l25, 28, 29 and 30 are closed by valve 8 so that no water can ow in or out from above the piston or below it, and it is therefore locked in place, thereby locking the hose in v,

Shown in Figure 3c, water passes down through port 29, tube 28 and passage 30 into the space below piston y 14 and forces the same upward, winding up the hose again within casing 16 and thus retracting -the lower end of the hose and its nozzle toward spout 31 again. In this position, the passage 10 in the valve interconnects the port 22`with port 26 and allows water or air from above the piston to escape through the hose, during rise of the piston. A final pull of the control chain will again rotate the valve 45 to the inactive position of Figure 3d wherein the water supply from pipe 6 is blocked and all tube consists of a cylindrical tube with a superimposed operation cut off, with the hose retracted.

In Figure 2 is shown a form of the invention adapted for horizontal operation, the hose 24 is wound about a horizontal drum 51. In this case, the lead screw 33 is hollow so as to serve for conducting the water ow from valve port 22 to shower hose connected 23. Both bearing ends 34 and 36 of the lead screw are sealed to prevent 'water leakage by means of rubber 0 rings 37. The lead screw preferably has multiple thread construction to give additional support against wobble of the piston `and greater resistance to wear. is preferably contoured to properly locate the hose thereon in helical grooves 52 as it is Wound up on this drum,

The drum 51 and also to impart side wall support and minimize flattening of the hose. Drum 51 is secured for its support and for rotation to shower hose connector 23 by means of bolts 53 and end plate 54.

Operation of the control valve is the same as already described for Figures 1, 3a to 3d, the operating chain 44 passing over the pulley 55 supported on shaft 56, which in turn is secured to valve body 7 by means of a socket hole and pin 57 or by any other known mechanical means.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to, and parts may be modified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A water powered retractable showerhead comprising, in combination, a cylinder open at one end thereof and terminating in a bearing at the opposite end thereof, a piston slidably fitting in said cylinder and having an axially located threaded opening and an olf-centered opening, a feed screw tube engaging said axial opening in said piston and extending through said bearing, a drum concentric with and surrounding said cylinder secured to said extension, a shower hose secured to and communicating with said extension and wound about said drum, a shower head mounted at the end of said hose, a valve casing adapted to be attached to a water supply pipe sealing the open end of said cylinder and having a plurality of passages and means for directing water under pressure to and from each side of said piston and to said showerhead, a fixed water delivery tube secured to said valve casing through said olf-center opening in said piston to the bearing end of said cylinder, a valve plug in said valve casing with a plurality of channels for selective com- I munication with said passages to control water supply to said piston and said showerhead, said feed screw tube being secured to and communicating with said passage for said showerhead.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said feed screw helically formed at strip forming threads therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,489,664 Dowrelio Apr. 8, 1924 2,256,144 Gifford et al Sept. 16, 1941 2,707,467 Pelzer et al. May 3, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 459,502 :Great Britain Jan. s, 1937 1,087,901 France Sept. 1, 1954

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