US2913731A - Safety devices for projecting bath wall fixtures - Google Patents

Description

SAFETY DEVICES FOR PROJE Filed Dec. 6, 1955 vl lln ATTORNEY \NVENTOR MAL/AM JDqa/mv Unitd States Patent "ice SAFETY DEVICES FOR PROJECTING BATH WALL FIXTURES 3 William J. Dobkin, Jackson Heights, NY. Application December 6, 1955, Serial No. 551,330 9 Claims. (Cl. 4-1) charge of the soap, as the plungeris manually operated.

This dispenser cylinder is secured to a wall of the shower stall or section by a suitable fitting, connects to a supply line from a soap reservoir and projects horizontally from said wall at a height affording easy access thereto. A fixture projecting out from a wall without protection in the manner described, may result in the bather accidentally colliding therewith and may thereby cause the dispenser to be damaged and the bather to be injured. j j

' One object of the present invention is to provide a safety" device for shielding and protecting a wall projecting bath fixture against possible direct collisiontherewith which might cause damage to the fixture and injury to the bather. r l

Another object is to provide a' safety device for shielding and protecting a soap dispenser in a shower stall against possible direct collision therewith causing damage to the dispenser and injury to the bather-,without interfering with the accessibility and free manipulation of the dispenser. g a

A further object is to provide a device of the character described designed to serve as a tray for a soap cake, Wash cloth or other bath accessories. j

' In accordance with certain features of the present in vention, the safety device of the present invention is in the form of a tray or shelf having means for straddling the projecting bath fixture to be protected, such as the liquid soap dispenser, and means for securing the straddling device in protective position in relation to said fixture. The tray or shelf is contoured in a manner to prevent injury to the bather, even upon vigorous contact therewith. The safety device serves not only to protect the bath fixture and the bather against injury but also lends itself to decorative service in connection with the bath stall or room.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which- I Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective showing a wall of a shower stall with a soap dispenser projecting horizontally therefrom and protected by a safety device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the safety device;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the safety device;

Fig. 4 is a section of the safety device taken on lines 4 -4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section of the safety device takenon lines 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ter is sprayed or streamed onto the bather and a liquid is either integral with said section or forms a separate soap dispenser 10 projecting from a vertical wall 11 of the unit. The shower room may, for example, be an open room with a wall, such as the wall 11, common to all of the shower units and with a shower head and a soap dispenser 10 connected to said wall at each unit.

The soap dispenser 10, per se, forms no part of the present invention, and may be of conventional type. It may include a valve comprising a tube 12 in the form of a cylinder provided with a bottom discharge spout 13 and housing aspring-pressed plunger or piston 14 which terminates in a push button orlhead 15 and which operates as part of a suction pump. This cylinder 12 is connected by a nipple 16 to a pipe 17 leading to a soap reservoir or tank system (not shown). All the soap dispensers in the shower room may be connected to a single soap reservoir through a manifold system or may be connected to the reservoir by respective feed lines. The pipe 17 is connected to the shower wall 11 and extends behind said wall as to be concealed at least partly by said wall, and the soap dispenser 10 including the cylinder 12 and the plunger 14 project horizontally from said wall at right angles thereto.

The plunger 14 has a cylindrical rod-like end section 18 passing through a gland 19 and the plunger head 15 piece rigidly connected to said section. The head 15 is round, and larger in diameter than the rod section 18 and is preferably concave at its outer end to receive conveniently the thumb of the bather in the operation of dispensing soap either in liquid or lather form.

In the operation of the soap dispenser 10, the plunger 14 is normally spring-pressed outwardly from the cylinder housing 12 in the position shown in Fig. 3. When a charge of liquid soap is desired, the thumb of the bather pushes the plunger 14 inwardly into the cylinder housing 12 against the action of the spring. This operation is effected while the palm of the dispensing hand is cupped below the discharge spout 13, and causes a measured amount of soap either in liquid or lather form to be delivered through said spout onto said palm. This operation is repeated until sufiicient soap is collected in the palm of the hand. Each time the plunger 14 is released, it returns to normal outwardly projecting position through the action of the spring.

The soap dispenser 10 is usually located at about the level of the waist of the bather or a little higher, and in the absence of a protective device projects obtrusively and dangerously in position to cause the bather to collide accidentally therewith, especially where the bathing space is restricted by partitions dividing the shower room into stalls. As a feature of the present invention, a safety device 20 is provided to shield and protect the soap dispenser 10 against direct contact therewith. This safety device 20 is desirably in one piece except for fastening or mounting screws, and for that purpose preferably constitutes a metal casting. To cause this safety device 20 to serve not only as a means for protectively shielding the soap dispenser 10 but also as a support for a soap cake, wash cloth or other bath accessories, the safety device is in the general form of a shelf or tray. To that end, the safety device 20 comprises a substantially horizontal support plate 21 of somewhat semicircular shape but encompassing more than a semicircle to afford substantial width in a horizontal direction towards the wall 10, and two similarsymmetrically arranged flanges 22 depending from said plate. Each of these flanges 22 has a straight flat section 23 along the rear straight edge of the plate 21 extending down far enough to serve as a wall mounting bracket for the safety device 20, a curved section 24 of lower height extending conformably along the front curved edge of said plate and serving not only to impart rigidity to the safety device but also to present a curved bounding surface for said safety device of sufficient area to obviate injury upon vigorous contact therewith, and a straight section 25 extending from the front edge of the plate rearwardly in a direction parallel to and spaced from the center radius of the front curved edge of said plate and having a height smaller than that of said rear section 23 but greater than that of the curved front section 24, for the purpose to be made apparent. The straight parallel sections 25 of the two flanges 22 on the underside of the plate 21 form therebetween a radial center channel 26 to receive the forepart of the soap dispenser therein, the opposed ends of the two curved sections 24 of the flanges at the center are separated by a front opening 27 desirably in the form of a round archway to permit the plunger head to extend therethrough in normal inactive position and to afford thereby easy access to said plunger head for convenient dispensing manipulation, and the opposed ends of the straight rear bracket sections 23 of the two flanges are spaced to define therebetween an opening 23 aligned with the channel 26 and with the front opening 27 to permit the pipe 17 or intake feed line to the soap dispenser to pass on its way through the wall 11 of the shower room or stall and to the soap reservoir behind said wall.

The rear bracket sections 23 of the flanges 22 are provided with holes 30 through which screws 31 or other fastening members may pass to secure the safety device to the wall '11.

The inside flange sections are provided with respective tapped holes to receive with threaded engagement respective axially aligned set screws 33 adapted to impinge on opposite sides of the soap dispenser 18 nested between said flange sections. To assure firm anchorage between the soap dispenser 1t and the safety device 20, and to center properly the soap dispenser 10 in the channel 26 so that the plunger head 15 is properly positioned with respect to the front opening 27, the underside of the plate 21 has a lug 3 E- whieh extends radially along the center thereof and centrally in the channel 26 and which defines a seat for the upper side of the soap dispenser 10. The two screws 33 are arranged with respect to the seating lug 34, so that in anchored position of the safety device 2%), the lug and the two screws engage the soap dispenser at substantially equally spaced regions, 120 apart. With the soap dispenser 10 so located, the plunger head 15 will be centered with respect to the round arch at the upper end of the front opening 27 and will be encompassed by the walls of the opening with suflicient clearance to permit free axial dispensing movement of said plunger head.

The flange sections 25 defining the channel 26 extend down from the underside of the plate 21 far enough to receive properly the screws 33 and to flank fully the soap dispenser 10. in the specific form shown, these flange sections 25 extend below the curved flange sections 24, except that near the front ends, these curved flange sections 24 merge with the front lower sections of the flange sections 25 with streamline continuity to form wing extensions 35 at the bases of the sides of the front opening 27. These extensions 35 make the opening 27 high enough to receive the entire periphery of the plunger head 15 therein, so that this head is adequately protected against collison of the bather therewith.

The safety device 20 is constructed to serve as a support for a soap cake, wash cloth, sampoo bottle or any other bath or toilet accessory. At the same time, the safety device 20 is such, that it will not collect Water fromithe. shower head. To that end, the support plate 21 has a straight raised central section 36 extending radially along the center part of the plate from the front to the back and dividing the plate into two adjacent parts 37, each being of concave form to define two dishes in which soap cakes or similar toilet articles may repose without slipping off and each provided with drain openings 38. The concavity of each dish part 37 is not only in a direction across the safety device 20 from side to side, as shown in Fig. 4, but also in a direction at right angles thereto from front to back of the device. As a result of this dished concavity on opposite sides of the center section 36, this section is transversely curved to define a channel 40 along the underside of the plate 21 extending from front to back to receive the soap dispenser 10 therein and defining at its front end the upper arch of the front opening 27.

All corners and edges of the safety device 20 which might come into colliding contact with the bather are rounded off, so that no injury can be sustained by the bather by colliding with the safety device.

In mounted position of the safety device 20, the soap dispenser 10 is locked to the safety device through the set screws 33, and the safety device is affixed to the wall 11 through the screws 31. In this position, the plunger head 15 projects, if any, only a small distance from the safety device 20, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, so that no direct contact with said head which might cause injury to the bather or damage to the soap dispenser can take place. Since the safety device 20 itself presents surfaces which are curved and of substantially large areas, direct contact therewith even with vigorous force, will not injure the bather.

The plunger head 15 although shielded and protected by the safety device 20 in the manner described, still is easily accessible for dispensing operation, as if the safety device were not there.

The safety device 20 serves not only as a protective device as described and as an additional shelf support for bath accessories, but is much more attractive than a soap dispenser sticking out obtrusively from a supporting wall and therefore has decorative value.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto, but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What 'is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device adapted to be' used in connection with a bath room tube fixture projecting forwardly from a substantially vertical supporting wall and having an outer end part manipulable for operation and adapted to shield and protect said fixture against direct accidental colliding contact therewith, said safety device comprising a shelf plate adapted to be placed in protective position substantially horizontally over said fixture with its rear side near said supporting wall and its front side near the manipulable end of said fixture, whereby most of the projecting parts of said fixture are covered by said device, While the outer end of said fixture is accessible for manipulation, a pair of flanges depending from the underside of said plate and integrally connected directly thereto, said flanges being spaced substantial distances inwardly from the side edges of the shelf plate respectively and extending substantial distances along the length of the shelf plate from a region near the front edge of said plate, said flanges being disposed side by side on opposite sides of an approximate center line of the safety device extending from the rear side to the front side of the plate and defining therebetween a channel extending along said center line, said channel being open at its bottom side and at its rear and front. ends to receive in said channel said fixture, and Wall mounting flange means integrally secured to the rear side of the plate and extending transversely'thereof, said mounting flange means containing apertures to receive fastening elements by which said safety device may be secured to the supporting wall.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described in claim 1, wherein set screws are provided threaded in said channel flanges respectively and adapted to impinge on said fixture in said channel.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described in claim 1, comprising a rib integral with the underside of said plate and extending along said channel between said channel flanges to form a seat for the top of the fixture in said channel.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described in claim 1, said shelf plate having its front edge convexly curved and its rear edge straight, said mounting flange means comprising a pair of rear mounting flanges separated by an opening in alignment with said channel, said safety device comprising a pair of front flanges extending around and integrally connected to said front edge, said front flanges being separated by a front opening located in alignment with said rear opening and said channel and affording accessibility to the manipulable outer end part of the fixture.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described in claim 4, wherein the front edge of said plate is substantially in the form of a semicircle, and said rear mounting flanges depend from said rear edge and said front flanges depend from the semicircular front edge of said plate.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device adapted to be used in connection with a bath room tube fixture projecting forwardly from a substantially vertical supporting wall and having an outer end part manipul able for operation and adapted to shield and protect said fixture against direct accidental colliding contact therewith, said safety device comprising a shelf plate adapted to be placed in protective position substantially horizontally over said fixture with its rear side near said supporting wall and its front side near the manipulable end of said fixture, whereby most of the projecting parts of said fixture are covered by said device, while the outer end of said fixture is accessible for manipulation, said plate having a substantially straight section extending centrally thereof from front to back, and said plate being dished on opposite sides of said straight section to serve as a soap dish and to form a channel on the underside of said plate along said straight section extending from front to back to receive the fixture therein, the front end of said channel being open and exposed from the front edge of the plate and extending to substantially the front edge of the plate, and wall mounting flange means integrally secured to the rear side of the plate and extending transversely thereof to secure said safety device to the supporting wall.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device adapted to be used in connection with a bath room tube fixture projecting forwardly from a substantially vertical supporting wall and having an outer end part manipulable for operation and adapted to shield and protect said fixture against direct accidental colliding contact therewith, said safety device comprising a shelf plate adapted to be placed in protective position substantially horizontally over said fixture with its rear side near said supporting wall and its front side near the manipulable end of said fixture, whereby most of the projecting parts of said fixture are covered by said device, while the outer end of said fixture is accessible for manipulation, said shelf plate having its front edge convexly curved and its rear edge straight, a pair of flanges depending from the underside of said plate and integrally connected directly thereto, said flanges being disposed side by side on opposite sides of an approximate center line of the safety device extending from the rear side to the front side of the plate and defining therebetween a channel extending along said center line, said channel being open at its bottom side and at its rear and front ends to receive in said channel said fixture, a pair of rear mounting flanges integrally connected to the rear edge of said shelf plate and depending therefrom, said mounting flanges being separated by an opening in alignment with said channel, each of said mounting flanges having an aperture to receive a fastening element by which said mounting flange may be secured to the supporting wall, a pair of front flanges extending around and integrally connected to said front edge, said front flanges being separated by a front opening located in alignment with said rear opening and said channel and affording accessibility to the head of the fixture, said plate having a substantially straight section extending along said center line and said plate being dished on opposite sides of said straight sections to bulge said channel upwardly along the top and to form soap dishes on opposite sides of said center line.

8. In combination, a bath room fixture in the form of a substantially straight tube projecting through and from a supporting wall and having an outer control member manipulable to control flow of material therethrough, and a safety device for shielding and protecting said fixture comprising a shelf plate having a wall mounting means at its rear, a channel formation on its underside open at opposite ends and at the bottom and receiving said fixture therein, said channel formation having boundary side walls therealong spaced inwardly substantial distances from the sides respectively of said shelf plate and integral with the underside of said shelf plate, and front flanges along the front edge of said shelf plate spaced to define a front opening through which said control member is exposed and rendered accessible for operation in installed position of said fixture and said safety device, the bottom of said shelf plate including the open bottom of said channel formation being fully exposed, whereby said safety device may be mounted in operative position by lowering the safety device over the fixture to receive said fixture in said channel formation, and screw means passing through said side walls and impinging on said fixture to hold said safety device to said fixture in said mounted position.

9. The combination as described in claim 8 wherein said bath room fixture constitutes a liquid soap dispenser having a spring-pressed plunger with a head serving as said outer control member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 138,992 Daum Oct. 3, 1944 1,059,169 Kohn Apr. 15, 1913 1,158,773 Barr Nov. 2, 1915 1,167,710 Myers Jan. 11, 1916 1,477,189 Schlesinger Dec. 11, 1923 1,536,906 Miller May 5, 1925 1,578,934 1 Stern Mar. 30, 1926 1,691,213 Smithe Nov. 13, 1928 1,854,987 Fradl Apr. 19, 1932 2,031,679 Tjaarda Feb. 25, 1936 2,427,012 Lum Sept. 9, 1947 2,606,393 Fleming Aug. 12, 1952

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