US3056972A

US3056972A - Toilet seat securing device

Info

Publication number: US3056972A
Application number: US100642A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald A Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-04-04
Filing date: 1961-04-04
Publication date: 1962-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-09

Description

Oct. 9, 1962 D. A. MILLER TOILET SEAT SECURING DEVICE Filed April 4. 1961 & w//////////// ATTORNEYS 3,5b,972 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 ilC 3,056,972 TOILET SEAT SECURING DEVICE Donald A. Miller, 145 Manor Lane, Dayton 29, Ohio Filed Apr. 4, 1961,'Ser. No. 100,642 4 Claims. (Cl. 4253) This invention relates to a device for attachment to the conventional toilet seat for normally maintaining the toilet seat cover in a closed position against the efforts of small children to raise the cover, thereby preventing small children from playing in the water retained in the toilet bowl as a water seal.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for holding the closure of a toilet seat closed against small children depositing toys and articles in the toilet which would otherwise clog or stop up the system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily operated to release the cover so that it may be opened, by adults or larger children.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily and easily installed on the conventional toilet seat, by persons unfamiliar with mechanics.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a closure securing device which may be secured in position against displacement by small children in an effort to gain access to the water within the toilet bowl.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description proceeds and shown in the accompanying drawing.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a toilet seat showing a closure fastening device, constructed in accordance with the invention, a portion of the seat having been broken away to illustrate the showing as a part of the seat cover.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental side elevational view of the upper edge of a toilet bowl with the fastening device secured thereto.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference character 5 indicates a portion of the upper rim of a toilet bowl, the reference character 6 indicating the seat of the toilet bowl, while the reference character 7 indicates the closure or cover of the seat 6.

The fastening device forming the subject matter of the present invention, includes a clamp 8 which has a curved portion 9 curved to conform to the conventional curvature of the toilet rim 5, as better shown by FIGURE 2 of the drawing.

The clamp is constructed to provide a wide flat surface 10 which is formed with a threaded opening in which the threaded bolt 11 is positioned, the inner end of the bolt 11 being shown as positioned in a groove 12 formed in the adaptor 13 which is provided for adapting the clamp for use on the rims of toilet bowls having various curvatures.

The adaptor plate 13 is provided with an inwardly extended wide flange 14 at its lower end, and an upper shorter flange 15 which extends inwardly, the

flanges

14 and 15 contacting the outer surface of the toilet bowl adjacent to the rim thereof. Due to this construction, it will be seen that by raising or lowering the adaptor plate, the clamp may be firmly secured on the bead of the toilet seat, when the adaptor plate has been properly positioned and forced into contact with the outer surface of the toilet seat at the rim, by means of the winged bolt 11.

The reference character 16 indicates a plate which has one of its edges welded to the wide flat surface 10 of the clamp, the plate being arranged with its side faces disposed vertically.

Secured to the outer edge of the plate 16, as by welding, is a vertical supporting tube 17 which is also provided with a threaded opening disposed substantially intermediate the ends thereof, which threaded opening accommodates the winged bolt 18 which extends therethrough, the inner end of the bolt 18 contacting the flat surface 19 of the shank 20 which forms a part of the clamp arm.

Secured at the upper end of the shank 20, is a clamp arm 21 which is of a length to extend to a position over the side edge of the seat cover or closure 7, as better shown by FIGURE 2 of the drawing.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that due to the construction of the fastening device forming the subject matter of the instant invention, the device may be readily and easily clamped over the rim of a toilet bowl, and properly adjusted so that it will firmly grip the toilet bowl rim where it will be securely held in position against the efiorts of small children to displace the same.

It will also be noted that when the clamp arm 21 has been moved to the position as shown in full lines in FIG- URE 2 of the drawing, the cover 7 will be securely held in a closed position until the clamp arm 21 is moved to the dotted line position as shown by FIGURE 2.

The movement of the clamp arm 21 to its inactive position, will be effected by rotating the bolt 18 to disengage the flat surface of the shank 20. It will be further understood that when the clamping arm 21 is moved to the position as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2 the bolt 18 will be rotated to cause a binding action between the threads of the bolt and the threads of the opening in the supporting tube 17, to cause a binding action which will prevent small children from loosening the bolt 18 to rotate the clamping arm 21 to its inactive position to release the cover.

While the friction between the threads of the bolt and threads of the hole or opening of the supporting tube 17 will be such that small children would be unable to loosen the same, the bolt may be readily loosened by larger children or adults, so that the cover may be raised readily.

It is believed that in view of the foregoing detailed description, a further detailed description and showing of the structure and operation of the device is unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device for normally securing the cover of a toilet seal closed, embodying a clamp clamped over the rim of a toilet bowl, a vertical tube secured to said clamp exteriorly of said clamp, a cover engaging clamp including a shank mounted within said vertical tube for vertical and rotary adjustment above and below said cover, an arm extending laterally from the upper end of said shank for engagement with a toilet seat cover normally holding said cover closed, and means for securing said arm in its position of adjustment.

2. The subject matter as claimed in claim 1, and said shank having a fiat surface, and said means for securing said arm in its position of adjustment including a bolt extending into said tube for contact with said flat surface normally preventing rotation of said shank.

3. A device for normally holding the cover of a toilet seat closed, embodying a clamp adapted to clamp over the rim of a toilet bowl, a vertical plate secured along one of its side edges to said clamp, a vertical tube on the other side edge of said vertical plate, a second clamp comprising a shank, disposed within said vertical tube for vertical and rotary adjustment with respect to said plate, and a cover engaging arm extending laterally from the upper end of said shank adapted to clamp said cover, normally securing said cover closed.

4. A device for normally holding the cover of a toilet seat closed, embodying a clamp adapted to be clamped over the rim of a toilet seat bowl under the seat thereof, a vertical supporting tube secured to the outer surface of said clamp, a laterally extended clamp arm engageable with said cover normally clamping said cover closed, a shank depending from said clamp arm, mounted for vertical adjustment within said vertical supporting tube, and an adapter plate adjustably secured to said bowl clamp, engageable with said bowl rim, adapting said clamp for clamping bowl rims of various contours.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,067,472 Creed July 15, 1913 2,651,053 Rowe et a1. Sept. 8, 1953 2,698,439 Bruckner Jan. 4, 1955