US3142068A

US3142068A - Diaper rinsing device

Info

Publication number: US3142068A
Application number: US243467A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold A Leventhal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-12-10
Filing date: 1962-12-10
Publication date: 1964-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-07-28

Description

July 28, 1964 H. A. LEVENTHAL' 3,142,058

' DIAPER RINSING omen Filed Dec. 10. 1962 2 Shah-Shoot 1 INVENTOR Harold A. Lovonthol I4 RNEY J ly 8, 1964 H. A. LEVENTI -IAL DIAPER RINSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 10, 1962 INVENTOR Harold A. Levenfhol Xi'TORNEY United States Patent 3,142,068 DLAPER RIYSING DEVICE Harold A. Leventhal, 435 W. 23rd St., New York, N.Y. Filed Dec. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 243,467 6 Claims. (Cl. 4-1) This invention relates to a toilet accesory device which is particularly useful for rinsing out soiled diapers and is unique in the fact that it is cooperative with the commode or toilet seat, being permanently attached to the underside thereof.

The present invention is permanently attached to the seat of the toilet and it stays so attached as long as there is a need for its occasional use, i.e. so long as there are diaper-Wearing babies in the household. While so attached, none of the normal functions of the toilet are obstructed, and upon raising of the seat the invention is instantly ready for use.

It therefore is an object of the present invention to solve this problem by providing a simple device which may be easily and permanently connected to the commode or toilet bowl seat.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which relieves the parent of the unpleasant and unsanitary task of wringing out the rinsed diapers by hand.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a diaper wringer which may remain on the toilet seat when not in use and which will not obstruct or interfere with the toilets normal functions.

It is another object of this invention to provide an easily constructed wringer device which may be readily installed on the screws or bolts supporting the toilet seat and which, when installed, may be brought into an operative position for use in wringing out diapers and the like merely by lifting the seat, but which, in either operative or inoperative positions, will not interfere with the normal usage of the toilet.

Various other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of several embodiments of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

Briefly, the present invention comprises a wringer device which is permanently attached to the underside of the commode or toilet seat, by means of utilizing the'same bolts or screws used in attaching the toilet seat to the main body of the toilet. An added feature of the invention comprises the use vof a flap or cover substantially covering and protecting the device of the invention when it is not in use. A better understanding of the various embodiments of the invention will be gained by referring to the following detailed descriptions thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and in which,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the hinging means of the invention showing the same in both operative and inoperative positions and with the flexible flap of FIG. 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the hinging means embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 and having a pivoted cover flap.

In the following description and in the appended claims, the rear portion of a toilet seat is intended to mean the portion nearest the water closet; lower, beneath and top, when applied to the invention when mounted, refer to the relative positions of parts when the seat is raised, and other relative terms are to be construed from the point of view of a person at the front of the toilet.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the toilet or commode, i.e.

the main body of the toilet, is indicated generally at 1,

3,142,068 Patented July 28, 1964 as having a seat 2 hingeably mounted thereon with hinges 3. The seat 2 is attached to the hinge 3 by means of screw or screws 4 (one shown). In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, the device of the invention is attached to the toilet seat by loosening screws 4 and sliding bracket 5 thereunder. Bracket 5 is rigidly attached to a flat plate of high-strength plastic or other non-corrosive material 6 which lies flat against the bottom side of the seat 2, and which does not extend to the edges of the bottom of the seat. That is, the plate 6 is smaller in all dimensions than that portion of the seat 2 under which it lies, so the entire invention is concealed under the seat when the latter is down. A pair of arms or U-shaped bracket 7 is rigidly attached to plate 6. Bracket 7 contains holes and bearing means for the mounting of

wringer rollers

8 and 9. Roller 8, Le. the one nearer the seat, is permanently mounted within bracket 7, but roller 9 is mounted so as to be disengageable from its normally close proximity with roller 8 by means of slot 11 and key 12. A crank 10 is provided on roller 9 for the purpose of operating the device or, at least, assisting the operator in starting a diaper through the wringer. A flap 13 made of rubber or similar material is permanently connected to the bottom of bracket 7 and is sup plied with fastening means such as snaps 14 which will coact with the snaps 15 mounted on the top of bracket 7 adjacent plate 6, thus enabling cover 13 to be folded up around the wringer device, thereby covering it and protecting the device of the invention when it is not in use for the rinsing of diapers and the like.

In operation, the diapers are rinsed in the toilet bowl in the usual manner, and then fed in between

rollers

8 and 9 while the crank 10 is turned. In the event that a diaper gets caught between one of the rollers and the bracket 7 and binds therein, key 12 is slid out and the roller 9 disengaged by lifting it up through slot 11 thereby releasing the said diaper caught therebetween. When the task is finished, flap 13 is brought up and around the wringer device and snaps 14 engaged with snaps 15.

The invention remains attached to the underside of the toilet seat. When there is no further need to use the invention, it is easily and quickly removed from the toilet by loosening screws 4, sliding it out, and then tightening the screws.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG-7 URE 1, the plate 6 need not be of the shape or configura-v tion shown, but may be of any convenient shape so long as it does not protrude beyond the edges of seat 2 and provides sufficient mounting surface for brackets 5 and bracket 7, so that the unit may be rigidly attached to the under side of the seat 2 by screws 4.

In FIGURE 3 of the drawings there is illustrated in cross-sectional view the same hinging embodiment as is illustrated in FIGURE 1. The reference numerals in-. dicate the same parts as were described with relation to FIGURE 1, and in this figure a diaper or similar article 20 is shown between

rollers

8 and 9.

In FIGURE 2, an alternative hinging embodiment is illustrated, and this embodiment is in many cases preferred both from the standpoint of manufacturing ease and of use. As in the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URE 1, the toilet bowl 1 has the seat 2 attached by hinge 3. A variety of different hinges or hinge arrangements are employed, and for purposes of simplicity the illustra-, tions do not show the top which normally folds down over the seat, and is attached by means of the same hinge. These diiferences, however, make no difference in the installation of the invention, which is equally applicable to all commercially manufactured commodes or toilets. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2, bracket 5 (of FIG. 1) has three parts. The first part 19 is rigidly attached to the mounting plate 6 as before. A hinge 18 is connected to the piece B, said hinge cooperating with mounting bracket 17 which is installed underneath the bottom portion of hinge 3 around bolt or screw 16. In this embodiment, the mounting plate 6 has the general configuration of the underside of the toilet seat 2 or a portion thereof, although it is substantially narrower and when in the lowered position, the seat 2 overhangs the plate 6 throughout its periphery.

Installation of this embodiment of the invention is accomplished by loosening screws or bolts 16, which are the bolts holding the entire seat and top assembly to the main body of the toilet 1. After loosening bolts 16, brackets 17 are slid under hinge 3 and the bolts once again are tightened. The invention is thus hingeably supported, and while not mounted rigidly to the toilet seat, it is mounted by means of the same screws or bolts 16 supporting seat 2. The solid lines in FIGURE 2 illustrate the position of the invention when the seat 2 is lowered and the invention is not in use. The dotted lines in FIG- URE 2 show the invention when it is in the operative position. The seat is first raised to its normal upper position while the Wringer assembly and mounting plate 6 are still resting on the rim of the toilet bowl. Mounting plate 6, which may extend around the entire periphery of the top of the commode may be advantageously made to substantially conform with the configuration of the rim of the bowl when it is in this position. Thus, with the seat raised, the toilet may fulfill its normal functions without raising mounting plate 6. When it is desired to use the invention, mounting plate 6 is also raised in the same manner as the top but turns about its own hinge 18 and rests against the top, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG- URE 2. In this position, the flap 13 is lowered and operation is carried out as described hereinabove with relation to FIGURE 1.

While the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2 has all of the advantages of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1, in terms of permanent mounting, ease of use, and that of being completely out of the way and unnoticeable when not in use, the embodiment of FIGURE 2 has the additional advantage in that substantially all of the presently manufactured toilet bowls the bolts 16 are a standard distance apart, and thus one type of mounting plate 6 and hinge assembly 17, 18, 19 may be employed for essentially all toilets, whereas the screws 4, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, vary in their placing on the several different brands of the commercially manufactured toilet seats. Thus the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2 offers certain economies in terms of manufacturing simplicity.

While for simplicity of discussion mounting plate 6 and bracket 7 have been described as separate parts of the invention; as manufactured, these two pieces are advantageously one injection-molded piece of high-strength plastic. Thus, bracket 7 would have as a full equivalent a pair of arms performing the same function. Assembly of the invention is then accomplished merely by attaching brackets or hinge

assembly

17, 13, 19,

rollers

8 and 9 and crank 10 to this single molding. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, it is also possible to manufacture plate 6, bracket 7 and brackets 5 as a one-piece unit assembly. It is also to be understood that while seat 2 has been shown as being made of wood, most presently manufactured seats are also made of plastic. The flap 13 is generally manufactured of natural or synthetic rubber, or any suitable non-corrodible plastic material. As is obvious, all parts of the invention which are necessarily metallic should be manufactured of a non-corrodible metal such as aluminum, brass or the like, or of steel plated or covered with a non-corrodible material.

Wringer rollers

8 and 9, while generally made of a natural or synthetic rubber, or having a covering thereof over a solid core, may also be made of other suitable synthetic materials; obviously use of a material having some resiliency is to be preferred.

While the slot and key arrangement for removing roller 9 (FIGURE 1) have been illustrated for purposes of simplicity, other alternative arrangements will be clear to those skilled in the art.

As is well known, most modern commodes have a swirl type of flushing action, the jets being located at the rear of the bowl. When a diaper is being rinsed, it tends to follow the swirl, cling against the side of the bowl, and impede the flushing process. When flap 13 is lowered, however, it acts as a guard for the jets, the diapers are kept away from them, and both rinsing and flushing are made more efficient. In some installations of the invention, however, flap 13 is not necessary, due to a different type of flushing action and/ or the fact that the Wringer, when in the operative position, hangs sufficiently far over the bowl to insure that all water squeezed from the diaper falls back into the bowl. In this event it is convenient to provide, rather than flap 13, a simple cover 21 (FIG. 3) hinged either to bracket 7 or plate 6, which cover will hang in front of the wringers when the seat is down and may be folded up when the seat is up and use of the apparatus is desired. The cover 21 may be made of the same materials as plate 6.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described the subject matter of my invention, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. As a toilet accessory, the combination comprising,

Wringer means comprising two parallel rollers in close proximity;

Wringer-mounting arms supporting said rollers so that said rollers may rotate about their respective axes;

a plate having said Wringer-mounting arms integrally attached thereto; and

a pair of brackets attached at and extending from the lower edge of said plate, said brackets being spaced from each other and adapted for attachment beneath one end of each of the hinges to which the seat of said toilet is attached, and said plate, arms and wringer means being entirely covered by said seat when so attached and said seat is lowered.

2. The toilet accessory as claimed in claim 1, and additionally comprising a flap having one end permanently secured to said Wringer-mounting means beneath and behind said wringer means, and fastener means for securing the other end of said flap to the top of said arms adjacent to said plate, whereby said flap may hang below and behind said Wringer means during operation thereof and may be fastened around said Wringer means at other times.

3. The toilet accessory as claimed in claim 1, wherein said brackets are adapted to be secured to the underside of said seat by attachment to the hinges at the point where said seat is attached to said hinges, whereby said Wringer means is raised to an operative position when said seat is raised, and said brackets and said plate comprise a one-piece unit assembly.

4. The toilet accessory as claimed in claim 1, wherein said brackets are adapted to be secured under said seat by attachment to the hinges at the point where said hinges are attached to the body of said toilet, and further comprising hinges in each of said brackets whereby said Wringer and mounting means may be raised to an operative position after said seat is raised.

5. The toilet accessory as claimed in claim 1, and additionally comprising hinged cover means mounted above and behind said Wringer means when said seat is raised, whereby said cover hangs in front of said Wringer means when said seat is lowered, and said cover may be raised away from said Wringer means when said seat is raised.

6. As a toilet accessory, the combination comprising,

two parallel, resilient roller-wringers when said seat is raised in close proximity;

a one-piece mounting assembly comprising two arm portions supporting said roller-wringers so that they may rotate about their respective axes and a plate portion to which said arm portions are integrally attached;

a cover hingeably attached to said mounting assembly,

the hinges being above and behind said roller-wring- 10 ers when said seat is raised; and

a pair of hinged brackets attached at and extending from the lower edge of the plate portion of said mounting assembly, said brackets being adapted for attachment under the seat of said toilet between the 15 body of said toilet and the securing means holding said seat, and said roller-wringers, mounting assembly and cover being entirely covered by said seat when so attached and said seat is lowered.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 609,870 Biggs Aug. 30, 1898 838,166 Burrows Dec. 11, 1906 1,189,012 Steel June 27, 1916 2,677,951 Haines et a1 May 11, 1954 2,756,580 Castner July 31, 1956 2,808,716 Zum Brunnen Oct. 8, 1957 2,814,191 Grinyer et a1 Nov. 26, 1957

Claims

1. AS A TOILET ACCESSORY, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, WRINGER MEANS COMPRISING TWO PARALLEL ROLLERS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY; WRINGER-MOUNTING ARMS SUPPORTING SAID ROLLERS SO THAT SAID ROLLERS MAY ROTATE ABOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE AXES; A PLATE HAVING SAID WRINGER-MOUNTING ARMS INTEGRALLY ATTACHED THERETO; AND A PAIR OF BRACKETS ATTACHED AT AND EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID PLATE, SAID BRACKETS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT BENEATH ONE END OF EACH OF THE HINGES TO WHICH THE SEAT OF SAID TOILET IS ATTACHED, AND SAID PLATE, ARMS AND WRINGER MEANS BEING ENTIRELY COVERED BY SAID SEAT WHEN SO ATTACHED AND SAID SEAT IS LOWERED.