US3205510A

US3205510A - Toilet seat cover

Info

Publication number: US3205510A
Application number: US258535A
Authority: US
Inventors: Levine Morris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-02-14
Filing date: 1963-02-14
Publication date: 1965-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-14

Description

TOILET SEAT COVER Afro/wcm Sept. 14, 1965 M. LEvlNE TOILET SEAT COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1963 iig.;

INVENTOR. /Wo/"r/J eV/77e W zz la J2 awp au# 404g di M) Afin/775% United States Patent Oiiice 3,205,510 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 3,205,510 TOILET 'SEAT COVER l Morris Levine, Prairie Village, Kans. (4100 W. 96th St., Shawnee Mission, Kans.) Filed Feb. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 258,535 3 Claims. (Cl. 4-234) This invention-relates to new and useful improvements in toilet seats, and has particular reference to a toilet seat assembly comprising a main seat, a main cover therefor having a smaller opening whereby to constitute a seat for the accommodation of small children, and a supplementary cover for said last named seat opening.

An important object of the present invention is that the supplementary cover be disposed flush with the surface of the main cover, with no projections, whenever said supplementary cover is closed, bothto preserve a neat appearance of said main cover, and also to permit is to fulfill its common function as an ordinary seating surface.

Another'object is the provision of a toilet seat assembly of the character described including a urine deilector disposed at the forward end of the axuiliary seat opening, for utilization when in use by a male child, said deector also being foldable to a iiush position within the main cover when not in use.

A further object is the provision, in a toilet seat assembly of the character described, of means for automatically locking the supplementary cover and the urine deflector in their closed or folded positions whenever the main cover is pivotally raised from its closed position.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, eflciency and dependability of operation, and adaptability for incorporation of the cover assembly in preexisting seat assemblies.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of atoilet seat assembly including a cover embodying the present invention, with portions broken away, and with the supplementary cover and urine deflector closed,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line II-II of FIG. 1, with parts left in elevation,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, fo'reshortened view similar to FIG. 2, but with the supplementary cover and urine deflector pivoted to their open or operative positions, Y

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary View similar to FIG. 3, but showing the supplementary cover closed and the main cover opened,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views taken respectively on lines V-V and VI-VIvof FIG. 1,

and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line VII-VII of FIG. 3.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 designates the main seat of a toilet seat assembly, said main seat having the usual seat opening 4 of a size suitable for adult use. Said seat is standard in all respects, being formed of wood, plastic, metal or other suitable material, being supported adjacent its forward end by bumpers 6 above the rim 8 of a toilet bowl 10, and being supported at its rearward edge for vertical pivotal movement by a pair of hinge bars 12 affixed thereto and pivoted on a horizontal transverse shaft 14, said shaft being supported above bowl by a pair of standards 16 secured in bowl 10 by bolt lugs 18 and nuts 20 (see FIG. 2). Seat 2 is provided with a main cover 22 which overlies seat opening 4, and which is supported adjacent its forward end above seat 2 by bumpers 24, and which is provided at its rearward end with hinge bars 26 affixed thereto and pivoted on shaft 14,

whereby cover 22 may be pivoted upwardly about shaft 14 either independently of or concurrently with seat 2. The structure thus far described is of course standard and well known.

According to the present invention, main cover 22 is provided with a seat opening 28 which is shaped similarly to seat opening 4 but is smaller, being of a size to accommodate infants and small children. The edges of seat opening 28 are rounded for comfort, as best shown at 30 in FIG. 7. Seat opening 28 is provided with a supplementary cover 32 which is also planar and which, when closed, is disposed entirely within opening 28, so that the upper and lower surfaces thereof are coplanar with the upper and lower surfaces of main cover 22. At its rearward edge, cover 32 is provided integrally with a pair of spaced apart, rearwardly projecting tongues 34 which engage snugly but pivotally in a pair of notches 36 formed therefore in cover 22 at the rearward edge of seat opening 28. In each side of each tongue 34 is affixed a pintle 38 which is pivotally engaged in a slot 40 (see FIG. 5) formed in the adjacent side wall of notch 36. Notches 36 extend from the top surface of cover 22 to admit the pintles, but. after said pintles are in position, the upper portions of said slots are permanently closed by fillers 42 to secure the

covers

22 and 32 in assembly. The edge of supplementary cover 32 is formed with a concave bevel to engage the rounded edge 30 of seat opening 28, whereby cover 32 is prevented from pivoting downwardly through opening 28. Cover 32 may be pivoted upwardly slightly past vertical, as shown in FIG. 3, its opening movement being limited by the engagement of the upper surfaces of tongues 34 with the rearward ends of notches 36, as indicated at 44.

At the forward end of seat opening 28, a notch 46 is formed in main cover 22, said notch opening into said seat opening. Mounted in said notch is a urine detlector 48 which is at and rectangular in form. Said deflector is pivoted in cover 22 by a pair of pintles 50 corresponding in function to pintles 38 and being similarly inserted and retained. Said deflector is adapted to be pivoted upwardly to the open position shown in IFIGS. 3 .and 7, its opening movement being limited by engagement of the upper surface thereof with the forward end of notch 46, as at 52. Its rearward face is formed with a hollow concavity 54 operable to deect any urine impinging thereon from the rear downwardly through the seat opening. The deilector is of course pivoted to the open position only when accommodating a male child. When not in use, said deflector is pivoted to lie ilush in notch 46 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. The rearward edge thereof is rounded as indicated at 56 to form a continuation of the rounded edge 30 of. seat opening 28. The forward edge of supplementary cover 32 overlaps edge 56 of the deector, whereby said cover is capable of holding the deilector in its closed or inoperative positions as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Cover 32 is provided at its extreme forward edge with a notch 58 providing a linger grip for elevating cover 32 when desired.

Formed in one of the mounting tongues 34 of supplementary cover 32 is a bore 60 extending at right angles to the axis of pintles 38 and opening through the rearward end of said tongue. Disposed slidably in said bore is a cylindrical weight 62 to the rearward end of which is affixed an axially extending latch pin 64 which is operable by sliding movement of said weight to extend outwardly from bore 60, as in FIGS. 3 and 4, or to be retracted entirely within said bore, as in FIGS. 1 and 2. Said latch pin extends slidably through a tubular bushing 66 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) which is press-fitted in the outer end portion of bore 60, and is biased toward its retracted position by a coil spring 68 coiled thereabout, said spring 3,205,51oh I bearing at one end against bushing 66 and end against weight 62.

Latch pin 64 is gravity operated, that is, weight 60 will compress spring 38 and move the latch pin to its exat its opposite tended position whenever bore 60 ismoved to a substan 5 tially vertically extending position.- This position may be obtainedeither by pivoting VsupplementarycoverV 32 upwardly about pintles 38, as shown in FIG. 3,'or by i pivoting Vmain coverl 22 Vupwardly to its open position about shaft14, as shownin FIG. 4, with the supplementaly cover closed relativeto--the main cover.

Wheneverv the L latchjpin moves to itsv extended position'with cover 32 closed, the outer end of said pin 'engages' in a socket=70 f formed therefor in cover 22 at the rearwardfend-ofnotch 36,'thereby locking cover 32 inlixedtlrelation `to cover 22. VThis of course occurs'automatically-whenever main cover 22y is raised for use of `mainseat 2 by an adulti This prevents cover 32 from jallingjopenywhich would f otherwise occur and which would-be inconvenient and annoyingand also permits the inner face of main-cover.

22Ato be used as a back restiby Aan adult, whichl ,is' often desired. Securing cover 32 closed Aalso securesY deflectorl 48` closed, `as previously described.`

When both' of the covers are horizontally disposed, asV f in'IVFIG. 2, latch .pin 64 is urged to its retracted position by spring 68, being withdrawn ,fromsocket 70. Supplemental cover 32 may then bel grasped at its forward edge and pivoted upwardly aboutpintles 38 t-o` luncover `seat opening 28 for use` by a child- The latch vpin will'of course again move to itsl extended position as-l cover- 32VA isvopened, but only after it has moved outv of alignmentwith socket 70. Thus supplemental cover `32 maybe opened and closed without restraint so long as cover 22V islclosed, butwill be locked closed whenevercover 22 isl opened.

Cover 22 'is provided with an inclined cam surface 72 adjacent socket 70, for camming the latch pin to yits re-l tracted position -in the` event it is' desired ,ton move the supplementaljcover .to its closed positionrelative tothe main cover, `when the main cover is already in an open position. Theweight 62 attached tothe latch :pin pro-- videsample force for .compressing spring V68so that said spring need notbe overlyl delicate.

.While I have shown and described aspecificj ,embodiment. of my invention, vit will `be readily apparent,Y that k many .minor changes of structure andoperation could be madewithoutdeparting, from the spirit ofn the invention..

as denedA by thel scope of the, appended claims.

Whatl claim as newand desire to protectby Letters, Patent, is: l y

1. Incombinatiom (a) a main toilet seat having a ,seat opening suitablez.;y

for adults formed therein; (b) a lmain cover pivotally `related-to said main seat on a horizontal transverse axis adjacent the rear-f.

mental fcover,fsaid borebeing parallel-totheplane l of said supplemental cover\,-at right angles .to -the i pivotal axis thcreof,and opening through the rear- A ward -edge `thereof,wl1e`rebyV to-be-fextended "from said bore` by gravity whenever said supplemental coverapproaches-a vertical position as a result either ofopening Vsaid main cover or ofl opening saidrsupplemental cover, said 'main coverhaving a..socket for receiving said latch 'pin', said socket being aligned with said bore 'when said 'supplementalfcover is y closedfwhereby said latch pin enterssaid socket, and.

locks'said Asupplemental Vcover `in its'closed position,

whenever'said main cover-is' openediwith the supplemental cover Vin its 1 closed position.

2.1The' combination yas recited-dn claim `1 vwith`ftl1e t addition of:

(a) resilient means biasing said -latchpin=to 'a retracted-positi`on-within said bore, said resilient means beingof a strength sucie'nt to retract said-'pin when said bore is horizontal,z but =insuflicient-to" resist extension of said pin when said bore is -moved toa vgenerally vvertical position.`A 3. The combinatio'nas recited'in claim 1 with the-addition of: v

(a) fa weight laffixed tosaid'vlatch pinland-slidable yin said bore, and `(by) resilient jmeansk biasin'gfsaid latch'pin-` to a retracted position within said boreysaid resilient means being of al strength sufficient lto retractsaid pin 1 when said bore is'horizontal,v but `insuiicient to-resist extension of said pin' when said bore isfmoved 'to a vgenerallyverticall position.l

i RcferencesCited by-theExaminer. l

UNITED' STATES L. PATENTS 1,739,001; 12v/ 29,Jusrus 4-235 2,133,416.y 1o/ss. Bentz-- v 1 -239.l 2,461,160 2/49 Joyce 4 235. 2,544,792. 3/51y1ack 4 -239 2,826,444 3/58 .Kuriienke v292-.-177

LEWIS I. LI-ENNY,Primary-Examner.y

EDWARD "V. fBENHAM, {Examn'en closed position covering `said main 'seat- `opening tow

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION: (A) A MAIN TOILET SEAT HAVING A SEAT OPENING SUITABLE FOR ADULTS FORMED THEREIN, (B) A MAIN COVER PIVOTALLY RELATED TO SAID MAIN SEAT ON A HORIZONTAL TRANSVERSE AXIS ADJACENT THE REARWARD EDGE THEREOF FOR MOVEMENT FROM A HORIZONTAL CLOSED POSITION COVERING SAID MAIN SEAT OPENING TO AN OPEN POSITION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID MAIN SEAT, SAID MAIN COVER HAVING A SMALLER SEAT OPENING FORMED THEREIN OF A SIZE SUITABLE FOR USE BY CHILDREN, (C) A SUPPLEMENTAL COVER PIVOTALLY RELATED TO SAID MAIN COVER ON A HORIZONTAL TRANSVERSE AXIS ADJACENT THE REARWARD EDGE THEREOF FOR MOVEMENT FROM A CLOSED POSITION COVERING SAID CHILDREN''S SEAT OPENING TO AN OPEN POSITION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID MAIN COVER, AND (D) A LATCH PIN FREELY SLIDABLE IN A BORE OF SAID SUPPLEMENTAL COVER, SAID BORE BEING PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPLEMENTAL COVER, AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PIVOTAL AXIS THEREOF, AND OPENING THROUGH THE REARWARD EDGE THEREOF, WHEREBY TO BE EXTENDED FROM SAID BORE BY GRAVITY WHENEVER SAID SUPPLEMENTAL COVER APPROACHES A VERTICAL POSITION AS A RESULT EITHER OF OPENING SAID MAIN COVER OR OF OPENING SAID SUPPLEMENTAL COVER, SAID MAIN COVER HAVING A SOCKET FOR RECEIVING SAID LATCH PIN, SAID SOCKET BEING ALIGNED WITH SAID BORE WHEN SAID SUPPLEMENTAL COVER IS CLOSED, WHEREBY SAID LATCH PIN ENTERS SAID SOCKET, AND LOCKS SAID SUPPLEMENTAL COVER IN ITS CLOSED POSITION, WHENEVER SAID MAIN COVER IS OPENED WITH THE SUPPLEMENTAL COVER IN ITS CLOSED POSITION.