US3209371A

US3209371A - Preassembled unitary toilet room

Info

Publication number: US3209371A
Application number: US252073A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel N Small
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-01-17
Filing date: 1963-01-17
Publication date: 1965-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-05

Description

Oct. 5, 1965 s. N. SMALL 3,209,371

PREASSEMBLED UNITARY TOILET ROOM Filed Jan. 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l E: Q. Z

BY ff/ 2'5 MMM HTTORNEY Oct. 5, 1965 s. N. SMALL PREASSEMBLED UNITARY TOILET ROOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1963 INVENTOR. SAMUEL /V SMALL H TTOR/VE Y 3,209,371 PREASSEMBLED UNITARY 'IILET 120GB/I Samuei N. Small, 92? Vai Park Ave., Valley Stream, NX. Filed Jan. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 252,073 8 Claims. (Cl. 4 3) This invention relates to a unitary article of manufacture comprising an enclosure forming a room, having a door controlling entrance to the room and, particularly, a unitary structure of this type and kind employing a water closet and a lavatory to form what is commonly referred to in homes as a powder room. More particularly, the invention deals with a structure of the character described, wherein the lavatory is normally disposed over the water closet and is adapted to be swung into a raised position in giving access to the water closet.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a structure of the character defined employing a door structure facilitating positioning of the unit in corner portions of a room of a home without interference with opening and closing of the door and, still further, employing means for lighting and Ventilating the unitary room.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together` with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional plan view of a unit made according to my invention, the section being substantially on the line 1-1 of FIG. 2, illustrating the parts in the position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 and diagrammatically illustrating the plumbing.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view substantially on the broken line 2-2 of FIG. 1, illustrating in dotted lines the bowl of the lavatory in raised position with respect to the water closet and omitting background showing.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional View substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, illustrating the hinge and pivotal mounting of the door.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial section on the line 4 4 of FIG. 1, diagrammatically illustrating the plumbing with the lavatory in lowered position and omitting background showing.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale and again diagrammatically showing the piping or plumbing with the lavatory and cover of the water closet in raised position, with part of the construction broken away and in section; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail View of the hinged and pivoted side of the door showing the door in closed position.

Considering FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the unitary toilet room comprises top and bottom walls 10 and 11,

side walls

12 and 13, a back wall 14, preferably set inwardly to a slight extent and a front doorframe, comprising side rails and 16 and a top rail 17, the latter being shown in FIG. 2. At 18 is shown a door or closure, having hinge structure comprising two hinges 19 secured to the door and two hinges 20 secured to the wall 12, attaching plates of these hinges being joined by spacer plates 21. Pivoted to suitable brackets, as indicated at 22, are upper and lower links 23 which are pivoted in recessed portions 24 at upper and lower ends of the door 18, as seen at 25. The combination of the hinges and links will provide swinging movement of the door from the closed position, shown in FIG. 6, to the open position, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the hinge side of the door extending into the room, so that BSYI Patented Giet. 5, 1965 the door may be operated with the side wall 12 arranged adjacent the wall of a room. This construction provides unlimited uses or installations of the unitary construction.

Fixed to the outer surface of the side frame 15 is a longitudinal cleat 26 and a similar cleat 27 is lixed to the inner surface of the frame 16. These cleats check movement of the door 18 into closed position and also effect seals along side edges of the door.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the forward edge of the bottom wall 11 is preferably rounded, as seen at 28, so as to obviate any obstruction in passage into the enclosure of the room.

Suitably secured to the bottom wall 11 and the back wall 14 is the water closet assemblage or structure, generally identified by the reference character 29. This comprises a toilet bowl 30, at the upper rear portion of which is the conventional water service tank, as indicated at 31. The bowl 30 is preferably made of lightweight material and hollowed in the manner diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawing. The drain for the bowl 30 is shown at 32 in FIG. 4, which extends to an opening 33 in the bottom wall or floor 11 to facilitate coupling with plumbing in a home. On top of the bowl 3i) is a conventional hinge seat 34, over which is hinged a cover plate 35, to the sides of which are pivoted links 36, as seen at 37, the links 36 being also pivoted to the rear lower corners of a wash basin assemblage 38, as seen at 39.

The assemblage 38 comprises a siutable frame, generally of the contour seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the drawing, and this frame is defined, in part, by top and bottom walls 4l) and 41 and side walls 42, shown in section in FIG. 4 of the drawing. Mounted within the top wall is a stainless steel or other rounded or elliptical basin proper 43. The basin 43 has a drain 44, as well as an overow discharge 4S. At 46 is diagrammatically seen the faucet disposed at one side of the wash basin assemblage 3S and 46 includes a hot water control valve 47 and a cold water control valve 48, as diagrammatically seen in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

In communication with the

faucets

47, 48 are pipes 47', 48', which extend out through one of the side walls 42 and coupled therewith are

flexible hoses

49 and 50, respectively, which, in turn, are coupled with

supply pipes

51 and 52, which extend to the lower portion of the room and terminate adjacent an opening 53 in the lioor to again facilitate'hook-ups with water supply of the home in which the assemblage is used. Valves 54 and 5S are employed in the

pipes

51, 52, respectively. At 52 is shown a branch of the pipe S2 extending to the water service tank 31.

At 56 is shown a drainpipe suitably coupled with the drain 44 in extending through the wall 42 and with this drainpipe is coupled another flexible hose 57 which, in turn, couples with a trap 58, from which extends a discharge 59 which is also directed to a position closely adjacent the aperture 53 for coupling with the sewage disposal of a home.

Coupled with the wall 12 is suitable strap means dil, which is diagrammatically outlined, for support of the lower end portions of the

pipes

51, 52 and 59, as indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

In order to facilitate swinging movement of the wash basin assemblage from its lowered position, as shown in full lines in FIGS. 2 and 4, to the raised position, indicated, in part, in dotted lines in FIG. 2 and shown in full lines in FIG. 5, links 61 have one end pivoted on the pivots 39 at each side of 33, the links at the right of FIG. 4 being omitted for sake of clarity in illustration of the piping and tubing employed, but the link 61 at the right side of FIG. 4 is `clearly illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawing. The links 61 have their other ends mounted on pivots 62 mounted in connection with the

side walls

12 and 13, one of these pivots being clearly shown in FIG. 4, and another similar pivot 63 is shown in said figure for links 64, which are pivoted to the upper rear corners of the assemblage 33, as seen at 65 in FIGS. 2 and 5 of the drawing. In the swinging movement of the assemblage 38 from the lowered position of FIG. 2 to the raised position of FIG. 5, it will appear that, as the assemblage is raised, the cover 35 is also raised to fully expose the seat 34. In this connection, it Will be noted that the forward edge portion of the cover 35 is contracted, as seen at 35 in FIG. l of the drawing, to generally conform with the contour of the seat 34 while, at the same time, providing free leg room at opposed sides of the water closet 29.

Considering FIGS. 2 and 5 of the drawing, it will appear that the links 61 include extensions 61', with which are coupled coil counterbalance springs 66, ends of which are fixed to the rear wall 14, as diagrammatically seen at 67 in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the spring 66 being shown only in part in FIG. 5.

In FIG. of the drawing, part of the construction is broken away to clearly indicate the overow passage 45' extending from the overfiow 45, this passage being indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 a suitable control plug 68 is shown to seal the discharge of the wash basin 43, which plug is omitted from FIG. 5 of the drawing.

The water closet 30 disclosed is of a more or less standard construction with a discharge 32 meeting requirements and no detailed illustrations of the water closet is given from the standpoint that these are wellknown in the art and this is, of course, true for the supply tank 31 and the controls thereof for discharge of water into the bowl of the closet.

Considering FIGS. l and 2 of the drawing, I have diagrammatically outlined at 69 a conventional medicine cabinet, usually having a mirrored door, which is supported upon the back wall 14. Suitably supported at the upper portion of the cabinet 69, is a fiuorescent or other lighting fixture, diagrammatically seen at 7i), arranged beneath a hood 71. Supported on the top and back walls of the room is an exhaust casing 72, in which is arranged a motor driven fan 73, the inner end of the casing being open, as seen at 74, and transversing the exhaust end of the casing is a suitable filter 75, the back wall 14 having an opening '76 registering with the exhaust of the casing 72. Separate controls can be provided for the fan and light. However, in some instances, these controls can be automatically actuated through opening and closing of the door, in manners well-known in the art. Also supported on the inner surface of the back wall 14, between 31 and 69, is a bracket 77 for supporting one or more tooth brushes, as diagrammatically seen at 78 and a tumbler 79.

The unitary toilet room is completely assembled and shipped as assembled with the door 1S in its closed position, suitable means being provided to retain the wash basin assemblage in the lowered position, as shown in FIG. l, and a unitary structure of this type and kind can be located in any desired position in any room or area of a home suitable for its location in providing for that home an extremely low cost powder room as and where a room of this type and kind is desirable. Quite often, rooms of this type and kind are utilized on lower floors of a two story home, but can be also used in conjunction with bedrooms in providing additional toilet facilities, particularly with large families where such added facilities would be an extremely practical asset. Fabrication of the units on a large scale will result in materially reducing the cost of production and bring units of this type and kind into the home at a nominal cost and effecting a material saving over building-in a strufcture of this type and kind in a home.

In use of the unit, free access to the room is provided by the particular hinge mounting of the door which is employed and, when the door is closed, ample room is provided between the door and the various members of the toilet assemblage. From a standpoint of description, the various piping can be generally referred to as plumbing, part of which includes the flexible tube or housing to compensate for movement of the wash basin assemblage into its different positions.

The overow discharge 4S will prevent overflow from the basin 43 and insure discharge from the basin in the event that the assemblage 38 is swung into the raised position with water contained in the basin. The door structure, in addition to permitting free action regardless of the position of the room, also facilitates ample clearance in front of the room by reason of the fact that only about one-half of the door extends beyond the room, as shown in FIG. l.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A unitary room of the character defined comprising an enclosure defined by top, bottom, back and side walls, a door for said enclosure, a water closet assemblage and a wash basin assemblage both arranged, in their entirety, at all times within the walls of the enclosure adjacent said back wall, said water closet assemblage including a bowl fixedly mounted on said bottom and back walls, a seat and cover having a common hinge coupling with the upper portion of said bowl, two pairs of links pivotally supported on said side walls, one link in each pair being pivoted to the upper sides of said wash basin assemblage, the other link in each pair being pivoted to the lower sides of said wash basin assemblage, said pairs of links providing movement of the Wash basin assemblage from a position within the enclosure adjacent and above said seat and cover to a raised position clearing the major portion of the top of said seat, a pair of links pivoted to sides of the cover and to pivots of said other links at the lower sides of the wash basin assemblage for movement of the cover into raised and lowered positions with said wash basin assemblage, said water closet assemblage and wash basin assemblage including plumbing arranged and supported within the room enclosure adjacent the back wall and a side wall, ends of said plumbing being accessible through said bottom wall, and part of said plumbing including flexible tubes compensating for movement of the wash basin assemblage into raised and lowered positions.

2. A unitary enclosure as defined in claim 1, wherein springs have one end coupled with a wall of the enclosure, and the other end thereof coupled with extensions of one link in each of said first named pairs of links in counterbalancing said wash basin assemblage.

3. A unitary enclosure as defined in claim 1, wherein said wash basin assemblage includes a frame, a basin proper supported in the frame, a hot and cold water faucet supply mounted on the frame with the faucet disposed over said basin, said basin including a drain, and the drain and hot and cold water supply means including the flexible tubes compensating for movement of the wash basin assemblage into raised and lowered positions.

4. A unitary enclosure as defined in claim 1, wherein an exhaust casing is supported in conjunction with the inner surfaces of top and back walls, said casing having open ends, the back wall having an opening registering with one end of said casing, and an electrically operated fan in said casing for exhausting air from said room through said last named opening.

5. A unitary enclosure as defined in claim 4, wherein said exhaust casing includes removable filter means.

6. A unitary enclosure as defined in claim 1, wherein said door includes dual hinge and link supports within said enclosure and mounted upon a side wall and the door for maintaining movement of the door within boundaries defined by spacing of the side walls of said enclosure, whereby either side of the enclosure can be positioned adjacent a wall of a room in which the enclosure is arranged.

7. A unitary enclosure as defined in claim 6, wherein the enclosure includes a doorframe defined by top and side rails, and said side rails including cleats checking movement of the door into closed position.

8. In a unitary toilet room of the character defined, a complete enclosure including a movable door defining said room, a water closet assemblage fXedly supported in the lower rear portion of said room, said assemblage including a bowl and plumbing in said room, ends of said plumbing being accessible through at least one wall of the room, a wash basin assemblage above said rst named assemblage, means for movably supporting the wash basin assemblage from a lowered position spaced above the bowl of the rst named assemblage to a raised position within said room above and oifset with respect to the rst named assemblage to clear the major portion of the top of said bowl, the bowl including a seat and cover hingedly pivoted to the rear of the bowl, and means coupling the cover directly with the Wash basin assemblage for movement of the cover into raised position in movement of the Wash basin assemblage into raised position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,412,109 4/22 Evans 16-163 2,036,984 4/ 36 Salvoni 4 6 2,101,523 12/37 Willis 4 3 2,498,255 2/50 Dean et al. 4-169 2,552,546 5/51 Fergusson 4-3 3,011,177 12/61 Haughey 4-170 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,195,242 5/59 France.

LEWIS I. LENNY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK H. BRONAUGH, Examiner.

Claims

1. A UNITARY ROOM OF THE CHARACTRE DEFINED COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE DEFINED BY TOP, BOTTOM, BACK AND SIDE WALLS, A DOOR FOR SAID ENCLOSURE, A WATER CLOSET ASSEMBLAGE AND A WASH BASIN ASSEMBLAGE BOTH ARRANGED, IN THEIR ENTIRETY, AT ALL TIMES WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE ENCLOSURE ADJACENT SAID BACK WALL, SAID WATER CLOSET ASSEMBLAGE INCLUDING A BOWL FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID BOTTOM AND BACK WALLS, A SEAT AND COVER HAVING A COMMON HINGED COUPLING WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BOWL, TWO PAIRS OF LINKS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID SIDE WALLS, ONE LINK IN EACH PAIR BEING PIVOTED TO THE UPPER SIDES OF SAID WASH BASIN ASSEMBLAGE THE OTHER LINK IN EACH PAIR BEING PIVOTED TO THE LOWER SIDES OF SAID WASH BASIN ASSEMBLAGE, SAID PAIRS OF LINKS PROVIDING MOVEMENT OF THE WASH BASIN ASSEMBLAGE FORM A POSITION WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE ADJACENT AND ABOVE SAID