US3323144A

US3323144A - Arm rest device for toilets

Info

Publication number: US3323144A
Application number: US333835A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Frank B Ferris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-12-27
Filing date: 1963-12-27
Publication date: 1967-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1984-06-06

Description

June 6, 1967 B. FERRIS, JR 3,323,144

ARM REST DEVICE FOR TOILETS Filed Dec.

INVENTOR. fir/M? A iii/ IS I BY 52-722 Irv-aims:

United States Patent Cfiiice 3,323,144 Patented June 6, 1967 3,323,144 ARM REST DEVICE FOR TOILETS Frank B. Ferris, Jr., 1128 N. 8th St, Colton, Calif. 92324 Filed Dec. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 333,835 4 Claims. (c1. 4 254 This invention relates to an arm rest device for toilets and more particularly to such a device which may be readily attached to a toilet and which is adjustable in such a manner that it will not only provide comfort for a person using a toilet, but will also serve as a safety measure for small children using a toilet and as an aid in helping a person to sit upon and arise from the toilet.

In hospitals and about the home, people who have been ill or who need help in sitting down and then rising again on account of age or physical condition have difiiculty using a conventional toilet because there is usually nothing on or near the toilet which can be grasped by such a person for support and assistance in sitting down and getting up.

. n addition, infants being trained to use a toilet for the first time usually have the feeling of insecurity because there is nothing on or near the toilet which they can cling to for support.

Also, small children, even though accustomed to using a toilet, While climbing up onto or down from a toilet are in danger of slipping and falling.

Some bathrooms are provided with reading material near the toilet for the convenience of people who like to read while using the toilet. It is rather dilficult, however, to find a restful position for a persons arms while holding a book at such times.

Because of the fragile nature of the toilet bowl and the shape thereof, many problems are encountered in attaching a useful appliance to a toilet bowl. For this reason, devices are not presently available which may be readily attached to a toilet bowl for the comfort and convenience of people using the toilet.

In recent years, attempts have been made to enhance the appearance of toilets by coloring the vitrous enamel from which the toilet is formed. Also, the lid of the toilet seat is sometimes fitted with a decorative cover to enhance the appearance of the toilet. Other than this, though, devices having both a functional utility and the function of enhancing the appearance of a toilet are not used because of the difficulty of attaching such devices to a toilet.

In view of the foregoing problems encountered in connection with using toilets and the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of toilet bowls, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful arm rest device for toilets which overcomes the problems, and which is not subject to the disadvantages, enumerated above.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable arm rest for a toilet which may be readily attached to the rim of a toilet bowl in a convenient position for assisting people in sitting upon and arising from a toilet.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of arm rests for a toilet which will enhance the appearance of the toilet.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of adjustable arm rests for a toilet which may be readily clamped to the rim of a .toilet by suitable clamping means having resilient pads which will not damage the toilet bowl to which the arm rests are attached.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pair of attractive arm rests for a toilet which enhance its appearance and which may be adjusted laterally and vertically to provide both comfort and assistance to people of various sizes using the same toilet.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful device for assisting people .to sit upon and arise from a toilet.

In accordance with the present invention, a conventional toilet having a vitrous, enamel rim may be fitted with a single, adjustable arm rest device which clamps to the rim for assisting people in sitting upon and arising from the toilet. A second arm rest device may also be employed as an additional measure of assistance.

When two arm rest devices are employed, they may be adjusted to the same height for the comfort of a persons arms While using the toilet or they may each be adjusted to a different height so that a lower arm rest may be employed to assist a person in arising from the toilet and a higher arm rest may be employed to steady the person during movement about the toilet area.

Each toilet arm rest device includes a pair of clamps having resilent pads which grip the rim and bowl of the toilet when the arm rest is in position thereon. In addition, a telescopic connection is made between each clamp and a tubular upright member so that each arm rest device can be adjusted laterally to vary the width between the rim on the toilet and the arm rest portion of the device. In addition, the upright member telescopically engages the telescopic connection on the clamp so that the arm rest device can be adjusted vertically. A suitable arm rest member may be employed on top of the tubular member. The arm rest member may be made of any suitable material, such as wood, which enhances. the appearance of the device. The arm rest member may be attached to the tubular member by a T-shaped member having a threaded shaft and a flat cross bar which includes a pair of apertures. Screws may pass through the apertures and secure the cross bar to the wooden member and the threaded portion may pass through a suitable aperture in the tubular member and be secured thereto by nut and lock washer means.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as .to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of arm rest devices of the thereto;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of one of the arm rest devices of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial, cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FllGURE 1 with the lid of the toilet being shown in a raised position;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, partial, cross-sectional View taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

of a toilet with a pair present invention secured FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of one of the clamps of the arms rest of FIGURE 1.

Referring again to the drawings an arm rest device consisting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated 10, is shown in position on each side of a toilet 12.

The toilet 12 may be of any conventional type having a base portion 14, a bowl 16, and a rim 1%. A seat member 20, having a lid 22 may be attached to the apron 24 of toilet 12 by hinges 26 so that the lid 22 may be moved from the closed position shown in FIGURE 1 to the open position shown in FIGURE 3. The toilet 12 also includes a conventional water storage tank 28.

Each arm rest device may be secured to the rim 18 of toilet 12 by a pair of C-clamps 30. Each clamp 30 includes an L-shaped member 32 having a relatively flat portion 34 and a curved, bight portion 36. A boss 38 is provided on the end of the fiat portion 32 at its end remote from the curved portion 36.

A resilient pad 49 (FIGURE 5) may be affixed to the under side 42 of each L-shaped member 32 to protect the toilet 12 from damage when the arm rest device 10 is attached thereto. The arm rest device 111 is attached to the toilet 12 by engaging the upper surface 44- of rim 13 with the clamp 36 in such a manner that the fiat portion 34 extends horizontally across the upper surface 44 of the rim 18 and so that the curved, bight portion 36 curves around the inner surface 46 of rim 18 into engagement with the inner surface 48 of bowl 16. The resilient pad 40 cushions the L-shaped member 32 so that it will not damage the toilet 12. The L-shaped member 32 is firmly clamped against the rim 18 and the bowl 16 by a threaded bolt or cap screw 50 having a wrench engaging head 52 and external threads 54. Each cap screw 50 threadedly engages an internally threaded aperture 56 provided in a bolt supporting member 58 on each clamp 30. Each bolt supporting member 58 is attached to the under side 42 of its associated L-shaped member 32 adjacent the boss 38 by a suitable weldment 60. After each clamp 30 is placed upon the toilet rim 18, the associated bolts 50 of the clamps 30 may be tightened into engagement with a resilient pad 62 which bears against the outer surface 64 of bowl 16. Sufficient space may be maintained between each bight portion 36 and an associated bolt supporting portion 58 so that the bolt supporting portions 58 will not contact the rim 18 when the bolt 50 is tightened sufficiently to bring the bight portion 36 into firm engagement with the inner surface 46 of rim 18 and the inner surface 48 of bowl 16.

Each boss 38 supports a cylindrical rod 66 having a smaller diameter than its associated boss. An L-shaped fitting 68 having the same outside diameter as its associated boss 38 is provided with an internal bore 7 0 which is slidably engageable with an associated rod 66 forming a slip joint therewith. A set screw 72 may be employed to maintain each fitting 68 in a predetermined position upon its associated rod 66 by being threaded into engagement therewith. The rods 66 are of a suitable length so that each arm rest device 10 may be adjusted laterally to increase, or decrease as the case may be, the space between the arm rest devices 10 when they are in position on the toilet 12. Each fitting 68 includes an upstanding rod 74 which engages a bore 76 provided in the ends 73 of an inverted, U-shaped member 80. Each member 80 includes spaced-apart legs 82 and a bight portion 84 having the same diameter as the associated fittings 68 and the bosses 38. The height or elevation of the bight portion 84 may be adjusted by sliding the legs 82 with respect to the upright rods 74. A set screw 36 is provided in each end 78 and may be threaded into engagement with an associated rod 74 to maintain the bight portions 84 at a predetermined elevation. The uniform diameters of the bosses 38, the fittings 68 and the member 80 enhances the appearance of each arm rest device 10 when the clamps 30,

the fittings 68 and the member are telescoped together as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5.

Each bight portion 84 is fitted with a suitable arm rest which may be made of wood or other suitable decorative material. Each arm rest 96 is attached to its associated bight portion 34 by a pair of T-shaped fittings 92 having fiat cross bars 94 and externally threaded stems 96. A plurality of apertures 98 are provided in each cross bar 94 and are engageable by wood screws 1% which may be employed to firmly attach the fittings 92 to the arm rest 96. The stem portions 96 engages apertures 102 provided in bight portion 84, and are, in turn, engageable by lock washer 104 and a nut 166 which may be tightened to firmly clamp each arm rest 90 to its associated member 80. Each arm rest 91 may be provided with suitable recesses, such as the one shown at 108 in FIGURE 4, for reception of an associated cross bar 94. The cross bars 94 may be recessed in this manner so that the arm rests 90 will contact their bight portions 84 thereby enhanving the appearance of the devices 10.

As will be seen in FIGURE 5, the conventional pad 110 on seat 20 maintains it in suitable spaced relation above the upper face 44 of rim 18 so that the clamp 30 fits conveniently between the seat 20 and the rim 18.

In use, a single arm rest device 10 may be attached to a toilet 12 to assist a person in sitting upon and arising from the toilet. The height of the arm rest 90 may be increased from that shOWn in FIGURE 1 by loosening the set screws 86 and sliding the member 80 upwardly on rods 74, whereupon the screws 86 may be tightened.

If desired, a pair of arm rest devices 10 may be attached to toilet 12, as shown in FIGURE 1. Both arm rest devices 10 may be adjusted to the same height for the convenience and comfort of a person using the toilet 12. On the other hand, one arm rest device 10 may be adjusted to its lowermost position and the other arm rest 10 may be adjusted to its uppermost position so that an aged or infirm person can grasp the arm rests 90 selectively and progressively during the process of sitting upon and arising from the toilet 12.

While the particular arm rest device herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An arm rest device for a toilet including a rim having an upper surface and an inner surface and a bowl having an inner surface and an outer surface, said arm rest device comprising:

(a) a pair of clamps, each of said clamps including an L-shaped portion having a relatively fiat member for extending horizontally across said upper surface of said rim and a curved bight portion for engaging said inner surface of said rim and said inner surface of said bowl, said clamp also including a support member supporting a bolt in threaded engagement therewith, said bolt being adapted to be threaded into engagement with said outer surface of said bowl to firmly clamp said inner surface of said rim and said inner surface of said bowl between said bolt and said bight portion;

(b) a first rod member extending from the end of each of said flat portions remote from said bight portion;

(c) an L-shaped fitting having a first end slidably engaging said first rod member and having a second end forming a second rod member normal to said first end;

(d) a U-shaped member having upright legs provided with bores at one end and a horizontal bight portion joining the other ends of said legs, each of said bores slidably engaging one of said second rod members; and

(e) an arm rest affixed to said bight portion of said U-shaped member.

2. An article of manufacture forming an arm rest for a toilet bowl having an upper rim and a hinged seat member comprising in combination, arm rest means comprising upright means having a part positioned to be clamped to the rim of the toilet bowl with the upright means spaced laterally from the rim, said part having clamping means including a relatively flat part shaped to extend inwardly between the bowl rim and the seat member and to the inside of the rim, whereby the seat member can be raised and lowered with the arm rest in position, and said arm rest means comprising a pair of uprights, each having one of said parts and one of said clamping means attachable to the rim of the toilet bowl.

3. A structure as in claim 2 wherein said uprights are connected and means for adjusting the uprights laterally and vertically with respect to the said rim.

4. A structure as in claim 3 comprising a pair of said arm rests each adapted for clamping to one side of the toilet bowl.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. J. GROSS, Assistant Examiner.