US3465968A

US3465968A - Shower attachment

Info

Publication number: US3465968A
Application number: US691029A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis Halpern
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-12-15
Filing date: 1967-12-15
Publication date: 1969-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 1986-09-09

Description

Sept. 9, 19 69 L. HALPERN 3,465,968

SHOWER ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 15. 1967 3| FIG. 3 4

v /NVEN729R: LOUIS HALPERN by (Pd; 1. 72%,

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,465,968 SHOWER ATTACHMENT Louis Halpern, 2275 Shore Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11214 Filed Dec. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 691,029 Int. Cl. Bb 1/26 U.S. Cl. 239-504 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pivoted support structure secures a screen in front of a conventional shower head to improve the spray issuing therefrom. The support structure and the screen fold fiat for packaging.

Background of the invention When water jets are broken up into droplets of different sizes as when impinging at high velocity on an object, some ionization takes place with resulting negative ionization of the air in the vicinity. This phenomenon, that of ionization of water on impact with solids, is explained in the work Static Electrification by Prof. Leonard B. Loeb of the University of California at Berkeley which was published by Springer-Verlag in Berlin, Germany in 1958. This effect is discussed in the chapter dealing with waterfall spray electrification and the ionization of air in the vicinity of a waterfall.

The negative ionization of air by the impact of spray onto a surface is also discussed in the paper Atmospheric Electricity in a Typical American Bathroom by E. T. Pierce and A. L. Whitson of the Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, Calif, published in the periodical Weather, volume XXI, No. 12, December 1966. It is indicated in this paper and in many other sources that negative ionization produces a feeling of well-being and may be healthful. This invention is for a device to produce such ionization from a shower spray.

Summary of the invention The shower attachment of this invention has a clamp portion which is fixed about the pipe fitting by which a conventional shower head is secured, arms pivotally secured to the clamp portion to extend on each side of a shower head, and a screen of from 20 to 80 mesh pivotally secured to the lower ends of the arms in front of the shower head so that spray from the shower head may impinge upon and pass through the screen to cause ionization. In addition, the screen and the arms can be pivoted out of the shower head spray when desired, and the screen and the clamp portion may be pivoted parallel to the arms for packaging in a fiat configuration.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a front view of a shower head with the device of this invention attached thereto and positioned for use;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of a shower head with the device of this invention partially pivoted to be clear of the shower head spray; and

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the device of this invention with the clamp portion and screen pivoted parallel to the arms in a flat configuration.

Description of the preferred embodiment FIGURES 1 and 2 show a conventional shower head having a spray control nob 11. Shower head 10 is standard in every way and is connected in the usual manner to a one-half inch pipe 12 by a coined female fitting 13. Shower head 10 may have a ball and socket connection 14 so that it may be directed as desired.

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The shower attachment of this invention consists of a clamp 15 having two parts 16 and 17 which are fixed about fitting 13 and secured by means of wing bolts 18. A pair of

arms

19 and 20 are pivotally secured by the bolts 21 which are screwed into the parts 16 and 17 of clamp 15. Compression springs 22 or the like rotatively

position arms

19 and 20 by friction on bolts 21.

As may be seen in FIGURES 1, 2, and 3, the

arms

19 and 20 have inwardly bent

lower ends

25 and 26. A circular frame 27 has two screws 28 extending diametrically outward from it to pass through the lower ends of

arms

19 and 20. Compression springs 29 urge the

arms

19 and 20 inwardly so that the inwardly bent ends 25 and 26 extend under frame 27 when it is at right angles to

arms

19 and 20 to lock it in this position. A screen 31, between 20 and mesh, preferably between 30 and 40 mesh, extends across one side of frame 27 and bows out ward in a convex shape.

For packaging or storing, the shower attachment of this invention may be removed and have its clamp 15 pivoted into the plane of the

arms

19 and 20. As shown in FIGURE 3, the

arms

19 and 20 may be spread outwards against the springs 29 to disengage the

ends

25 and 26 from the frame 27 so that it may also be pivoted into the plane of the

arms

19 and 20. This allows the device of this invention to be sold in a flat box of smaller volume.

When using the device of this invention, the wing bolts 18 are disengaged so that parts 16 and 17 of the clamp 15 may be placed about a female fitting 13 which is a standard, substantially universal size. Bolts 18 are tightened to complete the attachment and frame 27 and screen 31 are positioned to receive spray from shower head 10.

The effect of this invention must be experienced to be fully appreciated. When high velocity jets or sprays of water impinge on screen 31, a mist of spray of fine droplets covers a bather softly despite the velocity of the original jets. The use of this invention appears to require less water for a given washing. Air is entrained with the fine spray so that hotter original water temperatures may be used without burning a bather. In addition, as may be inferred from the hereinbefore cited reference works, some ionization takes place to promote a feeling of well-being.

If the screen 31 and frame 27 are positioned as shown in FIGURE 1, the cone of spray from shower head 10 will issue at a wider angle from screen 31 as a fine mist. If frame 27 and screen 31 are inverted, the angle of the mist spray issuing from screen 31 will be further increased.

When it is desired to use the conventional shower head spray, the

arms

19 and 20 may pivot to swing screen 31 aside as shown in FIGURE 2. The springs 22 secure the

arms

19 and 20 by friction in whatever position they are placed.

While this invention has been shown and described in the best form known, it will nevertheless be understood that this is purely exemplary and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A shower attachment for use with a conventional shower head having a connecting female fitting, said attachment comprising, in combination, a clamp having two parts, means securing said two parts of said clamp about the female fitting of a shower head, two arms having upper and lower'ends, the upper ends of said arms being pivotally fixed to the parts of said clamp to extend below a shower head on each side of a shower head, a frame pivotally fixed between the lower ends of said arms, and a screen between 20 and 80 mesh fixed in said frame.

2. The combination according to claim 1 with the ad- 5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said dition of spring means rotatively positioning said arms screen is between 30 and 40 mesh. by friction relative to said clamp.

3. The combination according to claim 2 with the ad- Referenc s Cited dition of means locking said frame normal to the plane 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS of said arms.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the lower ends of said arms have lnward bends, and sand 1,751,345 3/1930 Matsui 239 504X frame has fastening means extending diametrically therefrom passing through the lower ends of said arms above said inward bends, and with the addition of compression l0 EVERETT KIRBY Pnmary Exammer springs about said fastening means outside said arms U S Cl X R urging said arms inward so that said inward bends extend under said frame locking said frame in a position normal 239508, 512

to the plane of said arms. 15