US3855640A

US3855640A - Bedpan rinser apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3855640A
Application number: US00408376A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Billeter; J Filliung; A Nelson
Original assignee: Sloan Valve Co
Current assignee: Sloan Valve Co
Priority date: 1973-10-23
Filing date: 1973-10-23
Publication date: 1974-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-24

Abstract

The bedpan rinser apparatus is connected in the flush pipe between the flush valve and the toilet bowl, and all three parts are arranged in vertical alignment with the center line of the toilet bowl. The bedpan rinser includes a ball type valve mounted on the front side of the flush pipe with a spray arm and spout attached thereto. The spray arm is movable vertically and horizontally from the direct front side of the flush pipe to control the ball valve and open and close a diverter flow passage extending through the ball valve to the spray arm from the main flow passage through the flush pipe.

Description

United States Patent Filliung et al.

[451 Dec. 24, 1974 BEDPAN RINSER APPARATUS Inventors: Jacques J. Filliung, Chicago; Axel B.

Nelson, Mount Prospect; Henry R. Billeter, Deerfield, all of I11.

Sloan Valve Company, Franklin Park, Ill.

Filed: Oct. 23, 1973 Appl. No.: 408,376

Assignee:

US. Cl 4/7, 137/615, 137/616.7, 251/352, 4/1

Int. Cl. A47k 3/22, A47k 11/08 Field of Search 4/6, 7, 145, 10, 191, 192, 4/1; 137/615-6167; 251/352 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,956,285 10/1960 Jewel 4/7 3,419,911 H1969 Wood 4/10 3,629,872 12/1971 Parkison 4/1 Primary Examinerl-lenry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kinzer, Plyer, Dorn & McEachran [57] ABSTRACT The bedpan rinser apparatus is connected in the flush pipe between the flush valve and the toilet bowl, and all three parts are arranged in vertical alignment with the center line of the toilet bowl. The bedpan rinser includes a ball type valve mounted on the front side of the flush pipe with a spray arm and spout attached thereto. The spray arm is movable vertically and horizontally from the direct front side of the flush pipe to control the ball valve and open and close a diverter flow passage extending through the ball valve to the spray arm from the main flow passage through the flush pipe.

14 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 1?. 855,640

was: 1 (if 2 BEDPAN RINSER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hospital bedpan rinser apparatus customarily comprise a diverter casing extending from the right hand side wall of the flush pipe so that an offset elbow was necessary in the flush pipe so that the spray arm could move vertically and horizontally directly above the center line of the toilet bowl without being interfered with by the toilet seat when raised. This offset presented an unsightly appearance to the apparatus and the diverter apparatus also introduced an unwanted restriction to the free flow of water through the flush pipe because the diverter valve mechanism was located in the direct flow passage between the flush valve and the toilet bowl.

The diverter apparatus was also somewhat bulky and costly to produce since it consisted of numerous parts which had to be precisely machined to properly fit without leakage, and rugged enough to stand up under hard usage in a hospital.

It is the principal object of the invention to design a new and improved bedpan rinsing apparatus which overcomes the above disadvantages, which comprises fewer parts, is economical to produce, is streamlined in appearance and reliable in operation.

The bedpan apparatus is primarily for use in hospitals for rinsing bedpans after they have been used by a patient, and the waste matter is emptied into the toilet bowl. The apparatus is adapted for connection to conventional plumbing fixtures such as toilet bowls and direct connected flush valves. It is arranged to divert a portion of the water flowing from the flush valve into the toilet bowl and into the apparatus for rinsing the bedpan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention the novel bedpan rinsing apparatus is more streamlined in appearance and less conspicuous. It can be installed on existing flush valve and toilet bowl combination utilizing the standard roughing-in measurements. Because the spray arm is arranged on the direct front side of the flush tube above the toilet bowl it is shorter in length and more readily accessible for a nurse to grasp and operate. Additionally the complete installation comprises fewer plumbing connections and is more rigid and therefore less liable to leakage. The fewer protruding parts makes the device easy to clean and therefore more sanitary.

The diverter valve member consists of a spherical member in the nature of a ball valve to which the spray arm is attached. The spray arm is movable both vertically and horizontally in a slot of the valve casing. In the vertical position it closes a diverter passage from the flush tube into the spray arm, and in the horizontal position opens the passage. The ball valve and its casing are supported on the front side of the flush tube and project only slightly into the flush tube insuring a full flow through the flush tube from the flush valve into the toilet bowl.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the bedpan diverter apparatus connected to a conventional flush type toilet bowl and flush valve;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the spray arm moved to its spray position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of the diverter valve apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a further modification;

FIG. 7 is a showing of the spray arm and spout; while FIGS. 8 and 9 are details of the ball valve cover and support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional flush type toilet 5 which is provided with a flush valve 6 such as a Sloan flush valve connected by the flush pipe 7 to the toilet bowl 5 for flushing the same whenever the handle 8 on the Hush valve 6 is actuated. The inlet water supply line is connected to the control stop 9 and an open front toilet seat 10 is hinged to the top of the toilet bowl 5. A vacuum breaker 11 is connected in the flush pipe 7 below the flush valve 6 to prevent back siphonage. The parts enumerated so far are of common and well known construction.

The bedpan rinsing apparatus is indicated generally at 12 and is interposed in the flush pipe 7 between the flush valve 6 and the toilet bowl 5. The apparatus includes a spray arm 13 having a spout 14 at its end and when used for bedpan rinsing the toilet seat 10 is lifted as shown in FIG. 2, and the spray arm 13 swung downward from its vertical position to the horizontal position above the bedpan 15 as indicated in FIG. 2. In this rinsing position whenever the flush valve handle 8 is operated to flush the toilet bowl, a portion of the flush water flowing through the flush pipe 7 is diverted by the apparatus 12 through the spray arm 13 and spout 14 into the bedpan 15. This bedpan rinsing action takes place desirably at the same time the toilet bowl is being flushed.

It is to be particularly noted, according to the present invention, that the flush valve 6, the flush pipe 7 and the spray arm 13, as well as the diverter apparatus 12, are all arranged and supported in direct vertical alignment with the center line of the toilet bowl 5, and that the spray arm 13 in its vertical position is parallel with the front side of the flush pipe 6 and in its horizontal position projects directly from the front side of the flush pipe over the center of the toilet bowl. This compact arrangement of the parts makes the installation streamlined in appearance and comprises fewer parts.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, these show the detailed construction of the diverter valve apparatus 12 as a unitary structure. A casing 20, preferably a casting, is coupled at its upper inlet end 21 to the flush tube 7 and at its lower outlet end 22 to the flush tube leading into the top spud connection 23 of the toilet bowl 5. At its bottom end casing 20 is provided with a slight restriction 24 in the path of the water flow through casing 20. This restriction 24 insures that a slight amount of back pressure will be generated to force a portion of the flow through the casing 20 into the diverter apparatus, without appreciably affecting the water flow into the toilet bowl 5. This action occurs whenever the spray arm is in its down position over the bedpan 15 as shown in FIG. 2. The casing 20 is also provided with an internal threaded boss for attachment of a supporting bracket 26 upon the rear wall surface to better secure the diverter apparatus 12 and prevent swiveling and loosening of the plumbing connections when subjected to rough usage.

Supported on the front side of casing 20 and arranged on the forward or front side of the flush pipe 7 is a spherical member constituting a ball valve 30 which is revolvable vertically and is in slidable snug engagement with a semi-circular or curved wall 31 formed in the front side of the casing 20. This curved dish-shaped wall 31 projects only slightly within the flow passage through the diverter casing 20 and therefore does not restrict the free flow of water therethrough to any appreciable extent. The curved wall 31 has upper located diverter passage 32 extending from the flow passage through the casing 20 to the surface of the ball valve 30. The spray arm 13 is supported in the ball valve 30 at its end 33, as by welding, and is in an off-center position so that when the spray arm 13 is in the vertical position as shown in FIG. 3, the spray arm is enabled to be positioned closer alongside the flush tube 7, and thereby provide a more streamlined appearance to the installation. The ball valve member 30 is clamped in position against the curved wall 31 by a cover plate 35 see FIG. 8, fastened by bolts 36 screwed into the front of casing 20. A sealing gasket 37 is interposed between casing 20 and cover plate 35. The cover plate 35 has an inner curved surface 38 against which the ball valve 30 is confined and slidable.

At its front end the surface 38 is slotted at 39 through which slot the spray arm 13 projects as best seen in FIG. 8. The slot 39 is widened as shown around the ball valve 30. The upper end of slot 39 serves as a stop 40 for the spray arm 13 when in its uppermost or vertical position, while the lower end 41 of the slot serves as a stop for the spray arm in its horizontal position. The ball valve member 30 has a passage 42 drilled at an angle therein extending from the end 33 of the spray arm 13 to the inner portion of surface 38. The end passage 42 is surrounded by a sealing O-ring 43 riding against the curved surface 38. A main sealing O-ring 45 is recessed in casing 20 around the outer sliding surface of ball valve 30 to prevent leakage outward between the ball valve and the casing. A pair of oppositely disposed pivot screws 46 and 47 are threaded into the side of ball valve 30 and pivot in the cover plate 35. These screws are for the purpose of confining the movement of the spray arm 13 to an up and down direction and prevent any axial rotation of the spray arm which would direct the spout 14 out of the area of the bedpan 15.

In the operation of the apparatus the nurse first raises the toilet seat 10, places the bedpan 15 in position in the toilet bowl 5, and then grasps the spout 14 and lowers the spray arm 13 to its horizontal 'position'above the bedpan as depicted in FIG. 2. She then trips the handle 8 of the flush valve 6 to cause the flushing water to flow through flush pipe 7 into the'toil'et bowl 5. Dueto the fact that the spray arm 13 has been lowered and rotated 90 until it is stopped by the slot edge 41, a portion of the water flow is divertedthrough' the ball valve 30 into the spray arm to rinse the bedpan. The path of the diverted flow extends through diverter passage 32, O-ring 43, and through passage 42 into the spray arm. The flow through the diverter passages is sufficient to provide a thorough cleansing of the bedpan, without however detracting from the full flow through the casing 20 into the toilet bowl. The slight restriction 24 on the outlet end of casing 20 insures thatsufficient back pressure is generated to cause the portion of the flow to be diverted into the spray arm. When the nurse has finished rinsing the bedpan the spray arm 13 is raised to its vertical position, which action rotates the ball valve 30 to the position shown in FIG. 3, resulting in the diverter passage 32 being blocked by the ball valve and with the O-ring 43 and passage 42 in the down position as shown.

It will be observed that with the spray arm 13 located directly on the front side of the flush tube, this makes it more convenient and accessible to the nurse and also somewhat shorter in length. The ball valve and its supporting member renders the unit desirably streamlined in appearance, and by slightly offsetting the spray arm in the ball valve, moves the spray arm closer to the flush tube in the vertical shutoff position. The frictional contact of the O-rings 43 and 45 between the ball valve 30 and the curved surface 31 is sufficient to preclude the spray arm 13 from drooping or becoming loose due to its weight.

A further advantage of the arrangement of the elements described is that this installation may be made to an existing flush valve and toilet bowl combination without change because the standard roughing-in dimensions of the water supply piping and the flush valve remain the same and the diverter apparatus may be readily inserted in the flush piping with no offsets. Fewer plumbing connections are made and the smooth, clean lines of the arrangement add to the sanitary aspect as well as the appearance of the entire installation.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5, the solid curved wall 31 of FIG. 3 has been replaced by a similar dish-shaped curved wall 50 which may be formed of rubber or other flexible material, including plastic material. The curved wall 50 has the diverter passage 51 formed in it, and around the curved wall 50 a raised perimeter portion 52 fits into a circular groove formed in casing 20 and serves to hold the curved wall 50 in place as well as providing a leakproof gasket to prevent outward leakage. The ball valve 53, which also may be made of suitable plastic material or hard rubber, fits snuggly against the curved wall 50 and is in slidable contact therewith. The ball valve 53 is clamped in place by the clamping bracket 35 as seen in FIG. 8. A diverter passage 54 through the ball valve 53 connects the spray arm 13 with the flexible wall 50. The spray arm 13 is suitably fixed in the ball valve 53 and is slightly offset from the center of the ball in order to place the spray arm 13 closer to the flush tube 7 in the' upper vertical valve-closed position of the spray arm as seen in FIG. 5. The frictional contact between the flexible curved surface 50 and the ball valve 53 is such that the weight of the spray arm will not result in any droop or falling down of the spray arm from its vertical position and also holds the spray arm in any intermediate position in which it may be placed. The advantages of the foregoing modification are that no special sealing elements such as O-rings and gaskets are needed, the circular flexible wall 50 serving all these purposes. In this modification the stop for the upper limit of the spray arm 13 is the upper end 40 of slot 39 and the lower limit is the bottom stop 41. It is also contemplated that the slot 39 conform to the thickness of the spray arm so that the spray arm can only move up and down within the confines of the slot 39 and not sideways. The widening of the seat as seen in FIG. 8 is not necessary in this configuration.

Referring now to the further modification shown in FIG. 6, in this arrangement the casing 20 has a threaded outlet 60 upon which the coupling 61 is threaded to clamp the semi-circular clamping cover 62 against the casing 20 opening 60. The cover plate 62 supports the ball valve 63 and holds it in place against the curved surface 64 formed in the casing 20. An 0- ring 65 seals the contacting surfaces and serves to frictionally hold the spray arm 13 in position. A suitable gasket 66 also prevents leakage outward. The slot 67 within which the spray arm moves up and down confines the movement of the spray arm to an up and down direction only and between the stops 68 and 69. The

diverter passages

70 and 71 are shown as being in alignment in FIG. 6 with the spray arm in the down or bedpan rinsing position so that water flow can take place through the spray arm when the flush valve 6 is operated. Shut off of the water flow is achieved when the spray arm is moved into the vertical position and the

diverter passages

70 and 71 are out of alignment.

A cause of concern in prior bedpan rinser apparatus is that after the spray arm was moved into its vertical position and the flush valve shut off, an unwanted dribble and residual expulsion of water occurred from the spout 14 of the spray arm. Since the spray arm is in its upper vertical position, the dribble would run down and fall upon the toilet seat and the back of the toilet bowl 5, creating an unsanitary condition and necessitating a clean up. In order to combat this undesirable, messy problem the novel spray spout 14 shown in FIG. 7 has been designed. The spout 14 comprises a casing 75 having an annular opening 76 within which a spray disc 77 is fixed. The disc 77 has a shank 78 threaded into the rear of casing 75. A piston 79 is slidable in the opening 76 and has a rubber cup 80 engaging the side walls 76. The inner walls of the piston 79 are provided with serrations 81 adapted to engage the spray disc 77 whenever the piston 79 is projected outward by water flow through the spout. A return spring 82 restores the piston 79 when the water ceases to flow. Due to the fact that the rear side of the piston 79 in its restored position closes off the flow passage 83 in the casing immediately after water flow ceases, no after dribble or residual water can take place out of the spout. Moreover, since the piston 79 is retracted, a wide space 84 now exists between the serrations 81 and the disc 77 inhibiting the formation of lime deposits or clogging debris.

We claim:

I. In an apparatus for rinsing bedpans comprising in combination, a toilet bowl, a flush valve for flushing said toilet bowl and a flush pipe connecting said flush valve with said toilet bowl, said flush valve and said flush pipe being arranged in vertical axial alignment and with the center line of said toilet bowl, a diverter valve mechanism interposed in said flush pipe and having an operating portion arranged on the front side of said flush pipe, said operating portion including a ball type valve having a spray arm projecting therefrom from the front side of said flush pipe and movable between a vertical position from the front side of said flush pipe to a horizontal position directly over the center portion of said toilet bowl, means in said ball valve for diverting a portion of the flushing water through said spray arm when the spray arm is moved into the horizontal position and said flush valve is operated, means in said ball valve for shutting off the flow of water through said spray arm when the spray arm is moved into the vertical position, and means for supporting said operating portion, said spray arm, and said ball valve entirely from the front side of said flush pipe.

2. In an apparatus for rinsing bedpans comprising in combination, a toilet bowl, a flush valve for flushing said toilet bowl and a flush pipe connecting said flush valve with said toilet bowl, said flush pipe being in direct vertical alignment between said flush valve and the center line of said toilet bowl, together with a diverter valve mechanism interposed in said flush pipe between said flush valve and said toilet bowl, said diverter valve mechanism being mounted on the front side of said flush pipe and including a ball valve and a spray arm attached thereto extending from the front side of said flush pipe, said spray arm movable from a vertical position on the front side of said flush pipe to a horizontal position directly over the center of said toilet bowl, and means in said ball valve for diverting a portion of the water flow from said flush pipe into said spray arm in the horizontal position of said spray arm, and for shutting off the water flow in said spray arm in the vertical position of said spray arm.

3. In an apparatus for rinsing bedpans comprising in combination, a flush valve for flushing a toilet bowl and a flush pipe connecting the flush valve and said toilet bowl, said flush pipe being in direct axial and vertical alignment between said flush valve and on a line through the center of the toilet bowl, a diverter valve mechanism supported upon the front side of said flush pipe including a rotatable valve member having a spray arm projecting from the front side thereof and from the front of said flush pipe, said spray arm effective to move said valve member to a position where a portion of the water flow through said flush tube is diverted through the spray arm into the toilet bowl, and to a position where the water flow is shut off, and sealing means between said valve member and said flush pipe.

4. In an apparatus for rinsing bedpans comprising in combination, a toilet bowl, a flush valve for flushing said toilet bowl and a flush pipe connecting said flush valve and said toilet bowl, said flush valve and said flush pipe being in vertical axial alignment and in line with the center line of said toilet bowl, a diverter valve mechanism interposed in said flush pipe and in alignment therewith, said diverter valve mechanism including a casing having a ball valve member rotatable therein located at the front side of said flush pipe, and a spray arm attached to the ball valve member on the front side thereof for opening and closing said ball valve member, said spray arm movable from a vertical to a horizontal position from the front side of said flush pipe, said casing having a slot therein through which said spray arm projects and is movable therein, said slot providing a stop at each end for limiting the opening and closing movement of said spray arm.

5. A bedpan rinsing apparatus for use with a flush valve and a toilet bowl and installed in a flush pipe extending between the flush valve and the toilet bowl, said flush valve and said flush pipe being arranged in vertical axial alignment and with the center line of said toilet bowl, said bedpan rinsing apparatus comprising a casing supported in said flush pipe and having a main flow passage in vertical alignment with said flush pipe, and a diverter flow passage extending through the front wall of said casing, a spherical ball valve supported on the outside and the front wall of said casing, said ball valve having a flow passage therein, a spray arm supported on said ball valve and having a flow passage therein connected to the flow passage in said ball valve, said spray arm effective to rotate said ball valve in said casing to a position to align the flow passage in said ball valve with the diverter flow passage in said casing, said spray arm also effective to rotate said ball valve to a position to shut off the flow passages between said ball valve and said casing.

6. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as specified in claim in which the spray arm is movable to a horizontal position to rotate the ball valve and align the casing diverter flow passage with the flow passage in the ball valve and cause a spray to be emitted from the spray arm.

7. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as specified in claim 5 in which the spray arm is movable to a vertical position to rotate the ball valve to shut off the passage between the diverter flow passage and the ball valve passage.

8. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as specified in claim 5 in which the spray arm is movable to a horizontal position to rotate the ball valve and align the casing diverter flow passage with the flow passage in the ball valve and cause a spray to be emitted from the spray arm, and in which the spray arm is movable to a vertical position to rotate the ball valve to shut off the flow passages between the diverter flow passage and the ball valve passage.

9. The bedpan rising apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which leakproof sealing means are provided between the ball valve and the casing in all rotated positions of the ball valve, said sealing means comprising a dishshaped member supported in said casing between said casing and said ball valve and within which said ball valve is rotatable, said sealing member having a diverter passage therein which is closed in the vertical position of said spray arm.

10. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as specified in claim 5 in which the casing provides an unobstructed flow of water through the flush pipe, and the casing diverter passage extends from the front side of the casing to the ball valve.

11. In a bedpan rinser apparatus supported upon a plumbing pipe including a casing interposed in said plumbing pipe having a main flow passage therein in axial alignment with said plumbing pipe, a ball valve supported on the front side wall of said casing and out of the path of the main flow passage, a spray arm attached to the front of said ball valve, said casing having a diverter flow passage therein extending between said main flow passage and said ball valve, said spray arm movable between a vertical and horizontal position at the front of said plumbing pipe to rotate said ball valve to open or close said diverter passage to said spray arm, and sealing means between said ball valve and said casing side wall, comprising a dish-shaped member in which said ball valve is slidable, said sealing member having a diverter flow passage therein in alignment with said casing diverter passage in the horizontal position of said spray arm.

12. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which said casing has a slot therein provided with stop means for limiting the vertical and horizontal positions of said spray arm, said spray arm movable in an up and down position in said casing slot.

13. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which the casing and ball valve are provided with horizontal disposed cooperative pivoting means to confine the rotation of said ball valve to a vertical movement only.

14. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which the casing is provided with means on its rear side and opposite the diverter valve member for rigidly supporting the apparatus from a wall surface.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for rinsing bedpans comprising in combination, a toilet bowl, a flush valve for flushing said toilet bowl and a flush pipe connecting said flush valve with said toilet bowl, said flush valve and said flush pipe being arranged in vertical axial alignment and with the center line of said toilet bowl, a diverter valve mechanism interposed in said flush pipe and having an operating portion arranged on the front side of said flush pipe, said operating portion including a ball type valve having a spray arm projecting therefrom from the front side of said flush pipe and movable between a vertical position from the front side of said flush pipe to a horizontal position directly over the center portion of said toilet bowl, means in said ball valve for diverting a portion of the flushing water through said spray arm when the spray arm is moved into the horizontal position and said flush valve is operated, means in said ball valve for shutting off the flow of water through said spray arm when the spray arm is moved into the vertical position, and means for supporting said operating portion, said spray arm, and said ball valve entirely from the front side of said flush pipe.

6. The bedpan rinsing apparatus as specified in claim 5 in which the spray arm is movable to a horizontal position to rotate the ball valve and align the casing diverter flow passage with the flow passage in the ball valve and cause a spray to be emitted from the spray arm.

9. The bedpan rising apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which leakproof sealing means are provided between the ball valve and the casing in all rotated positions of the ball valve, said sealing means comprising a dish-shaped member supported in said casing between said casing and said ball valve and within which said ball valve is rotatable, said sealing member having a diverter passage therein which is closed in the vertical position of said spray arm.