US756599A - Closet-seat. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED APR. 5, 1904.

LA FAYETTE G. DOBBS.

CLOSET SEAT.

APPLIUATION FILED 001'. a, 1903.

N0 MODEL;

UNITED STATES Patented April 5, 1904.

PATENT O FICE).

" CLOSET-SEAT;

srncrmcarron forming part or Letters Patent m5. 756,599, dated April 5, 1904.

Application filed October 6, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LA FAYETTE G. DOBBS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Watertown, in the county of Codington and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Closet-Seat, of which the following is a specification.

- This invention relates to the seats of water or dry closets, commodes, earth-closets, and the like, and has for its object to improve and simplify devices of this character and pro duce an apparatus whereby'the openings to the receptacle or vaults may be closed when not in use; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction'as hereinafter shown and described, and specified in the claims.

In the drawing illustrative of the invention, in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a per? spective view of the device as it appears when not in use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation with the parts positioned as when not in use; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 '3 of Fig. 1, showing the parts positioned as when in use. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail representing a modification in the con-. struction. I

The upper portion of the dry closet, commode,earth-closet,or other receptacle to which the device is to be attached is represented at and may be of any suitable sizeor material and will be, open at the upper side and preferably with an inwardly-extending rim 11 forming the margin of the opening. Hinged at 12 to one side of this opening is a closet-seat 13 of the ordinary construction and adapted when closed down to entirely cover the rim 11. Hinged at 14 15 to the side members of the rim 1 1 are doormembers 16 17, adapted when closed to meet centrally of the opening and com pletely close it, as in Fig, 1, and when open to. hang downwardly and leave the opening entirely clear, as in Fig. 3. Connected by one end to the seat member 13 are two connecting members 18 19, preferably slightly resilient and connected by their other ends, respectively, to the door members 16 17, as shown. The relative lengths of'the members 18 19 and their position upon the members 13 Serial No. 175,939, (No model.)

rearwardlywhen the seat member is open and the door members are closed, as-represented in Fig. 2, so that the seatmember will exert a strong leverage force upon the doorsto hold them tightlyclosed, while at the same time easily releasable by a forward movement. upon the free end of the seat member. The member 13 will preferably be provided with a cleat 20,. to which members 18 19 are attached, and

g the latter may be formed in anysuitable manner to cause them to yield tothe pressure or strains to which they will be subjected. The seat member 13 is formedin the usual manner with the usual aperture and will prefer ably be upholstered, as'with a detachable covering of fabric, such as flannel, asat 21, to increase, the comfort of the user. By this simple means offensive odors are effectually prevented from escaping from the receptacles and cleanliness and wholesomeness of the'surroundings assured.

Attached, as at 22, to the upper surface of the seat member 13 are cords or thongs 23, leading thence over elevated carriers 24 and thence downward to the opposite ends 25 26 of a wire bail 27, the latter carrying a weight 28, as' shown. By this means it will be obvious that the seat member '13 will be yieldably supported in its open position," asin Figs. 1 and 2, soth'at when not in .usethe seat member will be. opened and'lthe closures 16 17 closed automatically topreclude the possi bility of the closure-doors being accidentally left open while the closet is not in use. The weight 28 will not be large enough to incon venience the user of the seat, as it need be only heavy enough to over-balance the weight a of the seat, as ,will be obvious. The eleva-' tion of the carriers24 above the hinges 12 and the connection of thefthongs 23 in ad vance of the hinges, as at 22, insures the requisite pull of the weight upon the seat. The thongs 23 may be leather or rawhide straps'or they may be chain's, cords, flexible wire, orsimilar material, and one or more may be employed upon each seat; but generally two will be employed, as shown, one at each side with one single weight 28, with the weight and hail preferably operating within the casing 10 at the rear of the closure-doors 16 17, asshown, so that the weight and hail will be entirely out of sight.

Under some circumstancesa simple balanceweight may be employed, as in Fig. 4, the weight operating in the rear of the closure 10 or in a pocket formed therein; but I do not desire to be limited to any particular form of the weight mechanism and reserve the right to such modifications and alterations in this and other features of the construction as may fall within the scope of the invention and the claims made therefor.

The parts are very simple in construction, easily applied to any of the various makes of receptacles, and will be found .very useful and convenient for the purposes described.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a supporting -cas ing, an apertured seat member ,my own I have hereto afixed my signature in hinged to swing from one side of said casing,

doors forming a closure to said casing and hinged to swing below said seat member, connecting means between said seat and doors adapted on the elevation of said seat to close said doors and on the depression of said seat the presence into operative position to open said doors, and a counterweight connected to yieldably maintain said seat member in open position,

- substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a

supporting-casing, an apertured seat member hinged to swing from one side of said casing, doors forming a closure to said casing and hinged to swing below said seat member, conheating means between said seat and doors whereby the elevation of said seat will close said doors and the depression of said seat into operative position will open said doors, flexible straps connected at spaced points to said seat member in advance of its hinges, carrier members disposed in the rear of said-hinges and elevated above them and providing guide means for said straps, abail connected by its ends to the free ends of said straps, and a weight carried by said bail, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as of two wit esses.

LA FAYETTE G. DOBBS.

- Witnessesz JOHN B. HANTEN, ELMER RICHARDSON.

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