 |
Claims  |
|
|
Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent of the United States is:
1. Water closet basin assembly comprising a basin having an endless upper
edge, a basin seat shape complementarily to said edge and adapted to
overlie said edge, bracket means fixed to said edge and having an
elastomeric portion adapted to be disposed between said edge and said
basin seat, said elastomeric portion being compressible when subjected to
pressure and expandable to its original shape when said pressure is
removed, and dispenser means proximate said basin and operative to
dispense paper suitable for disposition overlying said seat, dispensing of
said paper being responsive to movement of said elastomeric portion.
2. The invention according to claim 1 including cutter means for severing
an increment of said paper dispensed from a roll thereof.
3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said dispenser includes a
roll of said paper mounted on a spool, a sprocket wheel fixed to said
spool, ratchet means engaged with said sprocket wheel, said ratchet means
being movable by release of pressure on said seat means with consequent
expansion of said elastomeric portion to cause movement of said sprocket
wheel and thereby said spool, whereby to cause dispensing of said paper.
4. The invention according to claim 3 including cutter means for severing
said dispensed paper, said cutter means being operative in response to
application of pressure on said seat with consequent compression of said
elastomeric portion to engage said dispensed paper and sever said paper
from said spool.
5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said cutter means is spring
biased toward a non-cutting position.
6. The invention according to claim 2 in which said cutter means comprises
means operative responsive to pressure changes on said seat for
automatically severing said increment of said paper.
7. The invention according to claim 2 in which said cutter means comprises
manual cutter means.
8. The invention according to claim 1 in which said dispenser is mounted on
a first side of said basin and including holder means mounted on a second
side of said basin adapted to secure said paper in said overlying
position.
9. The invention according to claim 4 including second cutter means
manually operated to sever said paper, said second cutter means being
connected to second ratchet means engaged with said sprocket wheel and
operative after a manual cutting operation to cause rotation of said
sprocket wheel and thereby said spool, whereby to cause dispensing of said
paper.
10. The invention according to claim 8 in which said holder means comprises
an extension of said bracket means. |
|
 |
|
 |
Claims |
|
|
|
Description |
|
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water closet basins and is directed more
particularly to a water closet basin assembly including dispensing means
for paper suitable for covering the seat of the basin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several designs have been put forward for devices whose object is to
provide paper, or the like, suitable for covering the seat of a water
closet basin. Examples of such devices may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.
1,296,220 issued Mar. 4, 1919, to C. Rigby; 1,452,552 issued Apr. 24,
1923, to L. J. Frear; 1,765,463 issued June 24, 1930, to T. Strumpf;
1,843,778 issued Feb. 2, 1932, to A. I. McColl; 1,858,794 issued May 17,
1932, to E. Vallecchi; 1,867,506 issued July 12, 1932, to T. J. Grypma et
al; 1,911,517 issued May 30, 1933, to D. Lanspa et al; and 3,271,792
issued Sept. 13, 1966, to G. M. Tromp.
Inspite of the above advances, there still exists today a need for a device
suitable for use in water closets for the purpose of dispensing suitable
coverings for water closet basin seats.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a water closet basin
assembly including means for dispensing suitable coverings for a water
closet basin seat.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a device as will
automatically dispense covering material.
A still further object of the invention is to provide such a device as is
relatively simple in operation, easy to manufacture, and convenient and
easy to use.
With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a
feature of the present invention is the provision of a water closet basin
assembly comprising a basin having an endless upper edge, a basin seat
shaped complementarily to the edge and adapted to overlie the edge,
bracket means fixed to the edge and having an elastomeric portion adapted
to be disposed between the edge and the basin seat, the elastomeric
portion being compressible when subjected to pressure and expandable to
its original shape when the pressure is removed, and dispenser means
proximate the basin and operative to dispense paper suitable for
disposition overlying the closet, dispensing of the paper being responsive
to movement of the elastomeric portion.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel
details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more
particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and
pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular
device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and
not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this
invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without
departing from the scope of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which is shown an
illustrative embodiment of the invention from which its novel features and
advantages will be apparent.
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an illustrative embodiment of the assembly;
and
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II--II of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the illustrative embodiment
includes a water closet basin 2 having an endless upper edge 4. A basin
seat 6 is provided shaped complementarily to the edge 4 and adapted to
overlie the edge. The seat 6 is hingedly connected to the basin in the
customary manner (not shown).
Bracket means 8 are provided and are fixed to the edge 4 of the basin 2 and
have affixed thereto an elastomeric portion 10, adapted to be disposed
between the edge 4 and the seat 6, as shown in FIG. 2. The elastomeric
portion is of material compressible when subjected to pressure and
expandable to substantially its original shape when the pressure is
removed. Thus, when weight is applied downwardly upon the upper surface of
the basin seat 6, the elastomeric material 10 will be compressed, when the
pressure is released from the seat 6 the material 10 will tend to return
to its original shape.
Dispenser means 12 are provided proximate to the basin 2 and operative to
dispense paper 14 previously cut to the general shape of the seat 6 and
suitable to overlie the seat. As will be further described below,
dispensing of the paper 14 by the dispensing means 12 is done in response
to movement of the elastomeric material of the portion 10.
As may be seen in FIG. 1, the dispensing means 12 is connected to the basin
2 by way of frame means 16. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the
dispensing means comprises a housing 18 having therein a spool 20 on which
is mounted a roll 22 of the paper 14. On the spool 20 there is disposed a
ratchet wheel 24 engaged with a first ratchet 26 and a second ratchet 28.
The first ratchet 26 is connected by way of an arm 30 to a first cutter
device 32 mounted for reciprocal movement in a bracket 34 extending
inwardly from a side of the housing 18. The first cutter device 32 is
pivotally connected to a lever arm 36 which is pivotally anchored by an
extension 38 and which at its free end is in engagement with an
undersurface 40 of the basin seat 6. A coil spring 42 operates to urge the
arm 30 downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 2.
The second ratchet 28 is connected by way of an arm 44 to a second cutting
device 46 having a handle 48 thereon for manual manipulation. A coil
spring 50 operates to urge the arm 44 in an upwardly direction, as viewed
in FIG. 2. Thus, pressure applied in a downward direction upon the upper
surface of the seat 6 causes compression of the elastomeric material 10
which in turn causes pivotal movement of the lever arm 36 upon the
extension 38 causing the first cutter device 32 to slide upwardly in its
bracket 34 against the bias of the spring 42. Upward movement of the
cutter device 32 causes severing of the paper 14 and also causes upward
movement of the first ratchet 26. In view of the disposition of the teeth
of the ratchet wheel 24 and the first ratchet 26, upward movement of the
ratchet 26 does not operate to effect the wheel 24. When pressure is
removed from the upper surface of the seat 6 the elastomeric portion 10
expands in an attempt to return to its original shape. Expansion of the
material 10 causes the seat 6 to move upwardly allowing the spring 42 to
bring the first cutter means 32 back to a non-cutting position and
simultaneously to bring the ratchet 26 in a downwardly direction. Movement
of the ratchet 26 in a downwardly position causes counterclockwise
rotation of the ratchet wheel 24 and thereby the spool 20, as well as the
roll of paper 22 to cause an increment of paper to be discharged through
an opening 52 in the housing 18. In view of the disposition of the
respective teeth, rotation of the ratchet wheel 24 has no effect upon the
second ratchet means 28. Thus, the "old" paper is automatically severed
and a new increment of paper issued from the dispenser upon use of the
seat 6.
If desired, an operator may, by urging downwardly on the handle 48, operate
the second cutter means 46, which is a manual cutting device. Downward
movement of the cutting means 46 causes severance of the paper 14 and
simultaneously causes downward movement of the arm 44 and the ratchet 28.
Downward movement of the ratchet has no effect on the ratchet wheel 24 but
does operate to retain the manual cutter 46 in the downward position until
the ratchet wheel 24 is rotated counterclockwise by removal of pressure
from the seat 6.
A holder means 54 is provided on a side of the basin 2 opposite from the
dispenser 12. The holder means 54 may comprise any convenient means of
fastening the paper 14 to the basin and preferably comprises merely an
extension of the bracket means 8.
In use, the water closet seat may be envisioned as starting in the
condition shown in FIG. 2. Application of pressure upon the seat 6 causes
compression of the elastomeric material 10 and operation of the automatic
cutting means 32, as above described. The pressure on the seat 6 also
causes raising of the first ratchet means 26. In the event the second
cutter means, or manual cutter means 46 has been previously used, the
downward position of the second cutting means would be released by such
action and the spring 50 would return the manual cutter to a position
ready for operation. Removal of pressure from the seat 6 causes withdrawal
of the cutting means 32 from the cutting position and rotation of the
ratchet wheel 24 so as to dispense a new increment of paper which the
operator would stretch across the seat and fasten down by use of the
holder means 54, after first removing the old paper. Alternatively, the
operator may utilize the manual cutter 46, as previously described.
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to
the particular construction herein disclosed and/or shown in the drawings,
but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of
the disclosure.
* * * * *
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Description |
|
