US2812522A - Toilet seat lifter - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 12, 1957 G. 5.- WILSON 2,812,522

TOILET SEAT LIFTER Filed April 23, 1954 GLEN 5. WILSON INVENTOR.

BYWQW HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent flee 2,812,522 Patented Nov. 12, 1957 2,812,522 TOILET SEAT LIFTER Glen S.-Wilsn, Venice, Calif., assignor of one-half to Clarence E. King, Venice, Calif. 1

Application April 23, 1954,.Serial No. 425,081

4 Claims. (c1. 4-241 This invention relates to a toilet seat lifter and more particularly to such a device which acts to automatically lift the seat of the toilet whenever the seat is not in use and the cover .is in raised position or no cover is provided.

Many cities and other governing bodies have enacted legislation requiring that the toilet seats of public restrooms be kept in a raised position whenever the toilet is not in use. Such laws and regulations are oftennot enforced because there has been no inexpensive automatically operating toilet construction of such kind avail-. able.

It is an object of my invention to provide, a device which is adapted to. accomplish exactly what such laws and regulations require for the health and sanitation of the public. With my device, the toilet seat is automaticallyraised whenever it is not in use if either the cover is in raised position or no cover is provided.

- It is a further object of my invention to provide such a. device which is soeconomical that it can be purchased by the owner of every public place and which is so simple to-install that virtually anyone can easily place it in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide such adevice whichis universal in', two senses. First, it will fit any size or style of toilet seat construction now in use,

regardless of the height of the toilet seat hinge pin from the top or the toilet bowl. to provide different degrees of spring tension to lift a toilet seat of any weight-now in use. This universality is achieved without any change in the construction of the device, only one model of which is made and sold to the public.

My invention also comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and.

which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings av preferredv embodiment of my invention, it should be'understood that the same is susceptibleof modification and change without departing from the spiritof my invention.

of the component parts of my toilet seat lifter in the positions which they occupy in use;

' Fig. 2 is' a front elevational view of my toilet seat lifter in use, with the conventional toilet seat construction shown in dotted lines;

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1, showing my toilet seat lifter in use, with part of the conventional toilet seat structure shown in dotted lines.

A preferred embodiment which has been selected to illustrate my invention comprises a pair of identical coil springs .10, which are preferably formed of 12 gauge spring steel. The coils of springs are closely wound-to form a tube having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of a conventional'toil'et seat hinge pin, so that the coil springs 10 can be slidably mounted thereon. A

Each of coil springs 10 comprises approximately eight turns of wire. One end 'of each of coil springs10comprises a straight end 11, while the other end comprises a right angle end; "The right angle end is formed by a straight portion'lz' which leaves coil spring 10 at an angle perpendicular to straight end '11" and which bends at a Second, it can be adjusted Referring to .the drawings, Fig. l is a top plan View parallel to straight end 11, but in the opposite direction.

Coil spring 10 is thus provided with ends which extend in opposite directions from each other. Straight end 11 extends in a line with one circumferential edge of coil spring 10, while hook portion 13 is positioned somewhat beyond the opposite circumferential edge of coil spring 10.

A tension plate 14, which is preferably formed of steel or other suitable material, comprises a flat base 15 and an upright portion 16 which is integral therewith and which extends upwardly along the front edge of tension plate 14. Upright portion 16 is bent to form an angle with base 15 which is somewhat less than a right angle. Upright portion'16 thus extends upwardly and slightly rearwardly along the front of tension plate 14. Base 15 is provided adjacent its opposite ends with a pair of U- shaped slots 17, which extend from the rear of base 15 almost to upright portion 16.

My device may be installed by first loosening the nuts on the ends of the bolts which hold the toilet seat hinge to the toilet. hingle bolt flanges so that the U-shaped slots 17 fit around the hinge bolts.

The screws. holding one of the hinges to the bottom of the toilet seat are then removed, permitting the hinge pin to be partially removed. The coil springs 10 are placed on the hinge pin in such a manner that their straight ends 11 extend downwardly, while their hook portions 13 extend upwardly- The straight ends 11 are positionedin front of upright portion 16. Coil springs 10 are positioned adjacent the opposite ends of the hinge pin.

Straight ends 11 and upright portion 16 will engage over a considerable range of variations .in the distance.

These ends of coil springs 10 thus form a right angled hook which engages the bottom corner of the toilet seat.

The amount of tension in coil springs 10 can be con-' trolled by the positioning of tension plate'14. If tension plate 14 is moved forwardly, upright portion 16 will tend to act against the coil springs. If tension plate is moved rearwar-dly, there will be less tension in coil springs 10.

lt isjthus possible to adjust the amount of tension so that my device will operate properly with any weight of toilet seat.

. The hinge bolts may be temporarily tightened until the tension is properly adjusted. After this has been done, the hinge bolts are completely tightened and the screws replaced to fasten the hinge to the bottom of the toilet.

seat.

After installation, my device through coil springs 10 provides a tension which normally tends to move thev The seat toilet seat upwardly from the top of the toilet. may be held down only by use or by the weight of the toilet seat cover, which counteracts the force of coil springs10.

In use, my device converts a conventional covered or coverless toilet seat into one which is automatically raised when not used or covered.

said hinge pin, and a toilet seat pivotally mounted on Tension plate 14 is then slid beneath the reare'dge"of"said tensionplate'to adjacent thetiont-edge 3 said hinge pin, saidlift'er'comprising a pair of coil springs adapted to -be mounted on said" hinge" pin adjacent the" opposite ends thereof, each of said coil springs comprising a plurality of circular coils surrounding said hinge pin," one end-of each'of said'coil springs extendingitan 5 gentially outwardly frorn' said coils, the other'end of each of said coil springshavin'g'a'porti'onextendingtangentially-outward1y"from'said coils' at a right angle to said first named end, ,said second named and having an adjacent right angular portion adjacent th'e outer endthereof extending" substantially parallel" to said'first narn'ed end, the" two portions of saidsecondmame'd end being adapted to"engage"an'd 'fi't around the edge of saidtoiiet seat; and an elongated te'nsionplate' having a flatb'ase adapted 1O bejmounted uponand lie flat'against"the'topofth'e toilet b'OWlfiirectlYbeneath said hingepin} saidtension' plate having, an upstandingintegr-al portion extending; along; substantially theentire len'gtltof the front edge ofsa'id tension plate; said integral portion bein'gi'directechuw wardly from"said"base and" slightly rearwardlyitoward said hinge pin; saidbase being'greate'rin lengtlithan' the distance between said hinge bolts; said basehavinga" pair of elongated U-shap'ed openingsextending; frontthe thereof, said U shaped openingsbeingadapted' to"rernov ably and slidablyfit around saidhinge' bolts; the'flanges" of said hinge bolts being adapted to hold the"base"o'fsa'id tensi'onpla't againstthe'topofthe toilet'bowl to'prev'ent undesirable movement of said base with respect to said hinge bolts, thefitsfnarned ends of'said coil springs bear in'g' against the upstanding integral portion ofsaidtension plateso'thatsaid springsno'rmallyurge said toilet-seat" upwardlyw'ith" res ect to thetoilet bowl, said tensionplateadapted tobeslidably moved toward or away-"from said hin'ge pins'to adjust the tension'of said springs; the= upstanding integral portion of said tension plate and th'e aid? of said springsengaged therewith normally overlaping'each otherin a vertical directionto' provide-vertical adjustmentfor variations iir'the'height of saidhinge' pinfrom the toiletbowl;

2. A toiletseat'lifter adapted to'be used with-a toilethaving an elongated horizontally extending hinge pinmounted on a toilet bowl, a pair of vertically extending flanged hinge" bolts disposed adjacent the" o'ppfosit ends of said' hinge pin, andatoilet seat pivotally rnou'ntedon' said hinge" pin, said lifter comprisingap'air of coil springs adapted to be -mounted on 1 said-hinge pin adjacent the opposite ends thereof, each of" saidcoil springs comprising a plurality of-circular coils surround-- ing, saidhinge'pin', the-ends of'each of saidcoil springsextending tangentiallvoutwardly from said coils; one-end of'each of said" springs being adapted to engage a'nd fit around the' edge of said toilet 'seat; and an elongated ten-- sion' platehaving a flat'base adapted to be'm'ounted' upon and lie flat against the top of the toilet bowl directly beneath s'aidhin'g'epin, said tension'plate having an'upsta'nding integral portion extendingalong substantially the entire length of' the fronted'ge of said tension plate; saidintegral portion being directed upwardly'from said b'ase 60 and slightly rearwardly toward said hinge pin, said basebeing" greater" in length than the distance between said hinge bolts, said base having a pair of elongated U- shaped openings extending from the rear edge of saidtension plate to adjacent the front'edge thereof," said U- 65 shaped openings beinga'dapted to rem'ovablyand slidably fit around said hinge bolts, the flanges of said hinge'bolts being. adapted to hold the base of said tension plate against the top of the toilet bowl to prevent undesirable: movement of said base with respect tosaid-"l'iinge' bolts; 70 the. opposite ends of said coil springs bearing against the upstanding integral portionof sa'id tension plateso tliat said springs normally urge said toilet se'at'upwardly, with re'spectto'thetoilef bowl, said tensioh plate ada'pted -to be'slidablymoved toward or away from saidhinge pins toadjust the tension of said springs, the upstanding in-- tegral portion of said tension plate and the ends of said springs engaged therewith normally overlappingeach end "of each r of said coil springs being? adapted: to engage:- and fitaround: the edge' of said. toilet? seat; an" clon gated tension plate having a flat base adapted to be mount+- ed upon and lieflat againsttheYtopmf' the toilett'bowl directly beneath said ihinge pin, said-tension plate having-1 a portion-directed upwardly from said base towardsaid h'ingeipin, said base being greater-in length than the distanoebetween said. hinge. bolts; said base having: apairof elongated T openings adapted torslidably fit around said hinge bolts, the flanges of said hinge bolts being adapted to h'o'ld the. b'asevot said tension plate 1 against the: top of the toilet-bowl: 'to'preventt undesirable movement of said base witlt respect to said hinge" bolts;= the :oppositet ends of 'said coil sprin'gsbearing 'againstthe upwardly directed portion of said tension plate so that saidsp'rings normally.

urge said" toilet seat'upwardly wit'li respectto the-toilet bowl; said tension plate a'dapted' to be slidably moved toward or away from said liingeipins toadjust the tension of said spri'ngx-the upwardly directed'portion of saidttension plate andthe ends of said-springs engaged therewith norma l-ly overl'apping each other in'a vertical direction to provide vertical adjustmenttorirvariations iin-the lleight of sa'id hinge pin fromzttie-toilenbowh 43 A toilet seat' lifterradaptedr to'rbe' usedi with r a toilet 2 having" an elongated horizontally extending hinge pin mounted on-atoilet bowl,. a pa'irof vertically extending: flanged hinge b'ol'ts disposed adjacent the opposite ends and a toiletseatzpivotally mounted on 1 of said hinge-pin,

said hinge pin',- said lifter'comprising ap'air of coil springs adapted to be mounted posite =ends'"thereof; each of said 1 coil springs comprising a-- plurality 'ofi' circular coils surrounding! said hinge pin,

one end of e'ach ofsaid coil:springsbeingradapted to" engage tlfe edge of said' to'ilet seat, and an =elon gated itension plate-having a flat ba'se a'dap'tecltoibe-moun-tedtupon: an'd die" flat against the -to'p' Ofthd-tOllctibOWl directly 'beheath-said hinge pin; said tension'=platethaving 1 wportiondirected upwardly from said base toward said hinge pm, said ba'se being greaterin length-than: the distance between said' hingebolts, sa'id'ba'se'having a'pair of clonagated openings adapted to. rentovably. and? slidably-= fit aroundsaid hinge bolts, the"fiangesi off said hinge bolts being adapted toli'old the the top of the toilet bowl to preventundersirable movement of saidbase' with'respect to said hinge'bolts, the oppositeends'of said coil springs bearingagainst the up.- wardly directed portion of said: tension rplate= $01 that .said springs normally urge said toiletcseabupwa'rdlywith respe'ct to the-toilet bowl, said tension'plate adapted to be slidably moved towa'rd or awayfrom said hinge pmsto adjust vtlie te'ansionof said springs:

References -Citdin tthe file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 162,437 Walter Apr. 20,1875 905,996- Davis Dec; 1998 985,239 Winans Feb. 28, Hill 1,045,927 Zeleny et all Dec. 3; 1912 128,629 Sh wab Feb; l9l 5' 1,487,518 Nichols et ali Mar. 18'; 192 4 on said hinge pin adjacent the'op base'of said tension plate againstv

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