US2928104A - Angularly adjustable toilet seat - Google Patents

Description

March 15, 1960 G. W. KENNEDY ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE TOILET SEAT Filed March 6, 1958 INVENTOR. 670 866 W/A/lfi? ATM/0) Wm/W' Kennedy No. 2,099,188.

United States Patent r 2,928,104 Patented M ',The present invention relates to toilet seats and is Figure 3 is'a detailed bottom plan taken about on the plane represented by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the angularly adjustable toilet seat is shown as operatively mounted and supported from the floor in the immediate vicinity of a toilet bowl. It will be understood, however, that the seat could be just as well supported from the bowl itself.

Referring now to the drawing, and first more particularly to Figure 2, a toilet bowl 10 is shown as having I a pedestal 11 that rests upon a floor 12. The floor 12 cofncernedprimarily with a toilet seat that is angularly adjustable.

It has long been recognized that when a person sits on a toilet seat for the purpose of elimination, the physical action is greatly facilitated if the person is forced to squat. For this reason there have been proposed certain types of toilet seats which literally force a person to squat. One example of such a seat is the patent to Another example is a toilet seat which slopes rearwardlythat is, it has its highest point at the front end.

Heretofore, toilet seats that have been designed for the purpose of literally forcing a user to assume a squatted position have not been adjustable to the physical measurements and characteristics of any particular user. Thus, an angularly disposed toilet-seat has been a permanent proposition; and, while it might be suitable for some one particular person or group of people, it is not adapted for others of different sizes and characteristics.

With the foregoing conditions in mind, the present invention has in view as its foremost objective the provision of an angularly disposed toilet seat that is adjustable so that it may be adapted to fit the characteristics of any particular user.

More in detail, the invention has as an object the provision of a toilet seat that is pivotally mounted over the front end of a toilet bowl and which slopes rearwardly from the pivotal mounting. Mechanism is provided for angularly adjusting the position of the seat on its pivotal mounting.

Still another and somewhat more detailed object of the invention is to provide, in an angularly adjustable toilet seat of the character noted, mechanism for adjusting the angular disposition of the seat, and which mechanism is self-locking in that, once it is operated to achieve a particular adjustment, it will remain in that position even under the influence of the weight of a person using the seat. This end is obtained by employing a worm and worm gear as the adjusting mechanism.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention, such as arise in connection with carrying out the above-noted ideas in a practical embodiment, will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention therefore comprises an angularly adjustable toilet seat consisting essentially of a toilet seat that is pivotally mounted at its front end, together with worm-gear mechanism associated with the rear end for causing an angular adjustment on the pivotal mounting.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a toilet seat designed in accordance with the precepts of this invention;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the seat shown in Figure 1, together with the toilet bowl over which it is mounted; and

would obviously be a bathroom floor or similar place. One type of toilet bowl which is now meeting with widespread ,usage has afront portion 13 that is somewhat narrower than the remainder of the bowl. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the invention is intended for use with such a bowl.

. Mounted on the floor 12 in front of the pedestal 11 and on opposite sides of the narrow portion 13 of theanchored to the floor 12 in any appropriate manner I such as by screw bolts indicated at 16.

The legs 14 have a height somewhat greater thanv that of the'bowl 10; and extending between the upper ends of these legs is a crossrod 17. A toiletseat is referred to in its entirety by the reference character S, and has a shape generally corresponding to a conventional toilet seat. Thus the seat S is shown as having a front portion 18, side portions 19 and 20, and a rear portion 21. These parts 1821, inclusive, are integrally formed as one piece and define a central opening 22. In accordance with well-accepted practice, the bottom or undersurface of the seat S is flat as indicated at 23.

Secured to the flat underside of the front. portion 18 of the seat S are a pair of spaced brackets 24 which encompass the cross shaft 17. Each of these brackets 24 has ears 25 that may be secured to the bottom face of the seat S in any preferred manner, such as by screws shown at '26. It is evident that the cross shaft 17 and brackets 24 cooperate to provide a pivotal mounting for the front end of the seat S. v I 7 An arm 9 carriesa crosspiece 27; and this crosspiece 27, together with that portion of the arm 9 immediately adjacent thereto, is secured to the underside of the rear portion 21 of the seat S, as by screws shown at 28. The outer end of the arm 9 carries an arcuate vertical gear sector 29 presenting worm-gear teeth 30.

A rear leg 31 has a base 32 that is anchored to the floor 12 in the rear of the seat S substantially midway thereof. The upper end of the leg 31 carries a pair of forwardly extending ears 33 and 34 which are tilted forwardly and upwardly at a slight angle from the horizontal. Pivotally mounted in these ears 33 and 34 is a shaft 35 which carries a worm 36 that is located between the ears 33 and 34. This worm 36 meshes with the teeth 30 of the sector 29.

The shaft 35 extends above the topmost ear 34 and at its free end is provided with an operating member 37.

While the manner of using the adjustable toilet seat above described is believed to be obvious from the illustration of the drawings and description of parts given, it may be briefly described by noting that when a prospective user of the toilet is desirous of adjusting the angular disposition of the seat S all that is required is to avail of the operating member 37 to rotate the worm 36. As the worm 36 is in engagement with the teeth 30 on the sector 29, this rotative movement will cause a raising or lowering of the rear portion 21, depending on the direction of rotation. Once the desired angular disposition has been achieved, the person may use the seat; and the position of adjustment will not be disturbed due to the weight of the person because the worm is selflocking; 7 a

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to he limited-to the exact constructions, mechanisms, and devices illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details 7 may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a supporting surface, a toilet bowl on said supporting surface having a front end and a rear end, supporting means anchored to said' surface and located at the front end of said bowl, a toilet seathaving a front end pivotaliy connected to the upper end of said" supporting means, a second supporting means at the rear of said toilet bowl and supported from said surface, and

an adjustable connection between the upper end of said 4- with said worm gear, an operating member for said worm, and means for supporting said worm at therear of said toilet bowl. P

3. In an angularly adjustable toilet seat, a toilet seat having front and rear portions and an undersurface, a pair of spaced brackets secured to the undersurface of said seat at said front portion, a cross shaft extending between said-brackets, a pair of legs supporting said cross shaft, an arm secured to the undersurface of said seat at saidrear portion and' extending outwardly therefrom, a gear sector carried by the free end of said arm, a worm meshing with said gear sector, an operating'member for said Worm, and a rear leg for suppo rting said worm.

References (Zited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 15,

Images