US3571816A

US3571816A - Composite bathroom fixture

Info

Publication number: US3571816A
Application number: US854075A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lee W Mccullough
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-08-29
Filing date: 1969-08-29
Publication date: 1971-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-23

Abstract

A composite bathroom fixture with a lavatory overhanging one end of a bathtub, a barrier panel extending upwardly over the rear side of the lavatory, a shower head on the bathtub side of the panel, single hot and cold water valve means accessible from both the lavatory and bathtub, and with director means for selectively controlling the flow of water from the valve means into the lavatory, bathtub or shower head, and a pair of vertical pipes spacing the lower end of the barrier panel from the lavatory respectively enclosing the supply pipe to the shower head and the electrical conduit to a lamp and electrical outlet adjacent a mirrored medicine cabinet on the lavatory side of the barrier panel.

Description

United States Patent FOREIGN PATENTS 1,236,5 67 6/1960 France 4/ 2 450,577 7/1949 Italy 4/2- Primary Examiner-Laveme D. Geiger Assistant ExaminerHenry K. Artis Attorney-Curtis, Morris & Safford ABSTRACT: A composite bathroom fixture with a lavatory overhanging one end of a bathtub, a barrier panel extending upwardly over the rear side of the lavatory, a shower head on the bathtub side of the panel, single hot and cold water valve means accessible from both the lavatory and bathtub, and with director means for selectively controlling the flow of water from the valve means into the lavatory, bathtub or shower head, and a pair of vertical pipes spacing the lower end of the barrier panel from the lavatory respectively enclosing the supply pipe to the shower head and the electrical conduit to a lamp and electrical outlet adjacent a mirrored medicine cabinet on the lavatory side of the barrier panel.

PAIENTED mam SHEET 1 [IF 2 LEE W. MC CULLOUGH This invention relates to a composite plumbing fixture for bathrooms incorporating, in a single compact assembly, a bathtub, lavatory, shower and a shower barrier having, if desired, a medicine cabinet therein.

This combination arrangement not only saves considerable space and enables the installation of full bathroom facilities in a room which heretofore would have been too small therefor, but also makes possible the use of only a single hot and cold valve means for the lavatory, bathtub and shower, thus saving considerably not only in the cost of the components but also in the time and expense of plumbing installation.

The invention accomplishes these objectives while at the same time providing an extremely attractive appearance compatible even with luxury construction.

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a composite bathroom fixture embodying features of the invention, installed in one corner of a bathroom. 7

H6. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of HG. ll.

lFlGS. 3 and 4 are vertical sections taken on the lines 3-3 and M, respectively, of HG. ll.

As best shown in FIG. ll, the composite fixture includes a bathtub llll, which may be of the conventional type which is adapted to tit into a space closed by walls at three sides, and which is shown with one end lltla mounted flush against a wall B2 of the bathroom and with its other end llllb secured to and supporting a vertical column l4. Supported at the upper end of the column 14 is a lavatory counter 16 in which a lavatory basin 1th is mounted with the front side of the counter and basin overlying the column M and with their rear portions cantilevered therefrom to overhang the end ltlb of the bathtub. Projecting vertically above the rear end of the lavatory counter id is a barrier panel 20 whose lower end is supported on and spaced above the counter to by a pair of spaced vertical tubes 22 (see also H08. 3 and 4) and whose upper end is supported on and spaced below the ceiling 24 of the bathroom by another pair of vertical tubes 26 respectively aligied with the lower tubes 22.

The front and rear faces of the column 14 are covered to enclose the piping, etc., therein, and the rear and undersides of the lavatory are enclosed by a curved back panel 28 (see also HQ. 4) whose upper edge abuts the underside of the counter lb and whose lower edge adjoins the adjacent edge of the inner face of the column id.

in the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a pair of hot and cold water valves 3% and 32 mounted on the rear portion of the upper surface of the lavatory counter to controls the supply of hot and cold water from the supply pipes in the column ll to a single swing-type mixing spout 34 which is normally positioned to discharge water into the basin lid, but may be pivoted to the opposite position, shown in broken lines in H6. l, to discharge instead into the bathtub ill.

The open space between the lower end of the barrier panel 2@ and the counter ldpermits access to the

valves

30 and 32 from either-the lavatory side or the bathtub side of the panel, as well as providing clearance for swinging of the spout 34 between its two aforementioned-positions. The height of the lavatory counter lb is such that the handles of the

valves

30 and 32 may be easily reached even by a person seated in the bathtub.

Mounted on the lavatory back panel 28 is a transfer valve 36 which serves to disconnect the output of the hot and cold water valves 3t and 32 from the spout 34 and connect it instead to a shower head 38 mounted on the upper portion of the bathtub side of the barrier panel 20. As shown in N68. 2 and 4, the pipe dill extending from the transfer valve 36 to the shower head 38 extends through the interior one of the two lower support tubes 22.

The lavatory drain 52 and the bathtub drain d and overflow 56 are connected into a common waste pipe 5%. The

plumbing connections are shown merely diagrammatically, the usual trap and vent being omitted for the sake of simplicity.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hot and cold water supply pipes may extend from the sidewall 59. Although the waste pipe from the lavatory drain 52 is shown as extending downwardly through the floor, it may instead extend laterally through the sidewall 59. in this case, the lavatory can be supported entirely on the sidewall 59, so that the column M can be cut off even with the top of the bathtub ill to leave an open space between the bottom of the lavatory back panel 2% and the top of the bathtub ltl. And, if the bathtub l0 is of the type adapted for installation in one comer of a room, having one enclosed end adapted to be exposed, the column 14 maybe eliminated altogether, with the waste pipes from the bathtub drain 54 and overflow 56 being concealed within the enclosed end of the bathtub.

Mounted on the lavatory side of the barrier panel 20, and partially recessed into the panel, is a medicine cabinet 32 with a mirrored door 44 thereon. Mounted atop the medicine cabinet is an electric lamp 436 and mounted at one side is an outlet 48 for the power plug of an electric shaver. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the electric conduit 50 for the lamp do and outlet dh extends through the other one of the two lower support tubes 22.

A rod 60 for a shower curtain extends horizontally between the upper portion of the barrier panel and the wall 12.

As will readily be understood, in the illustrative combination shown and described, a single pair of hot and

cold water valves

30 and 32 plus a single transfer valve 36 control the supply of hot and cold water in any desired mixture ratio to the lavatory Ed, the bathtub l0 and the shower head 3%. This not only greatly reduces the cost for plumbing components, but also the installation cost for both rough and finish plumbit will, of course, be apparent that other combinations of valving may be employed in the composite fixture with equal or slightly lesser saving. For example, instead of a swing spout 34, two separate spouts, one for the lavatory and one for the bathtub could be provided, with another transfer valve for directing the output of the hot and cold water valves to either spout as desired. Alternatively, separate pairs of hot and cold water valves may be provided for the lavatory and bathtub, with internal connections from both sets of valves to a single pair of hot and cold water supply pipes, thus saving on the external plumbing required. As still another variation within the broad concept of the invention, a single mixing faucet, having one control handle for both hot and cold water in any desired mixture ratio, could be provided, with either a swing spout or a transfer valve for directing flow to either the lavatory of the bathtub as desired, and another transfer valve for directing flow to the shower head.

The fact that the lavatory overhangs the drain end of the bathtub greatly reduces the space required for the two fixtures, while in no way interfering with the use of either. With construction costs per square foot of building size steadily escalating, the resulting saving in the area required for a full bathroom is of considerable significance, as is the substantial saving in the time and materials for on site plumbing installation of the assembly.

lclaim:

t. A composite bathroom fixture comprising a bathtub with a drain therein, a lavatory with a drain therein, support means supporting said lavatory in vertically spaced, overhanging relation to one end of said bathtub and facing outwardly away from said bathtub, hot and cold water valve means mounted above the rear portion of said lavatory, spout means connected to said valve means for discharging water either into said lavatory or said bathtub as desired, a barrier panel extending vertically above the rear portion of said lavatory and forming a divider between said lavatory and said bathtub which is open to permit access to said valve means from either said lavatory or said bathtub, a shower head projecting from an upper portion of the bathtub side of said barrier panel toward said bathtub, control means for controlling the flow of water to said shower head, and drain pipe means connecting the drains in said lavatory and said bathtub into a common waste line.

2. A composite fixture as described in claim 1 in which said support means comprises a column attached to the end of said bathtub and projecting vertically upwardly therefrom, with the front portion of said lavatory supported on the upper end of said column.

3. A composite bathroom fixture comprising a bathtub with a drain therein, a lavatory with a drain therein, support means supporting said lavatory in vertically spaced, overhanging relation to one end of said bathtub and facing outwardly away from said bathtub, single hot and cold water valve means mounted above the rear portion of the upper surface of said lavatory, a barrier panel extending vertically above the rear portion of said lavatory and forming a divider between said lavatory and said bathtub, with an open space at the lower end of said barrier panel to permit access to said valve means from either the lavatory side or the bathtub side of said barrier panel, a shower head projecting from an upper portion of the bathtub side of said barrier panel toward said bathtub, spout means connected to said valve means for discharging water into said lavatory and said bathtub, first director means for selectively directing the dischargeof water from said spout means either into said lavatory or said bathtub as desired, second director means for directing the flow of water from said valve means either into said shower head or into said spout means, and drain pipe means connecting the drains in said lavatory and said bathtub into a common waste line.

4. A composite fixture as described in claim 3 in which the lower end of said barrier panel is connected to said lavatory by at least one vertical tubular member enclosing a supply pipe carrying water to said shower head.

5. A composite fixture as described in claim 3 in which a medicine cabinet with a mirrored door is mounted on the lavatory side of said barrier panel.

6. A composite fixture as described in claim 5 in which an electric lamp is mounted adjacent said medicine cabinet.

7. A composite fixture as claimed in claim 6 in which the lower end of said barrier panel is connected to said lavatory by at least two spaced vertical tubular members, one enclosing a supply pipe carrying water to said shower head and the other enclosing wiring connected to said electric lamp.

8. A composite fixture as described in claim 7 in which tubular members extend above the upper end of said barrier panel to engage the ceiling structure and support the upper end of said barrier panel.

Claims

1. A composite bathroom fixture comprising a bathtub with a drain therein, a lavatory with a drain therein, support means supporting said lavatory in vertically spaced, overhanging relation to one end of said bathtub and facing outwardly away from said bathtub, hot and cold water valve means mounted above the rear portion of said lavatory, spout means connected to said valve means for discharging water either into said lavatory or said bathtub as desired, a barrier panel extending vertically above the rear portion of said lavatory and forming a divider between said lavatory and said bathtub which is open to permit access to said valve means from either said lavatory or said bathtub, a shower head projecting from an upper portion of the bathtub side of said barrier panel toward said bathtub, control means for controlling the flow of water to said shower head, and drain pipe means connecting the drains in said lavatory and said bathtub into a common waste line.

3. A composite bathroom fixture comprising a bathtub with a drain therein, a lavatory with a drain therein, support means supporting said lavatory in vertically spaced, overhanging relation to one end of said bathtub and facing outwardly away from said bathtub, single hot and cold water valve means mounted above the rear portion of the upper surface of said lavatory, a barrier panel extending vertically above the rear portion of said lavatory and forming a divider between said lavatory and said bathtub, with an open space at the lower end of said barrier panel to permit access to said valve means from either the lavatory side or the bathtub side of said barrier panel, a shower head projecting from an upper portion of the bathtub side of said barrier panel toward said bathtub, spout means connected to said valve means for discharging water into said lavatory and said bathtub, first director means for selectively directing the discharge of water from said spout means either into said lavatory or said bathtub as desired, second director means for directing the flow of water from said valve means either into said shower head or into said spout means, and drain pipe means connecting the drains in said lavatory and said bathtub into a common waste line.