US3112073A - Flexible spot rinsing head for shower baths - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 26, 1963 c. B. LARSON ETAL I 3,112,073

FLEXIBLE SPOT RINSING HEAD FOR SHOWER BATHS Filed Feb. 1, 1963 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS h. cL/From e /12501: HARRY/411.7 14250 37 35 BY Fig. 5 div W ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1963 c. B. LARSON ETAL 3,112,073

FLEXIBLE SPOT RINSING HEAD FOR SHOWER BATHS 2 Sheets-Shut 2 Filed Feb. 1, 1963 INVENTORS. CLIFFORD B. LARSON HAPPY MILTONLARSON United States Patent 3,112,073 FLEXIBLE SPOT RINSING HEAD FOR SHOWER BATHS Clifford B. Larson and Harry Milton Larson, both of Chestnut Tree Hill, Oxford, Conn. Filed Feb. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 255,637 1 Claim. (Cl. 239-446) This invention relates to bathroom fixtures, and more particularly to a 4-way valve attachment for connection between a standard shower arm and shower head, and also connected to a lateral hose leading to a spot rinsing head.

One object of the present invention is to provide a 4- way connecting unit of the above nature, having a conical recess extending part way therethrough, within which recess is rotatably fitted a conical valve having three ports for selectively connecting the shower arm to the shower head and to the lateral passage leading to the rinsing head hose.

A further object is to provide a spot rinsing head which is constructed of flexible material and has an open end slot operative when the shower head is shut off to be spread apart to produce a controlled stream for rinsing soapy water from the body.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature, which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efficient and durable in use.

The application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 155,303, filed November 28, 1961 for 4-Way Shower Head Connector Unit, which is to be abandoned.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 represents a side view, partly in section, of the complete shower installation, showing how the connector unit is secured to the shower arm, the shower head, and the lateral hose leading to the flexible spot rinsing head.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on theline 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale, taken through the control valve as it appears when the handle is set forward for a regular shower.

FIG. 4a is a similar cross-sectional view, with the handle in its up position for spot rinsing.

FIG. 4b is a similar cross-sectional view with the handle set back for both a regular shower and spot rinsing.

FIG. 40 is a similar cross-sectional View with the handle located in down position, with the water shut off, during the soaping operation.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the spot rinsing head.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 141 indicates a curved shower arm, having an upper horizontal section a secured to the wall W of the shower bath enclosure.

Thenumeral 11 indicates a standard circular shower head, and thenumeral 12 indicates a hexagonal connector unit having aconical recess 11a extending part way through it. Theconnector unit 12 is provided with three ports for communication with the three passages of a tapered conical 4-way valve 23 rotatable therein.

Thenumeral 13 indicates a top internally-threaded socket for receiving a threadedlower end 14 of thecurved shower arm 10. Thesocket 13 is connected to theconical recess 11a of theconnector unit 12 by a reducedpassage 15.

Thenumeral 16 indicates a bottom threaded cylindrical neck of theconnector unit 12, for receiving an upper 3,1 12,07 3- Patented Nov. 26, 1963 "ice tappedneck 17 of thestandard shower head 11, saidneck 16 being connected by a reducedpassage 18 to the interiorconical recess 11a.

Provision is also made of a lateral tappedsocket 19 in theconnector unit 12, which is adapted to receive asleeve 20 having a threadedinner end 21 which is screwed into the lateral tappedsocket 19. A reducedside passage 22 is provided in theunit 12 to connect thesleeve 20 with theconical recess 11a.

Theconical valve 23 which fits in therecess 11a has a longitudinal throughpassageway 24, and alateral passageway 25 at right angles thereto. Theconical valve 23 has a reduced cylindrical section 26, which is surrounded by a pair of soft rubber O-rings 27, 28 for tightly sealing thevalve 23 within therecess 11a of theconnector unit 12.

In order to prevent longitudinal movement of thevalve 23 in theconnector unit 12, provision is made of an exteriorly threadedstuffing box 29 having a pair of outerwrench receiving slots 30, 30a, surrounded by anut 32 screwed upon the threadedstufling box 29, tapped at 31, and tightly engaging the exterior of theconnector unit 12.

Provision is also made of acurved handle 33 integral with the 4-wayconical valve 23 and having a series ofgripping rings 34 on its outer end to facilitate the manual rotation thereof.

Thenumeral 35 indicates a flexible hose, preferably of plastic, connected to the outer end of thesleeve 20, as by friction, said hose being connected at its other end to a hollowspot rinsing head 36, preferably of flexible soft plastic, and having an elongatedcurved end bar 37 provided with acentral slot 38. By means of this construction, when the ends of thefiat end bar 37 are squeezed inwardly, theslot 38 will be spread apart to form a solid stream of water for rinsing.

The outer end of thehose 35 is surrounded by a plastic tube 38a which is integral with the rinsinghead 36. Within said rinsing head is a short spacer tube 38b of plastic, which serves to hold thehose 35 securely in position.

Thehollow rinsing head 36 has a pair of forwardly divergingsides 39, 40 which terminate in a pair ofcurved finger recesses 41, 42, between which is asemi-circular reinforcing strip 43.Strip 43 is relatively stiff with respect to thehead material 36 and flexible in the sense of being elastic, so as to yield under the applied pressure and restore the head to its original shape when such pressure is released. Said strip has a centralcircular aperture 44 embracing thehose 35 and abutting the end of the tube 38b. Thehose 35 is also provided with anouter rib 45 which engages the forward surface of the reinforcingstrip 43 to hold it in position. Aplastic ring 46 embraces the inner end of thehose 35 and serves to clamp said hose tightly upon thesleeve 20.

Operation In use, there are four operating conditions:

(1) With thehandle 33 forward (FIG. 4), a regular shower may be obtained.

(2) Withhandle 33 up (FIG. 4a), a spot soap rinsing may be accomplished.

(3) With thehandle 33 back (FIG. 4b), both spot rinsing and a regular shower may occur at the same time.

(4) With thehandle 33 down (FIG. 40), soaping may be accomplished, with the water shut off.

If desired, instead of the rinsinghead 36, a shower head or douche nozzle may be attached to the end of thehose 35 to permit rinsing soap from the body or head after a shampoo.

One advantage of the present invention is that by having theconical valve 23 extend only part way through theconnector unit 12, a more secure positioning of said 3 valve therein is obtained, eliminating the need for sealing it at the opposite end, and resulting in a more attractive appearance of said unit.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for easily rinsing soap from all of the difficult-toreach parts of the body.

A further advantage is that a shower may be obtained without spoiling a hair-do, and that the shower valve may be shut off during soaping, which results in a saving of hot water.

A further advantage is that after soaping, the original pre-set temperature of the water will be resumed when the shower valve is again turned on.

A further advantage is that the connector unit may be easily installed on an ordinary bathroom shower apparatus by the following simple steps:

(1) Remove theshower head 11 from thecurved shower arm 10.

(2) Screw theconnector unit 12 onto theshower arm 10 and connect thehose 35 on thelateral sleeve 20.

(3) Replace theshower head 11.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other equivalent forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

In a bathroom shower fixture, a shower head connected to an overhead water supply pipe, a connector unit inserted between said shower head and said supply pipe, a flexible hose connected to one side of said connector unit, a hollow fiat-sided spot rinsing head of soft flexible material surrounding and connected to the outer end of said hose, said spot rinsing head being provided with an elongated central slot in its outer surface capable of spreading apart when the ends of said rinsing head are manually squeezed toward each other, to permit the size of the spray emerging from said rinsing head to be controlled for rinsing the soap from difiicult-to-reach parts of the body, said spot rinsing head being provided with an interior semicircular reinforcing and centering member of relatively stiff, flexible, elastic material surrounding said hose and having its ends engaging the slotted surface of said rinsing head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,422,291 Mulherin July 11, 1922 1,641,778 Overton Sept. 6, 1927 2,003,052 Lord May 28, 1935 2,118,943 Price et al. May 31, 1938 2,285,689 Tullis June 9, 1942 2,475,702 Funke July 12, 1949 2,588,255 Larsh Mar. 4, 1952 2,891,732 Orter et a1. June 23, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 196,960 Great Britain May 7, 1923

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