Position adjusting device for sanitary and plumbing units using water under pressure

The invention relates to a position-adjusting device for sanitary and plumbing units using water under pressure, such as water closets, bidets, washbasins, showers, and the like. Position adjustments may be desirable in order to accommodate the needs of physically handicapped persons. Water, under pressure, is available at the sanitary unit in question. This water pressure is utilized to move the sanitary unit to positions which are uniquely accommodated to the particular user.

This invention relates to position-adjusting devices for sanitary and 
plumbing units which use water under pressure, such as water closets, 
bidets, washbasins, showers, and the like. 
Very often, handicapped or motion-impeded people have difficulties in using 
conventional sanitary or plumbing units of the above-named and similar 
kinds. Some such units can be uncomfortable even to persons without any 
motion impediments. For intance, almost without exception, water closets 
are placed at a sitting height which is too low for many full-grown 
people. Washbasins are installed at a height location, which is supposed 
to fit some sort of an average person of a certain average height. 
However, it is uncomfortable for tall persons or for children. The 
mounting of bidets and showers may have the same or similar problems. 
To manage this height problem, spacers of different thicknesses are 
sometimes used in order to selectively place the toilet seat of a water 
closet at a more accommodating sitting height for the person who, at each 
occasion, might use the toilet. 
In hospitals or other nursing institutions, many persons who have suffered 
a handicap, or are in other ways are permanently or temporarily 
motion-impeded, may use sanitary units. Conventionally, it is very 
difficult to meet everyone's personal wants or needs as to the location of 
the unit, primarily its level above the floor. 
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve these and 
similar problems. Here, an object is to use water pressure as a motive 
force for moving sanitary or plumbing units. 
A further object of the invention is to use the water pressure which is 
available at the sanitary unit to move that unit to a position selected by 
the user. This position may, for instance, be a variation in the height; 
or, it could be a variation of another usage position.

An example of the invention is here given in connection with a water 
closet. The water closet shown in FIG. 1 is a type which hangs from the 
wall, as distinguished from standing on the floor. A framework 1 is placed 
behind the wall (not shown). This frame 1 has two vertically-extending 
U-shaped rails 2 with the openings of their U shapes turned toward each 
other. A trolley 4 (having four corner rollers) runs inside these U-shaped 
rails 2 with two of the four rollers 3 running inside each rail. Mounted 
on the trolley are two bolts 5, which pass through holes 6 in a covering 
plate 7 and through other and aligned holes which pass through the back of 
the water closet 8. These bolts 5 and their cooperating nuts 9 
interconnect the trolley 4, the covering plate 7 and the water closet 8, 
with each other. The covering plate 7 also has opposing ears 10 for 
fastening the rear of armrests 11 to the water closet. The front ends of 
these armrests are connected to each other by way of a generally U-shaped 
bracket 12, which is located below the front part of the water closet. The 
bracket 12 is fastened to the sides of the water closet 8, just beneath 
the seat, by means of suitable cross bars 13. 
For the drain, the water closet has a bent or angled tube 14 which is 
connected at its lower end to a flexible hose H1. That flexible hose is, 
in turn, connected to a commercial or city sewage disposal system. 
A hydraulic cylinder 15 is fastened to the framework 1. The piston 16 of 
the cylinder 15 is connected to one end of a somewhat L-shaped arm member 
17. The other arm of member 17 is fastened to the trolley 4. The hydraulic 
cylinder 15 is connected through hoses (not shown) via servo valves 18, 19 
and via main valves 20, 21, which are connected to the commercial or city 
water mains. The main valves 20, 21 are controlled by the servo valves 18, 
19. Of course, the water closet is also connected to the same water mains 
in order to enable flushing. If desired, these connections may also 
include flexible tubing FT, or they could be made via the valve system. 
A height adjustment control shaft 22 (terminating in a control handle) is 
connected to the servo valves 18, 19, which are adjustable to any of three 
different positions. With the handle of lever 22 in its upper position, 
shaft 22 rotates and the valves 18, 19 place the hydraulic cylinder 15 
under the pressure of the water mains. The resulting actuation of the 
piston 16 upon the trolley 4 elevates the water closet 8, upwardly. In its 
lower handle position, shaft 22 rotates and operates the valves to drain 
water from the hydraulic cylinder 15 and the water closet 8 is lowered. 
The shaft 22 always tends to return to the intermediate or neutral handle 
position, which is a central position. In this neutral position of the 
shaft 22, the water closet is maintained in any existing level, to which 
it had been previously moved responsive to a rotation of the shaft 22, as 
the handle moves into its upper or lower position. 
The water closet, and the parts fastened to the covering plate 7, are 
located on the front side of the wall (not shown). The handle on shaft 22 
is positioned at a location which is convenient to the user. Behind this 
wall is the framework 1, trolley 4, valves 18-21, hydraulic cylinder 15, 
hoses, tubes, and so on. Of course, the wall has to be constructed with 
any suitable openings or recesses which may be required so that the 
vertical displacement of the water closet is not blocked. These recesses 
are hidden behind the covering plate 7. 
The above-described device relates to a wall-type water closet. Of course, 
the invention can be modified so that it may also be utilized with a 
floor-mounted water closet. In this case, it is preferably arranged so 
that the hydraulic cylinder actuates the water closet directly from below. 
By giving the cylinder diameter a sufficient size, the water closet has 
enough stability for guiding its movement to its different height 
positions. 
FIGS. 2 and 3 show an embodiment of the valve control mechanism. At the 
inner end of the horizontally extended shaft 22 and behind the covering 
plate 7 (not seen in FIGS. 2, 3) is a conical or bevel gear wheel 23, 
engaging and meshing with a horizontally located beveled gear wheel 24 
which is, in turn, fastened to a vertical sleeve 25. To this sleeve 25 is 
fastened a horizontal lever 26 having an upstanding pin 27 on the end 
thereof. This pin 27 engages two horizontal plates 28 and 29 which are 
located one above the other. These horizontal plates are normally pressed 
against a stationary stop member 32 responsive to the bias of springs 30 
and 31. These springs bias the plates 28 and 29, and through the actuation 
of the pin 27, keep the arm 26 and thus the gears 23, 24 and shaft 22 in 
the neutral central position. The entire device (just described) is moved 
together with the water closet when it is displaced vertically. 
Opposite the arm 26, the sleeve 25 has four blocks 33 (FIG. 3), which form 
a square opening 34 inside the sleeve 25, which otherwise has a circular 
shape. Shaft 36 slidingly passes through, but is rotational within, the 
square opening 34 of the sleeve 25. This shaft 36 is stationary in the 
vertical (as seen in FIG. 2) direction, but is rotatable for actuating the 
value 35. 
In FIG. 2, a valve 35 (for instance of a 4-way type valve) is fastened to 
the framework 1 and is connected to the water mains. A square shaft 36 
controls this valve and, thus, the filling or emptying of hydraulic 
cylinder 15. 
To decrease the friction between the plates 28, 29 and the shaft 36 during 
the rotation of these plates and their simultaneous displacement along the 
shaft 36, there is a common 45.degree. right- and a 45.degree. left-stop 
for the plates. 
When the lever 22 is automatically moved to its neutral position, 
responsive to the bias of the springs 30 and 31, the shaft 36 is 
maintained in such a position and the hydraulic cylinder 15 is unaffected. 
The water closet is maintained in any position to which it has been 
previously adjusted. 
When the handle of the shaft 22 rotates away from the neutral position, in 
either direction, away from the neutral position, the sleeve 25 is rotated 
through the bevel gears 23, 24. The sleeve 25 rotates the shaft 36 in 
either direction to actuate the hydraulic cylinder for lifting or lowering 
the water closet. When the handle is released, shaft 22 and this shaft 36 
return to normal under the tensioning of either of the springs 30 or 31, 
depending upon the direction of the previous rotation. 
The above-described devices can be applied to almost any sanitary or 
plumbing units other than water closets, such as bidets, washbasins, 
showers, and the like, in order to adjust their height position according 
to personal needs or wants. Of course, it is also possible to modify the 
device so that it can be used for horizontal displacement, such as, for 
instance, a shower. 
It is also possible to modify the device so that it can be used with 
sanitary units, both those which are already installed and those which are 
new installations. 
Those who are skilled in the art will readily perceive how to modify the 
system. Therefore, the appended claims are to be construed to cover all 
equivalent structures which fall within the true scope and spirit of the 
invention.