Patent GB-908384-A (GB)
Title: Sanitary fixture
IPC: E03D9/08
Filed: 1959-02-23
Abstract: 908,384. Bidets; closet seats; bed-pans. UMANN, H. M. Feb. 23, 1959, No. 6155/59. Class 26. A sanitary fixture comprises a toilet seat 17 pivoted on a toilet bowl 15, a housing 18 integral with the seat 17 in which a motor blower unit 120, 126 is mounted, openings 122 in the seat to supply outside air to the unit, Figs. 1 and 4, from which leads an air conduit formed in the interior of the seat, in which is an air outlet element such as 130, 130a, 130b delivering air from it into the area of the seat opening, a water conduit 45 in the interior of the seat, to which a system 47, 56, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 70 and 71 of connections and spray mechanisms is connected to deliver water thereto at 61, 65 and 70, and to which is also connected a nozzle 74 mounted in the seat 17 to do the actual spraying into the said area. A tubular member 89 reciprocable around a tube 87 and normally held retracted by a spring 92 is operated by water pressure to extend a nozzle 74, (of which there may be more than one), to spray water, Fig. 8, out of the body of the seat 17, defined by a wall 21. the seat incorporating spring members 138 on pins 131, which normally retract bracket members 132 thereinto, Fig. 6a, but under air pressure in the seat, they are urged together with associated partition members 133, 134 outwards, so that the air outlet element 135, 136 is extended to an operative position to emit air. The tubular connection 47 is a water heater assembly in which is a heating element 50 with terminals 51 and 52 connected to the electrical system at 53 and 54, the air being heated on entry into the seat 17 by the blowers 121 driven by electric motors 120 within a housing portion 18 by heating elements 125. The nozzle 74 of the mechanism 61 usable as a douche, is not operated with the others unless a button 102 is depressed to open a passage 110, Fig. 9, to feed water through the conduit 60, and when it is operated, the mechanisms 65 and 71 can be shut off by means of a valve 58. To deliver warm water and air to the seat opening, there is a double-throw hand switch 156 or an optional foot-controlled switch 157 operated by a foot pedal 158, the latter being pivoted counter-clockwise to close the circuit including the wires 155 and 162, Figs. 1 and 2. A solenoid valve 42 is thus opened and the heating element 50 is energised through the wires 155 and 162, to deliver warm water to the mechanisms 65 and 71. On clockwise pivoting of the pedal 158, normally horizontal, so that the switch 157 is open, the circuit including wires 155 and 171 is energized to deliver warm air by action of the motors 120, blowers 121 and heating elements 125. The seat 17 is pivoted on a pair of hollow support elements 25, 26, Figs. 4 and 4a, extending through a flange element 27 of the bowl 15, to which they are secured by nut members 28. To the elements 25, 26 trunnion members 30, 32 are secured by their bearing surfaces in bores 23, 33 in bosses 22, 34 within recesses 19, 20, which bores are positioned in the upper portion of the seat, as it is somewhat deeper than usual, to give adequate clearance for swinging the seat upwards. In a modification the device may be applied to a bed pan or portable commode, Fig. 3, when a flexible water delivery tube 201 leads from the water supply 202 to the seat 17b, which is the same as the seat 17 but has a skirt portion 210, so that the pan 211 is slidably received under it.