A Combined Bath and Laundry Tub.
Year: 1898

page_text: A Combined Bath and Laundry Tub.
I, NELLIE FRANCES HURDEL, of 58, East 86th Street, in the City of New York
(Borough of Manhattan), in the County and State of New York, United States
of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of tubs designed to be
used either as a bath or laundry tub and it has for its object to provide
a tub of
this character with a simple and easily operated means whereby the tub may be
quickly raised or lowered according to the use to which it is to be applied.
The tub may be made of any suitable material and of a size substantially like
that of an ordinary bath tub. In order to adapt the bath for use as a laundry
tub I provide it with a removable partition, the side edges and bottom of which
are provided with a flexible packing preferably consisting of a pneumatic tube,
which engages tightly in a channel formed on the inner sides and bottom of the
tub, the packing being drawn tightly against the walls of the channel and holding
the partition rigidly in position by means of a clamping screw which extends
upward through a tapped tube and has its upper end made angular to be engaged
by a key or crank for turning it. The lower end of the screw which projects
below the partition is screw-threaded to engage in a screw-threaded socket in
the bottom of the tub. The tub is centrally mounted on a pillar block movable
vertically in a casing which extends downward through a floor or platform. This
pillar block consists of a lower section and an upper section, the latter section
being in the form of a boss integral with the tub and the two sections are
secured together by means of a drum encasing them. To prevent any oscillating
movement of the pillar block it is provided with a vertical web engaging in a
channel formed in the inner surface of. the casing. The casing is supported in
an outer shell to the lower end of which is affixed, by screws or otherwise, a base.
Arranged centrally in the pillar block is an interiorly screw-threaded sleeve with
which a hoisting screw engages. This hoisting screw passes downward through
an opening in the base and is provided at its lower end with a pinion which
meshes with a gear wheel mounted to rotate on a stud extended downward from
the base and gearing with a pinion which is connected to a tubular shaft which
rotates in a vertical pipe. The shaft bore is made angular in cross section to
receive the correspondingly shaped end of a screw rod mounted to rotate in the
vertical pipe this screw portion of the rod engaging with a thread formed within
said pipe. The vertical pipe extends upward nearly to the top of the tub when
the said tub is in its lowermost position. The upper end of the screw rod pro-
jects through a flange on the tub and it has a collar which engages with the
lower side of the flange. The rod may however be otherwise connected. The
upper end of the rod is made angular to receive a key or crank for operating it.

page_text: By rotating the screw rod in one direction the tub will be elevated to its position
for use in laundry purposes and by rotating the screw rod in the opposite direc-
tion the tub will be lowered. This screw rod not only materially assists in
lifting the weight of the tub and the water that may be contained therein, but
it also serves to steady the tub and relieve the lifting screw of undue lateral
strain. Outlet openings are provided in the bottom of the tub, one being located
at each side of the partition when said partition is in place. These outlets com-
municate with the discharge pipe which telescopes into a fixed pipe which has
connection with the sewer or other point of drainage. Hot and cold water supply
pipes, each provided with a cut-off valve, are connected with the hub and are
movable therewith. These cut-off valves are connected in common, by means of
a connecting pipe, with a discharge spout mounted to turn so that the said
spout may be moved to a position to discharge water into the tub at either side
of the partition, and, obviously, by thus connecting the controlling valves, hot
and cold water mixed may be discharged through the spout or one valve may be
cut off so that only cold water or hot water will be discharged. The lower
portions of the hot and cold water supply pipes are movable vertically in fixed
supply pipes, and to prevent leakage suitable stuffing boxes are provided at the
upper ends of said pipes. To limit the upward movement of the tub I provide
a stop which may be in the form of a rod which passes upward from the base
into a vertical opening in the pillar block and is provided with a head which
engages with the bottom of the opening in the pillar block when the tub is in
its raised position.
From the above description the operation of the device will be well understood,
that is when the tub is to be used for bathing purposes, it is to rest in its lower-
most position and the partition is to be removed. When the tub is to be used for
laundry purposes it is to be elevated and the partition placed in position to
form two wash tubs one of which may be used for washing the clothing and the
other for the rinsing water.
1900
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
A Combined Bath and Laundry Tub.
I, NELLIE FRANCES HURDEL, of 58, East 86th Street, in the City of New York
(Borough of Manhattan), in the County and State of New York, United States
of America, Inventor, lo hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:.
This invention relates to improvements in that class of tubs designed to be
used either as a bath or laundry tub, and it has for its object to provide a tub of
this character with a simple and easily operated means whereby the tub may be
quickly raised or lowered according to the use to which it is to be applied,
whether it be empty or filled or partly filled with water.
I will describe a tub embodying my invention, and then point out the novel
features in the appended claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.

page_text: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tub embodying my invention;
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a bottom view; and
Figure 4 is a partial section and partial side elevation.
Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a tub made of any suitable material,
and having a size substantially like that of an ordinary bath tub. As the tub
is designed at times to be used as a laundry tub, I provide it with a removable
partition 2. The side edges and bottom of this partition 2 are provided with a
flexible packing 3, preferably consisting of a pneumatic tube. When in position,
this packing will engage tightly in a channel 4 formed in the inner sides and
on the bottom of the tub.
For the purpose of drawing the packing tightly against the walls of the channel
and holding the partition rigidly in position, I employ a clamping screw 5.
This clamping screw extends upward through a tapped tube 6 arranged in the
partition, and has its upper end made angular to be engaged by a key or crank
for turning it. The lower end of the screw which projects below the partition
is screw-threaded as at S, to engage in a screw threaded socket 9 in the bottom
of the tub.
The tub is centrally mounted on a pillar block 10, movable vertically in a
casing 11, which extends downward through a floor or platform 12. This pillar
block, as here shown, consists of the lower section 10 and the upper section 10",
the said section 10" being in the form of a boss integral with the tub, and the
two sections are secured together by means of a drum 10 encasing them. To
prevent any oscillating movement of the pillar block in the casing, I have here
shown the pillar block as provided with a vertical web 13, engaging in a channel
formed in the inner surface of the casing 11. The casing 11 is supported in
an outer shell 14, to the lower end of which is affixed by screws or otherwise,
a base 15.
Arranged centrally in the pillar block 10 is an interiorly screw-threaded
sleeve 16, with the threads of which a hoisting screw 17 engages. This hoisting
screw 17 passes downward through an opening in the base 15, and on its lower
eud is provided with a pinion 18, which meshes with a gear wheel 19, mounted
to rotate on a stud extended downward from the base. The gear wheel 19
meshes with a pinion 20, which is connected to a tubular shaft 21, extended into
and designed to rotate in a vertical pipe 22.
The shaft 21 has its longitudinal opening made angular in cross section, so
as to receive the correspondingly shaped end 23 of a screw rod 24 mounted to
rotate in the tube or pipe 22, and this screw portion of the rod engages with a
thread formed within said pipe or tube 22. The pipe or tube 22 extends upward
nearly to the top of the hub, when the said tub is in its lowermost position, as
plainly shown in the drawings. The upper end of the screw rod 24 projects
through a flange 25 of the tub, and it has a collar 26 which engages with the
lower side of the flange. The upper end of the rod 24 is made angular in cross
section, to receive a key or crank for operating it. It may be here said that the
crank or key may be employed both for the screw 5 and the rod 24.
While I have shown the rod 24 as extended through a flanged portion of the
tub, it is obvious that it may be otherwise connected without departing from
the spirit of my invention. Obviously by rotating the screw rod in one direction,
the gearing will be operated to rotate the screw 17, which will elevate the tub
to its position for use in laundry purposes, and of course by rotating the screw
rod 24 in the opposite direction, the tub will be lowered. This screw rod 24
not only materially aids in lifting the weight of the tub and the water that may
be contained therein, but it also serves to steady the tub and relieve the lifting
screw 17 of undue lateral strain.
In the bottom of the tub are outlet openings 27, 28, one being located at each
side of the partition when said partition is in place. These outlets 27, 28, com-

page_text: municate with the discharge pipe 29, which telescopes into a fixed pipe 30 which
has connection with the sewer or other point of drainage.
Hot and cold water supply pipes 31, 32, are connected with the tub and are
movable therewith. As here shown, these pipes 31, 32, are extended through the
flange 25. The pipe 31 is provided at its upper end with a cut-off valve 33, and
the pipe 32 is provided at its upper end with a cut-off valve 34. These cut-off
valves are connected in common with a discharge spout 35 by means of a con-
necting pipe 36. The discharge spout 35 is mounted to turn in the pipe 36 so
that said spout may be moved to a position to discharge water into the tub at
either side of the partition 2, and obviously by thus connecting the controlling
valves, hot and cold water mixed may be discharged through the spout, or one
valve may be cut off so that only cold water or hot water will be discharged.
The lower portion of the pipe 31 is movable vertically in a fixed supply pipe 37,
and the lower portion of the pipe 32 is also movable in a fixed supply pipe 38.
To prevent leakage, suitable stuffing boxes 39 are provided at the upper ends
of the pipes 37 and 38.
To limit the upward movement of the tub, I provide a stop, here shown in the
form of a rod 40, which passes upward from the base 15 into a vertical opening
in the pillar block. The inner end of this rod 40 has a head 41, designed to
engage with the bottom wall of the opening in the pillar block when the tub is
in its raised position.
From the above description the operation of the device will be well understood;
that is, when the tub is to be used for bathing purposes, it is to rest in its
lowermost position, and of course the partition 2 is to be removed. When the
tub is to be used for laundry purposes it is to be elevated and the partition placed
in position to form two wash tubs, one of which may be used for washing the
clothing and the other for the rinsing water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. For use in connection with a vertically adjustable tub, a water supply pipe
carried by the tub, and a water discharge pipe carried by the tub, substantially
as specified.
2. For use with a vertically adjustable tub, a fixed water supply pipe, and a
section of pipe having connection with the tub and telescoping into the fixed
pipe, substantially as specified.
3. In connection with a tub, a pillar block on which the tub is mounted, a
screw engaging in said pillar block, a screw rod extended upward and having
connection with the tub, gear connections between said screw rod and the first
named screw, and a water supply pipe section carried by the tub, substantially
as specified.
4. In connection with a tub, a lifting mechanism comprising a pillar block
on which the tub is mounted, a screw engaging in the pillar block, a screw rod
having gear connection with said screw, the said screw having connection with
the tub, and a headed rod extended into the pillar block and serving to limit the
upward movement of the tub, substantially as specified.
5. In connection with a tub and a removable partition, two water supply pipe
sections carried by the tub, a valve for each of said sections, a swinging spout,
and a connection between each of the valves and said swinging spout substan-
tially as specified.
6. In connection with a tub and a partition therefor, a pneumatic packing on
the edge of said partition and a screw passing vertically through the said partition
and adapted to engage in a threaded socket in the bottom of the tub substantially
as specified.
7. For use in connection with a tub, a pillar block comprising an upper and
a lower section, the upper section being integral with the tub; a casing in which

page_text: said pillar block is vertically movable, and a raising screw engaging the said
pillar block substantially as specified.
8. A vertically movable tub provided with an adjusting device engaging its
bottom, an adjusting device engaging its top edge or flange, and a connection
whereby the two adjusting devices will be operated in unison.
Dated this Ond day of Jument 1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.