US2104210A - Safety system of water supply for bidets and the like - Google Patents

Description

l. SALVONI 2,104,210

SAFETY SYSTEM OF WATER SUPPLY FOR BIDETS AND THE LIKE Jan. 4, 1938.

, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29

INVENTOR.

flppolil'o Saul-oral;

ATTORNEY.

Jah. 4-, 1938. r SALVQN] 2,104,210

SAFETY SYSTEM OF WATER SUPPLY FCR BIDETS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 29, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Q 67 18 a5 19 6967 5 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES SAFETY SYSTEM OF WATER SUPPLY FOR BIDETS AND THE LIKE Ippolito Salvoni, New York, N. Y. 7 Application August 29, 1936, Serial No. 98,619

7 Claims.

This invention relates to sanitary appliances and more particularly refers to improvements in bidets adapted to be mounted on top of a water closet.

In two patents granted to me for Combined toilet and bidet, No. 2,036,984, and Bidet at tachment for water closets, No. 2,036,985, and an application for patent entitled Combined water closet and bidet, Serial No. 23,073, filed May 23, 1935, copending herewith, I have described and claimed bidets adapted to be used in combination with an ordinary water closet, and special combinations of water closet and bidet, designed so as to afiord ample room for the performance of the service for which the bidet is intended.

In designing these types of bidets, I have found it desirable, for the sake of appearance as well as convenience, to embody in their structure ,a simple and reliable system of water supply, and also improved means for discharging the water from the bidet itself.

A special arrangement of water supply means was described by me but not claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 23,073, above mentioned, and another improved arrangement has been described and claimed in another application filed by me on January 8, 1936, for Water supply arrangement for bidetsf, Serial No. 158,073.

In the arrangements shown and described in my patents and copending applications above mentioned, means are provided-for admitting water to the bidet from both a cold and a hot water supply system, the two waters being led to a common mixing chamber and being controlled by individual control valves making it possible to regulate the temperature of the water reaching the bidet.

In the said arrangements, means are also provided for discharging water at the desired temperature into the bidet either from a spout located at or near the edge of the bidet or from a spray nozzle issuing through the bottom of the bidet, and adapted to send an upwardly directed spray against the body of the person using the bidet. 1 7

However, the above mentioned arrangements were found somewhat Wanting from a sanitary standpoint because they fail to provide means for guarding against possible contamination of the water supply by the refuse water of the bidet,,

and means ,for guarding against contamination of the cold by the hot Water supply when the ,hot water is drawn from an unsafe source,

In a fixture such as exemplified by a bidet, it is necessary to provide against the possibility of some of the unclean water contained in the bidet reaching the supply system through back siphonage induced by a vacuum or a reduction in 5 pressure occurring in the supply system, and it is also-necessary to prevent said unclean water from reaching the supply system through seepage by gravity. Furthermore, the same health considerations make it necessary to carefully l0 protect the city water supply against :the possibility of the water flowing through the hot water system intermingling with the safe water supply, in such cases where the hot water is not derived from the same source but is derived from a cistern or from some other source which may be unsafe.

Very frequently water from a cistern is used for supplying hot water in a building, especially because such water is frequently found to be softer than the city water and, therefore, better suited for use in the boilers. Such water is used mainly for washing dishes and utensils and bathing but is unfit for drinking and cooking; therefore; when a direct connection exists be 5 tween the cold and hot water systems, the cold water might become contaminated unless suitable provisions be made for preventing the hot water from intermingling therewith.

In another application for patent entitled Bidets with safety water supply arrangements, filed June 26, 1936, Serial No. 87,376, I have described and claimed a bidet or similar appliance equipped with means'for preventing pollution of the water supply dueeither to back siphonage or 5 to direct cross connection between two sources of water supply.

I have found that, in order to further insure absolutely sanitary conditions, it was advisable to introduce additional improvements in. the 40 bidet structure shown and described in the lastv mentioned application, especially in order to prevent contamination of the water supply by such water as might be contained in the water closet bowl and also in order to absolutely prevent the possibility of contamination by gravity flow; r Y The primary object of this invention, accordingly is to provide, in a bidet, a novel and improved arrangement of control valves affording 51 v positive protection against the possibility of contamination of the water" supply by gravity flow' from the bidet itself.

Another object is to provide, in a bidet adapted to be pivotally mounted on top of a water closet 55 bowl and adapted to be raised from its operative position to an inoperative position where the bidet remains upwardly directed, means insuring full drainage into the closet bowl of such part of the contents of the bidet as might flow back into to its inoperative position.

A further object is to provide, in combination with a closet bowl, a bidet adapted to be pivotally mounted onto the top thereof, said bidet being designed so that when it is lowered to its operative position on top of either the closet bowl or the seat with which the closet bowl is usually equipped, its bottom will remain above the plane of the edge of the closet bowl, so as to absolutely prevent the possibility of water from the closet bowl reaching the inside of the bidet whenever for any reason the closet bowl should happen to be flooded or overflowing.

A still further object is to provide, in a bidet comprising a basin and a supply outlet therefor, adapted to be connected to a source of water supply, a vent adapted tofunction as a vacuum breaker, said vent also serving the purpose of discharging water supplied to the bidet in excess of the capacity of its supply outlet and preventing the formation of an excessive back pressure in the supply line.

An additional object is to provide, in a bidet or similar appliance equipped with a supply outlet adapted for the attachment of a hose carrying a nozzle for internal use, a supplementary passage connected to the supply line in parallel with said supply outlet, said passage being adapted to relieve the pressure of the water delivered to the supply outlet when any excess water is supplied thereto, thereby preventing the possibility of the water issuing from the nozzle at a pressure above that considered safe for internal baths.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation of a water closet equipped with a bidet structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section in an enlarged scale showing the way of mounting the bidet in position and supplying water thereto;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the bidet in its raised position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section through line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view, partly sectioned, of the bidet mounting. and water supply arrangement, through line 6-5 of Fig. i;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view in an enlarged scale through line I-'! of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section in an enlarged scale illustrating a preferred way of providing the water passage with a gravity discharge opening preventing back flow from the bidet into the water supply system;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section illustrating the spray nozzle and discharge outlet;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in elevation in an enlarged scale, partly sectioned, through line !Il-Iil of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 1 1 is a fragmentary vertical section in an enlarged scale through line II II of Fig. 6.

Referring to said drawings, IB designates 21.

water closet bowl made integral with the usual rearwardly extending portion II, on which is hingedly supported seat I2. The bidet I3 consists of a basin-like structurewhich is also pivotally mounted at the rear and can be moved the water supply outlet when the bidet is raised from the position on top of toilet seat I2, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to the raised position shown in Fig. 4. The bidet is preferably provided with a cover I 4, also pivotally mounted and movable independently of the bidet.

The coaxial pivotal mounting of the seat, bidet, and cover is clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6, where it is seen that the bidet I3 is carried by a bracket 15, rearwardly extending therefrom, said bracket having two depending ears I8, I'i, one at each side thereof, fixed onto a pivotal shaft I8.

Said shaft is rotatable within a support I9, upwardly extending from the rear extension II, the base plate 23 of said support being shown provided with a slot 2I, through which can be inserted the head 22 of the bolts securing said support onto the bowl.

At each end, shaft 58 is formed with a threaded extension 23, 24, on which is screwed a nut such 25, 26, said nuts in their turn forming pivotal supports for arms 25', 26, carrying the seat I2; and for arms 21, 28, carrying the cover I4.

The lower portion I9 of the support I9, is shown provided with a passage 29, extending from one side of the support to the other, one

end of said passage being closed by a plug 30 and the other end being provided with a fitting 3|, carrying another fitting 3I, which can in its turn be connected to sources of cold and hot water sup-ply by means of valves 32, 33.

Plug 39 and fitting 3i are interchangeable, so that the water connection can be made at either side of the support I9, in order to facilitate the installation of the device where the water closet is close to the wall, which wall in practice can be either at the right of left of the water closet bowl.

Passage 29 communicates with the space hous ing pivotal shaft I8 by means of a branch passage 34. Pivotal shaft I 8 is bored from one of its ends to a point somewhat beyond branch passage 34, so as to provide an axial passage 35, which can be reached by the water coming through passages 29, 34. To this end, pivotal shaft I8 is also provided with a radial opening 35, extending from passage 35 to the periphery of said shaft, said opening being adapted to register with passage 34, when the bidet is in its lowered position, as shown in Fig. 3.

Water thus admitted to passage 35 will reach the bidet by way of bracket I5, one of the ears 55 of said bracket being provided with a passage 3?, registering with a radial passage 33, extending from passage 35, to the periphery of shaft I8.

Said passage 31 extends at 39 in a transversal direction to a central block 4!] of bracket I5, said block forming the body of a valve comprising a rotatable member 4!, actuated by a handle 42; said rotatable member being inserted in a housing 43, provided in block 40, and being retained in position by a threaded gland M. The tightness of the valve structure is assured by means of a packing 45, compressed by said gland.

The lower end of member 4! is provided with an axial opening 45, which is in its turn provided with a radial inlet 4'! registering with extension 39 of passage 31. Said opening is is furthermore provided with two angularly and longitudinally displaced radial outlets 48, 49, adapted to register with an inlet 50, discharging into the bidet from the upper portion thereof and a tubular inlet 5| discharging into the bidet from the bottom thereof, respectively.

In one of its angular positions, shown in Fig. 3, rotatable member 4| connects inlet 50 to the water supplycircuit, so that if valves 32, '33 are opened, water will be discharged into the bidet through inlet 50 so as to fill the bidet. In its other angular position, rotatable member 4| con nects the water supply system with tubular passage 5|, at the same time closing inlet 50.

The purpose of this arrangement is to either discharge water downwardly into the bidet in order to fill it, or else to discharge water from the bottom of the bidet in'the form of an upwardly directed spray. The tubular passage 5| leads to a block 52, formed with a threaded portion 53, said portion being inserted through the bottom of the bidet and upwardly extending therefrom; said threaded portion being provided with a central passage 54, communicating with tubular passage 5|, said passage 54 being open at the upper end.

Block 52 is retained in position by means oi a nozzle 55 screwed over part 53, said nozzle being provided with a cluster of outlet openings 56.

The bottom of the bidet is also provided with a set of perforations 51, surrounding nozzle 55, and a gland shaped sleeve 58 carrying a rubber washer '59 is inserted over said nozzle.

Sleeve 58 is provided with a flaring clearance space under the head of nozzle 55, and'the nozzle is provided with an annular recess 6!, within which is housed an expansible ring 62.

In the normal'position shown in the drawings (see Fig. 9), the gland-shaped sleeve is pushed downward to where washer 59 rests against the bottom of the bidet, preventing liquid contained within the bidet from being discharged through perforations 51; the gland-shaped sleeve being frictionally retained in this position by the expansible ring '62. Whenever it should become necessary to drain liquid from the'bidet the gland-shaped sleeve is raised to the position where the bottom surface of its clearance space 60 abuts against the rabbeted surface 63 under the head of the nozzle. In this position, expansible ring 62 will have a chance to expand against the flaring surface of clearance space 60 and will hold the sleeve in its raised position.

The sleeve is preferably made gland shaped so that it will provide a convenient means for attaching a rubber hose toit when it should be desired to use the water spray for internal cleansing.

' In order to prevent splashings, perforations 51 are covered by shell 64,, at the lower side of the bidet, said shell being provided with a deflecting plate 65 and a central discharge opening 66. By virtue of this arrangement the water issuing from perforations 51 is deflectedand combined into a single stream which will issue through discharge opening 66. i

The deflecting plate 65 may be welded to the shell and the complete shell structure may be held in position by a screw 61 fastened to the head of nozzle 55, the diameter of said screw being, of course, smaller than that of passage 54.

From the sanitary standpoint it is important that all possible provisions be made to insure against the possibility of contamination of the water supply by unclean water contained in the bidet. As a first step I have reduced the depth of the basin portion of the bidet as. against that shown in my copendi-ng application entitled Bidets with safety water supply arrangementsZ-Serial No. 87,376,1iled June v26, 1936, so that the discharge outlet 66 at the bottom of the basin remains well above the top of the water closet bowl, as Fig. 13 clearly shows.

This prevents the possibility of polluted water from the bowl reaching the inside of the basin when the bowl should happen to be flooded or overflowing.

As a-second step I have provided an additional vent 68 in bracket l5, said vent extending from extension 39 of passage 31. Vent 68 thus connects passage 31-139 with the atmosphere and constitutes a vacuum breaker preventing liquid from being drawn from the basin by suction in the supply line whenever a vacuum in the supply line should occur.

Referring more especially to Figs. 6, 8, it will be seen that vent 68 is interposed between housing 43 of rotatable member 4| and passage 31, so that when the bidet is raised, any-part of the contents thereof that should 'perchance enter inlet-50 can be drained through vent 68 before it has a chance to reach axial passage 35.

However, even if part of such unclean water should perchance passbeyond vent .68 and reach axial passage 35, it is impossible for it to reach and contaminate the water supply system, as will be presently explained. Referring to Figs. 3, 4, it is seen that the housing of pivotal shaft 18 is provided with a vent 69 angularly spaced from the outlet of passage 34 so that said vent will connect passage 34 with the atmosphere through a peripheral cut 10 provided in pivotal shaft i8, when the bidet is raised to its inoperative position shown in Fig. 4. During the tilting movement of the bidet and its carrying shaft [-8 from its operative 'to its inoperative position, radial passage 36 will first move out of register with passage 34, then it will pass across vent 69, and then it will pass beyond it, to the position shown in Fig. 4.

It is thus obvious that before any water that should perchance reach passage 39 through inlet 50 during the raising of the bidet may have a chance to pass beyond vent 68 and reach axial passage 35, communication between said passage 35 and passage 34 will already have been closed, and no part of such water can possibly reach the supplysystem.

By virtue of this construction .a communication with the atmosphere will be established for passage 34 also when the bidet is in its raised position. This practically means the elimination of the direct cross connection between the two sources of water supply at the mixing chamber,

which would follow as a result of the closing of passage 34. Therefore, if one or both control valves should be left open while the bidet is in its raised positon, or should be leaking, the water flowing beyond the valve or valves would be discharged through vent 69 and would ultimately reach the closet bowl, and no contamination of the safe by an unsafe water supply can occur.

It will be observed that when the bidet is lowered to operative position water supplied to axial passage 35 can be simultaneously discharged through passages 38, 31, leading. to the bidet and vent 68, ultimately discharging into the bowl. This represents an additional advantage in that said vent 68 represents a relief means capable of taking care of the overflow and preventing water from being delivered from the spray nozzle at the bottom of the bidet at an excessive pressure.

Preferably, in proximity of said vent 68, the water is caused to pass through a restricted opening 1|, provided by a bushing 12 inserted within passage 39. By virtue of this construction the velocity of the water stream will be increased at such point and said stream will tend to continue in the same direction without being deflected through vent 68 unless there is sufficient back pressure forcing it in part to do so.

In view of the fact that, as stated, the sleeve 58 can be used as a means for attaching a hose carrying at the other end a nozzle for internal use, it is extremely important that the water be delivered through such nozzle at a relatively low pressure, because higher pressures are dangerous and their use could have harmful consequences.

In order to prevent leakages, the housing of shaft I9 is provided with packings such as 13, held in position by threaded bushings such as M, and gaskets 15 are inserted under the head of nuts 25, 26.

The bidet should be prevented from falling down on the seat with too great a force, and should preferably be retained in its inoperative position. To this end one or two torsional springs, such as T6, are inserted within support I9 around shaft l8, said spring or springs being attached at one end to the support l9 and at the other end to arm I6 or IT, or both, of bracket l5.

Said spring or springs are designed so as to normally retain the bidet and its cover in the raised position shown in Fig. 4 and to offer a certain resistance to the lowering of the bidet, said resistance, however, being just about counter-balanced by the gradually increasing leverage of the bidet when the bidet is lowered in position. In this manner a smooth and easy action without any damaging effects on the water closet seat, and free from noise, is assured.

In my copending application entitled Bidets with safety water supply arrangements, Serial No. 87,376, I have described and claimed the use of special safety devices for preventing back siphonage in such cases Where contaminated water from the fixture might reach the water supply system when a vacuum or reduction in pressure should occur. Such devices include a vacuum breaker having its air ports at a point above the level of the top of the bidet. However, it is also extremely important to guard against the possibility of polluted Water reaching the sup-- ply lines by gravity discharge and in order to insure this condition I have introduced another improvement in the structure described and claimed in my said pending application by raising the control valves to a position where the seat of each control valve also remains above the level of the top of the bidet. This positively prevents the possibility of water reaching the supply line by gravity discharge if the basin of the bidet should, for any reason, he filled to a point where inlet 59 would be flooded, or where a back flow should become possible through nozzle 55 and passage 5|.

In order to insure absolute safety and prevent the possibility of the device being improperly installed through carelessness or inexperience of the plumber, I have incorporated the necessary safety devices in the fittings 3 |--3|', so that said devices form an integral part of the bidet structure itself.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 10, 11, it will beseen that the control valves 32, 33, to the inlet end of which 32, 33, are connected cold and hot water pipes 17, 18, respectively, are each provided with an outlet passage such as 18 leading to a common mixing chamber 19. A stud having an axial passage 8| connected to annular chamber I9 by means of radial passages 82 serves to fasten fitting 3| to fitting 3|.

In a similar manner, fitting 3| is fastened to the support |9 by means of a stud 83 provided with an axial passage 84 leading to passage 29 in the support, said passage 84 being connected to an annular chamber 85 in the fitting by means of radial passages 86.

Passage 8| of stud 89 communicates by means of radial ports 82' with a downwardly directed passage 8'! leading to a Well 88 provided in fitting 3| and from there to the inside of a tubular riser 89 vertically extending therefrom. At the top, said riser is provided with perforations 90 through which Water coming from passage 8| can pass and reach an annular chamber 9| surrounding riser 89, said annular chamber being formed by another vertically extending tubular member 92 concentric with riser 89.

The upper end of tubular member 92 is closed by a cap 93 having a number of laterally extending air inlets 94 leading to an air chamber 95 having an outlet 95 opening into chamber 9|.

Said outlet 96 is normally open and is controlled by a valve 91 carried by a stem 98 extending through the top of and within tubular chamber 99 formed by riser 89. The portion of said stem within said chamber 99 is provided with a series of disks I99 of buoyant material, such as cork, acting as a float, so that when water is admitted to chamber 99 and rises within said chamber to flow through openings 98 at the top, said float will cause valve 91 to rise to a position where it will close outlet 96, as shown in Fig. 11. When the water ceases to flow, the weight of valve 91 and parts attached thereto will cause said valve to drop so that the air passages 94, 95, 96 will remain open.

From annular chamber 9| water can reach chamber 85 in fitting 3| by means of a passage |9|. The structure including elements 88 to |9| is known as a vacuum breaker and serves to prevent back siphonage from the bidet, its function, being the establishment of an air break between the bidet and the supply line so that in case a vacuum should at any time be formed in the supply line, the air sucked through passages 94-9598 would prevent siphonage of the contents of the bidet, if either discharge inlet 59 or 5| should happen to be submerged.

It will be observed that the seat Hi2 of the control valves is at the level indicated by line a-a in Fig. 10, whereas the top of the bidet is at a lower level indicated by line b b, so that at no time can gravity back flow reach the control valves.

If one of the waters supplied to the bidet should be obtained from a doubtful or unsafe source, the outlet of the valve controlling the safe water supply could, if desired, be equipped with additional safety devices, such as described in my copending application, Serial No. 87,376, above referred to, comprising elements numbered from 95 to I98 in the drawings forming part of said application; although vents 68, 69 have in practice been found sumcient to satisfactorily prevent the pollution of one water by the other, that might occur as a result of the direct cross connection.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the water supply is effectively insured against contamination by gravity discharge or by back siphonage by intermingling of one Water with another, such as might occur as a result of a direct cross connection.

The constructional details of my invention may vary from those shown without departing from the inventive idea. The drawings should, therefore, be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense.

I, accordingly, reserve the right to carry my invention into practice in all those ways and manners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bidet of the character described, adapted to be pivotally mounted on top of a water closet bowl provided with a seat, and to rest upon said seat, said bidet having a bottom outlet for discharging its contents through the opening in said seat, directly into the bowl, said outlet remaining above the level of the rim of said bowl, when the bidet is moved to its operative position upon said seat.

2. A device of the character described comprising a bidet adapted to be pivotally mounted on top of a water closet bowl, a support for said bidet means for directing water to said bidet mounted on said support, and a control valve having its outlet end directly connected to said directing means and its inlet end connectible to a source of water supply, the seat of said valve being at a level higher than that of the rim of said bidet.

3. A device of the character described comprising a bidet adapted to be pivotally mounted on top of a water closet bowl, a support for said bidet means for directing water to said bidet mounted on said support, and a control valve having its outlet end directly connected to said directing means and its inlet end connectible to a source of water supply, the seat of said valve being at a level higher than that of the rim of said bidet, and a vacuum breaker interposed between said valve and said directing -means, said vacuum breaker also having its air ports at a level higher than that of the rim of said bidet.

4. In a' device of the character described a bidet adapted to be pivotally mounted on top of a water closet bowl, said bidet having an inlet and a passage for leading water to said inlet, said passage being provided with an open vent ahead of said inlet and having a restriction in proximity of said vent, causing at such point a decrease in the section and an increase in the velocity of a stream of liquid forced through said passage, said vent being adapted to act as a siphon breaker preventing liquid being sucked from said bidet through said passage, and. being adapted to discharge the overflow and relieve the pressure of the liquid issuing from said incation between said water directing means and the atmosphere when said bidet is in said inoperative position, so as to neutralize the effect of the direct cross connection formed by the two sources of water supply.

6. In a device of the character described, a bidet having an inlet, a support therefor, a member carrying said bidet pivotally mounted on said support, a passage in said member leading to said inlet, a feed passage in said support, a port in said member establishing a connection between said passages when the bidet is in its operative position, said port being closed when said bidet together with its carrying member is tilted to its'inoperative position, a vent through said support, and a peripheral groove in said pivotal member connecting said feed passage with said vent when said bidet reaches said inoperative position.

'7. A bidet of the character described, adapted to be mounted on top of a water closet bowl, said bidet having a bottom outlet for discharging its contents directly into the bowl, said outlet remaining above the level of the rim of said bowl,

when the bidet is moved to its operative position above said bowl.

IPPOLITO SALVONI.

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