US2756470A - Sterilizing drinking fountains - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1956 M. sAwcHuK STERILIZING DRINKING FOUNTAINS Filed March 2, 1953 MICHAEL SAWCHUK. by: 4

United States Patent STERILIZING DRINKING FOUNTAINS Michael Sawchuk, Scarboro, Ontario, Canada Application March 2, 1953, Serial No. 339,568

6 Claims. (Cl. 21-102) This invention relates to sanitary drinking fountains.

Drinking fountains employing a water fountain element or discharge nozzle in combination with a bowllike drainage basin have been used for a long period of time operated either intermittently by a control thereon or continuously such that one desiring a drink may require to place the mouth in close proximity to the fountain and in the path of the discharging flow of water. It has long been recognized that this thirst quenching media promotes unsanitary conditions because often the mouth of the drinker contacts the fountain element or discharge nozzle whereas part of the flow of the water returns to the bowl for passage to the drain. The exposed surfaces of these fountains are also contaminated in other ways and as a result, they are often a cause of a spread of contamination and disease to users.

The present invention seeks to avoid these particular 'isadvantages by effectively destroying germs in and around the vital affected areas of drinking fountains by the special construction of fountain operating in conjunction with a source of germ destroying media such as germicidal lamps designed to direct ultra-violet light radiation to vital areas thereof.

The invention generally comprises a drinking fountain in the form of a head having a water discharging fountain element or nozzle carried thereby and adapted to discharge water exteriorly thereof, a source of germ destroying media carried in said head, and a means for moving said nozzle relatively to said germ destroying media to cause said media to impinge on said nozzle. Preferably the germ destroying media is in the form of a gaseous electric discharge lamp or series of lamps emitting ultra-violet light radiation of 25-37 angstrom wave lengths, the rays of which are caused to impinge upon the fountain element or nozzle. Preferably, also, the fountain element or nozzle is movable to be housed within the head when not in use so that its surface is impinged by the germ destroying media emitted from the source. Al ternatively, however, germ destroying media may be carried movably in the housing and moved to overlie the fountain element or nozzle to cause the media to impinge the latter, so that in effect the fountain element or nozzle is movable relatively to the source of germ destroying media.

The invention will be understood by reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view taken from one side of a drinking fountain according to the present invention showing arrangement and location of the parts thereof.

Figure 2 is a perspective view taken more from the front of the fountain; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modification of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a drinking fountain head according to the present invention which takes the form of a generally hollow casing provided with a 2,756,476 Patented July 31 1956 "ice drainage basin 10 of generally conventional form and a drainage outlet 11. In the form of construction illllS' trated, the head is provided with an opening 12 through which a fountain element B may be caused to project to discharge a jet of Water exteriorly of the head, draining into the basin 10.

The fountain element may take the form of a sectorlike element rotatably mounted adjacent its apex on a suitable shaft in well known manner, and which by a suitable actuator 13 disposed on the outside of the head may be swung through the opening 12 to expose the fountain element exteriorly of the head, and conversely swung to encase the element within the head. A spring element 15a may be employed if desired normally to retain the fountain element within the head;

The fountain element is provided with a suitable water discharging passage 14 opening for discharge of water at a suitable point on the arcuate surface of this sectorlike element and likewise opening at the opposite end as at 15 on a surface of the element normally disposed within the head to connect with a suitable flexible hose 16 connected in turn with a valve fitting 17 mounted on a water supply conduit 18. A suitable push-button valve actuator 19 may be included designed to be contacted by a suitable actuating finger 20 carried on the lower end of the fountain head and projecting beyond the pivotal axis of the fountain head so that when the latter is swung outwardly to operative drinking position the finger 19 actuating the button 18 will cause water to flow and discharge in a jet from the fountain head.

Within the head A, l locate a source of germ destroying media, such that when the fountain head is moved within the casing the germ killing media will impinge the surface thereof and eliminate any germs or bacteria that may have accumulated thereon. Preferably the germ killing media takes the form of gaseous electric discharge lamps capable of emitting ultra-violet light radiation of 25-37 angstrom wave lengths and positioned with the head to cause said ultra-violet radiation to impinge the surface of the fountain head as well as the discharge or nozzle opening. These lamps, their socket and wiring therefor, are all well known and can be readily mounted and positioned for the purposes specified so that they have merely been shown in the present illustration diagrammatically. However, it will be obvious that by choice of size of head and arrangement of lamps, these lamps can be positioned within the casing to cause the rays emitted therefrom not only to impinge the leading or arcuate surface of the fountain head but to impinge the side walls thereof as well. Consequently, it is obvious that with a concentration of such rays on the fountain element when the latter is disposed within the head, bacteria and germs which may have accumulated thereon while it was exposed exteriorly of the head, will be readily eliminated to present a germ-free element when it is next exposed for drinking purposes.

While the fountain element may constitute a movable element as above described, it will be obvious that the purposes of this invention may likewise be accomplished when using a stationary fountain element and moving the source of germ destroying media to cause said media to impinge the stationary fountain element. Such a construction is illustrated in Figure 3, wherein the fountain. element or nozzle 21 is stationary disposed to discharge a jet of water exteriorly of the head A into the drainage: basin 10 and the source of germ destroying media such as the germicidal lamps C are mounted suitably on a swingable hood 22 forming part of the head suitably pivoted on the head as at 23, and which may be swung outwardly and downwardly through a suitable opening in the front of the head to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 exteriorly of the head when it encloses the 3;: stationam fountainelementzl. The hood may. take. the form illustrated, namely, sector-like side walls and an arcuate cover extending between the arcuate upper edges of:.these ;Walls,r.:with;;the. germ destroyinglmedia' source;-

being located' on'the interior-'surfaceof the cover and/or fountain element 21. destroying media takeslthe'forrn of gaseous electric discharge lamps emitting ultra-.violet light radiation placed in: circuit'bysuitable wiring 25 which may beiflexibly disposed readily to permit movement .of the hood toand, Alternatively, power supply-:1

from operating position; might be achieved. in very: well known manner by makeand=breakcontact or byswitch'actuated in well known manner, similarly to the button 19 and finger 20 of Figure l, for control of Waterdischarge, such devices, however, being sovwell known that for'thepurposes of simplicity of "illustration such an illustration has not been made.

In general, it will bemanifest that the invention mainly concerns a means of moving a fountain element relatively to=a source of germ destroying media so thatwhen the fountain elementis'inactive, it will be impinged by the germ destroying media. Furthermore, while the specific source of germ destroying media proposedis ultraviolet ray radiation, it is clear that some other source of germ destroying media may be known or'devised which could be I used practicably in the same manner. Obviously, therefore, any source of germ destroying media would be equally applicable to the principle of this invention.

It will be clear from the foregoing that through a simple combination and construction, theinvention will operate to prevent in a large measure at least, the possible spread of germs and disease. Moreover, it should beunderstood while -I' have shown preferred forms of constructionchanges may be made within the principle of theinvention. 1 Thedisclos'ure, therefore, should not be subject to limitation other than those limitations imposed by theappended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. A drinking'fountain comprising, a casing having 'an 4 within said headv mounted to. impinge on saidsnozzle when the latter is moved to a position interiorly of said head.

2. A drinking fountain as claimed in claim 1 in which the germ destroying media comprises a gaseous electric discharge lamp emitting ultraviolet light radiation disposed to project rays onto said nozzle.

3. A drinking fountain as claimed in claim 1 in which said fountain element comprises, abody, said nozzle being mounted on one side of said body, aside of! said: body other than said latter mentioned side beingadapted to substantially close said opening"in"said head'wlien' said fountain element is moved tol dispose saidinozzle within said head. I

4. A drinking fountain'as claimed in'claim 1 in which said fountain element comprises, a body, said nozzle being mounted on one side a side of said body other than said latter mentioned side being adapted to substantially close said opening in said head when said fountain elementl'is moved to dispose. said nozzle within said head, said'g'erm destroying media comprising a gaseous electric discharge.

lamp emitting ultra violet light radiation disposed to pro! ject'raysonto said nozzle;

5: A-drinking fountain as claimed in claim 1 in which: said fountain element comprises a sector-like body, .saidbody being 1 pivotally mounted-adjacent its apex, said nozzle being mounted on the-side thereof opposed to the apex thereof, a side extending from said apex being adapted to substantially. close said opening in said head when said fountain element is moved to dispose said body being pivotally mounted adjacent its apex, saidnozzle being mounted on the side thereofopposed to the apex thereof, a side extending from said apex' being adapted to substantially close saidopening in said head when said fountain'element is moved todispose'said nozzle within said head, said germ destroying media comprising a gaseous electric discharge lamp emittingultraviolet radiation disposed to project rays onto said nozzle;

References-Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,165,034 Stocking Dec. 21,1915 l,885,-252 Gaishman' Nov. 1, 1932' 2,028,256 Stevens a Jan. 21, 1936 2,199,301 Bonnefoy Apr. 30,1940 2,623,367 Morrison Dec. 30, 1952 2,637,819 Mumma May'5, 1953

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