US2851695A - Shower enclosure assembly - Google Patents

Description

R. J. DIETRICH 2,851,695

SHOWER ENCLOSURE ASSEMBLY Filed July 8, 1955 Sept. 16, 1958 IN V EN TOR.

.4rraewts4 United States Patent SHOWER ENCLOSURE ASSEMBLY Ralph J. Dietrich, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 8, 1955, Serial No. 520,803

3 Claims. (Cl. 4-154) This invention relates to improvements in bathing stall enclosures generally of the type having at least one movable panel usually, but not always, mounted in tandem with another similar panel itself either movable or stationary, and more particularly has to do with a novel panel construction incorporating a movable closure arranged to provide access from the interior of the bathing stall through the panel and to a towel support at the outside thereof, without requiring opening of the panel itself, the closure and towel support design permitting relative movement of one or both of the panels without interference.

In U. S. Patent No. 2,741,778 entitled, Shower Door Assembly, I describe a towel support and closure construction incorporated in a movable panel in which the closure is ofiset from the plane of the panel. The present invention, while relating to the concepts involved in my prior application, goes further and concerns itself with such improvements as extend the utility of the panel assembly incorporating the closure and towel bar construction particularly as regards saving of space and a working relationship with a second panel, either movable or stationary. Furthermore, the invention embodies certain novel concepts not disclosed in my prior application and particularly adapting the improved construction to multiple paneled shower enclosures.

In accordance with the above concepts, I provide in a pair of panels mounted in side-by-side relation, at least one of the panels being movable relative to the other, a movable closure for a through opening in the upper part of one panel, the closure being fitted into the plane of that panel for purposes as will appear. In addition, a towel bar is mounted at the outside of that panel and preferably opposite the through opening for access from the interior of the shower stall when the panel is closed. It is a particular feature of the invention that the towel bar and closure are mounted on the panel in such a way as to preclude interference with or by the other panel during relative movement therebetween, as, for example, is usually provided for by one or more tracks in which the panels slide. Alternatively, one or both of the panels may be hinged for swinging movement relative to the stall, the closure and towel bar construction taking into consideration this type of panel mounting and providing for non-interference.

Particularly as regards relative sliding movement of one or both of the panels, the mounting of the closure in the plane of the one panel precludes such interference as would otherwise arise were the closure offset from that plane in the path of relative movement of the other panel. The invention contemplates that the tracks shall be sized for relative panel movement in directions away from one another sufficiently for freeing the closure for swinging movement preferably toward the inside of the panels and into the shower stall so that the occupant thereof may gain ready access to the towel bar at the outside of the stall. In addition, the towel bar itself is preferably mounted at the outside of that panel which itr 2,851,695 Patented Sept. 16, 1958 ice . self is mounted at the outside of the other panel, so as again to preclude interference with that other panel during relative movement therebetween.

With these purposes in mind, additional features. and objects of the invention as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment will appear more fully understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation view of the bathing stall panel assembly looking at the exterior side thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cut-away view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a reduced elevational view of the exterior of a slightly modified bathing stall panel .assembly.

The drawings illustrate the bathing stall panel assembly 10 mounted within a rectangular opening 11 formed by tiled stall side walls 12 and base 13, the latter mounting a rectangular frame forming a part of the panel assembly and including vertical side frame members 14 and horizontal top and bottom frame members 15. The frame is constructed in such a manner as to mount a pair of panel members 16 and 17 usually, but not necessarily, substantially in the plane of the frame. For this purpose, in the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the horizontal top and bottom frame members 15 are provided with horizontal tracks 18 extending between the side frame members 14 and adjacent one another, suitable vertical guides 19 confining the tracks and separating them. The side'frame members 14 extend vertically between the top and bottom frame members 15 and may be formed as shown in Fig. 2 to comprise channels opening toward panels .16 and 17 to receive side portions thereof when the panels are closed against the frame.

Referring now to the construction of the panels themselves, they are essentially similar in design, panel 16v comprising a rectangular frame 20 having a U-shaped or channeled cross-section as shown in Fig. 2 opening on all-four sides of the frame toward the center of the panel. An opaque glass pane 21 typically forms the main body of the panel, and in the construction shown the rectangular edges of the pane are enveloped by rubber channels 22 preferably comprising neoprene or other synthetic rubber material and being pressure-set within the channeled frame 20 to form a water-tight construction. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, panel 16 is mounted relatively at the inside of panel 17 with respect to the shower stall interior, and is movable by handle 23 within the upper and lower tracks 18 and into relatively overlapping position with respect to panel 17.

The latter panel has a construction similar to that of panel 16, excepting as regards the upper portion thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, an intermediate frame member 24 extends horizontally between vertical members of frame 20 to form with the upper horizontal member of frame 20 an opening 25 through the upper portion of panel 17. That portion of the panel beneath frame member 24 may corn rise a smaller glass pane 21 mounted by frame 20 as described in connection with panel 16.

Frame member 24 is channeled as is frome 20, both to receive rubber channels 26 carrying flanges 27 formed on a rectangular support 28, rubber channels 26 being pear. To accommodate opening movement of the closure away from the throughopening in the panel, a suitable handle 33 is connected to the inside of frame and to a vertical portion thereof near panel 16.

The construction of the closure 31 may be similar to that of panels 16 and 17, and may typically include an opaque glass pane 34 the edges of which are pressure-set within rubber channels 35 mounted within the channeled rectangular frame 30. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a towel bar 36 is connected between the vertical members of frame 20 to extend horizontally opposite opening 25 in such position as to be accessible from the inside of panel 17 when closure 31 is swung toward the interior of the shower stall. Fig. 1 shows that a towel 37 carried by the bar 36 drapes downwardly opposite the through opening for ready access. Since the closure 31 is positioned between the inside of panel 17 and the towel bar, water from the interior of the shower stall cannot wet the towel when the closure is closed. A bather desiring to dry himself need only swing the closure inwardly toward the stall to gain ready access to the towel, instead of having to open panel 16 or 17 and to step out of the stall. Access to the towel bar from the exterior of the stall may be had at all times to replace the towel, without having to open the closure -or either of the panels.

An important concept embodied in the panel construction concerns mounting the closure substantially in the plane of panel 17 when the closure is closed in order not to interfere with normal usage or movement of panel 17 with respect to panel 16 and in order to economize as regards available space within the shower stall. To illustrate, when the closure is closed against the jambs 32 to lie within the plane of panel 17, either of the side-by- side panels 16 or 17 may be moved into or out of overlapping position with respect to the other without encountering interference from the closure, as would otherwise occur were the closure offset from the plane of panel 17 toward the inside thereof. In addition, panel 17 is positioned at the outside of panel 16 so that the towel bar 36 will not interfere with relative movement of the panels in tracks 18. Finally, the closure is hinged to the vertical portion of rectangular support 28 lying nearest the tile wall 12 to accommodate access through opening 25 by an occupant of the stall, opening movement of the closure conveniently bringing it into proximity to the interior wall of the stall and not into a position projecting toward the middle of the shower stall such as would inconvenience the occupant thereof.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, movable panel 17 is connected for swinging movement away from the plane of frame members 14 and 15 by a vertical piano hinge 38 joined to frame member 14 and to a vertical portion of panel frame 20. Panel 16 may be fixed in place within frame members 14 and 15 or may be movable as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it being the purpose of the modified construction merely to provide an alternate method of providing access to the shower stall as through an entrance provided by the hinged panel 17.

I claim:

1. An improved bathing stall panel assembly, comprising inner and outer upright panels for forming a portion of the stall enclosure, means including a frame mounting said panels in closely overlapping relation for parallel relative movement together from minimum to maximum overlap, said outer panel containing a through opening entirely confined to the upper portion of the outer panel and extending transversely .in the Plane of that panel substantially throughout the width thereof, a movable closure for said opening directly exposed at the inside of the panels for movement by an occupant of the stall when said panels are in minimum overlapping relation, means hinging said closure to said outer panel in closed position in the plane thereof and for independent swinging movement about an upright axis away from closed position at the inside of said panels and relatively away from said inner panel, said closure hinging means being near the upright edge of said outer panel furthest away from said inner panel whereby said panels are relatively movable together sufficiently when the closure is fully open to provide egress from the stall for. said occupant, and a towel bar carried by and at the outside of said outer panel opposite said opening and openly exposed to said closure for carrying a towel accessible through said opening when said closure is opened by a bather at the inside of the outer panel.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said frame includes a track mounting said outer panel and in which said track is sized for movement of said. outer panel in a direction away from the inner panel to free said closure for said inward swinging movement when the panels are in minimum overlapping relation. 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which said frame includes another track and in which said tracks are sized for relative movement of said panels away from one another to free said closure for said swinging move ment when the panels are in minimum overlapping relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,863 Wansbrough May 27, 1902 831,549 Garfinkle Sept. 25, 1906 843,139 Feldman Feb. 5, 1907 1,392,580 Landau Oct. 4, 1921 1,581,776 Altschul Apr. 20, 1926 I 2,197,385 Ricken Apr. 16, 1940 2,374,490 Lehman 1. Apr. 24, 1945 2,741,778 Dietrich Apr, 17, 1956

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