US3483571A - Campers shower - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1969 J. cox, JR 3,483,571

CAMPERS SHOWER Filed July 24, 1967 INVENTOH 5AM J 00X, JR.

BVMM/W nited States Patent 3,483,571 CAMPERS SHOWER Sam J. Cox, .l'r., 409 E. Mm'n St., Charleston, Miss. 38921 Filed July 24, 1967, Ser. No. 655,626 Int. Cl. A471: 3/22 U5. (El. 4-145 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a portable shower for campers.

Portable self-contained showers for campers such as are known to the applicant contain a number of disadvantages and unsatisfactory features. Thus, one such disadvantage is the necessity of heating water in separate containers and then filling the pressurized shower unit. Another disadvantage is complexity in manufacturing the device with the necessity of machining a plurality of inlet openings for filling devices, pressurizing devices and the like. A further disadvantage is that in conventionally cylindrical shaped containers the water supply in the container is not fully utilized.

The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages as will be more particularly explained in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1, in elevation, shows the exterior features of the shower device. FIG. 2 is partially in section and partially in elevation and shows further particulars of the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 the apparatus comprises a generally spherical container having an upper half 1' and lower half 1, secured together as by a weld 2. Suitably the sphere is slightly flattened with the weld being at the equator thereof. Means 5 is provided for filling the container with water and in the embodiment shown includes a threaded plug 6, having a centrally located valve 8 for introducing air. Suitably a handle 7 is secured to the plug, which is shown in cross-section in FIG. 2.

Means for supporting the container over a campfire are supplied in the form of legs 3 secured at their upper ends to the equatorial zone of said sphere, the legs extending below the bottom thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the legs are inclined outwardly from the sphere and secured at their lower ends to a ring having a diameter larger than that of the sphere.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, an outlet for water in the form of a conduit 9 extends through the upper pole of the sphere. As is shown one method of securing the conduit 9 in the sphere is to simply tap a hole in the sphere and insert a threaded portion of the conduit 9 through the upper hemisphere prior to assembly of the upper and lower hemispheres 1, 1. This may simplify the assembly of the device in that the threaded portion of the conduit 9 suitably extends outside of the sphere, thus making it unnecessary to provide an adapter fitting in the sphere and into which the conduit is threaded. Secured to the portion of conduit 9 which is outside of ice the sphere is a valve 12, by means of a nipple 11. Another nipple 16 is secured to the upper end of the valve 12 and fitted thereto is a hose 13 of rubber or other flexible material. The extremity of the hose 13 contains a shower head 14. The hose 13 is suitably secured to the container when not in use with a bracket 15. In use it will be apparent that care'must be taken to avoid burning the hose.

By providing the legs it is apparent that the device may be filled with water and placed over a bed of coals or a campfire to heat the water in the container. An advantage of the air inlet being located centrally of the water inlet plug is that only a single hole for these two fittings needs to be tapped in the container. The generally spherical shape of the container provides at least two advantages. One of these is that the conduit extending interiorly of the sphere and providing an outlet for the water at the bottom of the sphere cooperates with the spherical shape in such a way that substantially the entire supply of water may be utilized. The spherical shape, of course provides a safety feature in that greater strength is provided with a wall of the same thickness than is provided in a container having other shapes.

In operation the plug assembly 5 is removed by means of a Wrench or more desirably by a handle 7 secured to the plug 6, the container is filled with water to a point below the level of the plug thus providing air space above the water, the plug is either left loose or inserted and the device is placed over a campfire, a bed of coals or a camp stove. When the water reaches the desired temperature the plug 6 is tightened to seal the container, and the outlet valve is closed. Then a source of air under pressure, such as a tire pump, is attached to the air inlet valve 8 and air under pressure is introduced into the sphere. When the desired pressure is reached the water outlet valve is opened to the desired extent and the shower is utilized for bathing.

It will be apparent that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. For example, the legs 3 may be shorter than are shown or longer than are shown. The legs may be temporarily secured to the container as by means of a ring secured to the upper end thereof, whereby the spherical container rests loosely therein when in operative position. When not in use the removable stand is then reversible so that the sphere nests in the larger ring at the bottom ends of the legs.

I claim:

1. A portable self-container shower for campers comprising, in combination:

a sealable metal container for water of approximately spherical shape having a spray head leading therefrom by way of an outlet extending from within and through the upper pole of said container and a threaded removable plug for introducing fater,

said plug having extending therethrough a passage for supplying compressed air and an air valve in said passage,

a loop handle secured to said plug and extending in a protective manner over said air valve and serving as a turning means for said threaded plug and as a carrying handle for said portable self-container shower, and

support means including legs secured at their upper ends to the equatorial zone of said approximately spherical shaped container, extending downwardly and outwardly to space said container above a camp fire and secured at their lower ends to a horizontally disposed ring of greater circumference than the equatorial zone of said container.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Shackleford 4156 Grigsby 248153 Campbell 4151 Stewart 4-151 Bnllington 4156 Merriam 4-155 Kilian 248-45 3 Maliniak 24s 1s3 3,080,568 3/1963 Burnett 4-145 3,139,209 6/1964 Wise 248-153 3,332,091 7/ 1967 Greer 4155 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,179,334 5/1959 France.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 3 571 Dated D ember 16, 1969 Inventofls) Sam Cox, Jr.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, lines 4 and 61, cancel "self-container" and insert self-contained Iine 50, cancel "approximately" and insert anproxirnafe line 54, cancel "fater" and insert water SIGNED ANu SEALED JUL21|978 -J Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, In

I WILLIAM E. 'SOHUYIIER, JR. Attesung Officer Commissioner of Patents

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