US3550863A - Shower apparatus - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Jane 0. Mc Dermott 46 Birch St., Worcester, Mass. 01603 Appl. No. 774,363

Filed Nov. 8, 1968 Patented Dec. 29, 1970 Inventor SHOWER APPARATUS 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 239/562, 4/145, 239/275, 239/565, 239/566 Int. Cl A62c 37/20 Field of Search 4/145, 146, 147; 239/20, 201, 202, 208, 273, 275, 548,562, 565, 566

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/ l 874 Brown 7/1879 Hennes sy et al. 10/ l 9 1 6 Bergman 12/1929 Coles 3/1934 Barclay 12/1964 Hunter 10/1965 Zysk Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King Assistant ExaminerTh0maS C. Culp, Jr. Art0rneyNorman S. Blodgett ABSTRACT: This invention relates to a shower apparatus and, more particularly, to a shower head located in a recessed shower wall element.

SHOWER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common practice in the building trades to install a shower head on a shower wall by drilling a hole through'one of the tiles. A conduit extends through the hole and the shower head is attached to its free end. Although this arrangement is relatively simple and inexpensive, it is very awkward in appearance. The person using the shower often strokes the protruding shower head with resultant discomfort and, sometimes, serious injury. Furthennore, because the head protrudes into the showerarea, it is necessary to provide a larger area, particularly in the case of a shower stall. Since the shower head is directed angularly downwardly, the person taking a shower never uses that part of the shower stall into which the head protrudes. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a shower apparatus which is safe to use because it does not protrude into a shower stall.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a shower apparatus which has a pleasing appearance.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a shower apparatus which permits the use of a smaller shower stall.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the invention consists of a shower apparatus having a wall element with a cavity adapted to be mounted in the wall of a shower enclosure and-having a shower head mounted on the element within the cavity. More specifically, the wall element has a square outline which is the same size and shape as a tile on the shower enclosure. The head is provided with a valve mechanism having an actuating handle which resides within the cavity. The shower head forms a spray pattern that is directed out of the cavity without striking itsedge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to one of its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shower'apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line Il-ll ofFlG. 3,

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line III-III of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the shower apparatus, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown as having a wall element 11 and a shower head 12. The wall element is formed as a single piece of ceramic with a top wall 13, a bottom wall 14, sidewalls 15 and 16, and a rear wall 17. The inner surfaces of these walls form a cavity 18 which, when the apparatus is mounted in the wall 20 of a shower enclosure, faces inwardly of the enclosure. The element fits exactly into the space normally occupied by a tile of the wall of the shower enclosure. The shower head 12 is mounted on the wall element 11 so that it lies entirely within the cavity.

The spray or shower head 12 is provided with a regulating mechanism 19 having an actuating handle 21 which resides within the cavity.

LII

As is evident in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the shower headl2 is provided with a cylindrical housing 22 mounted on the end of a conduit 23 extending through the rear wall 17 of the wall element 11; The conduit is normally connected to a source of water under pressure. The handle 21 is fastened to the end of a horizontal stem or shaft 24 which extends into the housing parallel to its axis and carries a cam 25. A plurality of nozzles 26 are slidably carried in the portion of the housing facing outwardly and their inner ends are fastened to a tubular cam follower 27 of square cross section. The follower has a divider wall 27 defining a pocket which embraces the cam 25, which cam is in the shape of an eccentric circular'cylinder. The follower can, therefore, be moved forwardly or backwardly by the rotation of the handle 2l'and the shaft 24.'The nozzles all share in this motion. Each nozzle has an axial passage 28 terminating at its rearward end in a conical valve seat 29. Mounted on the rear inner surface of the housing 22 is a horizontal valve pin 31 aligned with each nozzle 26 and having a conical point 32 on its free end which lies in the recess 29 of its respective nozzle.

The operation of the apparatus will be clearly understood in the light of the above description. Water under pressure flows from the conduit 23, enters the housing 22, and flows into the cam follower 27. It flows through the annular space between the conical valve seat 29 of each nozzle and the point 32 of its pin 31. From there the water flows in a stream through the passages 28 of the noules and is directed outwardly into the shower enclosure. The particular details of the manner in which the spray is formed are a matter of design, but it is important that the nozzle arrangement'a-nd the spray pattern be such that it does not strike the edge of the cavity 187 There will be, therefore, no reflective splashing from the surfaces of the cavity and little accumulation of water in the bottom of the cavity. It is desirable to tilt the upper surface'of the bottom wall 14 of the wall element slightly downwardly and outwardly to assure that water does not so accumulate.

It can be seen, then, that the person usingthe shower is free of the danger of striking his head against the shower head. Because the elements are entirely outside of the shower enclosure, it is possible to use a smaller enclosure, particularly in regard to the horizontal dimension in the direction of the spray, i.e., at a right angle to the wall 20 in which the apparatus is mounted. The aesthetic appearance of the shower stall is considerably enhanced by the arrangement of the invention, since a shower head is somewhat of an ugly functional device (no matter how well designed); placing it somewhat out of sight in the recess makes the remainder of the shower stall appear beautifully simple.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Iclaim:

l. A shower apparatus, comprising:

a. wall element having a cavity adapted to be mounted in the wall of a shower enclosure which is lined with rectangular tiles, the wall element having a boxlike configuration with top, bottom, side, and back walls defining the cavity, the outer surfaces of the top, bottom, and sidewalls forming a square outline which is the same size and shape as one of the tiles forming the wall of the shower enclosure;

. a shower head 'mounted on the element with at least a major portion lying within the cavity, the shower head forming a spray pattern that is directed out of the cavity without striking its edges, the shower head being supported by a single conduit passing through the central portion of a back wall of the element, the shower head having a cylindrical outer housing arranged entirely within the cavity with its axis horizontal; and

all of the nozzles to tie them together for simultaneous movement, wherein a cam mounted on the actuating handle stem contacts the cam follower, and wherein a valve pin is mounted on the opposite side of the housing coaxially with each nozzle and having a conical free end lying adjacent the valve seat.

3. A shower apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the wall element is of single-piece ceramic construction.

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