US2771613A - Floor protecting mat - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 1956 A. V. MARKIEWICZ FLOOR PROTECTING MAT Filed June 2, 1954 United States. Patent O i 2,771,613 FLOOR PROTECTING MAT Anna V. Markiewl'cz; St. Louis, Mo. T Application June 2, 1954, Serial No. 434,005

1 Claim. (Cl. 4-252) This invention relates to floor protecting mats, and more particularly, to protecting mats for use in conjunction with a toilet bowl.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 188,420, filed October 4, 1950, since abandoned, also entitled Floor Protecting Mat.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a flexible absorbent mat of the class described which is adapted to fit closely with the base of a toilet bowl completely around the bowl above the usual flange at the base of the bowl, whereby the mat .is completely effective to protect the flooring from water running down the outside of the bowl; the provision of a mat of this class which is adapted to lie flat on the floor; the provision of a mat of this class so constructed as to be applicable around bowls of difierent shapes and sizes. Other features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the mat of this invention as used in connection with a toilet bowl; and,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the underneath side of the mat.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawings, there is illustrated a toilet generally designated 1 and having the usual bowl 3 and a water compartment 5. The bowl 3 is attached by its base to floor 7 in the customary manner, as by bolts 9 passed through a suitably apertured flange 11 formed at the base of the bowl.

The mat 13 of this invention is adapted to surround the neck of bowl 3 at its base and cover a substantial area of the floor 7 around the toilet. This mat is made of flexible absorbent material, which is preferably washable, such as a pile fabric having a fabric backing 15 and pile facing 17 on the backing. The mat is generally pear shaped having a central opening 19 and a sectorshaped opening 21 from the rear of the central opening 19 to the outer periphery of the mat at its rear. The sides of the central opening 19 are somewhat convergent toward the rear of the mat, and the sides of the sectorshaped opening 21 are divergent from an apex at the rear of the central opening to the rear of the mat when the mat is completely flat. A border of elastic material 23 is shown as extending completely and continuously around the inner edge of the backing 15 on the underside of the backing and bounding the central opening from the edge of the backing on one side of the inner end of the sector-shaped opening 21 to the edge of the 2,771,613 Patented Nov. 27, 1956 backing on the otherside of the inner end of opening 21 for tight engagement of the inner edge of the backing with the neck of the toilet bowl 3 over the flange 11. In lieu of the elastic border, a draw string or stiffening band could be used around the central opening.

The opposite sides of the sector-shaped opening 21 are adapted to be secured together by slide fastener means as indicated at 25 and 27 secured to the backing 15 along said sides. The slide fastener means are shown as attached to the backing on the underside of the mat so that when the fastener is closed, the pile 17 overlaps and covers the fastener. A stiifening band 29 may be located along the outer border of the mat, if desired.

The mat is positioned for use by opening it at 21 and folding back the areas adjacent the opening 21 so that the mat may be placed in position encircling the neck of the bowl 3. The opening 21 is then closed by bringing its sides together by means of the slide fastener. This is accomplished by lifting up the back portion of the mat. The bringing together of the sides of the sector-shaped opening 21 results in a humping up of the inner border 23 of the mat with the result that it tightly engages the neck of the bowl covering; the entire base above the flange 11, thereby preventing leakage between the bowl and the mat. While the inner border is humped up over the flange, the remainder of the mat lies flat on the floor. If the mat did not engage the neck of the bowl above the flange, there would be a tendency for the mat to slide sidewise off the base and over the flange and form a gap between mat and bowl. After the opening 21 has been secured, the mat is effectively held against slippage, such as might be caused in everyday use by persons using the toilet. Moreover, the rear portion of the mat serves to catch condensate forming on the water compartment 5 or back of the bowl 3.

The mat shown herein is adapted, by reason of the sector-shape of opening 21, to fit tightly around the neck of toilet bowls of various circumferences, with its inner border humped up over the flange and covering the entire base of the bowl, with the remainder of the mat lying flat on the floor. In this respect it will be noted that the slide of the slide-fastener may be locked at various positions along the length of the sides of opening 21 thereby permitting variation in the effective circumference of the inner border. Since the fastener or other means of securing the opening is located on the underneath side of the mat, the pile above it overlaps to prevent any leakage at the rear of the bowl.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A floor mat for use in connection with a toilet bowl, comprising a fabric backing having a central opening adapted to receive and fit closely with a toilet bowl adjacent the floor and above any flange at the base of the bowl, the sides of said opening converging toward the rear of the mat, the backing having a sector-shaped opening from the rear of the central opening to the periphery of the mat at its rear, the sides of said sector-shaped opening being divergent from an apex at the rear of the central opening to the rear of the mat when the mat is completely, flat, a border of elastic material extending completely and continuously around the inner edge of the backing on the underside of the backing and bound-- ing the central opening from the edge of the hacking on one side of the inner end of the sector-shaped opening, to the edge of the backing on the other side of the inner end of the sector-shaped opening for drawing the inner edge f the backing; snugly intoengagernent with various toilet bowl. shapes, slidefas'te'ner, means secured to the backing on the underside of the that atopposite sides of the sector-Shaped opening for securing tdgethe'r said' sides, and a pile facing (in the backing;

Rererems'cma' in" me file of this patent" UNITED STATES PATENTS Samuels Dec. 29, Newiin July 8, Wilcott Sept. 7, Beiter Oct. 13, Biewen Jan. 16, Stovall Aug. 24,

- 'FOREI'GNPATENTS Great Britain: ..a-..a. .a...-... Jam. 7,

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