US2910705A - Snug fitting cover for a toilet seat lid - Google Patents

Description

SNUG FITTING COVER FOR A TOILET SEAT LID Filed June 27, 1956 INVENTOR. ELI B. COPLAN J LdFJM/f ATTORNEY United States My invention relates to a cover for a toilet seat lid constructed to fit the lid snugly and to lie flat on the top surface of the lid.

A cover for a toilet seat lid may be held in place by having the margins of the cover fold under the edges of the lid with the margins drawn together under the lid to provide a snug fit. When the margins of the cover are drawn together, folds, or gathers, develop in the cover adjacent the margin. To the extent that the margins of the cover are under the edge of the lid the appearance of the gathers is not important.

However, most lids have hinges which are attached to the lid in a manner to prevent the margins of the cover from being positioned under the lid adjacent the hinges. When the rear margin of the cover lies across the topsurface of the lid to avoid interference with the hinges the folds, or gathers, in the margin of the material detract considerably from the appearance of the cover.

In addition, if the margins of the cover are drawn to, gether by elastic, the tension in the elastic at the margin lying on the top surface of the lid has a tendency to pull the margin of the cover out of a flat position and results in a poor appearing, ill fitting cover.

By the present invention a cover is provided which snugly fits the lid and which lies flat on the top surface of the lid. 1 In brief, the cover has front and side margins which fold under the lid and a rear margin which lies across the top surface of the lid. The cover has elastic sewn around its entire margin. At the front and side margins the elastic is sewn with gathers, or folds, in the cover when the elastic is in the relaxed state so that the cover is stretchable at its front and side margins. At the rear margin the elastic is sewn with substantially no gathers in the cover. With this construction, the tension in the elastic at the front and side margins of the cover I draws these margins together to provide a snug tight fit on the lid. The rear margin, having substantially no gathers and little tension, lies fiat across the top surface of the lid.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a snug fitting, neat appearing cover for a toilet seat.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cover for a toilet seat lid which lies flat on the top surface of the lid and which is held securely on the lid by an elastic band around the entire margin of the cover.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cover for a toilet seat lid which has a tailored appearance yet which is inexpensive, easily manufactured, and readily removable from the lid.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a neat fitting toilet seat lid cover, the rear margin of which lies flat across the top surface of the lid in front of the lid hinges.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with ICQ further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a toilet seat lid with the cover of the present invention installed;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the lid and cover of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the cover and lid of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view through section 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view through section 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view through section 6-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate form of the present invention.

A toilet seat lid is shown generally at 10 in Figure l. The lid is of generally oval conformation and has a curved front edge 12, curved side edges 14, and a straight rear edge 16. The lid is hingedly connected to the toilet by two hinges 20 which are screwed to the top surface 18 of the lid by screws 20a.

The cover 22 is made of a flexible material preferably a sheet of-fabric, and fits over the lid 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The cover is cut with a curved front margin 24, curved side margins 26, and a straight rear margin 28. The front and side margins 24 and 26 extend about the front and side edges 12 and 14 of the lid, respectively to fold under the edges as shown in Figure 2. When the cover is on the lid, the rear margin 28 of the cover lies across the top surface 18 of the lid as shown in Figure 1 and the front and side margins 24 and 26 of the cover pocket the front and side edges 12 and 14 of the lid as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. i

A flexible tube 31 is sewn to the cover around the front, side and rear margins 24, 26 and 28 as shown in Figures 2 and 4. An elastic band 30 is received within the tube and extends around the entire margin of the cover. At the front and side margins 24 and 26, the elastic band 30 is sewn while under tension to the tube 31 and cover. In sewing the band 36 to these margins the elastic band 30 is stretched taut under tension during the sewing operation, while the cover at these margins lies fiat without fields, or gathers. Thus, when the elastic band contracts to the relaxed state after being sewn to the cover, the cover is drawn to create folds, or gathers, 32 as shown in Figures 2 and 5. With these folds or gathers, the front and side margins, 24 and 26 of the cover can expand and contract under the tension of the elastic band 30.

At the rear margin 28, the elastic band 363 is sewn to the cover and tube 31 while in the relaxed state under no tension. During the sewing operation the rear margin 28 lies flat without folds or gathers. Since the elastic band 3d was in the relaxed state when sewn to the cover and tube, no folds or gathers will develop at this margin after the sewing operation. Hence this margin, which is substantially inelastic, wiil lie fiat without unsightly gathers.

In use the cover is placed on the lid with the front and sides of the cover folded under to pocket the front and side edges, respectively, of the lid iii as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The rear margin 28 of the cover lies across the top surface 18 of the lid as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4. The front and side margins 24 and 26 of the cover are stretched when the cover is in position on the lid, and the elastic band at these margins is sufficiently taut to draw the margins together, creating a snug fit on the lid. These margins are underneath the lid as shown in Figure 2, and the presence of the-gathers or folds 32 does not mar the appearance of the cover. The rear margin 28 of the cover has no folds, or gathers, and

consequently this margin will lie flatly and neatly across the top surface of the lid. The elastic along the rear margin 28 is comparatively relaxed with substantially no contraction occurring at this margin, and hence there is no tendency for the margin 28 to be pulled, or drawn, out of position.

A modification of the present invention is shown in Figure 7. In this form of the invention, the elastic band 30 is received in a flexible channel 131. The open end of the channel receives the cover 22 and is sewn thereto. The band 30 is sewn to the channel and cover in a manner similar to that described above.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of the present invention it will, of course, be understood that numerous modifications and alternative constructions may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof. I therefore intend by the appended claim to cover all such modifications and alternative constructions as fall within their true spirit and scope.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A cover for a toilet seat lid having a generally straight back edge with hinges therealong and a generally oval forward portion, said cover comprising: a sheet of flexible material overlying said oval portion of said seat and extending about and under the periphery of said oval portion, terminating in a generally Ushaped edge under said oval portion, the length of said material along said U- shaped edge being substantially greater in length than the length of said U, the portion of said sheet over said seat having a terminal edge forwardly of said back edge of said seat, the length of said material along said terminal edge being substantially equal to the width of said seat along said terminal edge; a flexible tube about said edges of said sheet and attached to said edges, the length of said tube being substantially equal to said lengths of said material along said edges; and an elastic band in and secured to said tube along the entire length of the tube, the portion of said band about said U-shaped edge being, in the relaxed state, substantially shorter than said lengh of said material along said U-shaped edge and also shorter than said length of said U whereby said material about said U will be gathered by said band in any given area in an amount equal to the excess of material in that area and the material across the top of the seat will be flat and taut, the portion of said band along said terminal edge being, in the relaxed state, substantially equal to said length of the material along said terminal edge whereby the band will maintain said terminal edge taut but will not cause said terminal edge to wrinkle.

Beam Feb. 3, 1925 McCamy Sept. 2, 1952

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