US3117657A

US3117657A - Shower enclosure

Info

Publication number: US3117657A
Application number: US15730A
Authority: US
Inventors: Salvatore J Bruno
Original assignee: R B WYATT Manufacturing CO Inc
Current assignee: R B WYATT Manufacturing CO Inc
Priority date: 1960-03-17
Filing date: 1960-03-17
Publication date: 1964-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-14

Description

Jan. 14, 1964 s. J. BRUNO y 3,117,657

SHOWER ENCLOSURE Filed March 17. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR sALvA-roRE BR-UNO BY fm ATTORNEY Jan. 14, 1964 s. J. BRUNO SHOWER ENcLosuRE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17. 1960 INVENTOR SALVATORE J. BRuNo III'II ATTORNEY Jan. 14, 1964 s. J. BRuNo sHom-:R ENcLosURE Filed March 17. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Hummm SAL VATN/NJFJZU NO BY m ATTO R N EYS United States Patent O 3,117,657 SHOv all ENCLQSURE Salvatore Il. Bruno, Roslyn Heights, Nfl., assigner to l. E. Wyatt Manuiact ring So., line., Brooklyn, N Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. l7, 1960, Ser. No. 15,730 Claims. (Cl. 189-45) This invention relates generally to shower enclosures, and more particularly is directed to an improved construction for sealing such enclosures against uid leakage in both the sliding glass door and the hinged door types of compartment and bathtub shower enclosures.

Various types of sealing arrangements have been suggested which are speciically adapted to either sliding panel constructions such as windows and the like or to hinged panel constructions such as conventional doors. Applicant has devised a novel concept of sealing which is adapted for both types of shower enclosures, and which, due to its avoidance of the conventional complicated labyrinth arrangement, is inexpensive to manufacture and install while still providing a highly satisfactory lluid seal.

One of the obiects of this invention is to provide a shower enclosure which is completely sealed against fluid leakage when the door means is in closed position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shower enclosure in which the same size doors can be used with front openings of varying widths.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid tight shower enclosure in which the sealing means extends only in a direction transverse to the piane of the doors.

According to one aspect of the invention, the door assen-bly for closing the iront of the shower enclosure inc` des a frame extending around all of the enclosure which has an inwardly directed iiange thereon. The huid tight shower door means lits within the frame and carries l'lexible sealing means which extend from the door means only in a direction transverse to the plane of the ange. The sealing means extends around the entire door means and is located so as to engage the `Flange means about its entire length when the door means is in closed position.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. l is an elevational view of a sliding door shower enclosure embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of FlG'. l;

FlG. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3 5 of l;

FlG. 4 is an elevational view of a hinged door shower enclosure embodying the present invention;

PEG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along lthe line 5 5 of FlG. 4;

PEG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line 5 6 of lilG. 4; and

FG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the sealing member utilized in the present invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. l to 3, inclusive, thereof, where the present invention is shown applied to a shower enclosure for a bathtub shower of the sliding door type. The shower enclosure includes a pair of glass paneled doors l@ and ll which are siidably mounted and adapted to serve as an openable closure or shield for the bathtub shower. ln this type of shower, the bathtub l2 is permanently enclosed along one longitudinal side and at both of the opposite ends by vertically extending walls i3, ld and l5. Although the three walls i3, 14 and l5 are shown as structural walls with the bathtub l2 fitting into the alcove formed thereby, it is to be understood that, in those installations having the bathtub installed in a corner, one or the other of the end walls la and l5 may be formed by a fixed, glass paneled partition as a part of the shower enclosure. In either case, the tub serves as a receptacle for the waste shower water and the upstanding walls i3, 14 and l5' deiine a compartment or enclosure that is open at the outer longitudinal side ot the tub.

This open side of the shower compartment is adapted to be closed by the doors lil and 11 which, for this purpose, are guided, at their upper and lower edges, by guide tracks lo and i7, respectively. The lower guide track 17' is mounted on, and extends along, the outer longitudinal edge or rim of the tub l2, while the upper guide track lo extends parallel to the lower track and is spaced vertically from the latter by

end members

18 and 19 which are suitably secured to the walls le and l5. Guide tracks l5 and i7 and end members 1S and 19 combine to form an outer frame for the doors 1li and ll.

Each of the doors lll and ll is provided with a rectangular frame 23, of extruded metal or the like, within which is iitted a panel 2l of glass or any other suitable, preferably transparent or translucent material. The doors are each of a width slightly exceedinc one hair the width of the opening trained by the tracks le and 17 and the members l5 l? so that they can be extended across the Outer frame and overlap slightly at the center. The inner and outer edges of guide tracks le and 17 and end trarne members liti and i9 combine with the inner edges of the frames Ztl to form an inwardly directed flange about tde entire shower enclosure front opening.

The doors lil and l move in parallel vertical planes that are oiiset relative to each other and delined by the guide tracks 'i6 and i7. As seen in FIG. 2, the upper guide tra-cit le has a laterally extending top wall 22, side walls 23 and Z4:- depeuding from the Opposite longitudinal edges of top wall, and a central wall or partition 25 also depending from the top wall and spaced equally from the side walls so that two downwardly opening channels or grooves Z6 and 27 are deiined between the depending walls to receive the upper edge portions of the doors il) and ll, respectively. if desired, and particularly in those installations where the upper guide traclt lo is mounted against the ceiling or other permanent structure of the bathroom, the upper track le may further include outwardly flaring mounting wings Z8 and 29 extending upwardly from the opposite edges of top wall 22 and adapted to abut, at their edges, against the ceiling to deine a space 3G between the wings that can receive caulking or any other watertight sealing compound. Located centrally in each of the channels and Z7 are roller guide ribs 26a and 27a which guide grooved rollers 31 and 32 rotatable about a horizontal axis.

Preferably, the doors lil and ll have rollers Sla and 32a, respectivel which may be of nylon and loosely engage in the related channels 2e and 27 of the upper track, such rollers being rotatable about vertical axes. These rollers, as shown in FG. 2, have diameters greater than the thi ltness of the door frames 2.@ so that the latter are held out of frictional contact with the surfaces of the depending walls 23, Z4 and 25 and resistance to sliding of the doors is thereby minimized.

The bottom traclt 17 embodying the present invention has a proiile or cross-sectional configuration that is best seen in llG. 2 and includes spaced apart, parallel vertical side walls 33 and 3d which, at their lower edge portions, diverge or ilare away from each other to form wings 3S and 36, respectively. A bottom wall 37 extends laterally etween the side walls 33 and 34 immediately above the wings 35' and 36 and, as shown, slopes or inclines downwardly from the outer side wall 33 to the inner side wall 34. Flanges 3S and 3E? extend laterally toward each other from the internal surfaces of side walls 33 and 34, respectively, and are spaced upwardly from the bottom wall 37. The llanges 38 and 39 have widths that are substantially less than one half the distance between the side walls, and the spaced free edges of the i'langes are turned upwardly to denne rails, as at 4i) and 4l. The doors l) and ll have grooved support rollers l2 and d3 rotatably mounted in the lower portions of their respective frames 2? and projecting downwardly from the latter to ride on the rails d@ and 41, respectively, thereby to facilitate the sliding movement of the doors l@ and El. The

rollers

42 and 43 may also be of nylon to reduce the noise of operation and to avoid the necessity of providing a lubricant. The doors lil and l1 may also have rollers 4f:- and i5 which are similar to upper rollers la and 33a and prevent frictional contact between walls 33 and 3d and doors 1t) and 11 thereby facilitating sliding of doors and ll.

In mounting the lower traclr 7 on the outer longitudinal edge of a bathtub l2, the rim of the tub may extend between me wings 35 and 3:3, as sh wn in FlG. 2, with the remainder of the space under the bottom wall 37 being filled by a suitable caullo'ng, or other watertight, compound. Vvhere the lower track i7 is to be mounted on a tub having a wide, ilat rim, or on the sill or a stall or compartment shower, the lower edges or the

wings

35 and 36 may rest upon the bat-.tub rim or sill and the entire space under the bottom wall 357 and between the wings may be filled with a caullcing compound.

End frame members lli and l? have spaced inwardly directed channels 46 and @7, which receive the ends of doors i() and l1 and are formed by inwardly directed walls t?, 51, and 52 which are connected by end web 53. Outwardly directed walls S4 and 55' extend from end web 53 and are received in channel member 55. This construction permits to adjustment of the end frame members lS and 19 inwardly and outwardly so that the same size doors can be used for shower enclosures having various widths. After proper adjustment of end frame members i3 and 19, the elements thereof are lixed against further relative movement by screws or the like in a manner which will be obvious to one skilled in the art. Channel member 46 can be suitably secured to the

side walls

14 and 15, as by caulking or the like.

In order to provide a construction for sealing the inside of the shower enclosure against fluid leakage when doors lil and l1 are closed, integral llange portions 57 are formed on the frames 2li which have an integral, continuous, U-shaped holding member 58 formed on the inner surface of each llange portion adjacent the free end thereof. The seal is provided by sealing means 59, carried in the U-shaped holding member, which engages walls 50 and 52 on the end frame members i8 and 19 when the doors are closed and which engages walls 23, 24 of upper track i6 and walls 33, 3d of lower track 17 at all times. Thus, it is obvious that this construction provides a complete seal at the top, bottom and ends of the opening in the shower enclosure when the doors are closed. In order to prevent leakage between the two doors where they overlap, sealing means carried in auxiliary U-shaped holding members 6l are provided. The sealing means 59 and 6G are best shown in FIG. 7 and include a metallic backing d2 having curled over edges which clamp and hold a plurality of tufts of textile material, shown generally as 63.

The doors may have towel bars 6d and 65 and either one or both doors may have a handle e6 connected thereto. Due to the identical construction or" the top and bottom of the doors and the sliding means carried thereby, it is obvious that if it is desired to permit their use with both lett and right hand shower arrangements all that is necessary is to turn the doors upside down without any necessity for relocation of the towel bars and handle.

Referring next to FlGS. 4, 5 and 6, the use of appli- Vcants inventive concept for a hinged door type of shower enclosure. Walls i3, 14 and l5 denne, together with the floor a shower compartment having one open side which is adapted to be closed by hinged door 67, hinged as by piano type hinge d. The outer frame between the door and the walls includes top and bottom members 69 and 7d and end wall members 7 il and 72. In this form, members dit, 7l?, 7l and 72 are all identical in construction and include a U-shaped member 73 having an inwardly directed ange 74 integrally formed on its rear edge. Member 73 is adjustably held in U-shaped element 75 secured to the related wall by caulking or the like. After adjustment, member 73 and element 75' are fixed against relative movement, as by screws.

Door 67 includes a glass panel held at its edges in a frame 76 which includes an integral U-shaped holding member 77 and sealing means 7S, which when the door is closed engages flange 74 to prevet lluid leakage from inside the shower compartment. Sealing means 73 is also of the type shown in FlG. 7 and described above. A rotatable handle 79 having latch means En which engages a portion or flange 7 fr may also be provided.

Although particular embodiments oi the invention have been described in detail herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those particular embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be ellected without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, except as deliried in die appended claims.

l claim:

l. ln a shower enclosure, parallel, spaced, horizontal, channel-shaped track-supporting means arranged in opposed relation; parallel, spaced, vertical, channel-shaped means arranged in opposed relation and forming an enclosure with said horizontal means; parallel, spaced sliding door panels mounted in said track-supporting means; and frame means along each edge of each of said sliding door panels, each frame means comprising a unitary struc` ture including transversely aligned, coextensive, reversely arranged, integrally connected, channel-shaped means, one ot said reversely arranged channel-shaped means being adapted to receive said door panel, and the other having ixed to an unexposed surface thereof a sealing means throughout its entire extent adapted to cooperate with said channel-shaped track-supporting means.

2. ln a shower enclosure, parallel, spaced, horizontal, channel-shaped track-supporting means arranged in opposed relation; parallel, spaced, vertical, channel-shaped means arranged in opposed relation and forming an enclosure with said horizontal means; parallel, spaced sliding door panels mounted in said track-supporting means; adjustable, channel-shaped uprights mounted within said vertical members, each having ange means for i-- ing pockets for the reception or said sliding door panels at each end of said enclosure; and frame means along each edge of each of said sliding door panels, each frame means comprising a unitary structure including transversely aligned, coextensive, reversely arranged, integrally connected, channel-shaped means, one of said reversely arranged channel-shaped means being adapted to receive said door panel, and the other having xed to an unexposed surface thereof a sealing means throughout its entire extent adapted to cooperate with said channelshaped track-supporting means.

3. in a shower enclosure, parallel, spaced, horizontal, channel-shaped track-supporting means arranged in opposed relation; parallel, spaced, vertical, channel-shaped means arranged in opposed relation and forming an enclosure with said horizontal means; parallel, spaced sliding door panels mounted in said track-supporting means; frame means along each of three adjacent edges of each of said sliding door panels, each frame means comprising a unitary structure including transversely aligned, coextensive, reversely arranged, integrally connected, channel-shaped means, one of said reversely arranged channel-shaped means being adapted to receive said door panel, and the other having fixed to an unexposed surface thereof a sealing means throughout its entire extent adapted to cooperate with said channelshaped track-supporting means; and similar frame means along the fourth edge of each of said door panels, having sealing means along the entire extent of each of said reversely arranged, channel-shaped means.

4. 1n a shower enclosure, parallel, spaced, horizontal, channel-shaped track-supporting means arranged in opposed relation; parallel, spaced, vertical, channel-shaped means arranged in opposed relation and forming an enclosure with said horizontal means; parallel, spaced sliding door panels mounted in said track-supporting means; frame means alonfy each edge of each of said sliding door panels, each frame means comprising a unitary structure including transversely aligned, coextensive, reversely arranged, integrally connected, channelshaped means, one of said reversely arranged, channelshaped means being adapted to receive said door panel, and the other having xed to an unexposed surface thereof a sealing means throughout its entire extent adapted to cooperate with said channel-shaped tracksupporting means; and separate roller means adapted to rotate in horizontal and vertical planes, said roller means being mounted on certain of said frame means for cooperation With said horizontal track-supporting means.

5. In a shower enclosure, parallel, spaced, horizontal, channel-shaped track-supporting means arranged in opposed relation; parallel, spaced, vertical, channel-shaped means arranged in opposed relation and forming an enclosure with said horizontal means; parallel, spaced sliding door panels mounted in said track-supporting means; frame means along each of three adjacent edges of each of said sliding door panels, each frame means comprising a unitary structure including transversely aligned, coextensive, reversely arranged, integrally connected, channel-shaped means, one of said reversely arranged channel-shaped means being adapted to receive said door panel, and the other having fixed to an unexposed surface thereof a sealing means throughout its entire extent adapted to cooperate with said channelshaped track-supporting means; similar frame means along the fourth edge of each of said door panels, having sealing means along the entire extent of each of said reversely arranged channel-shaped means; and separate roller means adapted to rotate in horizontal and vertical planes, said roller means being mounted on certain of said frame means for cooperation with said horizontal track-supporting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS 1,919,393 Reinhardt uly 25, 1933 2,021,290 Chambers Nov. 19, 1935 2,090,349 Grady Aug. 17, 1937 2,595,506 Backman May 6, 1952 2,627,092 Grossman Feb. 3, 1953 2,799,063 Miller July 16, 1957 2,807,058 Morgan ept. 24, 1957 2,835,934 Franzblau et al. May 27, 1958 2,909,802 Gang et al. Oct. 27, 1959 2,917,792 Franzhlau et al. Dee. 22, 1959 2,918,708 Sharp et al Dec. 29, 1959 2,952,883 Kessler et al Sept. 20, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 814,372 Great Britain June 3, 1959

Claims

1. IN A SHOWER ENCLOSURE, PARALLE, SPACED, HORIZONTAL, CHANNEL-SHAPED TRACK-SUPPORTING MEANS ARRANGED IN OPPOSED RELATION; PARALLEL, SPACED, VERTICAL, CHANNEL-SHAPED MEANS ARRANGED IN OPPOSED RELATION AND FORMING AN ENCLOSURE WITH SAID HORIZONTAL MEANS; PARALLEL, SPACED SLIDING DOOR PANELS MOUNTED IN SAID TRACK-SUPPORTING MEANS; AND FRAME MEANS ALONG EACH EDGE OF EACH OF SAID SLIDING DOOR PANELS, EACH FRAME MEANS COMPRISING A UNITARY STRUCTURE INCLUDING TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED, COEXTENSIVE, REVERSELY ARRANGED, INTEGRALLY CONNECTED, CHANNEL-SHAPED MEANS, ONE OF SAID REVERSELY ARRANGED CHANNEL-SHAPED MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID DOOR PANEL, AND THE OTHER HAVING FIXED TO AN UNEXPOSED SURFACE THEREOF A SEALING MEANS THROUGHOUT ITS ENTIRE EXTENT ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID CHANNEL-SHAPED TRACK-SUPPORTING MEANS.