US2834028A - Toilet stand for children - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1958 G. D. STANLEY I TOILET STAND FOR CHILDREN Filed April 9, 1957 INVENTORI sum/.5?

Q aaa/ A r TOPNEVS United States Patent TOILET STAND FOR CHILDREN Glenn D. Stanley, Cupertino, Calif.

Application April 9, 1957, Serial N0.'651,7-19

.6 Claims. (Cl. 4-254) The present invention relates to a stand and pertains more particularly to a toilet stand 'for children.

In the past, attempts have been made to provide a toilet stand which would be suitable for use by children, and which could be moved out of the way-when not in use. However, most such prior devices have either'been rather complicated mechanically, .or have not had the sturdiness and stability desirable in adevice of this 'kind.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a sturdy, inexpensive toilet stand which requires no me chanical installation, and which a small child :can be taught to use by himself.

The invention also provides a simple, :sturdy childs toilet stand which may be=easily assembled from simple wooden sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a childs toilet stand having a U-shaped .base of molded plywood .or other suitable material, withsimple, hinged platform sections which may be folded from outspread operative condition to folded condition wherein the stand can be pushed rearwardly into an inconspicuous position closely adjacent the toilet bowl.

These, and other objects and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. l is a plan view of a childs toilet stand embodying the invention as it appears when read for use, a portion of a toilet flush tank being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view similar to Fig. l, but showing the platform portion of the stand folded, and the entire device pushed back out of the way.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device in the operative condition of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar perspective view showing the platform portions on the rear side of the device in fully folded condition, and those on the far side of the device in partially folded condition.

Briefly, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a childs toilet stand A, for use with a conventional toilet bowl B. The stand A has a U-shaped base member 10, with fixed rear platform portions 11 and 12 secured thereon. Forward side platform portions 13 and 14 are hingedly connected to the front end of each of the rear portions 11 and 12.

Front inner platform portions 17 and 18 are hingedly connected one to the inner edge of each forward side member 13 and 14, and are supported in their operative position of Figs. 1 and 3 by the base and support legs 19 and 20, provided one on the rear, inner corner of each of the inner platform portions 17 and 18, respectively.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the U-shaped base 10 is made from suitable material, such as, for example, molded plywood or plastic. The fixed rear platform portions 11 and 12 are secured, as by suitable adhesive material, not shown, one on the upper edge of each base side leg 21 and 22, respectively. Bracing strips 23 preferably are provided one for each of the rear platform 2 portions 11 and 12, and are adhesively secured one to the inner side of each base leg portion-'21 'and22, and to the under side of each rear platform portion '11 and 12.

The forward side platform portions 13 and 14 are.

the inner *edges of the forward side= platformportions 13 and 14. These inner forward - platforrn portions 17 and 18 are substantially'wider than the forward side platform portions 13 and 1410 which they are, respectively, connected.

In their inwardly swung, operative positions of Figs. 1 and 3, these inner platform portions 17 and 18 rest upon, and are supported in part by the upper edge of the transverse forward portion 29 of the base member 10, and in part by the- support legs 19 and 20. The supportlegs 19 and Marc of alength to rest on the floor '(not shown) when the device is mounted ready for use as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and are spaced inwardly from the hinges 30 and 31 by a distance greater than the width of both the front and rear side platform portions 11, 12, 13 and 14. This positioning of the legs permits theplatform portions to be swung first to the position shown at the near side of Fig. 4, and then, as indicated by the curved arrow in Fig. 4, to the position shown at the far side of Fig. 4'and in Fig. 2, wherein,'all three platform portions on each side are in relatively superposed relation. In this fully folded condition of the platform portions, the support legs 19 and 20 extend downwardly on the outer sides of the side platform portions 11 and 13, and 12 and 14, respectively. In this folded condition of the platform portions, the stand A may be pushed rearwardly to the inconspicuous position shown in Fig. 2, thereby clearing the front of the toilet bowl.

In using the present invention, a child is taught to first pull the entire assembly forwardly clear of the toilet bowl, then to swing each of the forward inner platform portions 17 and 18 inwardly to the position shown at the near side of Fig. 4, and then to swing both of the hinged side platform portions 13 and 14 forwardly to their position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In this condition the device serves either as a platform for the child to stand on, or as a support for the childs feet when seated on the toilet. The child is also taught to put the device away after use by reversing the foregoing procedure for preparing it for use.

To prevent scratching the floor, it is preferred to employ furniture gliders 32 of a conventional type under the U-shaped base 10, one preferably being provided at the rear end of each leg, and one approximately centrally of the curved corner portions 27 and 28 which connect each side leg portion of the base to its transverse forward portion.

The invention provides a simple, inexpensive toilet stand for children, and one which requires no mechanical installation. It is both sturdy and safe, and a child can easily be taught to position it for use and to replace it after use. When put away after use to the position shown in Fig. 2, the device is inconspicuous, and presents no restriction for use of the toilet by adults.

While I have illustrated anddescribed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood however, that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the. invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toilet stand for children comprising a U-shaped base frame of predetermined height, and of a size to fit freely around the front and sides of the base of a predetermined toilet bowl, a pair of first, rear platform members secured one to the top of each side of the U-shaped base frame adjacent its open end, said first platform members being separated by a Width suflicient to span the base of such toilet bowl, a pair of second platform members hingedly mounted one on the forward end of each rear platform member and swingable from a position overlying their respective rear platform members to a position co-extensive therewith, and a pair of third platform members, hingedly connected one to the inner edge of each second platform member and swingable oppositely from the direction of swinging movement between the first and second platform members, each third platform member being of a size to provide proper support for a child standing thereon.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the U-shaped base is of plywood of uniform width.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the plywood is a continuous strip with two curved bends therein of approximately 90 each.

4. A toilet stand for children comprising a U-shaped base frame ofsubstantially uniform, predetermined height with substantially straight sides and a transverse end portion and of a size to fit freely around the front and sides of the base of a predetermined toilet bowl, a pair of first, rear platform members, one of which is secured horizontally to the top of each side of the U-shaped base frame adjacent its open end, said first platform members being separated by a width suflicient to span the base of such toilet bowl, a pair of second platform members hingedly mounted one on the forward end of each rear platform member and swinga-ble from a position overlying their respective hingedly connected rear platform members to a position co-extensive therewith and supported on the sides of the U-shaped base frame, and a pair of third platform members, hingedly connected one to the inner edge of each of the second platform members, each third platform member being of a width to extend laterally inwardly to a point adjacent the longitudinal center line of the U-shaped base frame when in position for use, and of a length to provide proper support for a child standing thereon, whereby the second and third platform members on each side of the U-shaped base frame may be swung into relatively superposed relation with each other and with their respective first platform members, thereby clearing the base frame for movement rearwardly to an inconspicuous, out of the way position with the closed end of the U-shaped base frame closely adjacent the front of the toilet bowl base and beneath the upper front portion of the toilet bowl.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4 wherein a support leg is provided on each third platform member on its edge opposite to that which is hingedly connected to a second platform member.

6. An arrangement according to claim 4 wherein each of the third platform members is wider than the second and third platform members, and a support leg is provided on the rear inner corner of each third platform member of a length to rest on a floor adjacent the toilet bowl when the third platform members are swung for wardly' and downwardly for use, said legs being mounted at a distance from the hinged connection between the second and third platform members greater than the width of the second platform members at said legs, wherev by, when all three platform members on each side are swung to relatively superposed condition, the legs will clear the outer edges of the first and second platform members.

No references cited.

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