US3062608A - Adjustable sink closure - Google Patents

Description

N 1962 v. J. MAGALINE 3,062,608

ADJUSTABLE SINK'CLOSURE Filed Jan. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1962 v. J. MAGALINE ADJUSTABLE smx CLOSURE Filed Jan. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIA/CENT J. MAGAL/NE BY )Qfmwanw 9 United States Patent Office 3,6Z,608 Fatented Nov. 6, 1962 3,062,608 ADJUSTABLE SINK CLOSURE Vincent J. Magaline, 20 Woodcock Lane, Levittown, N.Y. Filed Jan. 5, 1960, Set. No. 620 2 Claims. (Cl. 312205) This invention relates to sink enclosures and more particularly to sink enclosures of the adjustable type.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an adjustable sink enclosure adapted to a wide range of sink sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable sink enclosure which is adapted for rapid installation without any physical alterations of the enclosure structure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable sink enclosure having a novel combination of support means for strengthening and further supporting a sink installation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable sink enclosure which fully converts wasted under-the-sink space to a useful storage space.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable sink enclosure having novel support means which allow clearance between the floor of a lavatory or the like and the bottom of the enclosure to provide adequate toe space for a person using the sink.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable sink enclosure which beautifies a bathroom or the like and hides from view the ugly undersink plumbing.

Still another object of this invention is toprovide an adjustable sink enclosure having a novel shelf structure adapted to render the storage area within the enclosure more versatile.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front oblique view of the complete enclosure installed on a sink.

FIGURE 2 is another oblique view of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side view partially in section.

FIGURE 4 is a detailed partial cross-section showing the internal structure of the enclosure.

FIGURE 5 is a detailed exploded view of a substructure of the enclosure.

FIGURE 6 is a detailed view of another substructure of the enclosure.

Referring in detail to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, a sink 10 is shown having an enclosure 12, which forms the present invention, attached to the underside thereof. The sink 10 is mounted upon a wall of a room by any suitable means, not shown.

Generally, the enclosure comprises telescoping front and back sections 14 and 16, respectively, which are mutually adjustable to adapt the enclosure 12 to a variety of sink sizes with respect to the front-to-back dimensions thereof. The front section 14 contains a hinged door 18 which provides access to the interior of the enclosure 12. In the embodiment shown, both the front section 14 and the back section 16 are constructed as open rectangular sections so dimensioned as to interengage in telescopic relationship.

The entire enclosure is maintained at the desired elevation above the floor by means of a pair of legs 22 having a particular adjustable structure to be hereinafter described.

At each of the upper side edges of the enclosure" in juxtaposition with the bottom flange of the sink 10 is mounted an adjustable bracket 20 which forms a part of the sink attaching and bracing structure of the enclosure 12. The adjustable bracket 20 is adapted to compensate for a variety of sink widths and enhance the versatility of the enclosure 12 with respect to various overall sink sizes.

The enclosure 12 is shown in FIGURE 2 with the door 18 in open position revealing an adjustable shelf 24 mounted on the interior of the front section 14. A pair of pivots 26 are provided such that the shelf 24 may be pivoted to a position in which it is parallel to the face of the closed door 18.

The under-sink plumbing is seen through the open door 18 and is generally represented by the numeral 28.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the shelf 24 is shown in cross section and an arrow is shown to indicate the direction in which the shelf 24 must be pivoted to bring it into parallel relationship with the face of the door 18, the door being in closed position.

Attached to each of the side walls of the telescoping rear section 16 is an adjustable tension bracket 30 having a plurality of bolt receiving holes 32, therein, for dimensional adjustment with respect to the height of a particular sink.

Associated with each of the tension brackets 30 is a removable hanger 34 having a flange 36 at the upper end thereof which is adapted to hook over the top rear edge of the sink 10. The hanger 34 comprises an elongated shank 38 which extends downward from the sink engaging flange 36 through the substantially hollow back portion of the sink 10 to a position immediately adjacent the upper extremities of the tension bracket 30. A plurality of bolt receiving holes 40am provided in the shank 38 for purposes of adjustment.

The tension bracket 30 and the hanger 34 are joined at their upper and lower ends, respectively, by means of an adjustable tension bolt 42. The combined bracket, bolt, and hanger structure provide, in conjunction with the brackets 20 and adjustable legs 22, a mutual holddown and bracing combination for both the sink 10 and the enclosure 12.

The action of the tension bracket 30 and hanger 34 with the brackets 2% between the cabinet 12 and the sink 10 effect a wedging action of the cabinet against the wall surface (not shown) in which the sink is mounted to provide additional support to the sink 10 and securely position the cabinet 12.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the relationship between the telescoping front and rear sections 14 and 16, respectively, is shown. The front section 14 is shown with the door 18 in closed position and the shelf 24 in raised position (perpendicular to the plane of the closed door).

The rear section 16 of the enclosure 12 is shown to be interior of the front section 14. The upper side edges of the rear section 16 comprise downturned flanges 44 which form slides by which the rear section 16 is telescopically mounted with respect to the front section 14.

Mounted on the inside of each of the upper side edges of the front section 14 is a slide receiving member or guide 46 which is formed with an interior slot shaped to receive the slide formed by the flanges 44 on the rear section 16.

When the front-to-back dimensions of the enclosure 12 are to be changed the front section 14, and rear section 16 are moved in the corresponding direction by means of the slides or flanges 44 and their cooperating guides 46.

An elongated dimensional adjustment slot 48 is provided in the floor 50 of the rear section 16 parallel to the sides thereof. Immediately beneath the elongated slot 48 is a shorter bolt receiving slot 52 which is provided in the floor 54 of the front section 14. A nut and bolt combination 56 is shown in exploded relationship with the adjustment slots 48 and 52 and is used to lock the front and rear sections 14 and 16, respectively, together in the desired position.

Thus, it is seen that the enclosure 12 may be adapted to a variety of front-to-back dimensional requirements to compensate for various sink sizes.

The side-to-side dimensions of the enclosure 12 are also critical if the enclosure 12 is to add to the support of and be properly connected with the sink 11 Referring to FIGURE 5, the adjustable bracket 2% is shown comprising a fixed portion 58 and a movable portion 60, both of which have a pair of mutually parallel adjustment slots 64 therein disposed in a plane perpendicular to the side walls of the enclosure 12. The fixed portion 58 of the adjustable bracket 2s comprises an L- shaped section attached by the short leg of the L to the outside of the upper side edge of the front section 14 adjacent the guide bracket 46 thereon. The long leg of the L is directed inwardly from the edge and lies across the top surface of the guide bracket 46. The moveable portion 61} of the adjustable bracket 20 comprises a second L-shaped section placed b-ack-to-back with the L-shaped fixed portion 58. A pair of locking bolts 64 are provided to cooperate with the bolt receiving slots 62 to maintain the bracket 2b in the desired adjusted position.

The brackets 21) therefore, perform two functions. First, they provide a means by which the enclosure 12 may be adapted to various sink sizes having a variety of side-to-side dimensions. Second, they provide in combination with the tension bracket and hanger 38-34, a positive means for maintaining the sink 1% and the enclosure 12 in mutually supported contact.

Although the tension bracket and hanger combination 3034 is sufficient to suspend the enclosure 12 beneath the sink 10, this means of support would impose a large portion of the weight of the enclosure 12 on the sink 1%.

A vertically adjustable support means 22 as generally described in conjunction with FIGURE 1 is shown in detail in FIGURE 6.

The vertically adjustable support means 22 comprises a pair of legs mounted in the floor portion 54 of the front section 14. The legs comprise a vertically disposed screw member 66 having a footing 68 welded on the lower end thereof which forms the floor contacting end of the leg. A ferrule 70 is welded to the floor 54 of the front section 14 to provide the means which cooperates with the screw member 66 to adjust the vertical dimensions of the legs 22 firmly support the weight of the enclosure 12 and provide a bracing action for the sink 10. When the proper vertical adjustment has been made, a slotted sleeve 72 of the proper size is snapped into place between the footing 68 and the ferrule 70 to cover the screw means 66.

As can be seen from the foregoing description the invention provides a new and novel sink enclosure in which the plurality of supporting means for the enclosure and the sink also provide dimensional versatility to the enclosure whereby it may be adapted to fit a variety of sinks over a wide range of dimensions.

It is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention; as shown and described herein, is for the purpose of example only and is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A combined support and enclosure for a sink structure comprising, a cabinet structure enclosing the space between a sink and a floor and having front and back telescoping sections whereby said cabinet may be adjusted to the front-to-back dimensions of a sink structure, vertically adjustable means between said floor and said cabinet for positioning the upper edge of said cabinet adjacent the lower edge of said sink, horizontally adjustable brackets on the upper side edges of said cabinet for engaging the lower side edges of said sink whereby said cabinet may be adapted to a variety of sink widths comprising a pair of angle irons of L-shaped cross-section mounted back-to-back along the long leg of the L, one of said irons being fixed to the upper side edge of said cabinet and the other of said irons being adjustable relative to said one of said irons and adapted to engage the lower side edge of said sink, a pair of parallel slots in each of said legs in mutually adjustable registration, and fastening means ex tending through said slots whereby said irons may be locked in proper adjustment, and adjustable tension means between said cabinet and said sink for positively locking said sink and said cabinet in juxtaposition.

2. In a combined support and enclosure a wall mounted sink structure, a cabinet structure enclosing the space between the sink and the floor beneath the sink, said cabinet structure having a front wall and side walls comprising front and back telescoping sections whereby said cabinet may be adjusted to the front-to-back dimensions of the sink structure, vertically adjustable means between said floor and said cabinet for positioning the upper edge of said cabinet adjacent the lower edge of the sink, horizontally adjustable brackets on the upper side edges of said cabinet for engaging the lower side edges of the sink whereby said cabinet may be adapted to a variety of sink widths, adjustable tension means between said cabinet and said sink for positively locking said sink and said cabinet in juxtaposition, said adjustable tension means comprising a bracket attached to one of the sections of the side walls a hanger member attached to one suspended from the upper rear edge of the sink and means for adjustably connecting the bracket and the hanger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,855 Nurick Aug. 8, 1905 1,435,606 Henry Nov. 14, 1922 1,812,606 Porter June 30, 1931 1,853,989 Neubel Apr. 12, 1932 2,074,780 Demcak Mar. 23, 1937 2,542,046 Mullett Feb. 20, 1951 2,664,258 Lanier Dec. 29, 1953 2,755,485 Irons July 24, 1956- 2,789,874- Hammer Apr. 23, 1957 2,851,820 Matter Sept. 16, 1958

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