US3122011A - Diaper rinser - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 25, 1964 Filed March 13, 1961 w. L. MARTIN DIAPER IRINSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. 15441 72-76 L, MET/IV BY FM w/neue, MATT/N61 v Hun/7'45") Feb. 25, 1964 w, L, MARTIN 3,122,011

DIAPER RINSER Filed March 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 46 r K I i I l t E 87 1 I j I 5 30-! I I30 I 4 n INVENTOR. M71 75/? I. Merv/v United States Patent 3,122,011 DIAPER RINER Walter B... Martin, 6997 Ears Pasquale Circle, Buena Park, Calif. Filed Mar. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 95,168 it? Claims. (El. 68-205) The present invention relates generally to apparatus for rinsing diapers and, more particularly, to a freestanding, self-contained diaper rinser adapted for draining into a toilet fixture.

A variety of devices have heretofore been proposed for the removal of solid waste matter from diapers, as a preliminary to storage and subsequent laundering of the diapers. Diaper rinsers are commonly adapted for use with a toilet but, so far as I am aware, all of these prior devices either interfere with the normal use of the toilet or involve a substantial modification of the toilet fixture. These diaper rinsers must be placed directly on top of the toilet bowl and connected and disconnected to a source of water for each use of the rinser. In some cases accessory plumbing, involving added lines and valves, obviates the need for connection and disconnection to a source of water with each use of the device, but such devices, nevertheless, entail the permanent positioning of a spray pipe within the opening of the toilet bowl. In all cases the diaper is only cleaned on one side at a time, the soiled diaper soils the rinser, and the device is not self cleaning. More importantly, the previously available devices are not particularly efiicient in performing the function of removing waste matter from a diaper.

With my invention, the above and other disadvantages of previously available diaper rinsers are overcome. In carrying out the invention, I provide a free-standing unit which can be installed adjacent a toilet by an unskilled person. TJlS unit includes an elevated tank from whose lid an unfolded diaper can be supported to hang freely within the tank between opposed spray means having a source of water under pressure in the supply line for the water tank of the toilet. Opening of a control valve subjects the opposite sides of the suspended diaper to the opposed pressure sprays of water, the sprays sweeping across the opposite sides of the diaper. The effluent is discharged from the tank through a gravity drain outlet provided with a screen which comminutes solid waste and the el'duent is ultimately discharged into the toilet bowl through a tube, or the like, adapted to be normally held in position on the toilet bowl between the seat and upper edge of the bowl. After a suitable period of operation, the lid of the tank is opened, the diaper removed and then wrung out by means of a novel wringer arrangement disposed on the under surface of the lid.

One of the major objects of my invention is to provide a self-contained diaper rinser unit of the character just briefly described so as to overcome the major disadvantages of the previously available devices.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a diaper rinser with opposed pressure spray means to accomplish simultaneous removal of waste matter from the opposite sides of a diaper. To this end, I have provided an opposed pair of spray tubes mounted for oscillatory movement whereby the pressure sprays are directed to range through a predetermined arc to sweep up and down the exposed sides of the diaper.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a diaper rinser having spray tubes mounted for oscillatory movement, the spray tubes being actuated by a water motor means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rinser for removing solid waste matter from a diaper by subjecting the diaper to the simultaneous im- "ice 2 pingement of opposed sprays at different levels to flex the diaper material.

It is also an object or" the invention to provide a selfcontained diaper rinser unit, i.e., one that can be actuated without interfering with the use of any other plumbing fixture, contains both rinsing and wringing means, and is substantially self cleaning.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a diaper rinser comprising an attractive self-contained unit that can be manufactured and sold at modest cost and, additionally, is adapted for positioning on either side of a toilet fixture.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description, when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings illustrating a presently preferred embodiment.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of my diaper rinser unit standing in operative position adjacent a toilet fixture;

FIGURE 2 is a partial vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the unit, substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating the gravity drain connection of the unit to the toilet fixture;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely of the tank of the unit, along the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a partial perspective view of the unit with the lid open;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic view showing the mode of rinsing action of the unit;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view illustrating one manner of connecting the diaper rinser unit to a source of water under pressure;

FIGURE 8 is a partial vertical sectional view taken on the line 88 of FlGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a partial vertical sectional view like FIGURE 4, but on a larger scale, showing the drive mechanism for oscillating the spray tubes;

FIGURE 10 is a partial elevational View of the lid in upside down position, to show details of construction of the wringer; and

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view on the line ill-11 of FIGURE 9.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the presently preferred embodiment of my diaper rinser is shown along one side of a toilet fixture comprising a tank Zll, bowl 2i, pivotally mounted seat 22,, and pivotally mounted lid 23. As is shown in FIGURE 7, a conventional supply stub pipe 24 protrudes rom the wall of the bathroom and is controlled by a manually operable shut-off valve 25 that is positioned immediately upstream from a tee 26. This tee permits water at household pressure to be delivered through a supply line 27 to the toilet tank 20 and through another supply line 28 to the diaper rinser.

All parts of the diaper rinser are preferably made of a synthetic plastic for ease and economy of fabrication and, also, because the plastic material is corrosion resistant and inhibits the deposit of scale from hard water. However, it will, of course, be understood that the rinser may be made of other materials.

The diaper rinser has a tank 29 defined by a pair of identical longitudinally extending side walls 30 and oposite end walls 31 and 33, all of which Walls have merging lower end portions defining a tank floor 32. As is shown in FIGURE 2, the tank floor 32 slopes downwardly from the end wall 31 towards the other end wall 31, the latter having an integrally formed drain stub 33. A cup shaped screen 34, preferably of two to eight mesh size, is wedged in the throat of the drain stub 33 and serves to more finely divide large pieces of waste which might other- Q? wise tend to clog the drain passage between the rinse tank 29 and the toilet bowl 21.

As the heights of toilet bowls vary, the tank 29 is supported on adjustable legs to support it above the toilet bowl next to which it is placed, thus insuring proper drainage. The corners of the tank 29 have downwardly continuing extensions of the tank walls and a leg 36 is nestingly receivable within each corner extension. At the upper ends, each of the legs is provided, in opposite flanges thereof, with a vertically elongate slot 37 to receive a bolt 38, affixed to the inner face of the continuation 35, and a nut 39 is provided for each bolt to secure the leg in adjusted position.

In order to permit placement of the diaper rinser on one side or the other of the toilet bowl 21, as the availability of space dictates, an elbow 4) is mounted on the drain stub 33 by means of a union nut ii. As is apparent, the elbow at can be selectively directed to that side of the rinser tank 29 on which the toilet bowl 21 is positioned. The free end of the elbow 40 is telescoped into one end of a piece of tubing 42 and the other end of this piece of tubing is provided with a drain piece 4-3 that is held in place on the rim of the toilet bowl 21. It will be observed that the exhaust end of this drain piece is radically flattened in order to be receivable between the under face of the toilet seat 22 and the upper face of the rim of the toilet bowl Z1, i.e. in the space provided by a plurality of bumpers such as are conventionally provided on the seat. At the extreme end of the drain piece 43, its lower wall is provided with a downwardly protruding horizontally elongated flange 45 that engages the inside of the rim of the toilet bowl 21 in order to prevent accidental displacement of the drain piece.

The upper end of the tank 29 is closable with a lid 48 Whose underside mounts a means for wringing out a diaper after it has been rinsed. As is shown in FIGURE 5, the underside of the lid 48 is integrally formed with a pair of bosses 49 and two pairs of confronting arms 50 that are aligned adjacent to one longitudinal edge of the lid. The bosses 49 support a shaft 51 mounting a rotatable wringer roll 52 and the two pairs of arms 59 normally support a shaft 55, having a wringer roll 53, in coaxial alignment with the roll 52. Referring now to FIGURE 10, it will be seen that one end of the shaft is mounted in one end of an L-shaped link assembly 54 and the other end of this link is pivotally mounted between a pair of the arms 59. As is shown in FIGURE 5, the other end of the roll 53 has its shaft receivable between the other pair of arms 54 providing a releasable clamp for normally holding the roll 53 in inoperative position when the lid is closed.

When the lid is opened, the swingable end of the shaft 55 is manually released from the clamping arms 59, after which the roll 53 is swung to the position indicated in phantom outline in FIGURE 10, wherein it is in parallel relationship to the roll 52. The free end of the shaft 55 of the roll 53 can then be pressed towards the other roll 52. while the diaper is being drawn between the wringer rolls.

The underside of the lid 43 will be wetted as a result of the sprayirv occurring within the tank 29 and also, as a result of the wringing operation. In order to drain moisture from the underside of the lid 48 into the tank 29, an endless drip shield 69 is formed integrally on the underside of the lid. As is shown in phantom outline in FIGURE 8, when the lid 43 is in open position, an enlarged portion 61 of the drip shield 6t? overhangs the interior of the tank 29 and all water on the underside of the lid thus drains gravitationally into the tank, rather than onto the surrounding floor area.

The lid 48 can be hingedly connected to the upper edge of either longitudinally extending wall 39 of the tank 2), so as to be openable in the direction which is most convenient from the standpoint of the available space. In mounting the lid on the tank 29, the wringer rolls 52 and 53 are preferably adjacent that edge of the lid in which the hinge connection is made. In the fully open position, the lid 48 is preferably disposed at about the angle illustrated in FIGURE 5 and the lid and the upper edges of the tank walls 30 are provided with coopcrating portions of a stop means to support the lid at this angle. The wringer rolls are thus disposed relatively closely to the hinge axis, making a relatively short lever arm. Then, when a diaper is wrung out, excessive stresses will not be imposed on the hinge mechanism and the lid 43 is more firmly supported for the wringing operation.

More specifically, referring to FIGURE 5, it will be seen that the upper edge of the tank sidewalls 3%} is formed with a longitudinally extending, angular-walled, clearance groove 62 and, inwardly of this groove, the upper edge of tank wall has a plurality of equally spaced apart slots 63. As is shown in FIGURE 8, the longitudinal edge of the lid 48 having the shield portion 61 is formed with integral fingers of circular form, complementary to the configuration of the slots 63 of the tank walls 3d. The hinge connection is thus provided by the seating of the fingers 65 in the slots 63 and held in place by hinge pins 64.

It will be observed that when the lid is closed there is a clearance space between the confronting surfaces of the groove 65 and the complementarily shaped edge of the lid, defining the limits of the are through which the lid 48 is swingable. Thus, when the lid .8 is moved to the fully opened position illustrated in phantom outline in FIGURE 8, these confronting surfaces abut one another to provide the previously mentioned stop means.

The tank 29 is preferably of suflicient height and width so that a fully unfolded diaper can be hung inside the tank, preferably with the lower edge of the diaper hanging freely as shown in phantom outline in FIGURE 2. In order to support the diaper, a pair of clothes pins 71 are secured to the underside of the lid 48, along the longitudinal center line of the lid, as for example, by ad hesively securing them to a pair of integrally formed bosses 72. Thus, when the lid is open a soiled diaper can be carried to the tank 29 and opposite corners secured in the clothespins 71. The lid is then closed and the diaper hangs vertically in spaced apart relationship to the opposite sidewalls 30 of the tank, so that both sides of the diaper are exposed for cleaning by the sprays.

A pair of spray tubes 74 are mounted in the tank 29 on opposite sides of the vertical plane in which the diaper hangs, preferably in horizontally extending positions at the upper end of the tank, at about the same level with the upper edge of the diaper 70. Both of these spray tubes are mounted in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. On its inner face the end wall 30 of the tank has a pair of cylindrical bosses 75 each of which is coaxially aligned with a bore 76 formed in the opposite end wall 31, to rotatably mount a spray tube 74. That end of the spray tube 74 which is disposed in the cylindrical boss 75 is preferably closed and the other open end of the spray tube protrudes through the wall 31 and is provided with a retainer and gasket means. Each spray tube mounts a spaced pair of nozzles 7 8.

The end wall 31 of the tank 29 has a recess 8% formed on its outer surface at the upper end of the wall, shaped to matingly receive the side wall of a box-like housing 8 As is shown in FIGURE 9, a gasket 82 is interposed between the housing 81 and the side wall 30 so that water admitted into the housing will not escape. The housing is securely held in place against the end wall 31 by means of a plurality of suitable fasteners 84 and a disinfectant can be introduced into the housing through an opening that is normally closed by a cap nut 83.

Th housing 81 is formed with an inwardly extending horizontally disposed ledge 35, beneath which a shut off valve 86 is mounted. The water supply line 23 for the diaper rinser enters the housing 81 through the lower wall of the housing and terminates within the valve 86. A control handle 87 for the valve 86 is disposed extcriorly of the housing 81, by means of which the valve can be turned on and oif to start and stop the flow of water.

The passage of water through the housing 81 provides a suitable source of power for effecting simultaneous oscillation of the spray tubes 74 through a suitable drive linkage. Thus, a plate 90 is secured within the housing on top of the ledge 85, in spaced apart relationship to the vertical wall of the housing. At its upper end, the plate 90 rotatably mounts a water wheel 91. The valve 86 has an outlet stub 92 communicating with one end of a short piece of flexible hose 93, the other end of the hose communicating with a stub 94 that extends through the ledge 85. As is shown in FIGURE 11, the stub 94 is pointed in a direction to aim water passed by the valve 86 against the blades of the water Wheel 91. The water wheel is thus urged into rotation to provide torque and water passes upwardly and out of the housing through the open ends of the spray tubes 74.

A crank shaft 95 is rotatably mounted between the tank end Wall 31 and the plate 90 and has an end projecting through the end wall to position a crank arm as in the interior of the tank 29. The torque of the water wheel 91 is imparted to the crank shaft 95 by worm gearing comprising a worm wheel 97 keyed to the crank shaft, a vertically disposed worm 93 in driving engagement with the worm wheel 97, a worm wheel 99 coaxially keyed to the shaft with the worm 9S, and a horizontally extending worm 1% in driving engagement with the worm wheel 99 and, in turn, mounted in coaxial driving relationship to the water wheel 91.

The output of the crank shaft 95 is translated into oscillatory movement of the spray tubes 74 by the linkage seen in FIGURE 4. Both spray tubes 74, near the ends mounted through the end wall 31, have a short crank or lever arm lltlZ afiixed thereon. One of a pair of links 103 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the outer end of each one of the arms 1G2 and the lower ends of both links are pivotally connected to the extremity of the crank arm 96. As is apparent from a comparison of the full and phantom outline positions illustrated in FIG- URE 4, the crank arm 96, the arms 1G2 and the links Hi3 are so proportioned as to produce a kinematic chain for oscillating the spray tubes 74, in response to rotary movement of the crank shaft 95.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, it will be seen that the nozzles 73 project in radial directions from the spray tubes 74. These nozzles have an orifice 73a which, in turn, is directed radially of the longitudinal passage into the nozzle. These orifices are fan shaped in configuration in a diametral plane of the nozzles 78, and include an arc of approximately 90 degrees. The orifices thus produce thin fan-shaped pressure jets of rinse water, with an ample head for effectively dislodging solid waste matter from the diaper 7i).

Preferably, the nozzles 78 of one spray tube 74 are oriented with respect to the nozzles of the other spray tube in the manner shown in FIGURE 6. With this arrangement, the spray from the nozzles '78 of one spray tube 74- forcefully impinges on the diaper 79 at a different level than the sprays from the nozzles of the other spray tube. The opposed sprays thus cause bending of the material of the diaper 7d and this bending action, combined with the direct impingement of the spray on the waste material, is extremely effective in causing a quick and thorough removal of the waste matter. As the spray tubes '74- oscillate through their arcs illustrated in FIGURE 6, the sprays sweep up and down for the full length of the freely hanging diaper 76 As the fan-shaped sprays from the pair of nozzles 78 of each spray tube 74 overlap one another, each side of the diaper is thoroughly covered by the sprays throughout the length and width of the diaper.

To rinse a diaper, the lid 43 is first opened, after which a soiled diaper 7i) can be brought into position over the top of the open tank 29 and unfolded. Then, a pair of 6 corners of the diaper are inserted into the clothespins 71 and the lid 43 is closed.

Next, the valve handle 87 is actuated to open the valve 86 and water under pressure is supplied for actuating the water wheel 91, to cause oscillatory movement of the spray tubes '74. At the same time, water passes into the spray tubes 74 to be forcefully ejected from the nozzles '73. The spraying cycle is allowed to continue for a suitable length of tirne, usually about two to six min utes. Obviously, a motor timer or the like can be incorporated into the valve 36 along with a valve closing mechanism to control the length of the cycle. As a result of the spraying operation, all waste matter is removed from both sides of the diaper 753 and, after screening, drains into the toilet bowl 21 via the drain stub 33, elbow 4e, conduit member 42 and member 43.

When the valve 36 has been closed, the lid 48 is opened to the position illustrated in phantom outline in FIG- URE 8. The wet diaper is then removed from the clothespins '71, after which the wringer roll 53 has the swingable end of its shaft released from the arms 59. The diaper is then folded in half and laid on top of the wringer roll 52, after which the wringer roll 53 is swung into operative position. Manual pressure is then exerted on the free end of the shaft of the roll 53 while the diaper is pulled through the wringer rolls. Moisture squeezed from the diaper drains over the drip shield 61 into the tank and, at the same time, any drops of water collected on the inside of the lid 48 will also be draining into the tank 2 over the drip shield. After the diaper has been wrung out, the roll 53 is returned to its inoperative position and the lid 48 is closed. Then, the valve 86 is once again opened for a brief period to rinse the interior of the tank 29. Since the diaper 70 is no longer present in the tank, the pressure sprays from the nozzles 78 now strike the opposite Walls of the tank to thoroughly clean the tank of residual waste.

ince various modifications can be made in my inven tion as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a diaper rinser, the combination comprising: a tank having a drain; means to hang a diaper within said tank in spaced relationship to opposite walls of said tank whereby to expose opposite sides of the diaper; a plurality of spray tubes movably mounted within said tank and arranged for directing sprays of water onto opposite sides of the diaper; means for communicating said spray tubes with a source of water under pressure; valve means for said last mentioned means; and means for converting the flow of water into said spray tubes into movement of said spray tubes for effecting movement of the sprays of water.

2. In a diaper rinser, the combination comprising: a tank having a drain; means to hang a diaper within said tank in spaced relationship to opposite walls of said tank whereby to expose opposite sides of the diaper; a pair of tubes rotatably mounted within said tank and having nozzles arranged for directing sprays of water onto opposite sides of a diaper hung within said tank; means for communicating said spray tubes with a source of Water under pressure; valve means for said last mentioned means; and motor means drivingly connected to said spray tubes and actuated by water flowing to said spray tubes for effecting movement of said tubes to cause sprays of water from said nozzles to sweep across the opposite sides of the diaper.

3. In a diaper rinser, the combination comprising: a tank supported in an elevated position by a plurality of legs and having a gravity drain opening; means located in the upper end of said tank for releasably holding a diaper to suspend said diaper Within said tank in spaced relationship to a pair of opposite walls of said tank; a pair of substantially parallel horizontally extending spray tubes mounted for oscillatory movement on longitudinal axes within the upper end of said tank and on opposite sides of the plane in which a diaper is suspended by said means, said tubes having spray outlets arranged for sweeping opposite sides of the diaper with sprays of water in response to oscillatory movement of said tubes; means for communicating said tubes with a source of water under pressure; valve means for last mentioned means; and means drivingly connected to said spray tubes and actuated by water flowing to said spray tubes for effectin g oscillatory movement of said tubes.

4. A diaper rinser as set forth in claim 3 in which said gravity drain opening is provided with a means to divide particles of waste matter rinsed from the diaper.

5. A diaper rinser as set forth in claim 3 in which said spray tube tube outlets consist of nozzles having orifices shaped for delivering wide and thin streams of water onto said diaper.

6. In a diaper rinser, the combination comprising: a tank having vertical walls defining a horizontally elongated cross-sectional configuration, said walls having lower ends merging into a floor that slopes to a gravity drain outlet for said tank; a lid hingedly connected to the upper end of one of said walls for closing said tank; a plurality of fasteners secured to the underside of said lid for releasably holding an unfolded diaper, said fasteners being positioned to hang said diaper substantially midway between oppositely longitudinally ex ending walls of said tank when said lid is closed; a plurality of spray tubes movably mounted within said tank and arranged for directing sprays of water onto opposite sides of a diaper hung in said tank; means for communicating said spray tubes with a source of water under pressure; valve means for said last mentioned means; and means for converting the flow of water to said spray tubes into movement of said spray tubes.

7. A diaper rinser comprising: a tank having vertically extending walls defining a horizontally elongated cross sectional configuration, said walls having lower ends merging into a floor that slopes to a gravity drain outlet; a screen positioned in said outlet; a pipe comprising an extension of said outlet and having a nozzle on its free end formed with a downwardly protruding lip for securement of said noule on the edge of a toilet bowl; a lid hingedly connected to the upper end of one of said Walls of said tank for closing said tank; a plurality of clips secured to the underside of said lid for releasably holding an unfolded diaper, said clips being positioned to hang said diaper substantially midway between opposite longitudinally extending walls of said tank when said lid is closed; a pair of substantially parallel horizontally extendin spray tubes mounted for oscillation on longitudinally extending axes of said tubes within the upper end of said tank on opposite sides of the plane in which a diaper is suspended by said clips, said tubes having spray nozzles with orifices arranged for sweeping opposite sides of the diaper with sprays of water in response to oscillatory movement of said tubes, said orifices being adapted for delivering wide and thin streams of water onto said diaper; means for communicating said tubes with a source of water under pressure; valve means for said last mentioned means; and means drivingly connected to said tubes and actuated by water flowing to said tubes for effecting oscillatory movement of said tubes.

8. In a diaper rinser, the combination comprising: a tank having a drain; means to hang a diaper within said tank in spaced relationship to opposite walls of said tank whereby to expose opposite sides of the diaper; a pair of substantially parallel horizontally extending spray tubes mounted for oscillation on longitudinal axes within the upper end of said tank on opposite sides of the plane in which the diaper is suspended by said means, said tubes having spray outlets arranged for sweeping opposite sides of the diaper with sprays or" water in response to oscillating movement said tubes; a crank journaled in a "all of said tank; a crank arm aifixcd to each of said tubes; a pair of connecting links each of which links is pivotally connected at opposite ends to said crank and to one of said arms of a length to translate rotary movement of said crank into oscillatory movement of said arms; means for connecting said tubes with a source of water under pressure; and motor means for applying a torque to said crank in response to the flow of water to said tubes.

9. A dia er rinser as set forth in claim 8 in which said out-lets of said tubes are positioned and arranged for impingement of a spray of water from one of said tubes at a level on said diaper different from the level of impingement of a spray of water from the other of said tubes to cause iiexure of said diaper and loosening of waste from said diaper.

10. A diaper rinser comprising: a tank having verticaily extending walls defining a horizontally elongated rectangular cross-sectional configuration, said walls having lower end portions merging into a floor that slopes longitudinally to a gravity drain outlet formed in said tank; a screen positioned in said outlet; a pipe comprising an extension of said outlet and having a drain nozzle on its free end formed with a downwardly protruding lip; a lid hinged-1y connected to the upper end of one of said walls of said tank for closing said tank; a plurality of clips secured to the underside of said lid for releasably holding an unfolded diaper, said clips being positioned to suspend said diaper substantially midway between opposite longitudinally extending walls of said tank when said lid is closed; a pair of substantially parallel horizontally extending spray tubes mounted for oscillation on lonitgudinally extending axes of said tubes within the upper end of salt. tank on opposite sides of the plane in which a is suspended by said clips, said tubes having spray nozzles with orifices arranged for sweeping opposite sides of the diaper with sprays of water in response to oscillatory movement of said tubes, said orifices being adapted for delivering wide and thin streams of water onto said diaper; a crank journaled in a wall of said tank; a crank arm allixed to each of said spray tubes; a pair of coneeting links each of which links is pivotally connected at opposite ends to said crank and to one of said arms and is of a length to translate rotary movement of said crank into oscillatory movement of said arms; a fluid-tight housing secured to one end wall of said tank and having fluid communication with open ends of said pair of spray tubes; means for communicating said housing with a source of water under pressure; valve means for said last mentioned means; a water wheel rotatably mounted in said housing in the path f water flowing between said valve means and said spray tubes and positioned for being urged into rotation in response to the flow of water through said housing; and worm gear means drivingly interconnecting said water wheel and said crank.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. IN A DIAPER RINSER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A TANK HAVING A DRAIN; MEANS TO HANG A DIAPER WITHIN SAID TANK IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO OPPOSITE WALLS OF SAID TANK WHEREBY TO EXPOSE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE DIAPER; A PLURALITY OF SPRAY TUBES MOVABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID TANK AND ARRANGED FOR DIRECTING SPRAYS OF WATER ONTO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE DIAPER; MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING SAID SPRAY TUBES WITH A SOURCE OF WATER UNDER PRESSURE; VALVE MEANS FOR SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS; AND MEANS FOR CONVERTING THE FLOW OF WATER INTO SAID SPRAY TUBES INTO MOVEMENT OF SAID SPRAY TUBES FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF THE SPRAYS OF WATER.

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