US3332091A - Shower bath means - Google Patents

Description

Juiy 25, E g? 3, 3,332,991

SHOWER BATH MEANS Filed Jan. 18, 1965 12' I w /4' J INVENTOR. CLYDE GREER gum/QM AT T Y.

United States Patent 3,332,091 SHOWER BATH MEANS Clyde Greer, 20 Mary St., Rittman, Ohio 44270 Filed Jan. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 426,306 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-155) This invention relates to shower bath means and more particularly to portable means adapted for shower bathmg.

Camping facilities in national and state parks are utilized during the summer months by a great number of vacationing families. Also a great number of summer tourists travel by automobile and pitch a tent in which they sleep where a campsite may be available and still other tourists sleep in their automobiles or trailers, many of the latter do not have bathing facilities. This type of touring and camping has great appeal to many families and makes touring and camping possible to many families because it is inexpensive relative to cost of accommodations at motels or hotels. Some like to camp beyond modern facilities and established camps.

The millions that enjoy the type of vacationing just discussed are confronted with the problem of bathing and a solution to the problem has long been needed for the comfort, health and enjoyment of those participating in the type of touring mentioned.

Many of the large national and state camp sites provide shower bath facilities but they are not adequate in a crowded camp. At the end of the day there is a standing line waiting for a turn at bathing. Many tourists, who otherwise find the camps very attractive, recoil at following a line of bathers into the showers because of the lack of sanitation and the health hazard.

It is an object of the present invention to provide portable shower bath means that is collapsible and occupies a minimum of space in an automobile or automobile trunk and that can be easily and quickly erected on any open ground available.

Another object of this invention is to provide privacy for the bather, and

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supplying a spray or stream of warm water to the bather.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus embodying the present invention shown as assembled for use;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the shower curtain support means shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view of a stake plug.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing a hollow stake 10, having a round chamber opening upwardly is adapted to be driven into the ground and to receive and anchor a jointed tubular shower curtain rod support 11. To protect the upper edge of stake from dam-age by a heavy hammer, which may be used in driving the stake into the ground, applicant drops a solid plug 9 of suitable size into the open end of stake 10 and removes the plug after the stake has been driven.

The support 11 is preferably composed of hollow aluminum rod and has a plurality of telescoped sections as for example sections 12, 13, 14 and 15. The top section 14 has rigidly attached thereto a section 15 of a jointed semi-circular hollow rod that receives telescopically a semi-circular section of rod 16 that corresponds to section 15. The sections 15 and 16, when assembled, forming a circular support for a shower curtain 17 as will be seen by reference to FIG. 1.

It is to be understood that the sections 12, 13, 14 and 16 are retained in telescopic relation by means of thumb screws 18.

Means for supplying warm water to a bather comprise a metal water tank 18, having a lid 19, locked to the tank in bayonet fashion. The lid is provided with a pressure gauge 20 and a safety valve 21. A propane torch 22 is attached, if desired, to the tank in any suitable manner, with the flame directed to the bottom of the tank as illustrated. Water within the tank is subjected to air pressure by means of an automobile tire valve 23 and a tire pump 24. A tank outlet 25 communicates with a length of garden hose 27 through valve 26. Hose 27 is of suflicient length to extend to and under curtain 17 and thence to near the top of curtain support 11 as will also be seen by reference to FIG. 1. A garden hose nozzle 28 is attached to the outlet end of the garden hose. Means for removably supporting the hose on support 11 is provided at 29 and a soap tray at 30.

The operation of erecting and using the portable shower means is simple. First stake 10 is driven into the ground. Next support sections 12, 13 and 14 are joined and retained assembled by thumb screws 18. Section 16 is then joined to section 15 and held in place by a thumb screw 18. The next steps are placing the lower end of section 12 into the open end of stake 10 ancl mounting shower curtain 17 as shown in the drawing. It is to be understood that the shower curtain is such as to permit some over-lapping of its ends but only enough to make it convenient for a bather to enter the shower stall, defined by the curtain, and to insure privacy while therein.

The tank is supplied with water from any source avail- :able and filled approximately /8 full. With the lid locked in position the torch is lighted and the water is heated to desired temperature. The water is then placed under air pressure by means of the hand pump, the nozzle 28 being in closed position. The bather opens the nozzle permitting the warm water to spray or run over his body. Soap, washing and rinsing are conveniently done in the usual manner. Applicant has found that a tank of eight gallons capacity provides ample water for a cleansing and refreshing bath, and, if all the water is to be used, additional pumping may be necessary. Such pumping may be done by another person than the bather or the pump may be located inside the shower curtain accessible to the bather.

If two or more are to bathe at close intervals the ground may become too wet for a mat 31 to provide comfort for the bathers feet. In this case the support 11 may be rotated in stake 10 so as to move the shower stall over dry ground.

It will be obvious that with the shower curtain over dry ground that the shower stall can double as a dressing room.

The invention contemplates various types of mats or flooring for the shower stall that may be found to be desirable. Also, it is to be understood that a collapsible auxiliary air tank may replace the hand pump and such devices as now used as emergency means for inflating tires may also be substituted for the hand pump.

It will be manifest from the foregoing description of the invention and discussion that applicant has assembled the various elements of the apparatus in such combination as to produce a novel result that solves a long standing problem of certain camping and touring.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of. the appended claim, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

Apparatus of the character described comprising:

(a) A single rigid support,

(b) means in the form of a stake adapted to retain said support perpendicular and in removable relation thereto,

(c) said support being rotatable about its axis,

(d) a circular shower curtain support frame removably mounted on the top of the perpendicular support,

(e) a shower curtain adapted to define a shower stall suspended from said frame,

(f) a water tank adjacent said stall, means adapted to heat water in the tank,

(g) a garden hose communicating with the water in the tank,

(h) said hose being provided with an adjustable outlet nozzle,

(i) hose support means mounted on said perpendicular support,

(j) the hose extending to and under the lower edge of the curtain and thence upwardly to said hose support means, and

(k) said hose support means being adapted to support the hose at a height that retains the nozzle convenient for a bather to manipulate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

B. E. KILE, Assistant Examiner.

Images