# US 4,398,639 A · Safety towel bar for wall panels

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- Number: US 4,398,639 A
- Document ID: US4398639A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/294,910
- Filed: 1981-08-21
- Granted: 1983-08-16
- Earliest claimed: 1981-08-21
- Assignees: Novi Plastics Company
- Inventors: Phillip D. Daniels
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398639A

## CPC

- A47K 10/10: characterised by being mounted on cabinets, walls, doors, or the like
- A47K 3/281: {Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers (A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence)}
- A47K 2201/00: Details of connections of bathroom accessories, e.g. fixing soap or towel holder to a wall
- A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES

## Abstract

A safety towel bar for a plastic wall surround panel for showers and tubs comprises a substantially flat plastic wall panel adhesively secured to a dry wall which is secured to a framework. A pair of laterally spaced rearwardly opening upright channels are integral with the panel and receive the ends of a towel bar, which are nested, supported and secured upon a pair of laterally spaced brackets secured to the dry wall and extend into the channels.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A safety towel bar for a plastic wall surround panel for showers and tubs comprising a building framework having a dry wall secured thereto;
a pair of laterally spaced support brackets secured to and projecting forwardly of said dry wall;
a substantially flat plastic wall panel overlying and adhesively secured to said dry wall;
said panel having a pair of laterally spaced outwardly projecting upright channels integral therewith;
said channels opening rearwardly of said panels;
an elongated horizontal tube forwardly of said panel with its ends projected into said channels;
said tube ends within said channels being supportably positioned over, mounted upon and retained by said brackets against outward and downward movement.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The safety towel bar of claim 1, said brackets opening upwardly, said tube ends nested within said brackets during assembly and securing of said panel to said dry wall.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

In the safety towel bar of claim 1, said channels having a predetermined spacing;
said brackets having the same spacing and being projected into said channels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

In the safety towel bar of claim 1, the securing of said brackets including fasteners engaging said brackets, projecting through and retainingly engaging the back of said dry wall.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

In the safety towel bar of claim 1, each bracket having an upright back plate bearing against and secured to said dry wall and terminating in a forwardly positioned U-shaped tube receiving cradle;
and an upright anchor plate at one end bearing against and secured to said dry wall and at its other end connected to said cradle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

In the safety towel bar of claim 5, said anchor plate being integral with and forming an extension of said cradle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

In the safety towel bar of claim 5, the connection of said anchor plate to said cradle including a cooperating T-projection and slot formed in said anchor plate and cradle respectively.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

In the safety towel bar of claim 1, each bracket having an upright back plate of L-shape bearing against and securing to said dry wall and terminating in a flexible loop receiving an end of said tube.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

In the safety towel bar of claim 1, the securing of said brackets to said dry wall including a horizontal strip upon said dry wall spanning portions of said framework and secured thereto;
each bracket having an upright back plate;
a support prong struck out from said back plate inclined outwardly and downwardly supported upon said strip;
and a pair of spaced prongs struck out from said back plate extending inwardly and downwardly and retainingly projected into said drywall.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

In the safety towel bar of claim 9, said back plate being of L-shape and terminating in a yieldable loop receiving an end of said tube.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

In the safety towel bar of claim 1, said upright channels forming a part of a continuous channel having upright sides, a top and bottom and at least one transverse shelf defining cross channel extending between said upright channel.