US 5,222,260 AGranted

Toilet cover closure device

OwnerDean E. Piperinventor

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Abstract

Disclosed is a toilet seat cover closure device responsive to the flow of water in a toilet tank during a flushing operation to operate a push pin to urge the cover from a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position over a toilet seat on a toilet bowl. In a first embodiment the push pin is operated by a bowden wire in response to the pressure of water filling the water tank. In a second embodiment the push pin is operated by a cable arrangement responsive to the lowering of the water in the toilet tank during the first part of the flushing operation. With both embodiments a dampening mechanism is provided to control the rate of descent of the cover, comprising a spring-biased cam element cooperating with cam faces on the cover pivot shaft connected to move with said cover. Also disclosed are quick release fasteners involving deformable elastic members which lock or release the toilet seat and the toilet seat cover to or from the toilet bowl without the need for tools, whereby the toilet seat and toilet cover may be quickly and easily removed for cleaning or replacement.

A toilet cover closure device comprising:

a toilet cover pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl by fastening means to enable said cover to selectively assume a horizontal position and a substantially vertical position;
dampening means to control the descent of said cover from a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position, said dampening means being connected to said fastening means, said dampening means comprising;
a toilet cover pivot shaft connected to said toilet cover and rotatable in a pair of bearings;
a left cylinder means and a right cylinder means suitably attached to said fastening means for housing respectively;
said pair of bearings,
a slidable left face cam element,
a slidable right face cam element,
left and right spring means for urging said slidable face cam elements toward said pivot shaft, and
left and right adjusting screw means for biassing said left and right spring means against said slidable face cam elements;
said toilet cover pivot shaft having a left and right ends configured as face cams for co-acting with corresponding said slidable left and right face cam elements;
a water tank connected to a water inlet source and to said toilet bowl to provide a source of water to flush said toilet bowl, said water tank containing a water inlet valve controlled by a float, a plunger connected to a flush handle by a lever and a rod for controlling the release of the water from the tank to the toilet bowl;
and
a toilet cover closure means mounted on said water tank responsive to the flow of water in the water tank during a flushing operation for urging said toilet cover from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position;
whereby
during a flushing operation a toilet cover is urged from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position as a result of actuating said flush handle, and when said toilet cover moves from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position said slidable left and right face cam elements are forced outwardly against the bias of said left and right spring means, thereby controlling the rate of descent of said toilet cover towards said toilet bowl.

12 more elements

Abstract

Claims8