US3244464A - Bathroom fixture and method for making and installing - Google Patents

Description

A ril 5, 1966 G. M MURTRIE ETAL BATHROOM FIXTURE AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND INSTALLING Filed July 22, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. l.

| ENT 5 ATTORNEY BATHROOM FIXTURE AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND INSTALLING Filed July 22, 1963 April 5, 1966 s. MCMURTRIE ETAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 QMI Wm NM .wm

Irard ATTORNEY April 5, 1966 G. MQMURTRIE ETAL 3,244,464

BATHROOM FIXTURE AND METHOD-FOR MAKING AND INSTALLING Filed July 22, 1963 S Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS 9 2 7 0 d0? 0 fdwfdf g/kr f2 ,9 ATTORNEY Fig. 4.

United States Patent O 3,244,464 BATHROOM FEXTURE AND METHUD FOR MAKING AND INSTALLING Gilbert McMurtrie and Robert William Nagel, Louisville, and Edward Walter Forth, New Canaan, Ky-, assignors to American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Dela- Ware Filed July 22, 1963, Ser. N 0. 296,559 1 Claim. (Cl. 312-227) 1963; Serial No. 296,571, filed July 22, 1963; Serial No.

296,570, filed July 22, 1963.

The present invention comprises an improved cabinet having a unique lighting arrangement and a plurality of mirror access doors installed thereon wherein at least one of the mirrors is slidably mounted on a track while at least one other mirror is pivoted or hinged to allow it to swing out so that it can be placed in various pivotal positions. The hinged mirror may be used in conjunction with the sliding mirror to provide a number of reflecting surfaces for conveniently viewing more than one side of a person or object at the same time.

The cabinet may comprise, for example, two sliding mirrors on either side of a central hinged or pivoted double-faced mirror so that when the cabinet is installed in a bathroom above a lavatory and water closet, the cen-v tral pivoted mirror may be swung out and one of the adjacent sliding mirror-s slid to the central position so that one side of the pivoted double faced central mirror will cooperate with one sliding mirror to provide multiple reflections from a position in front of the lavatory while the other side of the pivoted double-faced mirror will cooperate with the other sliding mirror to provide multiple reflections from a position adjacent the water closet thereby making it possible to use the mirrors in cooperation with the lavatory or water closet seat for shaving or for putting on make-up or the like. Thus, this arrangement give a convenient lounge effect to the bathroom, for shaving or for applying make-up.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cabinet having a versatile arrangement of cooperating mirror access doors to provvide a multiplicity of reflections and combinations of reflecting surfaces.

Another object is to provide an improved cabinet having lighting fixtures installed therein with respect to the cabinet mirror access doors.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet employing an improved lighting and mirror arrangement constructed according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic plan view, on a reduced scale, of the cabinet showing the mirror in various positions relative to a lavatory and water closet located therebelow.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the cabinet, lighting and mirror arrangement of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the cabinet 3,244,464 Patented Apr. 5, 1955 with the mirrors, mirror tracks, and mirror hinges shown in section as taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, a cabinet 10 is shown as comprising an enclosure along the front of which are mounted access doors 12, 14, and 16 having mirror surfaces thereon. The two end mirrors 12 and 16 are mounted in tracks for sliding movement While the central mirror 14 is pivotally mounted along an axis extending along one vertical edge thereof.

The two end mirrors 12 and 16 are mounted in a common upper track 18 (FIGURE 4) and a common lower track 20, both tracks extending generally across the width of the cabinet, while upper and lower pivot supports 22 and 24 respectively, provided for the pivotal mirror 14, are located exteriorly of the tracks 18 and 20 so that the end mirrors 12 and 16 can be slid behind the central mirror 14 independently of any pivoted position of the central mirror 14.

In a normal closed position the and mirror 16 is in a position at the right hand side of the cabinet, as viewed in FIGURE 1, to conceal the interior of the right hand portion of the cabinet which is shown exposed in FIGURE 1. The other end mirror 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 in its normal closed position will lie flush with the front of the cabinet so that the three mirrors 12, 14 and 16 will cover the front of the cabinet as shown in FIGURE 3.

The tracks 18, 20 and pivot supports 22, 24 for the mirrors 12, 14 and 16 may be constructed in a suitable manner as described. FIGURE 4, for example, shows the upper track 18 as comprising an inverted U-shaped track member 26 suitably afiixed to the cabinet frame member 28 such as by welding or fastening means (not shown) while suitable cushioning means such as felt pads 30 are provided between the mirrors and the sides of the track member 26.

A lower track structure 20 is provided to support the weight of the two end mirrors 12 and 16 and to permit the same to be rolled back and forth. The lower edge of the mirrors 12 and 16 are individually supported in separate H channels. Each H channel has an upper U- shaped portion 34 and a lower U-shaped portion 32. The upper channel 34 of each H-shaped channel engages and holds the lower edge of the mirrors 12 and 16 by means of a suitable gripping material such as friction tape which is squeezed with the glass into the channel.

Each lower H-shaped channel 32 has a pair of spaced rollers 40 inserted therein. This may be by any suitable means such a fastener holding the axle of the roller, the entire roller unit being squeezed into the lower channel 32.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the upper portion of the H-shaped channel supports the glass while a lower portion of the channel supports the rollers 40. In this way, the glass is supported in the H-shaped channel and may be readily moved back and forth on the track 39 while firmly gripped in the H- shaped channel. The track '39 has a base 38 and guides the H-shaped channel as it is pushed back and forth on track 39.

The mirror sections 12 and 16 may be easily removed from the track 39 by lifting them upwardly inside the upper track a sufiicient distance to clear the lower track 39. The bottom of the mirrors 12 and 16 can then be tilted outwardly, and lowered to free them from their guide tracks.

In order that the pivot support means 22, 24 for the central mirror 14 do not interfere with the tracks 18, 26 such pivot support means are positioned outwardly beyond the upper and lower tracks 18 and 20 respectively. Thus, in FIGURE 4, the upper pivot support 22 is shown as comprisilng a pivot support member 42 pivotally supported from a pivot support frame member 44 by a pivot pin 46. The pivot support frame member 44 extends beyond and above the track 18 so that it does not interfere with the channel of the track.

The pivot support frame member 44 receives the upper edge of the central mirror 14 in an indentation at the lower end thereof while suitable cushioning material such as tape 48, may be provided between the central mirror 14 and the identation of the pivot support frame member 44.

The lower pivot support 24 for the central mirror 14, which is similar to the upper pivot support 22, described above, comprises a pivot member 50 pivotally supported from a pivot support frame member 52 by a pivot pin 54 while an identation in the pivot member 50 receives the lower edge of the central mirror 14.

Access to the interior end portions of the cabinet is achieved merely by sliding either of the end mirrors 12 or 16 to the central portion of the tracks behind the central mirror 14. Access to the interior central portion of the cabinet 10 is achieved merely by pivoting the central mirror 14 while the two end mirrors 12 and 16 are in their normally closed position at the ends of the cabinet 10. The interior of the cabinet may be suitably partitioned and arranged with shelves such as set at 58 (FIGURE 1), while lighting fixtures may be provided at the upper and lower portions of the cabinet.

A lower lighting fixture may comprise fluorescent lamps 60 and 62 within the cabinet beneath the lowest cabinet shelf and behind the mirrors 12, 14, 16, and suitably mounted on the cabinet frame by the holders 64 and 66 respectively, as shown in the lower portion of FIG- URE 4. These fluorescent lamps 60 and 62 direct light through the open bottom of the cabinet and also may be used to light up the interior of the cabinet in the case where glass shelves are used thereabove.

The upper lighting fixture may also comprise fluorescent lamps 68 and 70 extending above the cabinet enclosure and supported by the cabinet frame by the holders 72 and 74 respectively. An angularly mounted light shield 76 may be mounted on the top front portion of the cabinet and spaced from the ceiling of the room in which the cabinet is mounted for providing indirect lighting. The light shield 76 may also have a perforated plate 78 supported by flanges 80 and 82 for admitting light from the fluorescent lamps 68 and 70 through the perforations 84 therein to the area in front of the mirrors.

Ballast 86 and 88 (FIGURE 3) for the fluorescent lamps 6t), 62, 68, 70 may be suitably supported on the cabinet frame at one end thereof. The ballast 86 and 88 is contained in an enclosure 90 separated from the main storage section of the cabinet by the vertical wall 92. The ballast 86, 88, may be supported in the enclosure 90 by suitable means such as bolts 94 while suitable electrical wiring, such as at 96, is provided between the ballast and the fluorescent lamps.

Suitable electrical plug outlets 98 and 106 may be provided at either end of the cabinet. The electrical wiring for the fluorescent lamps 66, 62, 68, 70, the ballast 86, 88; and the body portions of the electrical plug outlets 98 and 100 are concealed within the cabinet above, below and to the side of walls or panels 92, 101, 102, 103 (FIGURE 3) and 104 (FIGURE 4) defining the cavity or storage area of the cabinet.

The entire cabinet 10, including the electrical wiring therefor, may be pre-assem-bled at the factory so that no on-site construction or Wiring is necessary other than the plugging in of the lighting unit to lead-in plugs from an available source. The lighting fixtures may also be designed so that either heating, air conditioning or blower systems may be used in their place.

The cabinet of the present invention is particularly adaptable for use in a bathroom as a medicine cabinet. Thus the cabinet of FIGURE 1 may be of full width to utilize the wall area over a lavatory 1655 (FIGURE 2) and a water closet 109. The cabinet may be partitioned into three sections 116, 111, 112 each provided with adjustable glass shelves, such as shown at 58 in FIGURE 1, removable and adjustable to allow spacing with-in each partitioned section to conform to special or specific needs of the user.

The cabinet may be formed with a wall panel 114a (FIGURE 1) which may extend above and below the cabinet 16 and also forwardly on either end thereof whereby such panel serves as a wall for that portion of the bathroom. Such a cabinet and wall construction is particularly adaptable to be supported on prefabricated bathroom frame structures.

When the cabinet is used in a bathroom as described above and with the lavatory 168 located on the left and the water closet 109 on the right as shown in FIGURE 2, for example, the pivoted center mirror 14, which has a mirror face on either side thereof, may be swung out to various pivotal positions, such as A, B, or C (FIGURE 2) so that a person standing in front of the lavatory 108 may be able to view himself in the mirror 12 and one side of the mirror 14.

Also, with this arrangement, the mirrors 14 and 16 may be used in conjunction with the planned placement of the water closet 169 to give a lounge effect for applying make-up or the like, a counter-top 114 extending around the lavatory and behind the water closet being provided to support make-up bottles and equipment for this purpose.

Thus with the mirror 14 adjusted to the position C, a person standing in front of the lavatory 168 and looking into mirror 12 or one side of mirror 14 will be able to see multiple reflections of the front and side of his face. Similarly, when the pivoted mirror 14 is in position A, its opposite side will cooperate with mirror 16 to provide multiple reflections from the area adjacent the water closet 169.

From the above description it can be seen that the cabinet of the present invention may be pro-assembled so that it may be installed as a prefabricated unit merely by attaching it to a suitable support structure and plugging in a lead-in plug from an available source of electricity to provide an electrical connection tothe lighting fixtures concealed in the cabinet. The mirror access doors are arranged in a manner to provide multiple reflections from various positions in front of the cabinet making it possible to view more than one side of a person or object at the same time. When used as a medicine cabinet, in a bathroom above a lavatory and water closet, the mirror arrangement on the cabinet may be adjusted to provide a make-up mirror in conjunction with the planned placement of the water closet, giving a convenient lounge effect for applying make-up or for shaving.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in constmcti-on within the scope of the claim, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown 'anddescr'ibed.

What is claimed is:

The combination within a bath room, comprising. a medicine cabinet positioned in a bathroom wall, a water closet and lavatory disposed alongsde one another fornet, said cabinet having a lateral dimension which is substantially the same as the combined lateral dimension of the lavatory and water closet, said cabinet having a front opening, track means on said cabinet extending horizontally generally along edge upper and lower portions of said front opening, a pair of mirror access doors slidably supported in said track means and each having a closed position at either end of the track means, each of said doors having a mirror front face, a double-faced pivotally supported mirror access door on said cabinet structure having a closed position extending across the central front portion of the cabinet intermediate said slidably supported mirror access doors when the latter are in their closed positions, each of said slidably supported mirror access doors having an open position behind said pivotally supported mirror access door when the latter is in said closed position, means pivotally supporting the double-faced door for swinging movement about a vertical axis located along one of its vertical edges, one of said slidably supported mirror access doors when in its closed position being disposed directly above said lavatory and cooperating with one mirror face of said pivotally sup- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,557,959 10/ 1925 Anderson 312-227 2,578,096 12/1951 Smith 312-227 2,678,252 5/ 1954 Swearingen 3 l2227 X 2,717,819 9/ 1955 Kirkwood 312-245 2,830,863 4/1958 Fehr 312245 2,876,056 3/ 1959 Berger 312223 3,038,771 6/1962 Schwartz 312--223 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, FRANK B. SHERRY,

Examiners.

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