US2856040A - Shower enclosure - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 14, 1958 o. DANSEREAU 2,856,040

SHOWER ENCLOSURE Filed Feb. 10, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l 7 2/ 2 INVENTOR.

Lionel O. Dan5c=rcau Unite.

Patent Lionel 0. Dansereau, New York, N. Y., assignor to Long Island Shower Door Company, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y., a corporation of New York This invention relates to shower enclosures for bath tubes or shower compartments and is directed more particularly to such enclosures of the type having sliding doors or panels.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shower enclosure of the character described in which the sliding door panels are suspended by means of captive rollers from a pair of concealed tracks formed in an overhead beam of novel construction, said tracks being so constructed and arranged as to prevent accidental displacement of the rollers and consequent falling out of the door panels.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for effectively sealing the shower enclosure along the side walls and bottom thereof, said sealing means including a separate pair of channel members so constructed and arranged as to permit relative adjustable movement therebetween to compensate for unevenness or misalignment of the walls and floor or tub of the shower enclosure.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel roller suspension for the sliding door panels by means of which center line hanging of the door panels in overlapping relationship from respective tracks is facilitated and water leakage between the adjacent faces of the door panels is eliminated.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of combined track and drainage means on the bottom of the shower enclosure to guide the lower ends of the door panels.

The above and other objects of the invention together with the advantages derived therefrom will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example some of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character have been used to designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a shower enclosure embodying the invention with certain parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper corner of one of the door panels with certain parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 4A is an exploded view of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower corner of one of the door panels with certain parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 5A is an exploded view of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 7 showing a modified form of overhead beam.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

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Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 9 showing a modified form of track-forming member.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8 showing a modified form of adjusting means for the bottom track-forming member.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section through a modified form of adjusting means for the vertical side channels, and

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail of one of the angles employed to secure the channels in place after adjustment.

In the drawings, referring more particularly to Fig. 1, reference numeral 10 designates a conventional bath tub disposed between two end walls 11 of a bath room with with a third wall 12 of the room providing one of the side walls of the compartment in which the tub forms the receptacle for the shower. The open side of the compartment is adapted to be closed by an enclosure embodying the present invention. In the form illustrated, the shower enclosure comprises a pair of sliding door panels 14 suspended from an overhead supporting beam 16 which extends horizontally across the open side of the compartment from one to the other of the two end walls 11. The beam 16 is supported at its opposite ends by a pair of vertical channel members 17 mounted on the rim or upper edge of the tub 10.

As best seen from Fig. 2, each channel member 17 is formed with a web 18 adapted to be cemented or otherwise suitably secured to a respective end wall 11 and with a pair of legs 19 extending outwardly from said wall. The legs-19 are spaced from one another a predetermined distance to receive and accommodate therebetween in telescoping engagement the spaced legs 20 of a second or inner channel member 21 having a web 22 forming the jamb against which a respective door panel 14 is adapted to abut when in closed position.

It is not uncommon to find that the end walls 11 to which the channels 17 are cemented or otherwise secured are not truly vertical. Consequently, in order to compensate for such misalignment and irregularities in the walls 11 and enable the jamb-forming web 22 of each inner channel 21 to be properly aligned for sealing engagement with the adjacent edge of a respective door panel 14, each channel 17 is provided with adjustable spacing means indicated generally by reference numerals 23 in Fig. 1.

Each spacing means 23 comprises a sleeve 24 (Fig. 2) extending transversely through the web 18 in a suitable opening provided therein. Each sleeve 24 is rigidly secured in place in the channel 17 and is internally threaded to receive one end of a threaded pin 25. The opposite end or head 26 of the pin 25 is enlarged as shown to provide an abutment for the web 22 of the inner channel 21. In order to accommodate a screwdriver or other tool employed to turn the pin 25 relative to the sleeve 24, a transverse slot 27 is provided in the head 26. Thus, by simply screwing or unscrewing each set of pins 25 relative to the sleeves 24, proper adjustment of the inner channels 21 with respect to the channels 17 may be readily accomplished to provide vertical alignment of said inner channels.

The head 26 of each pin 25 is also centrally drilled and tapped to receive a set screw 28 employed to lock the inner channel 21 in place after adjustment of thepins to obtain the desired alignment of the jamb-formmember 30 (Fig. 3) having a web 31 and a pair of spaced upwardly extending legs 32. Along each of its longitudinal edges, the channel member 30 is perferably formed with a relatively short flange 33 extending downwardly as sh wn to provide a shallow recess 34 between the web 31 and the adjacent surface of the tub 10 for the reception of a suitable caulking compound employed to seal the channel to the tub. The flanges 33 also extend outwardly to form shoulders on which the legs 20 of the inner channels 21 are adapted to be mounted adjacent the longitudinal extremities of the bottom channel 39.

In order to provide a finished joint at each of the bottom corners of the enclosure and effectively seal the same against water leakage, the bottom channel 30 terminates at each of its longitudinal extremities in the space provided between the legs 19 of the respective Side wall channels 17.

The web 31 of the bottom channel 30 is so constructed as to provide an inclined upper surface sloping downwardly toward the leg 32 adapted to be disposed adjacent the interior of the bath tub 10 and a number of openings 34 are drilled transversely through said leg adjacent the lower end thereof to form drain holes opening into the interior of the tub. Thus, any water splashing from the shower and falling into the bottom channel 39 will run oif into the bath tub 10.

35 designates a bottom track-forming member comprising a channel of substantially the same length as the bottom channel 30 above described and having a pair of legs 36 spaced from one another and adapted to extend downwardly into the bottom channel 30 in telescoping engagement with the upwardly extending legs 32. The web 37 of the bottom track member 35 is formed to provide a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending grooves or recesses 38 which extend downwardly into the interior of the bottom channel 30 and form guides or tracks for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The bottom of each groove 38 is preferably provided with a number of drilled openings 39 forming drain holes opening into the interior of the channel 30. Adjacent the recesses 38, the web 37 is preferably formed with inclined inner and outer portions 40 and 41, respectively, sloping downwardly from the outer longitudinal edge toward the inner longitudinal edge of the track-forming member 35 to facilitate drainage.

In order to compensate for any sagging or other deviation from the horizontal line of the tub 10 or of the floor upon which the tub is mounted, suitable adjusting means such as the one shown in Fig. 3 and indicated generally by reference numeral 43 may be employed. The adjusting means 43 is similar to the spacing means 23 heretofore described in connection with the vertical side wall channels 17 and 21 and reference may be had thereto for a detailed description thereof, it being understood that two or more such adjusting means 43 are employed spaced from one another longitudinally of the trackforming channel 35 and disposed between the guideforming recesses 38.

Each door 14 comprises a transparent or translucent glass panel 44 retained in a frame composed of sections of novel construction including a top section 45, a bottom section 46 and a pair of side sections 47. Each section of the frame is formed with a glass retaining channel or groove 48 (Figs. 4A and A) of suitable dimension to receive and accommodate the glass panel 44 and a gasket 49 employed to seal the same as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In each of the top and bottom frame sections 45 and 46, the glass retaining grove 48 terminates at its inner end in a keyhole slot 50 and 51, respectively. In each of the side frame sections 47, a pair of opposed inwardly extending rails 52 are provided intermediate the ends of the groove 48 forming abutments for the sealing gasket 49 and glass panel 44 and providing an inner chamber 53 for a corner key or miter-retaining screw 54 employed at each corner of the frame to secure the frame sections together as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The screws 54 are preferably self tapping and at each of the top and bottom corners said screws are adapted to cooperate with the rounded portions of the keyhole slots 50 and 51, respectively.

The bottom frame section 46 terminates at its lower end in a relatively thin flange or lip 56 adapted to extend into a respective recess 38 in the track-forming channel 35. On each side thereof, the lip 56 is provided with cushioning means 57 of suitable material such as resinimpregnated fabric or the like to avoid metal to metal contact between the parts and silence the doors 14 in their sliding movement to open and closed positions.

Extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof, the top frame section 45 of each door panel is provided longitudinally thereof with a slot 60 opening into an enlarged socket-forming chamber 61 to receive the ball and tongue portions 62 of roller mounting brackets 63 employed to hang each door panel 14 from the overhead beam 16. The ball and tongue portions 62 of the brackets 63 are adapted to be inserted into the sockebforming chamber 61 and slot 60 in the top frame section 45 from the ends of the latter and shifted longitudinally to the desired relative positions for proper support of each door panel.

Each bracket 63 has a vertical leg portion 64 terminating at its lower end in a relatively short laterally extending leg portion 65 from the underside of which the ball and tongue portion 62 depends as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Adjacent its upper end, the vertical leg portion 64 of each bracket 63 carries a relatively short transverse shaft 66 on which a roller 67 is rotatably mounted to overlie the lateral leg portion 65 and in substantially vertical alignment with the ball and tongue portion 62. Each roller 67 is preferably composed of rubber or other suitable non-metallic material such as nylon so as to provide a noiseless rolling support for the door panels 14.

Intermediate the socket-forming chamber 61 and the key slot 50, the top frame section 45 is preferably reduced as at 68 to facilitate the drilling of angularly disposed tapped openings 69 communicating with the socket-founing chamber for the reception of set screws employed to lock the ball and tongue portions 62 of the roller mounting brackets 63 in place.

The overhead beam 16 from which the door panels 14 are to be hung comprises a hollow member provided ccntrally thereof with a longitudinally extending vertical wall or web 70 which depends from the upper portion thereof. Adjacent its lower end, the web 70 is provided on opposite sides thereof with a pair of outwardly extending ears of flanges 71, the upper face of each of which is provided with a longitudinally extending recess 72 forming a track on each side of the web 70 for the rollers 67. Intermediate its upper and lower ends, the web 70 is provided on each side thereof with a longitudinally extending flange 73 forming a hood overlying a respective trackforming recess 72. Each flange 73 is spaced from the respective recess 72 a predetermined distance such as to permit freedom of movement of the rollers 67 longitudinally along the tracks but prevent lateral movement of said rollers outwardly with respect to said track. Thus, once the rollers 67 are installed in place in the respective track, from the longitudinal extremities of the latter prior to assembly, they are held captive between the track-forming flanges 71 and the overlying flanges 73.

The brackets 63 associated with a respective door panel 14 are oppositely disposed with respect to the brackets associated with the other door panel as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the door panels are center line hung from the respective track-forming recesses 72 and the spacing between said door panels reduced to a minimum.

In order to conceal the roller mounting brackets 63, the overhead beam 16 is formed with side walls 76 outwardly spaced from the central web 70 and extending downwardly a predetermined distance beyond the lower edge of the track-forming flanges 71. The side walls 76 may be of any suitable symmetrical design with the lower ends thereof adapted to rest upon the flanges 19 of the vertical side wall channels 18. Adjacent the lower ends thereof, the walls 76 are provided on the inner faces thereof with a pair of inwardly extending rails 77. The rails 77 extend longitudinally of the walls 76 and form abutments for the upper ends of the flanges 20 of the inner channels 21 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive, a modification of the invention is shown in which the web 18a of each vertical side channel 17a is provided intermediate its ends with an arcuate portion 80 forming a fulcrum for the web 22a of a respective inner channel 21a and permit adjustable rocking movement of said last named channel 21a relative to said first named channel 170 to compensate for irregularities or deviation from the vertical in the respective end walls of the bath room. Similarly, the web 31a of the bottom channel 30a is likewise provided intermediate its ends with an arcuate portion 81 forming a fulcrum for the track-forming member 35a and permit the latter to be rocked with respect to the bottom channel to compensate for irregularities or deviations from the horizontal in the floor or tub of the bath room.

Each inner channel 21a is operatively connected at its upper and lower ends to the overhead beam 16a and to the bottom track-forming member 35a, respectively, by means of a pair of angle irons 82. The legs of each angle iron 82 are provided adjacent their free ends with threaded openings 83 to receive a pair of set screws 84 employed to lock the parts together after adjustment. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, each angle iron 82 has one of its legs reduced as at 85 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Each angle iron 82 employed to connect the channels 21a to the overhead beam 16a has one of its legs disposed along the back or outer face of the web 22a and its other or horizontal leg extending longitudinally inwardly from a respective end of said overhead beam. Similarly, each angle iron 82 employed to connect the channels 21a to the bottom track-forming member 35a has one of its legs disposed along the back or outer face of the web 22a and its other or horizontal leg extending longitudinally inwardly from a respective end of the bottom track-forming member.

At each end thereof, the web 22a of each channel 21a is slotted longitudinally inwardly as at 86 for a predetermined portion of its length to receive the shank of a respective set screw 84 and permit the latter to slide freely therein for purposes of adjustment of the respective angle irons 82 longitudinally with respect to each channel 21a.

In order to accommodate the horizontal leg of each angle iron 82 employed to connect the channels 21a to the overhead beam 16a, the underside of the central web 70a of the overhead beam 16a, the underside of the central web 70a of the overhead beam is provided with a longitudinally extending groove or channel 87 formed by a pair of downwardly and inwardly extending flanges 88. The inwardly extending portions of the flanges 88 terminate at their free ends in spaced relationship to one another to form therebetween a longitudinally extending slot 89 to receive the shank of a respective set screw 84 and permit the latter to be freely slidable therein for purposes of adjustment of the respective angle irons 82 longitudinally of the overhead beam 16a.

Similarly, the horizontal legof each angle iron 82 employed to connect the channels 21a to the bottom trackforming member 35a is accommodated in a longitudinally extending groove or channel 98 formed by a pair upwardly and inwardly extending flanges 91 provided on the central portion of the web 37a. The inwardly extending portions of the flanges 91 terminate at their free ends in spaced relationship to one another to form therebetween a longitudinally extending slot 92 to receive the shank of a respective set screw 84 and permit the latter to be freely slidable therein for purposes of adjustment of the respective angle irons longitudinally of the bottom track-forming member 35a. Thus, during assembly of the construction shown in Figs. 6 to 11, any deviation from the vertical found to be present in the inner channels 21a can easily be adjusted by simply rocking said channels on their respective fulcrums 80. Similarly, any deviation from the horizontal found to *be present in the botom track-forming member 35a can be adjusted by rocking the latter on its fulcrum 81. Following adjustment of the inner channels 2la-and of the bottom track-forming member 35a, the respective angle irons 82 can be locked in position by tightening the set screws 84.

It is to be understood that during adjustment or, if desired, during assembly, the reduced portion 85 provided in one of the legs of each angle iron 82 employed to lock the channels 21a to the overhead beam 16a will be accommodated in the slot 89 on the underside of the web 70a while the corresponding reduced portion 85 provided in each angle iron 82 employed to lock the channels 21a to the bottom track-forming member 35a will be accommodated in the slot 86 in the lower end of a respective channel.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a shower enclosure of novel construction in which the sliding door panels are center-line hung in overlapping relationship for movement to open and closed positions and in which means are provided for compensating for any unevenness or misalignment of the side walls and floor of the enclosure, whereby proper sealing engagement between the two door panels and between the individual panels and their respective door jambs will 'be assured.

It will also be observed that I have provided a shower enclosure formed of novel parts which may be assembled in place quite readily without requiring special tools or special skill and which will permit replacement of the glass panels 44 whenever required without having to dismantle the other parts of the enclosure, it being understood that each door panel may be removed by sliding the roller mounting brackets 63 longitudinally to disengage the respective ball portion 62 from the socket forming chamber 61 in the respective top frame section 45.

Although I have shown and described my invention in connection with a recessed bath tub, it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be so limited as my invention may be applicable with equal effect to stall showers or other types of shower enclosures.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction and advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed without departure from the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A shower enclosure for an opening formed between two end walls comprising, in combination, a pair of upright members for abutting engagement with said end walls, respectively, and each having means con structed and arranged to provide a fulcrum, means including a second pair of upright members forming door jambs, each of said door jamb-forming member cooperating with a respective fulcrum for rocking movement such as to permit vertical alignment of said secondnamed upright members independent of said first-named upright members, an overhead beam extending across said opening and supported adjacent its longitudinal extremities by said upright members, said overhead beam having means constructed and arranged to provide a pair of longitudinally extending tracks across said opening, a pair of sliding doors suspended from said overhead beam and having rollers cooperating with said tracks for movement across said opening, a channel member extending longitudinally across the bottom of said opening between said upright members and having means permitting drainage of water therefrom toward the interior of said opening, said channel member having means constructed and arranged to form a fulcrum intermediate its ends, means on said channel member constructed and arranged to form a pair of longitudinally extending guides across the bottom of said opening for the bottom of said doors, respectively, said guide-forming means cooperating with 'said last named fulcrum for rocking movement such as to permit horizontal alignment of said guide-forming means independent of said bottom channel member.

2. A shower enclosure for an opening formed between two end Walls comprising, in combination, a pair of upright members for abutting engagement with said end walls, respectively, and each having means constructed and arranged to provide a fulcrum, means including a second pair of upright members forming door jambs, each of said door jamb-forming member cooperating with a respective fulcrum for rocking movement such as to permit vertical alignment of said second-named upright members independent of said first-named upright members, an overhead beam extending across said opening and supported adjacent its longitudinal extremities by said upright members, said overhead beam having means constructed and arranged to provide a pair of longitudinally extending tracks across said opening, a pair of sliding doors suspended from said overhead beam and having rollers cooperating with said tracks for movement across said opening, a channel member extending longitudinally across the bottom of said opening between said upright members and having means permitting drainage of water therefrom toward the interior of said opening, said channel member having means constructed and arranged to form a fulcrum intermediate its ends, means on said channel member constructed and arranged to form a pair of longitudinally extending guides across the bottom of said opening for the bottom of said doors, respectively, said guide-forming means cooperating with said last named fulcrum for rocking movement such as to permit horizontal alignment of said guide-forming means independent of said bottom channel member, and means operatively connecting said guide-forming means to said door jamb-forming means.

3. A shower enclosure for an opening formed between two end walls comprising, in combination, a pair of upright members for abutting engagement with said end walls, respectively, and each having means constructed and arranged to provide a fulcrum, means including a second pair of upright members forming door jambs, each of said door jamb-forming members cooperating with a respective fulcrum for rocking movement such as to permit vertical alignment of said second-named upright members independent of said first-named upright members, an overhead beam extending across said opening and supported adjacent its longitudinal extremities by said upright members, said overhead beam having means constructed and arranged to provide a pair of longitudinally extending tracks across said opening, a pair of sliding doors suspended from said overhead beam and having rollers cooperating with said tracks for movement across said opening, a channel member extending longitudinally across the bottom of said opening between said upright members and having means permitting drainage of water therefrom toward the interior of said opening, said channel member having means constructed and arranged to form a fulcrum intermediate its ends, means on said channel member constructed and arranged to form a pair of longitudinally extending guides across the bottom of said opening for the bottom of said doors, respectively, said guide-forming means cooperating with said last named fulcrum for rocking movement such as to permit horizontal alignment of said guide-forming means independent of said bottom channel member, means operatively connecting said guide-forming means to said door jamb-forming means, and separate means operatively connecting said door jamb-forming means to said overhead beam.

47 A shower enclosure as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said first-named pair of upright members comprises a channel member, said channel members being oppositely disposed with respect to one another with the flanges thereof extending outwardly from the respective end walls.

5. A shower enclosure as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said second-named pair of upright members comprises a channel member disposed between the flanges of a respective first-named channel member, said secondnamed channels being oppositely disposed with respect to one another with the flanges thereof extending outwardly from the first-named channels respectively.

6. A shower enclosure as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said first-named pair of upright members comprises a channel member having a web for abutting engagement with a respective end wall and a pair of fianges extending outwardly therefrom and wherein the fulcrum is provided by an arcuate portion formed in the web of each channel member intermediate its ends.

7. A shower enclosure as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of said second-named pair of upright members comprises a channel member disposed between the flanges of a respective first-named channel member.

8. in a shower enclosure for an opening formed between two end walls, the combination of a pair of upright members for abutting engagement with said end walls, respectively, and each having means constructed and arranged to provide a fulcrum, means including a second pair of upright members forming door jambs, each of said door jamb-forming members cooperating with a respective fulcrum for rocking movement such as to permit vertical alignment of said second-named upright members independent of said first-named upright members, an overhead beam extending across said opening and supported adjacent its longitudinal extremities by said upright members, said overhead beam having a central downwardly extending web provided on each side thereof with a laterally extending flange forming a pair of longitudinally extending tracks across said opening, means including a pair of doors adapted to be suspended from said beam for sliding movement across said opening, each of said doors having a top frame section formed to provide a longitudinally extending socket, and means including a pair of bracket members operatively connecting each door to a respective track, each bracket member having a cylindrical portion at its lower end for cooperative engagement with the socket of a respective top frame section and having roller means at its upper end for rolling engagement with a respective track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,595,506 Backman May 6, 1952 2,761,533 Grossman Sept. 4, 1956 2,783,860 Taubman Mar. 5, 1957

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