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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to spray hoses attached to a preexisting toilet system; and, more particularly, to a spray hose connected between the water supply line and the tank of the toilet system.
2. Related Art
Various devices have been suggested over the years for connecting up a hose or the like to the preexisting plumbing of a toilet system. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,057 to Krist. However, this device uses a special valve coupled to the preexisting water inlet line, thus requiring the water supply to the house to be cut off in order to install the same.
Another patent to Krist U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,055 also requires a particular valve to be coupled to the water inlet pipe.
There is a need for a spraying apparatus that can quickly and easily be connected up to the plumbing of a toilet system without the need for turning off the source of water supply leading into the house in which the toilet is installed.
It is an object of this invention to provide a spraying device for quick and easy attachment to the preexisting plumbing of a toilet system without need for cutting off the water supply to the house;
It is another object of this invention to provide such a spraying device that can connect up to such preexisting plumbing and one that has its own selective turn-off valve for the spray head of the spraying device.
These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing a spraying device having a spray head fluidly connected to a hose terminating in a threaded end. The hose end is connected to a T-shaped fitting threadably connected at one end to the water tank of a toilet system and at the other end to the water inlet leading into the water tank. The T-shaped fitting has another end coupled to the hose threaded end. An on-off valve may be interposed between the T-shaped fitting and the hose end. In either case, the T-shaped fitting and spray hose may be coupled to a preexisting toilet system without need for turning off the water supply thereto and the spray head may be used to clean a bed pan, a toilet bowl, diapers, or the like.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional toilet bowl and tank having spray apparatus in accordance with the teachings of the invention installed thereon;
FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the mechanism for connecting the spray hose of the invention to the preexisting plumbing of the toilet bowl and tank of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the addition of a separate turn-off valve for turning off the flow of water to the spray head;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of another method of connecting the apparatus of the invention to a conventional toilet system.
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a conventional bathroom facility is shown comprised of a conventional toilet bowl 10 integral with a conventional toilet tank 11. Tank 11 is closed off at top by a removable cover 12 and a handle 13 is provided on front wall 14 of tank 11 for flushing the tank 11, all as is well known in the art.
Also as is well known in the art, a water supply line 15 extends out of a hole 16 in wall 17 leading to the bottom of tank 11 wherein said line 15 is coupled to suitable mechanism (not shown) inside of tank 11 for flushing the same, again all as is well known in the art.
A conventional on-off valve 18 is provided in line 15 in fluid connection with the same adjacent wall 17 for shutting off the flow of water to tank 11 as is well known in the art.
As particularly contemplated in the present invention, a T-fitting 19 is provided in line 15 fluidly coupled to the inlet pipe 20 leading into the bottom of tank 11 and line 15. A spray hose 34, as will be discussed, is coupled to fitting 19.
As seen in FIG. 2, fitting 19 has a first female internally threaded end 21 adapted to threadably receive therein the male threaded end 22 of inlet pipe 20. A resilient washer 23 may be provided about end 22. T-fitting 19 has a second end 24 in line with end 21 terminating in a male threaded end 25 adapted to threadably engage a female threaded end 26 of line 15. Suitable washers and compression fittings may be provided throughout the entire system as is well known in the plumbing art.
T-fitting 19 also has a third end 27, extending normal to a line through ends 21, 24, terminating in a female threaded end 28. Hose 34 terminates at its opposite end in a conventional spray head 35 activated by a pivot lever 36 as is well known in the art.
Each end 21 and 25 of the T-fitting 19 has a ⅞″ NPT threaded diameter and end 28 has a ⅜″ NPT threaded diameter. Thus, end 28 and end 33 (male end ⅜″ in diameter) of hose 34 are of a size (⅜″) to connect up together. Ends 21 and 25 are of a size (⅞″ diameter) to connect up to the conventional ends 22 and 26 (⅞″ diameter) of inlet line 15 and inlet pipe 20, respectively.
Since lid 12 (FIG. 1) is removable, a hanger 37 may be provided having a first U-shaped portion 38 (shown in dotted lines) which straddles the upper peripheral wall of tank 11 and has a front portion 39 terminating in a forward-facing upturned hook portion 40. In this manner, the spray head 35 may be hung onto hook portion 40 for storage.
The installation of hose 34, head 35 and T-fitting 19 may be accomplished in any suitable manner. Preferably, with the toilet bowl 10, tank 11, valve 18 and line 15 in the normally-installed position, the valve 18 is turned off and handle 13 is activated to flush tank 11 at least twice. This will empty tank 11 of water.
The preexisting line 15 is unscrewed from inlet pipe 20 on the bottom of tank 11. This pipe 20 has a ⅞″ diameter male end 22 and is now connected to end 21 of fitting 19 (with washer 23 inserted therein, if desired). End 25 of fitting 19 is connected to end 26 of line 15. End 33 of spray hose 34 is now connected directly to the female end 28.
The spray head 35, as previously discussed, may be stored on hook portion 40. The valve 18 is now turned on and water flows into tank 11 and through hose 34. Spray head 35 can be activated by activating handle 36. The water spray from head 35 may be used to spray a bed pan to clean the same (after dumping the contents into the bowl 10), cleaning the interior of the bowl, clean one's body parts, clean diapers, etc.
It can be seen that there has been disclosed a quick and easy way to connect up a spray hose to the preexisting plumbing of a conventional toilet bowl and tank. Applicant's T-fitting 19 is unique in that it has a first ⅞″ female threaded end 21 for connection to a preexisting ⅞″ male end 22 of inlet pipe 20. It is further unique in that it has a ⅞″ male threaded end 25 in line with end 21 for connection to the ⅞″ preexisting female threaded end 26 of a conventional inlet line 15. Applicant's invention further includes T-fitting 19 having a female threaded end 28 with a ⅜″ thread for connection to the ⅜″ male thread end 33 of a conventional spray hose 34.
If desired, as seen in FIG. 3 wherein like numerals refer to like parts of FIG. 2, a conventional one-quarter turn valve 29 may be provided for added safety having a handle 30 and a pair of aligned ends 31, 32. Ends 31, 32 are internally threaded female ends of ⅜″ diameter. A threaded nipple 50 of ⅜″ diameter thread is also provided. End 31 of valve 29 thus threadably receives nipple 50 therein with nipple 50 receivable in end 28 of T-fitting 19. End 32 of valve 29 receives the threaded end fitting 33 of the flexible hose 34. T-fitting 19, in accordance with the teachings of the invention, along with washer 23, is thus connected to tank 11 by threading the ⅞″ diameter female end 21 thereof to male end 22. The ⅞″ inner diameter female end 26 of line 15 is threaded to the ⅞″ male diameter end 25 of T-fitting 19.
The emergency valve 29 is installed between T-fitting 19 and hose end 33. Of course, nipple 50 may be eliminated if female end 27 is changed to a male end. However, the invention contemplates the use of a T-fitting 19 as disclosed that can be used with either the set-up in FIG. 2 or in FIG. 3.
As seen in FIG. 4, still another arrangement may be used. In this embodiment, wherein like numerals refer to like parts of FIGS. 1 to 3, a T-fitting 100 is provided having a ⅜″ compression fitting female threaded end 101 adapted to be coupled to a ⅜″ male threaded end 18′ of valve 18 and a like ⅜″ compression fitting threaded male end 102 adapted to connect up to a ⅞″ diameter compression fitting female threaded end 103 of a flexible line 104 terminating in a ⅜″ female threaded end 105 for connection to ⅞″ threaded inlet pipe 20 of tank 11. T-fitting 100 also has a ⅜″ compression fitting female end 106 adapted to be coupled to a ⅜″ male threaded end 107 of a conventional shut-off valve 108 activated by lever 109. Valve 108 has a ½″ female threaded end 110 for coupling to the mating ½″ male threaded end 33 of spray hose 34.
A still further embodiment is shown in FIG. 5 wherein like numerals refer to like parts of the embodiment of FIG. 4. In this embodiment a T-fitting 202 is provided having a ⅜″ compression fitting female threaded end 203 adapted to be coupled to valve 18 and a like ⅜″ compression fitting threaded male end 204 adapted to connect up to a ⅜″ compression fitting female threaded end 103 of a flexible line 104 terminating in a ⅞″ female threaded end 105 for connection to ⅞″ male threaded pipe 20 of tank 11. T-fitting 202 also has a ½″ male end 200 adapted to be coupled to a female ½″ threaded end 201 of a conventional shut-off valve 205 activated by lever 206. Valve 205 has a ½″ male or female threaded end 207 for coupling to the mating threaded end 33 of spray hose 34.
Although particular embodiments of the invention are disclosed, variations thereof may occur to an artisan and the scope of the invention should only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.