Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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STACKABLE FOLDING MULTIUNIT WASHSTAND
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide for a multiunit washstand,
which is capable to render
services to several people simultaneously, which can be installed quickly and
easily, wh ich can be
foldable and stackable and can be aligned with other multiunit washstands of
the invention and
furthermore shows a good appearance which does not wear out as time passes.
As a consequence of the objectives listed above a time -winning situation is
created with respect to the
mounting / dismounting of the washstands and the storage and transport of
reduced volume, and the
possibility to render the service to a number of users which is as big as
needed, as this number will
depend on the quantity of the aligned units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, in all those places being selected for events wherein there are
massive gatherings of
persons like military maneuvers, camp-outs, outdoor concerts, and patronal
feasts of towns or of
capital city suburbs, there are no sanitary installations enough to give the
services to the attending
public. A fundamental part of the mentioned services is that related to
personal hygiene, dishes
washing or kitchen belongings rinsing/washing, that for it to be provided,
equipment is needed to be
installed in the place of the event, as well as a water supply and the
collection of the residual water.
The objective to provide a multiple washstand that is installable in points
such as the aforementioned
ones have been stated in different patents.
The spanish application U0262513(Avelino Martinez) titled "Mountable multiple
autonomous
washstand" claims of an autonomous multiple washstand characterized by a water
deposit situated on
a tripod, whose fastening device is a frame which at the same time is the
support of the equipped
washbasins. The water falls from said container by means of hoses and
taps(faucets), whereby the
set-up/dismantling is carried out through a mechano-type assemblage by means
of drive-pins, pattern
screws, eyelets, southern cones, magnets and L shaped supports.
The Patent US3069694 of M.E. McCormack titled "Portable dismountable multiple
washstand" claims
of a portable foldable dismountable washstand that is basically composed of a
rectangular sha ped
horizontal structure, which forms every two by two a series of squares in
which several semi -
spherically shaped independent washstands are supported. The washstands are
mounted
incorporated on said squares and a piping is mounted on the longitudinal ax is
of the frame, which
serves the taps that are installed in each washstand. The equipment is also
composed of several legs
over which the frame is mounted.
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In the aforementioned patents, there exists a problem of slow mounting
procedure, that requires
specific manuals both for its correct start as much as for its dismantling and
storage. Although some of
its parts are stackable, like the deposit and the washstands, in pyramidal
form in the spanish patent,
and the washstands in a semi-spherical form in the USA patent, not the whole
equipment is.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an equipment that provides for an easier
setting up and dismantling
and a more efficient storage and transportation.
What is aspired for is a structure that avoids the aforementio ned problems,
integrating all the
necessary devices into one unit, that way avoiding manuals for set -
ups/dismantling and providing a
quick installation and a piling up and complete transporting of all the
devices that it is composed of.
The basic idea of the actual invention is to obtain an equipment that is
unfolded instead of being
assembled by mounting, being its handling so elementary that instructions are
not needed. The
deployment of the equipment is executed in just a few seconds, since the
placing of screws or
nuts/bolts is not necessary, which is obtained because there is no part that
is not integrated in the
equipment, which moreover provides the advantage of not having to lose parts
or elements of the
ensemble.
To get the service functioning all that is needed is to connect the water
supply and the drainage to the
multiple washstand of the actual invention. Depending on where the event is
taking place, the water
supply can be taken from the local water network itself or from a water -tank
truck, and the means of
drainage can be as simple as gutters or hoses that take the water to a drain
or, better yet, to tank
trucks that suction the residual water to leave the environment totally clean.
Mass events wherein the invention has an application are of limited duration
and with a floor use not
exclusive for such an event, therefore, a very important objective of the
invention is the rapid and
easiness to maneuver in the installation/dismounting of mentioned washstands.
On the other hand,
said washstands must be stored when not in use, or transported aptly from its
storage place to the
place where it will be used, and so another important objective of the
invention is for it to occupy a
reduced space during the storage and transport phases.
The aforementioned characteristics of speed and easiness to maneuver in the
installation/dismantling
of the washstand, as of the space used during the storage and transport
phases, is obtained with the
stackable storable multiunit washstand of the invention.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invented fold-out storable multiple washstand is composed of, as principal
elements, a basin or
bucket, a water supplier, four foldable legs for the sustaining of the basin
and four foldable legs for the
sustaining of the water supplier.
The basin or bucket is provided with the necessary means for the union of said
basin with the four
foldable legs in it's sides for the sustaining of the basin, which stay stuck
when they have been totally
unfolded. Also, the basin is provided in its top surface with four handrails
with guides over which each
one of the inferior ends of every one of the foldable legs for sustenance of
the water supplier can slide,
which besides joining said basin with said supplier, allows the setting of the
said w ater supplier open
for service or in the piling position. In the vicinity of the lateral ends,
the bucket or basin is provided
with two holes, provided with vertical cylinders, which are located in the
central and lowest area of the
basin, which serve as a drainage. Lastly, the basin is also provided with a
central hole which serves as
a pathway for the hose that supplies water and has to be joined to the water
supplier.
The water supplier is provided at its sides with the necessary means for the
union of said water
supplier with the top ends of the four foldable legs of the sustenance of the
water supplier, and also
with an access with a threaded sleeve joint that serves as a union with the
water supply hose, from this
part on providing for a set of pipes for which the water connects with several
lateral holes in which the
faucets that are managed by the users are installed.
In the case that a multiple of washstands as described is needed, some could
be added on through
contact between the extreme faces of the basins that way forming a continuous
longitudinal installation
of the length necessary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the actual invention, a practical embodiment
thereof is described on the
basics of the attached Figures, wherein:
Fig.1 - Shows an elevation schematic view and profile of the invented multiple
washstand with the
water supplier and the unfolded sustaining legs of the basin.
Fig.2 - Shows a top schematic view of the multiple washstand of Fig.1 with the
folded water supplier.
Fig.3 - Shows a top schematic view and profile of the multiple washstand of
Fig.1 with the folded
sustaining legs of the basin.
Fig.4 - Shows a top view of the basin or bucket
Fig.5 - Shows a section in accordance with Plan A-A of fig.4.
Fig.6 - Shows a partial top view of the water supplier and its' union with the
basin or bucket.
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Fig.7 - Shows a partial top view of one of the sustaining legs of the basin or
bucket and the union with
the same.
Fig.8 - Shows a profile view of the piling of the four multiple washstands of
the preferred embodiment
of the invention.
Fig.9 - Shows a schematic top view of the multiple washstand of Fig.1 in which
a platform of mirrors is
added as a complement.
Fig.10 - Shows the steps to be taken to assemble the parts of the sustenance
of the platform of
mirrors with the water supplier.
Fig.11 - Shows a section view in accordance with plan B -B of figure 9, of the
sustaining parts over
which the platform of mirrors that complement the multiple washstand is se t
on.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Figs.1-3 shows a preferred embodiment of the invented foldable stackable
multiple washstand that is
composed of a basin or bucket(1), a water supplier(2), four foldable legs(3)
of the basin sustenance(1)
and four foldable legs(4) for the sustenance of the water supplier(2).
The basin or bucket(1), as can be noted in Figs.4 -5 is formed by the union of
two longitudinal
profiles(11), two transversal profiles(12) and a plate body(13) of boat keel
shape welded on to them. In
the longitudinal profiles(11) several primary joining means in joint
shape(14,14') is provided with the
sustaining legs(3) of the basin(1), and in the top surface of the
body(13),(see Fig.5) the joining and
screwing means with the water supplier(2) is provided, with mentioned means
constituted by a first
hand railing(17), a sliding guide(15) and a prime bar(16). In the basin or
bucket(1) the drainage(18) is
supplied, through which the residual water goes out, and the hole of the hose
path(19) thro ugh which a
hose that supplies the water to the water supplier(2) passes.
The water supplier(2) has a straight parallelopipedic rectangular shape in
whose base a water
access(21) in provided by means of a threaded female socket. From this water
access(21) , through a
conventional plumbing system that is located in the inner hollow of the
rectangle, water is distributed
until each one of the eight faucets/taps(22) that are distributed by four and
four in the longitudinal faces
of the mentioned supplier(2). Also provided in the longitudinal sides is a
secondary joint means
connected(23) with the sustaining legs(4) of the water supplier(2).
The fold-out legs(3) of the sustenance of the basin(1) are comprised of the
retention crossbar(31) and
positioning crossbar(32). The retention crossbar(31) tums over the joint(14)
of the first joining means
and has incorporated a second handrail(33) and a second bar(34). The
positioning crossbar(32) turns
on the joint(14') of the first joining means and has incorporated in the
opposite end of the tuming axis
of the mentioned joint a drive pin(35), which slides on the slots(36) that are
formed between the
second handrail(33)and the second bar(34). The spreading out of the foldable
legs(3)of the basin
sustenance(1) is executed by letting them drop; contrary to this, two combined
movements are needed
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for the mentioned legs to be folded which are done in the following order:
first, one has to slightly lift
the lateral formed by the transversal profile(12)and second, by unhooking the
drive pin(35) that will
then run through the slots(36) allowing the retention crossbar(31) and the
positioning crossbar(32) to
turn until reaching a horizontal position. This way of folding is useful so
that unwanted folding/bending
5 is avoided, for example due to hits/bumps.
The sustaining legs(4) of the water supplier(2) turn on the second means of
jointed unions(23) located
in the water supplier(2) and incorporates a driving pin(41) in the opposite
end of the joint that slides
through by the slots that make up the first handrail(17) and the first bar(16)
with the help of the sliding
guides (15), which is made of plastic and avoids the grazing between metal
parts.
As can be seen in Fig.8, in a column of piled -up washstands, with exception
of the wash stand located
in the top, the occupied space at height level of each washstand is the same
for all of them and inferior
for the one occupying an already folded washstand. In the preferred embodiment
of the invention this
length is practically of 95mm for each unit so, connecting two european
pallets(50) in a way that form a
rectangle between the two, over which supporting the washstands and fitting in
the washstand located
in the lower part with several cubes(51) will enable the transport of up to 25
units, therefore provided
with 200 faucets would occupy a height of approximately 2,5m in its transport
or storage.
The material used in all the components, excluding the plumbing pipes, is of
high quality stainless
steel, which gives the equipment a good appearance that does not deteriorate
as time passes.
Additionally, by means of a simple set-up, the washstand may be equipped with
other useful devices
like mirrors, towel-rails, soap dishes, etc. To do this, two support
devices(60) are fastened onto the
water supplier(2) over which a longitudinal platform for mirrors(61)
preferably made of plastic is fitted
into, which in a transversal section has a general "A" shape and that extends
on each longitudinal side
presenting two sides that have four mirrors(62) integrated on each side.
Each supporting device(60) has an open polygonal shape on the lower part, on
which several
claws(63) are provided that are set into the water supplier(2) and are secured
by the lock(64) that
pivots on an axis(65) and remains hooked by means of a latch(66). Once both
supporting devices(60)
are set in, only the mirror platform(61) is left to adjust, which is fitted in
by pressing on the two
supports(60).
In alternative embodiments of the actual invention, the dimensions and shapes
can be changed, just
as the manufacturing process and of course, the material used also can. And
so, in these altemative
embodiments, the fold-out stackable multiple washstand can be totally or
partially made with materials
that have sufficient toughness to be able to comply with all the
characteristics of the preferred
aforementioned embodiment. Taking into account economic objectives of cost
reduction, said
materials could be of: mid-quality stainless steel, mixes of plastic and
resins, high -density polyethylene
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HDPE or low density LDPE, polypropylenes, polyamides, ABS acrylics or PMMA,
PCE
polycarbonates, HIPS styrenes, and polyesters. Mentioned materials can be
appropriately made by
manufacturing processes based on: thermo-shaping, rotational moulding, manual
laminating of open-
moulding and injection.
It is evident that the invention herein described and accompanied by a
preferred embodiment can be
object to variations obvious to experts in the art as far as forms, dimensions
and materials are
concemed, which, must not be seen as a modification of the field of invention
and of the claims that
are listed as follows;
