Means for clearing a blockage in a toilet

Abstract

Means for clearing a blockage in a toilet comprising a substantially rigid closure adapted to extend over the upper opening of a toilet bowl and form an airtight seal around the rim thereof.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a device for clearing a blockage in a toilet The clearing of such blockages can be unattractive and usually requires the use of tools such as rods or plungers which become badly soiled.

[0002] The present invention is intended to provide means which can be used to clear a blockage in a toilet without the operator becoming soiled by the material of the blockage.

[0003] According to the present invention means for clearing a blockage in a toilet comprises a substantially rigid closure adapted to extend over the upper opening of a toilet bowl and form an airtight seal around the rim thereof.

[0004] Thus, the employment of the device is extremely simple. The closure is merely placed on the rim of the toilet bowl and the operator can sit on it in order to form the seal. The toilet is now flushed which, with the displacement of water and air within the bowl clears the blockage.

[0005] It has been found that the device is simple to use and extremely effective.

[0006] According to one preferred construction the closure may conveniently be in the form of a substantially rigid sealing plate.

[0007] The lower surface of the closure can be provided with a resilient sealing material to assist in forming the airtight seal.

[0008] This resilient sealing material can be a rubber or artificial rubber sheet and can be provided as a separate item or be attached to the closure.

[0009] The closure can be dimensioned to fit different sizes of toilet bowls and thus it can be substantially rectangular in plan and have a minimum width of 48 cm which is approximately the smallest cross-measurement of most toilet bowls in current use.

[0010] Although it is stated above that the closure is substantially rectangular it could take numerous other shapes and, if it was required for merely one particular toilet bowl, it could be substantially oval in plan, that is the same shape as the plan view of the upper rim of the bowl. The dimensions will, of course, have to be slightly larger to ensure that there is sealing around the rim.

[0011] Thus the closure can be shaped to conform to the general plan shape of the plan shape of the upper rim of the toilet bowl with which it is to be adapted to be used but with slightly larger dimensions.

[0012] The closure can be made from any convenient material, for example plywood or a heavy plastics material, or metal.

[0013] According to another preferred construction the closure is formed by a seat in combination with a cover therefore, and sealing elements between the seat and the upper rim of the bowl and between the seat and the cover.

[0014] Thus, the closure resembles a normal closure for a toilet bowl which incorporates a cover but due to the use of the sealing elements between the cover and the seat and the seat and the bowl a device is provided which can clear a blockage in a similar way to that set forth above.

[0015] The employment of the device is extremely simple, with the cover in the down position it is merely necessary for the operator to sit on the cover in order to ensure that the seals are pressed together against the cover and the seat and the toilet is now flushed which, with the displacement of water and air within the bowl clears the blockage.

[0016] Preferably the sealing elements are provided by continuous rings of resilient sealing material attached respectively to the cover and the lower surface of the seat. Alternatively the seal between the seat and the bowl can be provided by a sealing ring attached to the upper rim of the bowl.

[0017] The invention therefore also includes a toilet bowl provided with the closure set forth above.

[0018] According to another aspect of the invention a kit of parts is provided to convert a standard toilet seat and cover into the means for clearing a blockage comprising a first sealing ring adapted for location between an existing cover and an existing toilet seat and a second sealing ring adapted for location between said existing toilet seat and the upper rim of the toilet bowl with which it is to be used.

[0019] The invention can be performed in various ways and some embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

[0020] FIG. 1 is a front view of a toilet bowl with the device according to the invention in place on the upper rim of the bowl;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1; and,

[0022] FIG. 3 is a front view of a toilet bowl with the seat and cover in the lowered position to form a rigid sealing enclosure.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the drawings the device for clearing a blockage in a toilet according to the present invention comprises a closure provided by a substantially rigid sealing plate 1 made from any suitable material, for example plywood, stiff synthetic plastics material or metal and the lower side of which is covered with a sheet of resilient sealing material 2 which can be rubber or artificial rubber sheet.

[0024] If desired the sheet 2 can be separate from the substantially rigid sealing plate 1 or it can be attached.

[0025] As will be seen from FIG. 2 the plate is substantially rectangular in plan view and it has a minimum width 48 cm.

[0026] The plan view of the plate can be any convenient shape and is shown in the drawings as a rectangular shape with its longest sides slightly curved. The dimensions of the plate are such that it can be used on a variety of toilet bowls of different dimensions.

[0027] In order to use the device it is placed on a toilet bowl 3 as shown in FIG. 1. The resilient sealing material 2 rests on the rim 4 of the upper opening 5 of the toilet bowl.

[0028] In order to ensure that there is an airtight seal around the rim 4 a heavy weight can be placed on the sealing plate 1 or the operator can sit on it.

[0029] With the weight applied the toilet is now flushed and the displacement of water and air within the bowl 5 forces the blockage clear.

[0030] It has been found that the apparatus operates in a very satisfactory manner and clears blocked toilet bowls very easily.

[0031] In a convenient construction the sealing plate 1 is made from a plywood of 11 mm in thickness, a rubber sealing sheet 2 was attached to the sealing plate and had a thickness of 2 mm and the width across the minimum cross-dimension of the plate was 480 mm.

[0032] It will be appreciated that the device acts to clear blockages without the use of tools such as rods or plungers and the user is not subjected to soiling from the blockage. Moreover, damage to the bowl which is frequently inflicted by the use of undue pressure whilst using plungers or rods is avoided.

[0033] FIG. 3 of the drawings shows an alternative construction, the rigid sealing closure is indicated by reference numeral 10 and comprises a toilet open seat 11 of usual type and a seat cover 12 again of the kind normally employed. A first resilient sealing ring 13 is attached to the lower surface of the cover 12 and a second resilient sealing ring 14 is attached to the lower surface of the seat 11.

[0034] The closure, in the form of the seat 11 and cover 12 are located on a toilet bowl 15 in the usual way, that is by hinges or other devices in well known fashion, and are used in the usual way.

[0035] If the toilet becomes blocked it is merely necessary to place the seat 11 and cover 12 in the lowered position and place a heavy weight or, and preferably, sit upon the cover 12 so that the sealing rings 13 and 14 are compressed and form an effective airtight seal for the bowl 16. The toilet is now flushed once or twice and the displacement of water and air within the bowl 16 forces the blockage clear.

[0036] In an alternative construction the second sealing ring 14 could be attached to the upper rim of the bowl 15 rather than be attached to the lower surface of the seat 11.

[0037] It has been found that the device works effectively and in the form shown is hardly recognisable from a normal toilet seat and cover.

[0038] The invention also includes a kit of parts to convert a standard toilet seat and cover into the closure of the device set forth and which comprises a first sealing ring 13 adapted for location between an existing cover 12 and an existing toilet seat 11, and a second sealing ring 14 adapted for location between said toilet seat and the upper rim of the toilet bowl with which it is to be used.

[0039] The sealing rings 13, 14 can carry an adhesive to secure them in position.

[0040] In order to carry out the conversation it is merely necessary to fix the rings 13, 14 in position.

[0041] If the seat 11 is provided with supports these can be removed prior to fixing the second ring 14.

[0042] Alternatively the thickness and resilience of the second ring 14 can be such that it is capable of absorbing the supports so that an air tight seal is provided.

[0043] If desired the dimensions and resiliency of the rings 13, 14 can be arranged so that they do not need fixing to the parts but can merely be located in position so that the weight of the operator or the weight placed on the cover 12 acts to hold them in position and is sufficient to provide an airtight seal.

[0044] The sealing rings 13, 14 can be removed after use to leave the cover 12 an seat 11 in their original condition.

Claims

1. Means for clearing a blockage in a toilet comprising a substantially rigid closure adapted to extend over the upper opening of a toilet bowl and form an airtight seal around the rim thereof.

2. Means as claimed in claim 1 in which said closure comprises a substantially rigid sealing plate.

3. Means as claimed in claim 2 in which the lower surface of said closure is provided with a resilient sealing material to assist in forming an airtight seal.

4. Means as claimed in claim 3 in which the resilient sealing material is rubber or artificial rubber sheet.

5. Means as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 in which said sealing material is provided as a separate item.

6. Means as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 in which said sealing material is attached to the closure.

7. Means as claimed in claims 1 to 6 in which said closure is dimensioned to fit different sizes of toilet bowls.

8. Means as claimed in claims 1 to 7 in which said closure is substantially rectangular in plan and has a minimum width of 48 cm.

9. Means as claimed in claims 1 to 6 in which said closure is shaped to conform to the general plan shape of the plan shape of the upper rim of the toilet bowl with which it is adapted to be used but with slightly larger dimensions.

10. Means as claimed in claims 1 to 9 in which the closure is made from wood, a synthetic plastics material or metal.

11. Means as claimed in claim 1 in which said closure is formed by a seat in combination with a cover therefore, and sealing elements between the seat and the upper rim of the bowl and between the seat and the cover.

12. Means as claimed in claim 11 in which the sealing elements are provided by continuous rings of resilient sealing material attached respectively to the cover and the lower surface of the seat or the upper rim of the bowl.

13. A toilet bowl provided with a closure device as set forth in claims 11 or 12.

14. A kit of parts to convert a standard toilet seat and cover into the means for clearing a blocking as set forth in claim 11 or claim 12 which comprises a first sealing ring adapted for location between an existing cover and an existing toilet seat and a second sealing ring adapted for location between said existing toilet seat and the upper rim of the toilet bowl with which it is to be used.

15. A method of clearing a blockage in a toilet which includes placing a substantially rigid closure adapted to extend over the upper opening of a toilet bowl over said upper opening to form an airtight seal around the rim thereof and flushing the toilet.