Water conservation shower

• US 4,224,700 A
• Filed: 09/05/1979
• Issued: 09/30/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Billy G. Bloys
• Original Assignee: Billy G. Bloys
• Inventors: Bloys, Billy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Artis, Henry K.
• Application Number:
  US06/072,619
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 4/146, 4/145, 4/154-155, 4/148, 4/185.5, 4/156, 4/153, 4/1, 4/147, 4/177, 4/178, 4/18, 128/66
• US Class Current: 4/568
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/00 Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks work tops A47B77/022
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/06 Devices for suspending or supporting the supply pipe or supply hose of a shower-bath showers per se A47K3/28

Abstract

A stopper structure is provided for downward removable insertion into the drain opening of a tub or shower stall and a water pump assembly is also provided including a water inlet and a water outlet with the water inlet supported relative to the stopper closely above the latter. A shower head water spray structure is also provided and the water outlet of the pump is communicated therewith. When it is desired to recirculate shower water, the conventional shower or tub water valve is operated after the stopper structure has been utilized to plug the shower or tub drain and until a sufficient quantity of water is collected in the shower or tub bottom. Thereafter, the water pump of the recirculating shower may be actuated whereupon the water collected in the bottom of the shower or tub may be pumped therefrom and outwardly from the shower head water spray structure.

Claims

1. A recirculatory shower for a water sump including a generally horizontal bottom and having a drain outlet opening upwardly through the bottom an upright standard, a stopper structure carried by the lower end of said standard for downward removable reception in and plugging said drain outlet opening, the upper end of said standard including an upper end terminal for engaging a downwardly facing surface, a water pump assembly including a water inlet and a water outlet and supported from the lower end of said standard above said stopper structure with said water inlet structure spaced closely above said stopper structure, and a shower head structure for support in elevated position relative to said stopper structure and including an inlet with which said water pump outlet is communicated.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said stopper structure comprises a horizontal disk-shaped stopper member, an upstanding tubular fitting having its lower end supported from the upper surface of said stopper member, the lower end of said tubular fitting being closed and said tubular fitting including lateral inlet openings formed therein above said stopper member comprising said water pump inlet.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said upper end terminal structure includes a spring biased longitudinally extendible abutment member supported from said upper end of said standard, whereby said standard may be supported at its lower end from said stopper structure and at its upper end by abutting engagement of said abutment with a sealing structure disposed above said drain.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said water pump outlet opens outwardly of one side of the lower end portion of said standard at an elevation spaced above said stopper structure, an elongated flexible conduit having one end thereof communicated with said water pump outlet and the other end thereof communicated with said shower head inlet.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said shower head includes outwardly projecting support structure and said standard includes a vertically elongated support portion, said support structure being removably engageable with said support portion at points spaced vertically therealong.

6. An elongated upright standard including a longitudinally extendible spring biased upper end portion having an upper terminal end adapted for engagement with a ceiling structure, the lower end of said standard defining a stopper for removable downward reception in and plugging an upwardly opening drain formed in the bottom wall of a water sump, water pump structure carried by said standard and including a water inlet and a water outlet, said water inlet being disposed closely above said stopper, an alongated flexible water conduit, one end of said water conduit being communicated with said water pump outlet and the other end of said water conduit including water spray discharge means.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said stopper comprises a horizontal disk-shaped stopper member, an upstanding tubular fitting interposed between the lower end of said standard and said stopper and having its lower end supported from the upper surface of said stopper, the lower end of said tubular fitting being closed and said tubular fitting including lateral inlet openings formed therein above said stopper comprising said water pump inlet.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said water spray discharge means and said standard include coacting structure operable to releasably support said water spray discharge means from said standard at points spaced vertically therealong.