Drinking fountain

• US 4,783,002 A
• Filed: 02/13/1987
• Issued: 11/08/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thermos LLC, Elkay Manufacturing Company (Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Thermos LLC
• Inventors: Heyden, Dennis J., Negandhi, Dipak J., Raymer, Doyle, Latzko, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weldon, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/014,534
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 4/623, 4/643, 239/24, 239/25, 239/28, 239/29, 239/29.3, 239/29.5, D 7/304
• US Class Current: 239/29
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/20 Pillar fountains or like apparatus for dispensing drinking water

Abstract

The barrier free drinking fountain has an oval-shaped basin which rests on an extended cantilevered arm. The basin is an assembly of an upper bowl and a lower bowl which are assembled on the waste removal pipe and which may be readily disassembled without breaking adhesive seals. The push actuator is semicylindrically-shaped to provide a manually accessible surface spanning approximately 180°. The push actuator moves both translationally and rotationally, depending on where the actuator is pushed. Translational and rotational movement of the actuator causes the water dispensing valve to operate.

Claims

1. In a drinking fountain having a water basin with a drain therein and having a water dispensing means, the improvement comprising:

a push actuator operatively coupled to said water dispensing means for controlling the dispensing of water;

said actuator having a stationary mounting portion secured to said fountain and having a movable manually contactable portion carried by said mounting portion;

said manually contactable portion being carried for translational movement and for rotational movement about at least one axis from a position of rest;

said manually contactable portion comprising a rigid push bar which provides a frontally facing portion and at least one laterally facing portion;

wherein manually applied forces to said frontally facing portion cause said translational movement and manually applied forces to said laterally facing portion cause said rotational movement; and

wherein said translational movement and said rotational movement cause the dispensing of water from said dispensing means.

2. The drinking fountain of claim 1 wherein said manually contactable portion is carried for rotational movement about at least two axes from said position of rest.

3. The drinking fountain of claim 2 wherein said two axes are parallel.

4. The drinking fountain of claim 1 further comprising a base means for supporting said basin and wherein said push actuator is disposed in said base means.

5. The drinking fountain of claim 1 wherein said manually contactable portion lies at least partially in a cylindrical plane.

6. The drinking fountain of claim 1 wherein said manually contactable portion comprises a semicylindrical push bar.

7. The drinking fountain of claim 4 wherein said base means includes a frontal portion which defines a semicylindrical plane and wherein said manually contactable portion comprises a semicylindrical push bar which lies generally in said semicylindrical plane.

8. The drinking fountain of claim 4 wherein said base means comprises a generally horizontally extending cantilevered structure.

9. The drinking fountain of claim 1 wherein said water basin is generally oval-shaped.

10. The drinking fountain of claim 1 wherein said water basin comprises a generally oval-shaped top bowl and a lower bowl interfitted with said top bowl.

11. In a drinking fountain having a water basin with a drain therein and having a water dispensing means, the improvement comprising:

a push actuator operatively coupled to said water dispensing means controlling the dispensing of water;

said actuator having a stationary mounting portion secured to said fountain and having a movable manually contactable portion carried by said mounting portion;

said manually contactable portion being carried for rotational movement about at least two axes from a position of rest;

said manually contactable portion comprising a rigid push bar which provides a frontally facing portion and at least one laterally facing portion;

wherein manually applied forces to said frontally facing portion cause said translational movement and manually applied forces to said laterally facing portion cause said rotational movement; and

wherein said rotational movement causes the dispensing of water from said dispensing means.

12. The drinking fountain of claim 11 wherein said two axes are parallel.

13. The drinking fountain of claim 11 further comprising base means for supporting said basin and wherein said push actuator is disposed in said base means.

14. The drinking fountain of claim 11 wherein said manually contactable portion lies at least partially in a cylindrical plane.

15. The drinking fountain of claim 11 wherein said manually contactable portion comprises a semicylindrical push bar.

16. The drinking fountain of claim 13 wherein said base means includes a frontal portion which defines a semicylindrical plane and wherein said manually contactable portion comprises a semicylindrical push bar which lies generally in said semicylindrical plane.

17. The drinking fountain of claim 13 wherein said base means comprises a generally horizontally extending cantilevered structure.

18. The drinking fountain of claim 11 wherein said water basin is generally oval-shaped.

19. The drinking fountain of claim 11 wherein said water basin comprises a generally oval-shaped top bowl and a lower bowl interfitted with said top bowl.

20. In a drinking fountain having a water basin with a drain therein and having a water dispensing means, the improvement comprising:

a manual actuator operatively coupled to said water dispensing means for controlling the dispensing of water;

said actuator having a manually contactable actuator surface which is continuous and lies at least partially in a cylindrical plane and is disposed generally beneath said water dispensing means;

said actuator surface defining a frontally facing portion and at least one laterally facing portion;

wherein manually applied contact to either of said frontally facing portion and said laterally facing portion causes dispensing of water from said dispensing means.