WO1983003532A1 - Toilet installation (w.c.) - Google Patents

Abstract

Sanitary installations, more particularly WC installations designed in a bowl (1) surmounted at the rear of an appliance (8) comprising a push button (7), a sliding door (9), and means of transport and cleaning of a plurality of recycled seats one by one by exchanging on the bowl instead of the current folding seat, and in such a way that one of the said seats is removed from the top of the bowl to be cleaned in the appliance while another previously cleaned seat (6) leaves the appliance and is placed on the bowl.

Description

 Toilet installation (W.C.)

The invention relates to sanitary installations, more particularly the WC installation designed in a bowl, making it possible to sit, surmounted at the rear of an appliance comprising means of transport and cleaning of a plurality of recycled seats one by one by changing on the bowl instead of the current folding seat, and so that one of the said seats is removed from the top of the bowl to be cleaned in the device while another previously cleaned seat comes out of the appliance and is placed on the bowl.

The object of the present invention is an improvement of the French invention 75.21636 and its addition certificate 76.07790 of the present inventor concerning a self-cleaning WC installation of the movable seat of the bowl of the said installation, and aiming at this that: A) - the footprint of the said installation is not greater than a commercial WC installation which does not provide self-cleaning of the seat; B) - the supply of a clean seat is rapid and automatic after the start of an operating cycle, said start being able to be coupled to the start of a flush; C) - the sanitary solution, used for cleaning the seat, is then used to sanitize the bowl.

The means to achieve the aims are: A) - means for cleaning and distributing movable seats extending vertically inside an appliance to limit the overall thickness of said appliance placed at the rear and above a bowl; B) - a plurality of seats mounted on a horizontal axis by their rear edge and distributed along an endless conveyor such as a pair of endless chains always driven in the same direction of rotation, and means such as inclined planes for the exchange of a pair of said tilted seats strips through a lower front opening of the device during the drive of said endless chains, the tilting of the seats requiring no manual intervention other than the initiation of an operating cycle; C) - a collector in the form of a container pierced at the bottom and placed below the seat in a vertical cleaning position so as to drain the said sanitary solution into the bowl.

According to the invention, the installation uses a method of exchanging a pair of recycled seats on a curette such that one of the seats is removed from above the bowl to be cleaned and replaced by the other seat previously cleaned. , said exchange taking place continuously and automatically after the initiation of an operating cycle, said exchange process being adapted to means for cleaning said seats inside an appliance connected to a power supply. 'water and connected to the rear and above said bowl, and comprising: - a shaft integrally driving means such as a pair of endless chains, endless belts, arranged in parallel on wheels on the left and right of a cleaning compartment for transporting, at each operating cycle, a plurality of seats spaced apart and capable of tilting by their rear edge connected to said chains and so as to exchange a pair of said seats through an opening lower and front of the device, and so that the first of said pair of seats is removed from above the bowl to be hung by its rear edge and transported to a vertical rest position in said cleaning compartment, while the second seat of the said pair will complete its movement out of the device by tilting down towards the said front opening, the said tilting resulting from the drive of the endless chains transporting the seat hung by its rear edge and means such as inclined planes, the seat terminating in sliding on the bowl to its horizontal rest position allowing its use, this exchange of seats being carried out in the continuity of the movement of the endless chains and without any manual intervention other than the initiation of an operating cycle; - Means tending to stabilize and fix the seat in the horizontal rest position, comprising a means of sliding assembly of the seat on the bowl such as a tenon and mortise-shaped assembly; - A door closing said front opening and provided for raising and lowering a cover on the seat in the horizontal rest position on the bowl; - seat cleaning means comprising washing and drying means movable on a vertical plane and facing the seat in the vertical rest position in the cleaning compartment mentioned; watering means, for washing each of the seats, comprising a tank containing a sanitary solution; - A collector in the shape of a container pierced at its bottom and connected to the bowl while being placed under the seat in a vertical cleaning position to collect said sanitary solution and drain it into the bowl; - means for triggering said watering; - Means for initiating an operating cycle of the installation.

The invention is explained in more detail using drawings described chronologically.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a commercial cup model 1 completed, according to a means of the invention, a screw 2 engaged in the upper and front edge of the bowl so that the head of the screw forms a tenon. In addition, the model includes: - a hole 3 for the flow of liquids in the bowl; - two holes 4 to fix the device mentioned on the bowl; - A protuberance 5. Certain models of commercial bowls include protrusions at their rear part such as the annoying protuberance 5 for assembling the appliance. reil on the bowl. The present invention has had to solve the problem posed by these protrusions on certain commercial bowl models, so as to adapt the apparatus to the greatest possible number of commercial bowl models.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the installation comprising: - the device above and behind the bowl 1; - A movable seat 6 in horizontal rest position on the bowl; - A hole 7 provided for the engagement of a push button in the front panel 8 including a sliding door 9 closing a lower front opening of the device, the door rising when exchanging a pair of seats on the bowl, including seat 6, and lowering at the end of said exchange.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of a seat such as the seat 6 comprising a hollow cylindrical bar 10 and a mortise 11 provided for sliding assembly with the screw head 2 of fig.1. The bar 10 is, for example, deformed to obtain protuberances or concavities 12 provided for the sealing of the bar inserted in the rear edge of the seat during its molding.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along line C-C of Fig.3.

Figure 5 is a partial view of the installation, along the section line AA of Fig.2, to represent part of the means of a variant of the invention comprising the bowl 1, the device including the front panel 8, and in addition: - a back side formed by a flush tank 13 including a drain hole 14, and supporting a ball bearing 15; - a shaft 16 engaged in said bearing; - a gear of transmission wheels 17, 18, 19; - the wheel 17 is fixed on the said shaft, the wheel 18 is mounted on an axis screwed into the right flank of the device, and the wheel 19 is fixed on a hollow shaft 20 mounted on an axis screwed in said flank; the hollow shaft 20 drives a free pinion 21, for example a free pinion of bicy clette, supporting an endless chain 22 provided for driving three seats 6, 23, 24, always in the same direction of rotation so as to exchange, on the bowl, a pair of said seats, and such that the seat 6 replaces the seat 23, that the seat 23 replaces the seat 24, and that the seat 24 replaces the seat 6; - A groove 25 formed between two protrusions of the side including the inclined plane 26 provided for tilting the seat 24 horizontally when it descends and so that it is directed in the direction of the arrow to exit the device through the lower front opening 27; - A radial protuberance in the form of a strip 28 welded to the hollow bar 10, the bar being freely engaged with a projecting axis of links of the endless chain 22 ', the means such as the movement of said endless chain 22 , and such that the inclined plane 26, act in combination to tilt the seat 24 by means of the protuberance 28 displaced against the said inclined plane during the movement of the said endless chain and in the continuity of this movement, the seat 24 ending its race by sliding on the bowl to its horizontal rest position allowing its use; - a tilting door 29 closing the top of the device; - A container 30 collecting the seat cleaning liquids to drain these liquids through the hole 31 connected to the hole 3 of the bowl. Note that the container 30 extends under the reservoir 13 of the flush, and that it includes a drain hole 32 for the flush and a rear flange 33 preventing any flow of liquids to the back of the unit. In addition, the container 30 is supported on the bowl by its front edge, and it comprises a concavity 34 allowing the device to be assembled on the bowl without being hindered by protuberances existing on the top of certain commercial bowl models, such as the protrusion 5 in fig. 1. A means complementary to this concavity, such as thick washers, makes it possible to bring the device a posterior support on the bowl, and so that the washers are placed on the bowl, approximately at the location of the holes. 4 (fig. 1).

Figure 6 is an elevational view detailing, according to one embodiment, a means shown in fig.5. This means comprises the transmission wheel 19 mounted on the hollow grooved shaft 20. On this shaft is mounted a ball bearing 35 supporting the free pinion 21 comprising a pawl in the form of a slide 36 freely engaged in the groove 37 of the pinion . The pawl, in the form of the slide 36, comprises a through hole and receiving a shoulder screw engaged in a spacer in the form of a radially elastic ring 38. The slide and the ring are fixed freely on the pinion 21, by the said screw, to allow longitudinal displacements of the said pawl in the groove 37 when the shaft 20 rotates in the opposite direction of the drive of the pinion 21.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the ring 38 of Fig.6. This ring is formed by a spiral leaf spring.

FIG. 8 is a detailed and perspective view of a symmetrical half of the container 30 shown in FIG. 5. This container comprises: - the rear rim 33 extended by a rim 39 at each longitudinal end and by an anterior rim including an inclined plane 40; - A concavity including a through hole 42 for receiving a bolt provided for fixing the device to the bowl by engagement of said bolt in one of the holes 4 in fig.1.

Figure 9 is a left view of the container 30 shown partially in Fig.8. Note a 41 prolon ledge giant rim 39 so as to form a substantial contact surface allowing efficient welding of the container on each of the left and right sides of the device. Around the hole 42 is provided a protuberance 43 for posterior support of the device on the bowl. To adapt the device to different models of commercial cups, and as a precaution, the protuberance 43 will preferably be formed of thick washers engaged with the bolt provided in the hole 42.

Figure 10 is a partial view of the installation along the section line B-B of fig.2, and complementary to fig.5, to represent part of the means of a variant of the invention. In this view, we will notice that the shaft 16 makes it possible to secure the drive of the free pins 21.

FIG. 11 is a partial view of the installation along the section line AA of FIG. 2, to represent part of the means of a variant of the invention comprising the endless chain 22 transporting two seats 6, 23, and further comprising: - an engine weight in the form of a container 44 permanently filled with water and movable vertically in the tank 13 of the flush; - A plug in the form of a rubber ring 45 mounted tight on an overflow pipe 46 sliding in a tube 47 of said container 44; - A helical spring 48 screwed with one or two turns on the necked and threaded part of a protrusion of the overflow pipe 46, the said spring being arranged so that it pushes the plug upwards and that it can relax vertically and then support the plug during the emptying of said reservoir 13; - A cable or a belt 49 in the form of a band supporting said motor weight 44 by winding and unwinding in a spiral directly on the motor shaft 16 or on the pulley 50 fixed on said shaft engaged in a bearing mounted on the support 15 placed and engaged on the som puts tank 13 of the flush; a transmission comprising the toothed wheel 17 and the toothed wheel 19 secured to an externally fluted hollow shaft for driving, by a key, a cam, a pulley 51, the free pinion 21 with ratchet clutch driving the endless chain, or the endless belt 22 in the one direction indicated by the arrow on said free pinion; - Casters such as the rollers 32 guiding the said endless chain; - A stop 53 sliding in a groove 54 of the sidewall and raised by said cam; - A pawl 33 mounted on an axis screwed into the sidewall to engage with a tooth of said free pinion 21 so as to oppose the recoil of this pinion; a cable or a belt 56 in the form of a band winding and unwinding in a spiral on said pulley 51 and connecting a cleaning train comprising a support 57 carrying a drying means 58 and a washing means such as a sponge 59 sprinkled with a sanitary solution, and carrying a pusher in the form of a tilting tooth 60 mounted on an axis screwed into said support 31 movable vertically along a rail 61 formed by a protuberance from the side, the said support carrying, in addition, a weight 62 in the form of a metal bar; - a cleaning compartment extending vertically and included in the space contained between the back side of the device and the circulation corridor into which descends each seat to be placed on the bowl; according to the present variant of the invention, the dorsal side is formed from the reservoir 13 of the flush, and the circulation corridor is between a flexible partition 63 and the front panel 8 of the device; - a watering ramp 64 supported by the support 15 and supplied by a pump 65 in the form of a water pump sucking a sanitary solution by a pipe 66 descending into a tank extending vertically along the right side of the tank flushing the toilet, and therefore behind the cleaning compartment mentioned, the said water pump being connected to the tap 67 connected to the water supply to the appliance; - a 9-coulis door sant against the front panel 8 and in a vertical cut 68 of the side to close the lower front opening 27 of the device; the door is lifted by a hook 69 connected to the motor shaft 16 by a cable or a court yard 70 in the form of a movable band on the pulley 71 and winding and unwinding in a spiral on a pulley wedged on said engine shaft; the door descends by gravity when the hook is tilted back at the end of its elevation against a leaf spring 72, and so that the pin 73 engages in the groove 74 formed by two vertical protuberances of the sidewall comprising the protrusion 75; said door 9 comprises a first protuberance 76 engaging on the bar 10 connecting the seat 6 to the endless chain 22, said protuberance opposing, with the door, the advancement and retreat of said seat 6 in the horizontal rest position on the bowl 1; - A magnet 77 bonded to a second protuberance 78 of the door, the said magnet being mounted in repulsion with a magnet 79 bonded to a protuberance 80 of the sidewall; these magnets slow down the speed of the door at the end of its descent; - A lock in the form of a tilting stop 81 mounted on an axis screwed into the sidewall, and tilted when the door is lowered, and returned to the rest position by a spring in the form of an elastic protuberance 82, such so that the stop engages in a notch in the door, and locks the door in the rest position; - A stop in the form of a blade 83 welded on an axis 84 freely engaged in a hole in the support 15, and designed to stop in the rest position the container 44 rising when filling the reservoir 13 of the flush water, the said container being provided for raising the plug 45 By the overflow pipe 46 after the tilting of the said stop 83 by the pusher 85 sliding in a protuberance of the front panel 8. In the said fig.11, the container 44 is shown at the bottom of the tank 13 of the flush, which indicates that the flush has been ordered and that it is finished while the plug 45 is lowered by the says container and the tank begins to fill again. Filling the flush tank causes the container 44 to rise, the cleaning train to go down (57 to 60, 62) to wash and dry the seat 23, and the hook 69 to come down with its two pins 73, 86 engaged in the groove 74. At the end of its descent, the cleaning train will be placed below the seat 23 and in front of the seat 6. When the reservoir 13 is emptied, the container 44 descends, driving by its weight 1 elevation of the cleaning train comprising the tilting tooth 60, and the elevation of the seat 6 changing with the seat 23, and the elevation of the door 9 by the hook 69 comprising the pin 86 remaining in the groove 74 and the pin 73 moved outside of said groove and against the protrusion 75 'so as to tilt the stop 81 before said hook raises the door. At the end of the elevation of the cleaning train, said tooth 60 opens the valve while the reservoir 13 begins to fill and the cleaning train comes down again with the tooth mounted on an axis screwed into the support 57 During said descent, said tooth meets the mentioned bar 10 connecting the seat 23 to the endless chain 22, and it rocks against said bar while continuing its descent, the tooth then resumes its initial rest position so as to ability to open valve 67 at the end of a new elevation of the cleaning train. Said tooth 60 acts as a pusher driven by a cable or a belt connected to the motor shaft 16. The endless chain 22 is formed of links articulated on axes some of which are salient such as the axis 104 represented on the belt fig. 24. These axes comprise anterior ends respectively engaged in the bars 10, and posterior ends intended to be engaged respectively in a groove 87 partially hidden by the endless chain 22. The groove 87 is formed between two vertical protuberances of the sidewall comprising the inclined plane 88 arranged inside the loop formed by the endless chain of so as to tilt back the rear edge of each seat completing its movement by descending towards the bowl, said rear edge being temporarily pushed towards the interior of the appliance while the descending seat has its front edge in contact with the inclined plane 40 tilting the seat forward. By the means of inclined planes 88, 40 a double tilting is obtained so as to incline sufficiently horizontally each seat descending in a limited space inside the device so that each seat can then slide on the bowl to its horizontal position of rest, and thus exit the device. The forward course of each of the seats, such as the seat 23, raised by the endless chains to a vertical rest position in the rear part of the cleaning compartment, is specially sinuous by the rollers 32 arranged to adjust the height of the said rest position, and so as to equalize the length of said travel, go with the length of return travel, closing the movement of each of the seats brought to the horizontal rest position on the bowl by said chains.

FIG. 12 is a partial view of the installation along the section line BB of FIG. 2, and complementary to FIG. 11, to specify means such as: - the pulley 89 wedged on the motor shaft 16 driving the belt 70 connected to the hook 69; - The tap 67 and the water pump 65 sucking a sanitary solution in a tank 90; a pin 91 stopping the pusher 85 returned to the rest position by the helical spring 92.

FIG. 13 is a partial view in elevation, detailing the means shown in FIG. 11 and 12. The pulley 89 is wedged on the drive shaft 16 by a pin 93, and it includes notches 94 for fixing belts in the form of bands such as the belts 49, 56, 70 shown in fig. 11, 12 , 15. The motor shaft comprises, at each of its longitudinal ends, a groove forming protrusions 95.

Figure 14 is a diametrical sectional view detailing the transmission wheel 17 shown in Fig.11 and 12. This wheel comprises: - a concavity 96 for the engagement of a bearing; - A protrusion 97 for mutual engagement with the protrusions 95 of the motor shaft shown in fig.13.

Figure 15 is a partial perspective view detailing a belt in the form of a band such as belts 49, 56, 70, (fig.11 and 12). These belts include protrusions 98, 99, and a protruding rod 100 in the protrusion 98. Each belt connects a part such as the container 44, the support 57, the hook 69, comprising a notch to assemble with a protuberance such that the protrusion 99, and connects a pulley such as the pulley 89 (FIG. 13) comprising notches 94 for the engagement of the projections of said rod 100.

Figure 16 is a left view of means of Fig.11. This view shows the cam 101 raising the stop 53 for the passage of the protrusion 102 of the free pinion 21. The stop, the cam, and the protuberance form a safety device s Opposed to an accidental shift of one revolution of the free pinion 21 relative to the transmission wheel 19, so that the free pinion 21 is stopped by the protrusion 102 against the stop 53 when said free pinion is in advance on the cam 101 secured to the transmission wheel 19 by the shaft hollow neckline 20.

Figure 17 is an elevational view of a portion of the endless chain, or endless belt 22 shown in Fig.11. The pair of endless chains 22 transports two seats 6, 23, so that the forward travel of each of the seats, transported to a vertical rest position in the cleaning compartment, is specially sinuous by the rollers 32 arranged to adjust the height of said rest position, and so as to equalize the length of said travel go with the length of return travel closing the movement of each of the seats brought back to horizontal rest position on the bowl 1 by the said chains. The chain or the belt 22 comprises a bulge 103 including a projecting pin 104 intended to be freely engaged in the bar 10 inserted in the rear edge of each of the seats 6, 23.

FIG. 18 is an elevation view, according to a variant form of FIG. 17, to show another means of equalizing the travel back and forth of the seats by a series of rollers 52.

Figure 19 is an elevational view detailing the left or right side of the apparatus shown in fig.11. This sidewall comprises: a hole 105 for engaging a pin provided on the rear edge of the door 29; - A hole 106 for the engagement of one end of a flange provided for fixing the device to a back wall; - A protrusion 107 limiting the rotation of the pawl 55; - A concavity extending vertically and around protuberances such as the protuberance 108 for engaging a bearing and the transmission wheel 17; the protrusion 109 for the engagement of an axis in the hole 110, the said axis being provided to support the hollow shaft 20 integral with the transmission wheel 19; the protrusion 111 for fixing a float valve in the hole 112, said valve being provided for the reservoir 13 of the flush; the protrusions 113 for assembling the said flank with the said flush tank; - A hole 114 for the engagement of a longitudinal end of the partition 63; - holes such as 115 for the engagement of an axis supporting the pulley 71, and for the engagement of axes supporting casters such as the casters 52 guiding the endless chain 22. According to a variant of embodiment, the rail 61 is formed of a metal blade connected to a pole of an electrical supply by the conductive wire 116 welded on the said blade, so that an electric fan heater is supplied by sliding along the rail on the right and left side of the appliance to replace the drying means 58 (fig.11).

Figure 20 is a sectional view along line D-D of Fig. 19.

Figure 21 is a partial elevational view of the washing and drying means of Fig.11 comprising a sleeve 58, 59 flexible and elastic engaged on a frame 117 projecting longitudinally.

Figure 22 is a sectional view along line E-E of Fig.21. For washing, the sleeve comprises a peripheral part such as 59 forming a sponge in an open cell foam, and a central part 118 formed of a closed cell foam. For drying, the sleeve such as 58 is smooth at its periphery and formed of a closed cell foam so as to expel the moisture left on the seat 23 by the sponge and so that this moisture falls into the container - collector 30 (fig. 11).

Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative sleeve for drying the seats. This variant is formed by a pneumatic inner tube 119 comprising an opening 120 for engaging the mount 117. This inner tube is inflated to a pressure of 50 to 70 grams so as to rub the front face of the seat 23 in elastically deforming on the relief of said face. This air chamber can replace the closed cell foam of the central part 118 of the sleeve 58, 59 shown in fig. 22.

Figure 24 is a partial perspective view of the endless belt 22 shown in figs. 11, 17, 18 comprising the projecting axis 104, and holes 121 for engagement on the free pinion 21.

Figure 25 is a perspective view of the partition 63 shown in fig.11 engaging the hole 114 (fig.19).

Figure 26 is a perspective view of means shown in fig.11, and supplemented with a tilting cover 122 resiliently fixed on the door 9 by the means 123, said cover being provided to cover the seat 6 on the bowl.

Figure 27 is a partial perspective view of the bar 10 inserted into the rear edge of each seat 6, 23, 24, and connecting the endless belt 22. The bar includes a hole 124 for engagement of one end of the protruding axis 104 fig. 24.

Figure 28 is a diametrical and longitudinal sectional view of a modified commercial float valve, comprising a valve 125, a lever 126, a float 127, an inlet 128 intended to be connected to a water supply, an outlet 129 for the supply of the reservoir 13 of the flush, and two additional outlets 130, 131. In addition, in the inlet of the duct 128 is inserted a flow regulator in the form of a needle projecting from a pierced washer 132, and a helical spring 133 engaged on the low-cut part of a movable cylinder comprising a axial hole 134.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the support 15 shown in FIG. 11 and comprising a hole 135 for engaging the axle 84, a hole 136 for engaging a bearing and the drive shaft 16, a notch 137 for the engagement of the watering ramp 64. FIG. 30 is an elevation view detailing the washer shown in FIG. 28, and comprising a needle 132 and holes 138.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a cover 139 intended to be welded tightly on the tank 90 shown in FIG. 12, and comprising a filling pipe 140 closed by a plug, a sectioned pipe 66 provided for going down into said tank 90 and be connected directly to the water pump 65 or to the tap 67 connected to the said water pump shown in fig. 11, 12, 32, 34.

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of the means shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 such as the sectioned shaft 16, and additionally comprising the float valve (125 - 134), a concavity 141, and sliding assembly means 142 with the protrusions 113 of the side of the device shown in fig. 19 and 20.

Figure 33 is an exploded view detailing the means 123 engaged in a pin of the rear edge of the cover 122 shown in fig.26. This means comprises a bolt 143 with a pierced head 123 for the engagement of a helical spring 144 and a washer 145 intended to be mounted on said pin. The bolt is designed to be engaged in a through hole at the bottom of the door 9 and then engaged in a washer 146, a helical spring 147, and a nut 148. The spring 147 allows an elastic fixing of the cover 122 on the door 9, and the spring 144 brings friction on the washer 145 to brake the tilting of the said cover on the seat 6 in the horizontal rest position on the bowl 1.

Figure 34 is a diametrical sectional view of the water pump 65 connected to the tap 67 comprising: - two channels 149 and 150; track 149 is intended to be connected to outlet 130 of the float valve fig. 28, and track 150 is intended to be connected to the top of the. hose 66 (fig. 31);

- A cap 151 forming a pusher screwed into the cylinder 152 opening and closing said valve; - a helical spring 153 contained in the said cap to recall in the closed position the said cylinder comprising a circular notch 154 provided to be placed in the track 149 when the tooth 60 is pushed (fig.11) on the said push button 151 to supply water to the water pump, and a second circular notch 155 intended to be placed in the track 150 so as to draw a sanitary solution in the tank 90 by the said water pump;

- A hole 156 for fixing said water pump and said valve on the tank 13 of the flush.

Figure 35 is a partial perspective view of a pierced plate 157 intended to be engaged on the watering ramp 64 and in the concavity 141 of the tank 13 of the flush (fig.32) so as to distribute of the sanitary solution on the sponge 59 (fig.11) through the holes 158 and direct the solution onto the rear face of the seat 23 through the rear face of the said plate, so that the solution flows between the said tank and said seat.

Figure 36 is a partial perspective view of means shown in fig.11. These means include: the supports 31 including sliding stops 159 for closing the front opening of notches 160 provided for the engagement of the washing and drying means 58, 59; - Notches 1 61 provided for the engagement of an electric fan heater; - notches 162 for engaging means such as chains, belts 56, 166, including protuberances such as the bulges 98, 167 (FIGS. 15 and 38); - the tilting tooth 60; - Casters 163 provided for engagement with the rail 61; - The weight formed by a metal bar 62 fixed to said supports by screws. According to a variant, the support 57 comprises addition nally a protrusion 57b for pushing the cylinder 152 of the valve 67 fig.34 and 50; a means for watering the sponge 59 such as a spraying boom in the form of a bent pipe 164 provided for temporarily engaging by its top on the lower end of the pipe 232 fig.50, this temporary engagement s 'performing at the end of the elevation of said support 57.

Figure 37 is a partial view in diametral section of a means out of the structure of Fig.11.

Figure 38 is a partial elevational view of the right flank of the apparatus including a cross-sectional view of the bar 10 shown in Fig.27, and comprising variant means of the invention. These means include:

- a toothed wheel 165 wedged on the shaft 20 to replace the pulley 51 (fig.11 and 16) to drive a chain or a belt 166 including bulges 167 for engagement in notches 162 of the support 57 shown in fig.36 ; unlike the belt 36 in the form of a band winding and unwinding in a spiral on the pulley 51, the belt or chain 166 driven by the toothed wheel 165 may alternately pull up and down the cleaning train comprising the means 58, 59 on the supports 57; - a slide 168 replacing the leaf spring 72 (fig. 19); - A caster 169 fixed on the protuberance 28 of the bar 10, and intended to tilt forward each of the seats 6, 23 _" 24 transported by the endless chain 22 moving said caster 169 against the inclined plane 26 of the protuberance 170 participating at the said changeover.

FIG. 39 is a perspective and punctured view of the means shown in FIG. 11, 12, 28, 32, and further comprising:

- A pierced protuberance 171 for fixing the water pump 65 and the tap 67; - a plurality of hydraulic cylinders 172, 173 mounted in series and engaged in a compartment against the tank 13 of the flush; these jacks are mounted in series to increase the power relative to their diametrical size; a rod 174 projecting from the jack 172 including a ring 175 fixed to a belt 176 winding and taking place in a spiral directly on the drive shaft 16 or on a fixed pulley on the said shaft engaged in a bearing 177. These jacks are supplied with water by a tap 178 similar to tap 67 (fig. 34), and actuated by the rocking arm 179.

Figure 40 is an exploded view of means shown in fig.5 and 38 comprising the wheel 169 and an axis 181 provided to be engaged in the protrusion 28 forming an elastic support which can be a leaf spring fixed on the bar 10 by a pin 182 , and a second roller 183 provided to be against said bar and engaged in the axis 104 of the endless belt 22 (fig.24).

Figure 41 is a partial side view in section, specifying a means of fig. 39 concerning the fixing of the belt 176 on the rod 174 of the jack 172. The belt comprises a protuberance 184 assembled in a mortise of the ring 175 screwed or pinned to the top of said rod 174.

Figure 42 is a partial perspective view of an electric fan heater 185 intended to be engaged in the notches 16l of the supports 57 (fig.36). This radiator comprises: an opening 186 for directing hot air to the seat 23; - A protuberance 187 engaging in one of said notches 161 for positioning the radiator so as to direct the jet of hot air on said seat 23; - An electrical conductor 188 extended by a contact strip 189 intended to slide against the metal rail 61 connected to a pole of an electrical supply. FIG. 43 is an operating diagram in diametral section of means of FIG. 39 additionally comprising the pipes 190, 191 connecting the series of jacks 172, 173 to the tap 178 with two ways 192, 193. The inlet of the way 192 is intended to be connected to the outlet 131 of the float valve shown in fig.28, 39, and the outlet of said channel 192 is connected to each inlet 194, 195 of said jacks nested one on the other. The jacks are purged after the action of the arm 179 lowering the cylinder 180 so as to close the supply path 192 and to open the urge voj 193 connected to the outlets 196, 197 of the jacks. A spring pushes a ball 153 against the cylinder 180 comprising inclined planes in a circular notch into which the ball penetrates to prolong the action of lowering of said cylinder by the arm 179. According to the present diagram, the supply path 192 cylinders is open, and the purge path 193 of said cylinders is closed so that the pistons 198, 199 are lowered by the pressure of the water from said supply. According to the means described in fig. 11, 38, 39, 43, each operating cycle comprises the tilting of the stop 83 by the pusher 85 for an additional rise in weight 44 which rocks the arm 179 and raises the plug 45 for emptying the flush tank 13. The tilting of the arm 179 lowers the cylinder 180 to open the way 193 for bleeding the jacks allowing the rod 174 to be raised by the belt 176 winding on the shaft 16 driven in rotation by the downward weight 44 during said emptying of the reservoir 13. At the end of the descent of the weight 44, the rod 174 arrives at the end of its elevation by raising the cylinder 180 closing the bleed path 193 and opening the path 192 for supplying the jacks so that the rod 174 descends by pulling on the belt 176 which unwinds by rotating the shaft 16 raising the weight 44 to its rest position against the stop 83.

Figure 44 is a partial elevational view of a va laughing of the invention comprising the device without the door 9 or the front panel 8. This variant relates to the means for washing and drying the seat 23 in the vertical cleaning position. These means include a niquet tower including a spray arm 201 supporting at each end an electric fan heater including a propeller compressor similar to a small hair dryer. The air jet is directed on the seat and at an inclination allowing the drive of the turnstile mounted on a pipe 203 fixed on the sides of the device, and connected to the water pump 65 or to the pipe 232 of the tank 228 (figs. 32 and 50). The turnstile is brought back to the horizontal rest position during the vertical descent of a bar (204 suspended by each of its ends to a belt winding and unwinding on the pulley 51. A rubber ring 205 tightened on the bar 10 a flow along said bar stops when the seat is washed A moving-core electromagnet 206 switches the stop 83 in place of the push button 85 fig.11.

Figure 45 is a view along the section line FF of fig.44, and comprising: - a belt 207 replacing the gears 17, 19 (fig.11) and winding and unwinding on pulleys respectively integral with the 'shaft 16 and free pinion 21; - A caster at one end of an arm 208 under tension of a spring 209 for tensioning the endless chain 22; - A flap 210 in the form of a brush with fine bristles bonded to the container 30 to direct in the said container the flow of splashes projected on the endless chain 22; - A flange 211 fixed on the sides at each end of the pipe 203 supporting the turnstile 201, the said pipe being extended from the pipe 212 connected to the water pump 65 or to the pipe 232 (fig. 32 and 50). The bar 204, at the end of its upward stroke, is temporarily retained by an electromagnet 213 fixed on the left and right sides of the device and above of the bar acting, in addition, on an electrical contactor joined to an electronic programmer comprising timing means for supplying the fan heater, the said electromagnets, and an electrovalve in replacement of the tap 67 (figs. 32 and 30).

FIG. 46 is an axial section view detailing the turnstile shown in FIGS. 44 and 45. The turnstile comprises sprinkling holes 214 in the arm 201 welded or screwed onto a pipe 21 5 mounted on a bearing 216 engaged with another pipe 217 forming an axial support for the turnstile. This turnstile and axial pipe 217 assembly is joined by the bolt 218 to the pipe 203 fixed on each side of the appliance by the flange 211. The electrical supply to the fan radiator 202 is effected by a rotary contact comprising insulated metal rings 219 on a support 220 integral with the arm 201, and other metal rings 221 isolated on a support 222 mounted to slide axially on the pipe 217 and pushed against the support 220 by a helical spring 223.

Figure 47 is a detail view of the support 222 on the pipe 217 shown in fig.46. The rings 221 are engaged in circular grooves of said support.

Figure 48 is a schematic view detailing the means shown in fig.45. According to these means, the bar 204 is in its low rest position against the turnstile 201 brought back to the horizontal rest position by said bar. The belt 56 continues to run over a determined length after the bar stops against the turnstile. At the end of its elevation, the bar 204 will actuate the electrical contactor 224 joined to an electronic programmer 225 fixed on the right flank of the device.

Figure 49 is a partial perspective view of the turnstile shown in figs 44 and 45. Note the radia blowers tor 202 mounted on supports engaged and fixed by screws 226 on the spray arm 201 comprising the hole 227 for welding the pipe 215 (fig. 46). The fan heaters are oriented to direct a jet of hot air on the seat 23 and drive the turnstile in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 50 is a broken sectional view of a variant of a component of the washing means of the invention. This variant is a tank 228 comprising: - a pipe 229 for loading a sanitary product into a pierced basket 230 forming a compartment in said tank; - A pipe 231 connected to a tap such as the tap 67 fig-34 to supply the tank with water; - an inner pipe 232 passing through the bottom of the tank for the supply, in sanitary solution, of the spraying boom 164 or the turnstile 201 (fig. 36 and 46). The sanitary product is preferably in the form of solid and soluble sticks 233 with detergent, anti-scale, disinfectant action. These means allow the tank to be easily loaded, without handling liquids, by supplying the water necessary for the viscosity of the sanitary solution kept in the tank, and by causing the water pump to be removed 65.

Figure 51 is an elevational view of a variant of means such as the belt 36 winding and unwinding on the pulley 51 for movement of the cleaning train (57-60) fig.11. This variant includes a winch including two diameters of winding and unwinding of a cable 234 for a differentiated speed of movement of said cleaning train. Part of the winding takes place at the bottom of a thread 235 comprising a rod 236 engaged radially in the winch to guide the cable during the change of winding diameter and unwinding. This variant can also be used for raising door 9. FIG. 32 is a perspective and punctured view of the framework of the apparatus formed by the flush tank 13 assembled on the sides 237, 238, which are welded to the container 30 and fitted with the front panel 8 to stiffen the parallelepiped shape of this frame. In addition, the apparatus comprises a door 239 mounted on hinges with a vertical axis.

FIG. 53 is a perspective view of the installation comprising: - the door 239; - the flush tank 13; - the reservoir 228 providing a sanitary liquid for the bowl and for cleaning the seat; - Means 240 forming supports and extensions for embedding the device.

Figure 54 is a perspective view of a variant of the turnstile shown in fig. 49. This variant comprises an air compressor with propellers 241 mounted on the shaft of the electric motors 242 enclosed in the tubular arm of the turnstile. The air is heated by the radiant heat of the motors and, optionally, by an electric heating resistance 243 according to the technique of a portable hair dryer. The compressor forms the arm of the turnstile including, at one end, a suction port 244, and at the other end a port 245 for expelling hot air on the seat 23, and so that these ports are oriented to drive the turnstile in the direction of the arrow. In addition, a pipe 246 extends the axial tube 215 to supply, in a sanitary liquid, one or two jets engaged in a protrusion 247 of the arm.

Figure 55 is a perspective view of an embedding means of the device intended to be fixed to a back wall. This means comprises a vertical concavity 248 formed in a partition fixed by the angles 249 on the ceiling, the left and right walls of a WC room, and fixed on the supports 240. The height of the said concavity is greater than the height of the device on the bowl to allow maintenance interventions from above the device without removing it from its embedding. The part of the concavity provided above. of the device is closed by a means such as a removable panel, or a door 250.

Claims

Claims: 1 - According to the invention, the installation uses a method of exchanging a pair of recycled seats on a bowl such that one of the seats is removed from above the bowl to be cleaned and replaced by the other seat previously cleaned, said exchange taking place continuously and automatically after the initiation of an operating cycle, said exchange process being adapted to means for cleaning said seats inside an appliance connected to a water supply and connected to the rear and above said bowl, and comprising: - a shaft integrally driving means such as a pair of endless chains, endless belts, arranged in parallel on wheels on the left and to the right of a cleaning compartment for transporting, at each operating cycle, a plurality of spaced seats which can tilt by their rear edge connected to said chains and so as to exchange a pair of said seats through an open ture lower and front of the device, and so that the first of said pair of seats is removed from above the bowl to be hung by its rear edge and transported to a vertical rest position in said cleaning compartment , while the second seat of said pair will complete its movement out of the device by tilting down towards said front opening, said tilting resulting from the drive of the endless chains transporting the seat hung by its rear edge and means such as inclined planes, the seat ending its race by sliding on the bowl to its horizontal rest position allowing its use, this exchange of seats being carried out in the continuity of the movement of the endless chains and without other manual intervention as the initiation of an operating cycle; - Means tending to stabilize and fix the seat in the horizontal rest position, comprising a means of sliding assembly of the seat on the bowl such as an assembly in the shape of a tenon and mortise; - a closing door said front opening and provided for raising and lowering a cover on the seat in the horizontal rest position on the bowl; - seat cleaning means comprising washing and drying means movable on a vertical plane and facing the seat in the vertical rest position in the cleaning compartment mentioned; watering means, for washing each of the seats, comprising a tank containing a sanitary solution; - A collector in the shape of a container pierced at its bottom and connected to the bowl while being placed under the seat in a vertical cleaning position to collect said sanitary solution and drain it into the bowl; - means for triggering said watering; - Means for initiating an operating cycle of the installation. 2 - Installation, according to 1, characterized in that the endless chains (22) transport three seats (6), (23), (24) respectively by. a bar (10) secured to the rear edge of each of the seats and comprising a radial protuberance (28) supporting a caster (169) driven by the endless chains against an inclined plane (26) on the left and right sides of the device so as to tilt the seat forward for its exit from the device. 3 - Installation, according to 1, characterized in that the endless chains (22) transport two seats (6), (23) respectively by a bar (10) secured to the rear edge of each of the seats and so that the movement said chains is deflected by a means such as an inclined plane (88) on the left and right sides of the device to tilt back the rear edge of the descending seat by pushing it, temporarily, inside the device, while the seat meets a second inclined plane (40) supporting it between the said sides so as to be tilted forward and in such a way that this combination of tiltings inclines the seat sufficiently so that it leaves the device in sliding on said inclined plane supporting it and then sliding on the bowl to its horizontal rest position.