FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a toilet, more particularly to a toilet for use in an underground mine,

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The inventor is well aware of commonly known toilets wherein a certain amount of water is required for flushing away the waste after using thereof. The waste will typically be collected and or transferred into a septic tank or a similar location, for foiodegrada ^' tioa thereof. in the context of an underground mine, odor and waste disposal pose serious problems as the hauling to the surface of toilet waste is an expansive exercise and also time consuming. In addition, water is typically a scarce commodity In underground mines.

The inventor having considered the above now proposes the invention as described hereunder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a toile which Includes:- a housing having an opening defined in an operative upper surface thereof;

a body having a waste receiving zone defined therein; a mounting means for mounting the body displaceably within the housing beneath the opening., so as o allow the body, and with it the waste receiving zone, to be displaced from a waste receiving position to a cleaning position; and

a cleaning means for cleaning the wast receiving zone via a jet of fluid, when the receiving zone Is In the cleaning position.

The toilet may include a sealing means for sealing off a space defined between the opening and .an outer surface of ^' the body, when in the waste receiving and cleaning positions. The sealing means may be In the form of a skirt or so caited sealing ring. The sealing means may be manufactured from a synihetics plastic material. The sealing means may be of any geometrical shape and size so as to allow the sealing off of the space between the body and the opening so as to prevent the escape of odor from underneath the body, The opening may be of any geometrical suitable shape and .size. The opening may be circular shaped In plan view. The opening may be located substantially centrally the upper surface of the housing.

The upper surface may Include mounting formations for mounting a conventional tos ^' iei seat thereon .

The housing may further Include mounting formations for releasabiy mounting the housing into and / o onto a conventional support structure. The seat and / or the housing ma be manufactured from any suitable synthetics and or metallic material, typically stainless steel.

The body may have a cross section corresponding to any conventional geometric shape. The body may be of general spherical form. The body may be manufactured from a synthetic plastics and / or metallic material, preferably from stainless steel. The waste receiving- zone may be in. the form of a hollow defined in a surface of the body. The hollow may be in the shape of a bowl. The body may have a plurality of waste receiving zones d fined therein. The plurality of waste receiving zones may be arranged diametrically opposed one anothe about a central axis of the body.

The mounting means may be in the form of an axie - and - socket arrangement The axle may be in the form of a pair of stub axies projecting from opposing sides of the body with end portions thereof protruding through sidewaiis of the housing. Complimentary sockets may be provided in t e sidewaiis of the housing for receiving the axles therein.

The toilet may further include a rotating device for rotating the body and thereby the waste receiving zone, between the waste receiving and cleaning positions.

Th rotating device may be in the form of a rack and pinion arrangement. The pinion may be mounted on a end region of one of the stub axies. The rack may be pivo aily mounted on a sidewaJ! of the housing in operative relationship with the pinion.

The rack may include a displacement member so as to permit a user to displace the rack, thereby rotating the body, and with it the waste receiving zone, from a waste receiving position to a cleaning position for cleaning of the waste receiving zone via the jet of fluid when in the cleaning position. The waste so removed may be collected in a removable waste container for disposal.

The displacement member may be in the form of a conventional handle extending from the rack.

T he rotating device may be in the form of an engine driven motor for rotating the body, and thereby the waste receiving zone, between the waste receiving and cleaning positions. The cleaning means may Include a nozzle arrangement arranged relative the body so as to project t e jet of fluid onto the waste receiving zone when In the cleaning position. The nozzle may be arranged in fluid communication with a fluid source. The fluid source may be in the form of a conventional boiler for generating steam under pressure. The fluid source may be In the form of a reservoir. The fluid may include water and / or steam.

The toilet may further Include a sensor for activating the cleaning means when the waste receiving zone Is in the cleaning position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION. OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described by way of the following, non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawingsi- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a toilet in. accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 depicts a cut away version of the toliei as shown in Figure 1 , Illustrating the location of the body relativ the housing; Figure 3 Is a perspective bottom view of the toilet as shown in Figure 1 , illustrating the location of the nozzle relative to the body; and

Figure 4 Is a schematic representation of the toilet in accordance with the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS in the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally depicts a toilet in accordance with the invention.

The toilet 1.0 includes a housing 12 with an opening, defined in an upper surface 14 of the housing 12, a body 16 haying a waste receiving zone 8 defined therein, a mounting means for mounting the body 18 displaceably within the housing 12 beneath the opening, so as to allow the body 16, and with it the waste receiving zone 18, to be displaced from a waste receiving position to a cleaning position, and a cleaning means for cleaning the waste receiving zone via a jet of fluid (not shown), when the waste receiving zone 13 is n the cleaning position.

The upper surface typically also includes mounting formations, preferably In the form of bolt and nut arrangements 20, for reieasabiy mounting a conventional toilet seat 22, on the housing 12. The housing 12 further Includes apertures 24 for reieasabiy mounting the housing 12 onto a support surface such as that of a conventional portable toilet structure 28. Tne seat 22 and the housing 12 Is typically manufactured from stainless steel. i the specific embodiment shown the body 16 is of generally spherical form having the waste receiving zone 18, in the shape of a bowl defined in the surface of the body 16. The body 16 will typically hav two waste, receiving zones 18 defined therein, the receiving zones typically located diametrically opposed one another about a central .axis of the body 16.

In the specific embodiment, the mounting means for mounting the body 16 displaceably within the housing 12, is in the form of an axle ~ and - socket arrangement, wherein the axle is defined by a pair of stub axles 28 projecting from opposing sides of the body 16. Complimentary sockets (not shown) are located in the sidewa!ls of the housing 12 to permit the body 16, and thereby the waste receiving zones 18 to rotats diametrically between the waste receiving and the cleaning positions,

The toilet 10 further includes a rotating device to allow a user to rotate the body, and thereby the waste receiving zones 18 between the waste receiving and cleaning positions. The rotating device is preferably in the form of a rack 30 and pinion 32 arrangement The pinion 32 is mounted on an end region of one of the stub axles 28, with the rack 30 piyotaily mounted on the sidewall of the housing 12 in operative relationship with the pinion 32,

The cleaning means is in the form of a nozzle 34 located underneath the body 16, wherein the nozzle 34 is in fluid communication with a conventional boiler 36, The boiler 36 will generate steam under pressure to be projected by the nozzle- 34; onto the waste receiving zone 18, when the body 16 Is ^' in the cleaning position. The fluid source can also he In the form of a conventional reservoir containing water under positive pressure so to generate a jet of water projecting from the nozzle for cleaning the waste receiving zone when In the cleaning position.

The toilet 10 further includes- a sealing means In the form of a skirt or sealing ring 38; for sealing off a space defined between the opening and an outer surface of the body 18, The sealing ring 38 is typically shaped and sized to extend from the opening In the upper surfac 14 of the housing 12, towards and In abutment with the outer surface of the body 16. The sealing ring 38 is preferably manufactured from a flexible material such as rubber.

In use, a lever (not shown) will extend from the rack 30 so as to permit a user to displace the rack 30, thereby rotating the pinion 32 and with if the body 16, so as to rotate the waste receiving zone 18, from a waste receiving position to a cleaning position, for cleaning via the jet of fluid projected from the nozzle 34 located underneath the body 16. The waste so removed is collected in a waste container for disposal. The rotating device can also be in the- form of an engine driven motor, with the motor operative^- connected to the body. The motor will typically include an activating means in the form of a button fo activating and deactivating the motor. The toilet 10 will typically also include a sensor (not shown) for activating the app ication of the Jet of fluid via the nozzle 34 onto the wast receiving zone 18, when in the cleaning position.

The fluid source can also contain disinfectants and other chemical substances for enhancing the cleansing effect of the. jet of fluid on the waste receiving zone when in the cleaning position.

The. Applicant believes that the invention as described above is advantageous in ibata relative small amount of water is required to effectively remove the waste from the toilet after usage. The small amount of water required results In a lesser volume of waste to be disposed In comparison, with conventional toiiets. The usage of steam for removing the toilet Waste also acts as sterilizer which reduces the need for regular cleaning of the toilet In between use, as Is the case with conventional toilets. It is to be appreciated that a toilet 10 as hereinbefore described is not limited to the precise functional and constructional details as set out above and the material specifications and dimensions of the composing parts such as the housing 12, body 18, axle and socket arrangement, rack and pinion arrangement as well as the cleaning means may be varied in order to provide a toilet 10 in accordance wit the specific user requirements.