Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

dispensers. (Bar soap gets messy and sometimes is carried away.) Women’s washrooms are provided with lounging chairs and a well -illuminated vanity or dressing table either as a countertop lavatory or a separate piece of furniture. Ashtrays or sand buckets are provided for cigarets. Convenient location. People do not like to ask where washrooms are located. It is a good idea to have them near the entrance, clearly marked, so they can be found easily. What about the plumbing fixtures? What are some of the new things available? What are the distinctive features of some of the newer public and semi-public washrooms? 1. Color. There is a definite trend toward the use of colored fixtures. The wise use of color in the fixtures as well as the wall and floor materials gives the owner of a theatre an opportunity to create washrooms that are distinctive and beautiful, and which will build a favorable image. VANITY-TYPE LAVATORIES 2. Countertop lavatories. Have you been out in the suburbs lately to see some of the model homes erected by progressive builders? If you have, you will have been impressed by the almost universal use of vanity lavatories in the bathrooms and powder rooms of these display houses. The same trend is noticeable in the semi -public washrooms in theatres and restaurants. There is much to be said in favor of the countertop lavatory. It provides a convenient place for the woman to put her bag and find the things she wants to use. By providing a lavatory with a large amount of flat space, the theatre owner is doing something that will please his women patrons. Countertop lavatories are custom made. All of the leading manufacturers of plumbing fixtures offer bowls especially designed for sinking in counters made of ceramic tile, plastic laminate, or marble. 3. Fixtures off the floor. Wall-hung fixtures, because they so well satisfy two objectives— that is, convenience of users and ease of maintenance — deserve serious con Turnstiles (or Women? British ladies are demanding equal rights with men in public washrooms. Men use them free in England, but women have to pay. In addition, the “vicious” turnstiles through which they must pass often give them a kick toboot, the women complain. The issue came to a head when women members of Parliament launched a crusade against the “injustice and indignity” of having to pay for the use of washrooms. One woman member of Parliament cited a notice in a women’s restroom in Derbyshire: “If unable to operate, please contact the butcher at adjoining premises.” Women all over Britain have become thoroughly aroused over the problem, and two bills were recently introduced in Parliament that would prohibit all turnstiles in public restrooms. This charming powder room in the Savoy Hilton Hotel, New York City, offers theatremen some interesting ideas. Hooks on the wall for hats and coats are wall decorations, too. Sofa (reflected in mirror) and tub chairs provide luxury seating. — Photo, courtesy Institutions. sideration. Studies have shown that the cleaning cost for rooms with wall-hung fixtures is from 25 to 30 per cent less than for rooms with floor-type units. WALL-HUNG EQUIPMENT BEST Here’s why: Wall-hung equipment provides an unobstructed washroom floor. It permits rapid hosing down and mopping. It eliminates sharp corners and cracks that can harbor germs and make cleaning difficult. A fixture-bare floor not only reduces maintenance costs sharply, it also gives restrooms a hygienic appearance that patrons find appealing. 4. Water Closets. Theatre owners have found that it does not pay to buy the cheaper type of water closet. Frequent stoppages and the nuisance of an “out of order” sign are the result of attempts to economize on this fixture. The better toilets have a larger water seal and a larger trapway. The theatre owner who pays a little more to get the best will have little or no trouble with stoppages. Furthermore, the better toilets have a quieter and more positive flushing action. All public washroom toilets should have an elongated bowl. The extra water area makes it easier to keep such fixtures in clean and sanitary condition. As a matter of fact, in many states the elongated bowl is required by the plumbing code. Flushing valves should be placed high on the wall at a point in accordance with code requirements. These vary from a minimum of 9 inches to 11 *4 inches above the rim of the toilet bowl. Installed in this position, the valve is not so likely to be kicked. All flush valves should be equipped with vacuum breakers to prevent possible back siphonage of wastes from toilet bowls and urinals into the fresh water supply. 5. Urinals. Urinals in men’s washrooms may be wall-hung or floor-mounted. The floor-mounted fixtures have drains that can be used to carry away the runoff water when the floors are hosed down and scrubbed in the daily cleaning routine. Wall-hung urinals, on the other hand, leave the floor space underneath entirely free and unobstructed. This makes mopping and scrubbing much easier. For sanitation and ease of maintenance, the plumbing industry recommends the siphon jet and blow-out urinal. These fixtures are constructed like a water closet with a visible water surface. They look clean and are clean. There is no unseen soiling area that requires cleaning. There is another advantage of the siphon jet and blow-out urinal. These urinals are so constructed that if anyone throws anything in them small enough to go through the opening at the bottom, it will flush out. Continued on following page PO.WERFUL PLUNGER CLEARS CLOCCED TOILETS in a jiffy! Clear Messy, Stuffed Toilets Cut Maintenance Costs with TOILAFLEX® Toilet [alu^le] plunger Ordinary plungers just don’t seat properly. They permit compressed air and water to splash back. Thus you not only have a mess, but you lose the very pressure you need to clear the obstruction. With “Toilaflex”, expressly designed for toilets, no air or water can escape. The full pressure plows through the clogging mass and swishes it down. Can’t miss! • Double-size cup, double-pressure • Tapered tail gives air-tight fit • Designed to flex at any angle • Centers itself, can't skid around Get a "TOILAFLEX" for your home too. Positive insurance against stuffed toilet. $^65 Higher in Canada AT YOUR HARDWARE SUPPLIER BOXOFFICE :: October 21, 1963 59