US1340043A - Fountain-brush - Google Patents

Description

W. GRACE.-

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

Wl TNESSES W. GRACE.

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

W. GRACE.

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

APPLxcATmN msn :UNE E. |919.

Patented May 11, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

v mmm WL MFG/MCI WITNESSES nomas W. GRACE.

FUUNTMN BRUSH.

APPLICATION man :uns 6.19l9.

Patnted May 11, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 w/mfssfs UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WALTER GRACE, 0F ACKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, ASSIGNOR TO FOUNTAINy TOOTH- BRUSHES LIMITED, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, A CORPORATION.

FOUNTAIN-BRUSH.

To all whom t ma concern:

Be it known t at I, TALTER GRACE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Auckland, New Zealand, have invented a new and Improved Fountain- Brush, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a fountain brush and is adapted to be embodied in brushes for various purposes, such as toothbrushes, shaving brushes, shoebrushes, and the like.

More particularly the invention relates to a fountain brush involving a reservoir or container adapted to receive a replaceable refill cartridge containing plastic or other material to be delivered to the bristles through a hollow shank forming a conduit leading to the brush head, feed means being provided to cause the paste or other material to be extruded to the bristles as required.

In its entirety and in its preferred form the invention ls characterized by various distinctive features resulting in material advantages, among which are the following: Simplicity is promoted and greater facility attained in the re-charging of the brush with the paste or other material and greater cleanliness and conformity with the laws u of hygiene are attained by eliminating unsanitar features, particularly in the toothbrush or example, in which the principle is carried out of preserving the tooth paste against contact with foreign matter or with parts of the feed means or other structural features which might prove a menace to the health of the user.

In fountain brushes employing a refill cartridge insertible and removable through the rear end of the reservoir handle, the removal of the cartridge is exceedingly difficult owing to the formin of a vacuum in front of the forward end t ereof due to an air tight closure at this point produced by the paste, and this objection I overcome by providin a separable joint between the forward en of the reservoir and the shank of the brush head, permitting the insertion and removal of the refill cartridge through the front end of the reservoir handle, whereby the vacuum opposing the removal of the refill cartridge is obviated, since in removing the cartrid e through the front of the reservoir handle. after uncoupling the brush, there is no vacuum at the rear end of the cartridge; andthe removal of the cartridge Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Application led June 6, 1918. Serial No. 302,131.

through the front of the handle is further facilitated by providing a refill cartridge of novel form as follows: A lateral flange is formed on the cartridge at the front end and is designed for several important purposes: first, to provide a finger-nail grip for the easy extraction of the empty cartridge; second, to provide, through the clamping of the fiange between the members of the joint referred to, for the secure clamping of the cartridge in a manner to prevent leakage of the paste around the forward end of the cartridge; and third, to provide a rigid locking of the cartridge against accidental longitudinal displacement under the pressure of the feed. Again, the refill cartrid e which is a tubular holder having a throng bore is originally plugged at its opposite ends with cork or equivalent disks the front one of which is removed when the cartridge ispositioned, while the rear cork serves as a follower to be advanced in the cartridge under the action of the feed means, and the rear cork is characterized by a distinctive form whereby the actuating feed device will exert a wed ing action on the cork to press it close y against the walls of the cartridge as the cork is advanced, thereby preventin leakage rearwardly between the cork an the cartridge \valls.- Also, the rear cork and the rear end of the refill cartridge are correspondingly tapered so that when the cartridge is inserted in the reservoir for use and in case the cork has had time since leaving the factory to lose some of its ,elasticity so that it has more or less become molded to the size and shape of the interior of the cartridge, the action of the advancing feed device in forcing the cork still farther into they narrowing rear end of the' lcartridge, will additionally compress the cork and cause it to have a tighter fit to thereby contribute in preventing the possibility of leakage of the paste about the exterior of the cork.

A characteristic also of my invention is that a feed means involving a threaded plunger is employed and adapted to be advanced by turning movement of an actuating member having a mating thread, and the plunger is prevented from turning and thereby required to advance by reason of a correlation between the plunger and elements appurtenant to the refill cartridge.

Also, in connection with the feed plunger which in practice discharges a quantity of paste suliicient for individual use by one turn, owing to the pitch of the feed threads` a. quick return of the plunger 1s provided for in order to facilitate the withdrawal of the plungerl to the rearward position after rechar ing of the reservoir with a refill cal-tri fe, and specifically this quick return is mate possible by making provision whereby a rearward pull on the plunger will cause the threads thereon to jump or slip over the threads of the actuating device, there being a relative contraction aud expansion of the engaging threads to permit of the relative slipping of' the same.

Furthermore, my invention in its prel'crred embodiment is made to reflect iniportant coiisiderations with respect to the general assemblage, whereby convenience is promoted in assembling and disasseililing the parts, tin4 arrangement being such that the coupling of the detachable brush head shank to the reservoir securely clamps the cartridge in position and otherwise maintains the complete assemblage against accidental displacement of any of the parts, and similarly the detaching of the brush bead shank from the reservoir permitsl ol' the complete disassembling of the parts for charging the reservoir with a new cartridge or for permitting a ready and effective cleansing of the parts.

Other characteristics and advantages oi' my improved construction will appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it heilig understood that the drawing are merely illustrative of practical examples of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tooth brush formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the tubular handle constituting the reservoir of the brush;

Fig. 4 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the coupling end of the brush head shank adapted to be detachably connected with the tubular handle;

Fig. 5 is a detail view partly in section and partly in side elevation of the insertible cartridge and the feed means:

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6 6,

longitudinal sectional View Fig. 2;

Fig. T 1s a transverse sectional view on the line 7 1, l* 1g. 1, on an enlarged scale,

showing one position of a device for closing the 'discharge orifice of the brush head;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the closure device in the position of closing the discharge orifice of the brush head;

Fig. 9 is a detail view in longitudinal vertical section of a modified form of -the brush head;

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view brush head shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail view in longitudinal vertical section showing a further modified form oi' the brush head and with the parts in assembled position as in use;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the detachable brush back and bristles separated from the integral portion of the brush head;

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the invention involving a different form of the feed means;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 but showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing a modification of the clamped end of the refill cartridge and clamp means therefor;

Fig. 16 is a view partly in longitudinal vertical section and partly in side elevation, the "view being given to indicate the embodiment of the invention in a shoebrush;

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of the shoebrush;

Fig. 18 is a transverse vertical section on the line 18-1S, Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a view of the inner side of the closure cap or clamp head employed in the illustrated shoebrush for clamping the iusertible cartridge in position and acting to form a portion of the passage for the paste or the like on its way to the discharge nozzle;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the reservoir handle of the shoebrush;

Fig. 21 is a partly sectional side elevation of a form of actuating-means for the feed plunger suitable for employment with the shoe brush;

Fig. 22 is a part-1y sectional side elevation of the refill cartridge;

Fig. 23 is a cross section on 234-23. Fig. 22.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 and Figs. 22 and 23, a reservoir handle is provided consisting of an outer shell 25 which receives in its forward portion a refill cartridge 26 from which the material by feed means hereinafter described is discharged through a longitudinal duct 27 in the shank 28 of a brush head designated generally by the numeral 30. there being a lateral branch passage 29 discharging to the bristles 31.

The refill cartridge 2G consists of a tube preferably of celluloid, xylonite, or similar of the the line material filled with the toothpaste or other material and adapted to be vended as a separate commodity. The rear end of the cartridge is closed by a cork plug 32 and the forward end by a cork or disk 32", the latter being adapted to be removed and discarded when the cartridge is placed in the brush. The rear cork 32 is adapted to be advanced by the feed means and arranged t0 act as a follower for the aste as it is pushed forwardly in the cartridge 26. The feed means in the form shown in Figs. l to 6 includes a head 33 on a plunger rod 34, said head advantageously being tapered and adapted to be received in a tapering. recess 35 in the rear face of the cork 32, said recess producing a surrounding flange 36 which is adapted by the wedging action of the tapered head 33 to be pressed firmly outward against the walls -of the shell 26 to thereby insure a tight closure of the shell and prevent leakage of the paste or the like rearwardly between the cork and shell. Also, the rear end of the shell of the refill cartridge 26 is beveled as at 26 so as to present at the rear end a forwardly convergent interior, the purpose of which is to insure compression of the cork 32. Thus, as seen best in Fig. 2, the cork 32 at its flange portion 36 or rear end will. when in place, flare in correspondence with the taper 26a. Therefore, if, after the cartridge has been vended, any material time has elapsed and the cork become more or less hardened or set, the action of the feed means in forcing the cork forwardly1 into the shell 26 will compress the rear end by forcing the same into the narrow bore of the cartridge.

The rear end 37 of the plunger rod 34 is enlarged and provided with external threads as indicated at 37 which engage internal threads on a feed barrel 39 receivable in the tubular handle 25 rearwardly of the refill cartridge 26. 0n the feed barrel 39 is a head 4() constituting a cap for the handle 25, Said head havingr an annular flange or skirt 41 embracing said handle at the rear end. The skirt is spaced laterally outward from the barrel 39 so as to accommodate the rear end of the handle 25. The interior of the skirt 41 has an annular groove 42 which receives the beveled bead 43 formed annularly on the barrel 25 at its extreme rear end. The rear end of the barrel 25 as best seen in Fig. 3 is slotted longitudinally, the slots extending through the bead 43 whereby said rear end is made resilient and is adapted to spring into place in a manner for the bead 43 to engage in the groove 42. Similarly, the rear end of the handle will yield to a rearward pull on the cap 40 so that the skirt 41 may slip over the bead 43 in removing the feed barrel and plunger rod from the handle. The plunger rod 34 is slotted longitudinally at its rear end, the slots extending through the threaded, enlarged terminal 37 and into the shank as best seen in Fig. 2. whereby tbe rear end of the plunger is resilient so that the front end may be placed against a table or any surface affording a resistance. so that pressure exerted forwardly on the cap 4() will cause the threaded feed barrel 39 to slip over the threads 37. thereby giving a quick return of the plunger rod to the rearwaid position for another operation. The threads 37, 38 in practice have a 1)itch such that one turn of the cap 4() will cause a sufficient quantity of the paste or the like to be extruded to answer for a. single service. To prevent the plunger rod 34 turning with the cap 40 and said rod thus kept from feeding. I provide an interengagement between said rod and a part appurtenant to the refill cartridge for which purpose in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 the head 33 is made polygonal or otherwise non-circular in cross section and a corresponding formation is provided in the cork 32, the interior of the depression 35 being thus made to conform to the cross section of the head 33. Thus there can be no turning of the head 33 relatively to the cork 32. Similarly. the cork 32 is prevented from turning in the refill cartridge by being made non-circular iu cross section the cartridge corresponding interiorly` and said cartridge is hexagonal for example or otherwise non-circular exteriorly and conforms to a similar formation in the interior of the handle 25 as indicated at 4T. Figs. 3 and 6. Thus, the plunger rod 3l when its head 33 is engaged in the recess of the cork 32 can have no turning movement and hence the turning of the4 cap 40 and the feed barrel 39 will necessarily cause an advance of the plunger rod for feeding the material.

The shank 28 of the brush head 30 is :formed at its rear end with an annular socket 48 internally threaded as at 51 and at the base of said socket is an annular seat 49 which is adapted to accommodate a lateral, outwardly directed annular flange 50 0n the adjacent end of the refill cartridge 26, while the threads 51 are adapted to take onto external threads 52 on the rear end of the handle A25. The arrangement is such that the connection effected between the rear end of the brush shank 28 and the adjacent end of the tubular handle serves to effectively secure the refill cartridge against'longitudinal displacement under the pressure of the feed against the front edges of the cartridge. The flange 50 moreover is clamped between the seat 49 and the adjacent end of the handle 25 and not only is the cartridge securely held but the leakage of paste about the flange 50 and rearwardly along the cartridge between the same and the walls of the reservoir is effectively prevented. ln addi- In the form shown in Fig. a flange 5U t on the shell of the refill cartridge 26 1s accommodated on a correspondingly tapered seat 49 formed on the shank 28*1 of the brush head. Said shank has a threaded flange 48, the threads 51 of which engage the externally threaded end 52'1 on the tubular handle 25a and the end of said handle engaging the flaring flange 50 is made correspondingly conical. The arrangement,like that first described, tends to insure a tight joint at the flange 50, affords a finger-nail grip, and effectively clamps the cartridge in position.

In the form illustrated in Figs. l, 2, i' and 8, means for closing the paste discharge 29 is provided in the form of a split band 53 embracing the brush head 3() formed with a knob 54 for convenience in turning. The opposed ends of the split band are separated sufficiently to permit discharge of the paste when the split is adjacent to the discharge orifice 29. ()n the other hand, a. slight turning movement of the band 53 on the head 30 will cause the band to effectIA a closure of the discharge orifice for protecting the paste against hardening or contamination. In Figs. 9 and 10, the cut-oli' or closure of the discharge duct is provided for through the medium of a movable brush back. 1n this form the duct 27" in the head 30 has a short lateral branch 29 which is adapted to communicate with a transverse duct 29b in a brush back 30b carrying the bristles 30e. Said brush back is dove-tail in cross section as best seen in Fig. l() and is slidable in a dove-tail groove 30d in the head 30a. A stop shoulder 30f at the forward end of the dove-tail groove 30 limits the movement of the brush back 30b so that when the brush back is moved to the limit of its inward position the ducts 29, 29" will register and paste may discharge to the bristles. Un the other hand with the brush back 30 moved slightly to place the ducts 29a, 29b out of register, the paste discharge is cut ofi'. in Figs. 11 and l2 a further modified brush head 30S is shown having a separate brush back 30 formed with a truncated conical protuberance 301 adapted to be received in a correspondingly tapered lateral socket 29c formed in the brush head 30g. An L-shaped passage (29, 29) is formed in the brush back 3U and its stud 301 and adapted to be brought into or out of register with the duct 27 by a relative turning of the brush back. The brush head 30 has convergent studs 30k adapted to be engaged or disengaged by the beveled ends 30m'on the brush back 30h by end to end.

In Figs. 13 and 14 the handle is formed with tubular telescoping sections. The outer shell 25h telescopes over a rigid inner shell or reservoir 39Il and to which the shank 28b of the brush head is secured. The annular socket 48 on said brush shank 28b engages the internal threads 52h on the reservoir 39k The reservoir 39 receives the refill cartridge 26c having a rear cork 32", recessed to receive the tapered end 33 of the plunger rod 34a. In this form of the invention the feed means provided makes it unnecessary to prevent relative turning of the cork 32" and lunger rod 33. Hence, the latter may he o truncated conical shape and turn in the cork. The feed means in Figs. 13 and lll include threads 37 throughout the length of the plunger rod 34 and said rod engages internal threads in the rear end 57 of the fixed reservoir 39a. The rear end of the reservoir is slotted longitudinally as at 56 to permit of a quick restoring of the plunger rod to the rearward position after completing an advance and discharging the contents of the cartridge. The externally threaded plunger rod 34 is integral with a cap 49a formed integral on the telescoping shell 25". The slots 56 provide sufficient resiliency in the reservoir 39 to permit the latter to expand and yield when a rearward pull is exerted on the cap 40 and plunger rod 34 so that the threads 37 may slip over the internal threads in the end 57 of the reservoir. The shell 25 is spaced sufficiently from the reservoir 99a to permit expansion of the slotted end of said reservoir. The front end of shell 25h extends substantially to the plane of the end of the plunger rod and of the advancing cork 32", and thus constitutes a gage to determine the amount of material in the cartridge. The cartridge 26 is made in cross section in practice to correspond with that of the cartridge 26. in order that the same refill cartridge may answer both forms of the brush. The first described construction of handle lends itself the better to economical use of silver or the like in making up the handle as compared with the telescoping form of construction.

Reverting to the dischar e ducts it will be noted that the final outFet in the brush head in Figs. l and 2, is through a protuberance 58 projecting slightly beyond the front surface of the brush head so as to extend partly into the bristles, the purpose being to carry the paste Well forward into the bristles, to insure a better distribution of the paste among the bristles While still remaining clear of contact with the teeth. Similarly, the discharge of the paste is the turning Vof the brush backV through studs 58, 58b and 58 in the conistructions shown in Figs. 9 to 12.

The described invention lends itself to embodiment in brushes other than toothbrushes, as for example, a shoebrush as illustrated in Figs. 16 to 21 in which a brush back 59 of suitable form having bristles 59"l has a longitudinal tubular handle 6() formed or secured thereon. The handle is shown as sustained by front and rear standards 6l, 62 rigid with the brush back. The handle 60 is adapted to receive the described refill cartridge 26 having the flange 50 clamped in this instance to its seat 49b by a cap 64 on the adjacent end of the handle 60. Said cap has an annular flange or socket 48, the internal threads 51c of which engage external threads on the adjacent end 52c of the handle. The cap 64 has an L-shaped duct 65 formed therein adapted when the cap is in place to communicate with the interior of the rell cartridge to receive the contents of the latter. The duct or passage 65 dischar s to a passage 66 extending through the ont standard 61 and the brush back 59 and discharging laterally as at 6T through a protuberance 58d on the face of the brush back and extending slightly into the bristles 59. The cartridge 26 employed in the brush is equipped with the described recessed cork 32 receiving the head 33 of the plunger rod 34. said rod in the illustrated arrangement being of the form having the enlarged threaded rear end 3T slotted as at 46. The threads of the end 3T are engaged by internal threads 38" on a feed barrel 39b formed with a head 40" for turning the same in the handle 60. The feed barrel is slotted at its forward end as at 68 to give it resiliency for expansion and contraction and terminates in an annular bead 69 adapted to spring into an annular groove T0 in the interior of the handle 60. 'Ihus an outward pull on the head 40" will release the bead 69 when the cartridge is exhausted, the slotted ends of the plunger rod 34 and feed barrel 39b permitting the necessary yielding for releasing the spring barrel from the handle and permitting a. quick return of the plunger rod to the rearward po sition.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated examples constitute practical embodiments of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied Without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a fountain brush adapted to receive material to be discharged; a tubular handle element, a turnable feed element, one of said elements being longitudinally slotted to yield radially relatively to the other, and means adapted to cause discharge of the material b v the turning of said turnable feed element.

2. In a fountain brush adapted to receive material to be discharged as required; feed" means to discharge said material, said feed means including a plunger rod having a threaded portion slotted longitudinally to impart resiliency thereto, and a threaded actuating element for said plunger rod and engaging the threads thereof, the slotted end of the plunger rod being yieldable to a relative longitudinal movement of said rod and actuating element, permitting the threads of the plunger rod to slip over those of the actuating element to afford an optional slow or quick return of the plunger rod to the rearward position.

3. In a fountain brush adapted to receive material to be discharged as required; feed means to discharge said material, said feed means including a plunger rod having threads, and a threaded actuating element therefor, one of the same engaging the threads of the other and radially yieldable to permit of the threads of the one slipping over the threads of the other for a quick return of the plunger rod from an advance position.

4. In a fountain brush adapted to constitute a container for material to be discharged, feed means to discharge material therefrom including a plunger rod adapted to be accommodated in the handle element, a turnable feed barrel in the handle element adapted to actuate said plunger rod, and a member on said feed barrel embracing the rear end of the handle element, said rear end of the handle element being longitudinally slotted to be radially yieldable and engaging said `member of the feed barrel permitting detachment of the latter by a relative longitudinal pull.

5. In a fountain brush, a reservoir handle element havin a slotted rear end radially' yieldable, saidZ reservoir being adapted to contain material for being discharged, feed means for said material including a plunger rod ada ted to be accommodated in said handle element, a turnable feed barrel in the handle element adapted to actuate said plunger rod, and an annular member on said feed barrel embracing the slotted rear end of the handle element, said handle element at the slotted end and the member embracing the same having 4respectively an annulaibead, and an annular groove to receive said

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