US2524137A - Soap dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3., 1950 J. O. PUMPHREY SOAP DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 4, 1945 INVENTOR.

Pumping BYZ/alrer Jame Oct. 3, 1950 J. o. PUMPHREY SOAP DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1945 ,ozw 140505;;

ATTORNEY N'VENTOR James 0. Pan BYMV P Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE,

James O. Pumphrey, Staten island, Y.

Application December 4, 1945, Serial No. 632,753

The invention relates to soap dispensers of the type ordinarily secured to the wall above a wash basin and which, when manually operated b one hand, out and deliver soap, in powdered form, in the other hand, held at the outlet opening thereof.

Among the more important features of the invention, may be mentioned first, the use of an oscillating, semi-cylindrical shell form of cutter, trunnioned at or near the delivery end of the dispenser and having the cutting teeth suitably formed on the inner or concaved side thereof. The cutter is designed to oscillate through the lower arc of circular path-and is accessible interiorly from abovethrough the upwardly opening trough-like shell.. The trunnioned form of mounting for the cutter, avoids the use of a through cross shaft and leaves the interior unobstructed and available for the reception of the lower end portion of the soap cake, which is entered therein and spring-pressed against the cutting teeth. In thusmaking the space within the cutter available for use as an extension of the soap chamber, the soap-holding capacity of the dispenser is materially increased, without-enlarging the customary overall dimensions or, if such increase is not considered desirable, then the height of the dispenser may be reduced without reducing the usual soap-holding capacity. The advantage of cutting the soap practically at the point of delivery, will be apparent, as it obviously avoids deposit and obstructing accumula- 15 Claims. (Cl. 146-63) effect, one endconnected to the cutter and the other end connected to th pressure plate or follower, by a flexible tape or cord, running over suitable guides. The movement given the cutter in one direction by hand, increases the tension of the spring sufficiently to cause it to react and return the cutter to its original position. This increased tension of the spring is also transmitted to the pressure plate or follower to insure continuous advance of the soap to the cutter.

Other features of the invention, not specially mentioned above, will be disclosed in the detailed description that follows.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in. the accompanying drawings but I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit myself to the same, as either or both the formand details may be changed, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: I Fig. 1 is a central, vertical longitudinal sec tion on the line s s of Fig. 5, the front door being shown in dotted lines raised, to open the dispenser for the entr of a soap cake.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the torsion spring that retracts the cutter and advances the soap to the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View showing an assembly of the soap cake, the spring-actuated follower by which the soap is advanced to the cutter and the guides in which the follower is freely movable.

Fig. 4 is a View in front elevation of the dis-- penser, with the lower front section of the casing removed and'the door shown raised or in opened soap to the cutter, that as the door is moved up-.

ward, it takes the pressure plate or follower with it and thus clears the soap chamber. As this can be conveniently done with one hand, the other hand is left free to enter a new cake of soap in the chamber and upon releasing the door,

the spring acts to move it downward, along with the pressure plate, restoring both to normal position and the dispenser is ready for continued ope-ration. As the door is constructed and arranged, it may be removed for purposes of repair soap is fed to the oscillating cutter and the cutter is retracted in each oscillation. Repeated experiment has demonstrated that the above purposes are best served by the use of a suitably enclosed torsion spring, preferabl mounted on the-cutter, atcr near therear thereof and having,- in

ing shown diagrammatically. by a dotted outline indication.

Fig. 5'is a horizontal cross section on the line s -s of Figs. 1 and 4, and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of a modified form of cutter-operating lever.

Referring now to the drawings, l represents the dispenser'casing which is provided with a front opening 2, closed by a door 3, for entrance of soap, indicated in cake form at 4, to the soap chamber 5. The lower curved front section 6 of the casing is secured in position by screws (see Fig. 1) andmay be removed to give access to the cutter chamber 1, as shown in Fig. 4.

The door 3 is movable upward in guide grooves B, 8, formed in the opposite side walls of-the cas ing and when given such movement, as shown in Fig. 4, clears the lower portion of the opening 2 leading to the soap chamber 5. The lower end of the door. extends downward into the cutter chamber in parallel relation and comparatively close contact with the soap calge, to apoint-near the lower end thereof and serves, in cooperation with a similar plate-like extension 9, engaging 3 the opposite side of the cake, to hold the latter firmly and against lateral movement, for action by the cutter. The plate 9 may be an integral part of the casing or a separately formed part, suitably secured therein.

As oscillating cutter is employed in the form of an approximately semi-cylindrical shell II), with the cutting teeth H, formed on the inner concave side thereof. The shell is reinforced by end closures I2, 12, which terminate in trunnions 13, I3, journaled in bearings l4, It, provided between the meeting edges of the body of the main casing and the removable lower front section 6 thereof. The cutter may be made of sheet metal or of a plurality of spaced apart cross bars, with teeth struck up, stamped out or otherwise formed.

The cutter is designed to be oscillated in the lower arc of a circular path by a suitable form of projecting lever ill, in cooperation with a retractile spring, and the cross sectional form of the cutter may be more or less of a semicircle, depending upon the extent of movement given it.

Thus mounted, the cutter presents its open side upward, making the interior thereof accessible and available to receive the lower end portion of the cake of soap, which projects therein from the soap chamber and rests, under spring pressure, in contact relation on the cutting teeth.

A spring I5, employed to retract the cutter in each oscillation and to exert the required pressure on the soap to feed it to the cutter (see Figs. 1 and 2), is preferably of the torsion type, wound on and having one end made fast to a shaft it, as indicated at W, which is non-rotatably held in bracket-like extensions :1, ll of the end plates of the cutter and enclosed in a rotatable tubular casing l8 to which the opposite end of the spring is secured, as indicated at W.

The above described sprin assembly is substantially similar to the well xnown spring roller construction, commonly used for window shades and is preferably mounted on the cutter, at the rear thereof, as shown in Fig. 1.

A flat tape, chain or cord 119, of metal, fabric or other suitable material, wound on the tubular casing or roller 18 and having one end secured thereto, has its opposite end looped around a pulley or like projection 20 of the casing, then carried upward and attached to a pressure plate or follower 2|, resting on the top of the soap cake. Looping the tape, chain or cord around the pulley or projection 28 is not essential, as the tape may be carried directly upward, if desired. The loop form is, however, preferred, as its use enables the cutter to be oscillated by an up and down movement of the operating lever rather than a back and forth movement. The action of the spring, in continuously exerting a downward pull on the tape, chain or cord, is transmitted, through the pressure plate or follower, to the soap cake, to feed the same to the cutter.

To balance and equalize the spring action on the pressure plate or follower, the tape, chain or cordlB, is preferably attached to the same at or near the central point of its area, to avoid any tendency of the plate to tip up at one side, under the pull of the spring.

The connection of the tape or cord centrally of the plate, is provided for by forming a rearwardly facing groove 22 of V or other shaped cross section, in the soap cakes used in the dispenser, the groove being of such depth as to extend to substantially the mid point of the cake and thereby clear the way for the passage of the tape or cord.

The pressure plate 2 I, is mounted in guides on the rear side of the door 3, spaced apart grooves 23, 23, being formed lengthwise thereof to receive a bent-up portion 24 of the plate, which rides freely therein. The guide grooves 23, 23 terminate short of the lower end of the door, as indicated at 23 in Fig. 3 and when the door is raised, to open the chamber for the entrance of a new cake of soap or any other purpose, the shoulders formed at the lower end of the grooves engage the bent-up portion of the plate and continued upward movement of the door carries the plate up with it, clearing the soap chamber above the partially used-up soap cake therein. Assumin a new cake is entered and the door is moved downward to close the chamber, the pressure plate will follow it, under the action of its spring until the plate meets and comes to rest on top of the new cake and the dispenser is then ready for continued operation.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 6, the dispenser-operating lever 25 is designed to be self -maintaining, horizontally extended, throughout its downward and upward movements, for greater convenience of users in operating the dispenser. As shown, the lever is L-shaped and pivoted at 26, to the right hand end plate of the cutter, at the point of union of the long and short arms of the lever. The long arm projects through and is freely movable in a slot 27, in the lower removable section 6 of the casing, its projecting end being suitably shaped for finger operation. A link 28, pivotally connected at one end to the short arm of the lever, is provided at the opposite end with an integral stud shaft 29, journaled in a bearing formed between the meeting flanges of the front and back sections of the casing. The extreme positions of the lever are shown, the normal position being represented in full lines and the position at the limit of its downward movement, in dotted lines.

As the operation and many important advantages of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing, it is not deemed necessary to further describe the same.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser for soap and other materials, a walled-in chamber for receiving a cake of soap, an upwardly sliding door forming substantially the front wall of the chamber through the doorclosed opening of which the soap is entered therein, an oscillating cutter of approximately semicylindrical shell form opening upward and forming a lower extension of the soap chamber, the said cutter having cutting teeth formed on its inner concaved surface adapted to engage the lower end of the soap cake which extends from the chamber into the cutter, wall extensions projecting into the cutter as front and rear supports for the soap cake therein, the front wall extension being formed by the lower end of the sliding door,

. pressure thereon to feed the cake to'the cutter.

into which cakes of the material to be dispensed are inserted through the receiving opening, an upwardly sliding door closing the receiving opening, a cutter of approximately semi-cylindrical shell form, suitably mounted to be oscillated within the casing, its arcuate portion having cutting teeth projecting inwardly from its concave surface and escape openings therein for out material, the cutter being positioned in the casing with its concavity opening upwardly to form a continuation of the chamber and 1engthen the same sufficiently to accommodate the lower end portion of a cake which projects into the concavity in engaging relation to the teeth of the cutter, a pressure plate engaging the upper end of a cake and an element connected and arranged to retract the cutter and exert pressure on the plate to feed a cake of the material to the cutter.

4. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the inwardly projecting cutting teeth are disposed and arranged on the arouate portion of the cuter to be at an angle diagonal to the plane of oscillation of the cutter.

5. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the inwardly projecting cutting teeth are formed by bending up serrated edges of cuts made in the arcuate portion of the cutter.

6. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the semi-cylindrical cutter is provided with end closures having trunnions on which the cutter is oscillatably mounted within the dispenser casing.

7. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3,.further characterized in that the cutter is so positioned within the casing that its cutting teeth are adjacent the delivery opening of the dispenser, so that as the cutter is oscillated the particles of material ground oiT the cake fal1 through the openings in the arcuate portion and thence through the delivery opening of the casing.

8. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the means for retracting the cutter and for exerting pressure on the pressure plate consists of a cylinder rotatably mounted on and oscillated with the cutter, a torsion spring adapted and arranged to spring-load the cylinder, and flexible means connecting the cylinder with the pressure plate.

. 9. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further I characterized by having a torsion spring mounted on the cutter, the spring being coiled on a rod carried by the cutter and enclosed in a rotatable cylinder, one end of the spring being attached to the rod and the other end to the rotatable cylinder, and a flexible connection wound on the cylinder with the free end thereof extending upward to a pressure plate engaging a cake of the material, the spring being tensioned by the said connection to exert continuing pressure on the plate to feed the material to the cutter and a continuing pull on the cutter to retract th same when oscillated.

11. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized by having a torsion spring disposed about a non-rotatable shaft, detachably affixed to the cutter and enclosed within a rotatable .casing, one end of the spring being fastened to the shaft and the other end to the rotatable casing, to enabl the spring to betensioned by rotation of the casing and transmit its force to the casing, and means connecting the casing to the pressure plate, through which connection the spring simultaneously exerts a continuing pressure on the material to feed the same to the cutter while yieldingly holding the cutter in retracted position and against being manually advanced.

12. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the upwardly sliding door is mounted in parallel grooves formed in the walls of the chamber adjacent the receiving opening.

13. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the pressure plate is slidable in guides formed in the door that terminate short of the bottom of the door to provide projections that engage and raise the plate clear of the cake of material on the upward movement of the door.

14. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the pressure plate is slidably mounted within the chamber by a bent-up portion of the plate inserted in parallel grooves formed on the inner side of the upwardly sliding door, the grooves being terminated by suitable stops secured to the lower end of the door, so that as the door is slid upwardly to enable a fresh cak of the material to be inserted in the chamber through the receiving opening, the stops engage the bent-up portion of the plate within the grooves to raise the plate 01f the upper end of the partially used cake in the chamber and to carry the plate upwardly along with the upwardly sliding door.

15. A dispenser, as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that the means for actuating the cutter consist of a bell-crank lever pivotally attached to the cutter, on arm of the lever being maintained horizontally extended by a link pivoted at one end to the dispensercasing and at the opposite end to the other arm of the lever.

JAMES O. PUMPHREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 32,672 Weiser May 15, 1900 173,941 Graeve et a1. Feb. 22, 1876 337,826 Fahrney Mar. 16, 1886 630,413 Ryan Aug. 8, 1899 806,646 Curry Dec. 5, 1905 867,386 Lee ..1 Oct. 1, 1907 897,780 Lewis Feb. 18, 1908 983,316 Shaver 1 Feb. 7, 1911 1,045,828 Evans Dec. 3, 1912 1,458,982 Kendall June 19, 1923 1,592,401 Walker July 13, 1926 2,235,217 Koch Mar. 18, 1941 2,441,034 Pumphrey May 4, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 778,982 France Jan. 5, 1935 800,865 France May 11, 1936 658,309 Germany Mar. 28, 1938

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