GB1581449A

GB1581449A - Fountain brush

Info

Publication number: GB1581449A
Application number: GB50377/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-12-04
Filing date: 1977-12-02
Publication date: 1980-12-17
Also published as: ATA863977A; SE7713623L; AT356803B; BE861481A; NO774129L; NL7713401A; IT1088973B; DE2753602A1; CH613853A5; PT67354A; DK539477A; PT67354B; CA1095667A; IE46000L; FR2372607A2; IE46000B1

Abstract

A fountain-pen brush which is often carried by the user in a skirt pocket has a bristle carrier (1) and a handle (3) containing a reservoir (4) for a liquid or pasty medium, a channel (6) extending from the reservoir through the handle and having an outlet (14) at the side, a slide (7) guided in the channel (6), an actuating device on the end (3a) of the handle which is remote from the bristles, a closure part (10) which hermetically closes the reservoir (4) after the medium has been poured in and a connecting rod (9) which connects the slide (7) and actuating device. In order to prevent medium from flowing out when the brush is being carried, the slide (7) closes the outlet (14) in the position of rest and only opens it when the actuating device is actuated. Slide (7) and closure part (10) are at a distance from one another such that the slide (7) seals the reservoir (4) in a position located on the side of the outlet (14) which is remote from the end with the bristles. The closure part (10) carries a bellows (11) which is elastically deformable, is connected to the closure part (10) and to the inner wall (4a) of the handle (3) such that it constantly forms a hermetic seal, and which seals off the reservoir (4). In the position of rest the slide (7) closes the outlet (14) and on being actuated by pressing the closure part (10) is pushed past the outlet (14), opening it, into the blind end of the channel (6). <IMAGE>

Description

(54) FOUNTAIN BRUSH (71) I, LUIGI DEL BON, a Swiss citizen of Postfach 215, Ch-4800 Zofingen, Switzerland, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to fountain brushes.

British Patent Specification No. 1,244,915 discloses for use as a toothbrush, a fountain brush comprising a bristle carrier, a set of bristles on one end of the bristle carrier, and, constructed integrally with the bristle carrier, the handle containing a reservoir for a liquid or pasty medium and having an open end remote from the bristles, with a channel which leads axially through the handle from the reservoir. The channel has at least one radial outlet orifice in the side wall of the bristle carrier at a distance from this outlet orifice. A slider is sealingly guided in the interior of the channel, and an actuating device is mounted at the end of the handle remote from the bristles, with a closure member which seals the reservoir hermetically after the medium has been filled thereinto.A connecting rod extends substantially axially through the reservoir and joins the slider to the actuating device in such a way that, in the rest position of the actuating device, it closes the radial outlet orifice and leaves the orifice open when the device is actuated.

This toothbrush is not suited for manufacture as a mass-produced article by modern fabrication methods, in particular manufacture by the injection-molding process, since it comprises too many individual parts and its assembly, filling with tooth-cleaning agent and its sealing require expensive machines. Its use also is too complicated. Above all, filling with the tooth-cleaning agent must be carried out, after all the components of the actuating device have been completely assembled and the latter has assumed its closing position, and must take place through the actuating device and through a special filling orifice which must be screwed shut in a special working step when filling has been completed. It is necessary to actuate the closure device both for opening and for closing the outlet orifice, by turning the lid on the reservoir.Furthermore, the insertion of the connecting rod requires an eccentric assembly of the parts by means of a complicated assembling machine.

British Patent Specification No. 913,371 describes a tooth-brush consisting of a handle which has an inner cavity for receiving a creamy medium and possesses, at the end remote from the bristles, a bellows communicating with the cavity, the medium being pressed out through a lateral orifice present in the bristle part when the bellows is actuated by pressure. In this design, the bellows has an air outlet valve which communicates with the cavity via a one-way valve and which is in turn connected to an air inlet valve via a further one-way valve.

Toothbrushes of this type have the disadvantage of demanding expensive working methods if only due to the manufacture of the bellows. Moreover, the valves are very prone to blockage, for example by grains of foreign bodies, such as cannot be kept away when the toothbrush is left in luggage or is carried about in clothing so that the mechanism becomes incapable of functioning.

According to the present invention there is provided a fountain brush having: a. a bristle carrier and, at one end of the latter a set of bristles thereon, b. a handle attached to the other end of the bristle carrier and having a reservoir for a liquid or pasty medium in its interior, the end of the handle remote from the bristles being apertured to enable filling of the reservoir, c. a channel extending axially through the bristle carrier from the reservoir into the end of the carrier bearing the bristles and having at least one outlet orifice in the sidewall of the carrier, and ending blind in the bristles-bearing carrier end at a distance from the orifice, d. a slide valve member guided sealingly in the interior of the channel, e. an actuating device, attachable to the end of the handle remote from the bristles, f. an axially rigid connecting rod, extending substantially axially through the interior of the reseivoir, which connecting rod con nects the actuating device and the slide valve member to one another, and g. a closure member for the aperture of the handle in the form of an elastically defor mable sealing member at least part of which is movable from a filling position in which it allows fluid access from the outside to the interior of the handle to a normal operation position in which it seals the aperture, in both actuated and unactuated positions of the actuating device, the distance between closure member and slide valve member being sufficient that when the closure member is in the filling position the slide valve member seals off the orifice from the reservoir at a position in the channel more remote from its blind end than the orifice, and wherein the connecting rod is of such length that the slide valve member seals the orifice from the reservoir when in the unactuated position, and on actuation of the actuating device moves past the orifice towards the blind end of the channel to enable medium to pass from the reservoir to the orifice.

Such a brush can be constructed to enable its manufacture extremely simply by mass production methods, and at the same time the filling process can be carried out substantially more easily than for the fountain toothbrush of the prior art. Preferably, the fountain brush according to the invention is designed for use as a throw-away brush.

The brush may be designed to enable metered amounts of the filling medium to be applied to the bristles. The brush of the invention may be arranged so that only one movement is needed to open the outlet orifice on actuation, and after use the outlet orifice closes automatically. The sealing member can be designed as a return spring bellows and the sealing connections between the closure member on the one hand and the inner wall of the han dlP on the other hand may be formed after the medium has been filled into the reservoir.This sealing connection, which constitutes a leaktight joint, can be formed by ultrasonic welding, gluing or by a frictional connection.

Preferably the bristle carrier, the channel therein the handle containing the reservoir, the closure member, the slide valve member and the connecting rod are arranged on a common longitudinal axis which is central for each of the components mentioned, the closure member, the connecting rod and the slide valve member being constructed as one integral piece. Part of the sealing member can also be constructed integrally with the wall of the reservoir.

Preferably, the closure member comprises a resilient sleeve having an outwardly crimped annular fold the apex of which is turned toward the interior of the reservoir, the outer wall of the fold being sealingly fastened. along its periphery, to the inner wall of the handle.

In the zone from the apex of the annular fold towards the open end of the handle, the inner wall of this handle can prossess an annular groove into which the outer wall of the annular fold is sealingly inserted by its free circumferential rim when the reservoir has been filled with the medium.

When the channel, on the one hand, in the region of its end portion which comprises the outlet orifice, is cylindrical, the slide valve member on the other hand can be a piston of circular cross-section, and sealing means can be provided between the cylindrical wall of the channel and the cylindrical surface of the piston.

The connecting rod can have a diameter which is such that between its outer wall and the inner wall of the channel there remains a narrow annular gap of such diameter that the discharge of the medium is slowed down.

Preferably, the connecting rod carries in its region adjoining the piston, a disc firmly joined to it, the diameter of the disc being smaller than the open width of the region of the inner wall of the reservoir which is opposite the disc when the slide valve member is in the closed position.

At the same time, the reservoir can taper conically inwardly towards the channel, at least from the region of its inner wall which is opposite the disc, in such a way that, on exerting pressure on the closure member to cause opening, after the outlet orifice has been freed by the piston the disc is forced sealingly against the conical region of the inner wall of the reservoir.

The wall of the handle which contains the reservoir is preferably of rigid construction starting from its end close to the bristles towards its bristle-free end, which carries the actuating device, and at least up to the zone at which it adjoins the closure member. A sleeve which has a rigid wall and is open at the end of the handle remote from the bristles can be provided around the closure member.

Moreover, at least one lateral cut-out can be provided in the sleeve, through which the closure member can be reached by a finger-tip.

Preferably, the closure member comprises a bellows provided with a helicoidally extending fold. In such a case, the actuating device can have the form of a cap and be provided with an internal thread which can be screwed onto the fold of the bellows and which, when completely screwed onto the bellows, prevents compression of the latter and only permits compression of the bellows and release of the outlet orifice by the piston, when the cap is at least partially unscrewed from the bellows.

Furthermore, the end portion of the channel in the bristle carrier preferably extends sufficiently far beyond the terminal actuating position of the piston that an air cushion is formed between the latter and the end wall of the channel when the slide valve member is pushed in so far as to release the outlet orifice.

Preferably, the interior of the closure member is also a part of the reservoir in the handle.

Finally, the fountain brush according to the invention preferably comprises a protective cap for the bristles, which cap can be pushed over the bristle carrier, transversely to the said longitudinal axis, and carry a nose which closes the outlet orifice when the protective cap is fitted.

Fountain brushes according to the invention are described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, in interrupted longitudinal sectional view, a preferred embodiment of the fountain brush according to the invention, in which the parts are in the position necessary for filling a medium into the reservoir; Figure 2 shows the same longitudinal sectional view, but with the fountain brush in the closed position, after filling has been completed; Figure 3 shows the same longitudinal section, but with the fountain brush in the opened position for dispensing a medium onto the bristles; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the integral structure of the bristle carrier and handle, before introducing the actuating unit, but with the protective cap fitted onto the bristles;; Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a further embodiment of the fountain brush in the closed position, secured against actuation; Figure 6 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment, of Figure 5 in the actuated position; Figure 7 shows a longitudinal sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the fountain brush according to the invention in the rest position, the outlet orifice being closed; Figure 8 shows the same longitudinal section as Figure 7, the actuated position having been effected by finger pressure so that the outlet orifice is released; Figure 9 shows a perspective view, obliquely from below, of the closure member, the bellows and the upper part of the connecting rod, the closure member and the bellows being cut axially; Figure 10 shows the piston and the adjoining end of the connecting rod in a perspective and partially cut view;; Figure 11 shows the same embodiment as in Figures 7 and 8, but with the closure member, the bellows and the connecting rod in the filling position; Figure 1 2 shows a further embodiment of the end, of the fountain brush remote from the bristles in a perspective and partially cut view and in the rest position; Figure 13 shows a view similar to that of Figure 12, but in the actuated position; and Figure 14 shows a partial sectional view of a further embodiment of the protective cap.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the fountain brush has a bristle carrier 1 provided, in the usual manner, with a set of bristles 2. The bristles can point in one direction, for example when the dispenser brush is to be used as a toothbrush or as an applicator brush for shoe polish, but they can also project from the bristle carrier radially to the longitudinal axis of the brush, in several or all directions.

Finally, they can also be attached in the manner of a paint brush, at an angle to the bristle carrier, and project beyond the front end (that is to say the lower end, in the drawing) of the bristle carrier.

The bristle carrier lis joined at the back (that is to say upwardly, in the drawing) to a handle 3, which is preferably constructed integrally with the bristle carrier 1.

The hollow interior of the handle 3 serves as a reservoir 4, which in the embodiment shown is of cylindrical configuration in its middle and rear region, whilst in the direction toward the bristle carrier lit tapers conically in a transition region 5 and finally terminates in a channel 6, of constant section, in the bristle carrier 1.

A slider, built as a cylindrical piston 7, travels in the channel 6 and produces a hermetic seal against the channel wall by virtue of its sealing beads 8, which are preferably injectionmolded onto the piston. From the piston 7, a connecting rod 9 extends backwards out of the open end 3a of the handle 3 and carries, at its outer end, a press-member which is constructed as a circular disc 10.

The periphery of the press-disc 10 is as chosen that the same can serve to seal the open end 1 la of a compressible bellows 11 possessing several folds, the bellows being attached to the inner wall 4a of the handle surrounding the reservoir 4, and preferably being integral with the said handle; the bellows are surrounded by a rigid sleeve 12 which in turn forms the end portion, remote from the bristles, of the handle 3. The outer rim of the sleeve 12, which surrounds the open end 3a of the handle, projects sufficiently far beyond the upper rim 1 la of the bellows 11 to protect the latter against unintentional compression.A disc 13 is mounted on the connecting rod 9, between the piston 7 and the press-disc 10, the diameter of the disc being such that in a given advanced position of the piston 7 in the channel 6, the rim of the disc 13 can rest against the inner wall So of the conical region 5 of the reservoir 4 (Figure 3).

The filling and sealing of the fountain brush takes place as follows: On filling a medium into the reservoir 4, the actuating unit, which comprises the piston 7, connecting rod 9 and press-disc 10, and which is preferably made as one piece, is first moved some distance outwards in the channel 6, so that on the one hand an outlet orifice 14, leading from the interior of the channel through the wall of the bristle carrier 1, is shut off leaktight from the reservoir 4 by the piston 7, whilst on the other hand a sufficiently large gap 15 remains free between the disc 10 which represents the press-member and the upper rim 1 la of the bellows 11, so that an injection nozzle 16 for liquid medium, resting on the upper rim of the sleeve 12, can be introduced into the gap 15.

The entire cavity of the reservoir can now be filled, through the nozzle 16, up to the upper rim 1 la of the bellows 11.

In the case of automatic filling, the fountain brush is now moved away from the fixed nozzle 16 and thereafter the press-disc 10 is pressed to bring it to the non-actuated closed position shown in Figure 2, in which it rests on the upper rim 1 la of the bellows 11, whilst at the same time, if the length of the connecting rod 9 is correctly chosen, the piston 7 continues to seal the interior of the reservoir 4 hermetically from the outlet orifice 14. On pressingin the actuating unit, the level of the medium in the reservoir 4 falls slightly so that a small air-filled space, extending up to the underside of the pressure member 10, remains in the interior of the bellows, above the level of the medium.This space is desirable since, in the position shown in Figure 2, it is now possible to weld or glue the periphery of the disc 10 to the peripheral rim 1 la of the bellows 11 without adversely affecting the medium.

In the sleeve 12 there is preferably, on the side of the actuating finger, a cut-out 17, through which a tong-like or fork-like instrument 18 can be introduced for engaging the upper most fold of the bellows 11; this instrument firmly holds the bellows in the normal, relaxed position during production of a tight bond between the upper rim 1 la of the bellows and the press-disc 10, and thus secures the bellows against unintentional compression. After closing the filled reservoir 4 as described, the instrument 18 is again removed and the fountain brush is now ready to use.

In order to use the fountain brush, which is in the non-actuated position shown in Figure 2, for example to use it as a toothbrush or for applying shoe polish, a slight pressure is exerted on the press-disc 10 by means of one finger of the hand which holds the brush, and thereby, as shown in Figure 3, the bellows 11 are compressed and the connecting rod 9, carrying the disc 13, is moved downwards, and the piston 7 is pushed beyond the outlet orifice 14 into the channel 6. This produces a free communication, permitting unhindered flow, between the interior of the reservoir 4 and the outlet orifice 14 with the disc 13 assisting in forcing the liquid into the conical region 5 of the reservoir 4, until its peripheral rim encounters the inner wall of the region 5, thereby restricting the amount of medium dispensed to a determined dose.

In the case of media of particularly low viscosity it can be desirable to exert a capillary action, preferably a braking action, at the inner wall of the channel 6 on the medium which flows to the outlet orifice 14. For this purpose the connecting rod 9 possesses, at its end connected to the piston 7, a cylindrical thickened portion 20 of such diameter as to leave, between the thickened portion and the inner wall 6a of the channel 6, a small annular gap 21, the cross-section of which exerts a greater or lesser capillary action on the medium, in accordance with the viscosity of the latter.

In the actuated position shown in Figure 3, the piston 7 has left an air cushion under pressure in the end portion 6b of the channel 6; after lifting the finger off the press-disc 10, this air cushion can assist the return of the bellows 11, which not act as a return spring, to the relaxed position shown in Figure 2.

Furthermore, when the piston 7 and bellows 11 are being returned to their starting position as shown in Figure 2, air is briefly drawn in through the outlet orifice 14, to balance the pressure in the reservoir 4, until the piston 7 closes the outlet orifice 14.

In the perspective view, shown in Figure 4, of the body of the fountain brush, consisting integrally of the bristle carrier 1 and the handle 3, in the embodiments of Figures 1 to 3, the actuating unit comprising the piston 7, connecting rod 9 and press-disc 10 has not yet been inserted. On the other hand, the set of bristles 2 is covered by a protective cap 19, which carries, at its lower open longitudinal edges, internal beads 19a which engage in corresponding longitudinal grooves la in the side wall of the bristle carrier 1, on either side of the set of bristles 2.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, bellows 22 are not surrounded by a rigid sleeve but form the rear (upper) end of a handle 23 and possess a helicoidal fold in the bellows wall. The bristle carrier 1 , the channel 6 in the latter, the outlet orifice 14 and the set of bristles 2 are virtually indentical with those of the first embodiment.

In order to prevent unintentional actuation of the second embodiment, shown in the rest position in Figure 5 a securing and actuating cap 25 is screwed onto the outer thread formed by the fold 24 in the bellows 22, by means of the inner thread 26 which is provided on the side wall 25a of the cap 25 and fits the outer thread of the bellows, until all the turns of the fold 24 rest against corresponding turns of the inner thread 26. This prevents compression of the fold 24 of the bellows 22 when pressure is exerted axially on the cap 25.

If the cap 25 is unscrewed so that a part of the helicoidal fold 24 is exposed below the cap 25 and out of contact with the internal thread 26, this exposed region of the bellows 22 can be compressed if pressure is exerted on the upper face of the cap 25, and as a result the sealing disc 27, which, after the filling of the reservoir 4, has, also in this embodiment, been joined firmly and sealingly to the upper rim 22a of the bellows 22, and the connecting rod 9 bearing disc 27, and a piston 7, are moved downwards until the outlet orifice 14 is freed (Figure 6).

The more the cap 25 is unscrewed from the fold 24 of the bellows 22, the more the bellows 22 can be compressed and the more the pressure on the surface of the medium in the interior of the reservoir 4 can be increased.

In the particularly preferred embodiment of the fountain brush according to the invention, represented in Figures 7 and 8, a hat-shaped sleeve member 31 surrounds the end region, remote from the bristles, of the connecting rod 39 and is integrally joined to the circumferential rim of the closure member 30 serving as the press-member so that this closure member forms the top of the hat. Furthermore, the sleeve member 31 is crimped, below the closure member 30, to form an annular fold 32 with an annular apex 32a which points inwards, that is to say towards the bristles 2.The circumferential bead 34 of that part of the wall of member 31 which forms a crimp 33 and points outwards, is firmly and sealingly though removably inserted, a little above the annular apex 32a of member 31, into an annular groove 35 in the inner wall 4a of the handle 3, so that the member 31 does not leave the annular groove 35 when the fountain brush is actuated.

A little below its circumferential bead 34, the crimp 33 carries, on its outer wall, an annular sealing lip 36 which is pressed to seal against the inner wall 4a, when the circumferential bead 34 snaps into the annular groove 35.

As in the preceding embodiments, the connecting rod 39 here also carries, at its end near the bristles, a piston 37 (Figure 10) possessing a cavity 38 which extends into the connecting rod and ends at the frontal face 37a of the piston. In its region 40 which is near the bristles and carries the piston 37, the connecting rod 39 is elastically flexible and is surrounded, in this entire region, by the narrow annular gap 21 formed between the inner wall 6a of the channel 6 and the outer wall 40a of the connecting rod region 40.

In the region 5 of the reservoir 4, which region conically widens toward the end remote from the bristles, the connecting rod 39 which extends up to the closure member 30 is formed by four axial ribs 41a, 41 b, 41c, 41d, which merge with one another along the central rod axis and start at the upper end of the elastically flexible region 40.

Figure 9 shows the end, remote from the bristles, of the connecting rod 39 (viewed in perspective from below), the closure member 30 and the member 31 (the latter being axially cut open), in a position rotated about the central longitudinal axis by 45" relative to the plane of Figure 7.

At its end remote from the bristles, the piston 37 carries an annular bead 42 through which it is always in hermetic contact with the channel wall 6a, in the rest position and also in the filling position and in the actuated position.

In the case where both the bristle carrier 1 with the handle 3 and the actuating unit consisting of the closure member 30 with the member 31, connecting rod 39 and piston 37 are manufactured by the injection-molding process from thermoplastics, the piston 37 on the one hand and the bristle carrier neck portion 1 b which contains the channel 6 and, as the cylinder, cooperates with the piston can always be made with larger tolerances than would be necessary, for example, in the case of manufacturing these components from metal and grinding the piston into the cylinder.

The cavity 38 in the piston 37 now permits the piston to be made relatively thin-walled, and this allows good uniform cooling of the plastics after the injection-molding and avoids distortions in the configuration of the piston.

The fact that the cavity 38 is open on the frontal face 37a makes it possible to remove the core axially after the production by injection-molding.

The thin walls of the piston 37 and the presence of the sealing annular bead 42 also have special advantages in the filling position (Figure 11) because, in this position, when the member 31 has been snapped out of groove 34, the connecting rod 39 with the piston 37 is located in the bristle carrier neck portion lb at a position in which the annular bead 42 is still in sealing contact with the walls of the upper end zone of the channel 6, remote from the bristles, whilst the annular apex 32a of member 31 is in a position just above the open end 3a of the handle 3.In the filling position, due to the transversely elastically flexible nature of the connecting rod 39, in the region 40 close to the bristles, the member 31 and the closure member 30 can be laterally displaced as shown in Figure 11 so that the upper end 3a of the handle 3 is left open to such an extent that a filling tube 46 of the filling machine can fill the liquid medium into the reservoir 4 unhindered and without losses.

In spite of the deformation of the region 40, close to the bristles, of the connecting rod, the annular bead 42 remains in sealing contact with the channel wall 6a.

Experiments have been carried out with a fountain brush according to the invention, of which the outer part consisting of the bristle carrier l and the handle 3 had been manufactured from an acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer with a gross density of 1.06 glcm3, a modulus of elasticity (bending test) of 2,400 N/mm2 and a Vicat softening point (measured in glycol according to DIN 53,460) of 98"C (for example Terluran (0) 877 T from BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany) and the actuating unit comprising the closure member 30, sleeve member 31, the connecting rod 39 and the piston 37 had been manufactured from a highpressure polyethylene, containing about 1% by weight of oleic acid amide as a plasticiser, with a density of 0.918 g/cm3 and a modulus of elasticity (bending test) of 140 N/mm2 (for example Lupolen G)181 H us from the same company). The fountain brush manufactured in this way was charged, in the filling position according to Figure 11, with 94% strength ethanol, and the piston 37 perfectly sealed the channel 6.

If, instead of Terluran (0 877 T, a styrene acrylonitrile copolymer, for example Luran (8 388 S from the same company, was used, perfeet scaling was still achieved with a 40% strength aqueous ethanol.

Wnen the reservoir 4 has been filled with liquid medium, preferably up to the level of the annular apex 32a of member 31 the fountain brush is removed from the filling tube 46 and the actuating unit is then moved to its central position at the open end 3a of the handle 3, the connecting rod 39 including its region 40 close to the bristles being straightened. By means of axial pressure onto the outer annular face 34a of the circumferential bead 34, tlie actuating unit is now pressed into the interior of tlle handle 3 until the circumferential bead 34 of the member 31 snaps into the annular groove 35 in the reservoir wall 4a.The piston 37 is thus pushed further into the channel 6 but, due to the appropriately provided length of the connecting rod 39, it still remains above the outlet orifice 14 (i.e., more remote from the bristles). The fountain brush is then in the rest position shown in Figure 7.

The protective cap 44 (Figure 14) fitted over the bristles 2 carries, on its rim resting on tie bristle carrier 1, a nose 45 which projects into tulle outlet orifice 14 and sealingly closes it from tulle outside.

Instead of letíin; the protective cap of the above design snap into the longitudinal grooves a transversely to tlie longitudinal axis of the bristle carrier l, it is also possible to use a pro tective cap of the type shown in Figure 4.

witielo is open in its cliamfered frontal wall I Oh, facing the bellows. and wllicll can then be pushed, from the free end of the bristle furrier I, into the longitudinal grooves I a of tire latter in all axial direction (Figures 2 and 4).

In use, the protective cap 19 or 44 must be talen off.

This embodiment is tiren actuated by exer ting pressure with a finger on tire closure mcm- ber 30 so that the crimp 33 is slightly deformed in tire direction towat d the bristles 2 and the piston 37 is moved from tire closing position (Figure 7) into tire actuated or orifice-opening position ( Figure 8).

Wllen tite finger pressure on the closure member 30 ceases the crimp 33 of the sleeve member 31 returns again to the initial position due to tlie elasticity of the sleeve material. Tire crimp 33 here acts as a return spring for the pistol 37.

The embodiment shown in Figures 1 2 and 13, of tire fountain brush, is similar to that of Figures 1 to 3, but the bellows 51 here possess only a single thin-walled folded zone 53.

As in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the connecting rod 59 can here also be pressed into the sleeve 52 by exerting an axial pressure on the closure member 50 which has been ultrasonically welded onto the outer rim 51 a of the bellows 51 , so that the piston (not shown here) is displaced from the rest position according to Figure 12 into the open position according to Figure 1 3 in the same way as is the case when the piston 7 is displaced from the rest position according to Figure 2 into the open position according to Figure 3. The folded zone 53 here forms the fold shown in Figure 13.

When only one flat fold is formed instead of the plurality of folds in the bellows 11, axial removal of the core in the manufacture by injection-molding is facilitated. In this way, the bellows 51 also is more easily pressed down than the bellows 11 and returns to its initial position (Figure 12) more uniformly.

The embodiment according to Figures 12 and 1 3 is not constructed to be actuated by an axial pressure but, on the contrary, its actuation requires even less force, due to the fact that the closure member 50 is not pressed but rotated. For this purpose, the outside of the closure member 50 carries a rotatable handle 54.

For actuation, the rotatable handle 54 is grasped, for example by the thumb and index finger, and rotated; this causes in the folded zone 53, a deformation which sloortens the bellows and by means of which the piston 37 is pushed via the connecting rod 59 into the channel 6 up to the blind end 6l7 thereof and the outlet orifice 14 is freed.

If the connecting rod 59, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, is provided with ribs similar to those of the embodiment shown in Figures 7 to 11, the fountain brush according to Figures 12 and 13 can be filled in the same simple manner as the embodiment according to Figures 7 to 11 in the filling position shown in Figure 11:: in this case, however, in tire same way as in the embodiment according to Figures I to 3. the bellows 51 is constructed integrally with the wall of the handle 3 on the one hand and the connecting rod 59 is constructed integrally with the closure member 50. on the other band.

In order to avoid an excessively easy actuation of the embodiment according to Figures 12 and ] 3. the outside of the bellows 51 can carry transverse or helicoidal annular stiffetrirog ribs 55 above the folded zone 53.

The design of the individual components of tire fountain brush according to the invention can be modified in many diverse ways. Thus, for example, in the embodiment according to Figures 7 to 11 , the circumferential bead 34 of the bellows 31 can be screwed into the annular groove 35 if the latter runs helicoidally from the open end 3a ol tire handle 3 up to its position shown in Figures 7, 8 and 11 and if the face of the rim of circumferential bead 34 has a corresponding shape.

Preferably, the outlet orifice 14 is offset by such a distance from the bristles 2 towards the end 3a, remote from the bristles, of the handle 3 that the liquid medium issuing from the outlet orifice 14 is distributed better over the several rows of bristles than in the case where the outlet orifice is located closed to the central topmost bristle or in the middle between the bristles. On the other hand, the distance must of course not be so large that the medium can run down past the bristles along the bristle carrier and drip off the latter. The precise distance depends in each case on the viscosity of the medium and on the adhesive forces between the medium and the plastics used for the manufacture of the bristle carrier, which forces result from the nature of the medium and that of the plastics.

If a medium is used which could undergo a change on prolonged storage under the action of light, in particular the ultraviolet fraction of daylight, it is advisable to metallise the outer surface of the handle or the inner wall of the reservoir, for example by depositing a metal coating from a high vacuum on the wall previously provided with a primer lacquer, for example by plating from the gas phase. A further protective coating can then be applied to the metal layer. If the metal used is chromium, mirror surfaces can be produced on the outer wall of the handle.

When the fountain brush is held with the bristles pointing upwards, it is possible, by looking through the cut-out 1 7 and through the bellows 11 or 31, provided the latter has been made from a sllfficiently transparent material, to check whetllel medium is still present in the reservoir 4 or whether this has b n consumed and the fountain brush can be thrown away.

The easy manner of filling the fountain brush according to the invention and in particu lar the embodiments shown in Figures 7 to l 11 makes it possible to use a filling machine of extremely simple construction. In the case of the previously known fountain brushes which must be filled through their end remote from the bristles, with the exception of that according to British Patent Specification 1 ,244,91 5, it is always necessary, during filling, to provide a special machine part which closes the outlet orifice during the filling procedure.This is also necessary in the case of the fountain brush according to the last-mentioned British Patent Specification, though not for the purpose of closing the outlet orifice but in order to check, using this part as a sensor, whether the piston at the end of the connecting rod is, or is not, in the closing position. If this is not the case, a further special adjusting device must be present which brings the piston into the closing position by rotating the lid remote from the bristles.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A fountain brush having: a. a bristle carrier and, at one end of the latter, a set of bristles thereon, b. a handle attached to the other end of the bristle carrier and having a reservoir for a liquid or pasty medium in its interior, the end of the handle remote from the bristles being apertured to enable filling of the reservoir, c. a channel extending axially through the bristle carrier from the reservoir into the end of the carrier bearing the bristles and having at least one outlet orifice in the sidewall of the carrier, and ending blind in the bristles bearing carrier end at a distance from the orifice, d. a slide valve member guided sealingly in the interior of the channel, e. an actuating device, attachable to the end of the handle remote from the bristles, f. an axially rigid connecting rod, extending substantially axially through the interior of the reservoir, which connecting rod connects the actuating device and the slide valve mem ber to one another, and g. a closure member for the aperture of the handle in the form of an elastically deform able sealing member at least part of which is movable from a filling position in which it allows fluid access from the outside to the interior of the handle to a normal operation position in which it seals the aperture, in both actuated and unactuated positions of the actuating device, the distance between closure member and slide valve member being sufficient that when the closure mem her is in the filling position the slide valve member seals off the orifice from the reser voir at a position in the channel more remote from its blind end than the orifice, and wherein the connecting rod is of such length that the slide valve member seals the orifice from the reservoir when in the unac tuated position, and on actuation of the actuating device moves past the orifice to wards the blind end of the channel to enable medium to pass from the reservoir to the orifice.

2. A fountain brush according to Claim 1, wherein the sealing member is constructed as a return spring bellows and constitutes a sealing connection between the actuating device and the inner wall of the handle when the reservoir in the latter contains the medium.

3. A fountain brush according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the bristle carrier, the channel therein, the reservoir, the closure member, the connecting rod and the slide valve member are all aligned along a common longitudinal axis which is central to each of them.

4. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the closure member, the connecting rod and the slide valve member are integral with one another.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. face of the rim of circumferential bead 34 has a corresponding shape. Preferably, the outlet orifice 14 is offset by such a distance from the bristles 2 towards the end 3a, remote from the bristles, of the handle 3 that the liquid medium issuing from the outlet orifice 14 is distributed better over the several rows of bristles than in the case where the outlet orifice is located closed to the central topmost bristle or in the middle between the bristles. On the other hand, the distance must of course not be so large that the medium can run down past the bristles along the bristle carrier and drip off the latter. The precise distance depends in each case on the viscosity of the medium and on the adhesive forces between the medium and the plastics used for the manufacture of the bristle carrier, which forces result from the nature of the medium and that of the plastics. If a medium is used which could undergo a change on prolonged storage under the action of light, in particular the ultraviolet fraction of daylight, it is advisable to metallise the outer surface of the handle or the inner wall of the reservoir, for example by depositing a metal coating from a high vacuum on the wall previously provided with a primer lacquer, for example by plating from the gas phase. A further protective coating can then be applied to the metal layer. If the metal used is chromium, mirror surfaces can be produced on the outer wall of the handle. When the fountain brush is held with the bristles pointing upwards, it is possible, by looking through the cut-out 1 7 and through the bellows 11 or 31, provided the latter has been made from a sllfficiently transparent material, to check whetllel medium is still present in the reservoir 4 or whether this has b n consumed and the fountain brush can be thrown away. The easy manner of filling the fountain brush according to the invention and in particu lar the embodiments shown in Figures 7 to l 11 makes it possible to use a filling machine of extremely simple construction. In the case of the previously known fountain brushes which must be filled through their end remote from the bristles, with the exception of that according to British Patent Specification 1 ,244,91 5, it is always necessary, during filling, to provide a special machine part which closes the outlet orifice during the filling procedure.This is also necessary in the case of the fountain brush according to the last-mentioned British Patent Specification, though not for the purpose of closing the outlet orifice but in order to check, using this part as a sensor, whether the piston at the end of the connecting rod is, or is not, in the closing position. If this is not the case, a further special adjusting device must be present which brings the piston into the closing position by rotating the lid remote from the bristles. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A fountain brush having: a. a bristle carrier and, at one end of the latter, a set of bristles thereon, b. a handle attached to the other end of the bristle carrier and having a reservoir for a liquid or pasty medium in its interior, the end of the handle remote from the bristles being apertured to enable filling of the reservoir, c. a channel extending axially through the bristle carrier from the reservoir into the end of the carrier bearing the bristles and having at least one outlet orifice in the sidewall of the carrier, and ending blind in the bristles bearing carrier end at a distance from the orifice, d. a slide valve member guided sealingly in the interior of the channel, e. an actuating device, attachable to the end of the handle remote from the bristles, f. an axially rigid connecting rod, extending substantially axially through the interior of the reservoir, which connecting rod connects the actuating device and the slide valve mem ber to one another, and g. a closure member for the aperture of the handle in the form of an elastically deform able sealing member at least part of which is movable from a filling position in which it allows fluid access from the outside to the interior of the handle to a normal operation position in which it seals the aperture, in both actuated and unactuated positions of the actuating device, the distance between closure member and slide valve member being sufficient that when the closure mem her is in the filling position the slide valve member seals off the orifice from the reser voir at a position in the channel more remote from its blind end than the orifice, and wherein the connecting rod is of such length that the slide valve member seals the orifice from the reservoir when in the unac tuated position, and on actuation of the actuating device moves past the orifice to wards the blind end of the channel to enable medium to pass from the reservoir to the orifice.

5. A fountain brush according to any one of

Claims I to 4, wherein the closure member comprises a resilient sleeve having an outwardly crimped annular fold the apex of which is turned toward the interior of the reservoir, the outer wall of the fold being sealingly fastened, along its periphery, to the inner wall of the handle.

6. A fountain brush according to Claim 5, wherein the inner wall of the handle has, in the region thereof between the end of the handle remote from the bristle carrier and the apex of the annular fold, an annular groove into which the free peripheral rim of the outer wall of the annular fold is inserted when medium is present in the reservoir.

7. A fountain brush according to Claim 6, wherein the wall of the handle enclosing the reservoir is rigid in a zone extending axially from its end nearest the bristles towards the end thereof remote from the bristles at least to the annular region where the closure member is joined to the inner wall of the handle.

8. A fountain brush according to Claim 7, wherein an open-ended rigid-walled sleeve is borne by the end of the handle remote from the bristles and surrounds the closure member.

9. A fountain brush according to Claim 8, wherein the sleeve has a lateral cut-out or opening through which the actuating device can be depressed by a finger.

10. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims l to 9, wherein the reservoir is filled with a liquid or pasty medium and subsequent to filling the movable part of the closure member is sealed to the remainder of the closure member or to the handle by ultra sonic welding.

11. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the reservoir is filled with a liquid or pasty medium and subsequent to filling the movable part of the closure member is sealed to the remainder of the closure member or to the handle by means of a glued joint.

1 2. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the diameter of the connecting member is such that between its outer wall and the inner wall of the channel there only remains a narrow annular gap to slow down the discharge of the medium on actuation of the actuating device.

13. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein that part of the closure member which is not movable is integral with the wall of the handle surrounding the reservoir.

14. A fountain brush according to Claim 13, wherein the non-movable part of the closure member comprises a bellows with a single foldable angular zone near where it merges with said wall of the handle.

1 5. A fountain brush according to Claim 14, wherein the wall of the bellows between the foldable zone and its outer rim is stiffened.

16. A fountain brush according to Claim 13, wherein a turning handle element is provided on the outside of the closure member.

17. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 16, wherein the connecting rod is elastically bendable, at least in one axial region, by application of a transverse force.

18. A fountain brush according to Claim 17, wherein the axial region is adjacent the joint between the connecting rod and the slide valve member.

19. A fountain brush according to Claim 18, wherein the remaining part of the connecting rod is stiffened by longitudinal ribs.

20. A fountain brush according to Claim 17, wherein the closure member and actuation device connected thereto or integral therewith are adapted for displacement outwardly of the handle and laterally with bending of the bendable region of the connecting rod, whereby a gap remains between the closure member and the open end of the handle through which gap medium can be filled into the reservoir while the slide valve member seals the channel above the orifice in a position more remote from the bristles than from the orifice.

21. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 20, wherein the connecting member carries in its region adjoining the slide valve member a disc firmly seated thereon, the diameter of which disc is smaller than the diameter of the region of the inner wall of the reservoir toward which the disc is facing when the slide valve member is in the orifice-closing position.

22. A fountain brush according to Claim 21, wherein the reservoir is so constructed that, at least from the region of its inner wall which is facing the disc, it tapers conically inwards towards the channel in such a way that on actuating the actuating device to cause opening of communication from the reservoir to the discharge orifice there follows sealing engagement of the disc against the conical region of the inner wall of the reservoir.

23. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims I to 12, wherein the closure member comprises a bellows provided with a helicoidally extending fold.

24. A fountain brush according to Claim 23, wherein the actuating device is in the form of a cap provided with an internal thread which can be screwed onto the fold of the bellows and which, when completely screwed thereonto, prevents compression of the latter and only permits compression of the bellows and dispensing of medium when the cap is at least partially unscrewed from the bellows.

25. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims I to 25 wherein the slide valve member is shaped as a piston having a cavity in its frontal end wall.

26. A fountain brush according to Claim 25, wherein the cavity extends rearwardly through the slide valve member into the portion of the connecting rod adjoining the slide valve member.

27. A fountain brush according to Claim 25 or 26, wherein the slide valve member bears an annular sealing bead about its circumference spaced from its frontal end wall.

28. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 27, wherein the end portion of the channel in the bristle carrier extends sufficiently far beyond the terminal actuating position of the slide valve member so that an air cushion is formed between the latter and the end wall of the channel when the slide valve member is pushed inwardly so as to place the outlet orifice in communication with the reservoir.

29. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 28, wherein the interior of the closure member is a part of the reservoir in the handle, or is in free communication with the reservoir.

30. A fountain brush according to any one of Claims 1 to 29, wherein a protective cap is provided for the bristles which cap can be mounted on the bristle carrier, transversely to the longitudinal axis, and bears a nose part adapted for obturating the orifice.

31. A fountain brush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

32. A fountain brush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

33. A fountain brush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 7 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

34. A fountain brush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.