US1386975A - Disinfecting device for telephone and other uses - Google Patents

Description

N. v. SMITH.

DISINFECTING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE AND OTHER USES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23' 1920.

Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

NORTI-IEY V. SMITH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN'OR TO GEORGE A. GOULSTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DISINFEOTING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE AND OTHER USES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

Application filed October 23, 1920. Serial No. 418,990.

T 0 all 1072 am it may concern: I

Be it known that I, NORTHEY VAUGHAN SMITH, a British subject, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Disinfecting Devices for Telephone and other Uses, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is intended to provide a device for disinfecting and deodorizing mouth pieces of telephone transmitters to keep the same sterilized and thus prevent the transmission of disease germs through telephones which are a prolific source of communicating disease.

Heretofore it has been proposed to insert in the mouth piece some sterilizing agent or preventive but these are objectionable to users as tending to obstruct or impair the efiiciency of the telephone service, whereas the present device is based on the principle of leaving the mouth piece entirely free or unobstructed while suspending a disinfective pad outside of the mouth piece but in close enough proximity thereto to allow the fumes therefrom to penetrate the mouth piece and keep the same sterile. A further feature consists in the particular construction by which old pads may be conveniently replaced by fresh ones as often as need be.

These and other features of the invention will be described in the following specification and will be defined in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a simple and convenient form embodying the principles of this invention, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the disinfecting pad operatively suspended from the telephone transmitter.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the complete device reac y for attachment.

Fig. f is a vertical central section showing the back and front holding members with the disinfecting pad interposed between them.

According to the practice of the invention according to the form illustrated in, the drawings I provide a pad suspending member comprising a back piece 2 of any suitable'thin sheet material such as prepared cloth, leather, paper, metal or the like whose lower pendant portion forms a backing for Suitable retaining means are provided for protecting and holding the pad in place. As shown in the drawings this comprises a front member 4 preferably of like material to that forming the back and this front member is perforated as shown at 5 to allow the fumes to rise into the mouth piece. The upper end of the front member may, as shown, extend upward to form a suspension portion 6 which like the back member is perforated to pass over the inner end of the mouth piece.

Where pliable'material like rubber or cloth is used for the pad container or carrier the two members thereof may be stitched together near their "outer edges as indicated at 9, a sufliciently wide unstitched place being left above the pad receiving portion toalloW the two members to be opened apart to admit the pad or to remove it for purposes of renewal. It will be found that although the sterilizing pad is not directly in the mouth piece yet when suspended behind the front thereof the fumes will readily penetrate the open front and will be effective in destroying germs anddeodorizing the mouth piece. There is a material advantage in providing both pad retaining members with a suspension tab per= forated to fit over the reduced end of the mouth piece because with that form of con-,

the two retaining members together it will be understood that any suitable connecting means may be employed.

What I claim is:

V A disinfecting device for telephonesembracing front and back members stitched together around their lower edges and having upwardly extending perforated suspension tabs capable of being separated to admit a pad, the front member being perforated to allow the escape of fumes into the mouth piece, and a disinfecting pad inserted between the two members opposite the perforation in the front member, substantially as described. 10

In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

NORTHEY V. SMITH.

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