US1631394A

US1631394A - Motor-driven toothbrush

Info

Publication number: US1631394A
Application number: US732799A
Authority: US
Inventors: Baird Glen William; Lamb Arthur
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-08-18
Filing date: 1924-08-18
Publication date: 1927-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 1944-06-07

Description

` June 7g 92?.

G. W. BAIRD ET AL MOTOR DRIVEN TGOTHBRUSH y Filed Aug. 18. 1924 Iii Patented June 7, 1927.

GLEN WILLIAM BAIRD AND ARTHUR LAMB, 0F DBUMMOND, IDAHO.

MOTOR-DRIVEN TOOTHBRUSH.

Application led August 18, 1924. Serial No. 732,799.

This invention relates to improvements in power driven tooth brushes. l n

The primary object of this inventlon 1s the provision of an electrically operated tooth brush embodying novel means for .reversibly driving a brush head. h

A further and important object of this mvention is the provision of a novel type of electrically operated tooth brush, embodying a brush head and means for reversibly driving the same in either direction at varying speeds.

A further object of this invention is the provisionV of an improved tooth brush embodying a brush head which may be driven continuously in yeither `direction about 1ts axis. A further object of this invention lis the provision of a power driven brush` including a novel change speed device which may be used to perform the dual function of changing the speed of rotation of a brush, or -of reversing the direction of drive thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate correspending parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the'improved power driven brush showing details thereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved tooth brush structure, showing the associated details thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the change speed and reversing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken through a guard or shield member provided for a brush head and showing the latter in associated relation. j

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is'shown only a preferred embodiment of the improved power driven tooth brush, the letter A may generally designate the improved power driven tooth brush, which may include a base B, upon which a motor C is mounted for the operation of a, driven shaft D; the latter being connected as by speed changing and reversing mechanism E tothe motor details. A

brush head F may be provided, of a novelf in frictional driving contact wit the outerv detachable ty e, which may be associated with means shaft D.

The base B is preferably flat, and preferably elongated, at one end having the motor supported thereon as by legs 15, either rigidly or integrally connected with the base B, so that the vertically disposed vertical manner, preferably integral with' the base B, which intermediate its ends is provided with an opening 26 within which a bushing 27 fits forrotatably receiving the cylindrical shaped forward end 29 of the driven shaft D.

The driven shaft D is of novel construction, including the end 29 abovel mentioned, while adjacently connected to the bearing end 29 is a positioning flange 30 adapted to abut the rear edge and surface of the bushmg 27, and standard 25. A polygonal shaped body portion 31 of the driven shaft D extends rearwardly on a horizontal axis, and at its extreme rear end isprovided with a reduced portion 33 which is journaled within a suitable bearing extension 35 provided on the motor housing.

rI his body portion 31 of the driven shaft D .is-preferably triangular in cross section, and slidably receives detailsv of the speed chanding and reversing mechanism E which wlll be subsequently described.

The base B between the standard 25 and the motor D preferably'has an opening' 38 therem within which an anti-friction bearing or bushing structure 39 is mounted, to rotatably receive a stub shaft 40 of va, large driven gear 41, referably of the metal disc type, which is Xed with the stub shaft 40 and disposed in a horizontal plane over the base B, so that the outer periphe thereof is for connection with driven.

l periphery of the motor driven friction vided with a polygonal opening 52 therein for slidably receiving the dportion 3 1 of the shaft D therethrough,an furthermore includes the ring shaped resilient wheel portionv 55, preferably of rubber .which is supported between flanges 56 and 57 rigid: with the central portion 5l, and which resilient portion 55 is in sliding engagement at its outer periphery upon the top surface 58 of the large wheel 41.

Means is provided to shift the wheel 'structure k50 along the shaft ortion 3l, which includes a rod 60 mounted) on a horizontal axis within a passageway 61 at the top of the standard 25, and which at its rear end is v downturned, at 62, and providing the biof course provided for holding furcated lower end 63 which is splined upon the portion 51 of the slidin wheel 50, .and by means of which the whee may be slid as the rod is drawn throu h the opening 61 in the top of the standar 25.`` Means is the wheel in a determined location, and is means includes a plurality of notches 65 formed at various spaced intervals' alon the top edge of the rod 60, and into whic the back end 66 of a resilient spring 67 may snap to hold the rod ina predetermined position. Spring 67 is, of course, resiliently mounted at its forward end by means of a set screw 69 upon the top of the standard 25. The ro 60 extends forwardly of the standard 25,

and has a finger engagin knob thereon.

From the foregoing escription it is a parensejust how the driven shaft D may opera When the wheel structure 50 is most forwardly positioned on the shaft body 31, the wheel 50 will be in engagement with the top surface of the motor dbriven wheel 41,.'at one side of the axis of said motor` driven wheel 41, and as the wheel50 is moved by the means E forwardly' and towards the axis of the rotating wheel 41, it is readily apparent that the s eed of the shaft D will decrease. As the wlieel 50 moves across the axis of rotation of the-wheel 41l the drive of the shaft D will be negli 'ble, and after it has passed this axis in a orward 4direction the wheel 50 will be driven in a reverse rotation for driving thel driven shaft D likewise in a reverse rotation. Thus, by placing the wheel 50 at the desired side of axis of rotation of the wheel 41, the driven shaft D may be driven in the desired direction,` and the speed Aratio thereof may be varied `by moving the wheel 50 from or away from the axis of rotation of the wheel 4l. Referring more particularly now to details of the brush and its connecting structure, a flexible housing is provided as part of the means G, which at its rear end is connected by means of a nut 81 -to the externally screw threaded stub extension 82 through which rthe forward end 29 of the driven shaft D extends. A driven'chain 85 extends longitudinally through this housingl 80, which is of a iiexible nature, including a plurality of -relatively long links 86, which may be of wire or the like, and looped as at 87, at their ends, for'universal jointed connection with similar loops provided'upon adjacent links-86. At its outermost or forward end the flexible housing 80 has a cylindrical shaped hollow handle 89 lixedly mounted thereon, within which a bearing or bushing 90. is swiveled, and which ia -provided with a longitudinally extending passageway 91\therethrough rotatably receiving a socket connecting piece 92. At its rear end 92 is provided with a guide ange 95` to pre'- Vvent forward longitudinal movement of the v socket piece 92 outwardly of the p handle 'bushing 90. At its extreme rear end the socket connecting piece 92 is provided with ahook or analogous element 95a which is connected with the foremost link 86 of the driven chain 85. Integral with the bushing or handle piece is a shield portion' .98 which extends forwardly of the fronted'ge 99 of the handle structure, and which is c on-` cavo convex in cross section, as is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The brush head F includes a shank portion 101 adapted to have a detachable bayonet jointed connection, at 102, with the forwardly projecting end of the connecting socket piece 92. This brush head 101 includes a ody 105 having outwardly extending tufts 106 provided in spaced rows about the same.

The operation of the brush structure will be apparent from the foregoing description, and the brush head Fgmay be electrically driven in either direction about its axis, depending upon whether the teeth in the upper or lower jaws are to be brushed. Dentists are in accord with the correct method of brushing teeth, which should be a one way brushing, and from the gums toward the outer edges of the'teeth. With the t pe of powerdriven tooth brush herein descri ed this correct brushing of the teeth is rendered possible, and the vbrush head may be driven in the proper vdirection depending upon whether the inside or outside of the teeth are to bebrushed, or the teeth in the upper or lower jaws are to be cleansed. The shield extending longitudinally at one side of the brush head not only guards the'brush, but

prevents splattering of foreign matter. YThe la reversible drive for the brush head prevents the tufts of brushes from Wearing in one inclined direction, and are uniformly Worn and maintained in their outstanding relation incident to the fact that the brush is alternately used as the direction of rotation of the same is reversed.

Variouschanges in the shape size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the same or the scope of the claim.

We claim:

vIn a motor driven tooth brush thel combination of 'a horizontally supported base, a'. motor mounted on the base having a drive shaft vertically disposed in right angled relation with the base, a drive Wheel on the shaft between the motor and the base, a'relatively large Wheel having a spindle extending from one side thereof and being smooth a'nd fiat on the opposite side thereof, means rotatably supporting said spindle in the horizontal base with the relatively large Wheel horizontally supported above the horizontal base with its smooth Hat side uppermost and at its periphery in driven engagement i With the peripheral edge of the motor Wheel, a 'standard rigid With the base in right angled vertically upstanding relation therethe upper surface of the relatively large Wheel, the ength of the driven shaft above the rela'tivel large Wheel being such that the friction Wheel may be slid diametrically across the relatively large Wheel into engagement therewith at the opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the relatively large wheel, and operating means slidably carried by the standard for moving the friction wheel and holding it in a desired engagement with the relativelylarge wheel for drive of the driven shaft.l

GLEN l/VILLIAM BAIRD.

ARTHUR LAMB.