US1847253A - Toothbrush holder - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1932. ,w MUNRQ 1,847,253

TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Filed Sept. 9, 1929 177767770? ,flaraZd M M7770 @TQZW 419M0 4.

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES HAROLD W. MUNRO, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND I TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Application filed September 9, 1929. Serial No. 391,446.

My invention relates to tooth brush or other article holders, particularly of the type adapted to hang on the wall and having article holding means, such as a hook, or hooks, projecting outwards substantially at right angles therefrom to hold the bristle end of a tooth brush or other article, such as a toothpaste tube, shaving brush, etc. therein. 7

I am aware that others have provided 10 tooth brush holders of this description, but

so far as I am aware, no one has'hitherto provided a tooth brush holder which maybe readily packed and shipped, as the tooth brush holding means normally projects outwards at right angles from the body thereof thus calling forexpensive and troublesome wrapping and packaging to insure safe shipping. r

I am also aware that others have provided tooth brush and otherarticle holders stamped out of a single fiat piece of bendable material, but so far as I know, no one has hitherto provided such a tooth brush or other article holder which may be repeatedly set up in suitable form for using and knocked down to its fiat form for mailing by the extremely simple method of bending it approximately along a line, I

An object of my invention is to provide a tooth brush or article holder consisting of a strip of flat bendable material of a size capable of being sent fiat in a mailing envelope having a suitable body portion and having suitable hanging means thereonand a flat integral tooth brush or article holding means in the plane of said body. portion, whereby said body portion and integral holding means may be sent through the mails flat and whereby said holding means may be bent after receipt thereof by the user substantially at right angles to the plane of the body portion to hold a tooth brush or other article thereon. I am thus enabled to provide a tooth brush or other article holder capable of being sent through the mail inan ordinary envelope and which may be readily bent by the user to hold a tooth brush or other article after receipt thereof. I preferably construct my improved holder of celluloid which not only is very light and forms a more pleasing appearance than metal, but which also may be additionally ornamented in a manner not possible with metal.

A further feature of my invention resides in providing a space on a portion of the holder whereby directions may be given to the user to suitably bend the article after receipt thereof to form the actual holder, capable of holding the desired article. Particularly where celluloid is employed, this may be readily heated and bent a number of times without danger of breaking or cracking, preferably by inserting it in hot water or steam prior to bending. If desired for display purposes prior to selling or mailing, the tooth brush holding means may be bent away from the plane of the body portion for display purposes and then bent back to the plane of the body portion for mailing.

A further object of my invention relates to the provision of an article holder having a body portion of a shape in simulation of an ornamented object or other desired form.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hook constructed of a material hav- 75 ing the characteristics of celluloid wherein the prongs thereof may be bent towards or away from each other preferably on the application of heat thereto, thus changing the size of the opening to accommodate a larger 80 or smaller tooth brush or other toilet article such as the cap of a tube of tooth paste, the handle of a shaving brush etc.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of a tooth brush holder embodying the principles of my invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevat1on of my improved holder in a condition to be shipped through the mail.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing how my improved holder may be shipped 1n an ordinary envelope.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my improved holder in use hanging on a suitable nail on the wall and with the holding means bent substantially at right angles to the plane of the body portion to hold a tooth brush therein. 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the bottom of an article holder constructed'in accordance with the principles of my invention, having a holding means adapted to hold a plurality of articles such as the tooth brush and tooth paste tube shown adjacent thereto.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout, 10 generally indicates a tooth brush holder con structed in accordance with the teachin s of my invention. I preferably take a sub, stantially flat sheet of bendable material and cut it into blanks of a size capable of being sent in a mailing envelope or other flatpackage, said blanks having a body portion 12, which is preferably out into a shape in simulation of an ornamented object of the desired form, such as the duck shown, and which has a surface such as the front surface 14 thereof, painted or otherwise additionally decorated in further simulation of saidobject as at 16. My invention is preferably constructed out of celluloid or similar condensation or nitrated product, which not only may be readily bent in use as explained, but which has an adhe sive surface to which the pigment 16 or other ornamentation employed may readily stick. Said body portion 12 is provided with suitable hanging means which preferably consists as in the body portion shown of the hole 18 for hanging said body portion on a suitable nail 20 (Fig. 5) or other device or for receiving a screw therein. I provide said body portion 12 with the flat integral tooth brush holding means 22 projecting therefrom in the plane of said body portion. While any other suitable type of tooth brush or other article holding means may be employed, I preferably employ the hook 22 or a plurality of hooks 22 (as shown in Fig. 6) projecting from the lower portion thereof. In Fig. 6 I have shown a holding means comprising a plurality of hooks 22 formed on the integral portions of the holder adapted to be bent in use, adapted to hold, for instance, the tooth brush 24 and a tooth paste tube 23 of a type having a cap 25 having an enlarged head 27.

As stated, I also preferably provide direc tion insignia on said tooth brush holder 12 to instruct the user how to bend the tooth brush holding means to a plane relatively, preferably at right angles, to the body portion 12, so that the tooth brush holding hook 22 may readily hold said tooth brush 24 in use as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. In my preferred embodiment said direction insigniaincludes the printed matter 26 consisting of the desired directions to the user and the printed and/0r scored line 28 substantially at the points of jointure of the tooth brush holding means 22 to said body portion 12 to indicate to the user substantially the line to bend the tooth brush holding means 22.

The improved tooth brush holder is adapted to be fabricated and sold fiat as shown in Figs. 1-4. Fig. 4 diagrammatically illustrates how a tooth brush holder may be sent through the mails in an ordinary envelope 30. Ifdesired, however, prior to sending through the mail, the hook may be bent substantially at right angles therefrom for selling purposes and then rebent to a flat position if desired for shipping purposes. When the ultimate user duly receives the tooth brush holder and desires to actually use it, he suit.- ably heats the line of jointure of said tooth brush holding means 22 to the body portion 12, preferably by inserting said tooth brush holding means 22 in hot water or steam and then bending the tooth brush holding means to a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the body portion 12 along the indicating line 28 in accordance with the printed instructions 26. The holder may be hung on the wall by inserting the nail 20 through the hole 18, and the tooth brush 24 hung on the holder when desired by inserting the bristle end thereof within the hook 22. I preferably employ as the tooth brush hold. ingmeans the hook 22 having the prongs 21 which on the application of heat thereto preferably through the medium of hot water or steam may readily be bent away from or towards each other to accommodate a larger or smaller tooth brush or to change the tooth brush holder into another type of article holder such as a holder for holding a tooth paste tube, a shaving brush, etc. It is obvious that if desired any number of hooks or other article holding means may be attached to a single body portion as shown in Fig. 6. It is apparent that I have provided a novel type of tooth brush holder which may be readily sold or given away for advertising purposes and which ma} be readily packed or shipped flat through the mail or otherwise and bent by the user to the desired configuration with the other advantages portrayed above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is As a new article of manufacture, a thin, flat sheet of bendable material having the characteristics of celluloid capable of being shipped flat having a body portion and an integral article holding portion having prongs projecting from said body portion in the plane of said body portion, whereby said sheet may be shipped flat and owing to the characteristics of the material the user on the application of moderate heat substantially at the line of jointure between said body portion and said holding portion may bend said portions relatively to each other and may bend said prongs relatively to each other to accommodate difierent sized articles.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

HAROLD W. MUN RO.

Images