US1962875A

US1962875A - Swab

Info

Publication number: US1962875A
Application number: US622441A
Authority: US
Inventors: Selah M Reber
Original assignee: EVER DRY LAB Inc
Current assignee: EVER DRY LAB Inc; EVER-DRY LABORATORIES Inc
Priority date: 1932-07-14
Filing date: 1932-07-14
Publication date: 1934-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1951-06-12

Description

S. M. REBER June 12, 1934.

sus

Filed July 14. 11932 Patented Julie '12, 1934 Selah M. Rebel', Los

SWAB

Angeles, Calif., assigner to Ever-Dry Laboratories Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Nevada ApplicationV July 14, 1932, Serial N0. 622,441

12 Claims.

My invention relates to swabs. Although many aspects of my invention are not restricted to such use, it is more particularly concerned with bottle cap-carried swabs of the type normally stored within the contents of the bottle. In the specific embodiment herein described, the swab is used for applying an anti-perspirant astringent such as an aluminium or zinc chloride preparation,.

to which certain features of my invention are pecularly applicable. f

One object of my invention is a swab wherein the porous material may be vsecured to the supporting stem without cementing or gluing and without the necessity of additional securing parts and preferably also wherein the porous material is non-rotatably secured to the stem.

Another object of my invention is an absorbent element for the swab of considerable length and preferably cylindrical which may take advantage of the manufacturing'economies of the use of sheet stock of a thickness considerably less than the length of the swab.

A further feature of my invention is that the cylindrical swab is compressed longitudinally, but still transversely of' the grain of the felt, in such a manner that the liquid absorbing interstices tend in general to extend in a plane which is at a normal to the longitudinal axis of the swab.

Other phases of my invention are concerned with the absorbent material used for the swab, the material used for the stem, and the mounting of the stem. y

The foregoing, together with further objects, features and advantages of my invention are set forth in the following description of a specific embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bottle of liquid preparation within which the swab of my invention is shown;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the parts constituting, the swab unit prior to assembly;

Fig. 3 shows in cross section the swab-forming felt washers positioned upon the stem but before compression to final position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the swab washers compressed to final position and showing in cross section the handle-forming can mounted on the opposite end of the stem; and

' Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 showing the arrangement of th barbs.

InFig.A 1 I have shown a bottle 10v having 'an externally threaded neck 1l for the reception of 55 a closure cap 12 internally threaded at 13 as (Cl. 12S-269) shown in Fig. 4. The bore 14 of a downwardly projecting central boss 15 of the cap 12 `receives and mounts the reduced, end of a stem 16, the opposite end of which carries a swab element 17.

The swab element 17, the stem 16, and the cap 12 6s constitute the swab unit.v The cap 12 forms a handle 'for the swab when in use and a support -for'the swab when stored in the bottle.

For the swab element 17, I prefer to use a plurality of felt discs 18'of considerable thickness 65 but still of considerable less normal thickness than the over-all length of the completed swab element 17. This avoids the greater manufacturing expense of cutting cylindrical plugs from thick sheets of felt as wouldbe necessary if the swab were of one piece but of comparable length. It also permits the use of felt stock of a more standard thickness.

Each felt disc 418 is formed with a small cir- 'cular'bbre 19 by means of which the discs-or 75 washers-are threaded on to the stem over its upper end and pushed down against the head or button 20 at the lower end of the stem, as shown in Fig. 3. The stem 16, adjacent its lower end, contains two longitudinally spaced pairs of diametrically opposed barbs 21. The barbs 21 are of thin stock and for conveniencein mounting them integral with the stem, are arranged on a diametrioal plane. The upper edges of the barbs i are/inclined; their lower edges are transverse-to 35 the axis of the stem or preferably somewhat un-V dercut. If, as here shown, the swab element 17 comprises three felt discs 18, the points of the lower pair of barbs are spaced from the button 20 by approximately the normal Vthickness of a 90 disc 18, and the'points of the upper pair of barbs are spaced a corresponding distance from the points of the lower pair 'of barbs, as indicated in Fig. 3. After assembly in the position of Fig. 3,

the washers are compressed downwardly against the head 20 to the position of Fig. 4, where the uppermost pair of barbs engages behind the upper surface of the third felt disc 18. Thus the felt washers are compressed at their centers to approximately two-thirds of their normal thicknesses. The points of the lower set ofbarbs will engage at a midpoint of the intermediate felt disc. 'I'he points of the barbs keep the discs fromA rotating on the stem. Rotation of the lowermost disc may further be checked by tooth-like webs 22 in the corner formed by the juncture of the head and stem. For convenience in moulding, these teeth 22 may be co-planar with the barbs 21.

In addition to engaging the lower faceof the rst washer to preventits rotation.- they constitute 110 corner braces to reinforce the head and brace its joint with the stem.

After the felt discs 18 constituting the swab element 17 are thus assembled upon the stem, the opposite end of the stemwhich may conveniently be reduced somewhat in diameter-is cemented into the socket or bore 14 of the cap 12 vor otherwise suitably secured.

My construction of, and mounting of, the swab element 17 has many advantages. Felt in sheet form is normally compressed across its thickness with the'result that the interstices tend to run for the most part in the plane of the sheet. This is even more true in thinner stock than in un usually thick stock. When the discs 18 are cut from the sheet stock, and then mounted on the stem, the interstices tend to run in a. plane at a normal to the axis of the stem and therefore more or less radially. When the washers are in the nal position of Fig. 4, the amount of compression is greater near the stem than at the periphery of the swab element 17 as shown in Fig. 4. When the swab is immersed in liquid, the interstices absorb water more or less radially in`- wardly rather than longitudinally. vBecause the longitudinal compression is less at the periphery than near the stem, the greatest amount of liquid will be absorbed near the periphery and less will be absorbed adjacent the stem. In subsequently applying the immersed swab, the liquid preparation will be held for the most part adjacent the swab, where it is most readily transferred.

Each washer is directly engaged by the points Vof va barb 21 or tooth 22 to prevent its rotation.

If the washers were free to rotate, they would prove annoying in applying the preparation and they would also tend to enlarge their center bores until they came off.

The assembling of the swab element 17 on the stem, is, as is apparent, a very simple and inexpensive production step, and one which eliminates the necessity of extra clamping or securing parts. It also avoids the necessity of gluing or cementing the swab onto the stem. Cementing would at best be difiicult because of the chemical action of the bottle contents, and would be especially diiicult in the use of a plurality of swab discs. The assembly of my swab element 17 on to the stem 16 is so simple that if desired the manufacturer of the preparation may supply extra discs ,so that the purchaser may renew the swab element after the initial one has become defective. In such case, a simple friction `fit or other suitable detachable scurement would be substituted for the cementing of the stem to the cap.

When the preparation to be applied is 'aluminium chloride, as in the present instance, or is of some other formula which is in practice slightly acid, I prefer to mould the stem and cap from an acid-resisting phenol condensation compound Vsuch as Colt Rock as manufactured by Colts Patent Firearms Manufacturing Co. of Hartford, Connecticut. The cement used for securing the stem -to the cover may then be a Bakelite cement of glycerine and litharge, which is not affected by the aluminium chloride.

Another .feature of my invention is the material whereof the swab element 17 is made. For use with an aluminium chloride or zinc chloride preparation the felt discs constituting the swab element are of wool. -I have found that'wool is not attacked by these preparations as is cotton or even silk. Also the wool does not aifect the preparation as would Sponge rubber which mparts an ill smelling sulphurous contamination to these and other preparations.

While I y have illustrated and described this specific embodiment of my invention, I contemplate that changes and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A swab comprising a supporting stem, a head at the end thereof, a plurality of absorbent Washers mounted on the stem, and a barb on the stem over which the washers pass for holding the washers compressed longitudinally of the stem and against the head.

2. A swab comprising a supporting stem and a swab element mounted thereon, the swab element being of compressible absorbent felt and of cylindrical conformation, the swab element being under greater longitudinal compression adjacent its axis than adjacent its periphery, a swab stem comprising a rod shaped body, a head at one end thereof, and barbs projecting from the stem and facing the head for retaining "said axial compression.

3. A swab stem comprising a rod, a head at one end of the rod, an integral barb projecting from the rod and facing the head, and a nonintegral handle-forming cap attachably secured to the other end.

4. A swab stem comprising a rod, a button-like head formed integrally therewith at one end thereof, an integrally formed barb projecting from the rod a spaced distance from the head, and a tooth radially extending from the rod and integral with the head.

5. A stem for an applicator swab, the stem comprising a rod-like body, a button-like head formed at one end thereof and diametrically opposed barbs extending from the rod-like body a spaced distance from the head and facing the head.

6. A swab stem of moulded material comprising a rod-,like body and a button-like head at one end thereof, and an integrally formed tooth the base of which projects from the head and the irmer edge of which merges with the rod-like body at an axially spaced distance from the headLfor reinforcing 'the juncture of the head with the body and for preventing the rotation of a cushionlike body pressed against it.

7. A swab comprising a rod-like stem, one end thereof, a plurality of washers of absorbent material mounted on and surrounding the stem and against the head, and means for preventing the rotation of the washers comprising the washer which rests against the head and a barb projecting from the rod a spaced distance from the head for engaging another of the washers.

8. A swab comprising a rod-like stem, a head at 135 one end thereof, and a group of washers mounted upon and surrounding the rod, the group comprising three or more washersin contact with each other longitudinally of the stem with one washer a head at 1:25

ing a tooth projecting from the head for engag- 1.3.9

in contact with the head and means for holding 149 the washers on the rod and against rotation and under compression longitudinally of the rod, comprising a tooth radially extending from the rod and integral with the head and engaging one of the washers, a barb projecting from the rod and 1515 one end thereof, and a group of washers mounted 150 upon and surrounding the rod, the group comprising three or more washers in contact with each other longitudinally of the stem with one washer in contact with the head and means for holding the washers on the rod and against rotation and under compression longitudinally of the rod, comprising a tooth radially extending from the rod and integral with the head and engaging one of the washers, a barb projecting from the rod and spaced longitudinally from the head and penetrating the face opposite the head of the washer remote from the head and another barb between the rst mentioned barb and the head projecting from the rod and engaging an intermediate washer and said remote washer.

10. A swab comprising a rod-like stem of moulded composition material, a button-like head formed integrally with the stem at one end thereof, a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of diametrically exposed thin barbs integrally with and extending radially from the stem, the barbs being co-planar and a plurality of felt washers surrounding the stem and longitudinally compressed against the head, the pair of barbs most remote from the head engaging the end face of the washer most remote from the head to hold the washers under compression b'etween said head and said most remote pair of barbs.

11. A cylindrically conformed longitudinally elongated medicant swab comprising a plurality of c'ontiguously, axially and non-rotatably mounted transversely disposed Washer-shaped laminations cut from absorbent felt in sheet form wherein the bers run largely in the general plane of the sheet and with the axes of the washers at a normal to the sheet.

12. A cylindrically conformed longitudinally elongated medicant swab comprising a plurality of transversely disposed washer-shaped laminations cut from absorbent felt in sheet form wherein the fibers run largely in the general .plane of the sheet and with the axes of the washers at a normal to the sheet, the laminations being axially and non-rotatably mounted and axially compressed together face-to-face with greater coml pression adjacent their centers than at their peripheriesi A SELAH M. REBER.