US2180389A

US2180389A - Tooth powder dispenser

Info

Publication number: US2180389A
Application number: US230568A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bethke Leo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-09-19
Filing date: 1938-09-19
Publication date: 1939-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1956-11-21

Description

Nov. 21, 1939. 1 BETHKE 2,180,389

TOOTH POWDER DISPENSER Filed Sept. 19, 1938 JZ 4ZQWO4;

4540 5221 .sa f6] Patented Nov. 21, 1939 PATENT oFFicE TOOTH POWDER DISPENSER Leo Bethke, Melrose Park, Ill'., assignor of onehalf to vSamuel W. Bradstreet, Maywood,'lll.

Application September 19, 1938, Serial No. 230,568.

11 Claims.

This invention relates to powder dispensing devices, and more particularly to a tooth powder dispensing device designed to discharge a small or measured quantity of the powder onto the tooth brush upon insertionoi the brush into the device to actuate the same.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a novel, simple and attractive device of the above character which forms a desirable and convenient accessory in home or oce with im,- proved brush actuated powder dispensing means and vibrating means actuated thereby or simultaneously to agitate and loosen the powder to free and cause the positive discharge thereof and thereby prevent the powder from clogging or caking within the container or hopper and insuring the feeding thereof to discharge pockets and passage to supply the brush with just the necessary and desirable quantity of powder for use, such as on a tooth brush for cleaning the teeth.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the powder dispensing device showing the manner of using the same;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional Viewl thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.'2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 4` of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the oscillatory or vibrating auxiliary hopper or funnel to agitate or prevent clogging of the powder. I

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the device is shown as comprising a fitting or bracket consisting of a housing or casing I!) which is vertically elongated and relatively flat. This casing may be die cast or made of other suitable material in one, two or more sections as shall be found most convenient. It is provided with a vertical rear wall I I which may be provided with side flanges I2 for supporting the device against a wall or other vertical support having opposed grooves for this purpose as is common. The front wall is designated at I3 and is relatively thick, while the side walls are designated at I4 and the bottom at I5 forming an internal chamber I6 to accommodate the working parts of the device. At the front above and at the top portion of the vertical front wall I3 is a hopper I'I shown substantially conical and formed by enlarging and rounding the side and front walls ofv the casing.- This hopper has an outwardly and upwardly extending flange lilabove the casing forming an internal upwardly facing shoulder or seat I 9 upon which a receptacle 20 containing the 5, powder is adapted to be supported in an inverted positionand secured in place in any suitable way. An auxiliaryhopper or` conical funnel 20 seats within the hopper, I'I and is adapted to be oscillated or vibrated therein to prevent clogging or caking of the powder. This auxiliary hopper or funnel is normally disposed against the back portion of the hopper I'I to provide a space 22 at the front allowing movementof the vibratory funnel therein and the lower portion ofthe wall of the hopper II is curved rearwardly and provided with Y an arcuate recess therebeneath, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The funnel is supported for agitation upon a pivot formed by a projection 23 at the top and back of the wall, the funnel having a hook 24 at its top edge engaging the projection or pivot to support the funnel in position to be oscillated or swung back and forth at vits tapered end, which is provided with a slot or opening 25 at the bottom or back portion thereof through which the powder contained therein is designed to bedischarged-.f This slot forms an edge wall 2 6, the purpose of which will be subsequently explained.

At the lower portion of the front wall I3, the

casing is provided with a vertical slot or frontv I opening 2'I` adapted to take atooth brush in the manner shown in Figs, 1 and 2 of the drawing with the bristles extending upwardly. A narrow slot 28 may also be provided in the bottom to 35 accommodate certain parts of the actuating mechanism or lever as will be subsequently explained and forming opposed shoulders 29 for supporting and guiding the brush during its movement into and out of the casing through the opening 21. suitably journaled in the opposite side walls of the casing, as by means of a shaft `3l), is a wheel or disc 3| having a plurality of equidistantly spaced teeth 32 forming intervening concaved pockets 33 in the periphery thereof designed to receive a small or measured quantity of powder sufficient for use and designed to convey the same ydownwardly between the Vdisc and the concaved portion of the front wall at the inner side of the latter and the passage produced thereby. The .disc may be provided with a peripheral groove intermediately or at the side for receiving a spring arm 3,5 which may be anchored, as shown at 36 in the casting or in any other -suitable way; This spring serves `to friction the rotation of the disc as well as to guide the powder and insure depositing thereof on the brush as well as assisting in dislodging the same in the passage. A cross arm in the form of a bell crank lever or yoke 31 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 30 and, as shown, this lever is formed on a reversed curve or ogee and has its lower arm 38 extending downwardly and forwardly in inclined position and provided with an engaging end 39 adjacent the opening 21 and limited in its forward movement against the forward end of the slot 28. The upper arm 40 extends upwardly and rearwardly in the chamber I6 and carries a pivot 4I on which is mounted a spring pawl 42, the pivot being held in a slot 43, if desired, so that the pawl will engage in back of the teeth 32. The pawl is held against displacement from the teeth or riding upwardly by a lug 44.

In the operation of the device, the brush is inserted in the opening 21 to engage the end 39 of the lever 31 to move it from the full line position shown in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position shown in said figure. This will swing the arm 40 upwardly and forwardly and vcause the pawl 42 to advance the disc one or two teeth at a time. As the teeth are advanced, they will strike the edge wall 26 and swing the funnel into the space 22 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus causing the funnel or auxiliary hopper to be vibrated or oscillated as the teeth pass said edge wall and effectively loosen the powder so as to feed the same into the pockets of the feed wheel or disc and prevent the same from clogging up in the hopper or passage. The disc is preferably of some material such as Bakelite or bre to prevent undue noise or wear or possible corrosion and it will be seen that a measured quantity of the powder will be deposited on a brush at each operation just sufcient for use. This will not only result in a saving, but will prevent the scattering of the powder such as happens when applied in the usual way. Upon withdrawal of the brush, the lever will swing down by gravity and y return the pawl to its original position for operation. A pan may be inserted in the slot 28 for the purpose of catching surplus powder which may spill over the sides of the brush.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is` capable of Variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a powder dispensing device, a casing having a hopper for the powder having an outlet, means for receiving and feeding the powder for deposit on a brush or the like, an auxiliary hopper movably mounted in the first hopper and having an outlet and means to actuate the auxiliary hopper to cause agitation and discharge of the powder from the hopper.

2. A powder dispenser including a hopper, a vibratory auxiliary hopper mounted in the rst hopper, and brush actuated feeding mechanism in the casing for receiving the powder and for actuating the vibratory auxiliary hopper.

3. A powder dispenser including a casing having a brush entrance opening and a hopper with means for supporting a receptacle above the hopper, a funnel mounted in the hopper for oscillation and having a discharge opening, a wheel having pockets and adapted to turn in the casing, means to engage and agitate the funnel and'means for advancing the wheel in stepped relation upon insertion of a brush through the opening in the casing.

4. A powder dispensing device having a casing with dispensing means, a hopper and an auxiliary hopper mounted for movement in the aforesaid hopper and having a discharge opening, said dispensing means having means intermittently engageable with the auxiliary hopper for oscillating the same.

5. A powder dispensing device having a casing with dispensing means, a hopper and an auxiliary hopper mounted for movement in the aforesaid hopper and having a discharge opening, said auxiliary hopper having operative connection with and adapted for actuating the auxiliary hopper upon operation of the dispensing means.

6. A powder dispenser of the class described comprising a casing having a hopper for receiving the powder, said hopper being mounted loosely for movement and having a discharge opening near the bottom, means for agitating the hopper, and lever operated dispensing means having pockets for receiving the powder when actuated.

7. A powder dispenser of the class described comprising a casing having a hopper for receiving the powder, said hopper being mounted loosely for movement and having a discharge opening near the bottom, a disc rotatably mounted in the casing and having peripheral pockets with intervening teeth adapted to intermittently engage the hopper and release the same, means to friction the rotation of the disc and brush actuated means for advancing the disc.

8. A powder dispenser of the class described comprising a casing having a hopper for receiving the powder, said hopper being mounted loosely for movement and having a discharge opening near the bottom, a disc rotatably mounted in the casing and having peripheral pockets with intervening teeth adapted to intermittently engage the hopper and release the same, means to friction the rotation of the disc and brush actuated means for advancing the disc, Said actuating means adapted to return to normal position by gravity.

9. A powder dispenser of the class described comprising a casing having a hopper for receiving the powder, said hopper being mounted loosely for movement and having a discharge opening near the bottom, a disc rotatably mounted in the casing and having peripheral pockets with intervening teeth adapted to intermittently engage the hopper and release the same, said casing having a brush receiving opening, a lever pivoted in the casing and having a pawl designed to engage the teeth of the disc, said lever extending adjacent the opening for engagement of the brush to advance the disc, and means to return the lever to normal position.

10. A powder dispensing device comprising a casing with a hopper and an adjacent wall, a vibrating member mounted in the hopper, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted in the casing, a spring arm mounted in the wall and frictionally engaging the wheel, said arm extending between the wheel and the hopper and serving to dislodge powder in a passage between the wheel and casing, and means for advancing said wheel.

l1. A powder dispenser comprising a casing, means for supporting and retaining a receptacle in an inverted position on the casing, said casing having a tapered hopper beneath the receptacle, an agtating member in the hopper and a discharge passage therebeneath, a feeding member mounted in the casing, a spring arm frictionally engaging the feeding member and extending down into and below the passage for dslodging the powder, said feeding member serv- I operated means for operating s ber.

aid feeding mem- LEo BETHKE. y