US2189408A - Mechanically operated tooth brush - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1940. SElFmED 2,189,408

MECHANICALLY OPERATED TOOTH BRUSH Filed May 19, 1937 Patented Feb, e, 1940 PATENT oFFIcE v MECHANICALLY OPERATED TOOTH BRUSH Theodore Seifriecl, Nashville, Tenn. Application May 19, 1937, Serial No. l143,579

1 Claim.

One of the most important features of my invention resides in the curved tapered form of the body of my device with the operating mechanism mounted in the cap whereby the spring is easily wound and controlled and the brush is disposed' in the proper position to permit the user to clean with ease and facility both the inner and router surface of the teeth.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanically operated tooth brushes, that is to say, al tooth brush operated by a spring motor e-mbodied in the brush structure as a whole.

One object of my invention is the provision of a tooth brush of the character stated which will operate after the manner of a dentists instrumentand which will reach every crevice of the teeth from the inside and outside surfaces of the teeth to insure a most perfect cleaning.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a mechanical or motor operated tooth brush whichwill be of the most convenient and desirable shape for use in order to permit its perfect handlingl or manipulation by any person.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a tooth brush of the character stated which will effect a perfect and thorough cleaning of the teeth and which will permit the use of brushes of different sizes and shape, as may be found most desirable.

Anotherobject of my invention is the provision of .a mechanically operated tooth brush which all things considered, will possess merit in point of simplicity and durability of construction, which can be made and sold at the right price, and which in every particular will prove highly eicient and practical.

bodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents asectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a sectional view line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 represents a se line 4-4 of Figure 1.

taken on ctional view taken on Referring by numeral to the drawing, in which the same numbers of reference denote like parts in all theA views:

The numeral I designates the 4body portion or handle of my tooth brush which is of hollow curved or fiaring construction having a passage I' in its outer reduced end and formed with screw threadsl I at its. inner open end to receive the 5- threads 2 on the cap 2', which is formed with an opening 2" vfor a purpose which willpresently appear. l

Disposed within and rigidly secured to the handle or body portion contiguous to said cap 2', 10, is the drum or casing 3 in which is mounted the coil spring 3' having one end secured at 3x, to the drum and its otherv end 3a secured to' the shaft 8 which extends outward through the opening 2",

of the cap 2' and is formed with a knurled end 15' S', for rotating said shaft;v Mounted on said shaft 8 intermediate its length is the ratchet Wheel I2 which is rotated bythe unwinding of the coil spring 3' and which ratchet is retained in place by the lever-operated pawl-or dog I3 20 fulcrumed to the lug I4 and having an arm I5 adapted to receive pressure from the finger to release said pawl I3 from engagement with the ratchet to permit rotation of said ratchet and the shaft 8 under the impulse of said spring 3', 25 and said pawl is held in proper engagement` with the ratchet by meansof the small coil spring I as most clearly shown in Figure 2.

It will be noted that the shaft 8, extends out through the cap 2', and forms a winding stud $0 or stem for placing the'v spring 3 under tension and permitting the spring to be wound with ease and facility.

From this construction it will be apparent that the outer end of shaft 8 projects beyond the cap 35 and that the turning of the shaft winds the coil spring and carries with it the ratchet wheel, which ratchet wheel when released through the action of the linger-operated pawl or detent imparts a rapid rotation to theshaft 8, and on said 40 shaft 8 at its inner end is mounted the large gear wheel 4, which meshes with and drives the smaller gear wheel 5, mounted on a short stud 5', and to the said gear 5 is connected the flexible shaft I'I which extends through the body portion or 45 handle ofthe implement and passes through the opening I', in the reduced end of said handle, and said shaft is formed with a round portion I8 which fits in the socket I9 of the brush head 20 carrying the brush II. l

`From the foregoing description taken in con nection with the drawing,'the operation of my tooth brush will be readily understood and its many advantages be appreciated, and it will be apparent that the spring is wound up by rotation n of the shaft 8 until the spring has been placed under the desired tension, in which condition it is retained by the ratchet Wheel and the manually controlled pawl or detent and that upon the release of such pawl, the ratchet wheel is permitted the necessary revolution to impart rotation through the gear wheel and the flexible shaft to the tooth brush.

It will be apparent that the tool or brush is of the desired size and shape to permit the cleaning of the teeth on their inner and outer faces in a thorough and perfect manner, such as a dentist would perform this operation to effect the thorough removal of any surface accumulation both from the inner and outer faces of the teeth.

It will be evident that a tooth brush constructed according to my invention will operate with ease and facility and that it possesses merit over the tooth brushes in general use from every point of view and that its features of merit will commend it as highly desirable, practical and useful.

I claim: t

The mechanically operated tooth brush herein shown and described, comprising hollow generally tapering body portion circular in vertical cross section and having its upper wall continuously curving downwardly and forwardly and having its lower wall horizontal at its rear portion and slightly curving downwardly and for- Wardly at its front portion whereby a conical curved handle is formed, said body portion being provided at its reduced end with an opening having its axis approximately parallel to the upper wall of said handle, a drum mounted on a horizontal axis in the enlarged open end of said handle and having its rear end open and its front end closed by a Wall, a centrally disposed opening being formed in said drum wall, a cap fitting upon the open end of said handle and having an opening axially aligned with the saidopening in the wall of the drum, a shaft journalled in the openings of the wall and cap and having its inner end extended beyond said wall and its outer end projecting rearwardly of said cap to form a winding stem, a hat coiled spring arranged in the drum with one end secured to the drum and its other end secured to said shaft to impart rotation to said shaft, a large vertically disposed driving gear wheel secured to the inner projecting end of said shaft, a stud projecting forwardly from the upper portion of said Wall of the drum, a small gear wheel on said stud meshing with the said large driving gearwheel, a iexible shaft having its inner end secured to said stud and curved throughout to conform to the upper curved wall of the handle and with its free end projecting through said opening in the reduced end of the handle, a rotary flat faced tooth brush tted axially in the end of said flexible shaft, and a manually releasable ratchet mechanism for either holding or releasing the at spring and thereby controlling its unwinding.

THIEIODORE SEIFRIED.

Images