US2311330A - Soap dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Feb. '16, 1943. w DUDLEY 2,311,330

SOAP DISPENSER Filed Nov. 30, 1940 i a I s z I 1 I I s I I WILLIAM-A. 01/4545);

Patented Feb. 16, 1943 SOAP DISPENSER William A. Dudley, Chicago, 111., assignor to Pacific Coast Borax Company, a corporation of Nevada Application November 30, 1940, Serial No. 368,019

3 Claims. (01. 221-62) This invention has to do in a general way with dispensing apparatus for dispensing powdered material, particularly the dispensing of powdered soap or other cleansing compounds such as are used in public lavatories, factory wash rooms and similar places. In the use of dispensers for such purpose it is particularly desirable that the dispenser be so arranged and operated that an economical distribution of the soap is had, the arrangement, however, being such that by simple operation of the dispenser the amount of soap deemed necessary by the user may be obtained. I am aware that a number of dispensers of this character have been made, but point out that the dispensers in common use are not entirely satisfactory in the respect that the soap before it is actually delivered to the hand of the user is free to the atmosphere and under such conditions takes up moisture, resulting in the caking of the soap with a consequent ineifecient operation of the dispenser.

In other forms of dispensers such, for instance, as disclosed in my previous Patent No. 1,993,401, the discharge of soap from the dispenser takes place on the downward stroke of the operating mechanism- This is undesirable for the reason that the hand of the operator is placed under the dispenser and the dispenser being operated by a quick upward movement the tendency of the operator is to withdraw his hand before all of the soap has been delivered.

- With these and other objectionable features of common dispensers in view it is a principal object of this invention to produce a-dispenser of the class referred to of simple form and construction in which the'delivery of soap from the dispenser takes place upon the upward movement of the valvemechanisman'd in which the soap during th normal or inoperative position of the valve. mechanism is protected from the outside atmosphere so that the operating parts do not become clogged nor require inspection and cleaning.

Another object of my invention is to produce a dispenser of the class'described in which a measured quantity of soap is delivered to a discharge chamber separated from the main con.- tainer and in which provision is made for pro-' ducing a jarring action to dislodge the material at and about the valve. Other objects and" ad-. vantages will appear hereinafter from the drawing and the following description.

Referringto the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only Fig. 1 is a verticalsectional view of a dispenser embodying a form of my invention; I I

Fig. 2 is a view of the lower part of thedevice shown in Fig. l, the valve being shown its upper position and with the discharge opening of the valve chamber in open or discharging position;

(1:01", notches indicate'd at 36jwhichfnotches have Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on line 4-4 of Fig.1; and j I Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of my invention.. Referring more particularlyto the form of device shown in the drawing, l0 indicatesa container" cylindrical. in form having a depending circular flange I I at its lower end forming an opening I2. Inside the container I0 is a conical or tapered bottom I 3 having a valve opening indicated at I4. Secured to the under side of the conical bottom l3 by means of welding or in any other suitable manner is a shell I5 forming a valve chamber indicated at l6, the lower end of the shell being tapered inwardly as indicated at I! forming a discharge opening 18.

Vertically movable in the valve chamber I6 is a valve 20 provided with an upwardly extending stem 2| which is reduced at its upper end as indicated at 22, such reduced portion is guided by and extends through a central opening 23 formed in a cross piece 24 formed on a ring 25, secured in any suitable manner in the upper end of the container H1. The valve 20 issupported in thecontainer by means of a cotter pin indicated at 26 extending therethrough and engageable with the upper face of the cross piece. 1 f,-

' The valve 20 is provided with a downwardly extending handle generally indicated at 30 which has an offset portion indicated at 3,1. The flange ll of the container I0 is provided with a guide .indicated at 32 which guide receives the offset portion 3| of the handle 30 as indicated in Figs. 1'

and 4. This prevents turning movement of the handle and consequently the valve 20 in the container.

For the purpose of jarring the. material not only in the container proper but particularly in the valve'chamber' [6, a stop or abutment 33 is provided which in thepresent form is shown as' secured to a shoulder 34 on the" shell I5 extendin'g'downwardly therefrom 'in lineto be. engaged by meansof a plug 35 of resilient material mounte'd'v on'the ofiset portion 33!, of the arm 30, although it is to be understood that if desirable such plug or stop member. may be made of metal or other material. or the plug maybe omitted entirely in which case the offset portion of the han-.

dle would strike the. stop'33 or other fixed .part of the device. v

Arianged'in the valveZll is aseri'es of recesses all shoulder. 31.. forming the upper ends of the no: hesjandfron'l whi'ch the notches slope downwarm" and" outwardly so that any material in the notches is free to flow out of the same. These notches are arranged and located in the valve as shown inFig. 1 so that when the valve is. in its lower position the contents of the notches discharge into the valve chamber [6.

The operation of the dispenser is as follows: The normal position of the dispenser is illustrated in Fig. 1 in which case the valve is in its lower position. Prior to assuming this position the valvehas been moved into its upper position as shown in Fig. 2 by engagement of the lower end of the handle by the palm of the operator and While I have shown a form of container which is cylindrical in shape, it is to be understood when moved into this position shown in Fig. 2

it will be noted that the notches 36 are above the opening l4 in the conical bottom l3 of the container where they are free to receive a charge of the material in the container. It is to be noted that when the valve is moved upwardly to its upper position as shown in Fig. 2, that the plug 35 engages the lower end of the abutment 33 thereby giving a jarring action to the lower end of the container and causing the material to flow into the notches in the valve at the same time this jarring action dislodges the material in the chamber l6 and causes the material to be discharged therefrom as the valve at that time is in its upper position and the discharge outlet l8 open. Upon release of the handle :by the hand, the valve of. its own weight falls downwardly until the pin 26 engages the cross piece 24 and when at the lower end of its movement assumes the position shown in Fig. 1. In this position, due to the jarring action of the pin 26 on the cross piece 24, the recesses or notches 36 discharge their contents into the valve chamber [6 where the material is retained by reason of the fact that the valve substantially fills the discharge opening 18 of such chamber. Upon the next operation of the device and consequent movement of the valve upwardly the valve, as illustrated in Fig. 2, moves a sufiicient distance to allow the discharge opening I8 of the chamber I6 to be free and permitting the charge of material in the chamber to be discharged into the palm of the hand of the person operating the dispenser.

It is to be pointed out that the valve is of sufficient length and the notches so arranged therein that the notches cannot be in a position with respect to the opening l4 as to permit anyof the contents of the container to now through the notches and through the discharge outlet of'the chamber 16.

In other words the notches in the valvev are always above the valve outlet in the bottom of the container when the discharge outlet of the.

valve chamber is open. By this arrangement there is no way of dispensing the soap from the container except by discharging the soap in the notches in the valve into the valve chamber and by a subsequent movement of the valve opening the discharge outlet of the valve chamber. This prevents the withdrawaLby steady flow, of soap from the container and limits such withdrawal of measured quantities dependent on the size and shape of the notches in the valve.

In the form of apparatus shown a cap indicated at 40 fits over the ring in the top of the container Ill, it being understood that any of a number of common locking means for. securing the cover to the container may be used. Any

suitable means may be used for supporting the dispenser as, for instance, I have shown a simple form of bracket which consists of. a band 4| whichextends around the container beingwelded that the container may be made either square or any other desirable shape.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a square container l0 and the valve 20' square 'in cross section. By the use of such a shaped valve with corresponding openings in the lower end of the container and valve chamber, it will be understood that it is not necessary to usethe guide illustrated at 32 as such shape will prevent the turning of the valve in the container. This is likewise true of other shapes than round.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dispenser for powdered soap and the like embodying: a container having a bottom with a valve opening therein; a shell extending downwardly from the bottom forming a valve chamher having a discharge outlet; a valve movable in said valve chamber; a stem on said valve extending upwardly therefrom; means for slidably supporting said stem; said valve having notches therein so placed that when the valve is in its upper position aid notches are above the valve opening in the bottom and when in its lower position within the valve chamber; abutment means on said container; a handle on said valve extending below the container; means on said handle cooperating with said abutment to limit the upward movement of said valve; and means for limiting the downward movement of said valve.

2. A dispenser for powdered soap and the like embodying: a container having a bottom with a valve opening therein; a. shell extending downwardly from the bottom forming a valve cham- :ber, said shell having a substantially vertically extending wall portion terminating at its lower end in an angularly disposed converging wall portion defining a discharge outlet; a. valve movable in said valve chamber and normally closing said valve opening and said discharge outlet; a

stem on said valve extending upwardly therefrom; means for slidably supporting the stem; said valve having a recess therein so placed that when the valve is in its upper position said recess '-is above the valve Opening. in. the bottom and when in its lower position within the valve chamber; abutment means on said container; a handle on said valve extending below the container; means on said handle cooperatin with said abutment to limit the upward movement of said valve; and means for limiting the downward movement of said valve.

3. A dispenser for powdered soap and the like 1 embodying a container having a bottom with an opening therein; a valve member controlling said opening movable to permit delivery of material from said container through said opening; a stem on said valve extending upwardly therea from; means for slidably supporting said stem;

abutment means on said container in the region of the bottom of the container but out of the path of dispensed material; a handle .on said valve extending below the container; means on said handle-cooperating with said abutment to limit the upward movement of said valve; and

means for limiting the downward movement of said valve. V 1

' WILLIAM A. DUDLEY.

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