US2311367A - Liquid applicator - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 16, 1943.

1.. A. CHAMBERS LIQUID APPLIcA'roR Filed April 22, 1940 INVENTOR I 1, 00/4 4 flJJZZ/Zj A T TOR N E' Y Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE LIQUID APPLICATOR Laura A. Chambers, St. Louis, Mo.

Application April 22, 1940, Serial No. 330,918

10 Claims.

The invention relates to devices whereby small quantities of liquid may be withdrawn from a bottle or like container and applied to a desired surface without pouring from the bottle. Devices of this nature are commonly used in applying shoe polish, hair dye, face cream, cleaning fluid, deodorants, etc.

One object of the invention is to accommodate the discharge of a desired quantity of liquid varying from a few drops to a steady stream.

Another object is to arrange for the withdrawal of the liquid from the container directly onto a dauber which may be charged with the liquid without inserting the dauber into the container.

These and other detail objects of the invention are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section through a bottle and associated structure embodying one form of the present invention and showing all of the elements in the positionand condition characterizing the beginning of a liquid applying operation.

Figure 2 is a similar section showing the operating bulb and associated parts compressed to force air into the bottle.

Figure 3 is a similar section showing the bulb released and partially filled with liquid which may be discharged by further compression of the bulb.

Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which the liquid is to be applied by means of a dauber and showing the parts at the beginning of a dauber charging operation.

Figure 5 shows the same parts with the operating bulb compressed to force air into the bottle.

- Figure 6 illustrates the same parts with the bulb released and the dauber charged with liquid.

Figure 7 is a detail section illustrating a different arrangement of the bulb and associated parts.

The bulb I shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 has a general globular shape with a neck portion 2 adapted to receive and closely engage the neck 3 of a bottle .4 in which the liquid to be applied is normally contained. A hollow tube 5 of glass, rubber, or other material, projects from bulb I axially of bulb neck 2, and the exterior of the upper portion of tube 5 is tightly joined with the upper or inner end of bulb neck 2. An opentop cup-like partition 6 surrounds the upper 'end of tube 5 and the upper edge I of this partition is normally spaced from the opposing portion 8 of the top wall of bulb I. Bulb I and partition 6 are formed of flexible material such as vulcanized rubber which is readily deformable and possesses resiliency to return quickly to normal position when relieved from deforming pressure.

Assuming the bottle to be substantially filled with a liquid L and the bulb to be substantially filled with air A and having its normal contour, all as indicated in Figure 1, the pressure on the bulb top wall 8 distorts the contour of the bulb decreasing its volume and forces air downwardly through tube 5 discharging the same from the bottom of the latter where it will bubble upwardly, as indicated at B in Figure 2, and rise to the top of the bottle. As bulb wall 8 moves downwardly it contacts the upper edge of partition I and deforms the latter, as indicated in Figure 2. Upon release of pressure on bulb I the same returns to its normal position and the increased volume of its interior results in the pressure within the bulb and within the bottle being unbalanced so that the air in the upper portion of the bottle forces a quantity of liquid upwardly through tube 5 into cup 6 and, after the latter is filled, into the chamber 9 surrounding the cup, as indicated in Figure 3. Upon subsequent compression of bulb I liquid is discharged from chamber 9 through a vent IIl provided in the wall of the bulb. Ordinarily this vent will be too small to permit the air originally in the bulb to escape when pressure is first applied and will be too small to permit the bulb to be filled with air, instead of with liquid, when the first pressure is released. If desired, particularly if the bottle is almost full, shifting of liquid from the bottle to the bulb by the operations referred to above may be facilitated by placing a finger over vent III to prevent any outlet or inlet of air during the initial manipulation.

If desired, the bulb may be fitted with a nipple II around vent III to more clearly indicate the point of discharge and, if desired, a removable tube I2 of glass such as is used in the ordinary medicine dropper may be inserted through the nipple and removed for cleaning, etc.

The same general principle may be embodied in a somewhat different arrangement, as illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, in which the liquid forced from the bottle, instead of being trapped in a chamber in bulb I5, is discharged against and trapped in a retaining member l6 removable from the bulb for application to a desired surface. Member I6 may consist of a sponge, cotton pad, brush or other material and is removably secured in the handle.

Bulb I5 has a neck portion I1 fitting around the bottle neck as previously described and the desurrounding the inlet from said' tube, the space between said partition and the side oi'said bulb being adapted to trap fluid drawn into said bulb through said tube, there being a vent in the side of said bulb for discharging trapped fluid indes- 2 g 2,311,367 a vice includes a tube It corresponding to that pendently of said tube when the bulb is again previously described. The upper portion of the compressed. bulb is apertured at I 9. A dauber handle 20 has 2. A device as described in claim 1 in which a flanged portion 2| with a flexible edge 22, the the partition comprises an open-top cup surdiameter or the flange being greater than the 5 rounding the adjacent end of the hollow tube. diameter or aperture 19 so that'when the dauber 3. A device as described in claim 1 in which is Pressed d wnw r y t ge will have a sealthe partition is formed of flexible material ing contact with the bulb and the dauber handle adapted to be deformed upon contact with the and flange will become in eflect a part of the top bulb when the latter is compressed. wall of the bulb. The shank 23 of handle 20 is 4. In a device of the class described, a resilient substanti l y sma er in di me e than bulb a bulb having a part arranged to flt around the neck ture ill but member I6 mounted on the lower end of a bottle or like container, a hollow tube exof the shank may slightly exceed thediameter of tending through aid part and opening t t aperture 19 so that it will be squeezed sli h y as interior of the bulb, there being sealed contact it is passed through the aperturebetween the exterior of said tube and the inner The handle may be grasped with the fingers portion of said part, a flexible partition in the and pressed downwardly from the position shown bu b surrounding d spaced from th inner open in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5 in end of said tube and extending above the same, which position the volume of bulb 15 will be rethere being a passageway between the upper edge duced and the air therein forced thro gh tube 20 of said partition and the upper inner wall of the IB to the interior oi the bottle where it rises to bulb, said partition and bulb cooperating to form the top of. the bottle as in the construction previchamber for trapping fluid drawn through said 11 1? described. Upon release of pressur n the tube, said bulb being apertured at the side of said handle the bulb will return to its normal contour partitign opposite t said t t discharge fluid and, the unbalanced pressure in the bottle and so trapped. the bulb Will result inl q d ng forced upward- 5. In a device of the class described, a bulb of 3 hrough tube I8 and discharged a a nst and resilient material having an opening in its upper around member l6 w ich m h r wlthdlawh wall, a separable member including a handle, a from th b d applied to the Surface to be radial disc thereon, and a shank depending from treated. I 0 said disc, said disc being arranged to close said Figure 7 illus r e an, arrangement whereby openin and having a flexible edge to overlap the the side of the bulb 25 is: brought down directly edge of aid o ening, there being a liquid to the bottle n c 26 and an inner Wall 21 on the sorbent sponge at the lower end of said shank, a extends Over the rim of the mouth hollow from the lower wall of said to Surround and mount tube 28. Otherwise 15136 upper end opening said opconstruction corre p n generally to that N posite to said sponge, and a depending neck on O sly deselibedsaid bulb surrounding said tube and arranged to The d v e has the advantage of avoldme the fit the mouth of a liquid container into which said insertion of a stem or tube within a bottle and tube may be insertei its r from the home for The device 40 6. In a device of the class described, a bulb of may 101' the Cork and is resilient material having an opening in its top unnecessary to struggle with the cork before the wall and a depending neck in it tt wall contents of the bottle are available. If the deadapted to receive the neck of a liquid containing vi e s described in Figures s bottle, there being a hollow tube communicating i r th lik there is no possibility o l with the interior of said bulb and projecting in a n n d dlspenser Into h bottle, as through said bulb neck to be inserted in the li uid is Possible h the Y dropper in the bottle, and a separable member applicable nd whe e device as deathbed in Figures 4- v to said bulb to close the opening in the top wall is used as a dauber. h sponge is firmly held thereof and through which pressure may be apclose to the end when in use rather than on the plied to said bulb to compress the same, said end 01 a flexible Wire! her having a sponge element insertable within In both forms o invention hquld not act said bulb and positlonedto be in the path of liquid tually used is readily retalned and the device discharged into said bulb by alternate compresavoids the messihess whmh would attend the sion and release of said bulb by manipulation of withdrawal ol'more liquid than is required for said member. 8 iv n pp 7. In; a device of the class described, a collapsi- The details of the construction may be vaned ble chamber with walls of flexible material hav- Otherwise than as described above Without ing one side arranged for the application of the Parting from the m M the inventlon flf chamber to a fluid container, a hollow tube with exclusive use of such modifications as come m an unrestricted opening at its upper end into n the scope 0f the claimsls cohtemplatedthe bottom of the interior of the chamber and What is claimed is: projecting from the chamber for insertion of its In a device 1 the 01955, described, bulb of lower and unrestricted end into the fluid conresilient ma ri a hollow tube opening n the tainer, said chamber being collapsible under mannte ier 0f t e bulb and Projecting therefrom ual pressure to a flattened oblate form to force insertion into a fluid container, said bulb b in fluid therein through said tube, and being expanscompressibleto force fluid therein through s vible to its normal contour, upon release from mant p release from Pressure, to p d ual pressure, to thereby draw fluid from said conto normal contour and thereby take n i tainer through said tube into said chamber, the hr u h said tube. a P i i n n id bulb an device including means within said chamber form- .ing a trap for fluid drawn into said chamber through said tube, said tube draining surplus untrapped fluid drawn into the chamber back into the container, and means independent of said tube for discharging the trapped fluid from the chamber to the exterior of the device and container, said trap-forming means being of flexible material readily deformable to accommodate col lapsing of the chamber when manual pressure is applied to the exterior of the chamber.

8. In a device of the class described, a collapsible chamber having one side arranged for the application of the chamber to a fluid container, a hollow tube opening at one end into the interior of the chamber and projecting from the chamber for insertion of its other end into the fluid container, said chamber being collapsible under manual pressure to force fluid therein through said tube, and being expansible to its normal contour, upon release from manual pressure to thereby draw fluid from said container through said tube into said chamber, the device including a liquid-absorbent sponge member readily insertible into and removable from the chamber and forming a trap for fluid drawn into the chamber through said tube.

9. In a device of the class described, a, collapsible chamber having one side arranged for the application of the chamber to a fluid container, a hollow tube opening at one end into the interior of the chamber and projecting from the chamber for insertion of its other end into the fluid container, said chamber being collapsible under manual pressure to force fluid therein through said tube, and being expansible to its normal contour, upon release from manual pressure to thereby draw fluid from said container through said tube into said chamber, there being an opening in the upper portion of the chamber wall, a separable closure applicable to said latter-mentioned opening; and a liquid-absorbent member depending from said closure and constituting a trap for liquid drawn into the chamber through said tube as described, and being receivable in and removable; from said chamber through said opening by application and detachment of said closure.

10. In a device of the class described, a collapsible chamber with walls of flexible material having one side arranged for the application of the chamber to a fluid container, a hollow tube opening at its upper end into the bottom of the interior of the chamber and projecting from the chamber for insertion of its lower end into the fluid container, said chamber being collapsible under manual pressure to force fluid therein through said tube, and being expansible to its normal contour, upon release from manual pressure to thereby draw fluid from said container through said tube into said chamber, the device including elements forming a trap for fluid drawn into said chamber through said tube, said tube being unobstructed throughout its length and draining surplus untrapped fluid in the chamber by gravity back into the container when manual pressure on the chamber is released, and means independent of said tube for discharging the trapped fluid from the chamber.

LAURA A. CHAMBERS.

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