US2316878A - Finger sponge device - Google Patents

Description

April 20, 1943. N, NDAL L, 2,316,878

FINGER SPONGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1940 FTel 2 5 FTG 2 3 HM INVENTOR. NICK MAN DA L OU ATTORNEX Patented Apr. 20, 1943 F UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FINGER SPONGE DEVICE Nick Mandalou, New York, N. Y.

Application October 3, 1940, Serial No. 359,477

6 Claims.

My invention relates to handles or holders for finger sponges and particularly to the means of securing the parts of the fingers of the finger sponge to the holder or handle, and has among its purposes and objects to provide:

A securing means for handles and holders which engage the relatively hard center or core of fingers of finger sponges.

A handle for finger sponges.

A handy means of using parts of the fingers of finger sponges.

A moistener or dauber comprising finger sponge.

I accomplish these and other objects by the construction herein described and shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view and elevation of a typical finger sponge.

Fig. 2 is an elevation and partial section of a simple form of handle.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a fragment of one of the fingers of the finger sponge secured by adhesives to an envelope opener or paper cutter handle.

Fig. 4 is an elevation and partial section of the end of one of the fingers of the finger sponge secured by a pin to the stopper or handle.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a bottle or other container and a handle stopper secured to a fragment of a finger of a finger sponge.

Fig. 6 is an elevation and partial section of a handle and a part of a finger of a finger sponge secured at each end.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary details of a moistener and desk set fount for finger sponges.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a simple dauber and stopper handle.

Fig. 10 is a detail of a cork screw type of finger sponge securing means.

Fig. 11 is an elevation and partial section of a stopper handle bored to receive the hard core of the finger of a finger sponge as a means of securing the handle.

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a finger sponge moistener and desk set, a part of which is detailed in Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 13 is an elevation of a handle fount or moistener using the end of a finger of the finger sponge.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing and in the specification to follow.

The finger sponge which is abundant in the ocean and bays in and near the shores of the United States is of fine texture and its surface is somewhat similar to the silk sponge of the Mediterranean Sea and in some respects is superior for uses which require a very fine soft surface. Finger sponges have not found a large a part of the commercial market in the past because each finger has a core or stem of relative hardness which, unless positioned or covered, would damage the skin or other surface over which it may be rubbed.

In my application for patent filed August 13, 1940, Serial No. 352,400, I have disclosed the use of the fingers of finger sponges in a pad or device in which a plurality of parts of the fingers are secured together and soarranged that the cores are exposed at the ends only. The face or sides present the soft fine texture of the sponge surface.

The sides of the fingers and the sharp end edge of the cut off finger serve to apply shoe polish or shoe white close to a line or the edge of the surface of the shoe or other article to which liquid is applied. The extremely absorbent nature of the sponge fingers thus holds a maximum of liquid and thus as a dauber for shoe conditioning and cleansing, the liquid is evenly applied without causing the surface of the shoe to become wet or to leak through perforated shoes. For moistening gummed adhesive surfaces such as labels, envelopes, etc. the moisture is evenly distributed in the desired amount with my sponge, and to facilitate its use, I have provided various types of handles and holders a will be better understood after a study of the specification to follow.

In the specification, I have disclosed in detail several ways the sponge finger may be secured to the handle or holder. The detailed constructions herein disclosed are not for the purpose of limiting my invention to such details, as persons skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may modify the construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the principles underlying my invention, of which this disclosure is an embodiment, illustrating the application of my invention.

Referring to the drawing and particularly Fig. 1, a typical finger sponge is illustrated. The

fingers l vary in size and from outward appearance are characteristic in branching out from a main stem and from branches thereof, each finger terminating in a rounded end 2.

Within each finger I is'a stem or core 3 which, though harder than the fibrous and cellular structure surrounding it, is absorbent. The stem and its surrounding sponge formation appears to blend into the structure without a dividing or destructive change at a fixed zone except that the density of the sponge is so much greater at its center as to feel hard by comparison. The core or stem reinforces the finger and is stiff enough to hold the finger from being easily bent for a substantial length. The core thus provides a stem which, when secured to a handle 4, firmly holds the handle in its securement thereto.

At the rounded ends of each finger, the stem absorbent material which, if secured to a handle would require reinforcing to resist bending, my sponge devices are reinforced by the natural core and its securement to the handle.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, I have shown a part 6 of the finger I cut perpendicular to the core 3 at both ends. The pointed end 7 of the sprue 8, which may be any long stick serving as the handle I, is forced into the center of one end of the exposed core 3. V

Fig. 3 shows a handle which may be an envelope opener or paper cutter 9 which is provided with a flat end surface I to which the adhesive I I is applied to receive and secure the end of the core and also the spongy end surface of the cut off piece 60f the finger I.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a stopper I2and handle I3 which may be used for a bottle or other container I4. In Fig. 4, I have shown the end piece I5 of one of the fingers I secured to the handle stopper by means of a pin I6 forced into the stopper and also into the core 3 which is not exposed at the end 2, thereby presenting a soft rounded end surface as well as soft side surfaces. In Fig. 5, the sponge body issecured to the stopper by the sharp end' I! being forced into the core 3 of the'finger.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a piece 6 of one of the fingers I secured to the handle I8 by means of the'two eends I9 and being forced into the core .3 at each 'of'its exposed ends. The ends I9 and 20 may be the ends of a wire 2! which is secured to the handle at a point between said ends and so shaped as to provide a bifurcated extension to said handle and thereby providing 3, mois tener .for sealing envelopes or for moistening labels or other surfaces. I

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown a similar mo1stener to the one shown in Fig. 6. The sponge body is secured at its ends by forcing the fastener pins 22 and 23 into the exposed ends of the core 3;.

The fasteners are also secured to the ends ofthe handle 24 whichf'may be recessed on its surface adjacent to the piece of the finger to cover the upper half of said pieceand also the fount 2t into which liquid may enter through the apertures 26 from the hollow chamber of base 21 of a the. deskset 28, also shown in Fig. 12..

In Fig. 9, I have shown a 'dauber which may have as its handle-the'stopper 29 which is provided with a long wire connection 30 secured at one end to said stopper and at its other end to the pieces by forcingthe wire through the entire length of the core 3 and bending the end 3I 'over to hook into the end of the core.

Fig. 10 shows a dauber which may be similar to the one shown in Fig. 9 exceptthat the wire may be bent into a cork screw 3| at theend to which the piece 32 is.secured. The piece 32 of'the finger may have one of its ends cut' on a bias to provide a sharper point 33 for coating or moistening surfaces close to a line or corner. The cork screw formed end may be forced by turning aroundthe core 3to firmly hold the piece of sponge finger to the handle. v i

secure the handle with liquid. The sleeve is preferably provided with an internal pin held to one end of the sleeve by the cross member 4| to provide an open passage for liquid tothe piece.l5 of the sponge finger, thus keeping said piece moistened. The handle serves as a reservoir for this type fountain moistener or dauber. The pin 40 engages and secures the sponge piece securely into the sleeve stopper by being forced into the core 3 of the sponge piece. I

Sponge pieces of the finger sponge are thus held and secured to handles of various types and the device so combined may be useful for many purposes, some of which are herein illustrated. The appended claims set. forth my invention.

I claim:

1. In anabs-orbent device, a piece of spongy material having .a relatively dense hard axial core decreasing in density radially away from said core, handle means and means securing said handle means to said core to secure said spongy piece to said handle means. V

2. In a spon y device, a piece of spongy ma-. terial having a relatively dense hard axialccre decreasing in density radially away from said core, handle means and a pin secured to said handle means and forced into said core to secure said piece to saidhandle means.

3. In a spongy device. a piece of spongy ,ma terial having a relatively dense hard axial core decreasing in density radially away from said core, handle means and end secured to said handle means and its opposite end engaging'said piece by engaging said core.

4. In a spongy device, a piece of spongy material having a relatively dense hard axial core decreasing in density radially away from said core, handle, means and a sleeve stopper and pin V secured centrally within said sleeve stopper and engaging said sponge core.

5. In a moistening device, handlefmeans having a liquid reservoir therein, a sleeve stopper closing the open end of said handle means, and

an absorbent piece having a relatively hard dense 6. In a moistening device, an absorbent piece having a relatively harder gressively softer and less ture surrounding said core, handle means comprising a pair of fastener pins for engaging both exposed ends, of said core in said piece.

dense core and a pro- NICK MANDALOU...

The spongy the end 36 stopper 39 closing its.

a wire having its one dense integral struc-'

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