US2344170A

US2344170A - Lather mixing machine

Info

Publication number: US2344170A
Application number: US389630A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rolstad Melvin; Harry E Cullen
Original assignee: ROLSTAD Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: ROLSTAD Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1941-04-21
Filing date: 1941-04-21
Publication date: 1944-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1961-03-14

Description

Patented Mar. 14, 1944 2,344,170 Lafrnan MIXING MACHINE Melvin Rolstad and Harry E.k Cullen,

Minneapolis, Minn., .assignors to Rolstad Manufacturing Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a partnership Application April 21, 1941, Serial No. 389,630

8 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lather mixing machines and more particularly to machines of the type disclosed 'ink the patent to Melvin Rolstad, No. 2,057,791.

An object of the present invention is to provide a streamlined lather mixing machine comprising a novel soap holding and feeding means and also a novel means for controlling the supply of water to the lather chamber whereby the water is delivered into the lower portion of the lather chamber remote from the motor.

A further and more specic object of lthe invention is to provide a lather mixing machine comprising a casing having a Water chamber in its upper portion, and a lather chamber provided in the lower portion of the casing having means for supporting a conventional bar or cake of soap, said water chamber having a conduit leading therefrom to the lower portion of the lather chamber and a rotary brush-like agitator mounted in the lather chamber adapted to contact water in the bottom of said chamber and to engage a surface of the soap bar with a brushing action, thereby to produce additional lather each time the machine is operated to dispense a small quantity f lather.

A further object of the invention resides in the novel means provided for operating the water control valve which comprises a U-shaped member having one leg depending into the water chamber from the upper portion thereof and positioned to engage and open the Water valve, the other leg of said member being operatively connected to the control lever for starting the agitator, wherebyv each time the agitator is started, said U -shaped member will engage and tem-A porarily open the Water valve to permit a small quantity of water to be admitted into the lather chamber.

Other objects reside in the novell arrangement and construction of the water conduit leading from the 'water chamber to the lather chamber, whereby the water is delivered into the lower portion vof the lather chamber; in the novel means provided in the lather chamber for supporting a bar of soap, whereby the soap is automatically fed into the lather chamber, as the 'bar of soap is worn away by engagement with the rotary agitator mounted in the lather chamber; in the provision of a lather mixing machine comprising a molded housing having water andr'lather chambers integrally formed therein and provided with a suitable cover member, whereby the entire housing may be manufactured at small cost; and, in the simple and inexpensive construction of the machine, whereby it readily lends itself for quantity production at smallA cost, and whereby it may be sold to the trade at a moderate price.

Other objects of the invention will appear from `the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry outthe various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood thaty the invention is not Vc'oiuin'ed to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view showing the general construction of the machine Figure 2 is a bottom View of Figure 1 with the bottom of the lather chamber removed to show the brush member mounted therein;

Figure 3 isk an end view of Figure `1, partially broken away;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View on the Aline 4 4 of Figure l, showing the water valve operat. ing member;

Figure is a detail sectionalview on the line 5--5 of Figure. 1, showing the means for automatically feeding the soap into the lather chamber;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the water valve; K

Figure '7 is an exterior view 'of the lower portion o-f the machinel showing the operating lever and the lather dispensing spout; and,`

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram of the moto-r and heat control circuits.

The novel apparatus herein disclosed is shown comprising a casing, generally designated by the numeral 2, having a water chamber 3 in its upper portion and alather chamber 4 in its lower portion. The water chamber is disposed substantially above the lather chamber 4, whereby Water may flow by gravity from the water chamber to the lather chamber. To conduct water from the water chamber to the lather chamber, a suitable conduit 5 is shown leading from the bottom of the water chamber .to a horizontal duct 6 having an upright end portion .'l, which is open to the lather chamber 4, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The horizontal duct 5 and upright duct 'l are shown provided in a capV 8, which forms the bottom wall of the lather chamber 4, and is secured in Yposition by suitable screws 9, inV a manner' to provide` aleak proof connection between the cover 8 and that portion of the casing wall against which it is seated.

A suitable lather mixer or agitator, generally designated by the numeral I I, is mounted in the lather chamber 4, and is shown comprising a cylindrical member l2 formed with a hub I3, bored to receive the lower end of a shaft I4, supported in a suitable bearing I5. The shaft I4 is driven by a motor, generally indicated by the numeral I6, supported in alchamber I1 provided in the casing 2 directly above the lather chamber 4. The hub I3 of the Jtubular member I2 may be secured to the motor shaft I4 by a suitable screw I8, best shown `inf Figure 1. The member I2 is provided with a plurality of brush elements I9 spirally arranged thereon in a direction to cause the lather in the chamber 4 to work upwardly therein to a suitable dispensing spout 2 I shown in Figure 3. The brush elements I9 are in the form of independent tufts of bristles, suitably secured to the member I2 and arranged in a spiral thereon, as best shown in Figure 3. v

Means is provided for supporting a bar of soap 22 in position to be fed in a direction towards the agitator II, and comprises an offset chamber 23 which is open at its inner end to the lather chamber 4, and is adapted to support the bar of soap 22, whereby the soap constitutes a wall portion of the cylindrical lather chamber 4. Opposltely disposed supporting pins 24 are secured in the side walls of the housing 2 to form abutment means against which the bar of soap 22 is seated, as best shown in Figure 5. y

A spring-actuated plate 25 is seated against the outer surface of the soap bar, and has a stem 26 slidably received in a cover member 21, which is detachably secured to the projecting wall portion 28 of the casing, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5. A suitable packing or sealing gasket or washer 29 is shown seatedY against the outer surface of the disk or plate 25 and is held in position thereon by a plate 3l, between which and the disk 25, the sealing element is clamped by a suitable screw 32. The screw 32 is 4received in threaded engagement with the inner end of the stem 26, and secures the disk, sealing element 29, and plate 3| thereto. The stem 26 is shown provided with a head 33, whereby the stem cannot become separated from the cover 21, when the latter is removed from the casing.

A suitable spring 34 is interposed between the plate 3l and the cover 21 and constantly urges the disk 25 in an inward direction to automatically feed the soap to the brush-like agitator Il. as will readily be understood by reference to Figure 5.

The machine herein disclosed is designed for using soap bars of conventional size and shape. After a soap bar has been inserted into the machine, it may become sufficiently softened from the water or moisture in the lather chamber to cause the supporting pins 24 to press into the soap, as a result of the pressure induced against the soap by the spring 34, as shown'at 35 in Figure 5. To facilitate loading the machine with a fresh bar of soap,'the stem 26 is shown provided with an annular groove/36 adapted to receive a washer 30, when the stem 26 is pulled outwardly to the dotted line position, shown in Figure 5, whereby the stem is locked against inward movement, thereby to facilitate securing the cover 21 in position onV the machine housing.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the means provided for controlling the is adapted to be engaged by supply of water to the lather chamber, whereby additional water is delivered to the lather chamber each time the machine is operated to dispense a portion of lather from the dispensing spout 2l.

The means provided for thus controlling the delivery of water from the water chamber 3 to the lather chamber 4, is best shown in Figures 1, 4, and 6, and comprises a spring actuated valve 31 secured to a stem 38, slidably supported in a retaining sleeve 39. The sleeve 39 has a threaded portion 4I received in threaded engagementwith a bushing 42 which, in turn, is received in threaded engagement with the wall of the upper portion of the upright water supply conduit 5.

The valve 31v is normally retained in closed position against the lower end of the supporting sleeve 39 by a suitable spring 43 having one end seated against a collar 44 secured to the valvestem 38, and its lower end against a partition 45 provided in the supporting sleeve 39. The upper end of the valve stem 38 projects above the Vbushing 42 and on it is a head 46 which the lower end portion 41 of a valve operating member, generally designated by the numeral 48.

The valve operating members 48, as best shown in Figure 4, is U-,shaped in form and comprises a leg 49 which extends downwardly into the water chamber from the upper portion thereof and has its lower end portion 41 positioned over the protruding head 46 of the valve stem 38. The other leg 5I of the U-shaped valve operating d member 48 is shown having an axial bore 52 in its upper end adapted to receive the downwardly bent end portion 53 of the leg 48. The upper bored end of the leg 5l is split, as shown in Figure 4, and is eXteriorly threaded to receive a clamping nut 54, whereby the depending end portion 53 of the leg 49 may be adiustably secured to the leg 5I. The nut 54 is engaged with the member 5I by a tapered thread, whereby the nut will cause the split wall sections of the upper end of the leg 5| to frictionally grip the portion 53 of the leg 49.

A short rod or pin 55 is shown secured to the lower endof the leg 5l, by such means as a screw 56. One end of the rod 55 projects through a slot 51 in a wall of the casing, and is provided with' a iinger grip 58, located exteriorly of the housing at an elevation below the dispensing spout 2l, whereby it may be conveniently actuated by the back of the operators hand, when it is desired to receive a charge of lather, as best shown in Figure 7. The inner end of the rod 55 is engaged with a switch operating lever 59 mounted for pivotal movement on a pivot 6I, and which carries a mercury switch 62 interposed in the motor circuit, subsequently to be described.

The motor circuit, as best shown in Figure 8, comprises

wires

63 and 64 leading respectively to terminals 65 and 66, which may be mounted in a suitable terminal block 61. The terminal 65 is shown electrically connected to a wire 68 of a supply circuit 15, the other wire 69 of which is connected to a terminal 1I, also mounted on the terminal block 61. The mercury switch 62 is shown connected by wires 12 and 13 to the terminals 66 and 1I, respectively, whereby it will be noted that the mercury switch' is, in effect, connected in series with one side of the motor. (Wires 64, 13 and 12.) The mercury switch 62 is so mounted on the arm 59, that it is normally readapted to be operated by the back of the hand` tained in circuit opening position byl gravity. Thus,l when lthe mercury switch lis in .its open position, as shown in full lines in Figures-1 and 8, the supply of current to the motor is `cut oil', whereby the machine is at rest.

Means is provided for warming thewater in the water chamber 3, and is shown comprising a heating element 14 connected in parallel with the supply circ-uit 15, by suitable Wires 16 and 1T. ByVv thus connecting the heating element to the -supply circuitV l5, lthe heating element is constantly on, so long as the supply circuit is connectedto a source of electric current. The heating element T4, it will be noted by reference to Figure 1, is located below the water chamber 3, whereby the bottom wall of the water chamber is constantly maintained at a temperature to surliciently warm the water in the water chamber 3.

The upper `end portion 18 of the motor shaft f4 is' shown suitably supported in an end cap 19 secured to the upper cylindrical wall portion 80 of the housing by suitable screws Bi. A Vcover member 82 is removably tted to the upper portion of the housing 2, asshown in Figures 1 and 4, and provides a closure for the water chamber and upper portion of, the motor I6.

In the operation of the novel lather dispenser herein disclosed, Water is introduced into the water chamber 3,`as shown in Figure l, and a bar of soap is inserted .into the opening 83 of the lather chamber, it being understood that the cover 21 is removed from the housing, when inserting a new bar of soap into the lather chamber. When the soap is initially inserted` into the opening 83, its inner face or 'end will engage the pins 24 and tfh'e cover member 2T is then replaced on the housing with the circular disk 25 engaging the soap bar, as shown in Figures 41 and 5. The spring 34 urges the soap bar forwardly into engagement with the pins 24, whereby the soap is so positioned that when the agitator or brush member I2 is rotated, the tufts of bristles IQ, will wipe across the inner surface of the soap and thereby remove` portions thereof which will be intermixed with the water delivered into the bottom of the latherl chamber, thereby to form a thick, rich,Y lather. The arrangement of Vthe brush elements YI9 on the cylindrical member I2 of the agitator! I, is such that the water in the bottom of the chamber is worked upwardly over the surface of the soap by the rotary action of the. brushor agitator. H', wherebya lather is quickly formed within the chamber 4 which, upon continued operation of the agitator, will discharge from the dispensing nozzle 2i into the operators hand, as will be readily understood. by reference to Figure 7.

To prevent water and thin lather from discharging from the spout 2| by the rotary action of the brush Il, a suitable restraining ledge 20' is.

provided 'at the receiving end of the dispensing spout 2l, asbest shownin Figure 3, which serves to check any water whic-hmay be worked upwardly over the surface of the lather chamber wall by the centrifugalaction of the brush. The ledge 211 also acts to partially restrain the iiow of lather from the lather chamber, whereby the soap and water are .thoroughly intermixed to` produce a thick lather before lather is discharged. from the dispensing spout.

The water control valve is operated Iby the valve operating member 48 each time the operating lever 58 is depressed to .close the` switch SZand start the motor I6.. The operating lever 58. 'is

or iingers, as shown in Figure '7, as the operator holds his hand under the dispensing spout 2l to receive a charge of lather. As soon as the operator releases the operating lever `5B, the anerc-ury switch 62 will return to its normal open position, as shown in Figures 1 and 8, whereby the supply f current to the motor is interrupted, thereby to interrupt rotation of the agitator Il.

The quantity of water delivered into the lather chamber each time the operating lever 5S is operated, may be conveniently varied by adjustment up or down of the end 53 of leg 4s of the U-shaped member '58 in the upper end of the leg 5i, when the cover 82 is removed. The leg 5|, as shown in Figure 4, 's slidably supported in a suitable guide S. provided in one of the side walls. of the housing 2. The water control valve is similar to an ordinary tire valve, whereby it may be manufactured at small cost.

An important feature of the invention as hereinbefore stated, resides in the novel arrangement of the water conduit leading from the water chamber 3 to the lather chamber 4, whereby it will-be noted that the water is brought into the lather chamber from the bottom thereof, thereby eliminating all danger of Water getting into the lower bearing i5 of the motor. The cap or closure 8 which 'ormsthe bottomwal of the lather chamber 4, is shown provided lwith a centraly disposed raised portion i. having an air vent 35 therein, the upper end kof which is spaced upu wardly from .the :bottom wall of the lather chamber, as clearly'illustrated in Figure l. The upper end .of ,the raised portion 86 is spaced well above the bottom wall of the lather chamber to prevent water delivered into the lather chamber from discharging through the air vent 85.

The discharge end of the upright portion 'I of the water conduit communicates with a small channel 8l provided in the top face oi the raisedportion of the cover 3. The channel 81=is directed inthe direction o1" rotation of the chamber i2, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 5, whereby the water conduit 'i is not likely to. become .clogged from lather which may enter the cylindrical' member i2 of the agitator` il. The portion 88 of the cover member S is also shown provided with a vertically disposed knife f edge .89,-l Which operates to scrape or remove accumulations of soap or lather from the interior wall of the rotary member i2, as will readily be understood by reference` to Figure 5.

The. novel soap dispensing apparatus herein disclosed, is. extremely simple and inexpensive in construction in that the entire housing, including the cover members 2l, and 82, may be -molded from afsuitable plastic material, such as Bakelite. The water chamber (i, lather chambei` .4, and motor cham-ber il, are all integrally formedin the housing, as shown in Fig-ure l, whereby the operation of assembling the apparatus .is extremely simple and inexpensive. The agitator or rotary' brush ii may readiiy be removed from .the motor shaft ,i :i by simply removing the caps B and 2'! fromthe housing, and then removingthe soap. When these parts are removed, -the look screw iE securing the agitator i i to the motor shaft, it maybe loosened to permit the :agitator to. be removed from the motor shaft I4.

The mercury switch 62 `which controls the flow of current to the motor may be ofconventional construction, and is adapted for tilting movement.

motor I6. It is also to be understood that the motor is of conventional well-known construction and it is therefore thought unnecessary to further illustrate and describe the same in detail.

The heating element 14, as previously stated, is continually on, when the service cord or supply circuit l5 is connected with a source of electric energy, whereby the water in the water chamber 3 will always be maintained at substantially constant temperature.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that we have accomplished at least the principal objects of our invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modiiied, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein speciically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that our invention is not limited thereto.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, one-piece casing providing a water chamber and a lather chamber having soap holding means associated therewith, a conduit for conducting water from the water chamber into the lower portion of the lather chamber, a valve in saidv condfuit, lather forming means in the lather chamber including a motor having a control switch, an operating lever for the control switch, and a U-shaped valve operating member having one leg operatively connected to said lever and having its other leg depending into the water chamber and positioned to engage and open the valve to admit rwater into the lather chamber, each time the lever is operated to close the motor switch.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing having a water chamber in its upper portion and a lather chamber in its lower portion, lather producing means in the lather chamber, a conduit for conducting water from the water chamber into the lower portion of the lather chamber, a spring-actuated valve in said conduit, a motor for operating the lather producing means, a normally open control switch for said motor, an operating lever for the control switch,

and a U-shaped valve operating member having one leg operatively connected to said lever and having its other leg depending into the water chamber and positioned to engage and open the valve to admit water into the lather chamber, each time the lever is operated to close the motor switch.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing providing a water chamber and a lather chamber, soap holding means associated therewith, a conduit for conducting water from the water chamber into the lower portion of the lather chamber, a normally closed valve in said conduit, lather forming means including a motor, a normally open control switch for the motor, an operating lever for the control switch, an elongated member mounted for sliding movement in the casing and having its lower end connected to the operating lever, and an element having one end adjustably connected to the upper end of said member and having its opposite end positioned to engage and open the valve, each time the lever is operated to close the motor switch.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, va

casing providing water and lather chambers, soap holding means associated with the lather chamber, a conduit for conducting water from the water chamber into the lower portion of the lather chamber, a normally closed spring-actuated valve in said conduit, lather forming means including a motor, a normally open control switch for the motor, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and supporting the control switch at one end, an operating member secured to the oppositie end of the lever and conveniently positioned eXteriorly of the casing, an elongated member mounted for sliding movement in the casing and having its lower end operatively connected to the operating member, the upper end of said elongated member terminating adjacent to the upper edge of the wall of the water chamber, and a stem having one end adjustably secured to the upper end of the elongated member and extending downwardly into the water chamber and having its lower terminal positioned to engage and open the valve, each time the operating member is operated to close the switch.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing providing a water chamber and a lather chamber having a dispensing spout, a soap receiving chamber in communication with the lather chamber, abutment means in the soap chamber adjacent to the lather chamber, a valved conduit for conducting water from the water chamber into the lower portion of the lather chamber, a rotary bnush in the lather chamber, a motor for driving said brush, said brush being mounted to engage the soap and intermix portions thereof with water to form a lather, a control switch for the motor, an operating lever for the control switch, and means for constantly urging the soap bar into engagement with the abutment means whereby it is automatically fed to the brush, as it is gradually consumed thereby.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing providing a water chamber and a lather chamber having a dispensing spout, a soap receiving chamber in communication with the lather chamber, abutment pins in the soap chamber adjacent to the lather chamber, a valved conduit for conducting water from the water chamber into the lower portion of the lather chamber, a rotary bnush in the lather chamber, a motor for driving said brush, said brush being mounted to engage the soap and intermix portions thereof with water to form a lather, a control switch for the motor, an operating lever for the control' switch, a springpressed plate for constantly urging the soap bar into engagement with the abutment pins whereby it is automatically fed to the brush, and means for warming the Water in the water chamber.

'7. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing providing water and lather chambers, a soap chamber in communication with the lather chamber, means to support bar of soap whereby a portion of the soap is exposed to the lather chamber, the soap chamber having a detachable cover forming a wall thereof whereby access may be had to said chamber, abutment means in the soap chamber for limiting inward movement of the soap bar, a conduit for conducting water from the water chamber into the lower portion of the lather chamber, lather forming means in the lather chamber, a motor for driving the lather forming means, a control switch for said motor, an operating member for the control switch conveniently positioned exteriorly of the casing, and spring actuated soap feeding means carried by said detachable cover for automatically feeding the soap into the lather chamber, as it is gradually consumed by the lather forming means.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing providing a Water chamber and a lather chamber, a lather dispensing spout in communication with the upper portion of the lather chamber, means for supporting a bar of soap in exposed relation to the lather chamber, means for delivering Water into the lower portion of the lather chamber, a rotatable brush in the lather chamber, means to press the soap against the 10 produce lather.

MELVIN ROLSTAD. HARRY E. CULLEN.