US2531066A - Spring-hinged two-part receptacle - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1950 J. J. LYNCH SPRING-HINGED TWO-PART RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1945 INVENTOR.

Nov. 21, 1950 J. J. LYNCH SPRI-NG-HINGED TWO-PART RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1945 INVENTOR.

Nov. 21, 1950 J. J. LYNCH SPRING-HINGED' TWO-PART RECEPTACLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 26, 1945 INVENTOR.

1 l I I I l I I I I II Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING-HINGED TWO-PART RECEPTACLE John J Lynch, Metuchen, N. 3.

Application July 26, 1945, Serial No. 607,203

6 Claims. I

This invention relates to holdersand in particular to a type designed toencase the brush end of a toothbrush so that the same can be kept in a sanitary condition and can be removed from and returned to the holder with a minimum of efiort and time. a

A particular object of my invention is to provide a holder in which all of the parts may be made from plastic or non-metal material and in which a novel molding of the parts will result in the reduction of the number of different parts wherein the connecting pin that hinges the parts together for opening and closing movement may be molded integrally with spring arms that serve as yieldable means for maintaining the parts of the holder closed and also prevent the relative movement of each part sidewise or laterally with respect to the other part, said spring means serving as a locking means to effectively hold the assembled structure together. A still further object of the invention is to provide a hinge pin having formed integrally therewith the spring arms referred to and in addition form the hinge pin of hollow molded form. While plastic construction is preferred, the use of non-rusting metal is with in the scope of the invention, but the use of the hinge element of elastic p astic permits ready assembly of the parts and replacement at small cost.

A further obiect of the invention is the provision of means whereby the bru h holders may be individu lly supported so that th y can be placed in and r moved from a rack w thout the necessity of removing anv ad ac nt holder from the rack. Also, each individual holder may be employed alone and is so constructed that it can be laid on a flat surface, can be hun up on a nail or can be supported from a flat wall by the u e of a vacuum cup. Each of the holders is so arran ed in the rack that the whole gro p form a s -b ta tially unbrok n front surface whi h can be used for combinations of letters making up a word, each individual holder also lending itself to the use on one side thereof of identifying names or insignia and each holder being also formed so that one side or the other, whichever is outermost in the rack may show the simulation of a figure.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain constructions hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims and a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in perspective of a holder and rack constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of a holder as it would appear out of the rack,

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of one of the like halves of a holder,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a half section turned at ninety degrees and illustrating how it can be combined with the half section of Figure 3 to form a whole holder,

- Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2 showing the relative position of a spring coil between the hub portions of the hinge,

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation partly in section, of a holder in individual use,

Figure '7 is a view in perspective of a holder shown supported against a wall by a vacuum cup,

Figure 8 is a plan view of the holder shown in Figure 7, the cup being shown in section,

Figure 9 is a view in side elevation showing a holder of slightly different conformation,

Figure 10 is a front view of the holder shown in Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a bottom view of the holder shown in Figure 9,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view in section of the holder supporting portion of a rack showing th bevell d edges of the engaging surfaces of the holder and rack,

Figure 13 is a face view of a holder sho ing how th same can be embossed or engraved to simulate a figure,

Figure 14 is a view in end l vation of a form of ra k and holder in which the depth of both is about alike,

Figure 15 is a face view of the rack and holders shown in Figure 14 s owin how the latter may present a subst ntially unbrok n app rance across the front thereof to bear individual names or numbers or some form of advertisin Figure 16 is a fragmentarv nlan view of the hinge hubs and means of holding the same to ge ter a a .p

Figure 1'7 is a section on the line of Figure 16 showing the integral construction of the spring and hinging means,

Figure 18 is a side view of the hinge and spring element,

Figures 19, 20, 21, and 22 show various forms of the hinge and spring elements.

Referring to the drawing in detail, l indicates a rack strip whose ends are ofiset as at I to be secured to a supporting surface, the intermediate section or" reach of the rack |2being shaped to present oiiset strips or fingers |3 in spaced relation with each other, the intermediate panels l4 constituting the body of the rack. The bottoms of the fingers |3 where they join the body of the rack afford a rest for the holders, which are held securely in place in the fingers and against the panels I 4. The rack may be made of any material desired, plastic being preferable as it lends itself to easy cutting and shaping or molding.

The brush holder is made of identical parts that require one molding die and are shaped to provide a housing I5 of rectangular hollow form having side edge openings l6 and an opening for the shank of a brush in the bottom inclined wall H, the opening indicated as at l8 being of any desired shape. The taper of the bottom wall H, which may be flat or semi-circular in shape, drains off water that may be left in the brush when it is returned to the holder after use.

The housing I5 is formed with an integral edge flange at opposite edges thereof as at 20, which flanges slip in behind the fingers |3 to support the holder It in lace in the rack. The distance between the fingers 13, which are in efiect outstanding flanges, permits close fit therebetween of the housings |5 so that when one holder is put in place or removed it will not effect the position of the adiacent holder. Each holder may be removed individually. The fingers l3 have a spring action and grip the flanges 20 if desired, but this is unnecessary as the depth of the flanges 20 prevent any accidental lifting of the holder out of the rack.

The housing i5, two of which are combined to make a complete holder, is shaped to provide along its upper inner edge, a. cylindrical hub portion 2| and an adjacent or contiguous hub' seat portion 22, which latter issubstantially of the same contour and radius as the exterior of the hub so that when the housings |5 are put together to form a holder, the respective hubs and hub seats fit together to provide a hinge structure that is long enough to prevent any relative skewing between the housings and to hold them closed evenly at the edges. The hub 2| and seat 22 are formed in the junction of the extension 23 with the housing body IE, it being understood that the entire housing unit is molded in one piece to provide the extension 23 ,to which may be attached by a rivet, a vacuum cup as at 24 or the extension may be provided with an opening 25 through which itm'ay be hung on a nail. The outer surface of the extension 23 may .be knurled so that the fingers will not slip when the finger extensions 23' are squeezed to open the housings IS in their united holder construction. The inner wall 275 of said extension is slotted as at 21, the slot opening into; the hub seat 22 at one side and bounding the end of the hub 2 at the opposite side. The slot is placed centrally of the housing l5 so that when two housings are united, the slot of each housing provides acontinuous groove for the reception of a spring member 30 which as shown in Figure 5 may be a coiled spring whose convolutions 3| surround a hinge pin 32 passing through the hub portions 2| and spaced by the convolutions of the spring, whose ends 33 rest in the slots 21 and prevent lateral separation of the housings |5 by engagement with the side walls of said slots 21. In this form the coil of the spring member may frictionally engage the hinge pin which may be force fitted into the coiled part of the spring so that it will not have endwise movement, and so that heading of the pin will not be necessary.

In the preferred method, I would join the housings by the use of a single piece flexible plastic member of the forms shown in Figures 16 through 22 and consisting, in Figures 16, 17 and f8 of a pin member 34 whose elastic property is negligible having wings or blades 35 which are elastic enough to yieldably resist the movement of the finger pieces 23 toward each other in an opening movement of the holder to permit removal of a brush and provide the spring tension. necessary to maintain the housings in relatively closed position. The spring blades 35 lie the slots 2! and fit therein snugly enough to prevent relative sidewise movement of the housings. They prevent the pin portion from moving endwise and the holder is made from two different members, that istwo like housing pieces i5 joined by one spring hinge member 34. The parts can be quickly assembled and are securely united when the member 34 is in place with its blades in the groove that is formed by the slots 2?, the blades being part of a peripheral spacing flange 34A formed on the member 34, the blades being part of a peripheral spacing flange 34A formed on the member 34.

While I have shown this form of structure in connection with a tooth brush holder, it is evident that it can be employed in any structure in which like hinged parts are to be united for relative opening and closing movement as in a box construction for use in any manner.

While reference is made to flexible plastic, it is evident that the form of hinge member may be embodied in a metal structure and in Figure 20, a form of either plastic or metal structure is shown consisting of a pin forming tube 49 which fits into the hubs 2| of the united housings I5 so that the integrally formed wings or blades 4| thereof will rest in the slots 27 to lock the housings together as shown in Figure 2 and provide the spring action to yieldably keep the parts closed. The form of the blade portions 35 in Figure 17 may be varied as shown in Figure 19 in which they extend as at 42 tangentially to the pin forming portion 43 of the hinge element. In Figure 21, the use of a spring strip 44 is illustrated as providing blade portions 45 and a central loop 46 which may grip the separate pin 46A used as a hinging element to cooperate with the member 4'4 in holding the housings l5 in united relation.

The bore 28 of thehu bs 2| is molded or drilled in the hubs and the hinge pin member is slipped into one of the hubs of a housing and then the other likehousing is slipped over the exposed end of the hinge pin member and the blades snap into the slots 2! and the device is completely assembled, the parts are locked together and the housings may be squeezed open against the spring action of the blades and-will snap closed when the finger extensions are released, to imprison the bristle end of the brush within the holder.

As shown in Figure 22, the hinge pin 48 may be grooved as at 49 intermediate its ends to permit the retention of a spring blade 50, either or both of which may be made from metal or plastic.

In the Figures 14 and 15, the holder is shown as being about as deep as the rack and the edge flanges 52 engage within the turned over strips 53 so that the holders are supported in the rack and present along their front faces a substantially unbroken wall. Each holder may be identified as by the name of the individual whose toothbrush is housed or by a number as desired and the whole may form a complete advertisement. Further, the upper ends of the finger extensions 23 when the holders are in place in the rack provide a cradle into which may be laid the tube of toothpaste so that it is convenient for use. For the use of children, the holders may be ornamented or molded in simulation of human or animate fingers as shown in Figure 13 as at 55, in this instance the holder being of slightly difierent shape in that the finger extensions are shortened as at 55' and the wall of the housing is curved as at 51. When the holder is used individually, it may be supported on a pin or nail passing through an opening 25 formed in the end of the finger extension 23 or may be provided with a vacuum cup at the end of one of said extensions as at 24, Figures 7' and 8. The upper ends of the rack panels and fingers, l4 and 13 respectively, and the lower edges of the flanges 20 may be bevelled or edged as at60 to facilitate the insertion of the holders into the rack, as shown in Figure 12.

My invention is not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown since various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages derived from its use.

What I claim is:

1. A receptacle comprising like housing members, each member being shaped to provide a hub and a hub contacting seat in axial alignment, a slot in each member intermediate hub' and seat, and extending laterally therefrom, a pintle passing through the hubs when the members are reversely united and flexible means extending laterally from said pintle to engage the slot in each member and secure said members in receptacle forming relation and yieldably resist relative opening movement thereof.

2. A receptacle comprising housing members made from the same plastic molding die, each member being shaped to provide a hub and a hub seat in axial alignment each hub and seat being in contact when the members are united, a slot intermediate said hub and seat and extending the body of each member, a pintle passing through the aligned hubs and slot engaging spring arms extending from said pintle to secure said members in receptacle forming relation and to yieldably resist relative opening movement of the members.

3. A receptacle comprising like housing members, each member being shaped to provide an extending finger piece, a hub and a hub seat in adjacent axial alignment, a slot intermediate said hub and seat extending into the finger piece, and a pivot member having integral oppositely projecting flexible blades for engaging the slot portions of the members to secure the same laterally in matching receptacle forming association and yieldably oppose the hinging movements of the members relatively to each other in one direction.

4. A holder comprising plastic units cast in the same die, each unit being shaped to provide a receptacle portion, axially aligned single hub and hub contacting seat portions each extending substantially half the width of the unit, said receptacle portion having a groove extending laterally from said hub seat at the inner end of said hub, a hinge pin passing through the hubs of two assembled units and laterally extending members associated with said hinge pin for engagement with the grooves of said units for holding the latter widthwise in receptacle forming relation and yieldably resisting relative hinging movement therebetween.

5. A holder comprising relatively hinged members each including, when the members are reversely united, a cooperating hub and seat portion and formed to provide grooves extending laterally from a point between said hub and seat portions, a hinge pin passing through said hub portions and having integral flexible extensions for engagement with said grooves to yieldably resist hinging movement of the members in one direction, and said extensions and grooves constituting means for securing the pin in position in the hubs and preventing relative lateral movement between said members.

6. A container made from two identical half members each shaped to provide hub and hub seat portions for interfitting axially aligned contactual relation when the members are reversely united to form the container, a slot in each half member extending laterally from the contiguous ends of the hub and seat portions, a pintle passing through said hub portions and means associated with the pintle for engaging each slot to secure the halves in container forming relation and to yieldably resist pivotal movement therebetween.

JOHN J. LYNCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 495,966 Ennis Apr. 25, 1893 753,381 Vom Eigen Mar. 1, 1904 1,102,556 Swartz July 7, 1914 1,291,349 Ackers Jan. 14, 1919 1,301,698 Hough Apr. 22, 1919 1,444,368 Conley Feb. 6, 1923 1,453,959 Thomas May 1, 1923 1,544,694 Speidel July 7, 1925 1,870,276 Beilock Aug. 9, 1932 1,952,937 Pilato Mar. 27, 1934 1,995,348 Larter Mar. 26, 1935 2,015,999 Frank Oct. 1, 1935 2,037,569 Fahn Apr. 14, 1936 2,074,248 Barbour Mar. 16, 1937 2,145,456 Oshman et a1. Jan. 31, 1939 2,205,969 Boenecke June 25, 1940 2,246,705 Tyree June 24, 1941 2,275,549 Oshman et al Mar. 10, 1942 2,308,625 Rathbun Jan. 19, 1943 2,324,738 Stieglitz July 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 449,335 Great Britain June 25, 1936

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