US2876936A

US2876936A - Soap dispensing device

Info

Publication number: US2876936A
Application number: US576142A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lippman Samuel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-04-04
Filing date: 1956-04-04
Publication date: 1959-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1976-03-10

Description

March 10, 1959 s. LIPPMAN 2,876,936

SOAP DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 4. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. .1

INVENTOR. SAMUFL L/PPMA/V BY. @w W;Mr@au ATTORNEY Mar h 10, 1959 s. UPPMAN I 2,876,936

SOAP DISPENSING bEVicE Filed April 4. 195a '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 SAME; 23235122 BY-' /02 0 98 QM, M,My@m.

A7TQRNEYS.

March 10, 1959 s. Lll PMAN 3 SOAP DISPENSING mzvxcs Filed April 4. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

SAMUEL A IPPMAN A OR/VE rs.

soar nrsrnusrrso Davies Samuel Lippman, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to David Lrppman, doing business as Banite (Jompany, Buifaio,

Application April 4, 1956, Sierial No. $76,142

It (Ilairns. (Cl. ZZZ-4:26)

The present invention relates generally to dispenser devices adapted for controlled dispensing of preparations in liquid or paste form such as may be put up and shipped to the trade in small containers, and more particularly to improvements therein.

Heretofore, various dispenser devices have been proposed for efiecting controlled ejection of predetermined quantities of liquid or paste preparations as exemplified in the disclosure of the device of the Lippman Patent No. 2,700,490 issued January 25, 1955 wherein a worm element in threaded engagement with a vertically movable piston may be positioned in a replaceable can container and used for applying a desired degree of pressure to the contents thereof. Progressive rotation of the worm element in engagement with the pressure applying piston is normally accomplished by a ratchet mechanism provided in a base support member having means arranged for opening a valved orifice in communication with the interior of the container simultaneously with applications of predetermined pressures on the contents thereof. Thus, measured quantities of the contents of a replaceable container may be dispensed in a convenient manner. However, dispenser arrangementsof the prior art have had the disadvantages of being subject to frequent failures in service causing high maintenance costs and in their embodiment of valve orifice closure means permitting untidy dripping of the contents therefrom.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispenser device of the aforesaid type for effecting controlled ejection of measured quantities of liquid or paste preparations.

A further object of the present invention is to provide improved self-closing valve means in a dispenser device of: the aforesaid type, the valve means being constructed and arranged to be easily actuated into open position simultaneously with an increase in pressure on the contents of the dispenser whereby predetermined amounts of the liquid or paste contents will be progressively ejected as required.

A still further object of the present invention will be to provide an improved dispenser device of the aforesaid type embodying improved means for holding a replaceable container in mounted position therein and thereby eliminating the need for externally applied clamping pressures on unsupported portions of the container that may cause deformation of portions thereof so as to interfere with successful operation of devices of this character.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide in an improved dispenser device of the aforesaid type, an improved clutch mechanism arranged in cooperation with a worm element of the device for effecting uni-directional turning thereof to cause predetermined downward movement of a pressure-applying piston'provided in threaded engagement therewith in response to strokes of a handle means arranged to extend externally of the dispenser device, said clutch mechanism also being in operative connection to an improved valve means of the present invention, whereby predetermined quantities I 2 of the container contents will be intermittently extruded through the valve orifice upon manual actuation of said handle.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved dispenser device of the aforesaid type wherein the various'parts thereof will be interconnected in a novel manner to form a unit which will be adapted for long service under even adverse conditions of use with very low maintenance costs.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved soap dispenser of the aforesaid type which will be readily susceptible to manufacture by modern mass production techniques at low unit cost.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear in the specification set forth hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a cross-sectional elevational view showing one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional plan view taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary partly sectional view of a portion of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig.4 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section taken along the line IV IV of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in see- I tion showing a modification of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device according to the present invention as illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises generally a container ltl, a wall-mounted base casting 12, an upright post member 14 fixedly mounted to said base casting 12 so as to extend centrally through the container 10, a one-way clutch mechanism lti'a rotatable threaded worm element 18, a worm retaining knob 20 threaded onto the upper end of the center post 114, and a valve mechanism 22 operably connected to the oneway clutch mechanism 16 through the medium of pivotally interconnected links 24 and 26.

The base casting 12 will be cast preferably of a suitable metal such as aluminum, or the like, into a generally hollow circular configuration as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 to provide a recessed annular upwardly presented seat portion 3% at its upper end which extends downwardly from the inner edge thereof to form an inner Well portion 32 at the bottom of which will be formed a circular upstanding boss portion 34. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casting 12 may be provided with an integral bracket part 36 supported by means of an integral rib portion 33 and providing flat faces ill arranged to be mounted against a supporting wall structure through the medium of suitable bolt or other fastener means which may be passed through openings 42-4 either directly thereto or through the medium of any suitable mounting bracket arranged as would be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art. Thus, it will be appreciated that a dispenser made according to the present invention may be permanently aflixed to a supporting Wall structure, if desired, or may be accommodated easily for connection to a suitably arranged bracket means where-by the dispenser device may be removably clamped thereto.

The container 10 preferably will be formed of a sheet material into a generally cylindrical shape and will be utilized for shipping liquid or paste preparations to the trade for use as part of a dispenser device made in accordance with the teaching of the present invention in the manner more specifically set forth hereinafter. The bottom of the cylindrical container 19 normally will be provided with a capped circular opening 46 while the open upper end thereof will be arranged to be closed by means of a removable cover member 43 having a central aperture 50 therein normally closed with a suitably formed removable friction cap of any suitable type (not shown) as may be required to retain the contents of the container prior to its installation for use in the dispenser. It will be appreciated that the bottom wall portion 52 of the container and the shape of the cover member 48 (Fig. 1) may be formed in various configurations whereby containers 10 may be stacked in superposed position to facilitate storage thereof, or the like, without these modified forms of container covers in any way interfering with operation of the dispenser device according to the present invention in relation therewith. It will further be appreciated that the opening 50 in the cover member 48 will be formed of a diameter only slightly larger than the external diameter of the center post knob 20 so as to be adapted to clear the outer surface of the latter but still providing an effective shield against the ingress of foreign particles and dust into the interior of the container such as might contaminate the contents therein. The base portion 52 (Fig. 1) of the container 10 will be adapted to seat onto a sealing gasket 54 adhesively attached to the surface of the upstanding peripheral seat 30 of the hollow casting 12, and thereby will seat the bottom of the container when in mounted position against the passage of air into contact with the contents. The boss portion 34 of the casting 12 will be provided with a centrally located threaded opening 56 through which the lower threaded end portion 58 of the center post member 14 will be screwed in order that the center post 14 will be positioned in axially aligned relation with the cylindrical container 10 (Fig. l). A nut 60 may be threaded onto the protruding end 58 of the center post 14 to further rigidly hold the center post in upright position without placing undue stress on the internal threads provided in the central opening 56 of the boss 34.

The externally threaded worm element 18 will be slip fitted over the center post 14 so as to be freely rotatable thereon. As shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the lower end of the threaded worm element 18 will be provided with a pair of diametrically opposed integral lug portions 62- 62 which will be suitably dimensioned to freely fit into diametrically opposed recesses 64-64 formed in the clutch part 66 of the clutch mechanism 16. When in engaged position in the clutch part 66, the opposite end of the worm element 18 preferably will extend upwardly to slightly below an annular shoulder 68 of the center post 14 to provide suflicient clearance for permitting rotation of the worm element below the lower abutment face of the knob 20 which will be threaded onto the upper end 70 of the center post 14 into abutment with the shoulder 68.

A movable piston element 72 will be provided in threaded engagement with the rotatable worm element 18, as shown in Fig. 1, so that rotation of the worm element 18 through the medium of the one way clutch mechanism 16 and the parts associated therewith will apply predetermined pressure on the container contents 74 which will be trapped between the underside of the piston and the base casting 12.

An important feature of the present invention is that the rotatable worm element 18 and the piston element 72 will be retained against axial movement relative to the center post 14 by abutment of the upper end of the worm element against the knob 20 screwed on the upper end of the center post, with the result that the pressure applied to the contents '74 will be transmitted therethrough to act on the upper surface of the container base portion 52 and thereby retain the container in effectively clamped relation on the gasket 54 of the upwardly presented seat 30 of the casting 12, and thereby eliminate the need for any externally applied clamping pressure on the walls of the container 10 which might cause deformation thereof and result in an inoperable condition.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. l, the piston element 72 is comprised of a pair of opposed annu lar parts 74-76 which preferably will be spot welded together as shown for example at 78-80. Centrally located between the inner ends of the annular elements 74-76 there will be provided an internally threaded annular element 82 integrally connected therewith by means of the spot welds 8486 and being in threaded engagement with the rotatable worm element 18. In order that rotation of the worm element 18 will result in axial movement of the piston element 72 therealong, the external periphery of the piston element is arranged to be provided with an annular resilient gasket member 88 in fixed relation therewith and of slightly greater external diameter than the inside diameter of the container 10. Thus, it will be appreciated that insertion of the piston element 72 into the inside of the container 10 will necessitate compression of the resilient peripheral gasket 86 which thereafter will exert suflicient radial force against the container walls to prevent its rotation in the process of being carried downwardly by the action of the worm element 18 to apply the desired pressure on the paste contents. A suitable wire bale member 88 may be pivotally mounted on the upper surface of the piston element 72 to facilitate handling thereof as during removal and mounting of the container in the dispenser unit (Fig. 1).

Uni-directional rotation of the worm element 18 will be accomplished, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, through the medium of the one-way clutch mechanism 16. This clutch mechanism, in the form illustrated in the drawing, includes an outer annular ring 89 mounted for movement on an upwardly presented annular seat 90 formed by the bottom of a recess 92 of the upper portion of the well 32 in the bottom of the casting 12 in operative connection with the annular inner clutch part 66, the latter being rotatably mounted on the reduced diameter portion 94 of the center post 14 as shown in Fig. l and being retainedagainst axial displacement by engagement of the upper surface thereof against the annular shoulder 95 provided on the center post 14. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the clutch part 66 is provided on its periphery with a plurality of evenly spaced generally V-shaped teeth 96, these teeth having straight radially outwardly extending lands on one side and inclined faces on their opposite sides whereby contact of the latter with spring-pressed pawl members, as noted below, around the periphery of the teeth 96 will cause these inclined faces to yieldingly press these pawls outwardly with no restriction on rotatable movement while reverse movement of these pawls will cause rotation of the clutch part 66 and the worm element connected thereto around the center post 14. In order to facilitate uni-directional movements of the clutch, the bottom edge of the clutch part 66 likewise will be provided with a plurality of generally V-shaped teeth, each having beveled and fiat faces corresponding to each of the faces of the ratchet teeth 96 on the outer periphery of the part 66. Thus, it will be appreciated that the ratchet teeth on the clutch part 66 will be arranged to permit either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation thereof about the center post 14 as may be desired, and that the formation of the beveled teeth on the bottom of the clutch part corresponding to the peripherally located teeth will be used in cooperation with a suitable springpressed detent as described hereinafter to prevent rotation of the clutch part 66 in other than one direction about the center post 14.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the outer annular ring 89 of the clutch mechanism 16 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed pawl members 104104 arranged to be pivotally mounted therein adjacent the inner edge thereof. The outer ends of these pawl members cooperate with a pair of compression springs 106-406 fitted in suitably provided recesses 107107 provided in the ring 89 in order to resiliently urge these pawl members into engagement with the peripherally spaced teeth 96 of the inner clutch part 66. For the purpose of preventing reverse rotation of the clutch part 66, there is provided a detent member 108 which is slip-fitted into an opening in the top of the central boss portion 34 of the casting 12 at a suitable position therein and is arranged to be resiliently urged upwardly into engagement with the beveled teeth 102 provided on the bottom of the clutch part 66 by means of a compression spring 110.

The annular ring 89 will be rotated within certain predetermined limits by means of a lever member 112 fixed in the inner end of a rotatable shaft member 114 journaled through the base of the casting 12 in a radially outwardly extending position for connection at its outer end to a suitably formed handle portion 116 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The lever 112 will be fixed in the inner end of the shaft portion 114 so that its lower end portion will extend downwardly between a pair of spaced upstanding shoulder portions 118-118 provided in the base portion of the casting 12 for the purpose of limiting the range of pivotal movement of the lever 112 and thereby the handle member 116. The lever 112 and the handle 116 may be resiliently urged to one end limit of their movement by means of a clock-spring 1211 (Figs. 2 and 4) arranged around the shaft part 114 with its inner end fitted into a slot 122 in the inner end of the shaft part 114 while its outer end may be supported on the upper edge of an upstanding wall portion 126 in the casting 12. Thus, it will be appreciated that the shoulders 118-118 of the casting 12 will be suitably spaced in order that one stroke of the handle 116 will cause the lever member 112 to engage the outer annular clutch part 89 and rotate the samethrough a range of rotary movement, clockwise in the view shown in Fig. 2, so as to cause the pawls Hid-11M carried thereby to engage the fiat faces of the peripheral teeth 26 on the inner clutch part 66 and rotate the latter about the center post 14 by an amount equivalent to the spacing between the adjacent flat parts of the adjacent ratchet teeth $6. It will be appreciated that this will cause rotation of the worm element 18 by a corresponding amount with resultant application of predetermined pressures on the contents of the container as noted heretofore. Return movement of the lever 112 and the handle 116 under the urge of the clock-spring 120 will bring the annular clutch element 89 back to its original position into condition for further operation of the unit since it will be appreciated that reverse rotation of the clutch part as will be precluded by engagement of the spring-pressed detent 1138 with the flat faces at one side of the beveled teeth 1112 provided on the underside of the clutch part 66.

Therefore, it will be appreciated that embodiment of the present invention in a dispenser device of the type proposed having its various mechanical parts designed to provide the desired predetermined pressure found to be most satisfactory for ejection of the contents of the container will result in maintenance of uniformity in the amount of such pressure exerted on such contents at each stroke of the handle 116 to provide efiicient and uniform discharge of the contents from the dispenser.

In order to permit extrusion of predetermined amounts, for example, of a paste-type soap from the contents of the container 10, the valve means 22 will be arranged to be operable in synchronism with manual operation of the dispenser handle 116 as shown for example in Figs. 1, 2 and 4-. Thus, the casting 12 will be provided with an extrusion orifice 13% having its inner end in communication with the interior of the container 14) and through which the contents of the container may be dispensed in controlled amounts as determined by the operation of the valve parts in the below described manner. The inner ends of the extrusion orifice 136 will be formed of reduced diameter in order to provide an annular spring seat 132 therein against which will be seated a compression spring 134- for resiliently urging a ball type closure valve 136 integrally fixed on the outer end of the valve link 24 into seating relation against the inner valve seat opening 138 in the inner end of a valve insert 1 0 pressfitted into the outer end of the extrusion orifice 130, this element 72 insert being provided with an orifice 142 through which the contents of the container will be dispensed into the hand of a user. By virtue of the position of the valve seat 138 being in close proximity to the discharge orifice 142 of the valve means as in the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, a substantially dripless discharge of the container contents will be achieved.

It will be appreciated to be a still further feature of the present invention that the compression spring 134 is preloaded inthe process of assembly. The innermost end of the link member 26 is pivotally secured in a suitably located opening 14-4 of the rotatable outer annular clutch part 89 for rotation thereof by manual actuation of the handle member 116 to simultaneously open the ball-bearing valve part 136 so as to eject predetermined quantities of the pressurized contents of the container 10 through the discharge orifice 142 simultaneously with application of pressure by the worm-operated piston element '72.

An important function of the valve 22 in the present device in that release of the handle 116 permits the ball part 126 to be spring-urged toward the valve seat 138 to push the paste contents before it outwardly through the valve orifice 130 to create a pressure relieving condition rearwardlythereof. This feature eliminates the build up of excess pressures in the dispenser such as have heretofore resulted in splitting the seams of the container 11) as in prior art applications. Furthermore, control will be maintained over the rate of discharge of the pressurized contents of the container 10 by varying the size and spacing of the coils of the preloaded spring 134 as may be desired so that it will perform the dual function of maintaining the ball valve part 136 in seated position on the valve seat 138 and restricting the rate at which the contents may be discharged through the extrusion orifice. It will be appreciated further that the function of the compression spring 134 in closing the valve 22, will assist in returning the rotatable outer annular clutch part 89 to its original inoperative position and thereby will complement the action of the clockspring 124 in returning the handle member 116 back to its initial position. This arrangement will obviously serve to balance the forces applied on the clutch part 89 as at substantially diametrically opposed points thereon so as to provide a smoothly operable mechanism giving long lasting trouble-free operation. Of course, it will also be appreciated that the compression spring 134 might be designed readily so that its valve closing function might also cause the rotatable clutch part 89 and the handle 116 connected therewith to return to their original position so as to thereby eliminate the need for a clock spring member 12G as shown in the present embodiment of the invention.

The lower portion of the worm element 18 will preferably be relieved or unthreaded to receive the piston freely at the end of its stroke in order to avoid continuous screw pressure against the base of the container such as might damage the dispenser.

For a cycle of operation of the improved dispenser device illustrated in the drawing, it is only necessary for the operator standing in front of the machine to turn the handle member 116 substantially a quarter turn forwardly with one hand while cupping the other hand under the valve means orifice 142, and then releasing the handle immediately upon the same reaching the limit of its movement, that is, by the lower portion of the lever member 112 engaging one of the shoulders 118 of the casting 12 (see Fig. 4-), thereby allowing the clock spring 121) and the preloaded compression spring 134 to return the valving and clutch parts to the normal positions thereof. This forward movement of the handle effects rearward swinging full line position thereof to the dotted line position thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Simultaneously with opening of the ball bearing valve 136, the clutch part 66 will be actuated by engagement of its peripherally arranged clutch teeth with the resiliently pressed pawl members 104 104 pivotally mounted on the inner portions of the rotatable clutch part 89, and by consequent rotation of the threaded worm element 18 connected to the clutch part 66, a slight downward movement is transmitted to the non-rotatable piston element 72. This slight downward movement of the piston element 72 will be sufiicient to pressurize the contents of the container 10 and to eject a predeterminedly small amount of the contents into the cupped hand of the operator. Because the one way clutch mechanism 16 is arranged to be effective only in the forward direction of operation, the threaded worm element 18 is turned in pressure-applying direction only, and hence, repeated operation of the dispenser is effected to move the piston readily downward until it reaches the unthreaded portion at the bottom of the worm element.

When the container 10 is empty it is only necessary to remove the empty container and then the piston element 72, replacing the empty container with a full one from which the covers have been removed from both ends, replacing the piston on the sleeve, removing the small cap (not shown) centrally located in the cover member 48 and fitting this cover over the worm retaining knob 20, into engagement with the full container to shield the contents from dirt and the like as described above.

As shown in Fig. 5, the dispenser mechanism may utilize a preformed container cover member 150, in which case the cover member 48 described above and normally supplied with a full container 10 might be discarded and would not require inclusion of a centrally located opening 50 and a cooperating cap (not shown) fitted therein to protect the contents prior to use. Also, a suitable torque-applying pin 152 may be fitted through the retaining knob 20 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 as an aid to application of sufiicient torque on the knob 20 to securely lock the latter on top of the center post 14 and also to facilitate removal of this knob as when removing the piston during replacement of empty containers and during repair or other servicing operations.

While a single embodiment of the present invention has been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A soap or like paste dispenser, comprising a rela tively fixed base having a seat portion comprising a laterally extensive seat wall having a central opening, a

gasket on said seat wall substantially co-extensive therewith, a shaft fixed to said base to extend axially outwardly of said seat portion at said central opening, an externally threaded worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a removable container for the paste provided with an opened end having a bottom wall portion surrounding the opening therein, said bottom wall being received in said seat and being shaped to conform to said seat wall for being supported thereon in parallel relation thereto on said gasket, a piston threaded on said worm element to be slidable within the container, said piston having a peripheral gasket adapted to bear against and seal to the interior side wall of the container, the piston gasket being operative to hold the piston against rotation by friction with the interior wall of the container, control means operable to rotate said worm element progressively in one direction and thereby by screw action progressively move said piston axially against the paste to apply pressure thereto, said base having a wall portion provided with an extrusion opening extending from the interior to the exterior thereof, valve means in said base synchronized with operation of said control means to open said extrusion opening for a predetermined length of time to dispense paste from the container, and abutment means on the outer end of said shaft to prevent axial movement of said worm element thereon whereby the piston pressure applied to the paste will also act on the inner surface of the bottom wall portion of the container to maintain the container in sealed relation on the fixed base seat portion until discharge of the paste therefrom without application of clamping pressures externally of said container.

2. A soap or like paste dispenser, comprising a relatively fixed base having a seat portion comprising a laterally extensive seat wall having a central opening, a gasket on said seat wall substantially co-extensive therewith, a shaft fixed to said base to extend axially outwardly of said seat portion at said central opening, an externally threaded worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a removable cylindrical container for the paste forming a portion of the exterior sides of said dispenser and having a bottom end wall with a central opening, said bottom wall being shaped to be received in said seat on said gasket in conforming relation thereto, a dust cover having a centrally located opening and a seat portion receiving and rigidizing the other end of said container, a piston member threaded on said worm element to be slidable within the container, said piston having a peripheral gasket adapted to bear against and seal to the interior side wall of the container, the piston gasket being operative to hold the piston against rotation by friction with the interior wall of the container, control means operable to rotate said worm element progressively in one direction and thereby by screw action progressively move said piston member axially against the paste to apply pressure thereto, said base having a wall portion provided with an extrusion opening extending from the interior to the exterior thereof, valve means in said base synchronized with operation of said control means to open said extrusion opening for a predetermined length of time to dispense paste from the container, and abutment means removably mounted on the outer end of said shaft for preventing axial movement of said worm element therealong whereby the piston pressure on the paste will clamp the bottom wall of the container against the fixed base seat portion so as not to require application of external clamping force externally of said container.

3. A liquid or paste contents dispenser, comprising a relatively fixed base having an upwardly presented peripheral seat portion comprising a laterally extensive seat wall, a removable cylindrical container for the paste having a bottom wall with a central opening and being shaped and arranged for mounting on said seat wall in conformably fitting and sealing relation thereto, pressure means operable against paste in said container, control means for actuating said pressure means progressively to apply said pressure to the paste, said base having a wall portion provided with an extrusion opening extending from the interior to the exterior of the base, valve means synchronized with operation of said control means to open said extrusion opening for a predetermined length of time to dispense paste from the container, said pressure means including a fixed shaft member extending upwardly from said fixed base in coaxial relation with said container, an externally threaded worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a piston threaded on said worm element to be slidable within the container, and means adapted to be mounted on the outer end of said shaft through a suitable opening in the upper end of said container to prevent axial movement of said worm element whereby the piston pressure will be transmitted through the container contents to act on the bottom wall portion of the container to maintain the container in clamped relation on said fixed base peripheral seat portion until ejection of the pressurized contents therefrom and thereby eliminating the need for application or" clamping pres, sures externally of said container.

4. A soap or like material dispenser, comprising a relatively fixed base having a peripheral seat portion,

said seat portion comprising a centrally apertured seat a wall portion provided with an extrusion orifice extend-- ing from the interior of said base to the exterior thereof, valve means in said base adapted to open and close said extrusion orifice with respect to the interior of said container, a piston operable in the container, manually operable control means, and means actuated by said control means for urging said piston to apply pressure against material in the container and simultaneously opening said valve means, the reactive thrust of said piston being arranged to be borne by said post so as to trap the contents of the container between the underside of the piston and the fixed base at said gasket means whereby the pressurized contents will act on the bottom wall of said container to removably hold the same in mounted position on the fixed base until exhaustion of the contents without application of clamping pressures externally of said container.

5. A liquid or paste contents dispenser, comprising a relatively fixed base having a seat portion, a shaft fixed to said base to extend outwardly of said seat, an externally threaded worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a container having an opening at one end, said one end of the container being received in said base seat portion, a cap having a seat portion receiving the other end of said container, a piston threaded on said sleeve to be slidable Within the container and adapted to be held against rotation therein by frictional resistance between the periphery thereof and the contacting inside container Walls surface, control means operable to rotate said worm element progressively in one direction and by screw action progressively move said piston axially against the contents to apply pressure thereto, said base having an extrusion opening from an inner portion thereof to the exterior, the opposite ends of said extrusion opening having reduced diameter peripheral seat portions therein, valve means in said base including a ball-type valve closure member fitted in said extrusion orifice in seated relation against the outer peripheral seat provided therein, a preloaded compression spring bearing at one end against the peripheral seat portion at the inner end of said extrusion orifice and at its opposite end against said ball type closure member, an element shiftably mounted on said base, and means interconnecting said element and said ball-type closure member, said element being shiftable by operation of said control means in synchronism with the axial movement of said piston to displace said closure member from its closed position for a predetermined length of time to dispense the contents from the container.

6. A soap or like paste dispenser, comprising a relatively fixed base having a seat portion, a shaft fixed to said base to extend outwardly of said seat, an externally threaded worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a container having an opening at one end, said one end of the container being received in said base seat portion, a piston threaded on said sleeve to be slidable within the container, control means operable to rotate said sleeve progressively in one direction and thereby by screw action progressively move said piston axially against the paste to apply pressure thereto, said base having an extrusion opening from an inner portion thereof to the exterior, the opposite ends of said extrusion opening having reduced diameter peripheral seat portions therein, valve means in said base including a valve closure member fitted in said extrusion orifice in seated relation with the outer peripheral seat, a pre-loaded compression spring in said extrusion orifice bearing at one end against the inner periph-..

eral seat portion and at its opposite end against said closure member, an element shiftably mounted on said base, and means interconnecting said element and said closure member, said element being shiftable by operation of said control means in synchronism with the axial movement of said piston to displace said closure member from its closed position for a predetermined length of time to dispense paste from the container.

7. A soap or like having a seat portion, a shaft fixed to said base to extend outwardly of said seat, an externally threaded worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a container for the paste having one of its ends received in said seat, said end being centrally apertured for communication be-' tween the interior of said container and said base, a piston threaded on said worm element to be slidable within the container, control means manually operable to rotate said worm element progressively in one direction and by screw action progressively move said piston axially against the paste to apply pressure thereto and thereby maintain the container firmly seated on said base seat portion, and

valve means synchronized with operation of said control means to open for a predetermined length of time to dispense paste from the container, said control means including a stem rotatably mounted in said base and having an operating handle outwardly of said base, aone-.

direction clutch having a first part in said base shiftable about an axis of rotation perpendicularly related to the axis of rotation of said stern by means of an interconnecting lever member being arranged to extend downwardly from said stem for a predetermined limited range, of movement between a pair of spaced abutment shoulders provided in said base, said clutch also having a part rotatable independently of said stern when in operatively disengaged condition of the clutch parts, said independently rotatable part being connected to said worm element for causing unidirectional rotation of the latter on said shaft when the former is in operatively engaged condition, said independently rotatable part being of generally annular configuration and rotatably mounted in relation to the lower portion of said fixed shaft member with its outer periphery being formed to provide a first series of evenly spaced ratchet teeth, each of which has a fiat radially outwardly extending face and an associated beveled trailing face while the bottom of said independently rotatable part is likewise provided with a second series of evenly spaced ratchet teeth having fiat and beveled trailing faces corresponding to those on the outer periphery, said first clutch part being annularly arranged with respect to said independently rotatable part and being seated on a second seat portion provided in said fixed base, the inner peripheral edge of said first clutch part having a springpressed pawl member mounted therein for operative engagement with the flat faces of said first series of ratchet teeth on the independently rotatable part, and vertically movable wedge means being resiliently urged upwardly into engagement with the second series of ratchet teeth of said independently rotatable part to cause unidirectional rotation thereof by repeated alternate shifting of said first part by operation of said handle.

8. A soap or like paste dispenser, comprising a base having a seat portion, a shaft fixed to said base to extend outwardly of said seat, an externally threaded worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a container for the paste having one of its ends received in said seat, said end being centrally apertured for communication between the interior of said container and said base, a piston threaded on said worm element to be slidable within the container, control means manually operable to rotate said worm element progressively in one direction paste dispenser, comprising a base i and by screw action progressively move said piston axially against the paste to apply pressure thereto and thereby maintain the container firmly seated on said base seat portion, and valve means synchronized with operation of said control means to open for a predetermined length of time to dispense paste from the container, said control means including a stem rotatably mounted in said base and having an operating handle. outwardly of said base, a one-direction clutch having a first part in said base shiftable by said stem by means of an interconnecting lever member arranged to extend downwardly from said stem for a predetermined limited range of movement between spaced abutment shoulders provided in said base, said clutch also having a part rotatable independently of said stem in operatively disengaged condition of the clutch parts, said independently rotatable part being connected to said worm element for causing undi'rectional rotation of the latter on said shaft when in operatively engaged condition, said independently rotatable part being of generally annular configuration and rotatably mounted in relation to the lower portion of said fixed shaft member with its outer periphery being shaped into a plurality of ratchet teeth, while the underside of said independently rotatable part is likewise provided with ratchet teeth corresponding to those on the outer periphery, said first clutch part being annularly arranged with respect to said independently rotatable part in said fixed base, the inner peripheral edge of said first clutch part having a spring-pressed pawl member mounted therein for operative engagement with, the ratchet teeth on the outer periphery of said independently rotatable part, and vertically movable wedge means being resiliently urged upwardly into engagement with the ratchet teeth on the underside of said independently rotatable part to cause unidirectional rotation thereof by repeated alternate shifting of said first part by operation of said handle.

9. In a liquid or paste contents dispenser including a relatively fixed base having a seat portion, a container for the contents having an opening at one end, said one end of the container being received in said base seat portion, pressure means in said container for pressurizing the contents thereof, control means operable to actuate said pressure means against the contents to apply pressure thereto, valve means in an extrusion orifice of said base including a ball-type closure member fitted against a valve seat adjacent the outer end of the extrusion orifice, a pre-loaded compression spring bearing against said closure member, an element shiftably mounted on said base, and means interconnecting said element and said closure member, said element being shiftable by operation of said control means in synchronism with actuation of said pressure means to move said closure member from valve closing position for a predetermined length of time to dispense the contents from the container.

10. A soap or like paste dispenser, comprising a relatively fixed base having an upwardly presented peripheral seat portion, a container for the paste having an opening at one end and being arranged for mounting on said peripheral seat portion, pressure means operable against paste in said container, control means for actuating said pressure means progressively to apply said pressure to the paste, said base having a wall portion provided withan extrusion opening extending from the interior to the exterior of the base, valve means including a ball type closure member seated at the outer end of said extrusion opening by a pre-loaded spring means and being operable in synchronism with said control means to open said extrusion opening for a predetermined length of time to dispense paste from the container, said pressure means including a fixed shaft member extending upwardly from said fixed base in coaxial relation with said container, a

worm element rotatably received on said shaft, a piston threaded on said sleeve to be slidable within the container, and means mounted on the outer end of said shaft to prevent axial movement of the rotatable worm element therealong whereby the piston pressure will be transmitted through the medium-of the paste contents to act on the bottom wall portion of the container so as to maintain the container in removably clamped relation with said fixed base peripheral seat portion, said control means including a one-direction clutch having a first part in said base shiftable within a predetermined range of movement by an operating handle, a second part rotatable only in operatively engaged condition of the clutch parts and being connected to said Worm element for effecting unidirectional rotation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,263,908 Loeben Apr. 23, 1918 2,313,184 Wadsworth Mar. 9, 1943 2,700,490 Lippmann et al I an. 25, 1955 2,789,737 Palo Apr. 23, 1957