US2965142A - Dispenser for soap powder and the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20, 1960 E. F. RUSHO DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13, 1959 Dec. 20, 1960 E. F. RUSHO 2,965,142

DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 13, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 20, 1960 E F. RUSHO 2,965,142

DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 13, 1959 s She ets-Sheet s 61 11 L7 1 57 %3-'4L m ,73 47 t FIG? 15/ VIII/l/l/I/l/IA United States Patent DISPENSER FOR SOAP POWDER AND THE LIKE Everson F. Rusho, 20 Boulevard Parkway, Rochester 12, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 793,106

2 Claims. (Cl. 141-267) The present invention relates to a dispenser for soap powder or flakes or the like and, more particularly, to such a dispenser which is arranged to measure out a desired quantity of soap powder without exposing the soap powder to the air, so that it minimizes the wastage and is especially attractive to those who are allergic to soap powder or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a generally improved and more satisfactory dispenser for soap powder or the like.

Another object is to provide a new and improved soap powder dispenser having provision for automatically cutting an opening in the soap powder box as the box is lowered into place on the dispenser and for conveying the soap powder to a container in a system substantially closed to the surrounding air, so as to make the dispenser especially useful to persons allergic to soap powder.

Yet another object is to provide a new and improved soap powder dispenser for conveniently measuring out a desired quantity of soap powder, whereby the wastage is minimized.

Still another object is the provision of a new and improved dispenser for soap powder or the like for cutting a tab in the box as the box is lowered into place on the dispenser and for allowing controlled passage of the soap powder to a transparent container so that a measured quantity of soap powder may be admitted to the container within a system substantially closed to the surrounding air.

These and other desirable objects may be attained in the manner disclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in the following description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a soap powder dispenser according to the present invention, showing a soap powder box in operative position on the dispenser, the box being broken away, and also showing the soap receiving container in full lines in its operative or container filling position and in dotted lines in its container removing or rest position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 taken approximately on the line 2-2 thereof, showing the soap container in its container filling position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the container in its rest or container removing position;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the device of Fig. 1, the soap powder box having been removed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top view of the device of Fig. 4 as seen from the angle of line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the device of Fig. 3 taken approximately on the line 66 thereof;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the device of Figs. 1 and 4, the soap box again having been removed, showing the device attached to a wall;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the device of Fig. 7 showing the device attached to the side of a laundry tub or tray; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 8, with the laundry tub in vertical section.

2,965,142 Patented Dec. 20, 1960 The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The dispenser according to the present invention is designed to dispense soap powder or flakes, this being understood to include detergents in either of these forms or soap or its equivalent in any similar form. The dispenser herein disclosed, as will be apparent from the following specification, is designed to minimize the wastage of the soap powder or the like by being arranged to receive a soap powder box in such a manner that it drains substantially completely into a container which allows the user to measure accurately a desired quantity. The device is further designed to convey the contents of a soap powder box to the container in a substantially closed system, so that it is especially useful to those who are allergic to soap powder.

In Figs. 1, 4, and 7 is disclosed a base plate 11 disposed in a substantially horizontal position and being preferably elongated in one direction. Preferably integral with one end of the base plate 11 is a downwardly extending mounting flange 13, provided with a plurality of mounting holes 15. To the top surface generally at the other end of the base plate 11 is fastened a mounting block 17 for supporting a box receiving plate 19.

The box receiving plate 19 is desirably supported at an acute angle with respect to the length and the width of the base plate 11 so that the outer corner of the plate 19 is lower than the other portions of the plate. To this end, the upper surface of the block 17 is appropriately angled with respect to the substantially flat horizontal upper surface of the base plate 11 as shown in the front and side elevational views of Figs. 1 and 7, respectively. Desirably the side angle is made less than the front angle as shown in the preferred embodiment, however any combination of acute angles may be chosen such that the plate has one lowermost corner so that a box 18 to be supported thereby drains substantially completely while yet not being tipped at such an angle as to locate its center of gravity in a position of instability.

To guide the placement of the soap powder box 18 onto the dispenser and to support it while in operative position thereon, a pair of stop flanges 21 and 23 are supported at their lower ends on the lowermost corner of the box receiving plate 19 generally at right angles and abutting one another.

To provide a passageway for soap powder through the base plate 11 and mounting block 17, a pair of alined apertures 25 and 27 are respectively provided in these parts, these apertures being located inwardly of the lowermost corner of the plate 19 as defined by the flanges 21 and 23. To provide an aperture in the box receiving plate 19 in alinement with the apertures 25 and 27 and for another purpose to be presently described, a rectangular cut-out 29 is provided in the lowermost corner of the box receiving plate 19, the edges of the cut-out being a short distance from the aperture 27.

The dispenser according to the present invention is provided with tab punching mechanism for automatically providing an opening in the end of the soap powder box as it is moved into place resting on the box receiving plate 19, guided in its motion by the flanges 21 and 23. A toothed V-shaped cutting edge 31 is provided extending generally upwardly from and supported by the box receiving plate 19 and overlying in part the aperture 27, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Each half of the cutting edge 31 is conveniently carried by a triangular plate supported at its lower end on one of the edges of the cut-out 29. Thus, a pair of triangular plates 33 and 35 are provided, the upper inclined edges of which are serrated or toothed and the lower ends of which are secured to the edges of the cut-out 29 by suitable fastening means such as the screw fasteners 37. Of course, the plates 33 and 35 may be formed from a single piece of metal, as shown, or may be two separate plates having their side edges in abutment. Each triangular plate has an opening 39 for allowing passage of soap powder through the aperture 27. These openings 39 are conveniently triangular in shape with lower fiat edges substantially flush with the top surface of the box receiving plate 19, to thereby allows-ubstantially complete drainage of the soap powder box.

It can be seen that when a soap powder box is lowered down on the cutting edge 31 on the box receiving plate 19, a V-shaped cut is made in the end of the box. To push inwardly the tab so formed, a stud 41 is fastened in the mounting block 17 extending generally upwardly over the aperture 27 in an inclined position pointing desirably toward the apex of the cutting edge 31. This stud 41 pushes the tab made by the cutting edge 31 inwardly with respect to the rest of the box, thereby to provide an opening in the end of the soap powder box Soap powder is then free to drain downwardly into the aperture 27 around the triangular plates 33 and 35 and through the openings 39 therein.

To provide a controllable closure for the aperture 25 through which the soap powder drains and to support a container for the soap powder, a valve plate 43 is pivoted to the base plate 11 toward the end from which extends the mounting flange 13. The valve plate 43, see Figs. 2 and 3, is generally U-shaped. The lower end of the inside of the U is circular for receiving the upper end of a transparent cylindrical container 45. A retainer 47 is fastened to the under surface of the valve plate 43 underlying the circular end of the inside of the U and extending inwardly therefrom to provide a shoulder 49, as shown in Fig. 6. The upper end of the container 45 has an outwardly extending flange 51 which rests on the shoulder 49 and is supported thereby.

The valve plate 43 is pivotally mounted in such a manner as to be movable between an operative or container filling position as shown in Fig. 2 in which the container is alined with the apertures 25 and 27, and a rest or container removing position as shown in Fig. 3 in which the container 45 is free of the base plate 11 and may be placed on and removed from the shoulder 49. The base plate 11 is desirably cut away as shown at 53 in order to make a compact construction. The inner leg 55 of the valve plate 43 has sufficient width such that in the rest position as shown in Fig. 3, it extends beneath the aperture 25 in the base plate 11 to provide a closure therefor.

Any suitable pivot for the valve plate 43 may be used, such as the screw and nut pivot 57 shown in Fig. 7. Although not essential to the broader aspects of the invention, a spring action mechanism is desirably provided to assist the movement of the valve plate 43 between its two positions and to effect a better closure of the aperture 25. This mechanism also provides a stop for the two positions of the valve plate 43. An arcuate slot 59 is provided in the base plate 11 between the pivot 57 and the aperture 25, the curvature of the slot 59 being preferably concentric with the pivot 57. A stud 61 is fastened to the valve plate 43 and extends upwardly through the slot 59. Another stud 63 is secured to the top surface of the base plate 11 near the mounting flange 13. The ends of the slot 59, of course, determine the rest and operative positions of the valve plate 43. Preferably the end of the slot 59 determining the rest or container removing position thereof and the stud 63 are located in alinement with the pivot 57 for a purpose to be clarified. A spring 65 connects the upper ends of the studs 61 and 63.

As seen in Figs. 4 and 7, the point at which the spring 65 is attached to the stud 61 is located at an elevation substantially above the plane of the valve plate 43. Hence the pull of the spring tends to tilt the valve plate in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Fig. 7, thus holding the top surface of the valve plate snugly but slidably against the bottom surface of the base plate 11,

d to make a tight closure for the dispensing opening 25. This snug holding of the valve plate against the base plate is enhanced by the fact that the pull of the spring is at an upward inclination because the spring is connected to the post 63 at an elevation higher than that at which it is connected to the post 61, as seen in Fig. 7.

It will also be noted, particularly from Figs. 2 and 3, that when the valve plate is in the open or filling position (Fig. 2) the spring 65 lieson one side of the axis of the pivot 57, and tends to hold the valve plate in its open position. When the valve plate is in the closed position (Fig. 3) the spring now lies approximately at the deadcenter position or slightly on the opposite side of deadcenter from the first mentioned position, so that the valve plate will stay in this position and the spring will not tend to return it to open position.

The container 45 is desirably transparent so that the soap powder admitted to it from the soap powder box may be measured off reasonably accurately to minimize wastage. It may be provided with one or more marks or graduations to indicate the extent to which it should be filled with soap powder for one or more kinds of wash ing operations. 'The container '45 has been described as being cylindrical, however it may have any suitable shape. If other than a cylindrical container is used, the opening in the valve plate 43 and the shape of the retaining flange 27 are altered to correspond.

The soap powder dispenser is conveniently attached to a wall 71 in the manner shown in Fig. 7. Suitable screw fasteners 73 extend through the mounting flange apertures 15 to fasten the dispenser in place. The dispenser may, of course, be mounted on other surfaces. In Fig. 8 a dispenser is illustrated as being mounted on the side of a laundry tub 75. Any suitable type of clamp may be used to secure the mounting flange 13 to the tub wall 75. For instance, a U-shaped rod clamp 77 is appropriate. This type of clamp has inwardly extending rod ends 79 which may be inserted through the mounting holes 15 in the mounting flange 13, and a butterfly nut 81 may be tightened on the threaded ends of the rods 79 to securely clamp the dispenser to the tub wall.

To review the operation of the soap powder dispenser, the valve plate 43 is normally in its rest position with the leg 55 closing the aperture 25 in the base plate 11. The container 45 is mounted in place on the shoulder 49 provided by the retainer 47 secured to the under surface of the valve plate 43.

A soap powder box is lowered end down upon the cutting edge 31 of the tab punching mechanism, guided by the flanges 21 and 23. As the box is lowered, the cutting edge 31 cuts a V-shaped tab in the end of the soap powder box which is punched through by the stud 41 as the lowering continues. When the soap powder box reaches its operative position lying on the box receiving plate 19, an opening in the end of the box has been provided by the combined action of the cutting edge 31 and the stud 41. Soap powder is now free to move by gravity through the apertures 25 and 27 by moving around the ends of the triangular plates 33 and 35 and through the openings 39 therein.

The valve plate 43 is now manually swung from its rest position to its operative position wherein the container 45 is alined with the bottom of the aperture 25 of the base plate 11. Soap powder falls by gravity into the container 45 until the desired level is reached. When sufliciently full, the valve plate 43 is swungback manually to its rest position, the flow of the soap powder being cut off by the movement of the valve plate leg 55 over the bottom end of the aperture 25.

The action of the spring 65 assists the movement of the valve plate 43 between its two positions and assists the seal of the valve leg 55 in the rest position of the valve plate 43. The ends of the arcuate slot 59 provide stops for these two positions.

I! is Seen that the soap powder is conducted from the soap powder box to the container 45 in a substantially closed system. The dispenser is thus particularly attractive to those who are allergic to soap powder. The canting of the box receiving plate 19 so as to have a lowermost corner assists in efiectuating a substantially complete drainage of the box. Since the desired quantity of soap powder may be accurately measured in the container 45, a maximum usage or a minimum wastage of soap powder is assured.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosure that the above mentioned objects of the invention are well fulfilled. It is to be understood that the foregoing disclosure is given by way of illustrative example only, rather than by way of limitation, and that without departing from the invention, the details may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispenser for soap powder or the like comprising a substantially horizontal base plate, a box receiving plate, means for mounting said box receiving plate canted above said base plate so as to provide a lowermost corner overlying said base plate, means defining alined apertures extending through said lowermost corner of said box receiving plate and said base plate and mounting means, a pointed tab puncher carried by said box receiving plate substantially in alinement with said apertures for punching an opening in a soap powder box as the box is lowered onto said tab puncher to a rest position on said box receiving plate, a pair of abutting upright stop flanges secured to said box receiving plate at said lowermost corner substantially at right angles to one another for guiding the box onto said tab puncher, a valve plate having container receiving means, a single transparent tubular container removably received on said container receiving means, means for pivoting said valve plate to the under side of said base plate for horizontal swinging movement between a container filling position with said container alined with said apertures and a rest position with said valve plate covering said apertures and said container moved laterally to the side beyond the edge of said base plate, whereby said container may be easily removed from and replaced on said valve plate, and a single spring means for biasing said valve plate between said positions in response to manual actuation of said valve plate and for urging said valve plate into closer sliding contact with said base plate to thereby effect a better closure for said apertures.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said aperture in said box receiving plate comprises a substan tially rectangular cut-out in said lowermost corner, and said tab puncher includes a V-shaped cutting edge carried by the edges of said cut-out and further includes means for punching inward the tab on the soap powder box cut out by said cutting edge, said spring means for biasing said valve plate including an arcu-ate slot in said base plate between said aperture and said means for pivoting said base plate, a first stud secured to said valve plate and extending through said arcuate slot, a second stud secured to said base plate on the other side of said means pivoting said valve plate to said base plate, and a spring extending between said studs and spaced above said base plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,869,120 Thoerning et al July 26, 1932 2,350,836 Sonneborn et al. June 6, 1944 2,571,705 Goodman et al Oct. 16, 1951 2,816,427 Vela Dec. 17, 1957

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