US3082736A - Moistening device - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1963 D. M. WATERS 3,082,736

MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Oct. 24. 1960 /7Z "Ml H IEOOOOOO INVENTOR. fiorae A! Wazews.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,082,736 MOISTENING DEVICE Dorse M. Waters, Box 72, Belmont, N.Y. Filed Oct. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 64,501 1 Claim. (Cl. 118-468) This invention relates to a moistening device.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a moistening device of the general character which embodies a box-like base structure having a water receptacle therein together with a wick supporting means disposed on and above said receptacle, and a wick whose opposite ends depend into the water receptacle with the mid portion thereof, exposed for moistening operation.

A primary obect of the present invention is to provide a finger moistener of the general character above referred to wherein the wick supporting means is so formed that the wick presents vertically spaced moistening areas for simultaneous engagement of the thumb with one area and a finger or fingers with the opposing area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a finger moistener of the above noted general character wherein one of said moistening areas is of substantially greater area than the other and which is well adapted for moistening labels and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved moistener.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the moistener with the wick thrown back and broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view as observed in the plane of line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the moistener on a somewhat reduced scale and wherein a finger moistening operation is depicted in dot-and-dash lines.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the improved finger moistener will be seen to comprise a box-like base member '10 and which base member provides a water receptacle defined by a horizontal base wall 11, opposed upwardly. converging side walls 12, opposed upwardly converging end walls 13 and a horizontal top wall 14 which is interrupted by a rectangular vertical wall 15 and wherein the interior of the vertical wall is in open communication with the water receptacle above referred to.

As is indicated in FIGURE 3, the vertical wall 15 is provided with a horizontal shoulder 16 which provides a rectangular seat for a cover and wick supporting member 17 which is readily removable from the base member The wick supporting member 17 comprises a rectangular base portion 18 which is removably engaged with the seat or shoulder \16.

The wick supporting member further comprises opposed vertical side walls 19 between which is supported a wick traversing wall normal thereto and which comprises an outwardly curved rear portion 20, an upwardly curved top portion 21 whose front end merges into a relatively small radius outwardly curved forward end portion 22,

3,082,736 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 and a fiat portion 23 extends from the curved portion 22 and terminates in slightly vertical spaced relation to the base portion 18, thereby providing a wick traversing slot 24.

A second wick traversing slot 25 is provided intermediate the top wall portions 20 and 21.

As is indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3 a relatively shallow wick guide flange 26 is disposed at each of the opposite sides of the wick traversing wall above referred to and the top portion 21 is provided with a multiplicity of apertures 27 and a transverse reinforcing stop 21a.

As is more clearly shown in FIGURE 3, a wick W has one end portion W thereof removably threaded through the slot 24 and the opposite end portion W2 threaded through the slot 25 whereby the mid portion of the wick lies in contact with the wall portions 21, 22 and 23 of the wick supporting member 17 while the end portions depend into the base member 10 and a body of water therein, the water level being indicated by the horizontal dotted line H in FIGURE 3.

The predominating feature of the invention is the projection of a portion P of the wick supporting member 17 over and above the horizontal top wall 14 thereby providing a space for receiving the thumb T of a users hand while the index linger I is engageable with the upper portion of the wick whereby the thumb and finger are moistened for maximum efiiciency in the handling of papers.

While the device is particularly adapted for finger moistening as disclosed, the relatively large area of the wick which overlies the top portion 21 may well be used for moistening labels and the like.

Having set forth the invention in accordance with a single specific structural embodiment thereof, what is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

A finger moistening device comprising a hollow base member providing a water reservoir, the top wall of said base member being interrupted by a vertical wall providing open communication with said reservoir, a hollow wick supporting member supported on said vertical wall, said wick supporting member having an upwardly curved top portion terminating in a small radius horizontally disposed end portion in overhanging relation to said base member, the upwardly curved top portion of said wick supporting member having a slot therein disposed vertically above the interior of said vertical wall, a second slot disposed between one side of said vertical wall and said overhanging portion of said wick supporting member, and a wick having the mid portion thereof disposed externally of said wick supporting member with the end portions thereof extending through said slots and into said reservoir.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,056,134 Vogelpohl Mar. 18, 19-13 1,438,638 Darche Dec. 12, 1922 21 2 A de on Ju a 196

Images