US3130441A

US3130441A - Back wash cloth

Info

Publication number: US3130441A
Application number: US251942A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilbur D Hahn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-01-16
Filing date: 1963-01-16
Publication date: 1964-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-28

Description

April 28, 1964 w. D. HAHN 3,130,441

BACK WASH CLOTH Filed Jan. 16, 1963 /4 l/6 Fig. 4

Wilbur D. Hahn JNVENToR.

United States Patent O 3,130,441 BACK WASH CLOTH Wilbur D. Hahn, 336 S. Miami Ave., Sidney, Ohio, assigner of fifty percent to John D. Quinn, Sidney, Ohio Filed Jan. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 251,942 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-507) This invention generally relates to new and useful improvements in bath cloths and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an article of this character which is particularly useful for washing the back with a minimum of physical exertion.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a back wash cloth of the aforementioned character which is adapted to contain a cake of soap.

Still another important object is to provide, in a back Wash cloth including an elongated soap casing or envelope and operating cords therefor, novel means for detachably securing said cords to the ends of the envelope in a manner to prevent said envelope from twisting or rolling when in use.

Another object is to provide a back bath or wash cloth of the character set forth wherein the operating cords, when not in use, may be drawn into the casing or envelope for compactness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a back cloth of the character described which, if desired, may also be used as a towel for drying the back.

Other objects are to provide a back wash cloth or towel which is comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, showing a bath or wash cloth embodying the present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the back wash cloth per se;

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through the device, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 4 4 of FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of the device, showing one of the cord anchor plates removed from the casing or envelope.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises an elongated flexible casing or envelope of suitable dimensions which is designated generally by reference numeral 6, said envelope including rounded end portions 7. The casing or envelope 6 further includes duplicate substantially oval fabric sheets 8 of toweling or other suitable material having their marginal portions secured together by a stitched hem 9. At an intermediate point on one side of the envelope 6, the stitching 9 is interrupted to provide an access opening or slit 10. The slit or opening 10 is of sufficient size for the insertion of a cake of soap in the pocket 6, as indicated at 11.

Operating cords 12 of suitable flexible material are provided for the pocket 6. At the inner ends thereof the operating cords 12 include branches 13 to the free end portions of which substantially kidney-shaped anchoring plates 14 are secured. In the embodiment shown, the branches 13 of the anchoring cords 12 pass through perforations 15 which are provided therefor in the plates 14 and said branches are anchored in said plates by knots 16.

The plates 14 may be of plastic or any other suitable material.

The stitching 9 is also interrupted in the ends 7 of the envelope 6 to provide openings or slits 17 in which the operating cords 12 and the branches 13 thereof are slidable. Attached to the outer or free ends of the operating cords 12 are handles in the form of rings 18.

It is thought that the use of the Wash cloth will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briey, the soap cake 11 is inserted in the pocket 6 through the slit or opening 10. The handles 18 are then grasped with the two hands and the pocket 6 with the soap 11 therein is worked over the back, as indicated at 19. If desired, the thumbs may be inserted through the handles or rings 18 as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. The construction and arrangement is such that the desired pressure may easily be applied. When the pocket 6 is stretched or tensioned between the cords 12 during use, the longitudinal slit or opening 10 is closed in an obvious manner. The forked operating cord 12 and the anchoring plates 14 prevent the pocket 6 from twisting or rolling. The construction and arrangement also is such that the operating cords 12 may be readily removed from the pocket 6. Further, the operating cords 12, when not in use, may be withdrawn into the pocket 6 for compactness and to be out of the way. While the device is primarily intended for use as a wash cloth it may also be used as a towel for drying the back or for any other purpose for which it may be found adapted.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A back wash cloth comprising a substantially iiat elongated exible envelope consisting of a pair of opposed soft foraminous sheets, stitching securing lthe marginal portions of the sheets, said stitching being interrupted at each end of the envelope so as to form end slits and along one longitudinal edge thereof so as to form aside slit, said side slit being of a size so as to allow for an introduction of a cake of soap between the sheets, elongated exible operating cords, one cord being freely slidable through each end slit for substantially the full length of said cord, a at plate secured to the inner end of each cord and located within the envelope, each plate being of a greater width than the corresponding end slit so as to preclude passage of the plate therethrough, said cords including handle means on the outer ends thereof whereby a pull in opposite directions on the handle means will result in an axial tensioning of the envelope in a manner so as to close the side slit for retaining a cake of soap therein.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said handle means are of a size so as to pass through the end slits whereby the entire cords can be retracted into the envelope.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the side slit is of a size so as to allow for a passage of the flat plates therethrough so as to allow for a complete removal of the cords from the envelope.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,047,386 Clow Dec. 17, 1912 1,714,687 McKeag May 28, 1929 2,730,745 Norman Jan. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 278,906 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1927

Claims

1. A BACK WASH CLOTH COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ELONGATED FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF OPPOSED SOFT FORAMINOUS SHEETS, STITCHING SECURING THE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF THE SHEETS, SAID STITCHING BEING INTERRUPTED AT EACH END OF THE ENVELOPE SO AS TO FORM END SLITS AND ALONG ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE THEREOF SO AS TO FORM A SIDE SLIT, SAID SIDE SLIT BEING OF A SIZE SO AS TO ALLOW FOR AN INTRODUCTION OF A CAKE OF SOAP BETWEEN THE SHEETS, ELONGATED FLEXIBLE OPERATING CORDS, ONE CORD BEING FREELY SLIDABLE THROUGH EACH END SLIT FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID CORD, A FLAT PLATE SECURED TO THE INNER END OF EACH CORD AND LOCATED WITHIN THE ENVELOPE, EACH PLATE BEING OF A GREATER WIDTH THAN THE CORRESPONDING END SLIT SO AS TO PRECLUDE PASSAGE OF THE PLATE THERETHROUGH, SAID CORDS INCLUDING HANDLE MEANS ON THE OUTER ENDS THEREOF WHEREBY A PULL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS ON THE HANDLE MEANS WILL RESULT IN AN AXIAL TENSIONING OF THE ENVELOPE IN A MANNER SO AS TO CLOSE THE SIDE SLIT FOR RETAINING A CAKE OF SOAP THEREIN.