US3147501A

US3147501A - Power-operated hairbrush cleaning device

Info

Publication number: US3147501A
Application number: US295966A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ewel R Schulz; Sr Loyd L Sasser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-07-18
Filing date: 1963-07-18
Publication date: 1964-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-08

Description

Sept. 8, 1964 v E R. SCHULZ ETAL POWER-OPERATED HAIRBRUSH CLEANING DEVICE Ewe/ R. Schulz Loyd L. Sasser, Sr.

Filed July 18, 1963 United States Patent 3,147,501 POWER-OPERATED HAIRBRUSH CLEANING DEVICE Ewel R. Schulz, 200 N. 2nd St. E., Hubbard, Tex., and Loyd L. Sasser, Sr., Rte. 1, Orvilla Road, Red Oak, Tex. Filed July 18, 1963, Ser. No. 295,966 Claims. ((11. 15 -38) The present invention relates to a portable power-operated device embodying means which is expressly constructed and adapted to enable the user thereof to dislodge and remove matted hairs, dandruff and extraneous matter which has accumulated on or between the bristles on a hairbrush and to accomplish the desired result in such a manner that the then cleaned hairbrush, having been restored to the desired state of cleanliness, is again ready for use.

In carrying out a practical embodiment of the inventive concept a reciprocating rockably mounted comb takes the place of the manually used comb (which is ordinarily employed for brush-cleaning purposes) serves the purposes desired and enables the user of the device to apply the bristles of the hairbrush to the activated fingers or teeth of the comb in a manner to so condition the brush that, after it has been thus cleaned, it is thus restored to normalcy.

Briefly, a significant aspect of the devlce has to do with a power-operated comb-like bristle cleaner. This part.

of the device is characterized by straight rod-like tines or fingers which are carried by an assembling and backing member, said member being mounted for oscillation on an eccentric shaft, said shaft being joined to power-driven link-like heads which, operating in conjunction with the other parts, provide a novel crank motion.

More particularly novelty is predicated on a box-like base provided with an electric motor driven gearing which in turn operates the crank motion means, said means having the comb-like cleaning device or unit connected therewith and the aforementioned tines or fingers operating through holes provided therefor in a brush bristle basing plate.

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 view in perspective of a hairbrush accommodating bristle and brush-cleaning device constructed in accordance with the invention with the cleaning fingers or tines assuming what may be designated as the normal ready-to-function position;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the plane of the section line 22, of FIGURE 1, the view being on an enlarged scale and parts appearing in both section and elevation, the hairbrush being shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view with parts in section and elevation taken on the vertical section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and the purpose of which is to illustrate the crank motion means and the manner in which it functions to project and retract and angularly work the tines or fingers first to the right and then to the left in order to effectively clean the bristles;

FIGURE 5 is a view also similar to FIG. 4 and is taken approximately on the section line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan View detailing a group of the finger-accommodating holes.

In the drawing the hairbrush which is to be acted on, cleaned and restored to its desirably usable state is denoted by the reference character A, the same including a handle-equipped backing or head B and ordinary or conventional-type bristles C.

The portable device which supports the hairbrush and permits its bristles to be combed and cleaned is denoted generally by the numeral 8. This device comprises a hollow box-like base having a horizontal bottom wall 10 (FIG. 2), side walls 12 and

transverse end walls

14 and 16. There is a top wall 18 secured in place by screws or equivalent fasteners 20. The top wall is provided adjacent one end and preferably at a median portion thereof with a slot or opening 22 which serves a purpose to be later described. On the interior of the box or base an appropriate electric motor 24 is suspended. This motor may be hung from the bottom of the top wall and the shaft thereof serves to drive a pinion 26 mounted in an appropriate protective gear box or housing 28 and meshing with a speed-reducing gear 3b which operates a motion transmitting stub shaft 32. This shaft is axially fixed to and serves to drive a motion-transmitting link 34 of the shape and size illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. This link is opposed to a complemental link 36 having a fixed crankshaft 38 which is turnable in a bushing 40 mounted in the end wall 16. These links are provided off-center with a connecting rod 42 which spans the space between the links. It follows that this arrangement, the motor, gearing, links and rod provide a satisfactory enclosed crank motion or means which, in turn, functions to transmit its motion to the bristle cleaning comb means denoted generally by the numeral 44. The comb comprises a plurality of rods or straight tines which have their inner ends 46 fixed to a U-shaped comb back 48, the lateral end portions of the latter as at 50 being journaled for angular turning movement on the crankshaft 42. The median portions of the fingers extend through individual guide holes 52 (FIG. 6) provide therefor in a finger stabilizing and control plate 54 which is screwed or otherwise fastened as at 56 atop the wall 18 and over and in alignment with the aforementioned opening or slot 22. The outer free end portions of the fingers or tines are denoted at 58. It should be further noted in connection with the holes 52 that each hole is of a size or diameter greater than the cross-section of the finger which operates therethrough. In addition, the top and bottom marginal surfaces of each hole are beveled inwardly and downwardly as denoted at 60 with the result that the bevels define a sharp endless edge which in turn constitutes fulcruming means for the median portion of each finger in the manner shown in FIG. 4 in particular.

It follows that when the motor is set into motion by tripping the switch means D the crank means comes into play and projects and retracts and rocks the cleaning comb 44. More specifically as the cooperating crank links rotate in a counterclockwise direction as illustrated in FIG. 3 the crankshaft turns in the orbital path designated with the result that during each cycle of rotation the tines or fingers are shoved in and out in relation to the holes 52 and are rocked back an forth on the fulcruming edges which circumscribe the holes or openings 52. By considering the illustration of the steps designated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, respectively, and taking these views into consideration in conjunction with the rest of the views a clear understanding of the construction and mode of operation will be had. Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

Briefly, in using the device the bristles of the brush are placed atop the plate means 54 so that the brush can be maneuvered in keeping with trial and error needs. After the device has been used a number of times and experi ence is thus gained, theuser becomes sufiiciently adept at moving the brush and bristles in such a manner in relation to the powered cleaning fingers that quick and effective results are assured.

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 restorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A bristle brush cleaning device comprising a portable planar support surface upon which the bristled brush can be placed and held by hand, said support surface having a single row of aligned finger positioning and guiding orifices, projectible and retractible bristle raking and cleaning fingers having upper, lower and median portions, said upper portions being free, projecting to positions constantly above the plane of said support surface, the median portions of said fingers having sliding and shifting movement in and relative to said orifices, powered crank motion means operatively mounted beneath and below the plane of said support surface, the lower ends of said fingers being movably connected to and reciprocated by said means, each orifice being of a diameter slightly greater than the cross-section of the finger which is reciprocable therethrough, the top and bottom marginal edges which encircle each orifice being beveled, the bevels converging and defining and providing an endless knife-like fulcrurning edge on and against which the cooperating finger is both slidingly and tiltingly fulcrumed.

2. A bristle brush device comprising: a hollow box-like portable base provided with a top having opening means, a plate marginally affixed to said top and spanning said opening means and having a fiat top surface and being centrally provided with a row of holes, the marginal edges of said holes having upper and lower beveled marginal portions converging and defining fulcruming edges, poweroperated crank motion means mounted for operation in said base and including a pair of opposed complemental links having portions thereof connected together by an in tervening crankshaft, a comb unit comprising a backing member parallel to and commensurate in length with said crankshaft and having lateral end portions apertured and rockably mounted on corresponding end portions of said crankshaft, and further including a plurality of in-line tines, said tines being connected at their lower ends with said backing member, having median portions projected and retracted as they are intermittently slid up and down through their respective aligned holes and having upper free end portions which are oscillated back and forth and accordingly raked between the brush bristles in a manner to clean said bristles.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and wherein the power operated crank-motion means comprises an electric motor supported and confined in the hollow portion of said box-like base, said motor having a power delivery shaft, said delivery shaft having gearing operatively connected therewith, said gearing serving to transmit motion at the desired speed and one of the gears being joined by a motion-transmitting shaft to an adjacent one of said links.

4. A portable device for supporting and cleaning the bristles of a hairbrush, said device comprising a basesupported planar plate having a row of closely spaced holes therein, each hole having coacting marginal edge portions which are beveled, said beveled portions cooperating in defining a knifelike edge constituting fulcrurning means, a pair of opposed crank links having axially aligned journaling and supporting means, base means therefor, a crankshaft interconnecting corresponding end portions of said links, a U-shaped member having a bight portion paralleling the crankshaft and having lateral end portions which are apertured and mounted for oscillation on end portions of said crankshaft, and a row of tines, said tines providing bristle raking and cleaning fin ers, the lower ends of the tines being fixedly anchored on said bight portion, median portions of said tines operating slidingly in their respectively aligned holes and being tiltably engageable with said fulcruming means, said base means comprising a hollow. box provided with axially aligned bearings, the journaling means of said crank links being journaled for operation in the coacting bearing means, an electric motor mounted in the hollow portion of said box and motion-transmitting means also mounted in said box and operatively connected with the motor and an adjacent one of the aforementioned crank links.

5. A device for raking and cleaning the bristles of a hair brush comprising a portable base having a fixed planar plate atop which the bristled brush can be placed and held by a hand of the user of said device, said plate having a single row of relatively small holes, the top and bottom surfaces of the marginal edges of each hole being beveled and said bevels converging to provide a knife-like guiding and fulcruming orifice, a crankshaft located in said base beneath said plate and having axially aligned journals mounted for rotation in bearings provided therefor in said base, an electric motor supported in said base in a plane beneath the plane of said plate and having operating connection with an adjacent cooperating end of said crankshaft, the shaft part of said crankshaft being turnable through an orbital path, a portion of which is proximal to the relatively fixed position of said plate, a U-shaped member interposed between said plate and shaft and having a bight portion, said bight portion being commensurate in length with the length of said shaft and having laterally directed end portions, said end portions being hingedly connected to the adjacent respective end portions of said. shaft, said bight portion being adapted to oscillate to and fro in a plane below the plane of said plate, a plurality of tines, said tines constituting raking and cleaning fingers and having lower end portions connected to the bight portion of said U-shaped member, having median portions slidingly guided through said orifices and tiltingly cooperable with the respectively cooperating fulcruming marginal edges thereof, the upper ends of said. fingers being free and constantly operating in a plane above the plane of said plate. 1

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,302,247 Troy Apr. 29, 1919 1,356,637 Kucab Oct. 26, 1920 1,764,626 Heckman June 17, 1930 2,649,599 Leadingham Aug. 25, 1953 3,072,939 Rehberg Jan. 15, 1963

Claims

1. A BRISTLE BRUSH CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING A PORTABLE PLANAR SUPPORT SURFACE UPON WHICH THE BRISTLED BRUSH CAN BE PLACED AND HELD BY HAND, SAID SUPPORT SURFACE HAVING A SINGLE ROW OF ALIGNED FINGER POSITIONING AND GUIDING ORIFICES, PROJECTIBLE AND RETRACTIBLE BRISTLE RAKING AND CLEANING FINGERS HAVING UPPER, LOWER AND MEDIAN PORTIONS, SAID UPPER PORTIONS BEING FREE, PROJECTING TO POSITIONS CONSTANTLY ABOVE THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORT SURFACE, THE MEDIAN PORTIONS OF SAID FINGERS HAVING SLIDING AND SHIFTING MOVEMENT IN AND RELATIVE TO SAID ORIFICES, POWERED CRANK MOTION MEANS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED BENEATH AND BELOW THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORT SURFACE, THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID FINGERS BEING MOVABLY CONNECTED TO AND RECIPROCATED BY SAID MEANS, EACH ORIFICE BEING OF A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE FINGER WHICH IS RECIPROCABLE THERETHROUGH, THE TOP AND BOTTOM MARGINAL EDGES WHICH ENCIRCLE EACH ORIFICE BEING BEVELED, THE BEVELS CONVERGING AND DEFINING AND PROVIDING AN ENDLESS KNIFE-LIKE FULCRUMING EDGE ON AND AGAINST WHICH THE COOPERATING FINGER IS BOTH SLIDINGLY AND TILTINGLY FULCRUMED.