US3359572A

US3359572A - Hygienic apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3359572A
Application number: US407487A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roscoe W Blackwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-10-29
Filing date: 1964-10-29
Publication date: 1967-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 1984-12-26

Description

25, 1967 R. w. BLACKWELL HYGIENIC APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 29. 1964 zaxazhzamam/az United States Patent 3,359,572 I-IYGIENIC APPARATUS Roscoe W. Blackwell, 4526 E. Florence Ave, Bell, Calif. 90201 Filed Oct. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 407,487 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-1) This invention relates to devices for use in personal hygiene, and more particularly to a cleansing mechanism for use in the shower or at any other convenient location.

Although the device of the present invention may have other applications and should not therefore be limited to those specifically referred to herein, the invention has been found to be especially useful as an aid to a person in a shower bath in washing his own feet.

It is both physically difiicult and dangerous for a pregnant woman, for an old or infirm person, and for a person who is overweight to wash their feet while standing in a shower bath.

In accordance with the device of the present invention, the above-described and other problems are solved by providing a small tub which can rest on the floor in a shower. Treadle operable brushes are located in the tub. The device may be easily operated by the foot on the treadle, and the self same foot scrubbed by motion of the brushes created by the movement of the treadle. It is then unnecessary for a person taking a shower to risk standing in a precarious position upon only one foot While washing the other one. J

The above described and other advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 through the center of the device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of the apparatus shown at the end of the device in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a drive mechanism for the device of the present invention.

In the drawing in FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention is indicated at 10. Device includes a tub 11. Tub 11 has

sidewalls

12 and 13,

end walls

14 and 15, and a bottom panel 16.

Arcuate slots 17 and 18 are provided in end wall 15. Similar slots 19 and 20 are provided in end wall 14.

Rotary brushes are provided at 21 and 22. Brush 21 has bristles 23 fixed to a shaft 24. Brush 22 has bristles 25 fixed to a shaft 26.

Shaft 24 projects through slots 19 and 17 in end walls 14 and respectively. Similarly, shaft 26 projects through slots and 18 in

end walls

14 and 15 respectively.

A treadle is provided at 27. Treadle 27 has pins at 28, 29, 30 and 31 projecting forwardly and rearwardly thereof. Treadle 27 is suspended from

shafts

24 and 26 at pins 28, 29, 30 and 31. For this purpose, four linkages, 32, 33, 34 and 35 are provided. Shaft 24 is rotatable within

linkages

33 and 35. Similarly, shaft 26 is rotatable in

linkages

32 and 34.

Linkages

32 and 34 are also rotatable about pins 28 and 30, respectively.

Linkages

33 and 35 are rotatable about pins 29 and 31, respectively.

Linkages

32 and 34 are keyed in a manner not shown so that axial movement of shaft 26 and treadle 27 relative to

linkages

32 and 34 is not permitted. Neither is axial 3,359,5 72 PatentedDec. 26, 1967 movement of shaft 24 and treadle 27 relative to

linkages

33 and 35 permitted. For this purpose, a similar keyed connection, not shown, is provided between linkage 33, shaft 24 and pin 29, and linkage 35, shaft 24 and pin 31.

Gears

36 and 37 are keyed to opposite ends of shaft 24. Similar gears are keyed to the ends of shaft 26. Only one of these gears, keyed to the forward end of shaft 26, is shown in the drawings. However, all of these gears are identical. Gear 38, fixed to the rearward end of shaft 26, is shown in FIG. 4 As will be explained, the gears at the ends of

shafts

24 and 26,

e.g. gears

36, 37 and 38, act as pinions, as will be described.

Note will be taken that gear 36 is located in a space 39 enclosed by an end cover 40. Gear 37 is located in a space 41 enclosed by an end cover 42.

As shown in FIG. 4,

gears

37 and 38 have teeth 43 and 44,'respectively. Teeth 43 mesh with teeth 45 in a rack 46. Teeth 44 mesh with teeth 47 in a rack 48.

Racks

46 and 48 are provided on opposite edges of a plate 49 fixed to or integral with end wall 15. Due to the fact that the structures in space 39 are identical to those in the space 41, only those structures in the space 41 will be described. Note will be taken from FIG. 4 that gear teeth 43 are held in mesh with rack teeth 45 by a flange 50 integral with gears 37. Flange 50 engages a plate 51 which may also be integral with or fixedto end wall 15. Gear 38 has a flange 52 which engages a guide 53, which is identical to guide 51.

Toe brushes at 54, 55, 56 and 57 are fixed to end wall 14. A heel brush 58 is fixed to end wall 15. Note will be taken that treadle 27 has a rectangular cutout at 59 of a depth equal to the length of the

toe brushes

54, 55, 56 and 57.

As shown in FIG. 2, treadle 27 has a body portion 60 with a foam rubber pad 61 fixed to the upper surface thereof. Body portion 60 also has slotted members at its opposite ends 62 and 63 which guide two

U-shaped wires

64 and 65 having bight portions 66 and 67 located in members 62 and 63. Wire 64 is rotatable about a shaft 68. Wire 65 is rotatable about a shaft 69. Wire 64 is biased in the direction of an arrow 70 by conventional springs 71. Similarly, wire 65 is biased in the direction of an arrow 72 by other springs 73 identical to springs 71. Shaft 68 is carried by cars 74. Shaft 69 is carried by ears 75.

Prior to use, the treadle 27 and brushes 21 and 22 will take the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3. When a foot is placed upon treadle 27 as shown at 76 in FIGS. 1 and 2, and treadle 27 is depressed to the position shown in dotted lines shown at 27' in FIG. 3, brushes 21 and 22 will rotate inwardly and downwardly, and move to the position shown at 21 and 22, respectively, in FIG. 3.

Special precautions may be taken to make the engagement of flanges 50 and 52 with guides 51 and 53 as friction-free as possible. However, the condition of the surfaces of these parts will not be a problem if springs 71 and 73 are strong enough.

When used in the shower, the tub 11 can be allowed to fill with water. Soap may be added to this water if desired. A slow drain may be provided for tub 11 by

holes

77 and 78 in end wall 15 as shown in FIG. 4 and holes 79 and 80' in end wall 14 shown in FIG. 3.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, power means 81 are illustrated for moving treadle 27 up and down. Power means 81 is not shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for clarity. Power means 81 is located immediately to the left of end cover 40 as viewed in FIG. 1. Power means 81 has a worm gear 82 fixed to an output shaft 83 that extends centrally through end cover 40 and end wall 14 between toe brushes 55 and 56. Integral with shaft 83 is a crank 84 having a crankpin 85 that extends into a slot 86 in treadle 27.

Worm gear 82 is driven through a fiexible cable 87, a worm 88 fixed thereto, a worm gear 89 in mesh therewith, and a worm 90 fixed relative to worm gear 89 and in mesh with worm gear 82.

Worm gear 88 may be rotated about its longitudinal axis by any convenient means available. For example, motors of the pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical types may be employed. Further, a solenoid winding may be energized to elfect movement of the worm gear 88.

The device may be employed in many places including but not limited to private homes. It may be employed in steam baths, gymnasium baths, and at schools and swimming pools.

In accordance with the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the use of the device 10' of the present invention may be made, and a foot 76 scrubbed by motion of the

brushes

21 and 22 created by stepping on treadle 27. It is then unnecessary for a person taking a shower to stand in a precarious position upon only one foot while washing the other one.

Although only one specific embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated herein, many changes and modifications will of course suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. This single embodiment has been selected for this disclosure for the purpose of illustration only. The present invention should therefore not be limited to the embodiment so selected, the true scope of the invention being defined only in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

Hygienic apparatus comprising: a tub having side walls, end walls and bottom panel, at least one of said walls having a relatively small hole therethrough adjacent said bottom panel; a vertical guide plate in said tub adjacent each end wall thereof; a pair of symmetrical, downwardly converging arcuate slots in each of said plates; a pair of brushes having horizontal shafts extending between said plates in positions passing through corresponding slots, said shafts being held in rotatable, angular, laterally movable, and fixed axial positions; a pinion fixed to each end of each of said shafts; a pair of arcuate racks fixed to each of said guide plates in positions to mesh with said pinions, said rack having the same curvature as said slots; said guide plates having a construction to hold said pinions in mesh with said racks; a treadle; a pair of identical linkages rotatable about a first axis on opposite ends of said treadle on one side thereof and surrounding one of said shafts, said shafts being rotatable through corresponding pairs of said linkages; an inverted U-shaped wire at opposite ends of said treadle; spring means fixed to said tub bottom panel in a position to urge said wires to push upwardly against said treadle; a resilient pad fixed to the upper surface of said treadle; a cover plate for each of said guide plates; a heel brush fixed to one of said cover plates; and four toe brushes fixed to the other of said cover plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 722,679 3/ 1903 Dagger 15-36 1,044,762 11/ 1912 Dupuis 1536 1,583,589 5/1926 Grapentin 15-36 2,742,037 4/1956 Svoren 12825.2 XR 3,055,357 9/1962 Redka 128-65 3,078,484 2/1963 Briggs 4-184 3,101,716 8/1963 Cornell 4165 3,109,177 1l/1963 Grafmyer 4l58 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,107,895 5/ 1961 Germany.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

HENRY K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.