US3454016A - Supporting and rotating device for hair-curler rolls - Google Patents

Description

July 8, 1969 E. GATES 3,454,016

SUPPORTING AND ROTATING DEVICE FOR HAIR-CURLER ROLLS Filed Aug. 24, 1967 INVENTOR. (s /L 901% United States Patent 3,454,016 SUPPORTING AND ROTATING DEVICE FOR HAIR-CURLER ROLLS Earl Gates, 1117 14th St., Santa Rosa, Calif. 95404 Filed Aug. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 662,965 Int. Cl. A4511 2/24 US. Cl. 13234 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hair-curling aidfor use with a conventional form of Curler ro1l-comprised of a hand-supported and controlled motor unit, and an adapter arranged to detachably connect the motor unit with the curler roll in driving relation to the latter so that upon the motor unit being placed in operation, the curler roll will be rotated, and the hair (as initially started on the roll by hand) will be powerwrapped about said roll.

Background of the invention It has been the general practice to start a portion of hair on a curler roll, and to then rotate the latter wholly by hand until substantially all of such portion of hair is wound on the roll and the latter is close to the head, whereupon the usual holders are inserted. As a substantial number of curler rolls are commonly used on a head of hair, applying of such rolls by hand may become a long and tedious operation.

Summary of the invention With the device of the present invention, the hair-curler rolls are power-rotated under hand control, and the haircurling task is greatly facilitated and expedited, with far less physical effort on the part of the user.

The present invention provides, as a major object, a device-for the purpose describedWhich comprises a small light-weight motor unit adapted to be easily held in the hand, and an adapter detachably connectible between the curler roll and either end of the hand-held motor unit, depending upon whether the device is to be used on the right or left-hand side of the head.

The form and arrangement of the parts of the device for ready and easy manipulation of the same between the initially disengaged and the operating positions thereof are another important object of this invention.

The present invention provides, as a further object, a supporting and rotating device for hair-curler rolls which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and convenience of use.

The present invention provides, as a still further object, a practical and reliable supporting and rotating device for hair-curler rolls and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

Brief description of the drawings on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation of the motor unit taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

3,454,016 Patented July 8, 1969 Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the device comprises a motor unit, indicated generally at 1, and an adapter indicated generally at 2.

The adapter includes a circular head 3 having a diameter no smaller than that of a conventional perforated curler roll 4, and from the center of one face of which head an oval-shaped elongated band-type spring 5 projects; the normal expanded width of this spring being somewhat greater than the internal diameter of the roll 4. The ovalshaped spring 5 is thus adapted to frictionally but releasably engage in the roll 4 from one end thereof, and with the roll 4 then in end contact with and projecting from said one face of the head 3.

A stub shaft 6 projects centrally from the face of the head opposite the spring 5, and such stub shaft is adapted to detachably engage with the motor unit in driven relation, and from either end thereof, as will be described hereinafter.

The motor unit 1 comprises a cylindrical, closed-end case 7 substantially the same diameter as the head 3. A tubular open-ended shaft 8 is turnably mounted centrally and axially in the case 7; the bore of said shaft 8 being such as to slidably receive the stub shaft 6 therein from either end thereof. A cross pin 9 extends diametrally in, and intermediate the ends of the shaft 8; the stub shaft 6 being diametrally slotted from its outer end for a certain distance, as shown at 10, so as to fit over or straddle the cross pin 9 and thus connect the two shafts in detachable relation. It will, of course, be understood that the o en ends of the shaft 8 are exposed at both ends of the case 7, as clearly shown in FIG. 4.

A coil or clock-type spring 11 is disposed in the case 7 in surrounding relation to the shaft 8; one end of such spring being attached to the case, while the other end is attached to the shaft 8.

The shaft 8 is fitted, within the case 7 and to one side of the spring 11, with a ratchet wheel 12 normally held against rotation in a spring-unwinding direction by means of a pawl 13 (see FIG. 3). The pawl 13, which projects through an opening 14 in the peripheral wall of the case 7, depends from one end of a short finger-actuated lever 15 pivoted on the outside of the case, and adapted to be depressed to lift and release the pawl from the ratchet wheel 12; a suitable spring 16 yieldably resisting such depression of the lever 15.

In the use of the above described device, the stub shaft 6 of the adapter 2 is first slid into the tubular shaft 8 of the motor unit 1, with the slot 10 then receiving the cross pin 9 of said shaft 8. The motor unit 1 and adapter 2 are then relatively oppositely rotated by hand in order to wind up the spring 11; unwinding of the spring being normally prevented by the pawl 13. The curler roll 4 is then pressed onto the spring 5, placing the latter under compression so that said spring and roll are held against relative rotation; the roll being longitudinally advanced until it engages the head 3 of the adapter 2.

With the parts of the device thus assembled in operating position, as shown in FIG. 2, the user starts a portion of her hair on the curler roll in the conventional manner, and

then releases the pawl 13 by depressing the lever 15. This enables the spring 11 to function in an unwinding direction so that the motor unit 1 functions to rotate the en gaged shafts 8 and 6, and also the curler roll 4, which results in such portion of hair being power-wound onto such roll. The spring 5 is then withdrawn from engagement with the roll 4, leaving the hair-engaged roll on the head. The spring 11 is then manually rewound, ready for the next roll-engaging and hair-winding operation.

The stub shaft 6 is insertable into the tubular shaft 8 from either end thereof, depending on the direction of rotation desired for the supported roll 4, and whether the roll 4 is to be used on the rightor left-hand side of the head.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a supporting and rotating device for hair-curler rolls as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

I claim:

1. A supporting and rotating device, for an open ended hair-curler roll, comprising a motor unit adapted for hand support and control and including a rotatable shaft, and an adapter positioned axially on the motor unit shaft and arranged to releasably connect said shaft to the curler roll in axially alined driving relation; the adapter including a rotatable head detachably connected at one end to the motor unit shaft, and an oval initially expanded spring projecting from the opposite end of the head; the spring being inserted under compression into the curler roll, from one end thereof, in frictional holding but detachable relation.

2. A supporting and rotating device, for an open ended hair-curler roll, comprising a motor unit adapted for hand support and control and including a rotatable shaft, and an adapter removably positioned on the motor unit shaft and arranged to releasably connect said shaft to the curler roll in axially alined driving relation; the motor unit shaft being tubular and open-ended, and said adapter comprising a rotatable head having means projecting from one end thereof for detachable holding engagement with the curler roll, and a stub shaft projecting from the opposite end of the head adapted to be removably projected into said tubular shaft from either end thereof, selectively, and in nonturnable relation therewith.

3. A supporting and rotating device, for an open ended hair-curler roll, comprising a motor unit adapted for hand support and control and including a rotatable shaft, and an adapter removably positioned axially on the motor unit shaft and having means for releasably connecting said shaft to the curler roll in axially alined driving relation; the motor unit comprising a case having endwalls in which the shaft is turnably mounted, a clock-type spring in the case about the shaft and secured at one end to said shaft and at the other end to the case, a ratchet wheel fixed on the shaft within the case, and a manually releasable pawl mounted on and projecting into the case and normally engaged with the ratchet wheel in a direction to normally prevent unwinding of the spring.

4. A supporting and rotating device, for an open ended hair-curler roll, comprising a motor unit adapted for hand support and control and including a rotatable shaft, and

a an adapter removably positioned axially on the motor unit shaft and having means for releasably connecting said shaft to the curler roll in axially alined driving relation; the motor unit comprising a case having endwalls in which the shaft is turnably mounted, a clock-type spring in the case engaging the shaft to rotate the latter when the spring is wound, and manually releasable means preventing unwinding of the spring; the adapter including a hand-engageable head having a stub shaft adapted to detachably couple with the motor unit shaft whereby upon relative opposite rotation of the motor unit and head, the spring will be wound.

5. A supporting and rotating device, for an open ended hair-curler roll, comprising a motor unit adapted for hand support and control and including a rotatable shaft, and an adapter removably positioned axially on the motor unit shaft and arranged to releasably connect said shaft to the curler roll in axially alined driving relation; the motor unit including a case, and said motor unit being spring-actuated and wound upon relative opposite rotation of said case and the shaft, there being manually releasable means normally preventing unwinding of the spring and resultant rotation of the shaft; the adapter including a rotary head disposed immediately adjacent the motor unit in axial alinement with the shaft, means detachably coupling the head to the shaft, and means projecting from the head opposite the motor unit and adapted to engage in the curler roll, from one end thereof, in frictional holding but detachable relation.

6. A device, as in claim 5, in which both the case and the head are circular and of substantially the same diameter.

7. A device, as in claim 5, in which said frictional holding means comprises a band-type oval spring secured at one end centrally to said head; said spring being initially of a width greater than the internal diameter of the curler roll, the spring being compressed upon engagement in said curler roll, and the latter being of a diameter no greater than that of the head and substantially abutting the adjacent end thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,573,456 10/1951 Kutzler et al 13234 FOREIGN PATENTS 63 8,745 3/1962 Canada.

BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. MITCHELL, Assistant Examiner.

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