US805469A - Finger-moistener. - Google Patents

Description

No- 805,469. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

J. M. KEEP.

FINGER MOISTENER. APPLIOATION rum) Mums, 1905.

UNITED STATES JAMES M. KEEP, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FINGER-MOISTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed March 29, 1905. Serial No. 252,665.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. KEEP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Finger-Moisteners,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices and methods for moistening the tips of the fingers. Such devices are most commonly known as sponge-cups and are used by bankers and others when counting paper money and by book and pamphlet binders and others when counting or arranging papers.

My device consists of a body portion or reservoir, a spherical ball or moistener, and means by which to retain the ball-in position, the construction and operation of which are hereinafter fully described and explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters referring thereto.

Figure 1 is a top view of the device; Fig. 2, a vertical central section of the moistener complete with removable cover, the ball-re taining cap being screwed to the neck of the reservoir, the inner surface of the neck serving as a guide for the ball; Fig. 3, a vertical central section showing supplementary guide for the ball.

In the drawings, A is the reservoir;-B, the ball; 0, the cover; R, the retaining-cap; Gr, the guide; F, the flange; M, the metalguide; S, the screw-thread.

The object of my invention is to provide at a nominal cost a very simple, convenient, and efiective finger-moistener that may dispense with the sponge and cup, which is ever exposed to dust and evaporation. Therefore it is very uncertain as to when the sponge will be in acleanly and properly-moistened condition for use. Moreover, the sponge-seldom presents a suitable surface for quickly and delicately moistening the fingers; besides, it often emits and imparts to the fingers a putrid odor. My invention obviates all of these objections. Itis composed of a suitably-shaped body portion to form the reservoir A. Into this reservoir I insert the ball B, and there confine it with the cap R. The reservoir may be made plain or ornamental, of glass, porcelain, metal, or other suitable material, with expanded sides and a contracted opening at the top of a size to admit the ball. (See Fig.

2.) The inside depth of the reservoir should be from one-eighth to one-fourth (as size may indicate) of an inch more than two-thirds the diameter of the ball. The ball should be hol low or made of very light material, impervious to moisture, and having an absorbent surface, whichmay be effected by covering or coating the ball or by densely indenting its surface. As shown in Fig. 2, the ballis retained in position and in the reservoir by a screw-cap R, said cap being disk-like and made of metal, hard rubber, celluloid, or other suitable material. This cap has an opening in its center large enough to allow about one-third of the ball rising above its surface. (See Fig. 2.) The inner surface of the male screw serves as a guide to keep the ball in a central position. When thus constructed, the cap may be taken off and the ball removed at pleasure. As shown in Fig. 3, the retain ing-cap R and the guide M are of metal and integral and of tubular form, having an in ward-turned flange F to resist the ball and an outward-turned flange or rim to serve as a support and means by which to fasten the guide in the opening of the reservoir. In either form of construction the opening in the cap or flange should only be large enough to allow the ball to project upward about onethird of its diameter. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) These parts having been constructed and combined substantially as described and shown and to operate as hereinafter explained constitute my improved finger-moistener.

It may be observed that the ball is less in diameter than the inner diameter of the guide. This isnto allow of free motion pf theflball wlien in use. [he spaceb iween the bottom ofthjfiesefvoir and the under side of the ball is to admit of the ball being depressed from contact with the flange and to admit of the reservoir being filled or emptied without removing the cap. The reservoir being filled or partly filled with water, the ball will rise and project upward through the opening, thus serving as an automatic stopper, and above the cap to admit of being turned in any direction by the slightest touch of the finger. To moisten the finger or fingers lightly, place it or them upon the top of the ball and move them in any direction which will turn up a moistened surface and evenly and delicately moisten the finger or fingers. Thus the operation may be continued weeks and months without inconvenience. To insure buoyancy and delicacy of touch, the ball should be perfectly round, ridged, and as light as possible and have a slightly-absorbent surface to insure a supply of moisture.

I am aware that the means or method of confining the ball in position in the reservoir may be varied to suit fancy without departing from the merits of my invention.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

1. lnadevice for moistening the fingers, in combination, the ball, a removable disk-like cap and a water-reservoir having an expanded body portion contracted at the top to form a central openingand a rim around the opening having aScrew-thread upon its outer surface, by which to confine said cap made of metal or other suitable material, said cap having a central opening through its disk of sufficient size to allow the ball to project upward through the disk and to operate as shown and described.

2. A device for moistening the fingers and similar purposescomprising a spherical ball, a removable disk-like cap and a reservoir having an expanded body portion contracted at the top to form a central opening surrounded by a rim having upon its outer surface means by which to confine thereon said cap of metal or of other suitable material, said cap having a central opening through its disk by which when attached to the rim of the reservoir, to retain the ball in a central position and allow it to project upward through the disk as and for the purpose shown and described.

3. A finger-moistener comprising a spherical ball a reservoir having an expanded body contracted to form a central opening and means as a tube to form lateral antifrictionbearings for the ball and retain the same in position, substantially as shown and described.

4. A finger-moistener comprising a spherical ball, a reservoir having an expanded body contracted at the top to form a central opening to which may be attached by any suitable means a cap of metal or other material, said cap having a central opening to retain the ball in position and allow it to project upward through the disk, as and for the purpose described and shown.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27th day of March, A. D. 1905.

JAMES M. KEEP.

Witnesses:

AROHIBALD L. VAN NEss, (J. W. LUMDGE.

Images