US2226814A - Toothbrush handle - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED ,o STATES 'rooTHRUsH HANDLE Harold E. Gregg, Sebastopol, Calif. Application June 8, 1939, Serial No. 278,158

2 Claims.

This invention relates to toothbrush handles, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which will be extremely durable, capable of being easily cleaned to permit the device to be kept in a sanitary condition and may be removed from the brush head whenever desired and will allow the head to be rotated relative to the handle proper and permit the entire device to be suspended from a support or hook.

With these and other objects in view, theinvention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan View illustrating a toothbrush and handle constructed in accordance with my invention and showing a brush head connected thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating a connecting and releasing wire removed from the handle proper Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating the brush head.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the handle is indicated in entirety by the character 5 and is primarily composed of a tubular member 6 provided with a corrugated portion at one end thereof to form a hand grip 1 and extending through the tubular member is a combined atta-ching and releasing wire or member 8.

The wire or member 8 includes a straight portion 9 and end portions Ill and II. The portions I0 and II are bent back upon the straight portion 9. The portion I I where it joins the straight portion is of semicircular shape, as shown at I2, to engage in a groove I3 of a projection I4 carried by a brush head I5.

The portion I0 extends at an angle to the straight portion 9 and has an offset portion vI6 defining a shoulder I1. The straight portion 9 extends through the tubular member 6 and normally the end portions I0 and II have the free ends thereof conned within the tubular member 5, as shown in Figure 3, with the shoulder II abutting one end of the member 6. 'I'he end (Cl.306-3)4 Y portions being coniined within the. tubular member as stated contracts said end portions toward the straight portion 9 bringing the semicircular portion I2 in a tight gripping relation with the semicircular portion I2 in a tight gripping relation with the extension I4 of the brush head I5 preventing the brush head from having relative movement with .respect to the handle. When it is desired to release the brush head for rotation or removal, the end portion I0 is contracted to disengage the shoulder Il from the end of the tubular member whence the latter may be slid over the end portion I0V to free the end portion II permitting the brush head to be removed or rotated relative to the handle.

Normally when the brush head is fastened tothe handle the portion I0 denes a loop for the purpose of receiving a hook or like support so that the device may be suspended therefrom.

It is preferable that the member 6 be of a shape as shown in cross section in Figure 4. The brush head may be constructed of any material suitable for the purpose and has secured thereto a plurality of tufts of bristles I9.

A handle of the character described and shown in the drawing can be economically manufactured and sold at a low cost and will provide an extremely durable device and one which will in all probability outlive a number of brush heads and due to its construction the brush heads may be removed when worn and replaced by another or the brush head can be easily removed from the handle for cleansing purposes and also due to the handle construction the Various parts thereof may be readily disassembled to permit cleaning, consequently permitting the entire device to be kept in a highly sanitary condition.

While this invention has been described and shown for use on toothbrushes it is to be understood that this handle is readily adaptable to other types of brushes used for purposes other than cleaning teeth.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawing will fully set forth the construction and advantages of this invention to those skilled in thekart to which such a device relates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

What I claim is:

1. A handle of the class described comprising an elongated tube, a resilient strip passing through the tube and having its ends bent to form substantially U-shaped loops, said loops extending in opposite directions with ,the free limbs of the loops entering end portions of the tube with the major portions of the loops projecting from the ends of the tube, one loop forming a clamp to hold an article at one end of the tube and the free limb of the other loop having a short inwardly extending portion intermediate its ends which extends at substantially right angles to the other portions of said free limb and said right angular extending portion forming a shoulder for engaging a portion of the adjacent end ofthe tube'for holding the free limb of the other loop in* the tube, said shoulder-forming portion being disengaged from the end of the tube when the free limb carrying the shoulj-4 f der portion is pressed inwardly, to permit the strip to be moved to a position to release -theclamping action of the other loop. Y

2. A handle of the class described comprising an elongated tube, a resilient strip passing f through the tube and having its ends `bent'toY form substantially U-shaped loops, said loops extending in` opposite directions with the free limbs" of the 'loopsiente'ring end portions ofthe tube with the major portions of the loops projecting from the ends of the tube, one loop forming a clamp to hold an article at one end of the tube and the free limb of the other loop having a short inwardly extending portion intermediate its ends which extends at substantially right angles to the other portions of said free limb and said right angular extending portion forming a shoulder for engaging a portion of the adjacent endof `the tube for holdingthe free limb-of the other loop in the tube, said shoulder forming portion being disengaged from the end ofithe tube when the free limb carrying the shoulder portion is pressed inwardly, to permit the stripto be moved to a position to release -V the olampingaction of the other loop, said tube being flattened to make one diameter thereof longer than the other with the loop portions engaging the side walls of the tube at the longer diameter thereof HAROLD E. GREGG.

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