US2643795A - Dispenser for collapsible tubes - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1953 R. H. TEAL DISPENSER FOR coLLAPsIBLE TUBES Filed May 24, 1948 JNVENToR. /P/ M 7:54a BY $2 Patented `lune 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE v 2,643,795 DISPENSER FOR CoLLAPsIELE TUBES Roy H. Teal, La Grange, Ga. Application May 24, 194s, serial No. 28,819

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates todispensers of the type which hold a collapsible toothpaste tube and permit of itsbeing progressively squeezed from its closed end to its dispensing orice.

It is `among the objects of the present invention to provide a device of the class described which is characterized by simplicity and eiliciency of operation, and particularly from the standpoint of exchanging an empty toothpaste tube for a f ull one. Y

Another object is the provision of the foregoing advantages in a device which is both simple and inexpensiveA to manufacture and is also durable in service..V

Still another object is to provide a novel device for holding a collapsible toothpaste tube and dispensing the contents thereof, which also holds vone or more toothbrushes or other articles in readily accessible manner.

The invention, then, comprisesthe features hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed out in the claim, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain -illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative of but one of a number of ways in which the teachings of the y invention maybe employed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an. exploded view, in perspective, of the improved toothpaste dispenser of the pres- 'ent invention, thefront and top members of the housing therefor being shown as integral and in elevated position.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the novel toothpaste dispenser.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view taken from within the housing and at the upper end thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 2 and 3 designate a pair of vertically disposed, rectangular shaped side-wall members which are arranged in parallelism and connected along their correspondingly rearward edges to a vertically disposed, similarly shaped rear-wall member or panel 4. According to a permissive embodiment of the present invention, all of the elements of the present invention, including the side-wall members 2 and 3 and the rear-wall member or panel 4, may be made of metal, and assembled and connected in any of the convenient modes well-known in the art.

Extending between the upper ends of the forward edges of the side-wall members 2 and 3, and connecting the same, is a cross-member 5 which provides a strengthening effect and also serves to facilitate the seating of the top and frontal portions which will be later described.

(Cl. Z22-93') Disposed at the bottoms of the side-wall members 2 and 3 andthe rear-wall member 4 is a plug 6 which connects these three elementsand serves as a support for an linverted collapsible toothpaste tube of conventional shape `and size. The plug El, whichl serves as the bottoml of the housing of the toothpaste dispenser of the invention has a vertical bore 'I extending therethrough. The upper end ofthis bore I communicates with an enlarged recess 8 within which there is seated a centrally-apertured screwthreaded receptacle 9 which is constructed and arranged to receive the exteriorly screw-threaded end, or dispensing orifice, of the toothpaste tube.

The lower end of the vertical bore 7 of thev plug 6 projects from the lower end of the latter and is provided with a suitable cap or cover IIJ.

Along the forward edge of each ofthesidewall members 2 and 3, there extends avertically disposed rack I2, the gear-teeth of which face inwardly; and between these vertically disposed inwardly facing racks I2, there extends a horizontal shaft I3, one end of which extends through, and projects from, an elongate vertical slot I4 in the side-wall member 3. This projecting end I5 of the horizontal shaft I3 `has a winding key I6V secured to it. A pair of gears I8 are secured to that portion of the horizontal shaft I3 which lies between the side-wall members 2 and 3, each of the said gears being disposed opposite one of the vertically disposed inwardly facing racks I 2 and adapted for constant Yenmeshment therewiththrough the agency of a suitable biasing means, such as vertical guides 2I which may be attached to the side-wall members 2 and 3.

As previously stated,-one of the most important features of the present invention is extreme simplicity and elhciency in enabling the exchange of an empty toothpaste tube for a full one, and towards these ends, there is provided an improved operating instrumentality in lieu of the conventional winding key of the prior art from which the collapsed and wound toothpaste tube` must be removed. More specifically, this operating instrumentality comprises a roller 23 which is loosely mounted on the midsection of the horizontal shaft I3. This roller 23 is constructed and arranged for progressive downward movement with the horizontal shaft I3 in such manner as to bear against, and progressively squeeze, the collapsible toothpaste tube from its y closed end to its dispensing orifice. For all practical purposes, this roller 23 may be half-round in cross-section, as shown in Figure 2. In any made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In an apparatus for dispensing the contents of a collapsible tube, a base provided with a discharge outlet, a casing adapted for detachable association with said base, said casing comprising a rear wall and a pair of interconnected parallel side walls, each of said side walls having a vertically extending recess,a removable verticalA transverse partition having its side edges adapted to seat v in the vertically extending recesses in said paralextends between the side-wall members 2; and

3 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by means of vertical slots, or 'equivalent means. Y,

From the lower half of Figure l, it will be seen that, as the winding key I6 is rotated clockwise, the gears I8 on the horizontal shaft i3 will cause the latter to move downwardly and take with it the squeezing roller 23 which, as aforesaid, will squeeze the inverted collapsible toothpaste tube between it and the partition 25; and this relationship will continue throughout the length of the contents within the said tube.

Referring more particularly to the upper half of Figure l, the top and frontal members of the housing of the improved toothpaste dispenser of the present invention are joined together,

-the composite portions being designated at 2 and 28 respectively. On the under side of the Vtop member 21 there is formed a cross-member 29 which depends therefrom, and -which is adapted to ride in a pair of vertical slots 3l formed adjacent the rearward portions of the upper edges of the side-wall members 2 and 3. The top member 21 is also provided at its approximate center with a handle 3l, by means of which it'may be conveniently removed.

Another feature of the device of the present invention is the construction and arrangement of the housing to provide means for holding one or more toothbrushes in readily accessible man- This means may conveniently take the form of a series of individual apertures, or an elongate slot 32, formed in the top vmember 21 and communicating with the space between the removable partition 25 and the rear-wall member 4.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in Vthe art that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be `lel side walls and arranged in spaced relation to said rear wall, said parallel side walls being connected at their upper forward edges by a relatively narrow cross-member, means associated with said base for holding the collapsible tube in inverted position, each of said parallel side walls being provided with a vertically extending rack, one of said side walls having a vertical sloijl vdisposed rearwardly of its vertically extending rack, a horizontal shaft disposed within said casing and extending through said vertical slot, verticalguides on said side walls rearwardly of saidracks engageable with said shaft, a pair of vgears on said shaft adapted for rotatable engagement with said racks, `means Vdisposed exteriorly of saidcasing for enabling manual rotation of said shaft, a friction member mounted on said shaft for compressing a co1- lapsible tube, a' one-piecel L-shaped cover adapted to enclose the front-and top of said casing, said side walls being provided with oppositely disposed vertical slots in their upper edges, a depending transverse member on said L-shaped cover receivable in saidfslots, and said L-shaped cover having a slot in the horizontal portion thereof which is vpositioned over the compartment formed between therear wall and the vertical partition, saidlast-named slot being adapted toreceive at least one toothbrush, and means for retaining said cover on said casing.

' ROY H. TEAL.

References citen in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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