US1565888A - Soap dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1925. 1,585,888

C. AUSSENHOFER SOAP DISPENSER Filed May 4, 1923 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 T jg 1. 9

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UNITED STATES CHARLES AUSSENHOFER, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

1 SOAP DISPENSER.

Application filed May 4,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES AUssEN- rrornn, a citizenof the United States, residing at South Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soap Dispensers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to soap dispensers and more particularly to cream soap dispensing apparatus designed to render sanitary the use of soap in both publicor private institutions and which prevents waste thereof. 7

The primary object of my invention is to produce a soap dispenser capable of effectively dispensing cream or sand soap in predetermined quantities; and a further object is to provide an apparatus having an improved soap dispensing means which preserves the consistency of the soap by sealing the discharge orifice to prevent air from drying out and hardening thesoap material. It is also an object to provide a combined soap feed plunger and'visible gage device capable of indicating at all times the quantity of cream soap remaining in the soap dispenser. Other objects and principles of the invention are described in the specification and pointed out in the appended claims. I

The accompanying drawings illustrateone preferred embodiment of the invention; the constructional] d uses of which may be varied or modified to meet the requirements of the trade and to-suit general manufacturing and iiroductiou conditions without depz'trting from the scope of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates .avertical longitudinal section taken on the line 11 of Figure 2 through the soap dispenser, showing the soap feed piston in downwardly limited position.

Figure 2 also shows a vertical longitudinal section of the soap dispenser as developed on a plane substantially right angular to the plane of section of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the soap dispenser as taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the soap discharge plunger employed to discharge a predetermined quantity of soap from the apparatus into ones hand.

eferring now more particularly to the drawings fora further and more detailed description of the invention, there is shown 1923. Serial No. 636,518.

most end of the basefor the reception of a stud or cap screw employed in mounting the soap dispenser on a horizontal surface such as s shown in Figure 1. The mounting bracket 7 formed on the base is also designed to be securedto a vertlcal surface, such as the wall of a standing structure, as shown in Figure 2; and it is therefore to be appreciated that I provide a mounting bracket of universal character enabling the soap dispenser to be installed at any accessible point whether'on benches or shelves, or upon walls of a building. Thebase is formed with an upper flange or rim 11 adapted to receive the soap tank or container, as will be de scribed and is made with a downwardly converging wall 12 joining with vertical parallel walls 13 constituting a substantially rectangular shaped discharge chamber or pocket into which the soap is fed just prior to being pressed or discharged from the device during the operation thereof by the user. The discharge chamber 13 is made with a soap discharge orifice 14 out through which the soap is ejected into ones hand. The rear portion of the base is made. with a circular wall 15 for the reception of the rotating end or hub of a discharge plunger as later described. The design and con struction of the base is such that the soap is gradually fed downwardly into the soap discharge chamber or pocket 13 thereby providing a constantly uniform amount of soap ready for delivery through the orifice 14. A hub 16 is made integral with the base adapted to receive a shaft for operating the soap discharge plunger as will be described.

A soap discharge plunger 18 is fixed upon a shaft 19, and the shaft is journaled in the base and hub 16. The shaft carries a handle 20 on the outer end thereof by which the operator, one desiring soap, actuates the soap discharge pliu1ger18. The discharge plunger 18 is made with a hub portion 21, and a forwardly projecting plunger head 18; and the upper portion of the plunger head is preferably sharpened, as at 22, thereby adapting the discharge plunger to quickly make or cut its way through the soap material, enabling the plunger to quickly rise at the end of each soap discharge operation. This discharge plunger 18 is confined in the base with the hub portion 21 fitting closely to the base wall 15, thereby forming a sealed soap tight joint between the plunger hub and base. The plunger hub 21 rotates against the wall and over the orifice ll thereby effectively sealing'and closing the orifice when the plunger rises to inactive position as'shown in Figure 2.; and when the handle 20 is thrust downwardly to discharge soap, the discharge plunger hub 21 opens the orifice let thereby enabling the flat bottom plane edge 'of the plunger to squeeze and discharge soap from the pocket 13. outwardly through the uncovered orifice 14. The plunger is made with a cut off shoulder 1'? which passes over the orifice 14 and seals against a seat and corner adjacent the orifice thereby establishing a double cut off insuring a positive air tight seal which preserves the soap against deterioration. The discharge plunger is shown in dotted lines in its lowermost discharge position at the end of its discharge stroke. A coil return spring 23 has one end thereof anchored to 'the shaft 19 while the other end is anchored to a nut 24 screwed into the hub 16;'and the nut 24 may act as a'bearing to support the shaft 19.

A soap tank or container in the form of a cylinder or tube 27 is 'inounted on the base and secured to the flange '11 thereof by any suitable means. The upper end of the soap tank is made with oppositely arranged bayonet slots 28 for locking the tank cover or cap in position. This tank is made of a length or height sufficient to carry a supply of soap in any determined amount; and a tank cover29 is inadewith struck-in ears or lugs 30 which engage with'the bayonet slots 28 to lock the cover 29 in position. The bayonet slots are preferably undercut, as shown in Figure 2, in order that'the cap be more permanently locked upon the tank.

A soap feed piston or plunger 31 is slidably fitted in the tank cylinder 27, and is adapted to steadily and positively drive the soap downwardly into the discharge pocket 13; and the piston may be made with ribs through which the lower end of a compression spring 33 is threaded, the ribs 32 having holes therein for this purpose, thereby affording a convenient means for quickly assembling the spring and piston. The piston is preferably made with upper sharp edges as well as being made with a concave working surface thereby forming sharp edges, which cuts away and removes dry or hard soap during the travel of the piston in the cylinder; and both soap cutting piston edges are preferably undercut in order that soap, if by chance it should become dry and hard on the tank walls, be cut and removed therefrom. The piston carries a short post 34 which is pivotally connected with a draw rod 35; and the lower end of the draw rod is slotted as at 36 with a pin 37 anchored to the post 34 and passing through the slot 36. This arrangement afi'ords a sliding and pivotal lock joint connection between the post 34 and draw or piston rod 35 which functions as hereinafter described. A knob 38 is fixed to the upper end of the draw rod, and is preferably pointed on the upper end thereof to prevent thoughtless pounding on it while in operation.

The piston rod is designed to act as a gage indicating at all times the quantity of soap remaining in the tank, for when the knob 38 stands high above the 'tank cap it follows that the tank is substantially full; and when the knob approaches the tank it indicates as a matter of course that the supply of soap is running low. This gage stands as a continuous sight indication as to the quantity of soap in the tank, and the device positively functions without outside manual interference or assistance, because one does not necessarily have to first test it to determine the soap level in the tank.

In the operation and use of the soap dispenser, the draw or gage rod is pulled up wardly to retract the piston 31 into the cap as shown in Figure 2, and it is next displaced downwardly or pivoted over in a posit-ion substantially .rightangular to the post 34, and thereupon the draw rod is forced longitudinally to slide the slotted end thereof along the pin 37 to effect a locked position to forcibly hold the piston up in the cap in inoperative position. The cap 29 is next displaced downwardlyand then rotated to disengage the cars 30 from the bayonet slots 28 thereby enabling one to remove the cap and piston assembly for the purpose of fill-- ing the soap tank. The tank is filled with cream or sand soap, and when the cap is replaced and the d aw rod 35 straightened out, the piston 31 feeds downwardly on the soap to press it into the discharge pocket 13. By manipulating the handle 20 a predetermined. length of soap ribbon is discharged from the orifice 1-1 into the hand of the operator held therebelow. hen the operator removes his hand from the handle, the spring 23 immediately returns the soap discharge parts to upwardly limited position ready for the next operation.

This type of soap dispenser fills a long felt want in affording a positively operating apparatus capable of handling all grades of cream soap, and particularly sand soap. The design and construction of the parts is such that little machining and finishing work is required to be performed upon the castbase and plunger before they are assembled; and the device is inexpensive to manufacture and unlikely of getting out of order; and is presented to accommodate the trade in respect to cream soap for the reason that liquid soap dispensers now in use are not adapted to handle thick heavy cream soap.v

What I claim is 1. A soap dispenser comprising a container, a soap discharge device arranged therein to deliver soap to the user, a pressure feed piston adapted to feed soap under pressure to the discharge device, a piston rod fixed on the piston and projecting from the container and acting as a gage, and a cover disposed over the container and carrying the piston and projecting gage, a spring disposedbetween the cover and piston, said piston rod formed in two sections, a slot and pin joint pivotally joining the said sections and providing a lock to secure the piston up in the cover.

2. A soap dispenser comprising a soap tank, a discharge plunger arranged therein, and a mounting bracket embodying a horizontal and vertical arm adapted to mount ..he dispenser upon a horizontal or vertical support.

3. A soap dispenser comprising a soap tank, a removable cap on one end of the tank, a base fixed in the other end of the tank, said base provided with a downwardly slopingbottom, a discharge pocket joining with the sloping bottom, said pocket provided with a discharge orifice, a plunger pivoted in the pocket, a hub made integral with the base, a shaft journaled in the hub and fixed to the plunger, a spring to rotate the shaft to lift the plunger and seal the orifice, and a handle on the shaft to actuate the plunger.

4. A soap dispenser comprising a soap tank, a removable cover therefor, a base fastened in one end of the tank, said base made with a soap pocket bounded by a section of a circular wall and a discharge orifice therein,-paral1el straight walls joining with the circular wall forming a substantially rectangular shaped pocket, a discharge plunger embodying a rectangular shaped head and a partially round hub adapted to closely fit the circular wall of the pocket, and a sharp cut-off shoulder made on the plunger to seal the discharge orifice.

5. A soap dispenser consisting of a tank, a discharge device to dispense soap from the tank, a cover disposed over the open end of the tank, a feed piston to uniformly supply soap to the discharge device, a post fixed to the piston, a draw rod, a slidable and pivotal joint arranged to connect the draw rod to the post, a spring interposed between the piston and cover, and a knob on the outer end of the draw rod.

6. A soap dispenser comprising in combination, a tank, a discharge means carried may be secured to the vertical wall of a standing structure, a horizontal arm integral with the bracket by which the dispenser may be mounted on a horizontal standing structure, and a drip plate carried on the horizontal bracket under the discharge means.

7. A soap dispenser comprising a soap tank,'a feed means therein arranged topress downwardly on the contents, a closure plug fixed in the lower part of the tank, a dis-- charge pocket made in the plug and having a discharge orifice out through which the contents are ejected, a plunger having a straight plane pressing face which moves down into the pocket, a sharp cutting edge on the back of the plunger to cut through the contents when the plunger rises, a handle by which the plunger is driven down, and means for forcing the plunger back up to inoperative position.

8. A soap dispenser comprising a soap tank, a feed means therein arranged to press downwardly on the contents, a closure plug fixed in the lower part of the tank, a discharge pocket made in the plug and having a discharge orifice out through which the contents are ejected, a plunger having a straight plane pressing face which moves down into the pocket, a sharp cut-off edge made on the plunger fitting over the orifice and which uncovers the orifice when the plunger moves down, a spring for forcibly moving the plunger out of the pocket, a handle fastened to the plunger to forcibly move the plunger into the pocket and the cut-off edge away from the orifice.

9. A dispenser comprising a tank, a pocket formed therein with parallel vertical side walls, said pocket made with a discharge orifice, a hub bearing projecting from the side of the pocket, a shaft journaled in the bearing and extending through the walls of the pocket, a plunger secured to the shaft in the pocket, a spring confined in the hub bearing and acting to hold the plunger in upstanding position above the pocket, an orifice cut-ofi' means carried by the plunger and sealing off the orifice, and a manually operated means carried by the shaft for moving the plunger down into the pocket and opening the orifice.

10. A soap dispenser comprising in combination a soap tank, an ejecting device mounted in the lower end of the tank, a plunger to feed soa to the ejecting device, said plunger provi ed with an upper and lower edge sharpened. and closely fitting the wall of the tank to cut dried soap therefrom during up and down travel therein, means to force the plunger downwardly against the soap, withdrawing means whereby the plunger is retracted against the forcing means, and a locking device cooperating with the withdrawing means for holding the plunger in inoperative position.

11. A soap dispenser comprising in combi nation a soap tank, an ejecting device mounted in the lower end of the tank and embodying a soap pocket, a shaft disposed through the pocket, a plunger fixed on the shaft and adapted to swing downwardly into the pocket, a plunger to feed soap to the ejecting device, said plunger provided with an upper and lower rim sharpened and closely fitting the wall of the tank to cut dried soap therefrom during up and down travel therein, means to force the plunger downwardly against the soap, withdrawing means whereby the plunger is retracted against the forcing means, and a locking device cooperating with the withdrawing means for holding the plunger in inoperative position.

12. A dispensing machine comprising a receptacle, an ejector at the lower end thcreof, mounting means by which the machine is installed. in service position, a piston adapted to feed material into the ejector, means thrusting downwardly on the piston, avpost anchored to the piston, a draw rod pivotally carried on the end of the post and projecting from the receptacle, a relative motion joint forming the post and rod pivot whereby the rod is adapted to draw the post to exposed position outside the receptacle, and means forming part of the joint adapt-- ed to permit the rod to fold down on the post and lock the joint outside the receptacle with the piston in inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature this 27th day of April 1923 in the city of South Norwalk, county of Fail-field, and State of Connecticut.

CHARLES AUSSENHOFER.

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