US2615189A - Strap brush for bathing - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 28, 1952 Oct. 28, 1952 w. NovcK 2,615,189

STRAP BRUSH FOR BATHING Filed July 16, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 57 x x w INVENTOR. WILLIAM NOVICK Patented. Oct. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES eArENT orrce STRAP BRUSH FOR BATHING William Novick, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application J uly 16, 1949, Scrial No. 106,153

claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a combinaton brush and soap holder of the type forming the subject matter of my earlier U. S. Patents Nos. 2,333,436, 2,408,676 and 2,441,898 and U. S. Application Serial No. 41,501 filed July 30, 1948.

The articles forming the subject matter of those prior patents and applications are characterized by a brush mounted on a long straplike handle intermediate the ends thereof to facilitate the use of the brush to wash the back and other relatively inaccessble parts of the body;

The brush, in each of the prior patents or applications, features a back having a Central Opening closed by a pivotally or removably mounted door with bristles fixedly mounted on the back about the Opening. Mounted on the back concentric with the central Opening there is a soap container into which a. cake of soap can be .placed through the central opening when the door is pivoted to an open' position and means' is included on the door for pressing the inserted cake of soap away therefrom and to extend the soap container to an operative position with relation to the ends of the brush bristles.

The combination brush and soap holder of the present invention is generally similar to those of the prior patents and applications, differing therefrom in the manner of forming the soap container into which the piece of soap is to be placed.

Another object of the present invention proposes forming the pairs of brush bristles on diametrically opposite sides of the Central opening with integral intermediate portions extended across the Central Opening in a novel manner to form the soap Container.

The invention further proposes a novel means for securing the intermediate portions of the pairs of brush bristles in position on the back of the brush in a manner to maintain the position of the soap Container fixed with relation to the brush bristles of the brush.

It is also proposed to form the pairs of brush bristles which form the soap Container in different Ways so that their intermediate portions will be either multi-stranded or single-stranded with brush bristles at the ends the'eof.

Another Object of the present invention proposes the provision of a novel wall bracket which is to be mounted on the wall of a bathroom or the like over a bathtub or other similar receptacle so that the brush may be rested thereon following use to have the accumulated water conveniently drain therefrom.

As a further object, the present invention proposes removably mounting the long strap-like handle upon the brush so that it can be removed and replaced by a shorter hand strap when desired. l

It is afurther Object of the present invention to construct a combination brush and soap holder which is simple and durable and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set iorth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: A

Fig. 1 is a Perspective view of the combination brush and soap holder constructed in accordance with the present invention and being used to scrub ones back. f

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the combination brush and soap holder resting onits supporting wall bracket.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2, but with the long strap-like handle removed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of the combination brush and soap holder, per se.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged central transverse vertical sectional view of the eombination brush and soap holder, but with portions thereof broken away.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a portion of th combination brushand soap holder in the proces of being assembled.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the member for holding the cover in a closed position.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational View `of the combination brush and soap holder with' the small hand strap substituted for the longer strap-like handle. i p

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the small hand 'strap, per se. p

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the wall bracket, per se.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the bristle members used to form the soap Container of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a view Similar to Fig. 11, but illustrating a modification of the bristle member used to form the soap Container.

The combination brush and soap holder, accordin to the form of the invention illustrated in Fgs. 1 to 11, includes a brush 28 having a container 2| for a cake of soap 22 and mounted on the intermediate portion of a long strap-like handle 23 to be used for scrubbing one's back, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The brush 20 has a rigid back 24 preferably formed of a transparent resinous plastic material; such as "Lucite" (an acrylate or methyl methacrylate resin). The rigid back 24 has a fiat central portion 24 and end portions 24 which are sloped downward and outward from the central portion. The fiat central portion 24 is in the form of a frame having a central opening 2-5.

Fixedly mounted on the bottom face of the back 24 there is a plurality of brush bristles -26 arranged in separate tufts molded into the back 24 as is generally known to those skilled inthe art to which the present invention pertains. The bristles 26 can be formed of natural hair but are preferably forrned of a synthetic materia1;-"such as* "Nylonfl(a polymeric amide with a protein-like chemcal structure).

The strap-like handle'23 is formed of'anydesired'flexible water-proof material and has an intermediate .portion which is slightlv enla'rged andextended 'across'the central portion' 24 of the back 24. utwar'dly of' the enlarged intermediate portion, the". handle 4 23 has fixedly mounted thereon snap fastenerelements 21' engageable' with .complementary snap .fastener' elements 28`mo1ded into the back 24'for' reieasably connecting the handle 23 to: theibrush' The* endsofthe handle 23 are' formedwith pairsof slits 28', see Figs. land 2,'into which one's'fingers.

may. be engaged, ,as clearly shoWn in'Fig'..1,' for manipulating the brush.

There is also provided a shorter hand strap 29, seesFi'gsrs and.,9, formed of the samevmaterial used. toorm thehandle 23. The-shorter hand strap 29 is provided at its ends with snap fastener elements 30,. Similar to the snap. fastener 'elements ztiwhich are to -be engaged with.the:snap fastener elements 28, when the hand1ej 23` is.disconnected .from the brush 20; `for-connecting .the

shorter hand strap-29` tolthe brush. When the.

shorter-\hand strap..29` s connected tothe brush 2o -it -may.-be directly grippednpermitting the brush to be used for washing the accessible parts of :the body. If. desired, the back 24 of the brush zu may -be grippedwith the hand strap, 29.'extendedacross the back of. the hand.

The container 21 for the cake of soap 22 is for-med` of *elongated bristlemembers 34 .having intermediate portions 34 and bristle portions34 which surround the central Opening 25, in the rigid back-24. Thoseintermediate portionsh34 are extended` across thebottom of the cake of soap 22 and* interlaced, asshownin Figs.` 4 toi 6. The ends of theinter mediate portions then ,extend upward along. the sides of the cake of soap 22.

Alongdiametrically opposite sides of the opening 25, the rigid back 24 is formed with aligned pairsof holes38, *see Figs. 4 to 6, which continue at their top ends into concentric reduced holes 31. The top ,ends of the reduced holes 31'. are connected by a groove 38 formedin the top face of the rigid back `24 completely about the opening 25.

.After the intermediate portions 34 ofrthe bristle' members 34 have been interlaced and passedupward along the sides of the cake of soapf.22*,. the bristle portions 34 are passed through a,.loop 'of 'a length of synthetic resinous plastic yarn 39, as shown inFig. 6. The length of yarn 39 is extended from one reduced hole 31 to the next along the groove 38 and at each hole 31 is doubled upon itself and passed downward through the holes 36 and 31 to have the end portion of the respective bristle member 34 passed through the loop and properly adjusted with relation thereto to form the respective portion of the container 2| and the bristle portion 34 The free end of the length of yarn 39 is then pulled to draw the bristle member 34 upward into the enlarged hole 38 until the bristle member strikes the top of th hole 36. The next bristle member is drawn into position in the same way until the entire .Container 2! is completed. The ends of the length of yarn 39 will then be adjacent one another and can be tied or secured together in .anypther known manner for securely anchoring the bristle members 34 in position with relation to the rigid back 24. If desired, the tops of the groove 38 could be sealed by pouring in molten resinousplastic-materialuof the same type used for forming the back24.

The centraiopening 25 permits-.the cake-of soap '22 -to be passed .through the rigidback 24 and into. the soap container. 2l, as .shown in Figs. 4 and 5.' Thecentralaopening 25.'is 'closed by a-cover `451 preferably formed' of the same material as the rigid back. 24.' As clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thebottom -face of the cover. 40 rests-on-the top face of theback 24 about the Central-Opening- 25.` The cover* 40 .comprisesa bottom portion-40 and a narrower top portion 40 and it is preferred that-the cover be formed oa:=thermop1asticaresinous material so that .the portions 4:! and-41) can be secured-together to form-an integralunit thereof by 'the application of-- heat and pressure; The cover 40 is formed with spacedholes 4 along the length-thereof for thecirculation of water throughthe Container 2 l. Secured to the topface of orintegrally formed with *the rigid back- 24* -there are blocks- 42, see especially Fig; 3, arranged in end alignmentwith the -topportion' 40 of the cover* 40. Oneend of the-top portion-4fl is formed with spaced lug portions 43 which receive between them a complementary lug portion 44 formed on the adjacent block portion 42. A pin 45 is passedthrough the -in-terengaged-lug portions 43 and '44 to pivotally secure the cover 4u' inposition.

At its other end,- the top 'portion' 4 of` the cover 40 is provided with a means for holding the -coverin a closed position. The-ho1ding means comprises a shank-46 rotatively extended through the topportion- 48 and formed at its bottom-end' 'with a circular latch disc 41 disposed 'within a complenentary recess formed-in the bottom face of the top portion 40, as shown in'F-ig. 5. V The disc 41 is engageablewith a complementary keeper groove- 48.' The latch 41 has a fiat side M which is arranged to be aligned with the-keeper groove 48 in the turned position of the latchdisc 41, to free the cover to be pivoted to an open position. The--shank 46 is formed with a fiat side-46 aligned withtheflat side 41 of-the dis'c 41,- asclearly shown in' Fig.- 7, to ciearly indicate the positionof the fiat side' 41 within the recess-thathouses the :circular disc 41.

A-resi1ient -means is mounted onthe cover 40 for holding -the cake of soap -22 againstthebottomof--the container-2| and to hold the containerproperly extended. with relation to the rigid back 24.

Thatresilient means is characterized by a cylinder 49 of a fiexible synthetic resinous plastic material which has one side fixedly secured to the bottom face of the cover a by several screws 50. The side of the cylinder 49 opposite the side secured in position by the screws 53, bears against th top face of the cake of soap 22. The cylinder 49 is normally in the shape of a perfect circle and is compressed to the substantial oval shape shown in Fig. 5, when the cover M! is closed and locked closed. As the cake of soap 22 becomes smaller in use, the cylinder 29 will reassume its circular shape and continue to press. the cake of soap 22 against the bottom of the container 2! and fully extend the container with relation to the brush back 2 l.

A wall bracket 5! is provided which is to be attached to a wall 52 over a bathtub or other receptacle, not shown, to support the brush ::il so that all water may drain therefrom. The wall bracket 5! is preferably formed of the same material used to form the rigid back M of the brush and includes a back portion 53 formed with spaced bayonet slots 54. Screws 55, see Fig. 3, threaded into the wall 52 are arranged to have their heads passed through the bayonet slots 54 for supporting the wall braeket 5! upon the wall 52. The ends of the back portion 53 of the wall bracket 5! continue into forwardly extending arm portions 53 formed in their top edges with aligned cutouts 51, see especially Fig. 10.

The ends of the rigid back 24 of the brush 23 project slightly beyond the endmost bristles 25 and are adapted to be rested in the cutouts E' with the bristles 26 projected downward between the adjacent faces of the forwardly extending arm portions 55, as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the strap-like handle 23 depending freely along the outer faces of the forwardly extending arm portions 56. In this position, all accumulated water in the bristles of the brush and in the soap container 2l will conveniently drain therefrom and drop into the bathtub or other receptacle over which the bracket 5| is mounted and the brush 20 and the soap container 2! will conveniently dry.

In Fig. 12 there is illustrated a portion of a modified bristle member at' which can be substituted for the bristle member i* used in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 11. That modified bristle member 34' is formed of a resinous thermoplastic material and has a solid intermediate portion :M which continues at its ends into a plurality of separate strands forming bristle portions 35 The bristle member 34' could be fcrmed of a plurality of separate strands with the application of heat and pressure to the center thereof to fuse the strands at the center to form the solid intermediate portion 34 In other respects the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 12 is the same as that llustrated in Figs. 1 to 11.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred emb-odiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A Combined brush and soap holder comprising a rigid brush back formed with a central Opening, bristles fixedly mounted on the bottom face of said brush back about said central Opening, a soap container supported from said back concentric with said central Opening to receive a. cake of soap passed through said central Opening, and a pivotally mounted cover for closing said Opening and including a resilient member bearing against the cake of soap in said container for holding the cake of soap against the bottom of said container and said container extended, said back being formed about said central Opening with enlarged holes extended upward from the bottom face thereof, said soap container being formed of a plurality of elongated bristle members having their intermediate portions extended along the bottom face of the cake of soap upward along the sides thereof and into aligned holes on diametrically opposite sides of said central Opening, said intermediate portions having their free ends extended down and out of said holes forming bristle portions.

2. A combined brush and soap holder comprising a rigid brush back formed with a central Opening, bristles fixedly mounted on the bottom face of said brush back about said central opening, a soap container supported from said back concentric with said central Opening to receive a cake of soap passed through said central opening, and a pivotally mounted cover for closing said Opening and including a resilient member bearing against the cake of soap in said container for holding the cake of soap against the bottom of said container and said container extended, said back being formed about said central opening with enlarged holes extended upward from the bottom face thereof, said soap container being formed of a plurality of elongated bristle members having their intermediate portions eX- tended along the bottom face of the cake of soap upward along the sides thereof and into aligned holes on diametrically opposite sides of said central Opening, said intermediate portions having their free ends extended down and out of said holes forning bristle portions, and means for fixedly anchoring said bristle member in said holes.

3. A Combined brush and soap holder comprising a rigid brush back formed with a central Opening, bristles fixedly mounted on the bottom face of said brush back about said central opening, a soap container supported from said back concentric with said central Opening to receive a cake of soap passed through said central Opening, and a pivotally mounted cover for closing said opening and including a resilient member bearing against the cake of soap in said container for holding the cake of soap against the bottom of said container and said container extended, said back being formed about said central opening with enlarged holes extended upward from the bottom face thereof, said soap container being formed of a plurality of elongated bristle members having their intermediate portions extended along the bottom face of the cake of soap upward along the sides thereof and into aligned holes on diametrically opposite sides of said central opening, said intermediate portions having their free ends extended down and out of said holes forming bristle portions, said elongated bristle members being formed of a plurality of strands of resinous plastic material.

4. A combined brush and soap holder comprising a rigid brush back formed with a central Opening, bristies fixedly mounted on the bottom face of said brush back about said central opening, a soap container supported from said back concentric with said central Opening to receive a cake of soap passed through said central open- 7 ing and a pivotally mounted cover for Closing said Opening and including a resiIient member bearing against the cake of soap in said container for holding the cake of soap against the bottom of said Container and said container extended, said back being formed about said Central opening with enlarged holes extended upward from the bottom face thereof, said soap container being formed of a plurality of elongated bristle members having their intermediate portions extended along thebottom face of the cake of soap upward along the sides thereof and into aligned holes on diametrically opposite sides of said centralopening, said intermediate portions having their free ends, extended, down and out of said holes forming bristle portions, said elongated bristle members being formed `of a plurality of strands of resinous plastic material, said strands having theircenter portions fused together forming solid intermediate portions.

5.r A, combined brush and soap holder as defined in claim 1 wherein the brush back has means on its outer surface for attachment of a flexible handle Whereby the holder may be manipulated over the body of the wearer.

WILLIAM NOVICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 586,305 Creque et al. July 13, 1897 1,587,753 Bretsnyder June 8, 1926 1,600,368 Skoglund Sept. 21, 1926 1,661,537 Knapp Mar. 6, 1928 1,741,962 Theodoropulos Dec. 31, 1929 1,933,291 Wolff Oct. 31, 1933 2,333,436 Novick Nov. 2, 1943 2,408,676 Novick Oct. 1, 1946 2,441,898 Novick May 18, 1948

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