US3104056A - Integrating mount for brushes and the like - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 17, 1963 c oss I 3,104,056

INTEGRATING MOUNT FOR BRUSHES AND THE LIKE Filed June 29, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VE N TOR Sept. 17, 1963 cs. M. cRoss INTEGRATING MOUNT FOR BRUSHES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29. 1959 INVENTOR Sept. 17, 1963 e. M. CROSS 3,104,05 5

INTEGRATING MOUNT FOR BRUSHES AND THE LIKE Filed June 29, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 so a 952 3 2 5e 5a 57 6O 59 4| k H X I k I 68 l E I] 20 6| 1 H l I 45 e7\ 55w 43 69 ll I 44 66 I I \Y\ & W 63 e4 52 53 5;! 5,4 42 30 INVENTOR Sept. 17, 1963 e. M. CROSS INTEGRATING MOUNT FOR BRUSHES AND THE LIKE Filed June29, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNVENTOR F/GJO its States 3,104,056 INTEGRATING MGUNT FGR BRUSHES AND THE LIKE Grosvenor M. Cross, New York, NY. (350 Main St, West Concord, Mass.) Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,413 4 Claims. (Cl. 235-91) The present invention supplies the need for a simple, compact and reliable mount or implement suitable to the act of stroking, which at the same time is capable of rendering a current evaluation of a given series of stroking acts. The invention is disclosed illustratively as an integrating mount for such a brush as is commonly used for the care of the humain hair, although it is not intended to restrict the invention to such use. The utility of the invention embodied as described is apparent, since it is Well known that the proper care of the human hair entails brushing the same with a more or less prescribed minimum number of strokes per day. The counting of such strokes by the user of an ordinary brush entails a troublesome mental preoccupation, the necessity for which is obviated by utilizing my invention in the embodiment illustrated.

As will be pointed out, my invention may be applied in several ways even to its chosen illustrative embodiment in the hairbrush. One of these ways is selected for the purposes of disclosure, wherein a dial or scale with a cooperating hand is displayed under an appropriate transparent cover on the bristle side of the handle of a brush typical of those used in ladies toiletry, the hand and the dial or scale being in this case the means whereby the evaluation of the brushing is displayed to the user. Means are also disclosed whereby the hand may be reset to a zero position relative to the scale; in the present embodiment such resetting is accomplished by an external motion such as striking the handle of the brush against the palm of the user. Thus is indicate-d one way in which the purposes of the invention may be achieved in the form of a toilet brush which may be subjected to normal uses and abuses, such as washing, without damage to the parts involved, all of which are protectively sealed within the brush mount.

FIG. 1 reveals a particular form of brush mount illustrating my invention, in elevation or lateral view.

FIG. 2 is a plan or view from the bristle side of the brush of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of the handle and part of the brush portion of the brush mount shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4- is an enlarged plan of a similar portion of the brush, viewed as in FIG. 2, showing also broken-away parts of an integrating movement or counter in which many of the features of the invention may be incorporated. a

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged plan and partial section of the integrating movement shown in FIG. 4, with its top plate removed for illustrative purposes; FIG. 5 also shows one end of a transfer rod and transfer spring, later to be described.

FIG. 6 is a partial elevation, largely in section, of the movement shown in FIG. 5; the section is taken in a single orientation and two slightly ofiset planes, one plane embracing a totalizing shaft and an indicator shaft and the other plane including a segment shaft of the movement; the shafts to be described and identified later.

FIG. 7 is an elevation, partially in section, of the movement shown in FIG. 5; the elevation is taken as viewing the drawing of FIG. 5 from the right-hand side.

FIG. 8 is a plan of the cooperating elements of one form of an alternative limiting mechanism, shown as applied to the totalizing shaft of the movement shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a plan of a portion of the brush mount, transfer rod, and illustrative limit stops comprising the cooperating elements of another form of an alternative limiting mechanism.

The brush chosen to illustrate the invention is shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2. It consists of a mount comprising a relatively rigid handle 1, a relatively rigid head 3 in which appropriate bristles 17 are fixed by conventional methods, and an intermediate portion 2 joining the handle 1 and the head 3. Intermediate portion 2 is of a relatively reduced cross-sectional area and hence relatively deflectable by forces transmitted there-through. An integrating movement later to be described is incorporated into the handle and completely sealed therein, under a transparent cover or crystal 4, shown in profile in FIG. 1, where its shape is disclosed as conforming to that of brush handle 1, which may fit comfortably in the hand of a user. Cover 4 may be sealed into handle 1 by adhesive or other convenient means.

Visible through cover 4 and disclosed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 is a dial 5 fixed to handle 1 under cover 4. Dial 5 may take many forms, decorative as well as functional. Dial 5 is transpierced by the rotatable stem 7, later to be described as the indicator shaft of the integrator movement. On stem 7 is mounted, by usual means, a conventional indicator hand 6, adapted to sweep over an appropriate circular scale 18 marked on dial 5. The dial as shown is appropriate for a form of the invention in which evaluation of brushing is made in terms of number of strokes, with a selected displayable maximum of 300; scale 18 being thus illustratively divided into three major divisions, each representing strokes.

FIGS. 3 and 4 also show the top plate 8 of the integrator movement. Top plate 3 is afiixed to handle 1 directly below scale 5 and located thereon by pins 9 and 10 fixed in handle 1 and adapted to enter corresponding holes 11 and 12 in top plate 8, shown clearly in FIG. 7. The integrator movement itself, fixed to the bottom of top plate 8, is thus supported thereby, and lies within an appropriate cavity 19 in handle 1, clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

An appropriate chamber, formed by usual means such as drilling or molding, communicates cavity 19 with the interior of head 3; this chamber is shown as conveniently comprised of communicating passages 15 and 16; passage 16, which passes through intermediate portion 2 of the brush, being conveniently of lesser diameter than passage 15. At the end of passage 16 and well within head 3, a short hole 14 is shown. Within hole 14 is fixed, by friction, adhesive, or other appropriate means, one end of transfer rod 13, which passes through the chamber formed by passages 15 and 16 without touching their walls, and thence into cavity 19. One end of a flat transfer spring 29 is attached to that end of transfer rod 13 which lies within cavity 19, by passing spring 20 through an appropriate hole 21 in rod 13 and Wedging it tightly therein by Wedge 22. The end of transfer rod 13 may be bent appropriately in orderto permit spring 2% to be made of a suitable length, or to be suitably oriented.

An integrator movement is disclosed in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, and comprises members carried between top plate 8 and a parallel :lower plate 30. Plates 8 and 30 are separated and rigidly held relative to each other by the three posts 31, 32 and 33. Such terms of orientation as upper and lower as used hereafter will refer to locations relatively toward upper plate 8 or toward lower plate 30. The construction of posts 3]. and 33 is identical and is shown typically in the drawing of post 31. A short stem portion 34 .of reduced diameter is adapted to e19 enter a corresponding hole in top plate 8 and to be swaged or riveted therein, taking the form of the countersunk head 35. At the other end of post 31 a similar portion .36 of reduced diameter passes t'hrough an appropriate hole in lower plate 36*, and is swaged or riveted on the other side thereof, into head 37. Reduced portion as of post 31 is flattened into a keying surface 38, and the corresponding hole in lower plate 3b is similarly flat on one side. and angularly oriented. Post 31 is transpierced across its axis near its center by tapered hole 39, and a similar tapered hole 46 similarly transpicrces post 33; the oriennation of ho1es 39 and 46 is such as properly to tension the springs fixed therein, as later to be described. Post 32 is constructed similarly to posts 31 and 33, except that the portion passing through bot-tom plate 34 is not necessarily flattened into a keying surface.

Integrating shaft 40, rotatively supported .in plates 8 and 39 by journals ll and 42 respectively, is formed in its central portion into pinion 43. Near the bottom end of shaft 49 is attached concentrically, by suitable means such as staking, the ratchet wheel 44. Near the upper end of shaft so is shown concentrically fixed the annular driving drum 45, which may be held in place as by a press fit. As clearly shown in FIG. 5, integrating shaft 49 is so located that when the integrator movement is fixed as previously described within handle '1, transfer spring Zil bears on the outer peripheral surface of driving drum 45. Spring 20 and drum 45 are preferably constructed of materials having a reasonably high relative coefficient of friction.

Near the center of the integrator movement is mounted indicator shaft 7, supported by plates 8 and 3h at journal bearings 50 and 51. The upper end of shaft 7 is extended sufiiciently to pass through dial and provide a support for hand 6 when the integrator is mounted in handle l, as already described. Near the lower end of indicator shaft 7 is formed, concentrically, pinion 52. Thrust washer 53 is interposed between the lower radial surface of pinion 52 and lower plate 30. Proximate to and above pinion 52 is concentrically fixed, as by staking, the friction disk 54. Above friction disk 54 the diameter of shaft 7 is reduced, and undergoes a further reduction where it passes through top plate 3. Gear 55 is mounted on shaft 7, is freely rotatable thereon, and is also movable thereon to a limited extentaxially. Gear 55 may be dished centrally, as shown in FIG. 6. An annular contact surface of relatively large diameter is thus supplied on gear 55, which is adapted to engage the outer periphery of the upper surface of friction disk 54'. Gear 55 is maintained in contact with disk 54- by helical spring 56, mounted above and concentrically to gear 55. The upper end of spring 56 bears against washer 57, which in turn bears on thrust washer 58, bearing in turn against the under side of plate 8. To the upper surface of gear 55 may also be fixed weight 59, generally annular Thus each of posts 31 and 33 is keyed with the cylindrical surface of shaft 61, two cam surfaces 67 and 68, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. One end portion of spring as lies [generally within cross-slot 66, pressing against cam 67 or cam 68, or against both, depending on the angular orientation of shaft 61. The other end of spring 69 is fixed to post 33 by passing through tapered hole 46, formed therein as already described, in which it is firmly held by wedge 76.

' Pawl shaft 89 is journalled parallel to totalizing shaft 4% in bearings 81 and '82, in top plate 3 and lower plate 3% respectively. Near the lower end of shaft ill is mounted, as by staking, the pawl 223, whose outer end is conventionally formed to register with the teeth of ratchet wheel 44, as shown in FIG 5, and to prevent the rotation of wheel 4-4- in a clockwise direction, as shown in the figure. A transverse slot 85 is formed, as by milling, across the generally central portion of shaft 89, thus providing, at its intersection with the cylindrical portion of shaft 8d, the cam surface 86. One end of spring 87 lies generally within slot 85, the spring being situated to press against cam 86. The other end of spring 87 passes through tapered hole 39 in post'iil, and is there held firmly by the wedge '88.

The alternative driving mechanism shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 comprises a friction member 91 interposed rotatably between spring 20 and drum 94. Drum 94 is generally similar to driving drum '45 already described; it is fixed to shaft 40, as by a press fit. A washer 95 may be placed below drum 94 and above pinion 43. Drurn' 94 may also be provided with an annular flange 96 around its top. Flange 96 and washer 95 cooperate to maintain member 9*1 located axially; That part of member 91 which is in contact with spring 20* is preferably formed on a radius whose center may lie approximately on the axis of shaft 4t This cylindrical surface is only long enough to allow member 91 a prescribed arc of angular.

prises the hollow thimble 99 inserted in the mouth of hole in shape as shown in FIG. 6; attachment may be by rivets es. Indicator shaft 7 is so spaced from totalizing shaft 4%) that gear is maintained in operative engagement with pinion 43.

Segment shaft 61 is mounted parallel to shafts so and 7 by journal bearings 62 and us in top plate 8 and lower plate 3h respectively. Near the lower end of shaft 61 is aflixed, as by staking, the gear segment 64. Segment shaft 61 is paced from indicator shaft 7 by a distance such that segment 64 is in operative engagement with pin-ion 52. The length of the arc of segment 64 is such as to allow pinion 52 to turn somewhat more than one revolution without becoming disengaged. A concave portion 6d of segment 64 is adapted to come into contact with post 32 and limit the movement of segment 64 in a counterclockwise sense, viewed as in FIG. 5. A

cross-slot 66 is formed, as by milling, transversely across shaft er, thus forming, at the points of its intersection 15, where this hole joins the cavity 19. Thimble 99 is fixed in hole 15 as a press fit, by adhesive or otherwise. Transfer rod 13 passes freely through central aperture lilil in thimble 9), Aperture 1% may be made in the form of a generall elongated slot, whose two ends are shown at M1 and 102 in FIG. 10. Within aperture rod 13 is allowed free lateral movement, but limited in extent by contact with ends N1 and 102.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention revealed in the drawings is as follows:

Operative forces are manually communicated to the handle 1 and resisted by the brush elements 17 in contact with the object of the brushing or stroking. These operative forces may be divided generally into two groups: contacting or downward forces, comprising those urging the brush elements toward or upon that which is being brushed, and transverse or stroking forces, comprising;

those forces generally normal to the 'contacting forces and acting to move the brush elements through or across that which receives the act of brushing. Both groups of forces are transmitted through the reduced portion 2 of the brush mount, and result in corresponding deflections thereof. 'Either or both groups of forces may be utilized for the purposes of the invention; in the present embodiment only the second group, the stroking forces, are so utilized. Such forces result in tangible angular deflections of reduced portion 2; the deflections are oscillatory orreciprocating in character, as the stroking forces are applied or released in the course of discrete successive stroking acts. The deflections occur in a transverse plane, that is, in the plane of the paper in FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 8 and 10.

Since one end of transfer rod 13 is fixed in head 3, its other end, which lies in cavity 19, reflects the above described angular deflections as transverse reciprocating deflections or deviations from a mean position with reference to handle 1. These deviations communicate a reciprocating motion to spring 20, which through frictional contact with drum 45 tends to communicate to drum 45 and integrating shaft 40 a corresponding reciprocating angular motion. When the reciprocating motion is of sufiicient amplitude, ratchet wheel 44- is sufliciently rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to enable pawl 83 to drop into a new tooth interval; ratchet wheel 44 is thus prevented from full clockwise return, so that spring 2% slides across drum 45 during the return phase of its reciprocating movement. A series of such reciprocating motions, such as will occur during a series of brushing acts, thus results in a net counterclockwise motion of integrating shaft 40', as seen in the figure, together with its associated elements, including pinion 4 Gear 55, in mesh with pinion 43, is driven, together with weight 59 and associated parts, by the above described motion in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5. Gear 55 is held in frictional engagement with disk 54 by the force of spring 56, and hence disk 54- and indicater shaft 7, to which disk 54- is fixed, are rotated with gear '55. This motion rotates hand 6 relative to dial 5 (FIG. 4); the position of hand 6 relative to the dial therefore clearly reflects the total cumulative angular rotation of totalizing shaft 40, within the limits determined by a single revolution of hand 6. During this motion the upward thrust of spring 56 is transmitted through the bearing surface between washers 57 and 58, and its downward thrust through the bearing surface between the bottom face of pinion 52 and thrust washer 53.

The clockwise motion of indicator shaft 7 transmits, through pinion 52 and segment 64, a corresponding motion, in the reverse sense, to segment shaft 61. This motion continues until stop portion 65 of segment 64- comes into contact with post 32; after which no further motion is possible. During the angular motion of shaft 61 cam surface 67 lifts and deflects spring 69, storing energy therein.

When the bristle side of handle 1 is given a relatively sharp blow, as against the palm of the hand or when the brush is otherwise shaken strongly in the same sense, the inertia of weight 59 carries it toward top plate 8 and compresses spring 56. The frictional force which holds gear 55 to disk 54 is thus relieved. Disk 54 and indicator shaft 7 are thus freed, and are turned back in a count-erclockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 5) by the force of segment 64 acting on pinion 52; segment 64 being urged in a clockwise direction by the force of spring 69 against cam surface 67. Indicator shaft 7 is thus turned back, and hand 6 with it, by the energy stored in spring 69, until shaft 61 returns to the position shown in FIG. 5, where the spring 69 comes into contact with the opposing cam surfaces 67 and 68, thereby stopping shaft 61. At this position hand 6 is located :at zero, or the point of origin, on scale 18.

Many variations are possible in the above illustrative structure and operation, without departing from the proper scope of the invention. The above described drive, comprised by spring Zti and drum 45 and by the cooperating ratchet wheel 44, pawl 83, shaft 81 and spring 87, constitutes :an entirely conventional mechanism, which may be referred to as a driving and rectifying mechanism, since its function is selectively to communicate the oscillatory or alternating motions of transfer rod 13 to integrating shaft 40, simultaneously rectifying these motions into a net unidirectional motion of the latter. Many other feasible structures comprised of well-known elements may supply effective driving and rectifying mechanisms, functionally within the scope of my invention. For example, three of the most common forms are the ratchet mechanism such as that shown; a link bar or spring impinging against a smooth moving surface, peripheral or flat, at an angle less than the tangent of the coeflicient of friction between that surface and the link, bar or spring; or the common confined ball or roller overrunning clutch. These or any other equivalent mechanisms might be used in a very large number of equivalent combinations to substitute the friction drive through spring 20 and drum 4S and the ratchet and pawl checking mechanism as shown illustratively; other combinations with purely frictional elements are also apparently possible and practical.

The usual construction of brushing implements for best efliciency consists generally in mounting a number and stiffness of bristles which, for an average stroke of de sired strength, will permit the bristles to bend and lie over sufficiently to follow the conformation of the brushed surface, yet not enough to eliminate the sharp rubbing or mild scraping effect of the bristle tips, in which action lies the efficacy of the brushing action. Increasing the downward or contact force of the implement above that required for such an average stroke of desired strength will generally result in increasing the drag or stroking force by only a relatively small amount since, as the bristles lie over more and more, the penetrating and dragging effect of their tips becomes less and less, and the bristles slide more and more easily over the hair due to their relatively prone position. With many brushes, particularly those used for the human hair, the difference between the stroking 'force required by an average brushing act and that required by a stroke where the implement is violently forced into the hair is relatively slight; and the stroking force required for the strongest stroke normally employed may be less than twice that required by a stroke of a minimum effective strength.

For an application such as that described above, the invention in the embodiment already described may give three different general forms of evaluation of the stroking act, depending on the particular proportions and dimensions of the parts, although all forms of evaluation give results which are strictly determined by the cumulative extent of a series of brushing acts.

If the effective modulus of elasticity of the reduced portion 2 of the mount is so coordinated with the :length of rod 13, the diameter of drum 45, and the angle between the teeth of the wheel 44, that .a reasonable minimum effective strength of brush stroke will barely cause the ratchet wheel 44 to advance by one tooth, it is apparent that strokes of lesser strength will only cause wheel 44 to oscillate without advancing enough to engage a new tooth, since the frictional resistance of pawl 83 is maintained so small that drum 45 will follow the movement of spring 20. It will, however, demand a stroke of fully double the minimum effective stroking force to advance wheel 44 by more than a single tooth; and stroking force of such magnitude will rarely, if ever, be encountered with the type of brush in question. It is thus apparent that, proportioned as described, the invention is adapted to sum directly the number of strokes requiring a stroking force of a magnitude greater than a pro-established minimum, contained within a given series.

If the tooth interval of wheel 44 is made very small, however, or if one of the other forms of overrunning clutch is used, responding to very short increments of movement, especially if the stiffness of yielding portion 2 of the mount is also reduced, then each forward movement of the totalizing shaft 40 will be substantially proportiozialto the deflection of portion 2, and hence to the stroking force producing the motion. In this case the total progressive movement of the integrating shaft 44 will evidently be determined by'the integrated sum of the varying forces involved in a series of brushing acts.

a maximum increment.

Between the above described two functions produced by the described proportioning of the parts, lies a third general possibility; that of shortening the tooth interval of ratchet wheel 4 4,'but still maintaining it of suficient size to be effective as a real increment. In this case again a stroking force of some minimum magnitude will be required before totalizing shaft 49 will respond, but also the strength of the stroking force will be involved, although incrementally, in the final integrated evaluation rendered by the invention.

it is also apparent that many other equivalent arrangements of spring 56, weight 59, gear 55, disk 54- and shaft '7 are possible within the scope of the invention. The parts can easily be so reversed, for example, that weight 59 is associated with disk 54. The connection between driving and driven elements does not, moreover, need to be by frictional contact; disengaging gearing may readily be used to the same end. Similarly, the method 1 illustrated for communicating the force of reset spring 69 to indicator shaft '7 might be substituted by a hairspring direct on indicator shaft '7, by a cam fixed thereto, or by any of many other equivalent mechanisms, within the scope of the invention. The indicating mechanism is illustrated as comprising a hand moving relative to .a scale. Clearly, the scale could as readily move relative to a hand or any other marker. Similarly, for example, the integrator mechanism might equivalently be placed in head 3 and operated by a transfer rod fixed in handle 1; or even a bristle or group of bristles might pass through a yielding connector and operate the integrator placed in the head; all within the sense and proper scope of the invention. 7

The stroke-limiting devices disclosed in FIGS. 8 and 9, and in FIG. 10, are typical of those which may be applied when, for example, it is desired to sum numerically a group of strokes whose forcesare of considerably varying magnitude. In such applications it is often necessary to utilize some such form of incremental overrunning device as the ratchet and pawl, and yet to limit each progressive movement of the'totalizing element to Such an increment, in the case of the ratchet wheel 44, would be represented by a single tooth interval. The member 91, FIGS. 8 and 9, will clearly follow the motion of spring rotating about the axis of shaft iii, and carry with it the drum 94, since these three elements are fricti-onally engaged by the force of spring 2% Shaft 4t} will thus be advanced by an appropriate motion of rod 13 until the fiat surface 93 is y I brought into contact with spring 2b. Further movement of spring 2i) will only cause it to slide along the surface 93 without communicating further motion to the rotating elements. On the returning motion in the opposite direction, rod 113 and spring 20 will, if pawl 83 has entransfer element, the member 91, adapted to move between stops substantially fixed with respect to the body of the integrator movement, in the sense that the two surfaces of spring 2b which arrest the rotating movement of member 91 are substantially fixed relative to the body of the movement insofar as their function as stops is concerned. The progress of shaft 4h will thus be determined wholly by the numerical sum of brushing acts necessitating a stroking force greater than any specific minimum easily predetermined by design, even in cases where there is wide variation in such forces.

The same end is attained by placing the thirnble $9 in the mouth of aperture 15., as previously described and shown in FIG. 10. By the proper dimensioning of the through srot 1%, transfer rod 13 is permitted only such a movement between end ltll or 102 and a mean central point between these ends as, communicated to shaft 4h by spring 2d and drum 45 asalready described, will rotate shaft to by an angular interval greater than that represented by one tooth, but less than that represented by two teeth, on the periphery of wheel 4-4. Deflections of reduced portion 2; of the mount which may result from excessive brushing forces in certain applications will thus only deflect rod 13 slightly, without being communicated to totalizing shaft 4%. 7

Although I have shownthe principal parts of the integrating mechanism as conveniently grouped together into a movement mounted between the plates h and 30, clearly these parts might be mounted directly on the frame of the brush, or in many other equivalent relationships. The whole movement may also be considered as a form of that type of counter whichfunctions in response to discrete repeated impulses .of more than a specific minimum magnitude.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 7 as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

gaged a tooth of Wheel 44, turn member 91 back in a a clockwise direction, member fill sliding over drum 94 which, fixed to shaft 4%), is held against rotation by pawl 83 and wheel do. The sliding action described will take place by construction, since the radius to the contact point of spring 20 is greater than that between member 91 and drum 94, and materials are so chosen that the coefficient of friction of spring 24 relative to member 91 is not materially less, and is preferably somewhat greater, than that of member 91 relative to drum 94. The motion described will continue until the opposite arm 92 of member 91 comes into contact with spring 20, after which, if rod 13 and spring 2% continue their return motion, spring 2th will slide along the surface 92 without further rotating member 91. Member 91 will thus rock back and forth on drum 94 by an angular distance which may readily be made greater than one tooth interval of wheel 44, but less than two intervals. Shaft 4% will then respond to motions greater than those corresponding to one tooth interval, but will advance no more than that interval during any one phase of motion. It is apparent that the device described comprises an intermediate or 1. An implement for performing and simultaneously evaluating a sequence of discrete stroking acts of a generally defined pattern of direction and magnitude, comprising a forcing member and a resisting member joined each to the other by an elastic connector, means responsive to each of said stroking. acts for causing a deflection in said connector; an integrating element fixed to one of said members but possessing a degree of freedom relatlve thereto; means responsive to said deflections of said elasticconnector for moving said integrating element in a generally single sense along the path of its said degree of freedom; indicator elements comprising a scale elemerit and a cooperating indicating element movable relatively thereto in a direction away from or toward a preesta'blished relative position of origin, a first of said indicator elements being mounted on one of said members; means responsive to said motion of said integrating element for moving progressively the second of said indicator elements in said direction away from said preestablished position of origin relative to said first of said indicator elements; a mass fixed to one of saidmembers but possessing a degree of freedom relative thereto; elastic means interposed between said mass and said member for maintaining normally said mass substantially motionless relative to the said member during said sequence of stroking acts, while allowing said mass a motion in the direction of its said degree of freedom in response to motions deliberately applied to said implement, of patterns differing from those of said discrete stroking acts; together with means responsive to said motion of said mass for moving said second of said indicator elements toward said pro-established position of origin relative to said first of said indicator elements.

element, tone of said indicator elements being fixed to said article and the other being rotatably mounted there in; a friction disk fixed to said rotatable indicator element; an intermediate element vof predetermined mass coaxially mounted on said rotatable indicator element and rotatable relative thereto; a friction disk and a gear fixed to said intermediate element, said gear being engaged With said pinion; a spring normally forcing said friction disk fixed to said intermediate element into engagement with said friction disk fixed to said rotatable indicator element; together with spring means urging said rotatable indicator element in the same sense of angular rotation as that of said progressive rotation of said pinion.

3. In a mount for a brush, the combination of a gripping member adapted to receive and transmit such manually imposed forces as are normally employed in a series of discrete brushing acts; a terminal member adapted to distribute said forces to one or more of the elements of contact of said brush; a relatively defiectable, elastic connector between said gripping member and said terminal member; a pinion rotatably mounted :on one of said members, hereafter referred to as the first member; a transfer rod; a first end of said transfer rod being fixed to the second of said members; a drum fixed to said pinion; a transfer element comprising two frictional engaging surfaces; one of said engaging surfaces being maintained in frictional contact with the surface of said drum and the other being maintained in frictional engagement with the surface of a drive spring fixed to a second end of said transfer rod, a set of limit stops arranged between said transfer element and said first member; a ratchet wheel concentrically fixed to said pinion; a pawl pivoted on said first member and spring-urged into engagement with said ratchet Wheel; cooperating indicator elements comprising a circular scale and a pointer, one of said indicator elements being fixed to said first member and the other being rotatably mounted therein; and a gear mounted concentrically on said rotatable indicator element, said gear being in engagement with said pinion.

4. A brush mounted lOI'l an integral body comprised of two relatively rigid portions and an intermediate relatively yielding portion; a counter mounted on one of said rigid portions; said counter including an indicating element movable alternatively in a positive counting direction and in a negative reset direction relative to said rigid portion; a yielding element tending to oppose the motion of said indicating element in said positive counting direction by a force in said negative reset direction; communicating means responsive to relative motion between said rigid portions of said integral body as allowed by said intermediate yielding portion, said communicating means acting to move said indicating element progressively in said positive counting direction against the force of said yielding element and simultaneously to store reactive energy in said yielding element; a movable mass inertially responsive to specific motions externally applied to said brush; together with a clutching member included in said communicating means, said clutching member being normally engaged but disengaged by the response of said movable mass to said externally applied motions and by such disengagement permitting the said reactive energy stored in said yielding element to move said indicating element in said negative reset direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 146,429 Burchell Jan. 13, 1874 1,072,587 Dudley et al Sept. 9, 1913 1,232,960 Myers July 10, 1917 1,355,541 De Camp Oct. 12, 1920 1,448,448 Juhasz Mar. 13, 1923 1,486,135 Hagel Mar. 11, 1924 1,759,302 Duval May 20, 1930 2,981,963 Peilet et al. May 2, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,278 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1948

Claims (1)

1. 4. A BRUSH MOUNTED ON AN INTEGRAL BODY COMPRISED OF TWO RELATIVELY RIGID PORTIONS AND AN INTERMEDIATE RELATIVELY YIELDING PORTION; A COUNTER MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID RIGID PORTIONS; SAID COUNTER INCLUDING AN INDICATING ELEMENT MOVABLE ALTERNATIVELY IN A POSITIVE COUNTING DIRECTION AND IN A NEGATIVE RESET DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID RIGID PORTION; A YIELDING ELEMENT TENDING TO OPPOSE THE MOTION OF SAID INDICATING ELEMENT IN SAID POSITIVE COUNTING DIRECTION BY A FORCE IN SAID NEGATIVE RESET DIRECTION; COMMUNICATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN SAID RIGID PORTIONS OF SAID INTEGRAL BODY AS ALLOWED BY SAID INTERMEDIATE YIELDING PORTION, SAID COMMUNICATING MEANS ACTING TO MOVE SAID INDICATING ELEMENT PROGRESSIVELY IN SAID POSITIVE COUNTING DIRECTION AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID YIELDING ELEMENT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO STORE REACTIVE ENERGY IN SAID YIELDING ELEMENT; A MOVABLE MASS INERTIALLY RESPONSIVE TO SPECIFIC MOTIONS EXTERNALLY APPLIED TO SAID BRUSH; TOGETHER WITH A CLUTCHING MEMBER INCLUDED IN SAID COMMUNICATING MEANS, SAID CLUTCHING MEMBER BEING NORMALLY ENGAGED BUT DISENGAGED BY THE RESPONSE OF SAID MOVABLE MASS TO SAID EXTERNALLY APPLIED MOTIONS AND BY SUCH DISENGAGEMENT PERMITTING THE SAID REACTIVE ENERGY STORED IN SAID YIELDING ELEMENT TO MOVE SAID INDICATING ELEMENT IN SAID NEGATIVE RESET DIRECTION.

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