US3217939A - Soap dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 16, 1965 s. F. MURRAY 3,217,939

SOAP DISPENSER Filed Sept. 6, 1963 .suya/YF, Mae/Y United States Patent O 3,217,939 SOAP DISPENSER Simon F. Murray, 918 Langworthy Ave., Dubuque, Iowa Filed Sept. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 307,183 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-167) This invention relates to a dispenser and particularly to a liquid soap dispenser.

There are many types of soap dispensers presently available but each of them have in common the fact that they require considerable time to refill. Thus, as so common, many soap dispensers are rendered inoperative since those responsible for keeping them filled with soap material have found it inconvenient because the necessary tools were not available or too much time was required to rell the dispenser.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a soap dispenser which may be readily reiilled in a minimum of time.

y It is `a further object of this invention to provide a soap dispenser which in one of its forms may be refilled without the use of tools.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a soap dispenser employing a soap storage container which may be easily replaced upon becoming empty with a similar full soap container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a soap dispenser which may employ a disposable soap container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a soap dispenser employing soap containers which may be assembled and disassembled without the loss of any soap material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a soap dispenser having a dispenser assembly which may be rotated between a position of use and a position better suited for installing a soap material refill container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a soap dispenser having a simple locking means for preventing unintended disassembly of the soap container from the dispenser assembly and the rotation of the dispenser assembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide a soap dispenser which is simple in design, economical to manufacture and refined in appearance.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the soap dispenser device showing in particular the position of the dispenser assembly during the operation of removing an empty soap container and replacing it with a container rell;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the soap dispenser device in its assembled form and position ready for use;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation View of the soap dispenser device in its position of use as illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view along line 4-4 in FIG. 3 showing in particular the yieldable locking means for connecting the dispenser assembly to the wall mounting bracket; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 showing in particular the arrangement of the locking set screw employed if desired for holding the soap container against unintended dislocation within the dispenser assembly.

In FIG. 2 of the drawings, the soap dispenser device is generally referred to by the reference numeral 10. It is shown to comprise generally, a dispenser assembly 12 rotatably mounted on a wall mounting bracket 14. A replaceable soap container 16 is secured to the inlet end of the dispenser assembly 12.

In FIG. 3 the construction of the dispenser assembly 12 is shown to include a funnel shaped inlet portion 18 integral with an inverted truncated conical shape outlet portion 20. In the lower end of the inlet portion 18, internal threads 22 are formed. An annular seal 24 of rubber or the like is provided at the bottom of the portion 18 and rests on a shoulder 26. The dispenser assembly portion 20 has a chamber 28 which is provided with internal threads 30 at its lower end. An inverted cup element 32 is positioned within 'the chamber 28 and has external threads for engagement with the chamber threads 30. When the cup element 32 is fully advanced into the chamber 28, its threaded lower end bears against a seal 34 of rubber or the like, which in turn rests on a bottom wall or shoulder 36 of the conical portion 20. A center opening 38 is formed in the upper end of the cup element 32. A plunger member 40 is provided in the cup element 32 for longitudinal movement therein and has a first portion 42 with an upper end extending out through the opening 38 and an annular shoulder 44 formed on the other end for engagement with the seal 34. A second portion 46 extends through a center opening 48 in the end wall 36 of the conical portion 20, and has an enlarged rounded head 50 on the lower end thereof. A coil spring 52 embraces the plunger portion 42 and bears against the inside surface of the upper end of the cup 32 and against the inner face of the plunger shoulder 44 to yieldingly hold the shoulder 44 in sealing engagement with the seal 34.

On the exterior of the dispenser assembly 12 adjacent the threaded portions 22, a circular support arm 54 is provided extending at a right angle thereto. An elongated chamber 56 is formed in the outer end ofthe support arm 54 and has diametrically opposite holes: 58 in the side walls of the chamber for communication therewith. A locking means is provided within the chamber 56 which includes a spring 60 having ball elements 62 at each end `which seat in the holes 58.

The wall mounting bracket 14 has a convex base member 62 with screw holes 64 to receive screws 65 (FIG. 1) for securing the soap dispenser to a wall or the like. An elongated tubular support member 66 extends from the center of the base 62 and is provided with diametrical opposite holes 68. The member 66 telescopically receives the member 54 and the balls 60 may be so positioned to seat in the holes 68 to lock the members 54 and 66 against accidental relative rotation. Itis seen that a slight twisting of the dispenser assembly 12 will cause the balls 60 to move out of engagement with the holes 68 and move to contact with the inner surface lof the member 66 until the dispenser assembly 12 has turned through 180 degrees whereupon the balls will re-engage the opposite holes 68 in the support member 66.

A set screw 70 is further provided in the side wall of the member 66 for engagement with the outside surface of the member 54 to lock the members against unintended rotation. This lock screw, if found necessary, could be operated by a Phillips type screw driver for instance. Its purpose is to provide a means for preventing the users of, the soap dispenser from removing the dispenser assembly 12 from the mounting bracket 14.

The soap container 16 is elongated and cylindrical in cross-section with an externally threaded center spout member '72 for engagement with the threads 22 in the funnel shaped portion 18. In this position, the end of the lspout member 72 bears against the seal 26. Similar to the lock set screw 70 in FIG. 3, a set screw 74 is provided in the side wall of the funnel portion 18 for engagement with the outer surface of the container wall. This will prevent the users of the soap dispenser from taking the container unit 16 unless they are willing to go to the trouble of obtaining the appropriate tool for releasing the set screw 74 from engagement with the container 16. It is noted however, that in most instances neither of the set screws 70 or 74 should be required.

Thus in operation, it is seen that the soap dispenser device is in its position ready for use as shown in FIG. 2. By viewing FIG. 3 it is seen that upward movement of the plunger 40 will permit a soap solution to pass through the opening 38 into the cup element 32 and pass the shoulder 44 and then outwardly through the opening 48 in the conical portion 20. Upon release of the plunger 40 the shoulder 44 re-engages the seal 34 to prevent further discharge of soap material. When all of the soap has been used, the dispenser assembly 12 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. l and the soap container 16 is threadably disengaged therefrom. A refill container 16 is then threaded into the funnel portion 18 as shown by the arrow in FIG. l and when sealing engagement with the seal 26 has been completed, the dispenser assembly 12 and con tainer 16 are rotated 18() degrees to the position shown in FIG. 2 whereupon the soap dispenser device is again ready for use. In both of the positions of FIGS. l and 2, the balls 60 are held in locking engagement with the openings 68 in the mounting bracket support members 66. It is thus seen that with this invention capability is provided for replacing a soap container 16 without any danger of lspilling soap from the container since it remains in an upright position as shown in FIG. 1 until it is screwed into sealing engagement with the seal 26 in the assembly 12 at which time it can be rotated to its position of use as shown in FIG. 2.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, it will be obvious that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my soap dispenser without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my invention to cover by my claim, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

In a liquid soap dispenser,

an integral unitary dispenser assembly having an upper inlet portion dened by an upstanding annular wall terminating in an annular inwardly and downwardly tapering portion which in turn merges with a downwardly etxending annular wall having threads formed on its inner surface, and a lower outlet portion conically truncated and downwardly extending, said lower outlet portion having an upper end forming a base for said downwardly extending threaded wall of said upper inlet portion, said lower outlet portion having a first axial opening terminating at its lower end in an end wall, said end wall having a coaxial relatively smaller opening extending therethrough, said lower outlet portion being threaded on its inner wall surface adjacent said en d Wall,

an elongated hollow cylindrical cup element having a single axial opening in one end and being externally threaded at the other end, said cup element being disposed in said lower outlet portion with the threads of said cup element engaging the threads on the inner wall surface adjacent said end wall, said one end of said cup element being below the upper surface of said end forming a base for said downwardly extending wall of said upper inlet portion,

a washer seal disposed between the lower threaded end of said cup element and the inner surface of the used wall of said lower outlet portion,

said yopening through said end wall being substantially smaller than the inner diameter of said cup element, and said washer having an opening therethrough substantially co-extensive with the opening in said end wall,

a plunger member having a rst shaft portion in said cup and a second shaft portion extending through the opening in the lower end wall of said outlet portion, said rst shaft extending through the opening in said one end of said cup element, and a shoulder formed on said rst shaft portion within said cup and adapted to sealingly engage said sealing washer,

a coil spring embracing said first portion of said plunger and bearing against said one end wall of said cup and said shoulder on said plunger to normally maintain said plunger in a closed position with said shoulder in engagement with said sealing washer,

a hollow cylindrical container having one end formed by an inwardly tapering wall terminating in an axial threaded spout having an opening extending therethrough, said tapering wall being in mating engagement with the tapering wall of said upper inlet portion and said threaded spout being in engagement with said threads in said downwardly extending wall of said upper inlet portion,

a second sealing washer disposed on said upper end wall of said lower outlet portion and in sealing engagement with the outer end of said spout,

a wall mounting bracket,

means on said dispenser assembly connecting to said bracket, and

locking means for yieldingly locking said dispenser assembly in an upright rst position and in an inverted downward second position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 708,652 9/1902 Lee 222.481 984,630 2/1911 williams 222501 x 1,062,576 5/1913 Basken et a1 222-501X 1,271,945 7/1918 Rosenstock 222-181 x 1,647,245 11/1927 Morrill 222-501 x 2,777,692 1/1957 Marzucco 248-408 x LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

Images