U.S. patent number 3,581,998 [Application Number 05/059,256] was granted by the patent office on 1971-06-01 for soap dispensing means.
Invention is credited to Maurice F. Roche.
United States Patent |
3,581,998 |
Roche |
June 1, 1971 |
SOAP DISPENSING MEANS
Abstract
A manually engageable and operable valve-controlled irrigating
unit for bathers connected with a supply of water and a supply of
liquid soap by an elongate flexible water hose and an elongate
flexible soap tube and including a jet pump means and manually
operable air and soap control valving means operable to effect the
constant discharge of water, the constant discharge of aerated
water, the thumb-controlled selective discharge of water or aerated
water, the constant discharge of air, soap and water, the
thumb-controlled selective discharge of air, soap and water or soap
and water and the constant discharge of soap and water.
Inventors: |
Roche; Maurice F. (Long Beach,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
22021818 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/059,256 |
Filed: |
July 29, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
239/415; 239/375;
239/414; 239/525; 401/46; 239/310; 239/428.5; 401/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03C
1/046 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E03C
1/04 (20060101); E03C 1/046 (20060101); F23d
013/38 () |
Field of
Search: |
;239/525,375,378,310,354,407,414,428.5,442,415,587,588
;251/149,149.1,149.9 ;134/100,101 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wood, Jr.; M. Henson
Assistant Examiner: Culp, Jr.; Thomas C.
Claims
Having described my invention, I claim:
1. An irrigating apparatus for bathers including a water supply, a
liquid soap supply, a manually engageable unit, an elongate
flexible water hose between and communicating with the water supply
and unit, an elongate liquid soap conducting tube between and
communicating with the liquid soap supply and the unit, said unit
including a water inlet passage communicating with the hose, a
vacuum chamber, a nozzle projecting into the chamber, and
communicating with the inlet passage, an outlet passage in axial
alignment with said nozzle and communicating with the chamber, a
delivery port communicating with the chamber remote from said
nozzle and delivery passage and opening outwardly, a soap port
communicating with the tube, opening outwardly and spaced from the
delivery port, a manually engageable shiftable valve member carried
by the unit to overly the delivery and soap ports and having a flow
channel which is moved into and out of bridging communicating
engagement with the soap and delivery ports and an air passage in
the valve member communicating with the channel and having an open
outer end adapted to be selectively opened and closed by the thumb
of an operator.
2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports.
3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports, said means to
selectively shift the plate including opposite end portions on the
plate projecting from the opposite ends of the valve member in line
with the direction of travel of said member and stop means on said
unit to engage and stop the plate upon predetermined movement of
the member and to effect relative shifting of the member and
plate.
4. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports, said means to
selectively shift the plate including opposite end portions on the
plate projecting from the opposite ends of the valve member in line
with the direction of travel of said member and stop means on said
unit to engage and stop the plate upon predetermined movement of
the member and to effect relative shifting of the member and plate,
and spring means between the member and the plate to normally
yieldingly hold the plate in a position where the air port therein
is in register with the air passage.
5. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports, said means to
selectively shift the plate including opposite end portions on the
plate projecting from the opposite ends of the valve member in line
with the direction of travel of said member and stop means on said
unit to engage and stop the plate upon predetermined movement of
the member and to effect relative shifting of the member and plate,
said valve member shiftable from a first position where the channel
is out of bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports
and the air port is out of register with the air passage to a
second position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and the air port is in register
with the air passage, to a third position where the channel is in
bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports and the air
port is in register with the air passage and to a fourth position
where the channel is in bridging communication with the delivery
and air ports and the air port is out of register with the air
passage.
6. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports, said means to
selectively shift the plate including opposite end portions on the
plate projecting from the opposite ends of the valve member in line
with the direction of travel of said member and stop means on said
unit to engage and stop the plate upon predetermined movement of
the member and to effect relative shifting of the member and plate,
said valve member shiftable from a first position where the channel
is out of bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports
and the air port is out of register with the air passage to a
second position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and the air port is in register
with the air passage, to a third position where the channel is in
bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports and the air
port is in register with the air passage and to a fourth position
where the channel is in bridging communication with the delivery
and air ports and the air port is out of register with the air
passage, and index means between the unit and the member to
selectively and yieldingly stop and hold the member in each of said
first, second, third and fourth positions.
7. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports, said means to
selectively shift the plate including opposite end portions on the
plate projecting from the opposite ends of the valve member in line
with the direction of travel of said member and stop means on said
unit to engage and stop the plate upon predetermined movement of
the member and to effect relative shifting of the member and plate,
said valve member shiftable from a first position where the channel
is out of bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports
and the air port is out of register with the air passage to a
second position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and the air port is in register
with the air passage, to a third position where the channel is in
bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports and the air
port is in register with the air passage and to a fourth position
where the channel is in bridging communication with the delivery
and air ports and the air port is out of register with the air
passage, and index means between the unit and the member to
selectively and yieldingly stop and hold the member in each of said
first, second, third and fourth positions, said indexing means
including a spring-loaded ball carried by the member and four
spaced detents in the unit to cooperatively receive said ball.
8. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tube being
smaller in diameter than the hose and having a longitudinally split
tubular section along a portion of its longitudinal extent
yieldingly engaged about and embracing an adjacent portion of the
hose whereby the tube and hose are releasably retained in adjacent
parallel relationship with each other throughout said portion of
said tube.
9. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports, said means to
selectively shift the plate including opposite end portions on the
plate projecting from the opposite ends of the valve member in line
with the direction of travel of said member and stop means on said
unit to engage and stop the plate upon predetermined movement of
the member and to effect relative shifting of the member and plate,
and spring means between the member and the plate to normally
yieldingly hold the plate in a position where the air port therein
is in register with the air passage, said tube being smaller in
diameter than the hose and having a longitudinally split tubular
section along a portion of its longitudinal extent yieldingly
engaged about and embracing an adjacent portion of the hose whereby
the tube and hose are releasably retained in adjacent parallel
relationship with each other throughout said portion of said
tube.
10. A structure as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a
valve plate shiftably carried by the valve member to intersect the
air passage and having an air port normally in register with the
air passage means to selectively shift the plate to move the air
port therein out of register with the air passage when the member
is in a position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and to shift the plate to move the
air port therein out of register with the air passage when the
member is in a position where the channel is in bridging
communication with the delivery and soap ports, said means to
selectively shift the plate including opposite end portions on the
plate projecting from the opposite ends of the valve member in line
with the direction of travel of said member and stop means on said
unit to engage and stop the plate upon predetermined movement of
the member and to effect relative shifting of the member and plate,
said valve member shiftable from a first position where the channel
is out of bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports
and the air port is out of register with the air passage to a
second position where the channel is out of bridging communication
with the delivery and soap ports and the air port is in register
with the air passage, to a third position where the channel is in
bridging communication with the delivery and soap ports and the air
port is in register with the air passage and to a fourth position
where the channel is in bridging communication with the delivery
and air ports and the air port is out of register with the air
passage, and index means between the unit and the member to
selectively and yieldingly stop and hold the member in each of said
first, second, third and fourth positions, said indexing means
including a spring-loaded ball carried by the member and four
spaced detents in the unit to cooperatively receive said ball, said
tube being smaller in diameter than the hose and having a
longitudinally split tubular section along a portion of its
longitudinal extent yieldingly engaged about and embracing an
adjacent portion of the hose whereby the tube and hose are
releasably retained in adjacent parallel relationship with each
other throughout said portion of said tube.
Description
This invention has to do with an improved soap and water mixing and
dispensing means for use in shower baths and the like.
There is an ever-increasing recognition of a need for and increased
use of soap and water mixing means in combination with manually
engageable bathing brushes, spongers and the like.
The structures provided by the prior art to satisfy the noted need
characteristically include an elongate flexible water hose
engageable with the water supply pipe normally provided above and
at one end of a bathing tub to connect with a showerhead. The inlet
end of the hose connects with the noted pipe and replaces the
showerhead or connects with a T-fitting engaged between the pipe
and showerhead and which is provided with a cock-type valve to
selectively direct water through the head or through the hose. The
prior art structures next include a container of liquid soap
concentrate fixed to or otherwise directly related to and carried
by the T-fitting or pipe to occur above the tub, a flexible soap
conducting tube extending longitudinally of the hose and having an
extension at its upper or inlet end, entering the container and
terminating in the lower or bottom end thereof. The prior art
structures next includes a manually engageable wand with a jet pump
means within connected with the lower outlet ends of the hose and
tube and having a discharge end connected with a suitable
dispensing head, such as a spray head or a washing sponge or
bathing brush with suitable irrigating means incorporated therein
to receive and dispense the water or a mixture of water and soap
issuing from the wand into and through the sponge or brush.
The structures provided by the prior art and such as are referred
to above are normally provided with and are characterized by a
valving port in the jet pump means and over which the operator or
bather's thumb or a suitable finger can be engaged to selectively
establish or break the suction or vacuum effect of the jet pump
means within the wand and thereby selectively stop and start the
flow of soap through the structures.
When the valving ports of such structures are open, air is drawn
into the wand and the discharged water is aerated to provide an
extremely pleasant and soothing flow of water for the bather.
One of the principle shortcomings found in structures of the
character referred to and which are provided by the prior art
resides in the fact that once soap has been caused to flow through
the soap tubes and said tubes are filled with soap, the soap
continues to flow through the tubes as a result of the siphon
effect established by the structure and so that when the valve port
is open, the flow of soap is reduced, but is not stopped. As a
result of the above, the bather cannot rinse off properly and when
he has finished bathing, the structure must be disconnected or the
wand must be elevated and supported at a level above the soap
container to stop the flow and loss of soap.
Attempts to prevent the above-noted siphoning of soap have included
the inclusion of check valves and the like, but such attempts have
proven to be wanting in one or more respects. The principle
shortcomings found in the provision of check valves and those other
means provided by the prior art to overcome the siphoning of soap
through the soap tubes, when the flow of soap is sought to be
stopped, has been the tendency for the means provided to become
plugged or stopped up with soap and rendered ineffective and the
tendency of such means to require a relatively high and often
excessive flow rate of water to effect desired operation.
The structure of the character referred to above provide for the
flow of aerated water or for the flow of a mixture of soap and
water only.
An object and feature of my invention is to provide a structure of
the general character referred to which effectively shuts off the
flow of soap when such is desired.
Another object of my invention is to provide an improved structure
of the character referred to which is such that flows of clear
unaerated water, aerated water, aerated soap and water or unaerated
soap and water can be selectively dispensed.
It is an object and feature of my invention to provide a structure
of the character referred to including a small, neat, compact
manually engageable hand unit or wand defining an internal jet pump
with a vacuum chamber, a water hose connected with the wand to
deliver water to the pump, a discharge opening related to the pump
and adapted to releasably connect with desired cleaning heads, a
delivery port communicating with the vacuum chamber of the pump, a
liquid soap supply remote from the wand, a soap supply tube
extending from the soap supply to the wand and manually operable
valve means in the wand and related to the port and adapted to
control the flow of air and/or soap through the port and into the
pump.
It is a further object of my invention to provide a structure of
the character referred to wherein the valve means includes a thumb
or finger operated valve member accessible at the exterior of the
wand.
Yet another object and feature is to provide a structure of the
character referred to wherein the thumb operated valve member is
provided with an air conducting passage that can be selectively
closed and opened by engagement and disengagement of the operator's
thumb or finger on and with said valve member.
Still another object and feature of my invention is to provide a
structure of the character referred to wherein the thumb operated
valve member carried and is provided with a ported valve plate
adapted to be shifted relative to the valve member to open and
close the air passage independently of the operator's finger when
the valve member is shifted to and from predetermined positions
relative to the inlet port in the wand.
It is an object and feature of my invention to provide a structure
of the character referred to which is such that it can be made
small and compact, a structure which lends itself to being
established of molded plastics at low cost and a structure which is
not subject to becoming fouled with soap and which is extremely
easy to clean and service when and if circumstances require.
An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a
structure of the character referred to wherein the mixing of soap
and water is effected in the wand and wherein the supply of soap is
effectively stopped when such flow is sought to be stopped.
The foregoing and other objects and features of the instant
invention will become apparent and fully understood from the
following detailed description of a typical preferred form and
application of my invention throughout which description reference
is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the invention showing it related to
a typical bath tub and shower facility;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed elevational view of part of the
structure shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by
line 3-3 on FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views of a portion of the structure
illustrated in FIG. 3 and showing parts of the structure in
different positions;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 7-7 on FIG.
4;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 8-8 on FIG.
4; and,
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 9-9 on FIG.
2.
The soap and water mixing and dispensing means provided by this
invention and which is disclosed in the accompanying drawings can
be related to and connected with any suitable supply of water and
is particularly adapted for installation and use with typical
bathing facilities including a bath tub B with an overhead shower
water supply pipe P and manually operable water supply control
valve and spigot means M, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the
drawings.
Since the environment in which my invention can be employed can
vary widely and since the bathing facilities shown is only
illustrative of one such environment well known to those familiar
with the art to which this invention relates, I will not burden
this disclosure with further detailed consideration of the
particular facility shown in the drawing.
The mixing and dispensing means that I provide includes a small,
neat, compact manually engageable unit U which can and will, in the
following, be termed or referred to as an irrigating wand or
unit.
The irrigating wand is an elongate unit having a rear inlet end 10,
a front outlet end 11 and outside surfaces, which, if the unit is
disposed horizontally and is rotated to that position shown in the
drawings, can be defined as a top side or surface 12, a bottom
surface 13 and side surfaces 14. The longitudinal extent of the
unit U and the configuration and disposition of the several sides
and/or surfaces 12, 13 and 14 can be varied as desired and as
circumstances require and are preferably such that the unit can be
easily, comfortably and conveniently engaged in one's hand for
desired manipulation of the unit.
The unit is preferably established of molded plastic and is made up
of three sections, there being a rear, primary body section 20, a
central retainer section 21 and a front, head section 22.
The rear section 21 has a forwardly opening socket 23 with a
cylindrical sidewall 24 and a forwardly disposed rounded bottom 25.
The bottom 25 has a central forwardly projecting forwardly
convergent and tapered nozzle 26 projecting freely into the socket.
The forward end portion of the socket is internally threaded as at
27.
The section 21 has a substantially central, longitudinally
extending water passage 28 concentric with and communicating with
the nozzle 26 and extending rearwardly therefrom and into and
through an externally threaded hose coupling connecting nipple 29
projecting rearwardly from the rear end 10 of the unit.
The rear section 20 of the unit U next includes an elongate,
longitudinally extending, forwardly and upwardly opening ways 30 in
its top side 12. The ways has a flat bottom 31, vertical sides 32,
laterally inwardly opening longitudinal grooves 33 along its
opposite sides at the junction of the bottom 31 and sides 32 and a
forwardly disposed rear end 34. The front end of the ways is
open.
The section 20 next includes a vertical delivery port 35 extending
from the bottom 31 of the ways to the rear end of the socket 23 and
at a point rearward of the forward discharge end of the nozzle
26.
Next, the section 20 includes an elongate longitudinally extending
liquid or soap passage 36, above the water passage 28, the forward
end of which communicates with a vertical soap port 37 entering the
bottom 31 of the ways at a point spaced rearward of the delivery
port 35 and extending rearwardly through the section and thence
into and through a soap tube connecting nipple 38 projecting
rearwardly from the rear end 11 of the unit.
The soap passage 36 is considerably smaller in diameter than the
water passage 28.
The retainer section 21 is a simple flat apertured plate and is
arranged adjacent the forward end of the section 20 with its
aperture aligned with the socket 23 and having a portion which
overlies the forward open end of the ways to define a front end 39
in the ways.
The front, head section 22 of the unit is an elongate part with a
rear portion projecting through the aperture in the section 21 and
threaded into the front end of the socket 23, a central, flangelike
portion engaging the forward side of the section 21 to hold it in
place and a front, forwardly projecting, externally threaded
cleaning head engaging neck 40.
The section 22 has a central forwardly opening discharge opening 41
extending through the neck 40 and has a rearwardly opening,
forwardly convergent, conical socket 42 communicating with the
socket 28 and into which the forward end of the nozzle 23 freely
projects.
The discharge opening 41 is concentric with, is spaced forward of
and is slightly greater in diameter than the flow passage 28 in the
section 21 and the nozzle 23.
The unit U is composed or made up of the sections 20, 21 and 22
disclosed and described above for purposes of, ease of manufacture,
assembly and service. In practice and for the purpose of further
disclosure of this invention, sections 20, 21 and 22 will be
considered as establishing a single, integral unit.
The unit U next includes valve means V which means includes a valve
member 50. The member 50 is an elongate barlike part with top and
bottom surfaces 51 and 52, front and rear ends 53 and 54, sides
surface 55 and laterally outwardly projecting, longitudinal
retaining flanges 56 at its opposite side. The member is less in
longitudinal extent than the longitudinal extent of the ways and is
slidably engaged in said ways with its bottom surface in sliding
sealing engagement with the bottom 31 of the ways, its flanges
engaged in the groove 33 of the ways and with its sides in
opposing, sliding engagement with the sidewalls of the ways.
The member is engageable in the ways from the forward end thereof
when the section 21 is moved from engagement over the front end of
said ways.
The valve member 50 is provided with an elongate downwardly opening
flow channel 60 in its bottom surface which channel is greater in
longitudinal extent than the distance between the ports 35 and 37
in the section 20 and which enter the bottom of the ways.
The valve member is shiftable longitudinally in the ways 30 from a
first, forward, closed position where the flow channel 60
communicates with the port 35 only as shown in FIG. 3, rearward to
a second position where the channel communicates with port 35 only
as shown in FIG. 4, rearward to a third position where the channel
60 bridges and communicates with both ports 35 and 37, as shown in
FIG. 5 and finally, to a fourth and rear position where the channel
60 communicates with both of said ports and as shown in FIG. 6.
The valve member 50 next includes a vertical air passage 61
entering its top and communicating with the channel 60. The passage
61 preferably enters the bottom or lowermost, central portion of an
upwardly disposed concaved thumb or finger recess 62 provided in
the top surface 51 of the member 50.
The valve means V next and further includes a secondary valve means
V' in the form of a slide valve carried by the valve member 50 and
adapted to close the port 61 when the valve member is in its first,
forward position and when it is in its fourth, rear position.
The means V' includes an elongate valve plate 65 with a vertical
air port 66 therein. The plate is greater in longitudinal extent
than the member 60 and is slidably engaged in a longitudinal
opening 67 in the member 50 which opens at the front and rear ends
of said member and intersects the passage 61.
The plate 65 normally projects forwardly and rearwardly from the
front and rear ends of the member 50 a limited distance and its
port 66 is normally in register with the passage 61, as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings.
The plate 65 is normally yieldingly held in the above noted normal
position by suitable spring means S, which means, in the case
illustrated, includes a vertical spring stop on the plate,
projecting into the central portion of an elongate, longitudinally
extending cavity in the member 50 and a pair of balanced
compression springs at the opposite sides of the stop and extending
between the stop and the ends of the cavity.
When the valve member 50 is in its second position, as shown in
FIG. 4, the front end of that member is spaced from the forward end
39 of the ways and the forward end of the plate, which is in its
normal position, engages the end 39 of the ways. When the member 50
is moved forward to its first and forward position, where its front
end stops against the end 39 of the ways, the plate 65 is urged
rearwardly in the member 50 and the passage 61 is closed, as shown
in FIG. 3.
When the member 50 is in its third position, as shown in FIG. 5,
the plate is in its normal position, the rear end of the member 50
is spaced from the rear end 34 of the ways and the rear end of the
plate engages said rear end of the ways. When the member 50 is
moved rearward to its fourth or rear position, where its near end
stops against the rear end 34 of the ways, the plate 65 is urged
forwardly in the member 50 and the passage 61 is closed, as shown
in FIG. 6 of the drawings.
The construction is further provided with indexing means I to
signal and to yieldingly retain the valve member 50 when it is
moved from one position to another. The indexing means I that I
have elected to illustrate includes a spring-loaded ball 70 carried
by the member 50, at the bottom side or surface thereof and a
plurality of longitudinally spaced detents 71 in the bottom 31 of
the ways. There is a detent 71 into which the spring loaded ball 70
moves and seats when the member 50 is moved to each of the four
noted positions and as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 6 of
the drawings.
It is to be noted and understood that the spring means S and the
indexing means I that I have illustrated can be varied widely in
form and arrangement without departing from or effecting the spirit
of this invention.
The neck 40 of the Unit U can be screw connected with any suitable
cleaning head, such as a spray head H, as illustrated in FIGS. 1
and 3 of the drawings.
The nipple 29 is connected with a hose coupling part 75 at the
outlet end of an elongate flexible water hose W which extends from
a suitable water supply.
In the case illustrated, the water supply is the shower water pipe
P, spaced above the tub T. The hose W is connected with the pipe P
by means of a male-female nipple 76 engaged on the pipe P and with
which a coupling 77 on the inlet end of the hose is engaged.
Such a supply of water is only illustrative and typical of one form
of water supply and hookup that can be employed in the normal use
of my invention.
The nipple 38 is connected with the discharge or outlet end of an
elongate, small diameter, flexible fluid or liquid soap conducting
tube L. The outlet end of the tube L is shown slidably and
frictionally engaged on and about the nipple 38.
The other or inlet end of the tube L, remote from the unit U is
connected with a liquid soap supply means J, which supply means is
shown as including a simple plastic jar or vessel 80 with a
screw-on cap or closure 81 in which a supply of liquid soap is
deposited. The cap 81 has an opening 82 through which the inlet end
of the tube L extends to depend into the jar and to terminate
adjacent the bottom thereof.
The cap is further provided with a suitable vent opening 83.
In the case illustrated, the cap is provided with a baillike hanger
84 which is engaged with a hook 85 on the nipple 76, as clearly
illustrated in the drawings.
In practice, the means J can vary widely in form without departing
from the spirit of my invention; for example the soap could be in a
collapsible plastic bag having a loop or grommet at its upper end
to facilitate hanging the bag and the tube L could be suitably
connected with an outlet at or in the lower or bottom end of the
bag.
In practice, it is desirable that the hose W and tube L be secured
or otherwise related with each other so as to establish a single
elongate flexible unit or assembly and to avoid the presence of a
pair of separate flexible members which might become tangled and
cause a nuisance or inconvenience.
In the prior art, special hoses with a pair of flow passages have
been employed in structures and apparatus of the character here
concerned with. Such hoses are costly and require the use of
special and costly hardware to effect their being connected with
their related parts and means.
In the present invention, I provide a novel tube L having an
elongate hose-engaging clip 90 along its major, central,
longitudinal extent, to engage the hose W and to maintain the hose
and tube in adjacent parallel relationship.
The tube L is an extruded plastic member originally established
with a large diameter tube portion, slightly less in inside
diametric extent than the outside diametric extent of the hose W,
(which hose is a simple, standard and inexpensive hose) and a small
diameter portion formed integrally and extending parallel with the
large diameter portion and which establishes the tube L per se.
The end portions of the large diameter portion of the extruded
member are cut away and/or stripped from the small diameter portion
and the remaining large diameter portion is split, longitudinally,
adjacent the small diameter portion, as at 91 and so that the large
diameter portion establishes the flexible clip 90 which can be
flexed open to receive and which will thereafter close above and
yieldingly embrace the hose W, to maintain the hose and tube
assembled, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9 of the
drawings.
The tube L is subjected to little fluid pressure and is such that
the member employed to establish the tube L and its clip 90 can be
thin, light, extremely flexible and inexpensive.
In operation when the unit U is connected with a flowing supply of
water and a supply of soap, as illustrated in the drawings, and the
valve means V and V' are in their first or forward positions, as
shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the port 37 and passage 61 are
closed and only water is conducted through and from the unit U.
When the valve means is shifted rearwardly to its second position,
as shown in FIG. 4, the port 37 is still closed and the passage 61
is open, with the result that air is free to flow therethrough,
into the channel 60, and thence through the port 35 and into the
vacuum chamber in the unit U defined by the sockets 23 and 42.
The jet of water issuing from the nozzle 26, through the vacuum
chamber and thence out through the opening 41 establishes a minus
pressure in the chamber. This minus pressure draws the air into the
chamber, to mix with the water and so that the water issuing from
the unit, when in the noted second position, is aerated.
When the valve means V and V' are in the noted second position, the
flow of air into the unit can be selectively shut off by the
operator of the unit by placing his thumb or the member 50 over the
upper open end of the passage 61 and thereby selectively change the
discharge from the unit to and from, clear and aerated water.
When the valve means is shifted from its second position to its
third position, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the ports 35,
37 and passage 61 are all open and the minus pressure in the
chamber of the unit draws liquid soap and air into the vacuum
chamber to mix with the water and so that the discharge from the
unit U is aerated and mixed soap and water. This discharge is
primarily a discharge of suds.
When the structure is in the above noted third position, the
operator can place his thumb over the passage 61 to shut off the
supply of air and thereby change the discharge from suds to a
straight mixture of soap and water.
Finally, when the valve means are shifted to their forward and
rearmost position, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the ports 35
and 37 are open and in communication and the passage 61 is closed
and a constant and steady discharge of soap and water is
obtained.
It is to be noted that while the valve means are shiftable to four
distinct positions to effect four distinct forms or kinds of
discharge, the noted placement of one's finger over the passage 61
when the structure is in its second and third positions provides
what is in fact two additional or intermediate positions or
operating conditions, with the result that the structure provides
six (6) different and distinct operating conditions and/or
positions, to provide four distinct forms of discharge, all at the
fingertip control of the operator.
Having described only a typical preferred form and application of
my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details
herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications
and/or variations that may appear to those who are skilled in the
art to which this invention relates and which fall within the scope
of the following claims.
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