Toothbrush

Application filed .May 7, 1918, Serial No. 295,390.

Renewed February 24, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it, known that I, Myles H. <artwrigi-it. a citizen of the United States, .residing at Toledo, in the county or luiicas •5 and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toilet articles, and more particularly to tooth brushes.

The object'of-the invention is.'to provide a simply .constructed brush or tlus. character which may lie sterilized to render it entirely sanitary.

Another object is to provide a tooth orusa, 15 the head of 'which is separable from the handle to permit a new head to be substituted when the old one becomes worn so that one handle may be used indefinitely.

Another object is to construct botii. the ro head and handle of material capable of being sterilized without injury.

Another object is to provide a separable head and handle having friction means for holding them securely in operative connected -.:5 relation and yet permit tnem to be easily separated, when desired.

With the foregoing and other objects, in view,-which will· appear .as the. description proceeds, the invention resides in the com30 bination.'and arrangement of parts.and m the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention' herein disclosed may be .made 35 within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:—

Fio-ure 1 represents a side elevation of a tootlT brush constructed in accordance with 40 this invention,

Fiff. 2 is a rear elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation,

Fi°·. 4 is a longitudinal section, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the •15 line 5—5 of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment illustrated, a head 1 and handle 10 are shown separably connected. The head 1 comprises a block or backing· 2 made of aluminum or other suitable so metal and having the usual bristles 3 mounted therein by any suitable means which will hold them securely engaged with the block when subjected to sterilization. The rear end of block 2 has a bulbular element 4 con55 nectecl therewith bv a neck 5, a finger 6 ex tending longitudinally from the member 4 and out-turned to form a finger grip for a purpose .presently'to be described.

The handle 10 comprises a casing or shell 11 composed of sheet aluminum or-other 60 suitable metal and shaped to conform to the head 1 which it is designed to receive. This shell 11 .has a flange 12 extending .therearound, said flange being inclined inwardly as shown at 13 in Fig. 4, which is designed 65 to fit over the edge of the head 1 to assist, in retaining it in operative relation relative to the handle.

The ends of the flange 12 extend a substantial distance rearwardly of the casing 70 11 and merge, into the longitudinal edges of the handle portion 17. The ends of the flange in rear of the casing are each contracted or pressed inwardly of each other .at two spaced points 16 and 18 which pairs 75 of points are disposed oppositely of each other in order to provide a socket 14. Obviously.. neck portions are provided for the socket at the points 16 and 18. The socket is macle globular in shape to surround the 80 major portion of the element 4 when me latter is received in the socket, the edges 15 of the socket being spaced apart to permit of the engagement or insertion of the element 4 thereinto. . ⁸⁶

From the above description it will be obvious that the head 1 is inserted in the. casing 11 by engaging the front end of the, block 2 under the inclined flange 13 at the front end of the casing and then forcing the so head into said casing and the ball 4 into the cup-shaped socket 14. When , so arranged the parts will assume the position shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.

When it is desired to remove the head 1 95 for sterilization, renewal or other purposes, the finger may be passed under the finger 6, and the head forced out of the casing 11. A new head may then be substituted or the old one sterilized and returned to the handle. ioo

By⁷ constructing the handle member 10 of sheet aluminum, a light device is formed, and one which is rust-proof. .

Longitudinal strengthening ribs 19 are provided at the juncture of the casing 11 105 and hand grip member 17 with the socket 14 by the particular formation of the handle member, ancl the ends of the flange 12 merge into the side edges of the hand grip 17 at its junction with the member 14, and diverge no ' ' 1,45 inwardly of the hand grip whereby the finger 6 may be engaged to lift the ball element 4 from the socket 14.

From the foregoing, description, taken in ^!) connection with the. -accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which . the invention appertains and -while I have ¹⁰ described the principle of.operation of the invention together with the. device, which I 'now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is mereljwillustrative and J^:> that such changes-may -be made as are -within the scope of the claimed invention.