Tooth cleaning appliance

Oct. 9, 1934.

1,976,271

W. VACHOUX

TOOTH CLEANING APPLIANCE

Filed June 26, 1933

<img file="US1976271A_D0001.tif" />

<img file="US1976271A_D0002.tif" />

JrA i a e>'/· -fl-Hys·

Patented Oct. 9, 1934

1,976,271

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,976,271

TOOTH CLEANING APPLIANCE William Vachoux, Geneva, Switzerland Application June 26, 1933, Serial No. 677,719 In Switzerland July 1, 1932

Claims. (Cl. 15—167)

This invention relates to tooth cleaning appliances of the type in which the brush head is removably attached to a handle member.

The object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning device of this type which comprises two exchangeable brush heads of which the one is shaped to clean the outside face of the teeth, while the other is particularly adapted to clean the inner side of the teeth.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a toothbrush according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly drawn in section.

Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the brush heads.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the second brush head.

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5—5 of Figure 2.

The represented tooth cleaning appliance comprises a brush handle 1 and two brush heads 2 and 3. The brush head 2 comprises a resilient supporting blade 4 which is curved as shown in Fig. 3. Two plates 7 carrying the bristles 7α are fixed to the concave side of the blade 4 by means of screws or rivets 5. The blade 4 has its median portion between the two bristle supporting blades engaged in a rod 8 of square cross section, which rod may penetrate into an axially extending recess 9 of corresponding cross section provided in the handle 1, so that the brush head is disposed transversely to the handle with the two bristle carrying plates 7 extending in opposite directions. Owing to the resiliency of the blade 4, the two plates 7 are capable of independently oscillating about the rod 8 in a plane extending transversely to the handle 1.

The handle is provided with a hole 14 in which is frictionally engaged a slidable button 10 having an opening 15 through which can pass the rod 8. The button is provided with a projection 11 which can penetrate into a groove 12 in the rod 8 to maintain the rod engaged in the handle.

The brush head 3 is similar to the brush head 2, but the bristles are attached on the convex side of the resilient curved blade 13. 60

In order to brush the teeth, the brush head 2 is first attached to the handle 1 as shown in Fig. 1, and then the exterior face of the teeth is brushed with the bristles while holding the handle in substantially vertical position. Afterwards the 65 brush head 2 is removed and the head 3 fixed to the handle, which serves to brush the inner face of the teeth. Worn bristles can be exchanged by unscrewing the plates 7 from the resilient blade 4 or 13. The resiliency of these 70 blades maintains the end of the bristles applied against the teeth during cleaning operation.

It will be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form and details of the construction illustrated and described herein, since these 75 may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.