Tongue-scraper.

(Application filed June 20, 1901.)

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-UTHO.; WASHINGTON, 0. C.

United States Patent Office.

IDA HAGERTY, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

TONGUE-SCRAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,336, dated April 8, 1902.

Application filed June 20,1901. Serial No. 65,340. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ida Hagerty, a citizen of the United States, residing at Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, have 5 invented new and useful Improvements in Tongue-Scrapers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in tongue - scrapers, io which are adapted for cleansing the tongues of sick and healthy people.

Thefinvention aims to provide a tonguecleaner not only adapted for scraping the coating from the tongue, but also for remov15 ing the small particles from the papillm which remain after the scraping operation.

The invention further aims to construct a tongue-cleaner provided with separate scraping and brushing sides, the former adapted 20 to remove the heavy coating from the tongue and the latter for removing the particles from the papillae left by the scraper, the brushing side not only removing the small particles from the papillae, thereby thoroughly cleans25 ing the tongue, which is conducive to health, but tends to stimulate the latter to a healthier action, as well as giving a keener appreciation of taste.

The invention further aims to construct a 30 tongue-cleaner which shall be extremely simple in its construction, strong, durable, efficient in its operation, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture; and to this end it consists in the novel combination and arrange35 ment of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustrated ’in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail refer40 ence is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which—

Figure lisa perspective view of the tonguecleaner. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

My improved cleaner is substantially Ushaped in contour and triangular in cross-sec50 tion and provided with a pair of handles 1 2, of any suitable material. The inner ends of the handles 1 2 are secured in any desirable manner to the body portion 3 of the tonguecleaner. This body portion 3 is constructed of bone or celluloid or other suitable material 55 and,as above stated,issubstantially U-shaped in contour and triangular in cross-section and provided with a smooth upper surface, as at 4, having a knife-edge 5. The lower face of the body portion is flattened, as shown. 60

The reference-numeral 6 denotes a series of bristles forming a brush, which are secured in any desirable manner to the lower face of the body portion 3 of the cleaner. These bristles G are arranged approximately cen- 65 trally of the lower face of the body portion 3—that is to say, it is not desirable to have them extend throughout the entire lower surface or face of the body portion 3 of the cleaner. 7°

The cleaner is used as follows: The person extends the tongue out as far as possible, and the coating thereon is removed by the scraping or smooth face of the cleaner. Owing to forming the scraping or smooth face at an in- 75 clination and substantially U shape, it will not only engage the upper surface of the tongue, but also the side edges thereof. After the scraping-face has been used it is then cleaned in any desirable manner and the 80 cleaner mounted with its brushing side engaging the tongue, so that any particles remaining thereon can be removed. During the operation of cleansing the tongue when the scraper is pressed against it the little 85 papillae are depressed, but not enough to expel all the deposit upon the tongue. It will be noted that the bristles or the brushing side will then thoroughly clean the papillae and the interstices, as well as stimulating 90 the tongue to a healthier action.

The cleaner admits of the quick and effectual scraping of the tongue, so as to keep it in a clean and healthy condition, which is conducive to the preservation of the teeth 95 when used by healthy persons and of essential advantage for sick persons, as well as for hospital and other uses, a particular advantage lying in the stimulation of the tongue by the brush or bristles, giving it a keener 100 appreciation of taste and, as before stated, stimulating it to a healthier action.

A daily use of the improved tongue-scraper will be more conducive to health than any s

697,336 toilet auxiliary now in use. The deposit left on the tongue breeds germs of disease,which are swallowed and lodged in the system.

It is thought the many advantages of my 5 improved tongue-cleaner can be readily understood from theforegoingdescription,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will also be noticed that minor changes may be made in the details of conio struction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.