US1908509A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

May 9, 1933. w K DAvlS 1,908,509

TOOTHBRUSH Filed Nov. 8, 1950 Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT l OFFICE WALTER. K. DAVIS, F CHICAGO, ILLIN'OIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 RUTH J'. ?ALLASCH, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS u 'roomausn Application led November B, 1930. Serial No. 494,421.

The invention relates to tooth brushes, and has as its primary object the provision of a tooth brush which insures that substantially all of the surfaces of the teeth will be brushed and cleansed when it is properly used.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improvedv tooth brush which will enable one to brush ones teeth in a minimum of time and with relatively little e'ort.

Tooth brushes embodying the invention preferably comprise a handle from which three relatively flexible arms project. Each of the arms is provided with one or more rows of bristles, the construction being `such that the outer, inner and top surfaces of a tooth may be brushed at the same time. Thearms which hold the bristles for brushing the invner and outer surfaces of the tooth are preferably constructed so that they may flex when the bristles are applied to the teeth and hold y the tips of one set of bristles substantially parallel with the tips of the oppositely disposed set of bristles. This insures that all of the bristles will engage the teeth.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following detalled description progresses, reference being had to the. accompanying drawing,

wherein Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevation of a tooth brush which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the tooth brush shown in Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. y Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through a tooth brush which embodies -another form of the invention, and

a tooth brush which embodies still another form of the invention.

Referring for the present to Figs. 1 to 3,

inclusive, wherein enlarged views of a tooth brush embodying the invention are shown,

' inner and outer surfaces of the teeth.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through i that they may be attached thereto by any suitable means (not shown), if it is so desired. The arms are preferably yielding and are preferably constructed from celluloid, rubber, a phenolic condensation product, or any equivalent plastic material.

The arms 11, 12 and 13 are provided with rows of bristles 14, 15 and 16, respectively, there being av single row of bristles on each of the arms. The arms 12 and 13 and their @c respective bristles are disposed in opposed relation, as best shown in Fig. 3, the bristles 14 being disposed at substantially right angles to the bristles 15 and 16. As best shown in Fig. 2, the arms 12 and 13 converge to- 65 Ward their free ends.

llt will be readily understoodthat the arms 11, 12 and 13 may be inserted in ones mouth to brush the molars, the arms'being inserted so that the bristles 15 and 16 engage the inner 70 and outer surfaces of the teeth and the bristles 14 engage the occlusal or top surfaces of the teeth. The brush may then be reciprocated so that the several rows of bristles will brush all of the exposed surfaces o'f the teeth. t5 Obviously, the arms 12 and 13 may sprlng into the positions wherein they are show n 1n dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that substantially all of the bristles 15 and 16 wi]l engage the From the above description, it will be readily understood that the improved brush may be employed to simultaneously cleanse the occlusal, lingual and buccal surfaces of the molars and that it may be similarly` employed to brush the lingual and labial surfaces of the other teeth.

A tooth brush embodying another form of the invention is shown in Fig. 4. rl'his brush preferably comprises a handle (not shown) which is substantially identical with the above described handle 10 and is provided with arms 11a, 12a and 13a, the arms 11a, 12a and 13a being provided with rows 14a are provided in place of the single row 100 of bristles 14, shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. The arms 11a, 12a and 13a are preferably flexible so that they may assume the same positions as the arms 11, 12 and 13 assume when they are applied to the teeth.

Still another form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein a tooth brush is shown which comprises a handle (not shown) substantially identical with the above lo described handle 10. The brush shown in Fig. comprises flexible arms 11b, 12b and 13b which are provided with inwardly ex-. tending'bristles arranged in much the same manner as the bristles shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. Two rows of bristles 146 are s rovided upon the arm 11b. The arm 13b as two rows of bristles 16?) and 160. The arm 12b has two rows of bristles 15b and 150. The bristles 150 and 160 are engageable with the upper rtions of the side surfaces of a tooth an are preferably shorter than the bristles b and 1Gb. This construction is particularly advantageous when the brush v is employed to clean the molars, as these teeth are narrower adjacent the gums than they are adjacent their occlusal surfaces and, therefore, the bristles 15b and 166 may project beyond the bristles 150 and 16o to engage the narrower portions of the teeth adjacent the gums. A

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and sco of the. invention as disclosed in the appen ed claim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible, in view of the prior art.

-What `I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: A tooth brush comprising: a handle ortion formed of iiexiblematerial; three ristlc-supporting arms formed integral with the handle portion, two of said arms being 1n opposed r'elationshi with their free ends normall toed inwar y and adapted to flex outwar y; when engaging a wide tooth, and

a .set of ristles on each of said arms, said bristles being engageable simultaneously with a tooth and one set of said bristles having ltheir brushing ends disposed to face the brushing ends ofano r set of bristles.

In testimony whereo I hereunto aix my name, this 4th day of November, 1930.

WALTER K. DAVIS.`

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