US2532565A - Lather-producing device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1950 R. MILLER LATHER-PRODUCIN'G DEVICE Filed Feb. 19, 1948 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 5, 1950 u-Narr so srr as P rem OFFF ICE;

LATHER-PRODUCING DEVIGE Ralph Miller, Munch- 1nd.

ApplicationFe'bruary 19, I948, S erialNo'. 9352 5-:Claims.

1c The present invention relates to lather produci-ng' devices, and more-particularly to an instrumcntality comprising-the combination of a receptacle from which a-'- water solution of soap or the-like iss-upplied to a' current-of air to be mixed therew-ith and converted into a lather of any desired consistency which is" ejected from a'nozz-le.-

The device I hasbeen invented particularly for use-in connection with-ordinary household vacu um cleaners; for-the purpose of providing a copious supply- 0f heavyl'a-ther which will be useful in-s'n'ampooing rugs; carpets; upholstery and the-like,- and it" has been usedsuccessively for that purpose; However; it -is useful also in other relationshipsandior*otherpurposes; wherever the productionof a controlled supply of light or heavy-latheror soap suds is required:

Principalobjects of the invention are to provide adevice of thecharacterindicated which will be simple and durable in construction, foolproof-and reliablednuse; andunfailihgly efficient in performing its intended'iunctions;

either objects are concerned-with providing a device ofthe character'indicated-in aiorm Which is highly versatile; so-tha-t' it can be-used for numerous purposes where a supply of lather or soap suds is required,

Another object is to make the device of parts thatlare-rcadily separated to permit the internal passageways to be cleaned and easily reassembled after each :periodiof use:

Other objects and advantages will be apparent flOIllthE, following description of an embodiment whichis-illus Jratecl int-he accornpjanyingjdrawing Generally speaking, the invention includes the combination of a barrel through which a current of air is blown and into which a small jet of a water solution of soap or the like is introduced and carried by the air stream through a unit providing a multiplicity of small passageways inwh'ic'li" thefliduid jet is thoroughly dispersed ii'r'the air 'so' that tlie air and liquid are intimatelyintermingled to produce amass oi lather or soap suds which issues froma nozzle provided at an end of the barrel Referringto the drawing, A designates a barrel membenof generally tubular shape conveniently made of sheet-or extruded metal formed with an inside diameter of the-order of about one and one-quarter inch; Whilesuch material; form-andproportions are'preferred, none of them is critical; so that-it is possible to make the barrel otherwise.

One end of the barrel} shown at the right hand side of' Fig-L l, is provided with a fitting designated 1', icrconnectingwith a tube or hose bywliic'h a stream ofa ir may lac-supplied to the barrel; and the other end of the'barrel is provid'e'd with a sleeve?- whichservesas a nozzle. The inlet fitting l may be, as shown in the-drawing, simply the terminal end of a vacuum-cleaner hose attachment for supplying a stream of air, or it may be a conventional type of nipple or connector for 'attachingjany other air-supply conduit.

The nozzle 2 is best made in the form of a sleeve of metal like that of the barrel A but of large enough diameter, and preferably provided with a" lengthwise expansion slot 3; to make a resilientfrictio'n fit telescopically over the barrel so that it can be easily removed and replaced.

Soldered or'otherwis'e secured'to what may be regarded as' the bottom of thebarrel' member A isthe cap l of a reservoir" jar 5 onto which the cap isthreadedor otherwise removably attached. The'ca'pis closed throughout its top in the usual manner but" is more or" less centrally perforated to mount and pass a' small'diameteritube G'which extends from'a pointnea'r the bottomof the jar 511 through" an "op'eningin the barrel member A to about'the'axis of 'tli'ebarrel, where the tube is bentforwardly substantially along" thea'xis to an open terminal end. The portion of the tube adjacent to this end is mounted on an arm or bracket '5 in a funnel 8 which is formed by spinning or otherwise tapering the forward end of the barrel member A. An opening 9 is formed in the taper, around the end of the tube 6, so that air passing through the barrel member will be constricted by the funnel 3 to move at increased velocity through the opening 9 and thereby aspi- 7 rate through the tube 6 whatever liquid may be contained in the jar 5, as shown at [0.

I Wi a] practice for the principally intended purposes of the invention, this liquid may be a water solution of soap.

The terminal end of the nozzle 2 encloses an assembly of screen wire mesh elements through which the current of air carries the jet of liquid from the end of the tube 6 so that it is thoroughly broken up in passing through the screen interstices and mingled intimately with the air to produce a body of lather.

A convenient mode of mounting the discs of screen wire mesh consists in inwardly flanging the nozzle, as shown at l I, and forming a unit of telescoping sleeves i2 and I3 to serve as a casing for a plurality of screen wire mesh discs M, which are held in more or less compact, engaged relation depending on the setting of the sleeves l2 and IS. The unit provided by these sleeves fits more or less snugly in the nozzle 2, up against the flange H. Its distance from the end of the liquid jet tube 5 may be adjusted by moving the nozzle 2 more or less along the barrel member A, thus altering the properties of the lather which is formed by impinging the jet on the plurality of discs and passing the liquid through them with the current of air.

It will be recognized that the barrel A at no time carries anything but air, so that it never requires cleaning. The liquid soap solution readily drains out of the tube 5 after each period of using the device. Only the nozzzle 2 has any contact with lather, and this nozzle is easily cleaned by disengaging it from the barrel and flushing it and the wire mesh disc assembly out with a stream of clear water, as by holding it for a moment under a kitchen sink faucet.

Numerous changes in the specifically disclosed embodiment may be made without departing from the essential principles of the invention. Those principles are pointed out by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lather-producing device comprising a barrel having at one end an inlet for a current of air, means for supplying air under pressure to said inlet, a plurality of wire mesh discs filling the barrel adjacent to its other end, and a tube having an outlet in an intermediate part of the barrel for conducting a water solution of soap into the current of air so that a jet of said solution will be blown through the plurality of discs and be aerated thereby to produce a lather, the side walls of the barrel being imperforate between the outlet of the tube and the wire mesh discs.

2. A lather-producing device comprising a barrel having at one end an inlet for a current of air, means for supplying air under pressure to said inlet, a plurality of wire mesh discs filling the barrel adjacent to its other end, and a tube having a portion extending lengthwise through an intermediate part of the barrel for conducting a water solution of soap to an outlet in the current of air so that a jet of said solution will be blown through the plurality of discs and be aerated thereby to produce a lather, the side walls of the barrel being imperforate between the outlet of the tube and the wire mesh discs.

3. A lather-producing device comprising a barrel having at one end an inlet for a current of air, means for supplying air under pressure to said inlet, an assembly comprising a plurality of wire mesh discs arranged in contact with each other adjacent to the other end of the barrel, and a tube having an outlet in an intermediate part of the barrel for conducting a water solution of soap into the current of air so that a jet of said solution will be blown through the assembly and be aerated thereby to produce a lather, the side walls of the barrel being imperforate between the outlet of the tube and the wire mesh discs.

4. A lather-producing device comprising a barrel having at one end an inlet for a current of air, means for supplying air under pressure to said inlet, an assembly comprising a plurality of wire mesh discs arranged in contact with each other and adjacent to the other end of the barrel with their openings in random relation, and a tube having an outlet in an intermediate part of the barrel for conducting a water solution of soap into the current of air so that a jet of said solution will be blown through the assembly and be aerated thereby to produce a lather, the side walls of the barrel being imperforate between the outlet of the tube and the wire mesh discs.

5. A vacuum cleaner attachment for producing a lather for shampooing rugs and the like comprising a barrel, means for connecting one end of the barrel to a vacuum cleaner so as to be supplied with a current of air under pressure therefrom, a reservoir attached to the barrel, means for causing a current of air in the barrel to aspirate a jet of a water solution of soap from the reservoir to an outlet in the intermediate portion of the barrel, and a plurality of wire mesh discs mounted in the barrel adjacent to its other end through which the current of air under pressure and the jet of solution will pass to be intimately intermixed so as to produce a lather, the side walls of the barrel being imperforate between the outlet of the tube and the wire mesh discs.

RALPH MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 587,203 I-Ieaton July 2'7, 1897 664,200 White Dec. 18, 1900 1,769,904 Bagley July 1, 1930 2,138,133 Betzler Nov. 29, 1938 2,316,832 Aghnides Apr. 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 112,363 Switzerland Nov. 7, 1923

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