US2229707A - Dispensing tube - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 28, 1941. N 5" 2,229,707

DISPENSING TUBE Filed July 3, 1939 INVENTOR Na WM Z'stn BY 7222-7 A TOIQEY Patented Jani 28, 1941' UNITE v:

DISPENSING TUBE Nicholas Testi, Boston, Mass., assignor to Gillette Safety Razor Gompany, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Application July 3, 1939, Serial No. 282,660 9 Claims. '(oi. 91-674) Ths invention relates to collapsible tubes for dispensing cream, paste, ointments and the like and consists in a unitary device which may be supplied as part of the tube structure or as an attachment thereto for efiectively sealing the tube, except when it is subjected to a discharging pressure, and for controlling and distributing or applying the discharged contents uniformly to the treated surface. 3 An important field of use of my invention is in connection with tubes for. dispensing shaving cream. For purposes of illustration, therefore, the invention will be herein shown as embodied in an attachmentto'be retained by'the user and affixed to the tube in place of the usual screw cap.

Many shavers object to shaving cream because as heretofore distributed it must be applied to the face with the fingers which must be then cleaned before picking up the'razor. Further the usual screw cap is always likely to become lost ormislaid and under such circumstances the cream will harden in the outlet of the tube, thereby introducing an element of waste and the danger of l5 bursting the tube in subsequent use.

An object of the present invention is to provide the user with convenient means for automatically and effectively sealing the tube, except when subjected to pressurein actual use, and for 0 directing and distributing its contents upon the face of the user by direct mechanical application. To this end, an important feature of the invention consists in a flexible or resilient casing shaped so that it may be readily applied to the 35 outlet end of the collapsible tube and containing valve members normally closed but opening in response to the pressure of the tube contents to deliver cream or the like in a flat ribbon of substantially uniform thickness rapidly over a sub- 40 stantial area of surface. While the particular valve members herein shown are well adapted for their intended purpose the invention is not limited in this respect, but whatever the valve may be it will include co-operatlng members 45 meeting in a straight line face partially recessed so that when the valve members are rocked by pressure of the tube contents theirmeeting faces are separated throughout the length of the recess and a narrow discharge opening of the desired 50 dimensions is made available.

Another feature of the invention consists in a distributing roll which is herein shown as mounted in the casing in position above or outside the valve to receive cream delivered through the 55 valve in a coating which may be delivered by rolling engagement over an area co-extensive with the length of the roller. As herein shown and as another feature of the invention, concave guiding surfaces are provided which partially enclose the distributing roller and maintain the 5 discharged cream within range of its circumference so that it may be picked up without waste.

The combination of a distributing roller with an automatic pressure operated valve delivering cream or paste in ribbon form thereto is believed 10 to be broadly new in tubes of this kind.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following, description of two preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustra- 15 .tion and shown in the accompanying drawing,in in which- Fig. l is a view of the device in front elevation on an enlarged scale, a portion only of the tube being shown; 20

Fig. 2 is a corresponding view in central crosssection;

Fig; 3 is a plan view;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the device with the roller removed;

- Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the valve members in open position;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of one of the valve members;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing a modified formof device; and

Fig.- 8 is a sectional view of the valve members of Fig. 7 in open position.

In the accompanying drawing the device is shown as removably attached to a collapsible tube ill of the type widely used for distributing shaving cream, paste, salve,- and the like. It has "a threaded outlet nozzle normally closed by a screw cap and the latter may be removed and replaced by the device herein shown. 4 The particular device illustrated in Figs. 1-6 includes a casing of rubber or other flexible resilient material having a tubular internally threaded neck l2 adapted to receive thethreads of the-outlet nozzle H of the tube. The neck I2 merges into an enlarged chamberedbod'y portion l3 of circular contour having an inturned annular flange andunstanding bearing arms M at diametrically opposite points. a A fluted distributing roll I5 is journalled for free rotation in the arms I 4. The roller I5 may be of any impervious material such as, hard rubber. glass or a thermoplastic compound and is provided at oppositeends with projecting journal members arranged to fit in corresponding bearings in the arms Id. The

material of the casing is sufficiently flexible to permit the arms H to be spread conveniently for removing or installing the roller IS in place.

Within the circular chamber l3 of the casing is movably mounted a pair of similar valve members which are semi-circular in. contour and provided with projecting flanges 16 adapted to be firmly engaged beneath the annular flange of the casing. The valve members are provided with straight line meeting faces in which are provided relatively long, downwardly or inwardly flaring recesses H. The meeting faces of the valve members are normally pressed into flat yielding engagement by the resiliency of the casing in which they are mounted and thus completely seal the outlet passage of the tube as shown in Fig. 2; that is, the unrecessed portions of their meeting faces are normally held in face-to-face engagement. Each of the valve members is also provided with an upstanding segmental portion 18 which projects up through the opening in the casing within ,the annular flange thereof and these upstanding portions are provided with concave guide surfaces normally disposed in concentric relation with the general contour of the roller l and spaced slightly therefrom. The purpose of these guiding surfaces is to confine the discharged cream within range of the roller l5 and to direct it to the roller and prevent it from reaching parts of the device from which it can not be readily delivered. As will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2 the concave guiding surfaces enclose substantially the lower half of the roller i5.

When the tube Ill containing cream is subjected to pressure its contents are forced upwardly against the lower or inner flat pressure-receiving faces of the valve members, rocking these members upwardly and outwardly at their meeting faces, as suggested in Fig. 5. When this occurs the meeting faces rock about their lower edges as fulcrums and their unrecessed upper edges are separated as shown in Fig. 5, thus opening a long thin discharge passage between them. On passing between the open valve members the ribbon of cream shaped by them is directed directly against the circumference of the roller l5. If now the pressure upon the tube is continued while the roller is moved across the users face and a continuous thin ribbon of cream will be applied to the face in a wide zone and the flutes of the roller will tend to work the cream into the face, thus obviating the necessity for any manual application and keeping the fingers of the user entirely clean so that he may at any time Pick up his safety razor and proceed with the shaving operation. As soon as pressure upon the tube It) is relaxed the resilient action of the casing upon the valve members immediately returns them to their closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the roller and the delivery portion of the tube may be rinsed while the contents of the tube is safely guarded against evaporation and contamination from any external source.

An alternative form of device is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 and in that device the tube contents is directed in a tangential direction against the roller, or in a path out of line with the axis of the roller, so that the latter is turned by the flow of the cream independently of its contact with the face of the user. As shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the device includes a threaded neck 20 merging into a circular body portion 2| having an internal chamber and an overhanging annuably thicker on one side than on the other. The distributing roller 23 is Journalled as before in arms. 22 but is provided with serrated or ratchet shaped flutes. The valve members 24 are semicircular in contour and provided with .straight bevelled meeting faces which extend diametrically and parallel to the axis of the roller 23. Upstanding segmental guard portions 24 and 26 are provided respectively upon the valve members and these partially enclose the roller 23. The straight face of the right-hand valve member is upwardly bevelled while the meeting face 21 of the left-hand valve member is uncut with a downwardly inclined bevel. In the normal closed position the two bevel surfaces overlap as shown in Fig. 7 thus effectively closing the valve opening. The right-hand valve member having the upwardly bevelled face is engaged by the thicker flange portion of the casing and is therefore more firmly held in place than the left-hand valve member which is retained by the thinner portion of the flange. Accordingly, when the lower faces ofthe valve members are both subjected to pressure by the contents of the tube In the lefthand valve member will rock more readily than the right-hand member with the result that their meeting edges are separated as shown in Fig. 8 and the cream contained within the tube is directed tangentially against the ratchet flutes of the roller 23, first coating the inner side of ,the roller and then following round its circumference as the roller itself turns in response to the pressure of the cream. When the roller is moved in contact with the face a wide band of cream is applied to the treated surface by mechanical spreading action, and-when pressure is relaxed the resiliency of the casing is sufficient to restore the valve members to their closed position.

The device as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 maybe used to measure a predetermined charge of cream if so desired. For example, pressure may be continued on the collapsible tube until the distributing roller 23 has made one complete revolution and thus completely coated its entire periphery. Pressure on the tube may then be relaxed whereupon the valve automatically closes and the cream already delivered to the roller may be applied to the face with a rolling action.

Distributing rollers l5 and 23 have been selected as typical of desirable shapes but rollers of different contour may be employed as desired. While valve members of semi-circular contour have been specifically referred to it will be understood that valve members of other shapes may be employed within the scope of my invention.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described specific embodiments thereof for purposes of illustration but not by way of limitation, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 4

1. 'A' collapsible tube of shaving cream or the like having a resilient casing at its outlet end. a roller journaled in the casing, and a pair of semi-circular valve members normally closed and having meeting faces disposed in alignment with the roller and provided with inwardly flaring recesses and fiat pressure receiving surfaces for receiving internal pressure tending to open the valve.

2. A collapsible tube having a distributing roller mounted above its outlet end, and a normally closed valve located within said outlet and below the roller and having long narrow lar flange, which, in this instance, is considerpassage, effective when the valve is open, for 7 directing a thin flat ribbon of cream to the surface of the roller.

3. A collapsible tube having a distributin roller mounted above its outlet end, a member with concave guide surfaces partially surrounding the roller, and flat valve members normally closed and arranged to open under internal pressure to direct a ribbon of cream to the roller between said ,guide surfaces, the valve members being located at the outlet end of the tube below said roller.

4. A'collapsible tube having a recessed rubber casing at its outlet end, arms on the' casing, a distributing roller journaled therein, and a normally closed valve comprising two members contained in the recess of the casing below said roller and. having straight meeting faces, flat pressure-receiving faces and upstanding guide surfaces partially surrounding said roller.

5. A collapsible tube having a flexible casin at its outlet end, and a pair of flat valve members yieldingly retained in said casing and having flat inwardly directed pressure-receivin faces and straight faces meeting along their outer edges and recessed in their opposite inner edges and so arranged that internal pressure of the tube contents against them will rock them about their recessed edges and separate them at their outer edges.

6. A collapsible tube having a flexible casing at its outlet end, a distributing roller mounted in the casing, and valve members having inwardly directed flat pressure-receiving faces and inclined meeting faces arranged to direct a ribbon of cream tangentially to the roller when the valve members are opened by internal pressure of the cream.

7. A dispensing device of shaving cream tubes. comprising a flexible casing having a circular flanged chamber therein and an overhead roller; semi-circular valve members filling the chamber below the roller, normally closing the outlet of the tube and having inwardly directed flat pressure-receiving faces and segmental upstanding portions with concave inner surfaces spaced from the curved walls of the roller.

8. A dispensing device for shaving cream tubes, comprising a resilient casing having an outlet therethrough, a spreading roller mounted adjacent to said outlet, and a normally closed valve having a discharge opening shaped to direct cream against the roller in a path out of line with the axisoi the roller whereby the roller may be turned by the movement of the cream from the tube, said valve being enclosed in the resilient casing and having flat inwardly directed pressure-receiving faces whereby the valve may be opened by internal pressure of the shaving cream.

sure-receiving faces, whereby the said members may be rocked by upwardpressure thereon to open a passage for the contents of the tube and direct it in a flat streamto the roller.

. NICHOLAS TESTI.

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