US1729167A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

W. E. KNAPP Sept. 24, 1929.

TOOTHBRUSH Filed Avril 3, 1928 INVENTOR' BY 2 I 5;

%/3/ AT oRNEY Patented Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES WALTER E. KNAPP, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS TOOTHBRUSH Application filed April 3,

The present invention relates to tooth brushes.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce a tooth brush which may be maintained in a sanitary condition.

To the accomplishment of this object a feature of the present invention contemplates the provision of a tooth brush having its tooth-engaging surface formed of asbestos.

l/Vith this construction the tooth brush may be purified by fire or by boiling water as the tooth-engaging surface is non-inflammable and not injuriously affected by moisture. vAsbestos may be woven or braided into a convenient form for use. The textile fabric thus produced may be shaped by folding and/or by molding to conform it to the configuration of the teeth.

Other features of the present invention consist in certain devices, combinations and arrangements of parts the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

The various features of the present invention will be explained in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating a simple form of the invention, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective of the tooth brush;

Fig. 2 is a perspective showing the textile asbestos folded to form the tooth-engaging surface, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective-showing the means for detachably connecting the textile asbestos to the handle of the tooth brush.

Referring to the drawing, the tooth brush comprises a handle 4 and a tooth-engaging portion 5. The tooth-engaging portion 5 is composed of asbestos. Preferably a textile fabric sheet is used, formed by weaving or by braiding. The asbestos sheet is preferably folded, in the manner shown by Fig. 2, about a removable core piece. The interr stices in the base portion of the folded fabric 1928. Serial No. 266,984.

are filled with some material, such as glass, porcelain or clay and the whole is molded to the shape illustrated in Fig. 2. After molding the filled base may then be baked to solidify the filling or binding material. On removing the core a central cuneiform opening 6 is formed into which may be wedged a cuneiform end 7 on the handle 4. The binder in the base portion of the asbestos body portion imparts ample strength thereto for the reception of the handle end and enables the brush to be used in a vigorous manner without disintegration. As shown in Fig. 2 the molding of the asbestos fabric sheet produces a broad base 8 and leaves a longitudinally corrugated tooth-engaging surface 9. The tooth-engaging surface 9 may be molded, if desired, to form the lateral corrugations l0 and the longitudinal concavity 11, Fig. 1.

WVith this construction the tooth-engaging surface 5 may be readily detached from the handle 4 and then subjected to the action of a blue flame or it may be boiled which purifies the asbestos surface without injury thereto. Experience in the use of this tooth brush demonstrates that it massages the gums in a highly beneficial manner Without that tendency to puncture the gums which is a characteristic feature of the lancet-like animal bristle type of tooth brush.

It will be apparent to those skilled in this art that changes may be made in the details of construction, the described and illustrated embodiment of the invention being intended an exploitation of its underlying essentials, the features whereof will be definitely stated in their true scope in the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed as new, is:

1. A. tooth brush having its tooth-brushing surface formed of asbestos.

2 A tooth brush having its tooth-brushing surface formed of a folded layer of textile asbestos.

3. A tooth brush comprising a handle having a cuneiform end and a pad formed of a layer of textile asbestos folded to bring its edges into a tooth-engaging surface and provided with a cuneiform opening for Wedging engagement with the cuneiform end of the handle.

4. A tooth brush pad comprising a layer of textile asbestos folded to bring its edges into a tooth-engaging surface and a binder for holding the folded condition.

layer of asbestos in its WALTER E. KNAPP.

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