Soap dispensing system

A liquid soap dispensing system includes a closed soap container having a manually actuated dispensing pump carried therebeneath, the container being separated by a partition into a lower soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment, the latter adapted to enclose therein a removable refill cartridge and having a downwardly extending refill will with a plurality of keys upstanding from the bottom thereof. The cartridge has an outlet neck, the outer bottom surface of which has a like plurality of slots. The neck is closed by a pierceable membrane recessed therein and adapted to be received into the well so that a cartridge opening member pierces the membrane to accommodate free flow of liquid soap from the cartridge to the reservoir. The cartridge is entirely closed to define the liquid level in the reservoir at the bottom of the neck, and a drain hole in the reservoir wall above the bottom of the neck but below the tops of the keys prevents bootleg cartridges from being used in the soap dispenser. A slot in the wall of the refill compartment prevents the accumulation of free liquid soap therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquid soap, 
normally in discrete small quantities or charges. Such dispensing 
apparatus is used, particularly for hygienic purposes, in public or 
institutional washrooms or the like or wherever there are a relatively 
large number of different users. 
The present invention is an improvement on the soap dispensers and refill 
systems therefor disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,363 granted 
Apr. 19, 1977 to Antonio Macchi Cassia, U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,573 granted 
Apr. 17, 1979 to Antonio Macchi Cassia, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,858 
granted Nov. 13, 1979 to Antonio Macchi Cassia. While all of these systems 
and dispensers work effectively, they are all to some extent subject to 
having the refill cartridges designed for use therewith bottlegged by 
third parties. That is, although the dispenser is designed to accept a 
specific cartridge, third parties often attempt to enter the replaceable 
cartridge market and bootleg inferior soap products into the dispenser. 
It is this particular bootleg problem to which the present invention is 
directed and which is solved in a unique manner. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, it is a general object of this invention to provide a liquid 
soap dispensing system, which includes a refillable dispenser, and which 
avoids the disadvantages of prior art dispensing systems while affording 
additional structural and operating advantages. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a soap dispensing system 
of the type set forth which accommodates free flow of liquid soap from the 
refill cartridge through the refill aperture into the soap reservoir of 
the container while preventing the introduction of liquid soap into the 
upper refill compartment and the use of refill cartridges without a 
specific neck design. 
Another object of this invention is the provision of a liquid soap 
dispensing system which includes a refillable liquid soap container having 
a refill compartment therein in which a refill cartridge may be enclosed 
and left in place and feeds the reservoir in response to the dispensing 
operation. 
Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a liquid soap 
dispensing system of the type set forth which is adapted only for use with 
a specifically designed refill cartridge. 
In connection with the foregoing objects, it is another object of this 
invention to provide a liquid soap dispensing system of the type set 
forth, which includes mechanism carried by both the container and the 
cartridge for maintaining the cartridge in a predetermined refill 
configuration. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a refillable liquid soap 
dispenser for use in a system of the type set forth. 
Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a refill cartridge 
uniquely designed for use with a system of the type set forth. 
These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a system for 
dispensing liquid soap comprising a closed wall structure defining a 
container, partition means separating the container into a lower liquid 
soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment, dispensing means carried 
by the container for dispensing liquid soap from the reservoir, a refill 
aperture in the partition means providing communication between the 
reservoir and the refill compartment, a refill cartridge containing liquid 
soap and having an outlet, and mechanism carried by the end of the refill 
cartridge outlet and the container for maintaining the cartridge in a 
predetermined refill configuration and in communication with the refill 
aperture, the refill cartridge being removably enclosed within the refill 
compartment in a refill configuration with the end of the refill cartridge 
outlet disposed for cooperation with the refill aperture to permit flow of 
liquid soap from the refill cartridge to the reservoir thereby to refill 
the reservoir. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a system for dispensing 
liquid soap comprising a closed wall structure defining a container, 
partition means separating the container into a lower liquid soap 
reservoir and an upper refill compartment, dispensing means carried by the 
container for dispensing liquid soap from the reservoir, a refill well 
extending downwardly from the partition means having a refill aperture 
therein providing communication between the reservoir and the refill 
compartment, and a refill cartridge containing liquid soap and having an 
outwardly extending neck defining an outlet, one of the refill well and 
the bottom of the neck having a key extending therefrom and the other 
having a slot therein shaped to receive the key, the refill cartridge 
being removably enclosed within the refill compartment in a refill 
configuration with the bottom of the neck disposed for cooperation with 
the refill well and with the key in the slot to permit flow of liquid soap 
from the refill cartridge to the reservoir thereby to refill the 
reservoir, the refill cartridge being removably enclosed within the refill 
compartment in a refill configuration with the key in the slot to permit 
flow of liquid soap from the refill cartridge to the reservoir thereby to 
refill the reservoir. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a system for dispensing 
liquid soap comprising a closed wall structure defining a container, 
partition means separating the container into a lower liquid soap 
reservoir and an upper refill compartment, dispensing means carried by the 
container for dispensing liquid soap from the reservoir, a refill well 
extending downwardly from the partition means having a refill aperture 
therein providing communication between the reservoir and the refill 
compartment, the inner bottom surface of the refill well having a key 
extending upwardly therefrom, and a refill cartridge containing liquid 
soap and having an outwrdly extending neck defining a tubular outlet the 
outer bottom surface thereof forming a slot shaped to receive the key. 
A still further object of the invention is to provide a system for 
dispensing liquid soap comprising a closed wall structure defining a 
container, partition means separating the container into a lower liquid 
soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment, dispensing means carried 
by the container for dispensing liquid soap from the reservoir, a refill 
well extending downwardly from the partition means having a portion of the 
inner bottom surface thereof forming a key and having a refill aperture 
therein providing communication between the reservoir and the refill 
compartment, an upwardly extending cartridge opening member in the refill 
well having the outer peripheral surface thereof spaced from the inner 
surface of the well and connected thereto by the key extending 
therebetween, and a refill cartridge containing liquid soap and having an 
outwardly extending neck with the outer bottom surface thereof having a 
slot therein shaped complementary to the key and defining an outlet having 
a closure member therein, the refill cartridge being removably enclosed 
within the refill compartment in a refill configuration with the neck 
disposed in the space between the cartridge opening member and the inner 
surface of the refill well with the key in the slot and the closure member 
opened by contact with the cartridge opening member to permit flow of 
liquid soap from the refill cartridge to the reservoir thereby to refill 
the reservoir. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a liquid soap dispenser 
comprising a closed wall structure defining a container, partition means 
separating the container into a lower liquid soap reservoir and an upper 
refill compartment, dispensing means carried by the container for 
dispensing liquid soap from the reservoir, and a refill well extending 
downwardly from the partition means having a portion of the inner bottom 
surface thereof forming a key and having a refill aperture therein 
providing communication between the reservoir and the refill compartment. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a liquid soap dispenser 
comprising a closed wall structure defining a container, partition means 
separating the container into a lower liquid soap reservoir and an upper 
refill compartment, dispensing means carried by the container for 
dispensing liquid soap from the reservoir, a refill well extending 
downwardly from the partition means having a portion of the inner bottom 
surface thereof forming a key and having a refill aperture therein 
providing communication between the reservoir and the refill compartment, 
and an upwardly extending cartridge opening member in the refill well 
having the outer peripheral surface thereof spaced from the longitudinally 
extending inner surface of the well and connected thereby by the key. 
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a refill cartridge 
comprising a vessel in the shape of a polyhedron having parallel top and 
bottom walls and a plurality of planar side walls substantially normal to 
the top and bottom walls, and a neck extending outwardly from the bottom 
wall with the outer bottom surface of the neck having a slot therein. 
A final object of the invention is to provide a refill cartridge comprising 
a semirigid vessel generally in the shape of a polyhedron having parallel 
top and bottom walls and a plurality of planar side walls substantially 
normal to the top and bottom walls, a quantity of liquid soap in the 
vessel, an outlet neck extending from the bottom wall having at least one 
slot in the outer bottom surface thereof, and a closure member in the neck 
retaining the liquid soap in the vessel. 
Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of 
the parts of the liquid soap dispensing system whereby the above-outlined 
and additional operating features thereof are attained. 
The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, 
together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be 
understood by reference to the following specification taken in 
connnection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a 
soap dispenser 100, constructed in accordance with and embodying the 
features of the present invention. The soap dispenser 100 includes a 
mounting bracket, generally designated by the numeral 101, which includes 
a generally flat rectangular wall 102 disposed substantially vertically in 
use to provide a bearing surface, and having along each side of the side 
edges thereof an integral curved side flange 103 which projects forwardly 
from the wall 102. Formed in the vertical wall 102 and projecting 
rearwardly therefrom in a direction away from the direction in which the 
side flanes 103 extend, are two substantially vertically aligned 
embossments 104, each having an opening 105 extending therethrough 
centrally thereof. Also formed in the wall 102 and projecting rearwardly 
therefrom are two embossments (not shown) which are disposed substantially 
in horizontal alignment with each other along a line disposed 
substantially midway between the embossments 104, with the embossments 
(not shown) projecting the same distance as the embossments 104, and each 
having an opening (not shown) extending therethrough centrally thereof. 
Integral with the wall 102 at the upper end thereof is an extension flange 
108 which is inclined forwardly in the same general direction as the side 
flange 103, and which is integral at the distal end thereof with an 
upwardly extending flange 109 which is substantially parallel to the wall 
102. Punched from the wall 102 adjacent to the lower end thereof are two 
forwardly and upwardly extending support fingers 110. 
Integral with the bottom end of the wall 102 and extending forwardly 
therefrom substantially normal thereto is a wall 111 which is disposed 
substantially horizontally in use and is provided around the periphery 
thereof with an integral upturned flanged 112, which is in turn integral 
with the side flanges 103. Integral with the wall 111 and projecting 
upwardly therefrom substantially normal thereto are two parallel and 
laterally spaced apart pivot brackets 113, a portion of the wall 111 
between the pivot brackets 113 being cut out to define a generally 
rectangular opening 114. Formed in the wall 111 adjacent to the forward 
edge thereof and substantially midway between the side edges thereof is a 
circular soap discharge opening 115, the purpose of the opening 114 and 
115 being described more fully below. A circular retaining plate 118 is 
pivotally secured to the inner surface of the upwardly extending flange 
109 as by a rivet 119. 
In use, the mounting bracket 101 is mounted on a wall 50, generally above 
and closely adjacent to a sink or washbasin or the like. The mounting 
bracket 101 is fixedly secured to the wall 50 by means of mounting screws 
55 which are passed through the openings in the embossments 104 and 
threadedly engaged in the wall 50, the wall 102 being disposed 
substantially parallel to the surface 53 of the wall 50, and being in 
contact therewith only at the embossments 104 and those not shown, which 
serve to space the mounting bracket 101 a slight distance from the surface 
53 of the wall 50. 
The dispenser 100 also includes a soap container or housing 120, which is 
preferably formed of a translucent or transparent plastic, although it 
will be unerstood that any suitable material, either opaque or 
light-transmitting, could be used. The container 120 is generally box-like 
in configuration and includes a generally rectangular front wall 121, a 
pair of opposed side walls 122, a rear wall 123 and a rectangular bottom 
wall 125, the container 120 preferably being molded so that the walls 121, 
122, 123 and 125 are all formed integrally with one another. The rear wall 
123 is provided at the lateral side edges thereof with inturned forwardly 
inclined portions 124. The side walls 122 have rearwardly extending 
portions 127 which project rearwardly beyond the rear wall 123, whereby 
the rear wall 123 is recessed with respect to the side walls 122. In 
addition, the rear wall 123 extends downwardly below the bottom wall 125 
to form a downwardly extending portion or mounting flange 128. Similarly, 
the front wall 121 and the side walls 122 extend downwardly well below the 
bottom wall 125 and below the bottom edge of the mounting flange 128 to 
form a skirt 129. 
Mounted below the bottom wall 125 of the container 120 is a pump assembly 
or dispensing means 130. The operation and construction of the pump 
assembly or dispensing means 130 is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,018,363 issued Apr. 19, 1977 to Antonio Macchi Cassia and assigned to 
the assignee of the present invention, the disclosure of which patent is 
incorporated herein by reference. The pump assembly or dispensing means 
130 includes an operating handle 131 provided with a pivot pin 132, the 
opposite ends of which are respectively mounted in the pivot brackets 113 
on the mounting bracket 111 for pivotal movement of the operating handle 
131 about the axis of the pivot pin 132, which extends substantially 
horizontally above the bracket wall 111 substantially parallel thereto and 
to the bracket wall 102. The handle 131 projects in use downwardly through 
the opening 114 in the bracket wall 111 and terminates at the lower end 
thereof in an enlarged gripping portion. The handle 131 also includes a 
stop member 134 which projects rearwardly from the pin 132 above the 
housing wall 111, and an actuating arm 135 which projects forwardly from 
the pin 132 above the bracket wall 111 and is substantially longer than 
the stop member 134. 
The pump assembly or dispensing means 130 also includes a unitary pump 
housing 140, which is preferably of molded construction. The pump housing 
140 is fixedly secured to the bottom wall 125 of the container 120 by 
suitable fasteners. Securely sandwiched between the pump housing 140 and 
the bottom wall 125 of the container 120 is a flexible diaphragm 141 
having a plurality of suction apertures therethrough in surrounding 
relationship with a suction conduit or opening 143 in the bottom wall 135 
of the container 120. The diaphragm 141 also has a plurality of discharge 
apertures therein disposed in surrounding relationship with a discharge 
conduit 144 in the bottom wall 125, the suction conduit and the discharge 
conduit being joined by a passageway 148 normally covered in use by insert 
149. A flexible resilient bowl 145 is disposed below the diaphragm 141 in 
the region of the suction conduit 143, the outer surface of the bowl 145 
normally just touching the actuating arm 135 when the handle 131 is in its 
normal rest position illustrated in full line in FIG. 3. Disposed below 
the diaphragm 141 in the region of the discharge conduit 144 is a delivery 
conduit 146 in a spout 147 disposed immediately above and in alignment 
with the soap discharge opening 115 in the mounting bracket wall 111. 
In operation, the soap container 120 is mounted on the mounting bracket 101 
in a manner which is fully explained in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 
4,149,573, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
The operating handle 131 is pulled forwardly by a user thereby to compress 
the bowl 145 with the actuating arm 135 and expel a predetermined quantity 
of liquid soap from the delivery conduit 146, release of the operating 
handle 131 permitting re-expansion of the bowl 145 thereby to suck a fresh 
charge of liquid soap from the container 120 through the suction conduit 
143 in preparation for the next dispensing operation, all as is more fully 
explained in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,363 and 4,419,573. 
The soap container 120 has a partition 150 which is disposed generally 
horizontally in use, the partition 150 being substantially rectangular in 
shape with the peripheral edges thereof resting upon a ledge 151 formed in 
the inner surfaces of the soap container walls 121-123 and fixedly secured 
thereto as by ultrasonic welding. The partition 150 comprises four 
generally triangular sectors 152, the upper surfaces 153 of which slope 
gently downwardly toward the center of the partition 150 at which there is 
formed a well, generally designated by the numeral 155, as best seen in 
FIGS. 3 and 9-11. The well 155 includes a cylindrical side wall 154 
integral at the upper end thereof with the partition 150 and extending 
downwardly therebelow. The well 155 has an inner surface 156 with the 
lower end thereof being terminated by a circular bottom wall having an 
inner bottom surface 157 and an outer bottom surface 159. Formed in the 
bottom of the well 155 adjacent to the outer edge thereof are 
diametrically opposed small drain apertures 158. 
Extending upwardly from the inner surface 157 of the well bottom are two 
keys 160, the keys 160 being diametrically opposed and displaced 
90.degree. from the drain apertures 158. Each of the keys 160 is generally 
rectangular and has a top surface 161 with opposed parallel side surfaces 
162. The keys 160 extend inwardly from the longitudinally extending inner 
surface 156 to an upstanding cartridge opening member 165. 
Integral with the bottom inner surface 157 of the well 155 and extending 
upwardly therefrom centrally thereof and coaxially with the cylindrical 
side wall 154 is a hollow cartridge opening member 165 which is generally 
cylindrical in shape having a top surface 166 slanting upwardly toward the 
front wall 121 of the soap container housing 120, the top peripheral edge 
of the member 165 being sufficiently sharp to pierce a membrane, and 
forming a central refill aperture 169. The outer surface 167 of the 
cartridge opening member 165 is in contact with the two keys 160 and 
joined to the inner surface 156 of the well 155 thereby. Preferably, the 
partition 150, well 155, cartridge opening member 165 and keys 160 are all 
integral and molded in one step. 
It can be seen that the partition 150 cooperates with the bottom wall 125 
and the walls 121-123 of the container 120 to define therebetween a liquid 
soap reservoir, generally designated by the numeral 175, which is adapted 
to be filled with a quantity of liquid soap 176 to a level 177, the 
position of the partition 150 in the soap container 120 being such that 
the reservoir 175 occupies slightly less than half the interior volume of 
the container 120. The container 120 and more particularly the rear wall 
123 thereof has a drain opening 178 therein vertically spaced above the 
bottom inner surface 157 of the refill well 155 and below the top surfaces 
161 of the keys 160, which vertical position is critical to the operation 
of the invention, as will be explained. 
The container 120 is also provided with a top plate, generally designated 
by the numeral 180, the outer perimeter of which conforms to the perimeter 
of the upper edge of the container 120 and is adapted to be seated on a 
ledge 181 formed in the inner surfaces of the container walls 121-123 and 
fixedly secured thereto as by ultrasonic welding. The top plate 180 has a 
large octagonal opening formed therein so that the top plate 180 
essentially comprises a relatively narrow flange projecting horizontally 
inwardly from the walls of the container 120. Formed in the upper surface 
of the top plate 180 adjacent to the rear edge thereof is a shallow recess 
182 adapted to receive therein the circular retaining plate 118 fixedly to 
hold the container 120 in place on the mounting bracket 101. Extending 
upwardly from the top plate 180 at the rear corners thereof are two rear 
abutments (not shown) while two forward abutments 184 respectively extend 
upwardly from the top plate 180 adjacent to the front corners thereof, the 
forward abutments 184 each having a notch 186 formed in the front surface 
thereof. Integral with the top plate 180 respectively adjacent to at least 
some of the corner edges and extending downwardly therefrom are 
positioning members 185, for a purpose to be explained. 
The container 120 is also provided with a cover plate 190 which includes a 
flat rectangular top wall 191, a front wall 192, a pair of opposed side 
walls 193 and a rear wall 194, all integrally connected a unitary 
structure. Fixedly secured to the top wall 191 adjacent to the rear edge 
thereof is a key-operated latch mechanism 195. Fixedly secured to the 
inner surface of the front wall 192 is an elongated bearing plate 196 
provided at the opposite ends thereof with rearwardly extending fingers 
197, each preferably covered with a resilient cushioning material, the 
fingers 197 being respectively adapted to be received in the notches 186 
in the forward abutments 184 of the top plate 180. The cover plate 190 is 
dimensioned so as completely to cover the top wall 180 of the container 
120, with the walls 192-194 having a vertical extent sufficient to 
accommodate the inclined flange 108 and the upwardly extending flange 109 
of the mounting bracket 101. In use, the fingers 197 are inserted into the 
notches 186 of the forward abutments 184, and the cover plate 190 is then 
pivoted down into position completely covering the top of the container 
120, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a latch hook of the latch mechanism 195 
engaging in a complementary keeper opening (not shown) in the upwardly 
extending flange 109 of the mounting bracket 101. Formed in the rear wall 
123 of the container 120 is a vertical slot 200 which extends from just 
above the partition 150 to the top wall 180, for a purpose to be explained 
more fully below. It can be seen that the cover plate 190 cooperates with 
the partition 150 and the walls 121-123 of the container 120 to define a 
closed refill compartment, generally designated by the numeral 205, 
communication between the refill compartment 205 and the liquid soap 
reservoir 175 being provided by the refill aperture 169. 
The soap dispensing system of the present invention also includes a refill 
cartridge 210 which is semirigid and preferably formed of a translucent 
soft plastic material, and is adapted to hold a supply of liquid soap for 
refilling the liquid soap reservoir 175 of the container 120, as best seen 
in FIGS. 3 to 7. The refill cartridge 210 is generally in the shape of a 
polyhedron having top and bottom walls 211 and 212 interconnected by a 
pair of opposed side walls 213 and a pair of opposed end walls 214, the 
side walls 213 and the end walls 214 being perpendicular to each other and 
to the top and bottom walls 211 and 212. Connecting the side walls 213 to 
the end walls 214 and inclined substantially at 45.degree. angles to each 
are four guide or corner walls 215, each of which is also perpendicular to 
the top and bottom walls 211 and 212. Formed at the junctions of the top 
wall 211 with the side walls 213 intermediate the ends thereof are two 
indentations or recesses 216 for receiving the fingers of a user. 
Integral with the bottom wall 212 and projecting outwardly therefrom 
centrally thereof is a cylindrical neck 220 being coupled at the upper end 
thereof to the bottom wall 212. The neck 220 has a tubular wall portion 
221 having an upper surface 222 the tubular wall portion being integral 
with an enlarged circular flange 223 having a bottom surface 224 provided 
with slots or grooves 225 therein. The slots 225 are diametrically opposed 
and each have a top wall 226 connected to two downwardly extending opposed 
side walls 227, the neck 220 defining a central passageway 228 
therethrough. The neck 220 and particularly the tubular wall portion 221 
is closed or sealed by means of a closure member 229 recessed into the 
passageway 228 from the bottom 224, which closure member may be a 
pierceable membrane. 
When it is desired to refill the liquid soap reservoir 175 of the container 
120, the cover plate 190 is unlocked and removed and a new refill 
cartridge 200 is inserted into the refill compartment 205. The refill 
cartridge 210 is shaped and dimensioned to just fit within the octagonal 
opening defined by the top plate 180, with the guide walls 215 of the 
refill cartridge 210 being respectively disposed for sliding engagement 
with positioning members 185 which cooperate to guide the neck 220 of the 
refill cartridge 210 into the well 155. 
The neck 220 and particularly the tubular wall portion 221 thereof along 
with the slots 225 in the bottom flange 223 are positioned in registry 
with the keys 160 extending inwardly from the inner surface 156 of the 
well 155 to the cartridge opening member 165. As the refill cartridge 210 
is moved downwardly, the upper surface 166 of the cartridge opening member 
165 and more particularly the upper end thereof contacts the closure 
member 229 in the neck 220 and pierces same. Continued downward movement 
of the refill cartridge 210 causes the neck 220 to seat in the well 155 
with top surfaces 226 of each slot resting on the top surface 161 of the 
respective key 160 and with the bottom surface 224 of the cartridge 210 on 
the bottom inner surface 157 of the well 155, thereby to slidably fit the 
cartridge within the well. 
Because the cartridge 210 is closed, that is imperforate except at the neck 
220, the liquid soap 176 in the cartridge 210 feeds into the reservoir 175 
only to the level of the effective outlet of the cartridge 210 which is 
the bottom surface 224 of the cartridge neck 220, thereby to maintain the 
liquid level 177 in the reservoir at that fixed position which is always 
below the drain hole 178 in the rear wall 123 of the soap container 
housing 120, until the supply of soap 176 in the cartridge 210 is 
exhausted. 
Accordingly, it is now clear how the anti-bootleg feature of the invention 
is accomplished. By means of the keys 160 extending upwardly from the 
bottom inner surface 157 of the well 155, the cartridge 210 must have the 
neck 220 thereof specifically designed to seat all the way to the bottom 
inner surface 157 of the well 155, as disclosed. In the event a bootlegger 
attempts to use a standard cylindrical neck in the soap dispenser 100, the 
keys 160 will prevent the neck from extending down to the liquid level 177 
shown in FIG. 3. The bootlegged cartridge will only seat to the top 161 of 
the keys 160. whereby the liquid level in the reservoir 175 will rise to 
that level which is specifically designed to be above the bottom of the 
drain hole 178 thereby causing soap to run out of the reservoir and the 
dispenser 100. Only cartridges 210 having the specific key accommodating 
slots 225 therein will fully seat in the well 155 thereby to permit liquid 
soap 176 contained in the cartridge to drain through the central refill 
aperture 169 of the member 165 and into the reservoir 175 to a level 177 
below the drain hole 178. 
When the refill cartridge 210 has thus been inserted to its refill 
configuration in the refill compartment 205, that is with the neck 220 
fully seated into the well 155, thereby to establish the liquid level 177 
as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the cover plate 190 is then 
locked in place to close the refill compartment 205 and the enclosed 
refill cartridge 210 therein. It will be appreciated that the entire 
cartridge replacement operation can be performed in a matter of seconds. 
When the next service call is made, the serviceman can immediately tell 
from inspection of the translucent refill cartridge 210 whether or not it 
is empty. If it is empty, it is removed and discarded and a new refill 
cartridge 210 is inserted into its place in the manner described above. If 
the refill cartridge 210 is not empty, then the serviceman knows that the 
reservoir 175 still has a substantial quantity of soap 176 therein and 
that no further refill is needed. 
It is an important feature of the invention that the soap dispenser 100 is 
usable only with the refill cartridge 210 specifically designed therefor, 
so that the container 120 cannot be refilled with the liquid soap from an 
unauthorized source. This purpose is furthered by the slot 200 in the rear 
wall 123 of the container 120. More particularly, it will be understood 
that by reason of the dimensions of the central refill aperture 169 in the 
cartridge opening member 165 which permit free flow of liquid soap 
therethrough by gravity under ambient pressure, there would be a 
temptation for unauthorized purveyors of liquid soap to simply pour free 
or bulk liquid soap into the refill compartment 205 and let it drain 
through the refill aperture 169. If this is attempted, however, the soap 
will immediately also flow out through the slot 200, running down the back 
of the container 100, onto the bracket wall 111 and along the outside of 
the pump assembly 130 creating a messy overflow and possibly fouling the 
dispensing mechanism. Thus, it will be appreciated that the slot 200 
effectively prevents the accumulation of free liquid soap in the reservoir 
175. 
The above anti-bootleg feature of the slot 200 in combination with the 
cooperating design of the refill well 155, the upstanding cartridge 
opening member 165 and the cartridge neck 220 fully prevents the use of 
unauthorized soap refill cartridges 210 in the dispenser 100 of the 
present invention. Since bootlegging refill cartridges is the single most 
import economic factor in the liquid soap dispensing business, this 
invention has attained its principal objects by the aforementioned 
combination of features. 
It will be noted that the finger recesses 216 in the refill cartridge 210 
serve to facilitate handling thereof during insertion into and removal 
from the refill compartment 205. These recesses are particularly useful in 
removal of the spent refill cartridge 210 because of the very close fit 
between the walls of the cartridge 210 and the top plate 180 and because 
when fully inserted into its refill configuration, the refill cartridge 
210 only extends a slight distance above the top plate 180. 
In storage of the refill cartridge 210 it is generally preferably to 
dispose the top wall 211 downward, since this affords a more stable base 
than does the neck 220. It will be appreciated that the upstanding ribs 
provide bearing surfaces for supporting the refill cartridge 210 thereon 
during storage. 
Referring now to FIG. 12, there is disclosed another embodiment of the 
invention wherein a partition 250 is mounted in the soap container 120 in 
the manner aforesaid, the partition 250 having the upper surface 253 
thereof sloping generally downwardly toward the center thereof to a well 
255. The well 255 has a downwardly extending cylindrical outer wall 254 
and an inner wall 256. The well 255 has a flat bottom having a bottom 
inner surface 257 provided with three equilaterally spaced apart small 
drain holes 258. Upstanding from the bottom inner surface 257 of the well 
255 are three equilaterally spaced apart rectangularly shaped keys 260. 
Each of the keys 260 has a generally flat upper surface 261 and opposed 
parallel flat side surfaces 262. Each of the small drain holes 258 is 
interleaved between adjacent keys 260. Also upstanding from the bottom 
inner surface 257 of the well 255 is a cartridge opening member 265 having 
a slanted upper surface 266 and a central refill aperture or passageway 
269 providing communication between the upper refill chamber and the lower 
reservoir. 
The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 operates in the same manner 
aforesaid with the exception that the complementary cartridge 310 has the 
bottom wall 312 formed into a neck provided with three equilaterally 
spaced apart grooves 325 therein shaped and dimensioned with a top surface 
326 and sides 327, to fit over the seat on the three upstanding keys 260, 
thereby to provide a specially designed cartridge 310 to fit with the keys 
260 in the well 255, thereby to provide an anti-bootleg system comprising 
a dispenser and cartridge designed therefor. The cartridge 310 and the 
neck thereof forms a central passageway 328 and is provided with a closure 
member 329, all as aforesaid. 
From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved 
soap dispensing system, a refillable liquid soap dispenser and a refill 
cartridge therefor, such that there is permitted rapid servicing of the 
dispenser for refill therefor, while at the same time effectively 
preventing refilling of the container with soap from an unauthorized 
source.