Improved Means for Preventing Soap from being Wasted.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improved Means for Preventing Soap from being Wasted.
I CECIL CRAWFORD WOODS of 7 Dyke Parade, City of Cork, Ireland,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows -
The object of this invention is to prevent the waste of soap (especially of the
expensive kinds of toilet soap) which is continuous in private residences, clubs,
hotels, and the like establishments.
In a large and increasing number of private houses, clubs, hotels and the like, it
is customary to provide a fresh square or tablet of toilet soap for the use of each
visitor, hence the name "visitor's soap" which obtains in households. The custom
is in accordance with good taste, and commends itself to common sense, on hygienic
and sanitary grounds. It, however, entails an expense which my invention is
intended to minimize, if not to remove.
A square or tablet of soap is rarely used up entirely by a visitor, in fact it is
seldom consumed to the extent of one third of its bulk. The remainder is
practically wasted, because, even though it may be applied to purposes for which
soap of a cheap description is ordinarily used, still there is no saving of expense.
According to my invention I provide a disk or tablet (either solid or hollow) of
wood, cork, or any other suitable, or convenient material, which serves as a core
around which a convenient quantity of the soap is moulded or placed until the
mass resembles an ordinary square or tablet of soap in all its exterior features.
The core is punctured on its surface, or if hollow on its external surface, with
shallow holes or pits (or it may be scored with lines of sufficient depth) for the
reception of small portions of the circumposed soap which portions or particles
cause the external covering of soap to adhere to, and grip the core. By these
means, the quantity of the soap may be limited approximately to the probable
requirements of the visitor, and after the soap has been consumed, the core may be
cleansed, disinfected, and used again and again if desired: and even should the
core be put away the loss would be insignificant whilst the economy effected would
be considerable, and the gratifying reflection that a fresh square or tablet of soap
had been allotted to each visitor would remain. As I have stated hereinbefore, the
core may be made of any suitable or convenient material, but I employ preferably
a solid disk of soft, white, and comparatively "grainless" wood such as lime or
poplar, said disk being of any convenient or suitable shape and size, and punctured
with holes, or scored as herein before specified. The square or tablet of soap with
a core of this character will float in water, and the super, and circum-posed soap
will adhere to the core until consumed.
Dated this Tenth day of June 1896

page_text: I CECIL CRAWFORD WOODS of 7 Dyke Parade, City of Cork, Ireland,
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to prevent the waste of soap (especially of the
expensive kinds of toilet soap) which is continuous in private residences, clubs,
hotels, and the like establishments.
The invention is delineated in the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a side view of a tablet of soap, the core and indents being shown by
dotted lines.
.
Figure 2 is a side view of the core and indents, and an end of the core.
Figure 3 is a side view of the core scored.
In a large and increasing number of private houses, clubs, hotels, and the like
establishments it is customary to provide a fresh square or tablet of soap for the
use of each visitor. This custom entails an expense which this invention is
intended to minimize. A square or tablet of toilet soap is rarely entirely used up
by a visitor, in fact it is seldem consumed to the extent of one third of its bulk, the
remainder being practically wasted.
According to my invention I provide a disk or tablet either solid or hollow, A
Fig. 1, of wood, cork, or any other suitable material which serves as a core around
which a convenient quantity of the soap is moulded or placed until the mass
resembles an ordinary square or tablet of soap in all its exterior features. The
core is punctured on its surface, or if hollow, on its external surface with shallow
holes, or pits a Figures 1, 2 or it may be scored with lines b of sufficient depth as
shown by B Figure 3, for the reception of small portions or particles of the
circumposed soap which portions or particles cause the external covering of soap to
adhere to and grip the core. By these means the quantity of the soap may be
limited approximately to the probable requirements of the visitor, and after the
soap has been consumed the core may be cleansed, disinfected, and used again and
again if desired.
As I have already stated the core may be made of any suitable
material, but I employ preferably a solid disk of soft, white, and comparatively
grainless wood, such as lime, or poplar, such disk being of any suitable or
convenient shape and size and punctured with holes or scored as delineated in the
accompanying drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In soap squares or tablets the employment of a core of any suitable material
as and for the purpose herein specified.
2. In combination with the soap the application of a core of any suitable
material to soap squares or tablets substantially as and for the purpose herein
specified.
Dated this Twelfth day of March 1897.
CECIL CRAWFORD WOODS.