Improvements in and relating to Devices for Securing Soap in Wash Rooms and Public Places.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Devices for Securing Soap
in Wash Rooms and Public Places.
We, JAMES HAMPTON WELCH, Flour Inspector, and JAMES EDWARD WELCH,
Gentleman, citizens of the United States of America, residing, respectively, at
3160 Street North-West, and 3307 N Street North-West, in the City of
Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in devices for securing soap in wash
rooms of hotels and other public places, or in bath rooms, to prevent the same from
accidentally dropping into the basin or tub and thereby wasted, or clogging the
waste pipe, and also to keep the same always accessible to the guests or patrons,
preventing its removal by unauthorized persons.
Our invention consists first, in the combination with a holder adapted to be
connected to the wall or other frame convenient to the bowl, provided with an
automatically acting locking mechanism for holding the soap connected with the
holder.
It further consists in so constructing the locking mechanism that the same shall
act automatically as the soap is consumed, to continue to grip the soap firmly
connected to the holder.
It further consists in so constructing the locking mechanism that the soap when
connected therewith shall form a guard to prevent access to the locking mechanism,
whereby when the soap is once connected the entire cake must be consumed before
the mechanism can be unlocked.
It further consists in certain novel features in the construction and arrangement
of parts, all as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wash basin showing my improved locking
device connected to the wall in proper position for use.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device showing a cake of
soap connected therewith.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device.
Figure 4 is a detail view.
The holder may be constructed of any desired material to combine lightness and
strength, and of any desired configuration or ornamental design, in the present
instance consisting of a disk portion A, provided with a flange or rim a, upon
which the soap rests when connected therewith and from which projects a tubular
stem B. The end of this stem B is provided with an eye b to which to connect a
chain or wire cord C, which chain or cord is adapted in turn to be connected to the
stand or wall.
Mounted in the disk portion within the rim or flange is a pawl D, pivoted at
one side of the opening in the tubular stem, and which pawl is provided at
a point in line with the opening with a bevel or inclined face, hereinafter
referred to.
The pawl D in rear of the inclined face is provided with a lug d, on which is
mounted a spring d¹ which engages with the rim or flange. The free end of the
pawl is bent up as shown at d², to provide means for withdrawing said pawl from
engagement with the rod or key, which will now be described.

page_text: A rod or key E, is provided with a head portion e and a shank portion h', and
said shank portion is provided with a series of circumferentially arranged grooves
or notches 2, each inclining inward in the direction of the point, and which notches
are adapted to be engaged by the bevel or inclined face of the pawl after the key
has been passed through the soap, being held in engagement therewith by the
spring d.
The rod or key at the end is provided with a gimlet or twist drill point, as shown
at h³, to provide means for perforating the soap and permit the passage of the rod
or key through the same.
While the form of holder herein shown and described has in practice been found
the most desirable it will be readily seen that the form of holder may be changed
without departing from the spirit or intent of our invention.
The operation of the device is as follows:
When it is desired to attach a cake of soap, a hole is cut in the same by means
of the gimlet or drill part, the end of the key or rod is then forced into the stem
when the notches in the key will be engaged by the inclined edge of the pawl, as
the soap is consumed the pressure of the hand in rubbing the soap acts to force the
key downward, holding the lower face of the soap in close contact with the holder,
the notches in the key being engaged step by step by the pawl in a manner that
will be readily understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is:-
1. In a device for securing soap, a holder adapted to be connected to a stand or
wall, a locking device mounted in the holder, and means adapted to be passed
through the soap and engaged by the locking device substantially as described,
whereby the soap is held fast to the holder, as set forth.
2. In a device for securing soap, a holder adapted to be connected to a stand or
wall, a locking device mounted in the holder, and a key or rod adapted to be passed
through the soap and engaged by the locking device substantially as described,
whereby the soap is held fast to the holder, as set forth.
3. In a device for securing soap, a holder adapted to be connected to a stand or
wall, a locking device mounted in the holder, and a key or rod provided with
a series of locking notches or faces adapted to be engaged by the locking
device automatically step by step as the soap is consumed, substantially as
set forth.
4. In a device for securing soap, a holder adapted to be connected to a stand or
wall, a locking device mounted in the holder, a key or rod adapted to be passed
through the soap and engaged by the holder, and means substantially as described
adapted to be covered by the soap when in position for permitting the locking
mechanism to be released from engagement with the key or rod when the soap is
consumed, as set forth.
5. In a device for securing soap in wash rooms and like places, a holder adapted
to be connected flexibly with a wall or stand, an automatically acting pawl mounted
therein having a locking face, a key or rod provided with a series of grooves or
notches adapted to be engaged by the locking face of the pawl, substantially as
described.
Dated this 24th day of December 1895
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents