Improved Means and Apparatus for Suspending, Securing, and Locking Tablets or Cakes of Soap and other Toilet Requisites, chiefly designed for Use in Lavatories and the like Places.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Suspending, Securing, and
Locking Tablets or Cakes of Soap and other Toilet Requisites,
chiefly designed for Use in Lavatories and the like Places.
I, SAMUEL JAMES WISEMAN of 15 Above Bar, Fine Art Dealer, and Frame
Maker, and WILLIAM BURROUGH HILL, Senior of 62 Above Bar Architect
and Surveyor, buth of Southampton in the County of Hants, 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 chiefly relates to soap and the means and apparatus we use for
securing, suspending, and locking same in position, and consists in improvements
and adaptations of the invention for which former Letters Patent were granted to
the said Samuel James Wiseman, No. 6100 dated the 24th day of March 1894.
The main object of our said invention is to prevent waste of soap, following upon
the tablets, or cakes lying in wet positions, and the bodily removal of the said
tablets from the place where they are required for use.
Our invention principally consists in the improved means and appliances we
adopt so that tablets, or cakes of soap can be suspended on, or adjacent to wash-
stands, lavatories, and the like, after use, the soap being thus dried between the
intervals of use, and prevented from wasting, consequent upon lying in a soap
tray, or the like.
Our invention also consists in the improved apparatus we provide, hereafter
described, for suspending the tablets of soap.
In the accompanying drawings, we have shewn how we consider we may best
carry out our improvements, in which.
Fig. 1. is a sectional side view of a tablet of soap shewing the attachment or
device A, which we prefer to use for the purpose of suspending the soap.
Fig. 2. a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. a side view of one form, or modification of the apparatus we use for
suspending soap fitted as described.
Fig. 4. is also a side view hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figs. 1, and 2, according to our invention we form out of one piece
of wire a coiled device A, finishing at one end in a loop or eye b, and insert the
same in a block of soap-out of which the tablet or cake is made-in the following
manner.
Whilst the rough block of soap is in a soft condition it is pierced longitudinally
with a needle or rod having a hooked end, which upon emerging at the other end
engages with the looped end b, of the device A, which is then drawn back into the
soap until the eye or loop projects at one end (the top) as shewn, the block of soap
is then placed in a suitable mould and subjected to pressure, which causes the soap
to be driven into the interstices of the device and consolidates the whole; after the
tablet or cake of soap thus formed is dried it will be found almost impossible to
withdraw the device À from same, and it will remain in the soap until the latter is
practically used up.
The tablet of soap thus fitted will be available for suspension from a nail or
book, or from any of the devices which we may provide for the purpose, some of
which are hereinafter described.

page_text: Referring to Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 3. is a side view of one form or modification of
the apparatus we use for suspending soap tablets, showing same in position when
not in use but available for use; Fig. 4. is a side elevation shewing the said
apparatus when the soap is hrought into position for use in the basin; B, is a socket
plate or tube, into which we fit and secure a spring C, the said spring may be of
coil, or any suitable form for the purpose in view.
D, is a device secured on the free end of the spring and to which the line E, is
suitably secured, the latter we prefer to make of leather, but it may be of chain, or
any other suitable material.
F, is a ball or sphere, of indin-rubber preferably, or such like material, attached
to the lower end of the line E, and mounted on a short piece of wire C, looped at
its lower end, to which a chain G-or its equivalent is attached; to the lower end
of the chain G, we attach a lock H, which may be of any suitable form for the
purpose, for instance, an ordinary padlock.
To the lock H, we attach the chain M, and tablet as required, and as readily
detach it from same at will.
Sometimes we may not use a lock at all, but simply attach the soap to the end of
the chain G, by a clip swivel hook, or other suitable fastening.
The tablets of soap used with our apparatus may be of any desired form.
According to one form of our invention we secure the socket plate or tube B,
and its attachments upon a back board J, and the latter near the basin, or other
desired position, or the socket or tube may be attached direct to the wall or where
desired and the whole is then available for use.
Sometimes we may arrange for the socket or tube to pivot or hinge sideways.
The apparatus is manipulated in the following manner.
Taking it that the soap is hanging suspended in manner as shewn at Fig. 3. and
it is desired to use the soap in the basin K, the operator will simply have to grasp
the tablet and draw it down into the water in basin, into the position as shewn at
Fig. 4. meanwhile the spring C, is brought into tension but upon releasing the
soap the re-action of the spring restores it to its normal position as shewn at
Fig. 3. where it remains until required for further use, the soap will then be in
position for drying.
The india-rubber ball F, serves as a buffer, when the soap is released from the
hands, and the ball comes in contact with the eye of the eyebolt L.
An important feature of our invention is that by reason of the soap being
normally suspended in the air, instead of as usually, or ordinarily in wet, or at
least damp positions, little or no waste of soap will occur when not in use.
Another important feature of our invention is that the soap cannot be removed
from the position where hung if locked, it is therefore always available for use
wherever placed.
An advantage in using the eyebolt fitting L, is that the line E, or its equivalent,
which works in the eye is prevented from swinging about, and also the soap, to any
considerable extent, and the latter is always kept at one height from the basin and
over the same when not in usc.
We have thus described and shewn in the accompanying drawings our invention
as applied to, and with soap, but it is obvious that articles such for instance, as
nail or tooth brushes can be advantageously suspended secured and locked, in any
desired position, by means of our apparatus, in somewhat similar manner as
hereinbefore described, the brushes, or other articles, being suitably secured to the
chain G, or M.
We have described and illustrated the improved device A, that we prefer to
insert in soap and use for the purpose of suspending same, but we do not limit our-
selves to the use or means of inserting or securing the device so described, but we
may use other forms of device A, and insert same in the soap, in the most approved
manner and we may suspend the soap without using any of the apparatus described
and illustrated, for instance, by simply hanging it upon a nail or hook of any
suitable form, secured near the wash place, or we may provide a stand with a bent

page_text: hooked wire with a drip pan under same the soap being suspended on the hooked
end of the wire which projects above, and over the drip pan.
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 :-
1st. For a cake or tablet of soap, means and fittings used for adapting same for
ready suspension by inserting such an internal device in the soap as shewn with
reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings, or any such similar fitting as
and for the purpose specified.
2nd. The combination with a cake, or tablet of soap of a device attached to the
soap in manuer hereinbefore described for the purpose specified.
3rd. The new or improved methods of, and for suspending tablets of soap, or
other articles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
4th. For a cake, or tablet of soap, a device A, or similar thereto, securely fitted
in same, by means of which the soap may be suspended in any desired position,
substantially as described and shewn with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the annexer
drawings.
5th. In an apparatus designed for suspending, securing, and locking tablets of
soap, and other articles, the combination of parts comprising a spring C, a line or
its equivalent E, an eyebolt L, a ball F, of india-rubber or similar material, a
chain G, or its equivalent, a lock H, and a chain M, to which a tablet of soap, or
other article is attached, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
with reference to Figs. 3 and 4, of the annexed drawings, and operating as, and for
the purposes specified.
6th. The improved means, and apparatus for suspending, securing, and locking
tablets of soap and other articles, consisting of the parts arranged, constructed,
and combined substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1896.
SAMUEL JAMES WISEMAN.
WILLIAM BURROUGH HILL, SENR.
Herbert P. Blake,
70 High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicants.