US1952358A - Strand holding and tensioning device - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1934. A. B H 1,952,358

' STRAND HOLDING AND TENSIONING JDEVICE Filed March 11, 19:53

no. I.

FIG. 4.

Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES- 1,952,ss STRAND HOLDING AND TENSIONING PATENT OFFICE DEVICE Alfred Bohm; Brooklyn, N; Y. Application March 11, 1933, Serial No. 660,350

5 Claims. (01. 132-92) This invention relates to an improvement in strand holding and tensioning devices and more particularly to a device for tensioning and holding under tension a strand of dental floss or the like for application in cleaning teeth.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, -neat,-eflicient and attractive device of the character described, simple to manufacture and easy to use.

With the above and other objects in view the invention contemplates a bow or U-shaped frame carrying a detachable magazine or storage cell for a package of dental floss at one end thereof, means interposed between the frame and the magazine to grip floss drawn into operative position across the frame and further means at the other end of the frame to tension and grip the floss also.

Other objects and characterizing features and details of the invention will appear clearly from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a dental floss applicator embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken view thereof partially in longitudinal central section;

Fig. 3 is a detached enlarged view in perspec- --tive of the strand gripping and tensioning screw;

and

Fig. 4 is an exploded view in side elevation of another embodiment of theinvention.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, a U-shaped frame generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 is associated with a coupling 11 and a combined handle and magazine member 12.

On the right hand arm of the frame 10 is a head 14 carrying an integral rightwardly extending coupling sleeve 15 internally threaded to receive and coaot with the reduced, complementarily threaded left hand end of the coupling member 11 which forms a plug 16.

The right hand end of the coupling member 11 is similarly reduced to form a plug 17 and externally threaded to enter and coaot with the complementarily internally threaded left hand end of the hollow cylindrical magazine and handle member 12.

The handle 12 is hollow and closed at its right hand end to provide a completely enclosed storage space 18 when the device is assembled.

The coupling member 11 is provided with a longitudinal axial bore 19 of sufiicient size to give easy passage to a strand 20 drawn from a package 21 thereof in the storage space 18.

The head 14 likewise has a longitudinal bore 22 for the passage of the strand 20 therethrough, which bore 22 however is not in line with the bore 19 of the coupling 11, but is displaced laterally therefrom in a direction away from the back 24 of the frame. This arrangement serves the double purpose of making the tensioned por-' tion of the strand as accessible as possible, and of providing simple and reliablemeans to grip the inner end of the tensioned portion. 7

The sleeve 15 and the plug 16 are so proportioned that when there is no strand in the device and the parts are screwed home, the end face 25 of the plug 16 will touch the bottom face 26 of: the sleeve 15; Thus when a strand is in the device as shown in Fig. 2 the portion of the strandbetween the lefthand end of the bore 19 and the right hand end of the bore 22 will be jammed and firmly gripped between the faces 25 and 26 when the coupling 11 is firmly screwed into the sleeve 15.

The left hand arm 27 of the frame 10 is formed at its outer extremity with a notch 28 substantially in alignment with the bore 22. Back of the notch 28 a tensioning and gripping screw 29 is mounted in'the arm 27. The junction of the head 30 and threaded shank 31 of this screw is a conical surface 32 preferably with an apex angle not greater than a right angle and the female portion of the arm 27 is similarly formed.

The head 30 is further formed with a radial slot 33 preferably having a concavely curved bottom so that at the intersection of the bottom of the slot with the conical surface 32 there is formed a sharp edge 34.

In operation a miniature cop of dental floss is dropped into the space 18 after the device has been disassembled. A suflicient length of the floss is drawn out and threaded through the bore 19. The member 11 is then screwed into the handle' 12 and ordinarily remains so until the supply of floss has been exhausted, thus protecting the supply of floss from contamination.

The length of floss is then threaded through the bore 22 and the member 11 is screwed firmly home into the sleeve 15 thus gripping the floss firmly between the faces 25 and 26.

The free end of the floss is then drawn taut and laid into the groove 28, brought up and wound around the conical part 32 of the screw 29 which has been backed out a trifle to admit the floss. The floss is wound in the same direction as the threads on the shank 31 of the screw. Now when the screw is tightened the combined capstan effect and wedging effect of the conical surface 32 draws the strand yet a little more taut and grips it firmly in place.

The remaining free end of the strand is then drawn into the slot 33 and a slight jerk serves easily to cut it ofi short against the edge 34.

When a fresh portion of strand is desired, the screw 29 is loosen d slightly and the plug 16 backed a trifle out of the sleeve 15. A fresh length of strand may now be easily withdrawn from the supply 21, gripped between the faces 25 and 26, drawn taut and tensioned and gripped by the screw 29, and then cut off against the edge 34 as before.

In the modified construction shown embodied in Fig. 4 the bore 122 in the head 114 may be axially aligned with the bore 119 of the coupling 111. The plug 116 is diametrally longitudinally slotted. The complementary elements of the ,plug 116 and sleeve -are so proportioned that when there is no strand in the device and the plug is screwed home into the sleeve the two tips 125 and 126 are brought firmly into contact, so that when there is a strand threaded through the device it may be firmly jammed and gripped between the tips 125 and 126 by screwing the plug firmly into the sleeve and released by backing the plug out a trifle again.

The embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are illustrative merely and may be modified and departed from in many ways without departing from the spirit. and scope of the invention as pointed out in and limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a strandholding and tensioning device, a frame having an internally threaded coupling sleeve and a strand passage at one, end thereof and a threaded and conically countersunk screwhole at the other end, a strand tensioning and gripping screw in the screwhole and having a conical capstan surface to coact with the conically countersunk surface of the screwhole, a coupling member complementary to and screwed into the coupling sleeve and having a strand passage therethrough offset from the strand passage of the frame, and a strand supply containing member detachably secured to the coupling member.

2. In a strand holding and tensioning device, a bow shaped frame, a strand supply containing member detachably secured to one end of the frame, means interposed between the frame and the member to grip a strand, and in combination therewith means independent thereof and mounted on the frame and adapted to tension the strand across the frame and to grip the tensioned strand.

3. In a strand holding and tensioning device, a bow shaped frame, a strand supply containing member detachably secured to one end of the frame, means to grip a strand drawn from the member located at the end of the frame supporting the member, and in combination therewith second means independent thereof and mounted on the frame and adapted to tension the strand across the frame and to grip the tensioned strand.

4:. In a strand holding and tensioning device, a bow shaped frame, a strand supply containing member associated therewith, means at one end of the frame to grip a strand drawn from the member, and in combination therewith second means independent thereof and mounted on the frame and adapted to tension the strand across the frame and to grip the tensioned strand.

5. In a strand holding and tensioning device, a bow shaped frame, a strand supply containing member associated therewith, means to grip a strand drawn from. themember at one end of the frame, and second means independent thereof comprising a capstan headed screw mounted in and coacting with the frame to tension the strand across the frame and to grip the tensioned strand. 7

ALFRED BOI-IM.

ICC

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