US3416178A - Foot washer and massager - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1968 y H. A. JAMES 3,416,178

FOOT WASHER AND MASSAGER Filed May 26, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Flc-. 1.

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Sheets-Sheet 2 H, A. JAMES FOOT WASHER AND MASSAGER Dec. 17, 1968 Filed may 26, 1967 United States Patent O 3,416,178 FOOT WASHER AND MASSAGER Horace A. James, 6662 Blakemore St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19119 Filed May 26, 1967, ser. No. 641,528 Claims. (Cl. 15-104.92)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A foot cleaning and massaging unit which includes a slatted shower board, a baseboard secured to the shower board, a wing board pivotally secured to the baseboard, bottom and side brushes secured to the wing board, the side brushes being secured for pivotal and spacial movement relative to the wing board, a toe brush pivotally secured to the baseboard, a link interconnecting the wing board and the toe brush such that the wing board may be lifted from a generally horizontal position for use to a generally vertical position for storage relative to the shower board, the toe brush automatically moving from a use position to a non-use position when the Wing board is lifted, and a soap injector for spraying soap toward the bottom brush is disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION F eld of the invention-This invention relates to cleaning implements for body use and more particularly to a specially designed brush for massaging and cleaning the feet.

Description of the prior art.-Hand brushes, foot brushes, and brushes of general utility are well known in the art for scrubbing. The diiiiculty with such brushes, however, is that they are more often owned than used. Children tend to resist the use of such brushes and older people often find such brushes difficult to use for cleaning their feet. As a result, most people rarely give a thorough cleansing to their feet. Not infrequently, older people and persons with stiif joints resulting from age, disease, or other causes, fail to clean their feet at all. Oftentimes it is necessary to have someone else do the cleaning. The purpose and object of this invention, then, is to provide a specially designed collapsible brush which will make foot cleaning easy for older persons and encourage thorough cleansing of the feet by all.

SUMMARY This invention relates to a specially designed brush intended primarily for use in the tub or shower. The objects of the invention include:

The provision of a brush cleansing system for simultaneously cleaning the bottom and sides of the foot and for cleaning the toe.

The provision of a cleansing implement for massaging the bottom and sides of the foot and for cleansing the foot by means of bristles disposed at the bottom and sides of the foot and adjacent the toes of the user.

The provision of an implement comprising a foldable base unit to permit convenient storage during periods of non-use.

The provision of a cleansing implement which is foldable for storage and includes relatively movable bottom and side brushes and a toe brush.

The provision of a foot cleaning implement which includes bottom and side brushes and a toe brush and means for injecting soap or soap solution onto the toe and feet of the user.

The specific constructional features, the combinational features, and the overall embodiment as disclosed herein constitute further objects of the invention.

3,416,178 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of the cleansing implement of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view in partial cross section taken substantially along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1 of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the cleansing implement of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the shower board showing in dotted lines the position of the cleansing unit thereon.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the shower board showing the position of the cleansing implement thereon and the foldable construction of the shower board.

FIGURE 6 is a side view shown in partial cutaway of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is an end view showing the detail of the means for mounting side brushes on the cleansing unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The cleaning implement of this invention includes a shower board 10 which is shown in FIGURE l and is shown in greater detail in FIGURES 4 and 5 to which reference is now made. The shower board 10 includes a pair of side runners 12 and a center runner 16 and a plurality of cross boards or slats 18 through 25. The shower board is hinged generally at the center as shown at 26 and 28 in FIGURES 4 and 5. A rectangular aperture 30 is provided in one of the center slats 21 and a pair of circular apertures 32 are provided in one of the end slats 18.

The major elements of the cleaning unit are best shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, and comprise a base unit which includes a base plate 34 secured by pins 36 to the shower board, the pins 36 being received in apertures 32, a wing plate 38 secured by a hinge 39 and screws 40 to the base plate 34 for relative movement therewith. A bottom brush 42 and side brushes 44 and 46, a soaper 48 and a toe brush are also included as the major components of the cleaning implement as described herein.

Means are provided for securing the toe brush 50 to the base plate 34. In the preferred embodiment the securing means comprises a pivot block 52 secured by a hinge 54 to the base plate 34, the brush 50 being supported by a wire member 56 on the pivot block. A link S8 is connected by means of a screw or pin 60 to the pivot block and is engaged in a U-shaped opening therein by a pin or screw 62 which is secured to the wing plate 38 as best shown in FIGURE l. It will be seen, then, that when the wing plate 38 is lifted, as by a toe lift bar 64, which may be secured by screws 66 to the wing plate, the pivot block is caused to pivot about hinge 54 to move the toe brush from a rst position of use to a second position of storage or non-use.

A catch 68 is secured to the bottom of wing plate 38 by means of screws 70 and extends downwardly throu-gh the rectangular aperture 30 in slat 21 as best shown in FIG- URES 2 and 4. This prevents sideways movement of the wing plate and takes the strain from hinge 39, thus permitting vigorous massaging action of the foot by the user without disturbing the position of the cleaning and massaging implement. The user would, preferably, stand with one foot on the shower board and massage his foot on brushes 42, 44, 46 and 50. Since the cleansing and massaging unit is secured to the shower board there is no difliculty with slippage, etc.

Wing plate 38 carries thereon by means of dowel pins 72 whi-ch extend into sockets 74 therein, the fbrush back plate 76 of brush 42. The bristles 78 extend upwardly as best shown in FIGURE 2.

Means are provided for mounting the side brushes 44 and 46 relatively above the bottom brush with the bristles extending inwardly theretoward such that the bottom and sides of the foot may be cleansed and massaged simultaneously. The mounting means includes a mounting plate 80 which is secured by means of a bolt 82 and a wing nut 84 to the wing plate 38. As best shown in FIGURES 3, 6 and 7, a hinge 86 secures `a pivot plate 88 to the base plate 80. A pair of vertical dowels 90 and 92 extend upwardly from the pivot plate 88 and are received in sockets 94 and 96 and secured in place by a wing set screw 98 in the backboard 100 of brush 46, the bristles 102 of which extend inwardly toward the bottom lbrush being disposed thereabove.

A similar mounting means is provided for brush 46 which includes a second mounting plate 104 secured in place by bolt 106 and wing nut 108 to which hinge 110 and `pivot plate 112 are connected. Brush 44 includes a backboard 114 secured in the manner previously described to the pivot plate 112 with the bristles extending therefrom toward the bottom brush and being disposed thereabove. A wing set screw 118 is secured to tix the vertical position of brush 44 relative to the wing plate 38.

In the preferred embodiment, soap dispensing means 48 may include a bulb having segments 48a and 48b and a soap tube 120 which has an opening 122 for directing a stream of soap generally in the direction of the center brush. Thus, the user may, by squeezing the bulb which is preferably of a resilient material, inject soap into the cleaning area onto his feet. Of course, any desired type of soap injecting device may be used, but the device just described has been found preferable. A single bulb may be used by drawing the soap solution into the bulb 48 and by squeezing the bulb 48 ejecting the soap solution Ithrough tube 120 and outlet 122 onto the users feet.

A pair of rings 124 and 126 may preferably be secured to the ends of the brushes 44 and 46. Straps may be secured to the rings 124 and 126 for securing only the cleansing unit to a bench, etc., to keep it stationary during use if this is preferred. In this manner, the user may conveniently sit down and obtain the same cleaning and massaging action as described with respect to the user standing on the shower board.

Now, the invention has been described with respect to a specic embodiment and has been abstracted and su-mmarized with respect to this embodiment; however, it will be understood that this is merely exemplary of the invention and is not intended in the limiting sense. Accordingly, departures from the specific structural details shown herein may be made without depar-ting from the spirit of the invention as defined and limited in scope by the following claims:

I claim: 1. An implement for cleaning and massaging feet cornprising a generally horizontal base unit including a base plate, a wing plate, means connecting said wing plate with said base plate, a plurality of mounting plates, and means releasably securing said mounting plates in preselected adjusted positions, respectively, on the upper side of said wing plate; a bottom brush secured on said wing plate and having its bristles facing upwardly; a side brush for each o said mounting plates; and means securing each of the side brushes to their respective mounting plate to disposse the bristles of each brush in a first operative position above the bottom brush and to extend theretoward. said securing means including pivotal means whereby said side brushes are foldable from their respective said first positions towards one another and simultaneously towards said bott-om brush to a second collapsed inoperative position during periods of nonuse. 2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising: ya toe brush; and means mounting the toe brush on said base plate proximate one end ofthe bottom brush. 3. The invention of claim 2 comprising a side brush adjacent each side of the bottom brush.

4. The invention of claim 3 and Vfurther comprising: means interconnecting the toe brush mounting means and the wing plate for moving the toe br-ush from a first position for use to a second position for collapsed inoperative position. 5. The invention of claim 1 further comprising: soap dispensing means for injecting soap generally toward the bottom brush.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS lWALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

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