Wax dispenser

Abstract

A wax dispenser for conditioning sewing thread includes a disc-shaped housing (12) with upper and lower surfaces (14, 16), a sidewall (18), and a cavity (20). Peripheral slots (22) allow thread to engage a disc-shaped wax bar (28) within the cavity, applying wax to the thread. A dial assembly (26) in a dial opening (24) rotates the wax bar, presenting fresh wax to the slots as needed. The dial assembly includes a circular support member (32) with engagement fins (30) to secure and rotate the wax bar. The dispenser addresses wax depletion near thread feed slots, ensuring consistent thread waxing. The dispenser is primarily used for sewing thread conditioning, with polystyrene preferred for the housing and dial components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wax dispenser for conditioning thread comprising:
 (a) a disc-shaped housing with upper and lower surfaces and a sidewall defining a cavity,   said housing having a plurality of peripheral slots formed therein, extending from the upper surface to the lower surface of the housing, through which a thread may be drawn in engagement with a disc-shaped bar of wax disposed in the cavity of the housing to provide wax to the thread,
 at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the housing having a dial opening; and 
   (b) a dial assembly disposed in the dial opening for engaging the bar of wax and rotating it when the bar of wax is depleted in the vicinity of a peripheral slot so as to present fresh wax to peripheral slots for applying to the thread.   
     
     
         2 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the disc-shaped bar of wax is disposed in the cavity of the housing and engaged to the dial assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing has 6 or more peripheral slots. 
     
     
         4 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the housing has 3 closely spaced peripheral slots diametrically opposed to 3 additional closely spaced peripheral slots. 
     
     
         5 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the housing has 3 sets of 3 closely spaced peripheral slots. 
     
     
         6 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein the 3 sets of 3 closely spaced peripheral slots are arranged in a Y configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the dial assembly comprises a circular support member with an upper dial bar and lower engagement assembly for securing the disc-shaped bar of wax to the dial assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein the engagement assembly comprises a plurality of fins adapted to penetrate the disc-shaped bar of wax. 
     
     
         9 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of fins extend a length of from about 5 mm to about 8 mm from the circular support member. 
     
     
         10 . The wax dispenser according to  claim 8 , wherein the engagement assembly has from 4 to 8 fins.