GB1562295A - Cleaning devices - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CLEANING DEVICES (71) We, SOCIETE MANZONI-BOUCHOT, a French Body Corporate of "Aux Arrivours" 39200 Saint-Claude, France, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be per- formed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to devices for cleaning smooth surfaces, for example windows.

According to the invention, there is provided a cleaning device for cleaning smooth surfaces, said device comprising a heating plate, supporting means rigid with respect to the heating plate, two rotary shafts mounted on said supporting means, said heating plate being arranged, in use, to support absorbent material impregnated with a liquid and supplied from a roll of material carried by one of the shafts and being wound, after passing across the heating plate, onto a roll of used material carried by the other shaft, each shaft having, at one of its ends, a control knob by which the shaft can be rotated to unwind or wind the roll of material carried by the shaft, and each shaft having braking means at the other of its ends.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cleaning device according to the invention, at the start of use of a strip of absorbent material; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the device when the strip has been completely used: Figure 3 is a section on line III-III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view showing the operation during movement of the strip: and Figure 5 is a view of the strip when unwound.

The cleaning device shown in the drawings for cleaning window glass or other smooth surfaces comprises a heating plate 1 carrying electrical heating elements (not shown) which is rigid with a frame or casing 2 on which a bracket 4 rigid with a handle 5 is pivotally mounted by means of a shaft 3.

Against the heating plate 1 there lies a portion of a strip 6 of absorbent material which is able to be impregnated with a liquid which evaporates upon contact with the plate 1 to produce steam.

A sheet metal supporting member 7 includes a bracket 8 by means of which the supporting member 7 is fixed in a removable manner to the frame or casing 2, the bracket 8 being attached to the frame 2 by screws 9. The supporting member 7 comprises opposed lateral plate-like lugs with bores in which two shafts 10, 11 are mounted. The unused strip 6 is wound on the shaft 10 as a roll 12 and after passing across the plate 1 the used strip is wound as a roll 13 on the shaft 11. The strip 6 is fixed at both ends of the shafts 10, 11 by means of pegs 14 on the shafts (Figures 3 and 5). Moreover, each of the shafts 10, 11 is provided at one end with a control -knob - 15, 1 spa, and at its other end with a resilient washer 16, 16al fixed by means of a rivet 17 to the shaft 10 or 11. Washers 18, 19 of plastics material are disposed on opposed sides of each lug of the supporting member 7 in contact with the washer 16 or 1 6a and cooperate therewith to form braking means for the shafts.

The shafts 10, 11 are both situated on the same side of the shaft 3.

After the device has been used for a period of time, the knob 15 is rotated by the right-hand of the user to drive the shaft 10 in the direction shown by arrow F, while simultaneously the left-hand rotates the knob 15a to drive the shaft 11 in the direction shown by arrow F. As a result a fresh portion of the strip is unwound from the roll 12 to lie against the plate 1, and the used portion is wound on to the roll 13.

When all the -material of the roll 12 has been used and has been wound on the roll 13 (Figure 2), the used material is unwound and removed from the shaft 11, to enable the device to be loaded witll a fresh roll of material.

In alternative constructions (not shown) the supporting member may be integral with the frame 2 or the heating plate 1.

In the device particularly described, the movement of the strip material across the heating plate to place a fresh portion of the material in contact with the plate is effected quickly, and the structure which achieve this is relatively simple. Further, due to the fact that the shafts and thus the rolls are disposed on one side of the swivelling axis of the device, there results an additional mass which acts during the cleaning movement for a better application of the strip onto the surface to be cleaned and which permits a swivelling of the device to remove the strip from the surface and thus prevents marks from being left on the surface.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A cleaning device for cleaning smooth surfaces, said device comprising a heating plate, supporting means rigid with respect to the heating plate, two rotary shafts mounted on said supporting means, said heating plate being arranged, in use, to support absorbent material impregnated with a liquid and supplied from a roll of material carried by one of the shafts and being wound, after passing across the heating plate, onto a roll of used material carried by the other shaft, each shaft having, at one of its ends, a control knob by which the shaft can be rotated to unwind or wind the roll of material carried by the shaft, and each shaft having braking means at the other of its ends.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is mounted in removable manner relative to the heating plate.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the supporting means comprises opposed plate-like portions between which the two shafts extend, and each said braking means comprises a resilient washer mounted on the shaft and bearing against a washer of plastics material disposed on one side of the adjacent plate-like portion of the supporting means, and a second washer of plastics material disposed on the other side of the adjacent plate-like portion.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the shafts is provided with pegs on which one of the ends of the material is fixed.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is integral with a main frame of the device.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is integral with the heating plate.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heating plate and supporting means are mounted for swivelling movement and the shafts are located on the same side of the axis of swivelling movement.

8. A cleaning device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. simultaneously the left-hand rotates the knob 15a to drive the shaft 11 in the direction shown by arrow F. As a result a fresh portion of the strip is unwound from the roll 12 to lie against the plate 1, and the used portion is wound on to the roll 13. When all the -material of the roll 12 has been used and has been wound on the roll 13 (Figure 2), the used material is unwound and removed from the shaft 11, to enable the device to be loaded witll a fresh roll of material. In alternative constructions (not shown) the supporting member may be integral with the frame 2 or the heating plate 1. In the device particularly described, the movement of the strip material across the heating plate to place a fresh portion of the material in contact with the plate is effected quickly, and the structure which achieve this is relatively simple. Further, due to the fact that the shafts and thus the rolls are disposed on one side of the swivelling axis of the device, there results an additional mass which acts during the cleaning movement for a better application of the strip onto the surface to be cleaned and which permits a swivelling of the device to remove the strip from the surface and thus prevents marks from being left on the surface. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A cleaning device for cleaning smooth surfaces, said device comprising a heating plate, supporting means rigid with respect to the heating plate, two rotary shafts mounted on said supporting means, said heating plate being arranged, in use, to support absorbent material impregnated with a liquid and supplied from a roll of material carried by one of the shafts and being wound, after passing across the heating plate, onto a roll of used material carried by the other shaft, each shaft having, at one of its ends, a control knob by which the shaft can be rotated to unwind or wind the roll of material carried by the shaft, and each shaft having braking means at the other of its ends.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is mounted in removable manner relative to the heating plate.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the supporting means comprises opposed plate-like portions between which the two shafts extend, and each said braking means comprises a resilient washer mounted on the shaft and bearing against a washer of plastics material disposed on one side of the adjacent plate-like portion of the supporting means, and a second washer of plastics material disposed on the other side of the adjacent plate-like portion.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the shafts is provided with pegs on which one of the ends of the material is fixed.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is integral with a main frame of the device.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is integral with the heating plate.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heating plate and supporting means are mounted for swivelling movement and the shafts are located on the same side of the axis of swivelling movement.

8. A cleaning device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.