GB1601800A - Device for attaching the handle to the head of an article such as a broom - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVED DEVICE FOR ATTACHING THE HANDLE TO THE HEAD OF AN ARTICLE SUCH AS A BROOM (71) 1, ANDREW JOSEPH TOUGH, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, of 3, Dublin Street, Balbriggan, County Dublin, Republic of Ireland, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention concerns an improved device for attaching the handle to the head of an article such as a broom commonly used for household and other purposes, mainly for sweeping the floor, and is also applicable to articles of a similar construction such as scrapers and hand rakes which consists of two elements, namely an elongated head and a handle.The handle is secured to one side of the head so that it projects perpendicularly centrally from the head, the article thus being substantially T-shaped in its general configuration. The head and the handle may be of any convenient length, and in the case of a broom the head is furnished with bristles which project from one side of the head and generally at an oblique angle relatively to the direction of the handle in a plane perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the head. In the case of a hand rake the head carries no bristles, but teeth or prongs, while in the case of a scraper it carries a longitudinal blade, or in some cases may have bristles on one side and a scraper blade on the other side.

The method of attachment of the handle to the head may vary, but is not always very satisfactory with the result that the head may become detached or loosened, and this is most frequently caused by the fact that when in use the head of the article may not be held parallel to the ground or other surface to which it is applied so that it is subjected to uneven pressure, and it may also receive lateral knocks which have a similar effect.

The present invention aims to mitigate this disadvantage and provide means for connecting the head and handle in a very satisfactory and advantageous manner.

According to the invention a device for connecting the head and handle elements of a broom or article of similar construction such as a scraper or hand rake, comprises a socket adapted to receive the end of the handle, and pivoted to a bracket having an elongate portion adapted for attachment to the head, the pivoting arrangement being such that the pivotal axis is arranged substantially normal to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the socket and the longitudinal axis of said elongate portion, spring means being provided for resiliently resisting pivotal movement in said plane of the socket relatively to the bracket and to tend to retain it in the medial position.

The bracket may consist of an L-shaped or equivalent metal strip, the socket being pivoted to one flange thereof while the other flange is perforated to receive bolts, screws or other fastenings by which the bracket may be secured to the head of the broom so that the socket stands up from the head to receive the handle in the desired position. Preferably, however, the bracket is U-shaped, having two upstanding flange portions between which the socket is pivoted, joined by a flat elongate portion which may be fastened to the head. The spring means by which the socket is resiliently held in an upright position relatively to the head preferably consists of a pair of tension springs which, when the connecting device is secured to the head, extend between the head and the socket on opposite sides thereof.The springs are preferably attached at one end of the socket while their other end may be stapled to the head or, if the bracket extends for a sufficient length along the head, as is preferable, the end of each spring may be attached directly to the bracket.

The bracket may be of T-shaped crosssection instead of L-shaped if desired, and the portion to which the socket is pivoted may be slanted rather than perpendicular to the flange which lies along the head of the broom or other article so that the handle when in position is suitably inclined with respect to the head, the latter being of a regular rectangular, trapezium or part-circular cross-section.

If the head is made of wood there is no difficulty in screwing the connecting device thereto in the appropriate position or in drilling the required holes therein to receive bolts passed through the holes provided in the bracket for that purpose. If the head is of metal, as in the case of a hand rake it may be formed with bolt holes provided in the bracket, or if desired the bracket may be welded in position or formed integrally as part of the head.

The handle may be held in the socket in any convenient known manner. For example the socket may be tapered to receive the correspondingly tapered end of the handle driven firmly into the socket and secured by a pin or bolt passed transversely through the walls of the socket and through the portion of the handle held in the socket.

With the connecting device according to the invention the head of the broom is capable of restricting pivotal movement from side to side against spring pressure about an axis subsantially perpendicular to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the head and the axis of the handle. If, when in use, the head of the broom or article of similar construction such as a scraper or hand rake strikes against an obstruction or is otherwise subjected to uneven pressure it is capable of yielding resiliently, the handle tilting sideways relatively to the head, so that the pressure is cushioned and tends to be equalised over the length of the head. This not only helps to prevent the handle from being loosened from the head, but renders the article more convenient and effective in use and prolongs its useful life.

One embodiment of a connection device of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows a front elevation of the device, partly in section, attached to a broom head.

Referring to the drawing, the device comprises a substantially U-shaped metal bracket having two upstanding parallel but spaced apart flanges 1 (only one of which appears in Figure 1, the nearer flange being omitted), connected by a flat elongate portion 2, which is attached to the broom head 3 by means of bolts (or screws) 4. It will be appreciated that the elongate portion 2 is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the brush head.

A socket portion 5, which may comprise a length of metal or nylon tubing, is pivoted intermediate its length between the two flanges 1 by means of a pivot bolt 6 which passes through the socket and flanges. The axis of the bolt 6 is normal to the plane containing the longitudinal axis of the socket 5 and the longitudinal axis of the elongate portion 2. A handle may be received in the upper part of the socket as described previously. A pair of tension springs 8 are connected to the free end of the socket and extend to opposite sides thereof and are each fastened by their other end to the elongate portion 2. Alternatively, the springs are attached to the socket above the bolt 6.It will be appreciated that the resolved line of action of the springs extends substantially normal to the pivotal axis of the socket and so the springs resist pivotal movement of the socket and tend to retain it in the medial position. However, the points on the socket to which the springs are attached are offset slightly to each side of the longitudinal axis so that the springs exert a torque on the socket which helps to prevent the pivot bolt 6 from becoming loose. If desired the springs 8 may be positioned between the plate portion 2 and the head 3 and are housed in a recess in either the head or the portion 2.

The free end of the socket 5 may also be located in an elongate recess or slot in the head, the dimension of the recess being such that the end of the socket is free to move laterally in the recess within the limits imposed by the lateral dimension of the recess. This acts as a safeguard to prevent over-stretching of the springs. It will be appreciated that in this case a slot is cut in the flat elongate portion 2 of the U-shaped bracket through which the end of the socket extends. The portion of the socket which comes into contact with the edge of the slot in the elongate portion 2 is preferably fitted with a plastics (e.g. nylon) sleeve which acts as a noiseless bearing surface. In addition, the cut edges of the slot may be turned upwards to increase the size of the bearing surface on the portion 2.

It will be appreciated that the brakcet may be made from a plastics material instead of nylon, and indeed, the bracket and head 3 may be cast or moulded integrally from a suitable plastics material.

Figure 2 shows the alternative embodiment of the invention in which there is a slot 9 in the elongate portion 2 and a recess 10 in the head of the brush so that the lower end of socket 5 extends through the slot into the recess.

It has already been proposed in Patent Specification No. 1,146,968 to attach a broom handle to the broom head in Tshaped arrangement by a device which comprises a socket for the handle connected to the elongated broom head by a pivot, the axis of which is normal to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the socket and parallel to, or containing, the longitudinal axis of the elongated broom head, the pivot thus permitting, within limits, free pivotal movement of the broom head relatively to the socket in said plane. By the device according to the present invention, however, the pivotal movement in said plane of the broom head relatively to the socket and the handle secured therein is resiliently resisted so that the head always tends to occupy a medial position in which its longitudinal axis is normal to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A device for connecting the head and handle elements of a broom or other article of similar construction such as a scraper or hand rake, comprising a socket adapted to receive the end of the handle and pivoted to a bracket having an elongate portion adapted for attachment to the head, the pivoting arrangement being such that the pivotal axis is arranged substantially normal to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of said socket and the longitudinal axis of said elongate portion, spring means being provided for resiliently resisting pivotal movement of the socket relative to the bracket and tending to retain the socket in a medial position.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the bracket is U-shaped, having two upstanding flange portions between which the socket is pivoted, said two flange portions being joined by the said elongate portion which is flat.

3. A device according to either of the preceding claims wherein the spring means comprises a pair of tension springs which, when the connecting device is secured to the head, extend between the head and the socket on opposite sides of the socket.

4. A device according to Claim 3 wherein the springs are attached at one end to the socket and at the other end to longitudinally separate positions on the bracket.

5. A device according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the positions on the socket to which the springs are attached are offset slightly to each side of the longitudinal axis of the socket so that the springs exert a torque on the socket.

6. A device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the elongate portion of the bracket has a slot into which one end of the socket extends.

7. A device for connecting the head and handle elements of a broom or other article of similar construction such as a scraper or hand rake, the device being substantially as described herein with or without reference to the accompanying drawing.

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

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. parallel to, or containing, the longitudinal axis of the elongated broom head, the pivot thus permitting, within limits, free pivotal movement of the broom head relatively to the socket in said plane. By the device according to the present invention, however, the pivotal movement in said plane of the broom head relatively to the socket and the handle secured therein is resiliently resisted so that the head always tends to occupy a medial position in which its longitudinal axis is normal to the longitudinal axis of the handle. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A device for connecting the head and handle elements of a broom or other article of similar construction such as a scraper or hand rake, comprising a socket adapted to receive the end of the handle and pivoted to a bracket having an elongate portion adapted for attachment to the head, the pivoting arrangement being such that the pivotal axis is arranged substantially normal to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of said socket and the longitudinal axis of said elongate portion, spring means being provided for resiliently resisting pivotal movement of the socket relative to the bracket and tending to retain the socket in a medial position.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the bracket is U-shaped, having two upstanding flange portions between which the socket is pivoted, said two flange portions being joined by the said elongate portion which is flat.

3. A device according to either of the preceding claims wherein the spring means comprises a pair of tension springs which, when the connecting device is secured to the head, extend between the head and the socket on opposite sides of the socket.

4. A device according to Claim 3 wherein the springs are attached at one end to the socket and at the other end to longitudinally separate positions on the bracket.

5. A device according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the positions on the socket to which the springs are attached are offset slightly to each side of the longitudinal axis of the socket so that the springs exert a torque on the socket.

6. A device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the elongate portion of the bracket has a slot into which one end of the socket extends.

7. A device for connecting the head and handle elements of a broom or other article of similar construction such as a scraper or hand rake, the device being substantially as described herein with or without reference to the accompanying drawing.