GB2025759A - Shoe Cleaning Device - Google Patents

Abstract

A hand held motorised shoe cleaning device incorporates an applicator brush (6) and a polishing brush (7) driven by separate shafts (6A and 7A). An electric motor powered by batteries in the handle (3) and controlled by a switch (2) drives the shafts (6A and 7A) through gearing in the section (4). The brush (6) is held on the shaft (6A) by an easy release arrangement. Also the brush (7) is removably mounted onto a boss (10) attached to the shaft (7A) and a further boss (8) which may be displaced during the removal operation. Thus both brushes may be removed as required. A cloth portion (13) can be employed to prevent particles of polish or mud from being sprayed from the apparatus. Instead of batteries, an AC/DC converter may be housed in the handle in order that the device may be connected to the mains supply. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements Relating to Shoe Cleaning Equipment This invention relates to shoe cleaning apparatus. It is an object of this invention to provide a portable device for the automatic cleaning of shoes when the device is connected to a power source.

Accordingly this invention provides shoe cleaning apparatus comprising an electrical power supply unit, an electric motor connected for operation by the power supply unit, gearing for driving first and second shafts from the motor and mountings for detachably connecting brushes for rotation by one or other of the shafts.

With such apparatus the polish may be applied by one of the two brushes whilst polishing is carried out by the other brush (ideally after removal of the first brush following the polish application step). The brushes may of course be interchanged with other sets of brushes when the device is to be used for cleaning shoes of different colours.

In the preferred embodiment the two shafts are positioned out of alignment with one another, preferably at right angles to each other. Ideally also the two shafts are arranged to rotate at different speeds. Thus the first shaft may be arranged to rotate at a slower speed than the second shaft.

Advantageously one brush, to be driven by the first shaft is in the form of an applicator for polish or cleaning fluid whilst the other brush comprises a polishing brush or dirt-removing brush. The one brush may be in the form of a set of bristles or a foam-pad applicator. The other brush can comprise a cylindrical member carried on an axial support interconnected with the other shaft or a brush belt carried between support drums, one of which is connected to the other shaft. The other brush ideally incorporates natural or synthetic bristles, wire bristles or a buffer of lambswool or the like. The one brush is preferably held onto the first shaft by a friction fit, spring clip, or pushbutton release mechanism.However the axial support for the other brush may have one end adapted to be linked with the second shaft whilst the other end is removably interconnected with a wall of a casing forming part of the apparatus by means of a connecting member. This connectin member can be a plate movable between a support position where the brush will be held for rotation by the second shaft and a removal position wherein the second brush may be removed from the casing. Alternatively the connecting member can be a spring biassed plate formed with an opening for the receipt of the other end of the second brush. With either embodiment the one end of the other brush is ideally interconnected with the second shaft by means of a clutch-type fitting.

In its simplest form, the connecting member can comprise a hole in the casing for the receipt of the other end of the other brush. Furthermore the one end of the other brush may be interconnected with the second shaft by means of a spring loaded interconnection.

In a further embodiment, the connecting memeber is a spindle whose one end is interconnected with the second shaft and whose other end is received in an opening of a removable wall of the casing, the axial support for the brush comprising a hollow sleeve which may be slid over the spindle when the removable wall is displaced, linking means being provided to interconnect the hollow sleeve with the spindle.

The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partly cut away, of a shoe cleaning device of this invention; Figure 2 illustrates an alternative form of brush for the apparatus; and Figure 3 is a side view, partly cut away, of an alternative embodiment of a shoe cleaning device of this invention.

The shoe cleaning device illustrated in Figure 1 incorporates a housing containing an electric motor 1 which may be connected, by operation of the switch 2, to a power supply in a handle member 3. This power supply could be in the form of batteries or there could be an AC to DC converter housed within the handle 3 so that the device could be connected to a mains supply.

Within the housing portion 4 there will be a gear reduction system (not shown) which will drive shafts 6A and 7A which will be connected, respectively, to brushes 6 and 7. Because of the gear ratios employed the shaft 6A will rotate more slowly than the shaft 7A (for example at rates of 1 and 5 revolutions per second respectively). The brush 6 will be used for applying shoe polish or cream at the initial stage of shoe cleaning. The brush 6, which is releasably fitted on the shaft 6A (by means of a friction fit, spring clip, or push-button release mechanism) will then be removed. The horizontal brush 7 will be fitted into the device for the successive polishing operation. The brush 7 fits over a coneshaped part 8 on one end wall of a casing 9 for the brush.The other end of the brush 7 is provided with a recess which fixes over and provides a driving connection with a boss 10 interconnected with the shaft through a bearing 11 which bears onto the other end wall of the casing 9. The conical part 8 is carried, via a bearing, on a movable plate 12 on the one end wall of the casing 9. This plate 12 is rotatable about a pivot point against a spring bias to enable the brush to be positioned on (or removed from) the parts 8 and 10 whereupon the plate 12 will be returned to the normal position where it may, for example, be held by a spring loaded ballcatch.

A hanging cloth member 13 is provided for the purpose of stopping and catching small dried cream or mud particles escaping from the revolving brush 7.

A modified arrangement illustrated in Figure 2 uses a brush belt 21 which is carried and driven by a support spindle 22, drivingly interconnected with the shaft 7A and an auxiliary support spindle 25. A hanging cloth or the like 24 is also provided.

The brush belt 21 will be removable from the device by providing suitable means to allow access to the ends of the support spindles 22 atFd 25 so that the brush belt 21 can be slid off or onto the supports.

In the construction shown in Figure 3 the handle 31 of the device is displaced to one side and again carries a switch 32 for connection of an electric supply source to a motor and gearing assembly within a region 33 of the device. The output from the motor is applied to shafts 6A and 7A as before, the shaft 6A carrying the brush 6.

Attached to the shaft 7A is a spindle 34 whose other end is supported within a hole in a movable wall portion 36, of the casing for the brush. When the wall portion 36 is moved to expose the end of the spindle 34 a sleeve forming a central support for a brush can be slid over the spindle 34 until a slit in the end of the sleeve locates with protruding pins 35 on the spindle 34. The wall portion 36 is then replaced to a closed position where it supports the other end of the spindle 34 and encloses the brush.

The various forms of apparatus shown in the drawings are to be utilised for the cleaning of shoes in two stages. Firstly, (after removing mud or dust, if necessary, using the appropriate brush 7) cream or polish is applied to the shoe by the slowly rotating brush 6. The brush 6 is then removed and the brush 7 (or belt brush 21) is inserted into the body of the device and held there in any of the manners previously described.

Operation of the motor again rotates the brush 7 at a higher speed and this brush is applied to a shoe for the polishing stage.

There are many methods for supporting the brushes so that they will be driven by the respective shafts 6A and 7A. For instance, the brush 7 could be carried by a spindle having a metal pin at one end which is received within a hole in the wall of the casing 9, the hole being lined with a plastics washer. The other end of the spindle will narrow and be shaped to fit within a padded rubber surface of a clutch-type member secured to the shaft 7A. An internal spring will bias the spindle in the direction towards the hole in the casing wall so as to prevent the brush 7 from falling out during operation. For removal of the brush, the other end of the spindle is pressed into the clutch-type member against the bias of the spring so that the pin may be removed from the hole in the casing wall.

In another modification a pin is carried at the end of a spindle of the brush 7 and is received within a hole in a flat metal spring fixed onto one end end wall of the casing 9. The spring presses the other end of the spindle against a rubber lining of a bearing member carried by the shaft 7A so as to provide a driving connection between the shaft 7A and the spindle. The other end of the spindle is roughened to provide a good frictional contact with the rubber lining. As a further alternative a push-button release mechanism may be employed.

For compactness the drive and reduction gearing driven by the motor may be incorporated into the handle 3 or 31 of the device. The various forms of clutch drive connection between the shaft 7A and the brush 7 will enable slip to occur if undue pressure is applied to the brush, thus enabling the motor to continue to rotate so that there will be little possibility of the motor burning out.

As a modification of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 the casing portion 1 houses the brush 7 could be semi-cylindrical in shape so that the cloth 13 will then hang from one edge of the casing.

Claims (19)

Claims

1. Shoe cleaning apparatus comprising an electrical power supply unit, an electric motor connected for operation by the power supply unit, gearing for driving first and second shafts from the motor and mountings for detachably connecting brushes for rotation by one or other of the shafts.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two shafts are positioned out of alignment with one another, preferably at right angles to each other.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claims 2, wherein the two shafts are arranged to rotate at different speeds.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a first one of the two shafts is arranged to rotate at a slower speed than the second shaft.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one brush, to be driven by the first shaft is in the form of an applicator for polish or cleaning fluid whilst the other brush comprises a polishing brush or dirt-removing brush.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the one brush is held onto the first shaft by a friction fit, spring clip, or push-button release mechanism.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the axial support for the other brush has one end adapted to be linked with the second shaft whilst the other end is removably interconnected with a wall of a casing forming part of the apparatus by means of a connecting member.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member is a plate movable between a support position where the brush will be held for rotation by the second shaft and a removal position wherein the second brush may be removed from the casing.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member is a spring biassed plate formed with an opening for the receipt of the other end of the second brush.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the one end of the other brush is interconnected with the second shaft by means of a clutch-type fitting.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member comprises a hole in the casing for the receipt of the other end of the other brush.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the one end of the other brush in interconnected with the second shaft by means of a spring loaded interconnection.

13. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member is a spindle whose one end is interconnected with the second shaft and whose other end is received in an opening of a removable wall of the casing, the axial support for the brush comprising a hollow sleeve which may be slid over the spindle when the removable wall is displaced, linking means being provided to interconnect the hollow sleeve with the spindle.

14. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 13, including a wall made from cloth or other flexible material masking one side of the other brush in the axial direction thereof.

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 14, wherein the one brush is in the form of a set of bristles or is a foam-pad applicator.

16. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 15, wherein the other brush comprises a cylindrical member carried on an axial support interconnected with the other shaft or a brush belt carried between support drums, one of which is connected to the other shaft.

17. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the brush incorporates natural or synthetic bristles, wire bristles or a buffer of lambswool or the like.

18. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the electrical power supply unit comprises batteries or a transformer housed within the apparatus.

19. Shoe cleaning apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.