GB2238232A - Mop head - Google Patents

Abstract

In a mop head (1) sponge sheet (3) is detachably secured to backing plates (4) and (5) by manually actuated twist keys (28). Backing plate (4) is fixed to a handle (2) and backing plate (5) is pivoted to a rod (8) about pin (17) displaced from plate (5). The other end of rod (8) is pivoted at (16) to a lever (9) pivoted at (10) to the handle (12). By pulling out the lever (9) plate (5) is displaced beneath plate (4) with sheet (3) folded and squeezed between them. A ribbed member (34) may be sealed to the sponge sheet between sponge plates (20, 21) also sealed thereto. Each sponge plate may be formed with two apertures (23) each having a flange (27) engageable in a corresponding opening (25, 26) in a backing plate (4, 5). A twist key may then be inserted in each aperture and twisted to secure the sponge sheet to the mop head. <IMAGE>

Description

SOUHEZABLE MOPS This invention relates to squeezable mops in which a sheet of sponge or other absorbent material to be applied to a wet or damp floor is mounted on two backing plates hinged to one another (as by the sheet itself), the first of which is fixed to a long handle and the second of which is pivoted to a lever mechanism mounted on the handle and arranged to be actuated so as to turn the second backing plate towards the first thereby folding the absorbent sheet between them so as to squeeze liquid out of the sheet after use.

Such squeezable mops are well known but experience has shown that they can deteriorate in an unsatisfactorily short time. For example, the sheet of sponge or other absorbent material can wear or swell to such an extent that it will not fold satisfactorily between the backing plates. In view of the fact that the sheet is fixed to the backing plates either by adhesive or by a wire, which incidentally is liable to rip through the sheet when wet, this deterioration will necessitate the replacement of the entire mop prematurely. Then again the construction of the mop head, comprising the absorbent sheet and plates, and the lever mechanism is such that prolonged use often proves to be impossible owing to wear or breakage.It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a squeezable mop that is sufficiently robust and so contrived that it will remain serviceable for a comparatively long period.

According to the invention, a mop head for a squeezable mop comprises a sheet of sponge or other absorbent material to be applied to a wet or damp surface and mounted on two backing plates hinged to one another, the first of said backing plates being arranged for fixing to a handle and the second of said backing plates being arranged to be pivoted to a lever mechanism to be actuated so as to turn the second backing plate towards the first thereby folding the abosrbent material from a flat operating condition to a position between the backing plates such as to squeeze liquid out of the sheet after use, and means for readily attaching and detaching the absorbent sheet to and from the backing plates.

These means enable the absorbent sheet to be removed from the mop for cleaning or to be replaced by a new sheet of the same absorbent material or of different material.

The invention also provides a simplified lever mechanism providing enhanced reliability. Therefore, according to another aspect of the invention, a squeezable mop comprises an elongated handle, a mop head mounted at one end of the handle and comprising a sheet of sponge or other absorbent material to be applied to a wet or damp surface and mounted on two backing plates hinged to one another, the first of said backing plates being fixed to the handle and the second of said backing plates being pivoted to one end of a rod about an axis fixed with respect to but displaced from the second backing plate, the other end of the rod being pivoted to a lever pivotally mounted on the handle between the ends thereof and the rod pivots being so disposed that when the lever lies substantially parallel to the handle the absorbent material is in a flat operating condition and when the lever is pulled away from the handle the second backing plate is turned towards the first thereby folding the absorbent material between the backing plates so as to squeeze liquid out of the sheet after use.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect a squeezable mop in accordance therewith will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the operative assembly of the mop shown with a sponge sheet open for application to a floor; Fig. 2 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1 but with the sponge sheet shown squeezed by folding; Fig. 3 is a plan of a mop head forming part of the assembly of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a plan of a unit forming part of the mop head of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V in Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 show a detail of the mop head in section with a locking piece shown in two positions relatively to the detail; Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII in Fig.

6.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the mop comprises a mop head 1 mounted on a comparatively long tubular handle rod 2. A sponge sheet 3 is detachably mounted on backing plates 4, 5. The backing plate 4 is rigidly fixed to the handle 2 by way of a socket 6 moulded integrally with the backing plate 4 and with a protective shield 7. It will be seen from Fig. 1 that when the sponge sheet 3 is horizontal the handle 2 projects upwards at a conveniently inclined position (Fig. 1). The backing plate 5 is held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a rod 8 forming part of a manually operable mechanism whereby the sponge sheet 3 can be folded to the squeezed position of Fig. 2.

The squeezing mechanism comprises a lever 9 pivoted to a pin 10 passing through flanges 11 with an interposed lug 12 on a collar 13 fixed to the handle 2. When the mop is in its operative condition of Fig. 1 the lever 9 is held by a snap-action latch comprising a tongue 13a on a lug 14 on the collar 13 which locates in a slot 15 on the lever 9. The rod 8 is pivoted to the lever 9 by a pin 16 and by a pin 17 on an initially upward extending central projection 18 on the backing plate 5. The rod 8 is aligned between small collars 19 (Fig. 3) on the projection 18 and between similar collars on the lever 9.

It will be seen that the pin 17 is displaced from the backing plate 5 sufficiently for the single rod 8 to be interposed between the lever 9 and the backing plate 5, thereby substantially simplifying the more complicated forms of linkages hitherto used in this type of mop. The free end of the lever 9 has a handle 9a which is located at an angle to the handle 2 to facilitate gripping of the lever for actuation. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that the sponge sheet 3 has two parallel sponge plates 20, 21 sealed thereto respectively for attachment to the backing plates 4, 5. Each sponge plate 20, 21 is formed with two flanged apertures 23, 24 and as shown particularly in Figs. 6 and 7 each backing plate 4, 5 consists of a platform 4a, or 5a surrounded by a flange 4b or 5b.Therefore, each flange plate 20 or 21 can be mounted within the flange 4b or 5b of its respective backing plate 4 or 5 as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 with one of two flanged apertures 25, 26 in its platform 4a or 5a mating with a corresponding one of the two apertures 23, 24 in the associated sponge plate 20 or 21. Each flanged aperture 23, 24 is formed at the top with a flange 27 which fits in to the associated one of the platform apertures 25, 26.

After assembly the sponge plates 20, 21 are secured to the back plates by four locking pieces in the form of twist keys 28 as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. For this purpose the apertures 23, 24 in the sponge plates 20, 21 and the apertures 25, 26 in the backing plates 4, 5 are oblong (Figs. 3 and 4) and each twist key 28 is correspondingly formed with a base plate 29 that neatly fits through any one of the apertures 23, 24. The base plate 29 is joined by a stem 30, having the cross-section shown in Fig. 8 to a cover portion 31 for spanning any selected one of the backing plate apertures. The twist key is inserted while in the relative position of Fig. 6 and then turned through 900 by a finger piece 33 to the position of Fig. 7 wherein edges of the base plate 29 engage beneath a shoulder 32 in the flanged aperture 23 or 24 of the sponge plate 20 or 21.

A ribbed hinge member 34 is sealed to the sponge sheet 3 between the sponge plates 20, 21 so as to prevent the sponge sheet from pulling away from the mop head while still being enabled to flex. It also provides a broader fold in the sponge sheet during squeezing of the mop contributing to the longer life of the sponge sheet.

Apart from the metal rod 8 and associated pins the above-described mop is made of plastics materials, the twist-keys being of transparent plastics and the mop head is of robust moulded construction and the simplified lever mechanism provides prolonged use without breakage at the pivot points or reinforcements.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:

1. A mop head for a squeezable mop, the mop head comprising a sheet of sponge or other absorbent material to be applied to a wet or damp surface and mounted on two backing plates hinged to one another, the first of said backing plates being arranged for fixing to a handle and the second of said backing plates being arranged to be pivoted to a lever mechanism to be actuated so as to turn the second backing plate towards the first thereby folding the abosrbent material from a flat operating condition to a position between the backing plates such as to squeeze liquid out of the sheet after use, and means for readily attaching and detaching the absorbent sheet to and from the backing plates.

2. A mop head according to Claim 1, in which the said means comprise further plates fixed to one face of the absorbent sheet in relative positions for fixing respectively to the backing plates and fasteners operable on the faces of the backing plates remote from the sheet for securing and releasing said further plates to and from the backing plates.

3. A mop head according to Claim 2, in which said further plates are formed with flanged apertures in register respectively with apertures in the backing plates and in which the fasteners are twist keys each arranged to be passed through a pair of apertures and thereupon to be turned about an axis normal to the apertures to engage a portion of the key with a said further plate to hold that plate in engagement with the associated backing plate.

4. A mop head according to Claim 3, in which the pair of registering apertures and the twist key are so shaped that an inner end of the twist key can only be passed through the registering apertures in one orientation of the twist key about its axis and so that on being turned that end will engage the further plate to lock the further plate and backing plate between the said end and an outer end of the twist key.

5. A mop head according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, in which the absorbent sheet itself provides the hinge between the backing plates and a ribbed hinge member is sealed to the absorbent sheet in parallel between the two further plates so as to prevent the absorbent sheet from pulling away from the mop head while still being enabled to flex.

6. A mop head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A squeezable mop furnished with an elongated handle, a mop head according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 mounted at one end of the handle, a hand lever pivotally mounted on the handle between the ends of the handle and a rod pivoted at one end to the handle and at the other end to an axis fixed with respect to and displaced from the second of said backing plates, said rod pivots being disposed so that when the lever lies substantially parallel to the handle the absorbent pad is in the flat condition but when the lever is pulled away from the handle the absorbent material is folded to the squeezed condition.

7. A squeezable mop comprising an elongated handle, a mop head mounted at one end of the handle and comprising a sheet of sponge or other absorbent material to be applied to a wet or damp surface and mounted on two backing plates hinged to one another, the first of said backing plates being fixed to the handle and the second of said backing plates being pivoted to one end of a rod about an axis fixed with respect to but displaced from the second backing plate, the other end of the rod being pivoted to a lever pivotally mounted on the handle between the ends thereof and the rod pivots being so disposed that when the lever lies substantially parallel to the handle the absorbent material is in a flat operating condition and when the lever is pulled away from the handle the second backing plate is turned towards the first thereby folding the absorbent material between the backing plates so as to squeeze liquid out of the sheet after use.

8. A squeezable mop substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A mop head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

A#EN###MCAITS S Th TWt M/8S CLAIMS: 1. A mop head for a squeezable mop, the mop head comprising a sheet of sponge or other absorbent material to be applied to a wet or damp surface and mounted on two backing plates hinged to one another, the first of said backing plates being arranged for fixing to a handle and the second of said backing plates being arranged to be pivoted to a lever mechanism to be actuated so as to turn the second backing plate towards the first thereby folding the absorbent material from a flat operating condition to a position between the backing plates such as to squeeze liquid out of the sheet after use, and further plates fixed to one face of the absorbent sheet in relative positions for fixing respectively to the backing plates and twist keys operable on the faces of the backing plates remote from the sheet for securing and releasing said further plates to and from the backing plates, the further plates being formed with flanged apertures in register respectively with apertures in the backing plates and in which the twist keys each arranged to be passed through a pair of apertures and thereupon to be turned about an axis normal to the apertures to engage a portion of the key with a said further plate to hold that plate in engagement with the associated backing plate.

2. A mop head according to Claim 1, in which the pair of registering apertures and the twist key are so shaped that an inner end of the twist key can only be passed through the registering apertures in one orientation of the twist key about its axis and so that on being turned that end will engage the further plate to lock the further plate and backing plate between the said end and an outer end of the twist key.

3. A mop head according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the absorbent sheet itself provides the hinge between the backing plates and a ribbed hinge member is sealed to the absorbent sheet in parallel between the two further plates so as to prevent the absorbent sheet from pulling away from the mop head while still being enabled to flex.

4. A squeezable mop comprising an elongated handle, a mop head mounted at one end of the handle and comprising a sheet of sponge or other absorbent material to be applied to a wet or damp surface and mounted on two backing plates hinged to one another, the first of said backing plates being fixed to the handle and the second of said backing plates being pivoted to one end of a rod about an axis fixed with respect to but displaced from the second backing plate, the other end of the rod being pivoted to a lever pivotally mounted on the handle between the ends thereof and the rod pivots being so disposed that when the lever lies substantially parallel to the handle the absorbent material is in a flat operating condition and when the lever is pulled away from the handle the second backing plate is turned towards the first thereby folding the absorbent material between the backing plates so as to squeeze liquid out of the sheet after use.

5. A squeezable mop substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.