GB2268697A

GB2268697A - Connection of mop head to a handle

Info

Publication number: GB2268697A
Application number: GB9214903A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-07-14
Filing date: 1992-07-14
Publication date: 1994-01-19
Also published as: GB9214903D0; GB9221125D0

Abstract

A re-usable handle for "sleeve and nail hole" attached mop heads comprises a wooden or plastics shaft 1, provided with at least one reed spring loaded pin 7, and at least one diametrical pin hole 3, in the shaft 1. The diametrical pin hole 3, substantially matches the size and location of the sleeve nail hole 4 of the mop head. The primary reed spring 6, provided with a pin 7, at one end, and a hole 8, at the other, is secured through another diametrical hole 10, located higher up in the shaft 1, by a connector bolt 9b, and nut 9n. As an optional addition, a secondary reed spring 11, may be provided to re-inforce the primary reed spring 6, and is sufficiently secured to remain in place when the said mop and mop handle are in use, and sufficiently free to swivel to one side to enable extraction of the pin 7, by bending the primary reed spring and thus release the shaft 1, from the mop head 5. <IMAGE>

Description

KN TNSvhNTLY RE-usBSE COMMON MOP HEAn HANDLE This invention relates to an instantly re-usable common mop head handle for use with commonly available sleeve and nail hole attached mop heads.

Currently the cheapest and most commonly available mop heads, particularly the string or fabric strip type, are embodied with a sheet metal or plastic sleeve provided with a nail hole in the sleeve. The common practise when using this type of Common Mop Head is to insert a suitably sized wooden or plastic shaft or handle into the sleeve and permanently secure it in place by means of a nail or screw passing through the nail hole in the sleeve and into the shaft. When the mop head has reached the end of its life, the usual practice is to discard both the mop head and the handle and purchase a new mop head as well as a new handle.

This practice is not only expensive considering that a wooden mop handle now costs more than double the price of a common mop head, but contravenes current Global Environmental trends of helping preserve the world's rain forests. The alternative of trying to salvage the old mop handle by attempting to extract the nail or screw is not only time consuming, but fraught with hazards and problems including irreparable damage to the handle. Often this alternative is beyond the skills of the average mop user.

IRIOR ART Although proprietary instantly re-usable mop handles exist, all of them without exception are for use with their own proprietary matching mop heads and/or other attachments, and cannot be used with the Common Mop Head. Whilst these proprietary instantly re-usable mop handles may help address the environmental issues, because they can only be used with their own matching proprietary mop heads, they suffer the disadvantage of costing three times the price of the common mop head, and more often than not, replacements are not as readily available as the common mop head.

OBJECT The object of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks of present day mop handles by providing an Instantly Reusable Mop Handle that is inexpensive and can be readily fitted onto most common mop heads, thus saving the user time and money, as well as complying with the present environmental trend to preserve the precious rain forests of this planet, vitally needed to control the anticipated hazards of global warming.

REFERENCE TO.DRAWIBGS A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1. is an exploded pre-assembly illustration of all the components of the invention.

Figure 2. is a sectional general assembly of all the components of the invention ready for use.

Figure 3. is an assembled illustration of the invention with the secondary reed swivelled out of position to enable extraction of the pin by levering the primary reed to release the handle from the Mop Head.

DESCRIPION Referring to Figures l, 2, & 3, there is provided an instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle for commonly available ??sleeve and nail hole attached Mop Heads, comprising a wooden or plastic shaft 1, provided with at least one reed spring loaded pin means 2, and at least one diametrical pin hole 3, in the shaft 1. The said diametrical pin hole 3, substantially matches the size and location of the sleeve nail hole 4, of the said Mop Head sleeve 5a, of the Mop Head 5.

The reed spring loaded pin means 2, comprises a primary reed 6, provided with a pin 7, at one end, and a hole 8, at the other, with fastening means 9b/9n, to secure the primary reed 6, into the shaft 1. The said fastening means 9b/9n, includes a wood screw or a machine screw and nut, or a rivet, or a connector bolt 9b, and a connector nut 9n, secured through another diametrical hole 10, located higher up in the shaft 1.

Preferably the said primary reed 6, and the said pin 7, are integrally plastic injection moulded as one component, or alternatively, the pin is comprised of a matching sized pin attached to the end of a primary reed which is preçferably comprised of a springy plastic or metal material.

As an optional addition, a secondary reed 11, is provided to re-inforce the said primary reed 6 The secondary reed ll, being provided with a hole 12, at one end by means of which it is secured by preferably the same fastening means 9b/9n, used to secure the said primary reed. As an optional enhancement, when embodying a rigid secondary reed 11, the primary reed 6, is preferably comprised of a floppy material, including plastic, fabric, or elastic.

Preferably the said secondary reed 11, is springy and provides the springiness for the primary reed 6.

Alternatively, the secondary reed 11, is substantially rigid and is sufficiently secured to stay put when the said mop and mop handle are in use, and sufficiently free to swivel to one side to enable extraction of the pin 7, by bending the floppy primary reed, and thus release the shaft 1, from the mop head 5.

As a further preferable optional enhancement, the said shaft pin hole 3, preferably comprises a matching sized slit substantially longer than the diameter of the mop head sleeve nail hole 4, to accommodate for a variations in the locations of mop head sleeve nail holes.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle for commonly available ??sleeve and nail hole" attached Mop Heads, comprising a wooden or plastic shaft provided with at least one reed spring loaded pin means, and at least one diametrical pin hole to secure the said Shaft to the said Mop Head instead of a nail or screw.

2. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle as in claim 1. characterised in that the said pin and said diametrical pin hole substantially match the size and location of the sleeve hole of the said Mop Head.

3. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle as in claims 1 & 2, characterised in that the said reed spring loaded pin means comprises a primary reed, provided with a pin at one end and a hole at the other, with fastening means to secure the said primary reed into the said shaft, said fastening means including a wood screw, and/or a machine screw and nut, and/or a rivet, and/or a connector bolt and connector nut secured through another diametrical hole located higher up in the said shaft.

4. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle as in claim 3, characterised in that said primary reed and said pin are integrally plastic injection moulded as one component, and the said primary reed is preferably comprised of a springy plastic or metal material.

5. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle as in claim 4, characterised in that as an optional addition, a secondary reed is provided to re-inforce the said primary reed, the said secondary reed being provided with a hole at one end by means of which it is secured by the same fastening means used to secure the said primary reed, which as an optional enhancement may be comprised of a floppy material, including plastic, fabric, or elastic.

6. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle as in claim 5, characterised in that the said secondary reed is springy and provides the springiness for the said primary reed and/or alternatively, the said secondary reed is substantially tough and rigid.

7. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle as in claim 6, characterised in that said tough and rigid secondary reed is sufficiently secured to stay put when the said mop and mop handle are in use, and sufficiently free to swivel to one side to enable bending of the said primary reed and extraction of the said pin, to release the said shaft from the said mop head.

8. An instantly re-usable Common Mop Head Handle as in claims 5, 6, or 7, of the above claims characterised in that as an optional enhancement, the said pin hole comprises a matching sized slit substantially longer than the diameter of the said pin hole, to accommodate for a variation of said sleeve nail hole locations.

9. An instantly re-usable Mop Handle substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.