IE914438A1 - Squeezing device for flat mops - Google Patents

Abstract

A squeezing device for flat mops, characterised by comprising, on a support structure (4), a seat into which a flat mop (12) can be inserted and be retained in a position suitable for squeezing, and a presser element (28) having a cylindrical surface and operating means (22, 26, 30) to cause said surface to roll along the head (16) of said mop while positioned in its seat and to maintain it adhering elastically thereto under a predetermined pressure.

Description

This invention relates to a squeezing device for flat mops.

Squeezing devices for cotton mops are known. These latter during their use for washing floors and surfaces in general have to be periodically squeezed out into a suitable preferably wheel-mounted container. This squeezing is generally achieved by using a squeezing device comprising a presser or a pair of pressers which when manually operated compress the mop against a perforated wall through which the water which has been squeezed out falls into the collection container.

These known devices are sufficiently effective because of the large volume of the mop and in particular because of the considerable change in this volume during the squeezing operation.

In addition to traditional mops, there is an increasing use of so-called flat mops, comprising a rigid flat frame and a mop applied to it. The flat mop has a larger operating face than traditional mops and is substantially rigid, allowing the floor to be cleaned more quickly and effectively. However for this type of mop the problem of squeezing out has so far not found a satisfactory solution . For this, a presser is again provided for pressing the mop, supported by its frame, IE 9144398 against a perforated wall, however the small volume occupied by the mop means that the squeezing operation is not particularly effective. To overcome this it has been proposed to form the frame in two parts hinged together centrally and to fix the mop to the outer end of each part, so that when these two parts are coplanar they stretch the mop so that it adheres to both, whereas when they are closed together the mop remains dangling from both ends and completely separated from the frame, in a suitable state to be squeezed by a pair TO of presser rollers.

This solution has proved satisfactory, but requires the use of foldable frames and of suitable devices for locking the frame when in its unfolded configuration, and for unlocking it to allow it to be folded.

The problem of effectively squeezing flat mops in the case of non-foldable frames is solved according to the invention by a squeezing device as described in claim 1.

The present invention is further clarified hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a squeezing device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a partly sectional front view thereof applied to a water collection container; - 3 Figure 3 is a side view thereof.

As can be seen from figure 1, the squeezing device according to the invention comprises a structure formed from a pair of side walls 2 connected together upperly by a shaped cover 4 and lower ly by cross-members 6. Each side wall 2 is provided with a downwardly extending vertical appendix 8 for gravity-coupling the device to the edge of a traditional water collection container 10.

The cover 4 is formed of moulded plastics and comprises a seat complementary to the shape of the flat mop 12, this latter comprising a rigid frame 14 and a mop head 16 applied to it. A traditional articulated connector 18 is provided on the frame 14 for the removable connection of a handle 20.

The two side walls support a shaft 22 the ends of which IS are housed in corresponding metal bushes 24 embedded in the plastics material of which the side walls are formed.

Two telescopic rods 26 are rigidly connected at their lower ends to the shaft 22, their upper ends being rigidly connected to a cross-member 27 articulatedly supporting a presser element 28 consisting of a roller.

The cylindrical surface of the presser element 28 is urged elastically against the cover 4 by the action of coil springs 30, housed within the telescopic rods 2 and adjustable in terms of theis preload by traditional systems, not shown on the drawings.

An operation rod 32 is fixed to one end of the shaft 22 external to the corresponding side wall 2 and is provided with a handgrip 34.

The operation of the device according to the invention when coupled to the edge of a water collection container 10 is as follows: the flat mop 12 to be squeezed out is inserted under the shaped cover 4 until it is completely housed in its seat. This is possible because of the presence of a transverse aperture 36 provided in the cover 4, through which to pass and guide the articuled connector 18 of the mop.

After the frame 14 of the mop 12 is completely housed in its seat in the cover 4 (see Figure 3) and cannot undergo any movement tangential to it, the operator holds the rod 32 and uses it to rotate the shaft 22. As a result of this rotation the presser 28 is obliged to roll with its cylindrical surface against the mop head 1 of the mop 12, this movement causing telescopic shortening of the rods 26 and axial compression of the springs 30, which hence increase the elastic pressure of the presser element 28 against the mop head 16. On passing beyond the top dead centre, ie after the axis of the cross-member 27 has passed beyond the vertical plane passing through the axis of the shaft 22, the two springs 30 begin to return the previously accumulated elastic energy, the presser element 28 continuing to roll along the mop head 1 to complete the squeezing effect.

Having reached the opposite end-of-travel position, defined by contact between the rods 26 and the cross-member 6, the operator repeats the operation in the reverse direction to further squeeze out the mop head 16 and arrange the presser element 28 in a position which enables the mop 12 to be withdrawn from its seat in the cover 4, for re-use before the next squeezing operation.

The facility for adjusting the preload of the springs 30 means that the intensity of the force with which the presser element 28 acts against the mop head 16 and hence the degree of squeezing of the mop can be varied. This is particularly useful for adapating the device to the working climatic conditions.

Claims (9)

1. A squeezing device for flat mops, characterised by comprising, on a support structure (4), a seat into which a flat mop (12) can be inserted and be retained in a position suitable for squeezing, and a presser element (28) having a cylindrical surface and operating means (22,26,30) to cause said surface to roll along the head (16) of said mop while positioned in its seat and to maintain it adhering elastically thereto under a predetermined pressure.

2. A squeezing device as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising two side walls (2) provided with means (8) for coupling to a container (10) for collecting the water deriving from the squeezing operation, said side walls being connected together by a cover (4) in which a seat is provided for the frame (14) of the flat mop (12) to be squeezed out.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the cover (4) comprises a passage and guide aperture (6) for the articulated connector (18) of the flat mop (12) during its transfer into the corresponding seat provided in the cover.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the presser element (28) is hinged to at least two telescopic rods (2) maintained in an elastically elongated condition and - 7 hinged to a common shaft (22) to which a rod (32) is fixed for its rotation.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the presser element (28) consist of a roller. 5

6. A device as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that each telescopic rod (26) is provided internally with a coil spring of adjustable preload.

7. A squeezing device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that means are associated with its side walls (2) to 10 define the two end positions of the presser elemnt (28) in its rolling movements along the head (16) of the mop to be squeezs out.

8. A squeezing device as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that said means for defining the end position of the 15 presser element (28) consist of connection elements (6) between the two side walls (2). -8

9. A squeezing device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.