US1547583A - Knitted article for cleaning purposes - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1925. 1,547,583

C. S. HOLDEN KNITTED ARTIGLE FOR CLEANING PuRPQsEs Filed Das. 22, 1923 ..252 oavzor Char les 5. Holden Patented July 28, 1925. i

UNITED STATES 1,547,583 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. HOLDEN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,'ASSIGNOR TO HOLDEN KNIT- TING C0., OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

KNITTED ARTICLE FOR CLEANING PURPOSES.

Application filed December 22, 1323. Serial No. 682,215.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S, HOLDEN, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Vorcester, in the county of lVorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Knitted Article for Cleaning Purposes, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to knitted articles for cleaning purposes and has for its object to provide an article which may be readily drawn over the hand and then employed in somewhat the same manner as sponge, or mop, for general cleaning purposes, in either a wet or dry condition.

In my copending application, Serial No. 495,156, filed August 25, 1921, there is shown and described a knitted article and method of making the same from tubular knitted material. The invention set forth in the above described application contemplates the formation of a knitted article suitable for hand use, by pulling` a length of tubular knitted material back on itself to provide a mitt of double thickness on both sides. The article resulting from the practice of the above described method completely encloses the hand of the user, and'is admirably suited for general cleaning purposes, in either a wet or dry condition.

The object of the present invention is to provide an article similar in form to the article described in my above mentioned application, but possessing certain additional advantages. The present invention contemplates the introduction of apiece of porous sponge-like material during the formation of the knitted article, so that the resulting article possesses all the ymoisture carrying properties of a natural sponge, in addition to the great durability of a knitted article. The above and other advantageous features of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is av plan view of a portion of a continuous web of knitted material from which my improved articles are to be made.

Fig. 2 is a view of a length of material cut from the web shown in Fig. 1, from which a single article is to be made by the performance of the step illustrated in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a view .of the web lshown in Fig.

2 completely pulled back on itself to receivev a piece of sponge-like material.

Fig. 4 is a view of the completed article applied to the hand of a user.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different ligures.

Referring to Fig. 1, a web of tubular knitted material is produced by any suitable knitting machine, certain portions 1 thereof being more closely knit than other portions 2 thereof. The portions 2 therefore appear wider than the port-ions l, and the operation of the machine is so regulated Vthat the' portions 1 and-2 are formed alternately, -with the portions v2 of greater length than the portions 1.

A continuous vwebof tubular knitted material having been produced, as shown in Fig. 1, separate lengths of material are taken therefrom by cutting every other closely knittedportion 1 along the dotted lines, so that each length of material thus severed, appears as shown in Fig. 2. The next step in the manufacture of the article is to hold the length shown in Fig. 2 at substantially its middle point, while onehalf of the length is pulled over the other half, as indicated in dotted lines. The procedure described thus far is the same as .that described in my above mentioned copending application, and if desired, a band 3 of elastic material may be positioned near the middle of the length shown in Fig. 2, so that the band 3 will be enclosed between the layers of the material when the latter is pulled back onV itself; j

The article then has thev appearance rof Fig. 3, from which itj is evident that the ends of the half portions 12L and 1* are substantially even with each other, and that the article is then open at'both ends. It is also obvious that the ,article when in a flat condition, then consists'of four separate layers of knitted material,"in.'which the outside layers surround'the inside-layers and are of one continuous web.

The next step in carrying out my invention consists in inserting a piece of porous sponge-like material 4 between an outer and inner layer of knitted material, as shown in Fig. 3. The piece of material 4 is preferably in the form of a natural sponge, or artificial rubber sponge, or other similar porous material adapted to readily absorb moisture. After the piece 4 has been slipped into place, the ends la and lb are sewed together so that the article is then only open atl Qne end between the inner layers. If desired, suitable stitches 5 are then taken around the edges of the piece 4 to retain the latter in position. The completed article then appears as in Fig. 4, in which the article is shown as having been applied to a hand ofl the user. The hand is completely enclosed by the inner layers of knitted materia-l with the sponge-like piece 4 retained between one inner layer and one outer layer,

i aS clearly shown in Fig. 5.

knitted material, so that it is impossible for the sponge material to be damaged by contact with external objects. At the 'same V time my article possesses all the, moisture l retaining properties of a natural sponge,

andy in fact it has been found superior-to a sponge, by reason of' the fact that the moisture must be squeezed through the relative ly denseouter layer of knitted material.

As clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the completed knitted article provides longitudinal ribs 6 formed in the knitting of the `web shown in Fig. l. It has been found that these ribs 6 exert a very eifective scouring or cleaning action, which is particularly noticeable when cleaning, or washing a smooth polished surface, such as an automobile body. Vhen using; the article for this purpose, the ribs serve to remove` grease `and dirt stains without in any way damaging the surface.

rlhe web shown in Fig; 1 is preferably knit on an ordinary circular knitting machine from two threads of yarn of different material. The yarn forming the surface ribs 6 is preferably heavier and stronger than the yarn forming the web between these ribs, as for example, when using a combination of wool yarn and cotton yarn. Consequently, particles of dirt, or other matter, removed by the scouring action of the ribs 6, are taken up by the relatively loose material between the ribs and held away from the surface being cleaned.

An additional advantageous feature of my article lies in the facility with which it may be supplied with water andv at the same time cleanse itself. The nozzleof a hose may be readily inserted in thel open end of the article so that water will pass outwardly through the sponge and the outer layer of knitted material, and it is apparent that if the water leaves the nozzle with considerable pressure, dirt will be removed from the outer knitted surface, particularly from those portions of the web between the ribs Gf.

I claim,

l. An article for cleaning purposes, comprising a tube of knitted web doubled on itself to provide a pair of tubular portions, one portion inside the other portion, a piece of porous absorbent material enclosed between the two said portions, one end of the inside tubular portion being' open to receive the hand of a user, the tube of' knitted web presenting longitudinal ribs.

2. An article forI cleaning purposes, cornprising a tube of knitted web doubled on itself to provide a pair of tubular portions, one portion inside the other portion, a piece bf porous absorbent material enclosed between the two said portions, one end of the inside tubular portion being open to receive the hand of a user, the tube ofi knitted web` presenting longitudinal ribs of a ma# terial` differing in character front the material between said ribs.

Dated this fourteenth day of December, 1923.

oHARLnss. HOLDEN.

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