US1644738A - Broom and process of making same - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 131927. R A MAR 1,644,738

BROOM AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Original Filed'Oot '18, 1922 Patented Get. 11, 1927.

tnnran stares ttea738 ROBERT A. MARR, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

BROOM AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

Application filed October; 18, 1922, Serial No.'595,316. Renewed March 10, 1927.

This invention relates to brooms, and has special reference to an improved broom and method of manufacturing the same.

In the construction of brooms experience has shown that these articles, especially when used in wet or damp places, rapidly deteriorate. Experience has also shown that the ordinary broom straw is incapable of the hard use that certain fibers such as split cane and bamboo and the like are capable of sustaining. Furthermore, such fibers have been found to rapidly become saturated with water when used in damp or wet places, and in consequence of this saturation their elasticity is destroyed and the broom quickly becomes useless.

One important object of the invention is the manufacture of a broom from fibers impregnated with a waterproofing compound which prevents them from soaking up the.

water and thus causes them to retain their elasticity and shape as well as adding. a cer tain stiffness to these fibers.

In the manufacture of brooms from fibers, as well as from broom straw, it has been necessary to employ means which are more or less complicated to efiect the formation of the broom heads properly.

A second important object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of. manufacturing broom heads from fibers. A third important object of the present invention is to provide an improved broom head which may be readily attached to and detached from the broom handle thus mak ing it possible to replace the head alone without the necessity of buying at the same time a new handle.

With the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and r Fig. 1 shows a bundle of fibers ready for forming into the broom head; s

2 shows the fibers spread ready for the first trimming;

Fig. 3 shows the bundle as it appears after the first trimming;

Fig. 4 showsthe bundle in the step in the manufacture wherein the fibers are caused to adhere to each other;

Fig. 5 shows the appearance of the bundle h after the second trimming operation;

Fig. 6 shows the appearance of the bundle after a certain slotting operation; v

Fig. 7 shows an edge view of two such bundles assembled with their reenforcing plate; I

Fig. 8 shows a side view of the complete head with its sewing;

1Fig. 9 is a detail View of the reenforcing p ate;

FiglO is a perspective view ofthe complete broom;

Fig. 11 is a view of a portion of the handle suitable for use with such a broom.

In carrying out the invention it'is preferred that the fibers be first of all treated with suitable waterproofing which is .of such nature that it will penetrate into the fibers and thus thoroughly impregnate them, as experience has shown that more oiling or greasing of the fibers on the exterior is ineffective for the purpose. A

compound,

bundle of the fibers'are then taken suflicient to form one half of the broom head, the size of the bundle depending on the size of the broom to be made. in Fig. 1. This bundle is then'spread and flattened so that the fibers cross each other intermediate their ends, and there is formed a fiat X-shaped bundle such as is shown in Fig. 2, the bundle of fibers in all instances being indicated at 10. By the use of a suitable trimming device, this bundle of fibers is now out along the lines 11 ofFig. 2, so that there results therefrom a bundle shaped as in Fig. 3. This bundle may be held, if desired, in a suitable clamp, and is inverted and dipped in a tank or vat 12-containing Such a bundle is shown hot glue or some other suitable binder which will harden and hold the apical portion of the triangular After the binder has hardened, the end of the bundle may be trimmed along the line l313 of Fig. 5, and then a slot 14, as shown in Fig. 6, is made in this apical portion of the bundle. Two such bundles are used to form the complete broom, and these bundles are assembled on opposite sides of a substantial triangular reenforcing plate 1'5, having suitable bolt receiving openings 16 therein forthe reception of bolts 17 passing through cover plates 18, there being one bundle to ether ri idl b g y plate on each side of the complete head, these plates cover the slots 14 so that a handle receiving socket is thereby formed. After the two bundles are assembled on opposite sides of the plate 15, the broom head is stitched as at 19 with spaced stitchings so that after the broom has become worn to .a certain extent, the low-er stitching may be cut oil' and still leave the remainder of the broom suitable for use. lVhen the two bundles are thus stitched together, the device forms a detachable broom head, and in order to provide for'use of the same, it is preferred that the handle 20 have a slot 21 to receive the plate 15, and that bolts 22 pass through'this handle and through openings 23 in the plate 15.

It will beseen that this method of manufacture is extremely simple, and that when thus made a very economical broom head is produced. It is obvious that the fibers may either be all of substantially the same cross sectional dimensions or some of the fibers may be of greater cross sectional dimensions than others, for instance, the inside fibers may be heavy and stiff, while the outside maybe thin and light. In any event, the

'method of manufacture and the result in product is substantially the same.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. Those steps in the broom heads which consist in assembling a bundle of fibers, spreading the ends of the fibers to form a fiat X-shaped bundle, trimming the spread bundle by cutting on each side thereof parallel to the outermost fibers whereby to leave a flat triangular bundle, and treating the apical portion of the triangular bundle with a binder.

2. Those steps in the manufacture of broom heads which consist in assembling a cal portion perpendicularly to the broom end.

3. Those steps in the inanm cture of broom heads which consist assen'ibling a bundle of fibers, spreading the ends of the fibers to form a flat X-shaped bundle, trimming the spread bundle by cutting on each' side thereoi parallel to the outermost fibers whereby to leave a fiat triangular bundle, treating the apical portion of the triangular bundle with a binder, slotting said apical portion perpendicularly to the broom end, assembling two of such bundles on opposite sides of a reinforcing plate, and securing the bundles together. 7

4. A broom head comprising a'pair of flattened somewhat fan-shaped bundles of fibrous material of the nature of water proofed stilt fibers, on opposite sides of a perforated rigid plate, the l'lttliOV. portion of each of said bundles beingheld together by a hardened binding material, and said narrow DOIlLlOIl havin a cut out notch-adapted b .L

to receive the end of a broom stick, stitchin across said bundles intermediate the ends or' the fibers, beyond said rigid perforated plate, such stitching being suiiicient to prevent undue spreading of V the loose ends of the fibers, said perforated plate having perforations therein adapted to receive fastening means passing through corresponding perforations in the broom stick, near the end thereof.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

' ROBERT A. MARK.

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