US1864579A - Scouring utensil - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1932. s BRADFORD, JR 1,864,579

SCOURING UTENS IL Filed Aug. 11, 1950 INVENTOR. fDWA/afl 5. BRMFURZLJK.

2/ M ATTORNEYS Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD s. BRADFORD, an,

O1 LON GIEADO'W, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, BY DIRECT AND IESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 0] ONE-HALF TO SPRINGFIELD WIRE & TINSEL 60., O1

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND ONE- HALF TO METAL TEXTILE CORPORATION, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF DELAWARE.

SCOUBING UTENSIL Application filed August 11, 1930. Serial No. 474,551.

This invention relates to an improved scouring utensil of gimped metallic strand material and to a method of making such a utensil.

The material by itself is old and widely used in various forms, usually with a textile thread to carr the twisted metallic filament and tlDS is use both in woven and unwoven form. The problem of this invention is to make an improved and fluffy arrangement of a mass of such material for scourlng purposes. In addition, it is desirable to avoid all possible hard spots of any substantial bulk in the arrangement. Of course it is desirable to build such a utensil at a low cost and with a saving of useful material. I

These several objects are accomplished by the particular method and structure which I will disclose in detail. The invention in its various aspects is best understood from the detailed description of the method discovered to make a referred embodiment..

In the rawing Fig. 1 is a view of the twisted metalllc strand as used in its preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a skeleton view of a support on which a skein of the strand has been wound;

Fig. 3 is a skeleton view of the skein on the support, after tying and before it is re-, leased from its skein-winding position; and

Fig. 4 is a view of my new scourlng utensil formed by releasing the skein, after it has been tied to hold the strands.

To accomplish the invention I wind a skein of a strand 5 like that in Fig. 1 on a suitable support 7 as in Fig. 2. The winding is done under usual tension.

The twisted metal filament or strand 5 is somewhat like a weak coil spring. And the winding tension in making the skein results in somewhat the same action as putting a strand of a weak coiled spring into skein form. I make articular use of these characteristics as be pointed out.

When the skein is formed and while it is under the winding tension I hook a binding cord or wire 9 through the loop of the skein at one end and pull this binding wire up into the very end of the loop and then pass the wire around the skein body in a plane parallel to the len h of the skein at the end bend. Then I tight y tie or bind the strands of the skein as shown in Fig. 3. The other end of the skein is tied down in the same way.

With the strands tied down at each end of the skein in this simple fashion, they are taken off the skein support 7. Immediately the slightly tensioned strands relax, the tied points 9 of the skein approach each other, the outside strands of the skein are crowded by the inside ones into bowed form between the tied points 9, as shown in Fig. 4. This bowed form of the strands indicated in Fig. 4 gives the general direction of the strand portions between points 9. In addition there is a tendency for each portion to back twist or tangle with the result that there are a multitude of short curls throughout the ball mass. These curls are more pronounced and occur in greater number inside the mass than on the outside.

The action is much the same as if the skein were made with loops from a very long coil spring. The strand portions between points 9 are bowed out and arrange themselves in a ball-like formation and as if the points 9 were the opposite poles of a globe.

This ball of metallic gimped cord or strands is sufliciently tangled for the strands to work together in scouring. They are all tied together on the outside of the ball which leaves the inside soft, movable, and loose for holding water like a sponge. And more important, the interior of the ball in its loose state can be washed out to clean the utensil itself. Where the strands of such a ball are massed by tying them at the center or core, there is a hard mass which acts as a trap for grease and dirt. I avoid this by tyin my strands on the outside of the ball anddeaving the inside free. This is only one of the detailed advantages in the new form of utensil.

Another is in the fact that the strands are in the best coordinated position for scouring-that is, with their length extending between the opposite poles of the ball and bowed outwardly toward the surface where the work must be done. This gives an im-- proved efliciency to the utensil.

2 mauve The advantages mentioned are onl some of many that can be listed upon a f analytical consideration of the new utensil.

It may be desirable to wind the skein over 5 a piece of soap, sponge, or other center piece which will be surrounded by the d strands in the ball. The latter will be pus ed into a bigger ball for a given weight of gimped strands than can be formed without I. a center piece. My arrangement is particularly adapted to such a central addition to the utensil.

It may be desirable in some instances to turn the skein inside out, preferably on its 15 support, before releasin it from its win tension. This action wi put the longer outside 100 s of the strands on the inside of the ball and the shorter ones on the outside. It will tend to crowd the material between 39 points 9 so that the ball will be alittle harder with the strands on the outside of the ball drawn down a little tighter than in the arrangement first described.

I am aware that there are prior scourin utensils made of metallic gimped cord an in various forms. M claims are directed to the new utensil as a and device and to the improved method of making such a utensil.

do not desire to limit or restrict the inso vention as claimed except as the same may be legally necessary by the condition of the prior art.

What I claim is: 1. A cleaning utensil of the class described 35 comprising two ring binding elements, a mass of metallic gim ed strand material formed into loops, eac loop passing once through each binding element at substantially op osite points of the loop, there being enoug of said loops to form a loose substantially spherical mass between the binding elements, said loops being tied only by said binding elements.

2. A strand of abrasive metallic material $5 looped upon itself to provide a multiplicity of elongated looped sections, means gathering and securing the loop ends of each 'de in converging relation, whereby each of s id sections is positioned one adjacent the other and disposed radially about an axis extending between its opposite gathered loop ends and lies in a plane radiating from a central axis intersectin the gathered ends to form a substantially sp erical resilient body. 55 In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

EDWARD S. BRADFORD, JR.

Images