US2140578A - Scouring device - Google Patents

Description

Dec- 20, 1938- A. M. GooDLoE 2,140,578

SCOURING DEVI C E Filed June 3, 1937 vyvyvgyvvvy INVENTOR. "l-y ffelj QaaaZZae ATTORNEY.

PatentedA Dec. 20, 1938 7 PATENT OFFICE SCOUBJNG DEVICE Alfred M. Goodloe, Roanoke, Va., assigner to Metal Textile Corporation, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Appunti June' s. 1937, semi No. 146,235

j ments in scouring devices for surface cleansing y scraping action.

' work; and the invention has reference, more pariicularly, to a novel construction of device capable of producing, in use, a combined brushing and This invention has for an object to provide .a

scouring device or implement comprising, a bristle brush member of any suitable shape and size, and having a bristle structure composed of any desired kind of bristle material, in combination with which is provided, for overlying disposition relative to bristle extremities, an abrasive covering composed of flexible knitted metallic mesh, whereby, in use, the bristle ends may project through the openings of the metallic mesh cover so as to engage the surface, vto which the implement is applied, with brushing or scratching action, while the mesh material at the same time exerts a scraping action upon the surface engaged.

y Another object of the invention is to provide a combined bristle brush and metallic mesh cover therefor to produce a scouring implement of the kind mentioned, wherein the metallic mesh cover is so related to the brush body as to be capable of shifting adjustment relative to the bristle end surface thereof, so as to replace worn or frayed mesh portions with unwom or new mesh portions, and thus conveniently prolong the useful lifeof the mesh element of the implement.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the operative face of one form of the novel scouring device made according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a.- side elevation of the device with the metallic mesh cover schematically shown in section.

Fig. 3 vis a plan of a preferred form of knitted lmetallic mesh from which the brush cover member of the device is made.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of another form of the device with the metallic mesh cover schematically shown in section.v

lSimilar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indcate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing, in an illustrative form of the novel scouring device, as shown in Figs. 1 'and 2 thereof, lthe reference character III indicates the body or back of a brush element, the same having, if desired, a handle member I I suitably secured thereto and extending therefrom. Suitably mounted in or secured to the bodyy or back I are bristle tufts or bodies I2 arranged to project from a face thereof. 'I'he 5 claim. (ci 15-111) bristle tufts or bodies may comprise suitably grouped bunches of bristles, as shown, or the bristles may be arranged to present a more or less continuous bristle surface, all as well known to those skilled in the brush making art. The bristles may be made of animal or vegetable material or of metal, as may be deemed best suited for any specific use.

Combined with the brush element, and so related thereto as to have an active portion thereof disposed in overlying relation to the bristle surface of said brush element, is a cover element I3 of metallic abrasive interstitial material, through the intersticesof which the free bristle ends may project for contact with a surface over which the device is operatively moved in use, whereby, not only the brushing action of the bristles is effective upon said surface, but simultaneously therewith the abrasive scraping action of the metallic material is also effective upon. said surface.

In a preferred form thereof, the cover element I3 comprises a metallic mesh material obtained by knitting or otherwise suitably fabricating metallic strands or wires. In.Fig. 3 I have shown the metallic mesh material in the form of a fabric knitted from flat, ribbonlike metallic wire I4, but wires or strands of other than iiat rectangular cross-sectional shapes may also be used if desired. A knitted metallic fabric of the kind shown in Fig. 3 is deemed well adapted for combination with the bristles of the brush element since it not only provides the openings or interstices I5 through which the bristle ends may reach the surface to which the scouring device is applied in use, but by reason of the ribbon-like form of the strand, the interlinked loops formed in the knitting of the same provide, in the finished fabric, a. multiplicity of sharp and chisel-like edges, whereby the desired scraping or abrading action is attained as the fabric accompanies the movement of the bristles when the device is rubbed back and forth over the surface desired to be scoured and cleaned by its action thereon. The projecting chisel-like edges of the fabric, formed by the bends of the interlinked knitted loops thereof, operate to quickly scrape away substances which maybe encrusted upon the surfacev being cleaned, while the bristle ends sweep off the loosened particles and further tend to also penetrate and loosen up such encrusted substances. It will be therefore obvious that the combined action of the bristles and scraping edgesvof the metallic fabric cover element, will eiTect a. very rapid, eiiicient and thorough cleaning action, very superior to that which might be effected by either the bristle action or the fabric action when these materials act alone.

In the arrangement of the cover element I3, when combined with the brush element as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cover element may be made in the Vform of .a sleeve adapted to be slid over the brush element, with the outer end closed and suitably secured at I6, and the inner end gathered around the handle member II, and secured by a suitable encircling tie IT. As shown, the metallic abrasive mesh element I3 provides a single operative facing layer I8 overlying the bristles I I.

It will be understood, however, that a plurality of mesh layers may be so arranged, if desired.

bristle ends through the confines of the mesh interstices operates to support the bristle ends in action, so as to effectively guard the same against tendency to be easily broken olf, deformed or quickly Worn down; and in this connection it may also be noted that the working of the bristles through the interstlces, formed by the interlinked loops of the knitted metallicv fabric, operates to keep the mesh freed from accumulations of dirt and foreign matter which i's loosened vand removedfrom a surface subjected to the cleaning and scouring action of the device in use.

Referring to Fig. 4, another illustrative form of the novel scouring device according to this invention is shown. In this form, the brush element comprises a cylindrical bristle body I9, which is provided with a handle member 20. 'Ihe cover element comprises the metallic mesh material, and is provided in the form of a sleeve composed of a plurality of layers of said mesh. In the illustration, two such layers are shown, viz. an inner layer 2| and an outer layer 22, but it will be understood that the number of layers may exceed two if desired. 'I'he sleeve is preferably of a length exceeding the length of the bristle body I9, and its inner end portion 23 is gathered around the handle member 20 and secured by slide rings 24. By reason of this arrangement, when theouter layer becomes Worn or frayed, the slide rings 24 may be slid back to release the mesh material so that the same can be removed from the bristle body I9, then turned inside out, and replaced upon the latter and again secured by the slide rings-24. By so doing 'a fresh portion of the cover element is brought into cooperative relation to the bristle body I9.

It will be understood that the forms of the brush element above described are but illustrative, and that the size, shape and structural makeup of the brush element is subject to wide variation. Inasmuch as the metallic mesh cover element is highly exible, it can readily be made to conform to any desired shape of brush element; and, furthermore, due to the iiexibility of the mesh cover element, the surface of the same will also readily conform to the contours of the surface to which the device is applied in the cleaning thereof.

When the device is used for cleansing operations wherein the device is frequently dipped in water, the brush element will take up and hold a considerable amount of flushing water, as it is exuded through the mesh cover element, will aid in rinsing out the latter and flushing away any accumulations therein of dirt or foreign matter caught therein during the scraping action thereof.

In many cleaning operations, a strong soapyv solution is desired to'be used, and in such character of Aoperation it hasbeen found that the mesh cover element is of advantage since it tends to hold within the device for a longer period of time a goodly supply of the soapy solution, for the reason that the interstices of the mesh being horizontal the solution tending toquickly drain from the vertical bristles is caught and held longer by said mesh interstices. As already intimated many changes or variations of the combined bristle and metallic mesh structure are possible, and many apparently different embodiments of this invention could be mader without departingfrom the scope thereof as defined by the following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description orqshown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. A scouring device comprising, a brush element and -a cover .element of metallic mesh overlying the bristle face of said brush element and -through the interstices of which the bristle ends may work in conjunction with the abrasive effect of the mesh when the device is applied to a surface to be scoured. Y

2. A scouring device comprising, a brush element and a cover element of abrasive mesh fabric knitted from metallic wire, said mesh fabric being disposed with portions thereof overlying the bristle face of said brush element, whereby the bristle ends my project through the interstices of said mesh fabric tov effect a brushing action in conjunction with a scraping action bysad mesh fabric when the device is applied to a surface to be scoured.

3. A scouring device comprising, a brush element and a cover element of abrasive mesh fabric knitted from metallic wire of Vangular crosssection, said mesh fabric 'providing by its interlinked loops a multiplicity of chisel-like elements,

.said meshy fabric being secured to the brush element and having a portion thereof disposed in overlying relation to the bristle face of the latter, whereby the bristle ends may project through the interstices of said mesh fabric to effect a bushing action in conjunction with the scraping action effected by the chisel-like elements of said mesh fabric when the device is applied to a surface to be scoured.

4. A scouring device as defined in claim 2, wherein said cover element possesses an area in excess of the bristle area of the brush element, and wherein means are provided to releasably secure said cover element in operative associated relation the bristle area of said brush element and subject to shiftable adjustment relation to the latter for operatively associating selected portions of the mesh fabric thereof with the bristle face of the brush element.

5. A scouring device as defined in claim 2, wherein said cover element comprises a plurality of superposed plies of the metallic mesh fabric.

ALFRED M. GOODLOE.

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