US2292201A - Cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug- 4, 1942 R. E. cocKRELl.

CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1939 INVENTOR ROBERT E. COCKRELL ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1942 UNITED STATES FATENT GFFICE CLEANING APPARATUS Robert Elias Cockrell, Alton, Ill.

Application February 2, 1939, Serial No. 254,166

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to cleaning apparatus and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in cleaning apparatus specially, though not exclusively, adapted for the cleaning and renovating of fringes and borders of rugs, tapestries, and the like.

My invention has for its primary objects the provision of an apparatus of the type stated which is simple in structure. which is economical in operation and maintenance, which is conveniently portable and easily handled, which is capable of cleaning the marginal portions and fringes of rugs, tapestries, and the like quickly and expeditiously without necessitating cleaning or otherwise manipulating the remainder of the rug, tapestry, or the like, and which is highly efficient in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a cleaning apparatus embodying my present in- Vention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the cleaning apparatus;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the cleaning apparatus;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal broken sectional View of the cleaning apparatus, taken approximately along the line 4 4, Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the cleaning apparatus, taken approximately along the line 5 5, Figure 2.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred form of my invention, the apparatus there shown comprises a suitably elongated tubular shell A having an upwardly presented axially extending slot a in its cylindrical Wall I. Disposed in suitably spaced relation longitudinally of the shell A, are suitable blocks or the like 2 preferably of the shape shown in Figures 2 and 5, for supporting the shell A operatively upon a floor, table, or the like, as presently more fully appearing.

Welded or otherwise xed upon and across one end of the shell A, is an end-closure cap 3 provided preferably integrally with an outwardly projecting bearing-cup 4 in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the shell A.

Also Welded or otherwise xed upon the opposite end of the shell A, is an internally threaded ring 5 for threadedly receiving an end-closure disk or plate E provided also preferably integrally with an outwardly projecting bearing sleeve 'I in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the shell I and externally threaded for receiving a packing nut 8.

Located within the shell A at preferably uniformly spaced points along its length, are bearing-partitions 9, preferably three in number, each including an outer ring I0 preferably of relatively soft rubber or other suitable resilient material tightly wedged or otherwise secured along its outer periphery against the inner surface of the shell-wall I, and an inner concentric bearing-member II preferably of hard rubber, ber, or other suitable material formed with an aperture I2 in co-axial alignment with, and having the same internal diametrical size as, the bearing-cup 4 and the bearing-sleeve 1, all as best seen in Figure 4 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Journaled at its ends in the end-cup 4 and sleeve 'I and intermediately extending axially through the apertures I2, is a shaft I3, upon a projecting end-portion of which a drive-sprocket I4 is pinned or otherwise suitably secured.

Along its intermediate portion, the shaft I2 is provided with diametrically opposed radial brush-members B each consisting of suitable bristle-tufts I5 conventionally held in position by suitable staples I6.

Circumferentially between the brushes B, the shaft I2 is provided with diametrically opposed axially extending rubber squeegee members C preferably of U-section and held in position by a plurality of fastening members Il inserted through the bight thereof, as best seen in Figure 5.

Suitably fixed on, and extending longitudinally across, the forwardly presented sloping margins of the support members or blocks 2, is a face-plate 20 rounded off along its upwardly presented margin, as at 2l, in approximate registration with the adjacent margin b of the shell-slot a. Hingedly mounted along the opposite margin b' of the slot a, is a cover-Hap 22 of sufficient width to extend circumferentially of shell A across the slot a and rest at its free margin in closurewise position upon the forward slot-margin b, all as best seen in Figure 5 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Secured, as by means of bolts or other suitable fastening-members 23, upon an end-support member or block 2 and projecting angularly upwardly therefrom, is a pair of inclined standards 24 `preferably integrally joined at their upper end by a cross-member 25, in turn, ypreferably integrally provided with an outwardly projecting arm 2S having a pair of laterally spa-ced apertures 2l and also .preferably integrally provided with an upwardly presented extension or bracket 2S.

Suitably journaled on the bracket Z8, is a short shaft 29 having a crank-arm extension 29a. Fixed on shaft 29, is a sprocket 3s, and trained around the sprockets l, 3%, and extending through the arm-apertures 2l, is a shaft drive chain 3i, all as best seen in Figures 2 and 3 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

In use, the shell A is filled with any desirable soap or other cleaning solution. Since the `projecting end-portion of the shaft I5 is sealed by the packing-nut 8 and packing-ring 8', leakage of the cleaning solution will be prevented. The tapestry or rug D, the fringe CZ of which is to be cleaned, is lifted from the floor along its fringed margin d and laid upon the facing plate E and suitably engaged by the movement-preventing pins 29a. The shell-cover 22 is then lifted, and the fringe d inserted into and through the shellslot a in the position shown in Figure 5. Then, on actuation of the crank a, the shaft i2 and its carried brushes B will be rotariiy shifted, and as the brushes I5 rotate, the cleaning solution Within the shell A will be swept up against the fringe d. At the saine time, the fringe d will be scrubbed between the inner face of the shell A and the brushes B. As each brush B moves away from the end of the inserted fringe d, the latter will fall against one of the squeegee members C and be further scrubbed or cleansed by Contact therewith. After several minutes operation, the fringe d is thoroughly and completely cleansed upon one side, when the carpet or rug D may -be reversed and fringe-cleaning operations upon its other side continued.

It will, of course, be obvious that the amount of physical stress to which the fringe d is exposed may be readily controlled by the rate of rotation of the handle or crank a. Hence, even the most delicate tapestry fringes or borders may by my present apparatus be thoroughly cleaned without In addition, the cleaning solutions, which are sometimes very expensive, may be utilized over and over again without appreciable loss until they become so saturated with dirt as to lose their cleaning effectiveness.

It should be understood that changes and modiflcations in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the cleaning apparatus may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention. It may be added that the shell A is preferably provided with a suitable valve-controlled discharge outlet 32 for the convenient removal of spent or used cleaning solution.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising a shell having an upwardly presented slot for receiving rugfringe, a shaft mounted at its ends in and extending axially through the shell, a pair of diametrally opposed radial brush-members mounted on the shaft and being at their outer ends in substantial contact with the inner face of the shell for forcibly brushing the fringe against said shell-face, a pair of U-shaped somewhat resilient members mounted at their bights upon the shaft substantially midway between the brushes and having outwardly extending parallel leg-members substantially shorter than the brushes for beating the fringe, and means mounted exteriorly of the shell and operatively connected with said brush for rotating said shaft.

2. Apparatus for cleaning the fringes of rugs and the like comprising an elongated cylindrical tube having a concentric shaft journaled therein, said shaft being provided with two diametrically op-posite narrow lines of bristles extending axially along the shaft and projecting radially outwardly therefrom into endwise snug-fitting abutment against the inner face of the tube for engaging a rug fringe inserted into the tube and forcing the fringe against the inner face of the tube with a scrubbing action, and a pair of U- shaped channel members respectively affixed at their bights to, and extending axially along, the shaft on opposite sides thereof approximately midway between the lines of bristles, said channel members having legs extending outwardly from the shaft and being substantially shorter in length than the bristles for entangling engagement momentarily with the extremity of the rug fringe as the fringe is released by the bristles during rotation of the shaft whereby to impose upon the fringe edges a wringing and further scrubbing action to insure uniform cleansing of the fringes throughout their length.

`3. A cleaning apparatus for cleansing a rug fringe in situ without necessitating removal of the rug from the floor comprising an elongated low lying frame adapted to rest directly on the floor and having a downwardly inclined face plate adapted to extend under and lift up the fringed margin of the rug as the frame is pushed toward the rug, a solution-containing shell mounted in the frame and having an upwardly presented slot for receiving a rug-fringe, a Vbrush mounted for axial rotation within the shell for scrubbing the fringe when the latter is disposed within the shell for brush-engagement, an upstanding extension on the frame and handle means mounted in the upper Yend of the extension and connected to the brush for facilitating rotation of the brush without necessitating stooping or bending on the part of the operator.

4. A cleaning apparatus comprising an elongated solution-containing shell having an upwardly presented slot for receiving a rug-fringe, the margins of said slot lying in a substantially horizontal plane, a brush mounted for axial rotation in either direction within the shell, a faceplate inclined to the plane of the slot for supporting the rug adjacent the fringe when the latter is disposed within the shell for brush-engagement, and a line of spaced pins fixed in the face-plate in outwardly spaced relation to the slot and projecting upwardly from the faceplate at right angles to the plane of the slot for holding the rug regardless of the direction of rotation of the brush.

ROBERT E. COCKRELL.

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