US2336516A - Mop holder - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 14, 1943.

S. L. TOPLITZ MOP HOLDER Original Filed Feb. 17, 1942 INVENTORQ amson/ [.YZpZzLZZ aiiorn 'ey.

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Divided and this application December 22, 1942, Serial No. 469,827

Claims. (01. 15-153) This invention relates to mop holders, and more particularly to the type employed for holding so-called wet mops or swabs. This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 431,188, filed February 1'7, 1942, (abandoned May 5, 1943) One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an article of this character of strong, sturdy construction, yet of simple design, which will securely and effectively hold or grip a mop during the mopping operation; which will permit the quick release of the mop when desired; and in which the jaws of the device may, if desired, be stamped from relatively thin sheet metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mop holder with jaws and integral stick-engaging ferrules of relatively thin sheet metal reinforced by rib formation, so that buckling or bending of the jaws under clamping pressure is avoided in spite of the employment of relatively thin sheet metal for the jaws.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mop holder with jaws of the character described having integrally formed, channelled teeth, the teeth on one of the jaws lying in overlapped relation to those on the other jaw, whereby a firm grip on the mop is provided and shifting of it between the jaws is prevented.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a mop holder constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawing, the jaws of the mop, indicated respectively at 3| and 32, are similar in shape. This enables the manufacture of the mop holder to be performed economically since only one set of stamping dies is required to produce the mop holder. The jaws are both secured to the stick 3 by the bolt 9 passing through apertures in the ferrule portions 34 provided as integral extensions on each of the jaws. The apertures through which the bolt passes are preferably square to engage a similarly shaped part of the bolt and to prevent rotative movement of the bolt. By loosening or removal of the wing nut I0, adjustable on the bolt 9, one or the other of the jaws may be removed, or else loosened sufilciently to permit the insertion of a mop. Since only one of the jaws need be loosened to permit the in,- sertion of the mop, the other jaw may, if desired, be permanently fastened to the stick by a fastening element, such as a nail or pin passing through a hole provided in the ferrule 34 and entering the stick 3.

Each of the jaws 3| and 32 is provided with a rear wall 35, and when the jaws are in clamping position, it will be noted that the rear walls of the two jaws have their lower edges 36 either meeting one another, or else closely spaced from one another so that the rear end of the socket formed by the jaws is substantially closed and the mop head snugly confined therein. The ends 31 of the jaws consist of integrally formed bentover flanges gradually merging with end teeth 33 and extending between said end teeth and the rear wall 35. This not only strengthens the ends of the jaws, but forms a confining element that prevents lateral shift of the mop within the jaws.

The jaws 3| and 32 ar preferably stamped from relatively thin sheet metal, and, in fact, may be made of metal of approximately .032 in thickness, and are greatly stiffened or reinforced by the pressed out ribs ll, l2 and I3. The rib II is centrally disposed and extends from the front end of the square bolt-hole to the front or forward edge of the jaw. The ribs l2 and I3 extend from the front end of the jaw at the opposite forward corners of the same, and extend rearwardly toward the bolt-hole and into the ferrule 34 and substantially parallel to one another on opposite sides of the bolt-hole. These parallel portions of the ribs are indicated at 43. This disposition of the parallel portions 43 of the ribs l2 and I3 in close proximity to the bolthole serves to provide bearing surfaces against which the bottom of wing nut Ill may flatly operate. These ribs or ridges 43 afford a substantially large frictional surface against which the nut may engage.

With a mop holder of this character there is a tendency for unreinforced jaws to buckle and split in or near the area indicated at 50 in the drawing, and known holders of this general character are required to be made of relatively heavy sheet metal to prevent buckling at this point. By the angular disposition of the reinforcing ribs I2 and I3, and the continuation of these ribs well into the ferrule 34 and beyond the bolt-hole, the jaws are greatly stiffened through their normally weakest area, namely, in and around the area 50. It will be observed that adjacent to the area 50, the ribs ll, l2 and I3 are spaced closely together, and that the ribs 42 and I3 are located close to the edges of the jaws. This positioning of the several ribs within the narrower part of the jaw greatly strengthens the jaw, prevents buckling in this area, and enables a relatively thin sheet metal to be employed for the jaw.

Each of the jaws has its forward edge provided with a plurality of integrally formed, laterally bent, teeth, the teeth on the upper jaw being designated at l5, while those on the lower jaw-are indicated at I4. Since the jaws are made from relatively thin sheet metal, it is desirable that the teeth thereon be einforced or stiffened, and this is done by transversely arching or channelling the teeth inwardly, as indicated at 40 in Fig. 3, the concave surface of each tooth facing outwardly.

When the jaws are disposed in clamping relation, or as shown in Fig. 2, the teeth on the upper jaw overlap those on the lower jaw. In other words, the convex surfaces of. thev upper teeth are disposed in the concavities of the lower teeth. This overlapping disposition of the teeth permits them to penetrate deeply into the mop and provide a grip thereon of exceptional firmness.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a sturdy, strong mop holder of relatively simple construction. The mop is placed in position in the socket-like holder provided for it, by simply unthreading the wingnut sufliciently to enable the mop to be inserted between the jaws. The wing-nut is then tightened to cause the jaws to firmly clamp the mop between them. The deep penetration of the overlapping teeth into the mop causes a firm grip to be applied on the mop, and lateral shifting of the mop within the jaws is prevented by the confining flanges 31 at the ends of the mop.

'What I claim is:

1. In a mop holder, a pair of mop-engaging jaws formed from sheet metal, each of said jaws having its forward edge formed with a plurality of mop-penetrating pointed teeth extending substantially at right angles to the body of the jaw, each of said teeth being channelled longitudinally from its base to its: point to stiffen the same, the teeth on one of the jaws overlapping those on the other jaw and being disposed in the channels of the latter teeth when said jaws are in closed position.

2. In a mop holder, a pair of mop-engaging jaws formed from sheet metal, each of said jaws having its forward edge formed with a plurality of mop-penetrating pointed teeth extending substantially at right angles to the body of the jaw, each of said teeth being channelled longitudlnally from its base to its point to stiifen the same, the teeth on one of the jaws overlapping those on the other jaw and being disposed in the channels of the latter teeth when said jaws are in closed position, the concave faces of all of the teeth facing outwardly.

3. In a mop holder, a mop-engaging jaw having a toothed front edge, said jaw being provided'with a stick-embracing ferrule arcuate in cross section formed integrally with the jaw, a narrowed neck portion disposed between the jaw and ferrule and formed integrally therewith, the jaw, neck portion and ferrule being reinforced by several angular raised ridges two of which extendfrom opposite ends of the jaw and through the neck portion and adding stiffness thereto and extending without interruption into the ferrule, the ferrule being provided with a bolt-receiving aperture located between said two ridges, said two ridges extending substantially parallelon opposite sides of the aperture and sufllciently close thereto to provide spaced bearing surfaces for the clamping nut on a bolt extended through the aperture.

4. In a mop holder, a pair of co-operating mop-gripping jaws, each of said jaws having its forward edge formed with a plurality of integral teeth, the jaw also having at its rear a vertically disposed rear wall and having at the junction of its front wall and side edge an angular tooth having -a side wall portion disposed at the side edge of the jaw, said edge having a flange constituting a continuation of the side wall of the tooth and extending along the entire side edge of the jaw and widening toward the rear wall and meeting and integrally merging therewith.

5. In a mop holder, a pair of co-operating jaws formed from sheet metal and of clamshell curvature, each of said jaws having its forward edge formed with a plurality of integral teeth, each jaw having corner teeth located at the junction of the front and ends of the jaw, the jaw also having at its rear a vertically disposed rear wall and having a side flange extending along each of its ends between one of the corner teeth and the rear wall, one of the jaws having a bolt-receiving aperture, said jaw being provided with angular raised ribs extending between the corner teeth and said aperture, said ribs being flared in areas located between the rear wall and the teeth.

' SAMSON L. TOPLITZ.

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