US2702915A

US2702915A - Self-contained window cleaning implement

Info

Publication number: US2702915A
Application number: US197600A
Authority: US
Inventors: Anderson Ralph Andrew
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-11-25
Filing date: 1950-11-25
Publication date: 1955-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-01

Description

Filed NOV. 25, 1950 INVENTOR llllll II latented Mar. 1, 1955 United States Patent Office SELF-CONTAINED WINDOW CLEANING IMPLEMENT Ralph Andrew Anderson, Perth Amboy, N. J. Application November 25, 1950, Serial No. 197,600

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-136) The invention relates to improvements in window cleaning implements of the self-contained type for washing and wiping windows More particularly, it relates to self-contained window cleaning implements of the type having a sponge (or brush) and a squeegee attached to a handle which also serves as a reservoir for cleaning fluid, and includes a discharge nozzle and manually operable liquid pumping means for discharging fluid from the reservoir through the nozzle in a small stream or squirt.

Various types of self-contained window cleaning implements have been designed wherein cleaning fluid may be transferred onto a window surface being cleaned either directly, through a spray nozzle, or indirectly through a porous cleaning element. Most of such devices, however, are made largely of metal and (as a result) are cumbersome, awkward to use, and expensive to manufacture. Also, require a mechanical device such as a manually operable piston for pumping the cleaning fluid. Such construction requires the careful assembly of relatively large numbers of separate parts to form an implement of this type resulting in a high manufacturing cost.

The present invention differs from prior devices p'rincipally in certain features of construction, arrangfiment, and combination of parts, which result in the production of an improved and simplified self-contained window cleaning implement.

The advantages of the Well-known techniques of casting plastic materials, and in particular die casting and injection molding, as well as the great numbers of different materials which can be so cast, provides a most economical method for the production of largenumbers of preformed articles at low cost.

The application of these techniques to the production of a self-contained window cleaning implement has made it possible to produce an improved cleaning implement which is constructed of a minimum number of separate parts. Also, by the use of a resilient (rubber) tubular pumping element, further simplification and reduction of the number of parts and cost is obtained.

The object of the invention is" to provide an improved and simplified self-contained Window cleaning implement which is light in weight, convenient to use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selfcontained window cleaning implement having 'an elongated tubular reservoir with integral check valve and conduit means within an inwardly enlarged wallportion or rib of said reservoir.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selfcontained window cleaning implement having a resilient tubular pumping element mounted longitudinally on the reservoir for convenient hand grip operation by a user.

Another object of the invention is to pr'ovide a selfcontained window cleaning implement having an elongated tubular reservoir with integral check valve and conduit means within an enlarged wall portion of the reservoir, and a longitudinally mounted resilient tubular pumping element connected with said valve and conduit means for hand grip operation by a user for' pumping cleaning fluid through a nozzle as a small stream or squirt. v 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a selfcontained window cleaning implement having a tubular reservoir made of a rigid plastic material which has,

such previous devices usually saw,

the present construction provides a tubular liquid 2 within an inwardly enlarged wall portion or rib, an integral check valve: chamber and conduit means connectmg. the reservoir with an integrally formed nozzle near the upper end of said reservoir.

A feature of the invention is the construction of the reservoir by joining. and sealing together two cooperating longitudinal half-section castings having identical preformed recesses or depressions in a corresponding mated wall of each half-section so that an integral check valve chamber and fluid conduits are formed within a wall portion of said reservoir when the two half-section castmgs are joined together.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of means for the detachable mounting of a cleaning element and a wiping element on the upper end of said reservoir.

The foregoing and many other advantages and desirable features of the invention will appear as a disclosure of a preferred embodiment is more fully made in the following detailed description and accompanying sheet of drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the body or reservoir portion of the device is shown somewhat enlarged with respect to the squeegee and sponge elements mounted thereon, in order to more clearly disclose the novel features of the invention.

In this drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation of the improved self-contained window cleaner; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view along the line II-Il, Fig. l, with the cap 10 and gasket 11 removed; Fig. 3 is a cross section only of the device along the line III-III, Fig. 1-, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a cross section only of the device along the line IV-IV, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a cross section of the device along the line VV, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The drawing shows a vertical tubular liquid supply container which acts as a reservoir for holding cleaning fluid and as a conveniently grasped handle for the entire device so that it can be easily manipulated by one hand of an operator in use.

In one form of the invention as illustrated, a liquid supply container closed at its upper end is formed as a convenient elongated handle by joining and sealing together two cooperating longitudinal half-section plastic castings 1 and. 2, said half-section parts having preformed cooperating recesses or depressions along a thickened mating edge of each half-section so that when alignedand joined together along lines a, a as shown, in Figs. 2 through 5, these half-sections not only form the desired container but also provide a single integral rib comprising aninwardly enlarged wall portion which extends down longitudinally on one side along the inner wall of the container from its upper end nearly to the bottom thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The preformed. depressions are thus arranged to provide within the longitudinally extended integral rib, a nozzle orifice 3, a conduit 4, and a check valve chamber complete with inlet orifice 5, and control orifice 6. Not shown in the drawings are any conventional interlocking protuberances or grooves along lines a, a which could be used, if necesto provide a means for accurately aligning the two matched halves of the container. To provide a more perfect valve seat for the ball check 7, a funnebshaped insert 8, which might preferably be of metal, could be used as shown. Also, in order to prevent the ball check 7 from blocking either the conduit 4, or the control orificc' 6,, a means such as the attached transverse pin 9, Figs. 1 and 2, could be used. Of course, the ball check 7,, valve seat 8, and pin 9, would be placed properly in the 'valve cavity of one. of the half-sections before sealing together with its mated half section. It will largely be obvious from the previous description and drawings that pp y container having an integral rib which extends down along the inner wall of said container with a check valve and fluid conduits therein providing means for elrecting transfer of fluid from the container out through the nozzle orifice 3'.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lower, open end of this container is threaded so that it may be closed tightly with a screw-on cap 10 having a gasket 11.

The cleaning fluid may be pumped out through-the nozzle orifice 3 by means of a resilient rubber-like pumping element 12 of generally tubular form integral with the rubberbands 13 and '14 at 'each end encircling the container tightly, and oriented thereon so that-an orifice on the inside surface of the lowermost band 14 shall connect firmly with the control orifice 6 so as to provide a leakproof pumping connection between 'the tubular pumping element 12 and the valve chamber as shown in Fig. 1. The upper band 13 and thelower band 14 are further oriented so that the resilient tubular pumping element 12 is held close to the outer container wall and in normal axial alignment with said container. It should be obvious that other equally suitable means could be used to mount the tubular pumping element 12 longitudinally on the container.

The

rubber bands

13 and 14 thus tend to reinforce and protect the plastic container formed of the two halfsections 1 and 2, and further reinforcement of the upper end of the container is obtained by means of the two machine screws 16 and 17 (see Fig. 2), one attached in half-section 1, the other in half-section 2, used to hold the bracket 18 in a recessed transverse groove across the closed top end of the container.

The extended ends of bracket 18 each have twooppositely disposed dove-tail shaped cut-out sections adapted to hold firmly but removably, a cooperating dove-tail mounted squeegee 19 and cellulose sponge 15. This bracket should preferably be of springable corrosion resistant metal so that the dove-tail gripping connection could be maintained by bending or twisting the extended ends slightly askew.

Thus, both the squeegee and the cellulose sponge or other scrubbing means would be removable for replacement or cleaning so that different widths of squeegee and/or cellulose sponge could be interchangeably used. In the form of the invention as herein illustrated, it has seemed generally most desirable to have the resilient tubular pumping element 12, the nozzle orifice 3, and the cellulose sponge 15, all disposed on the same side of the device. The device may thus be conveniently gripped and held in one hand, with the nozzle orifice 3 directed towards a window, and with all fingers except the thumb resting on the tubular pumping element 12. When the reservoir is first filled with cleaning fluid, the pumping element 12 contains air. However, upon .initially squeezing or compressing element 12 by tightening the fingers, almost all of the air is forced out of element J 12 through control orifice 6 into the valve chamber where it escapes by passing out through nozzle orifice 3. Now when the fingers are relaxed sufficiently, the tubular pumping element 12 by its inherent resilience expands to its normal form and draws in liquid from the reset;

voir through control orifice 6 and valve inlet orifice 5. The ball check 7 seats by gravity in the valve seat 8 and, since the liquid level in the reservoir is normally higher than inlet orifice 5 and control orifice 6, air cannot normally be drawn down into the pumping element 12 through the nozzle orifice 3 and conduit4. With the pumping element 12 thus essentially full of cleaning fluid, again tightening the fingers will compress the resilient tubular pumping element 12, and cleaning fluid will be pumped from element 12 through orifice 6 into the valve chamber up through conduit 4, and out through nozzle orifice 3 as a small stream or squirt which may be directed onto a window pane. The ball check 7 thus acts to permit fluid to be drawn into the resilient tubular pumping element 12 when that element is allowed to expand, and to prevent liquid from re-entering the reservoir when element 12 is compressed. When element 12 is manually compressed, the ball check 7 is seated tightly both by gravity and by fluid pressure so that the cleaning fluid is forced out through the nozzle orifice 3. Thus, in effect, the only moving part is the ball check 7.

A capillary air vent 20 (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided at the upper end of the reservoir to prevent any fluid in the reservoir from being forced out through the nozzle orifice 3 when the ambient temperature rises or the atmospheric the device is used to close and to permit refilling the reservoir. However, in refilling this reservoir the capillary vent 20 would be at the bottom. Therefore, in order to prevent loss of fluid through this capillary vent during the refilling, either a finger could be placed on the vent, or, a separate, simple rubber band (not shown) encircling the (normally) upper end of the reservoir could be simply slipped over the capillary vent 20 in order to seal it temporarily while refilling.

In use, the device is held in one hand with the nozzle directed towards, e. g., a window, and a quick succession of pressure and release on the rubber pumping element 12 by the fingers of the same hand, will, by a positive pumping action, squirt the desired amount of cleaning fluid onto the window. Immediately, with no change of the position of the device as initially held in the hand, the cellulose sponge (or brush) portion of the device, in a cleaning and scrubbing action is used to apply and spread the cleaning liquid. Upon then rotating the device in the hand, the squeegee part may then be quickly used in a conventional manner to completely remove the film of dirty fluid from the window.

The preceding description and accompanying drawings have disclosed an improved and simplified selfcontained window cleaning implement which may be constructed at low cost from a minimum number of separate parts to provide a convenient and useful, inexpensively manufactured, window cleaning device.

The several advantages and features of the invention have been pointed out heretofore. Other advantages and features will undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art as well as will numerous modifications and alterations in the preferred construction illustrated. It will be understood, of course, that these deviations may be accomplished without sacrificing any of the principles of the invention and without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning implement of the type described including a rigid vertical tubular handle which is adapted to function as a reservoir for liquids, an integral fixed nozzle orifice which protrudes from one side of said handle near the upper end thereof, an integral rib which extends down longitudinally along the inner wall of said handle from a position behind said nozzle orifice to a position near the bottom of said reservoir, a check valve within the lower end of said rib having its lower end below the normal level of liquid in the reservoir and in direct flow controlling communication therewith, a conduit which extends up through said rib for connecting said check valve with said nozzle orifice, and a liquid pumping element mounted exteriorly of said reservoir, said element consisting of an elongated rubber tube closed at its upper end and having its lower end in flow connection with said conduit at its juncture with said check valve, said rubber tube being mounted longitudinally on said one side of said handle and having an intermediate longitudinal flexible portion exposed for direct manual engagement by the fingers of an operator while grasping said handle whereby said check valve blocks the passage of liquid therethrough when the rubber pumping element is compressed and permits liquid to flow from the reservoir therethrough into the rubber pumping element when that element is released.

2. A self contained cleaning implement having a rigid vertical tubular handle adapted to function as a container for liquids, an integral fixed nozzle orifice which protrudes from one side of said handle near the upper end thereof, an integral rib which extends down longitudinally along the inner wall of said handle from a position behind said nozzle orifice to a position near the bottom of said container, a check valve within the lower end of said rib in direct flow connection with liquid in said container, a conduit which extends up through said rib for connecting said check valve with said nozzle orifice, and a liquid pumping element made wholly of rubber having a substantial degree of elasticity, said pumping element comprising an elongated rubber tube closed at its upper end and having its lower end in liquid pumping connection with said conduit at its juncture with said check valve, said tubular pumping element having an integral resilient rubber band at each end fitting closely about said handle for mounting the pumping element longitudinally thereon and for holding it in leakproof connection with said conduit, said rubber pumping element having an intermediate longitudinal flexible portion exposed for direct manual engagement by the fingers of an operator while grasping said handle for pumping liquid from said container out through said nozzle orifice.

3. A self contained window cleaning implement havmg an elongated rigid vertical tubular handle of generally uniform cross-section along its length and of a suitable size to be conveniently grasped by an operators hand, said handle being hollow and thereby adapted, by a closure at its lower end, to serve as a reservoir for liquids, said handle having an integral top wall portion of substantially heavy section at the upper end thereof having a substantially flat transverse groove across the top for mounting a support for a cleaning element thereon, an integral fixed nozzle orifice at one side of said handle near the upper end thereof and at a position for directing a stream of liquid therefrom in a direction along a line substantially at right angles to a vertical plane through said transverse groove, and in close proximity to a mounted cleaning element, an integral rib which extends longitudinally down along the inside wall surface of said reservoir from a position of alignment behind said nozzle orifice to a position near the lower end of said reservoir, a check valve within the lower end of said rib having its lower end below the normal level of liquid contained in the reservoir and in direct flow controlling communication therewith, a conduit which extends up through said rib for conducting liquid from said check valve to said nozzle orifice, an integral pumping connection on said one side of said handle near the lower end thereof and in flow connection with said conduit at its juncture with said check valve, and a liquid pumping element made wholly of rubber which consists of an elongated rubber tube mounted longitudinally along said one side of said handle, said rubber tube having its upper end closed and having its lower end operatively attached to said pumping connection, said rubber tube having an integral flexible rubber band at each end fitting closely around said handle for mounting said rubber pumping element thereon and for holding it in leakproof connection with said pumping connection, said rubber pumping element having an intermediate longitudinal flexible portion exposed for direct manual engagement by the fingers of an operator while grasping said handle for pumping liquid from said reservoir out through said nozzle orifice onto a surface to which the cleaning element is simultaneously applied.

4. In a cleaning implement of the type described, having a rigid vertical tubular handle which is adapted to function as a liquid reservoir, a fixed nozzle orifice near the upper end thereof, a check valve at the lower end thereof in direct flow connection with liquid in said reservoir, and a conduit extending upwardly from said check valve to said nozzle orifice, an improved liquid pumping element which consists of a unitary structure formed wholly of rubber having a substantial degree of elasticity, said element comprising an elongated rubber tube closed at its upper end and having its lower end in liquid pumping connection with said conduit at its juncture with said check valve, said tubular pumping element having an integral resilient rubber band at each end fitting closely about said handle for mounting the pumping element longitudinally thereon and for holding it in leakproof connection with said conduit, said rubber pumping element having an intermediate longitudinal flexible portion exposed for direct manual engagement by the fingers of an operator in use while grasping said handle, for pumpingfi liquid from said reservoir out through said nozzle or ce.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS