US2970332A

US2970332A - Hand held swab or mop holder

Info

Publication number: US2970332A
Application number: US787024A
Authority: US
Inventors: Milton A Zelinkoff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-01-15
Filing date: 1959-01-15
Publication date: 1961-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 1978-02-07

Description

Feb. 7, 1961 M A. ZELINKOFF HAND HELD SWAB OR MOP HOLDER Filed Jan. 15, 1959 INVENTOR. M/Z TON A. ZEL/NKOFF United States Patent This invention relates to dusters, It is particularly directed to a member comprising a handle having a flexible strap at one end adapted to be looped to encircle and grip a duster head ormop.

An object of this invention is' to provide a device of the character described, so constructed that the loop may be varied in size to accommodate dusting heads of various sizes, or to vary the degree of grip on such duster heads.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described, a loop portion provided with means to grip'the duster head or pufi in such a way that it will not easily be dislodged.

. Stillanother object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described comprising an elongated handle and a flexible strap portion at one end of the handle, which may be looped and engaged in looped condition, the construction being such that the said flexible strap portion may be looped either to one side or the other, means being further provided to retain the loop in any one of a plurality of adjusted sizes.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described, a member made of synthetic plastic material, such as polyethylene, and comprising a thicker semi-rigid handle portion, formed at one end with an opening, and an elongated flexible strap portion extending from the handle portion provided with a head at its outer end, whereby said strap may be looped back and the head passed through the opening, and said handle having grooves for engaging the head to retain the strap in looped condition.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a construction of the character described, in which the strap is provided with longitudinal ridges for gripping a puff gripped by the loop.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable device of the character described, which shall be attractive inappearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate and adjust, and which is yet practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrative embodiments of this invention.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device embodying the invention, stretched flat;

Fig. 2 is a side edge view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 5 is a partial enlarged view of the portion of the becoming dislodged. The handle portion 11 will retain- 2,970,332 Patented Feb. 7, 1961 structure shown in Fig. 1, which has the slot for receiving Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one end of the device, 1

shown in Fig. 1, looped around a puff; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of the structure shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, lfldesignates a holder for a cluster or pufl; The same may be injection molded from linear polyethylene. prises an elongated handle portion 11. The handle portion 11 may comprise a thin web 12 and side flanges 13, being of I cross-section, as shown in Fig. 3 0f the drawing. The flanges 13 may be interconnected by intermediate transverse webs 15, at opposite sides of Web 12.

At one end, the handle portion 11 is formed with an opening 16, and with an annular reinforcing web 17 surrounding the opening, so that the device may be hung up on a hook or nail. The handle portion 11 tapers gradually, but slightly, from its rear end forwardly. At its forward end 19, the handle portion 11 is formed with a longitudinal central slot 20. The portion 19 is thickened thinner very flexible strap portion 30, connected to portion 19 by curved shoulder portions 31.

The strap 30 comprises a central elongated flexible band portion 32, which is thinner and narrower than the portion 19. On opposite sides of said central portion 32 are formed a plurality of elongated ridges 34. Although the drawing shows seven ridges or teeth on each side, any suitable number of such ridges may be employed. The ridges are fairly sharp and form teeth in cross-section.

At the outer end of the strap portion 30 is a head 40. The head 40 is in the form of a tongue, which is wider than the strap, and about as thick as the central portion 32 of said strap. It may be formed, if desired, with a central opening 41. Its side edges are preferably curved inwardly and forwardly, as at 42.

The .pufi or duster head 50 may comprise a plurality of strands of wool, cotton, or other fibrous material. These strands may be stitched together at the middle. In use the strap'30 may be looped by bringing the head 40 back, twisting it and pressing it through the opening 20, and

' then turning the head again to normal, to engage the head within one of the sets or pairs of grooves 21. There is thus formed a loop 69, which grips the central portion of the duster head 50', and constricts the central portion,

errnitting the outer ends of the strands to expand and fluff, so that the loop is not seen. The strands of which the duster head 50 is made may be of very soft flufiy fibrous material.

It will be noted that the thickness of the head 40 is somewhat less than the width of the grooves 21. The head 40 has rear shoulders 45, and it is these shoulders which engage within the grooves 21. It will be noted, furthermore, that the strap may be looped either to the right or to the left, and that the head may be engaged either in the first, second, or third pair of grooves, so as to obtain a loop of one of three sizes. The elongated teeth 34 grip and dig into the central portion of the puif or cluster head 50 to prevent the pufi from sliding out or its straight shape, but, nevertheless, is flexible, being made of polyethylene material.

It will be noted that the width of the head 40 is such that it will pass through the slot 20, when said head is twisted into alignment with said slot. Also, the width of The handle 10' com-.

3 the slot 20 is greater than the thickness of the head 40 so that said head may readily pass through said slot.

it will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the condition of prac tical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Although the device herein has been described as a duster, it may equally be termed an applicator, mop, or mop holder, as the device may carry a mop as well as any other duster head or puff. Therefore, the term duster head or puff is to be regarded synomonous with mop.

I claim:

1. A holder for a duster head made of a single piece of synthetic plastic, comprising an elongated relatively rigid and thicker handle portion formed with a slot adjacent one end thereof, and with an integral, relatively flexible and thinner elongated strap extending from said end coaxially and longitudinally of the handle, a head at the outer end of said strap, said strap being of such flexibility that it is adapted to be looped backwardly, and said head being of such size that it is adapted to be passed through said slot, and engaged with portions of the handle, on opposite sides of said slot.

2. A one piece holder for a duster head, comprising an elongated reatively rigid handle portion formed with a slot adjacent one end thereof, and with an integral relatively flexible elongated strap extending from said end longitudinally of the handle, a head at the outer end of the strap, said strap being adapted to be looped backwardly, and said head being of such size that it is adapted to be passed through said slot, and engaged with portions of the handle on opposite sides of said slot, said handle being provided with groove means in an outer face thereof, adjacent said slot, to receive a portion of said head, after said head has been passed through said slot.

3. A holder for a duster, comprising a one piece member made of synthetic plastic material and having an elongated handle portion formed with an opening adjacent one end thereof, a strap extending axially and longitudinally from said end of said handle portion and being more flexible than the handle, a head at the outer end of said strap, said strap having such flexibility that it can be looped by hand, said head being of such shape as to pass through saidopening, and said handle having means to engage said head, to keep said strap in looped condition.

4. The combination of claim 3, said strap being formed with elongated ridges for gripping a duster head.

5. A holder for a duster head, comprising a member having an elongated handle, said handle being formed adjacent one end thereof with a longitudinally extending slot, and with pairs of grooves extending on opposite sides of said slot, a flexible strap portion extending from said end of said handle, a head at the outer end of said strap portion, said head being wider than the strap portion, said strap being adapted to be looped back so that the head may be twisted and said head being of such size that it may be passed through the slot, and then twisted back so as to be disposed transversely of the slot, and rear edge portions of said head being of such size that said portions are adapted to engage in each of said plurality of pairs of grooves, selectively.

6. The combination of claim 5, said pairs of grooves being formed at opposite faces of said handle.

7. The combination of claim-5, said strap being formed with elongated ridges.

8. The combination of claim 7, said pairs of grooves being formed at opposite faces of said handle portion, and said ridges being formed at opposite sides of said strap portion.

9. The combination of c aim 5, said holder being made of a single piece of polyethylene.

10. The combination of claim 5, said strap being narrower and thinner than said handle, and said slot being longer than the width of the head and wider than the thickness of said head.

11-. The combination of claim 5, said holder being a single piece and said handle being substantially rigid.

12. The combination of claim 11, said pairs of grooves being formed on an outer face of the handle, and on opposite sides of the slot, said slot having straight parallel inner edges.

13. The combination of claim 12, and said strap being formed with elongated ridges on an outer face thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 197,858 Jenkins Dec. 4, 1877 822,377 Lesso June 5, 1906 1,123,784 Mulder Jan. 5, 1915 2,242,543 Phipps May 20, 1941 2,242,869 Phipps May 20, 1941 2,825,084 Sanborn Mar. 4, 1958