US2994096A - Sponge mop - Google Patents

Description

- Filed March 15 1950 Aug. 1, 1961 s VAUGHN 2,994,096

SPONGE MOP 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fllll.

SidneyPVquy/rn 1961 V s. P. VAUGHN 2,994,096

SPONGE MOP Filed March 15, 1.950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2,994,096 L SPONGE MOP Sidney P. Vaughn, 4332 Hermosa Way, San Diego, Calif. Filed Mar. 15, 1950, Ser. No. 149,677 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) This invention relates to improvements in mops and the like and more particularly to sponge mops wherein a wringer element is hinged to wring a replaceable sponge cleaning element.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an economical mop of this class of simplified construction which will be sturdy, attractive and efficient in operation and which will provide a greater degree of facility in assembly and in replacing the sponge cleaning element in correct relation relative to the wringer element for convenience and reliability in operation.

Another important object is to eliminate the usual socalled mop head normally co-extensive with the backing of the sponge element.

Another important object is to provide a mop of the class described which will permit the use of any length of sponge refill and will permit the employment of any length of wringer element corresponding to the sponge refill length.

Still another object is to permit longitudinal adjustment of the sponge mop refill relative the wringer element and mop handle to position the refill as desired relative thereto.

The principal feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel combination with a presser or wringer element and a sponge cleaning element of a socket, which socket includes the means permitting hinging of the wringer element and releaseable securement of the handle and sponge cleaning element or refill in cooperative relation for eflicient mopping and wringing action.

According to one aspect of the invention the socket has formed integral therewith at the lower end hinge lug means for the hinging of a wringer plate and means affording the connection of the socket directly to the backing of a sponge refill.

Specifically, in one preferred form the socket is formed at its lower forward edge into a jaw carrying upturned hinge ears aligned above the jaw for the pivoting of a wringer element and includes the means to permit the swivelling of an opposing jaw member to clamp a sponge refill between said jaws in desired relation to the wringer element.

These and other objects and features will be apparent from the following description in reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a mop constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of a socket generally similar to the socket of FIGURES 1 and 2 but formed by die casting.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational View of the socket of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of the socket of FIGURES 3 and 4 showing the portion of the sponge refill gripped by the jaws of the socket.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative form of socket showing the socket clamping a sponge refill.

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view partly broken away of another alternative form of mop showing a socket incorporating means for employing wing nuts to clamp the socket to the refill backing.

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Patented Aug. 1, 1961 FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the socket of the mop of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a section taken on 99 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the wringer element handle of FIGURE 7 showing the manner in which the wringer element is secured thereto.

This invention utilizes the advent of sponge mop refills of the type employing rigid backing plates, as for instance shown in my United States Patents 2,159,601, April 11, 1939 and 2,313,787, March 16, 1943 where the sponge is firmly backed throughout its length by providing a socket capable of rigidly supporting the refill in relation to a wringer element while in contact with the central portion only of the refill, thus eliminating the usual mop head construction wherein the head is substantially co-extensive with the refill.

The invention thus provides many advantages in manufacture, in the important saving of metal, the elimination of separate head and socket formations and the problem of assembling the socket head and wringer hinge in correct position for efficient action of the wringer element and sponge refill.

It is an important concept of the present invention that in forming the socket the correct position of the wringer element and the sponge refill are automatically determined without recourse to accurate assembly operations required in present sponge mop constructions.

With reference to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a mop employing a socket l to receive a handle 2 and formed with a curved extension 3 flaring forwardly and downwardly and terminating in a downturned jaw 4 having an inturned lower edge 5.

Formed up from the forward extension 3 at each end thereof are hinge ears 6, while at the rear of the socket are formed hinge ears 7 formed as part of the extension 3 at the rear upward edges thereof.

The axes of each of the ears 6 and 7 are parallel, and hinged to ears 7 is a depending jaw 8 formed with a recessed face 9. A bolt 10 extending through the extension 3 of the socket and through jaw 8 permits wing nut 11 threaded thereon to operate jaw S to clamp the backing 12 of the sponge cleaning refill 13 between jaws 4 and 8.

The refill 13 illustrated is of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,313,787 but it will be understood that other types of refills may be employed, and the construction of the refill is independent of the invention.

It will be seen however that with the jaws 4 and 8 shaped as disclosed an interlock between the jaws and refill backing 12 is provided which enables a very rigid grip to be maintained on the backing, affording adequate support for the refill with the backing gripped at the central portion only.

Hinged to ears 6 is a link 14, while hinged to the upper edge of the link is a wringer element 15 including a handle 16 and wringing grid formed of the bars 17.

The hinged link 14 is provided with a torsion spring 18 mounted on hinge pin 19 fringing the wringer to the link. The ends 26 of this spring bear on the hinge link while an extended intermediate portion 21 bears on the forward edge of the wringer to swing the wringer rearwardly of the hinge link. A stop projection 22 formed on the wringer limits rearward motion of the wringer about pivot pin 19 so that the spring 24) normally maintains the wringer and link in the position of FIGURE 2.

The wringing action provided by the employment of the hinge link 14, torsion spring 18 and stop 22 corresponds to the wringing action fully described in my Patent No. 2,708,282, granted May 17, 1955, and my Patent No. 2,813,287, granted November 19, 1957. However, I do not wish to limit myself to the particular wringing element and wringing action employed in FIGURES 1 and 2, as it will be understood that the concepts of my invention may be employed with other wringing actions.

The socket 1 is formed to provide side-retaining lugs 23 receiving clip 24 engaging a bar of the wringer element 15 to normally maintain the wringer element in the position of FIGURE 2. It will be seen that the outer end of the clip 24 is bent to provide a catch or latch 25.

The extension 3 of the socket is preferably arched transversely, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, to increase the rigidity of the section and the socket and to resist deformation of the extension 3 under the force through the bolt 16 of clamping the jaws 4 and 8.

It will be seen that the socket in having formed integral therewith the hinge ears 6 forms the means of hingedly supporting the wringer element and also forms the means of carrying the sponge refill as well as the usual mop handle.

Briefly the operation of the device is as follows: the handle 16 of the wringer or presser element 15 is swung forwardly and downwardly with the spring 18 maintaining the wringer and its hinge link 14 in alignment until the link strikes the jaw portion 4 of the socket at which time continued movement of the wringer causes it to swing on pivot or hinge pin 19 against the forward and underside of the sponge cleaning element 13. Further swinging of the wringer will compress the sponge upwardly against rigid backing 12 to squeeze the water therefrom. The movement of the wringer back to the position of FIGURES l and 2., where it is substantially parallel to the handle 2, is simply reversed with the wringer pivoting on hinge pin 19 until aligned with link 14 at which time the wringer and link swing together until the wringer engages with the catch or latch 24.

FIGURE 3 shows a slightly modified form of socket 26 formed as a die casting with the hinge lugs 27 integral with the downward and forward extension portion 28 formed at its lower end into the jaw 29. At the rear the socket is formed with a hinge lug 30, FIGURE 4, and pivoted to the socket from this lug 30" is the jaw 31 having a bifurcated upper end 32 receiving the hinge lug. The casting also includes the lugs 33 for retaining clip 34 arranged to provide the function of clip 24 of retaining the wringer element in position relative the socket.

FIGURE shows a die cast socket of the type of FIGURES 3 and 4 gripping a modified form of sponge cleaning refill 35. In this case the sponge is backed by a wood backing 36 formed with projecting rib means 37 to interlock with the jaws 29 and 31. The backing is disclosed as provided with tongues 38 interlocking in grooves 39 in the sponge of the refill.

Referring to FIGURE 6, the integral jaw 40 and hinge lugs 41 stamped up therefrom are shown as separate from socket 42 but welded thereto to be integral therewith, with the socket formed with an enlarged base 43 to carry the integral jaw and hinge ears. The socket also includes the hinge lug 44 on which is pivoted jaw '45 operated by the bolt 46 and wing nut 47. The refill 48 is shown with a rigid wood backing 49.

FIGURE 7, showing a further alternative form of mop, again has the hinge ears for the wringer element and the means for clamping the socket to the refill integral therewith. In this instance the socket is formed as a split ring 50 terminating in the abutting clamp lugs 51 and the retaining member 52, in the form of the Wing nut, holds handle 52, clamped in the socket.

The bottom edges of the socket portion are turned laterally to provide the Wings 53 and at the forward edge the socket is formed to provide hinge lugs 54.

Secured to the ring portion St is a U-clip 55 to receive handle 56 of wringer element 57 pivoted to link 58 pivoted to the hinge ears or lugs 54. The link 58 carries a stop 22' to limit clockwise motion of the wringer, and a torsion spring 18' is utilized to maintain the wringer against its step. In this form the socket 50 is clamped 4 to the backing 59 of the refill 60 by the wing screws 61 threaded through wings 53 and into the backing.

As shown in FIGURE 10, handle 56 of the wringer element has forward rib formations 62 provided with slots 63 in which the cross wires 64 of the wringer element are received with the metal of the rib formations 62. crimped to hold the wringer thereto.

It will be understood that the various forms of sockets described will permit of any length of sponge refill to be clamped thereto while ensuring that the refill is in correct relation relative the wringer element for correct wringer action.

With a wringer element, as shown for instance in FIGURE 10, the mop can be assembled minus the wringer element and refill and when the desired size of refill is chosen a corresponding size of wringer element can be placed in position in the slots 63 and secured therein by crimping.

With the clamping actions of the sockets of FIGURES l to 6 a refill can'be quickly inserted and replaced.

In all of the illustrations it is important to note that the socket forms the means of retaining the mop handle, hingedly supporting the wringer element, and clamping the sponge in correct relation to the handle and wringer element. The socket also includes the means for retaining the wringer element in its normal inoperative position adjacent the mop handle.

It will thus be understood that, by the novel construction of a socket retaining handle, wringer element and sponge mop refill, the normal mop head construction has been eliminated to provide an important advance in the art.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a sponge mop, a socket member comprising a tubular portion to receive a handle and having an enlarged base extension at one side flared forwardly and downwardly to form a clamping jaw, hinge ear means formed up from said base extension remote from said tubular portion, a hinge pin secured in said hinge ear means and spaced from and forming a bridge across said base extension, at wringer element pivotally supported from said socket by said pin, and clamp jaw means pivoted to said socket member remote from said hinge and adapted to cooperate with said clamping jaw to permit said base to be removably clamped to the backing of a sponge cleaning element.

2. In a sponge mop, a socket member comprising a tubular portion to receive a handle and having at the bottom at one side an extension flared forwardly and downwardly to a broad clamp jaw, spaced hinge means formed up and integral with said flared bottom extension remote from said tubular portion, said hinge means being adapted to receive a hinge pin therein spaced from and forming a bridge across said jaw to hingedly support a wringer element from said socket, and clamp means pivoted to said socket member remote from said hinge means and co-acting with said clamp jaw permitting said socket to be releasably clamped to the backing of a sponge cleaning element.

3. In wringer sponge mop, a socket member comprising a tubular handle-receiving portion having at one side a flared base extension shaped to form a jaw, hinge ear means formed up from said base projecting above said jaw remote from said tubular portion, a hinge pin pivoted in said hinge ear means spaced from and forming a bridge across said jaw, a wringer element pivotally supported from said hinge pin, a second jaw adapted to co-act with the aforesaid jaw to clamp the backing of a sponge cleaning element pivoted to said socket member in opposing relation to the aforesaid jaw, and means carried by said socket for operating said jaws into clamping relation.

4. In a sponge mop, a sponge cleaning element having a stiff backing adhered thereto, a handle, a pair of opposing jaws attached to one end of said handle wherein one jaw is fixed to the handle and the other jaw is pivoted to the fixed jaw to open and close, means to cause the pivoted jaw to open and close with relation to the fixed jaw to clamp or unclamp the stifi backing of the sponge cleaning element, and a wringer element pivotally mounted on one of said jaws to swing from a position substantially parallel with the said handle to a downward position into contact with the sponge cleaning element to squeeze the same.

5. A sponge mop comprising a handle, a pair of opposing jaws secured to the lower end of said handle, one jaw being fixed and the other being movable towards and from the fixed jaw, a sponge cleaning element having a rigid backing secured thereto disposed with said backing bet-ween said jaws, means for moving said movable jaw to clamp and unclamp said rigid backing, and a wringer element pivotally supported from one of said jaws to swing from a position disposed above said latter jaw downwardly into engagement with and to compress said sponge cleaning element.

6. A sponge mop comprising a handle, a fixed jaw secured to the lower end of said handle, a movable jaw pivoted to said fixed jaw to move towards and from said fixed jaw, a sponge cleaning element comprising a sponge block having a rigid backing secured to the upper face thereof, said sponge block being disposed with said rigid backing projecting between said jaws, means for actuating said pivoted jaw to clamp and unclamp said rigid backing, and a presser element pivotally secured to one of said jaws to swing from a position substantially parallel with said handle to a downward position into contact with the sponge cleaning element to squeeze the same.

7. In a sponge mop in combination, a handle, a socket secured to the lower end of said handle and formed to provide a fixed downwardly directed jaw, a second downwardly directed jaw pivotally secured to said socket in opposing relation to said fixed jaw and arranged to move in a direction towards and from said fixed jaw, a sponge cleaning element provided with a rigid backing disposed with said rigid backing between said jaws, means for operating said pivotal jaw to clamp and unclamp said backing, a wringer element, and means pivotally securing said wringer element to said fixed jaw to swing from a position substantially parallel to said handle, downwardly, rearwardly and upwardly to engage said sponge and compress same against said backing.

8. In a sponge mop, in combination, a handle, a socket member comprising a tubular portion secured to the lower end of said handle and having at the bottom at one side an extension flared forwardly and downwardly of said handle to a broad fixed clamping jaw, a second downwardly directed jaw pivotally secured to said socket at the rear of said handle in opposing relation to said fixed jaw and arranged to move in a direction towards and from said fixed jaw, a sponge cleaning element provided with a rigid backing disposed with said rigid backing between said jaws, means for operating said pivotal jaw to clamp and unclamp said backing, a wringer element pivotally supported from said forwardly flared extension forwardly of said handle to swing from a position substantially parallel to said handle, downwardly, rearwardly and upwardly to engage said sponge and compress same against said backing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 66,612 Morahan July 9, 1867 692,739 Tranter Feb. 4, 1902 936,460 Lawlor Oct. 12, 1909 1,015,625 Lawlor Jan. 23, 1912 1,344,198 Beam June 22, 1920 1,466,052 Kroll Aug. 28, 1923 1,821,136 Bolakowski Sept. 1, 1931 2,165,319 Vaughn July 11, 1939 2,222,368 Lux Nov. 19, 1940 2,288,647 Reynolds July 7, 1942 2,423,658 Priem July 8, 1947 2,442,467 Lux June 1, 1948 2,550,397 Bagley Apr. 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 173,668 Switzerland Oct. 24, 1933 222,516 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1942

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