US3013290A - Window squeegees - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 19, 1961 F. s. solTo 3,013,290

wINDow sQUEEGEEs Filed March 25, 1960 r j, ..Z/l// l United States Patent C) 3,013,290 WINDOW SQUEEGEES Frank S. Soito, 3039 Coolidge Ave., Oakland, Calif. Filed Mar. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 17,625 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-245) This invention relates to improvements in means for drying windows and provides an improvement in window squeegees, or window wipers as they are sometimes referred to, in which it is unnecessary to remove the squeegee blade from the back or holder for reversal when one edge of the blade becomes worn or damaged, and also provides a squeegee which can be used in either direction of operation, making it possible to clear lower portions of windows which are obstructed by llower boxes, ornamental grids or the like, through respective draw or pull and push operations, and which cannot be accomplished with the conventional squeegee and with which even a broad window ledge interferes with eilicient drying of the lower portion of a window.

Another important feature of this invention exists in the improved locking means for securing the blade in the holder and which more effectively secures the blade, but is also easier to insert and remove, and which also includes a partial ange which preferably engages in a recess in the end of the holder so as to make the back and ends of the squeegee unit flush, devoid of any projections.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide a squeegee or window wiper with a back or blade holder with lips of equal extension to permit inversion of the squeegee at will for pull and push operations.

Second, to provide a squeegee as outlined in which the lips are relatively short to avoid contact thereof with the window glass and thus avoid scratching or marring the glass.

Third, to provide a squeegee as outlined which requires only removal of the squeegee unit from thehandle and reinsertion of the follow end in the handle for conventional use of the relatively unusedV or little used edge of the squeegee blade.

Fourth, to provide end locking means for the blade and which is easily and quickly inserted and removed for replacement of blades.

Fifth, tol provide a squeegee as outlined which has greater resiliency resulting in more eliicient. wiping of windows and which is economical to manufacture.

In describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the invention shown in a conventional draw or pull operation and indicating the elect of obstructions at the lower end of a window.

FIG. 2 is another front elevation with the squeegee inverted and push operated to clear the window to the bottom when there are obstacles to prevent conventional use.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section through the invention showing the lips of equal projection, enlarged.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the invention showing the improved locking means for the wiper blade.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view partly shown in section to illustrate the locking means.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the locking means.

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 illustrates the conventional squeegee in which the upper lip is longer than the lower when used in the same manner shown in FIG. 2 and with the glass subject to scratch by lthe extended lip.

In describing the invention reference will first be had to FIG. 8 which shows the conventional squeegee in which the top lip 10 is considerably longer than the lower lip 11. Consequently, if the squeegee is to be used as illustrated in FIG. 2, the tendency of the rubber blade 12 is to deflect downwardly in View of the lack of restriction by the lower blade, consequently this type is suitable only for a draw operation as illustrated in FIG. l. If it were desired to arrange this type for a push operation, it would be necessary to remove the unit from the handle 13 and reverse it, and which would be impractical. Furthermore, with this type of squeegee unit, if the rubber blade is to be removed to present the unused edge, the blade holder must first be removed from the handle, the locking member removed from one end of the holder, the rubber blade pulled out, reversed, and reinserted, and the locking members replaced.

My invention overcomes these difficulties and impractical features and provides a squeegee unit, the holder 15 of which has the enlarged back for retaining the blade, but has relatively short lips 16 and 17 of substantially equal projection, substantially equal to the radius of the bulbous portion 18, with the blade 19 projecting almost twice the distance from the edges of the lips which therefore cannotl possibly engage the glass of the window. The blade can be thus used in either of the positions shown in FIGS. l and 2 without removal from the handle or holder, being interchangeable at will and always ready, it never being necessary to make any changes except when the blade is to be replaced.

For reversing the blade to present the unused edge for conventional draw operations, the unit is merely removed from the handle and reversed, no removal of the blade from the holder being necessary.

The locking means consists of an arcuate member 20 which includes an angle of not to exceed degrees to eliminate the conventional binding on the sides, and only the outer portion includes that angle, the member being tapered to the inner end as indicated at 22, and the front or outer end having a partial ange 23 having a height equal to the thickness of the wall of the holder 15,and the holder having end recesses at 25 and 26 for reception of these partial flanges to provide flush ends, and engaging elements 27, 2S' are indented to engage in the top of the bulbous portion of the blade.

As is illustrated in FIG. l, the hand 29 has contacted and been stopped by the obstruction 30, and even if the blade were operated at right angles, which would be impossible if the obstruction were relatively high, it would have to be operated from one side, then the other of the window 31, with an intermediate portion that could not be finished; however, in such cases it is merely necessary to invert the squeegee as shown in FIG. 2, to inish the operation. Thus this invention is universal in its application in connection with the drying of windows.

It will be noted that the handle 13 does not constitute a part of this invention, since any suitable handle may be y enlarged upper end and a tapered lower end with intervening parallel sides, a blade holder having a back portion frictionally tting said enlarged upper end for retaining the blade in the holder and having equally projecting side lips terminating at the initial point of taper, whereby the squeegee is adaptable for selective push and pull operations on a window at will, locking means for retaining said wiper blade within said blade holder comprising an arcuate member for each end of the holder and each having an included angle not to exceed 120 degrees for ease of insertion betweenthe back of-the holder and the top of the blade, and each having indents to engage in the top of the blade, the top of said holder being inwardly recessed at both ends, said arcuate members each having,7 an upstanding ange for engagement in the respective recesses for releasably locking the blade in the holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,628,783 Jensen et al. May 17, 1927 1() 2,261,475 Kautenberg Nov. 4, 1941 2,905,960 Ward Sept. 29, 1959

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