US3208092A

US3208092A - Cleaning device

Info

Publication number: US3208092A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1965-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-28

Description

P 1965 R. OLEARY 3,208,092

CLEANING DEVICE Filed NOV. 18, 1963 United States Patent 3,208,092 CLEANING DEVICE Robert L. OLeary, Mendota Heights, Minn. (Box 778, Mendota, Minn.) Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 324,308 7 Claims. (Cl. 15-257) The present invention relates to a device which is used as an aid to the cleaning and maintaining of water closets in a sanitary condition.

In schools, auditoriums, and other public buildings, those who provide janitorial service normally carry with them a bucket containing a water closet (or toilet) cleaning mop and various rags and sponges, along with acids, detergents, abrasives, and other chemicals which are used in the cleaning and sanitizing operation. In addition to being a rather unpleasant task, the danger of splashing oneself with either the unsanitary water from the toilet or the chemical-containing water is omnipresent. Also, in transferring the cleaning mop from the water closet back to the cleaning bucket, care must be taken to avoid spillage of water onto the surrounding floor area. In particular, care must be taken to avoid spilling acidic solutions on terrazzo and similar floors.

The detergents, acids, and other chemicals are frequently carried in the janitors pockets, and often times a drop or two of chemical will remain on the outside of the bottle which is placed in the janitors pocket, thus causing damage to his clothing, and acid solution is easily splashed or dripped from the mop head.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device which will avoid danger or splashing of solution of the toilet bowl during the actual cleaning operation and which will avoid the possibility of dripping solution onto the surrounding floor area when the mop is removed from the water closet after cleaning.

It is further an object to provide a device which will accommodate the containers for chemicals and other cleaners and do away with the need for the janitor to carry such articles on his person.

The manner in which the present invention achieves these and other objects may be appreciated by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 1 is a side view, with a portion broken away, of a conventional toilet with a presently preferred form of my device in place over the water closet.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the device.

FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the mop-retaining selfevacuating cup means.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of a mop particularily adapted for use with my device.

FIGURE 6 is a rear view of the cup means in the open position shown in FIGURE 1, as taken along the lines 66 of FIGURE 2.

In each of the several views like parts are referred to by the same numerals.

Turning now to FIGURE 1, the toilet 2 comprises a flush tank 4 and a water closet 6. One form of my device 8 is shown in position on the water closet with downwardly extended legs 10 fitting over the exterior of the water closet, the legs 10 being attached to splashpreventing means 12 which is here illustrated as a fiat cover with a configuration similar to that of the top surface of the water closet and having a generally centrally positioned aperture 14 therein.

Cup means 16 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 in closed position, i.e. in aperture closing engagement with at least a portion of the splash-preventing means which defines the aperture. While it would be possible to position and 3,268,092 Patented Sept. 28, 1965 fasten the cup means in various locations on either side of the splash-preventing means, the arrangement shown and illustrated is particularly preferred because as shown in FIGURE 1, upon removal of the mop 24, and/or release of the latch means 18, the cup means pivots on the link 20 to fall away from the aperture 14 thereby facilitating the cleaning operation. Ease of cleaning is further enhanced by forming the link 20 into a U-shaped form as shown in FIGURE 6 so that the cup means is free to be moved from side to side by the mop handle during the cleaning operation.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, cup means 16 may be provided with a notch 19 in the sidewall thereof to accornmodate the latch means 18, here illustrated as a pivoted rod 17. Additionally, the upper-most portion 30 of the cup means is notched or otherwise shaped to accept the handle 24 of the mop 26, but not to allow the mop-head 28 to pass therethrough upon applying an upward motion to the handle 24, the mop head being retained by the notch 30. Additionally, the handle 24 may be provided with a stop 32 in the form of an enlargement or fixed ring which is sized so as to be retained in the notch 30 upon application of upward force to the handle 24.

In use the janitor may carry the device 8 merely by holding the mop handle 24 which is positioned in the notch 30. Upon placing the device over a water closet, disengagement of the latch 18 and simple movement of the handle towards the open portion of the cup means frees the latter so that it falls from aperture-closing engagement with the splash-preventing means and allows free access to the water closet with the long handled mop. Acid or

cleaner containers

42 and 44 may be kept in pockets or retaining

clips

40 and 46, which are shaped to accommodate and removably retain containers of those materials commonly used in the cleaning operation.

After the cleaning operation is completed the mop head is returned to the cup mean and by rearward and upward movement of the mop handle the cup means is returned to aperture closing engagement, the latch means then may be engaged in the notch on the side of the cup means, and the device moved to the next water closet.

As a further aid to carrying the device a handle 60 may be provided on the top of cover 12. Such a handle also makes it possible to use the device as a splash shield when cleaning urinals.

Upon repeating the operation at the next water closet, when the cup means is released, any solution which has dripped from the mop and accumulated in the bottom of the cup means is automatically drained therefrom. Thus in the form illustrated, the cup may be termed a selfevacuating cup means and this constitutes a distinct advantage of the preferred form of the invention.

FIGURE 3 further illustrates a form of the device in which the length of the downwardly extending legs v1.0 and the size of the cup means 16 are so selected that upon placing the device on a plane surface 50, the bottom of the cup means rests on the surface and is thereby substantially prevented from falling away from aperture-closing engagement with the splash-preventing means 12. One advantage of this arrangement is the fact that latch means 18 may be eliminated, thereby saving on construction costs and making it even easier to use the device.

Various materials may be used in constructing my device; moisture and chemical resistance being important considerations. Thus cured elastomers, various plastics such as polymethyl methac-rylate, polyethylene, etc. and metals may be employed as desired.

Splash-preventing means 12 may be other than flat, e.g.

concave if desired, and the legs molded as an integral part of the splash-preventing means 12.

It will of course 'be apparent that other obvious modifications could be made in the shape and arrangement of the device here described, and substitutions made for the preferred device described. However, it should be understood that such substitutions or modifications are within the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the particular forms illustrated place no limitation thereon except as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is as follows:

1. A portable device for use in combination with a water closet, said device comprising downwardly extending means for retaining said device on said water closet, cover means for preventing Water from splashing from said closet attached to said downwardly extending means, said splash-preventing means having a central generally circular aperture substantially smaller than the top of said Water closet but sufficiently large to permit swabbing the inside of said water closet with a long-handled swab, and attached to said splash-preventing means, cup means for removably retaining said long-handled swab.

2. A portable device for use in combination with a water closet, said device comprising downwardly extending means for retaining said device on said water closet, means for preventing Water from splashing from said closet attached to said downwardly extending means, said splash-preventing means having a central aperture substantially smaller than the top of said water closet but sufiiciently large to permit swabbing the inside of said Water closet with a long-handled swab, cup means for removably retaining said long-handled swab attached to an under surface of said splash-preventing means by linkage means, said linkage means being so arranged that upward motion imparted to said cup m'eans' brings said cup means into aperture-closing engagement with at least a portion of the splash-preventing means which defines said aperture, and upon release of said cup means when positioned on said water closet said cup means will fall away from said aperture to allow access to the interior of said water closet.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which said linkage means comprises a U-shaped link.

4. A device according to claim 2 having latch means for releasably retaining said cup means in said apertureclosing engagement with said splash-preventing means.

5. A device according to claim 3 having latch means for releasably retaining said cup means in said apertureclosing engagement with said splash-preventing means.

6. A device according to claim 2 in which the length of said downwardly extending means and the size of said cup means are selected so that upon placing said device on a plane surface the bottom [of said cup means rests on said plane surface and is thereby substantially prevented from falling away from said aperture-closing engagement with said splash-preventing means.

7. A device according to claim 2 in which said cun means is self-evacuating.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 1,138,714 10/62 Germany.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.