US3227496A

US3227496A - Detachable connector

Info

Publication number: US3227496A
Application number: US344043A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H Johnson
Original assignee: RUBON Inc
Current assignee: RUBON Inc
Priority date: 1964-02-11
Filing date: 1964-02-11
Publication date: 1966-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-04

Description

- Jan. 4, 1966 JOHNSON 3,227,496

DETAGHABLE CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 11, 1964 INVENTOR. ROBERT H Jam/mu ATM/aways" disconnect the handle. No. 2,755,495.

be attached. Such a barisshown at No. 2,755,495.

United States Patent This invention relates to a detachable connector for handles for mops or other utility items.

Many devices have been devised for handles for attaching the handles to mops :or other articles wherein there is a wireor rod member to be connected to the handle, but with such devices generally it requires a pin, screw or some manipulation of bolts and nuts "to .connect and Such a device is shown in Patent The vpresenthan'dle and connector thereon is adapted for attachment toa mop head or other utility device wherein there is a wire, bolt or shank to which .thehandle may 29, FIG. 1, of Patent Other objects of the present invention are to provide a handle having a connector member on the end thereof wherein there is an opening for attachment to a bar member of a tool to which the handle is to be attached; to provide two facing channel members to form a housing secured together by a pin orthe like,.said housing having .one open end and a head spaced from said open end .to

form a bite portion between said head and open end of the housing; to provide a latch member slidable to close the bite portion for receiving thebar member; to provide the slidable latch member with a cam member for engaging the bar member to hold it in place; to provide spring means for the latch member urging same to --closed position; to provide means on the latch member for manually moving same to release said connector from said bar of the mop head; and'to provide a device of this character simple and economical to manufacture; I have found that upon twisting of the handle the cam surface may be used for release of the bar member from the opening in the connector.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my detachable connector shown on a handle and the bar to which the connector is attached.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the connector showing the latch member in locking position against the bar.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the latch member shown in open position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the handle turned slightly and the bar of the tool to which it is attached in cam action against the latch member.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

1 designates a connector embodying the features of my invention shown attached to a handle 2 and consisting of two rectangular-

shaped channel members

3 and 4 having their

sides

5 and 6 meeting as indicated at 7, FIG. 1, secured together by a rivet or pin 8. The channel-shaped member 4 has its lower face 4 extended outwardly of the member 3 and is turned laterally toward the channelshaped member 3 as indicated at 9 and then turned upon itself as at 10 to lie flat against the laterally turned portion forming a head 11 for the connector 1. The end is then turned again laterally and lies flat against the inside of the lower face 4 of the channel-shaped member 4 as 3,227,496 Patented Jan. 4, 1,966

illustrated in FIG. 2 to strengthen the head'll. The upper portion or face 13 of the channel-shaped member 3 stops :short ofthe head 11 and forms an entranceway 14 to a bite portion 15 for the bar 16 of a mop head or the like (not shown).

The channel-

shaped members

3 and 4 placed together form a housing 17 for a sliding latch member 18, which engages underneath the top 13 of the channel-shaped member 3. The latch member is flat and has a slot 19 near its forward end 18 through which the pin 8 engages. The rear end of the latch is reduced in width, extended and turned laterally upward at an angle as indicated at 20 and then downwardly as illustrated forming a hand portion 21 --to be grasped by the user of the handle, the hand portion extending through an opening or slot 22 in the top 13 of the channel-shaped member 3.

The fiat slidable latch member '18 has a struck out portion which is turnedidown as indicated at 24 and then upwardly forming awhook 25 spaced from said pin to which one end 26 of a coil spring 2'7 is attached and the other end 28 is attached to saidpin 8, so that the slidable latch member 18 is normally in closed position against the head '8 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The end of the channel-

shaped members

3 and 4 are turned upwardly at an angle as indicated at 29 and 30 and merge into

semi-circular portions

31 and 32 facing each other and which are attached to the handle 2 by a bolt or the like 33.

In operation of a device assembled and constructed as described, when it is desired to attach the handle with its connector to a mop head or the like having a bar as illustrated at 16,the hand hold 21 is grasped by the hand of the user and pulled rearwardly toward the handle portion to slide the latch rearwardly so that the bar 16 may enter into the bite portion 15 through the opening 14.

The slidable latch member 18 has its outer or forward end 18 turned down and inwardly at an angle, the rounded turned down portion engaging against the inside of the "head 11 as indicated at 34 and the turned down angle portion forming a cam surface 35 which engages against the bar 16 to hold it in place.

When it is desired to detach the handle from the bar 16, the slidable latch may be moved rearwardly against the tension of the spring 27 by the hand portion 21 and the bar then moved outwardly through the opening 14 of the head portion of the connector. The bar 16 may also be released from the connector by turning of the handle to the right or clockwise direction as shown on FIG. 4 whereby the bar 16 will move upwardly along the cam surface 35, thus moving the latch member to open position if desired in that manner.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improved connector for handles to be attached to various utility items such as mop heads and the like and one which is quickly attached and detached therefrom.

It is to be understood that While I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A detachable connector for a handle adapted to be connected to a mop head or the like having a bar extend ing transversely to said handle comprising,

(a) a pair of facing substantially rectangular shaped channel members forming a housing having an open end, the other end of said channel members having extension portions, said channel members having upper and lower walls, said upper wall having a slot therein spaced from said open end,

(b) means securing said extension portions to said handle,

(c) a pin extending through said walls of said channel member near said open end and securing said channel members together,

((1) said lower wall extending outwardly from said open end and having its end turned transversely toward the upper wall and spaced therefrom forming a head. and a bite portion between said head and said open end for receiving the bar of said mop head or the like,

(e) an elongated flat latch member slidable in said housing having one end turned downwardly and rearwardly at an angle toward said handle, the rounded end portion of the turned, down portion of the latch normally engaging said head and said angled portion of the rearwardly extending turned down portion of the latch having a cam surface engaging said bar of the mop head to hold same in place, said latch member having an elongated slot therein through which said pin extends, the other end of said latch member having an end extending through said slot in the upper wall of said housing forming a hand hold for movement of the latch member away from said head to disengage said bar of the mop head from said bite portion, and

(f) means engaging said pin and said latch urging said latch to normally closed position against said head.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said last named means is a coil spring having one end secured to said pin and its other end to said latch at a point spaced from said pm.

3. A detachable connector for a handle adapted to be connected to a mop head or the like having a bar extending transversely to said handle comprising,

(a) a pair of facing substantially rectangular shaped channel members forming a housing having an open end, the other end of said channel members having extension portions, said channel members having upper and lower walls,

(b) means securing said extension portions to said handle,

(d) said lower wall extending outwardly from said open end and having its end turned transversely toward the upper wall and spaced therefrom forming a head and a bite portion between said head and said open end for receiving the bar of said mop head or the like,

(e) an elongated fiat latch member slideable in said housing underneath said upper wall and having one end turned downwardly and rearwardly toward said handle, the rounded turned down portion of said latch normally engaging said head, said latch member having an elongated slot therein through which said pin extends, and

(f) means engaging said pin and said latch urging said latch to normally closed position against said head, and said downwardly angled portion of said latch having a cam surface engaging said bar of the mop head to hold same in said bite portion and whereby turning of said handle transversely of said bar will cause said bar to move upwardly against said cam surface and force said latch to move away from said head to release said bar from the bite portion.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said last named means is a coil spring having one end secured to said pin and its other end to said latch at a point spaced from said pin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,508,612 9/1924 Potter 24239 1,909,713 5/1933 Parsons 30628 2,122,164 6/1938 Van Buskirk 15l51 2,571,971 10/1951 Vogel 24-239 2,861,287 11/1958 Scalf 15144 2,885,707 5/1959 Vogt 15151 X 0 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS P. CALLAGHAN, Examiner.

I. B. TALTON, T. A. LISLE, Assistant Examiners.

Claims

1. A DETACHABLE CONNECTOR FOR A HANDLE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A MOP HEAD OR THE LIKE HAVING A BAR EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID HANDLE COMPRISING, (A) A PAIR OF FACING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR SHAPED CHANNEL MEMBERS FORMING A HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN END, THE OTHER END OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBERS HAVING EXTENSION PORTIONS, SAID CHANNEL MEMBERS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER WALLS, SAID UPPER WALL HAVING A SLOT THEREIN SPACED FROM SAID OPEN END, (B) MEANS SECURING SAID EXTENSION PORTIONS TO SAID HANDLE, (C) A PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID WALLS OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER NEAR SAID OPEN END AND SECURING SAID CHANNEL MEMBERS TOGETHER, (D) SAID LOWER WALL EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OPEN END AND HAVING ITS END TURNED TRANSVERSELY TOWARD THE UPPER WALL AND SPACED THEREFROM FORMING A HEAD AND A BITE PORTION BETWEEN SAID HEAD AND SAID OPEN END FOR RECEIVING THE BAR OF SAID MOP HEAD OR THE LIKE,