US3374498A

US3374498A - Mop for cleaning or waxing

Info

Publication number: US3374498A
Application number: US623318A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy A Bailey
Original assignee: Roy A. Bailey
Current assignee: ROY A BAILEY
Priority date: 1967-03-15
Filing date: 1967-03-15
Publication date: 1968-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1985-03-26

Description

March 26, 1968 R. A. BAILEY 3,374,498

MOP FOR CLEANING OR WAXING Filed March 15, 1967 HTTO/QNEY United States Patent Qfilice 3,374,498 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 3,374,498 MOP FOR CLEANING R WAXENG Roy A. Bailey, PO. Box B, Northvale, NJ. 97647 Filed Mar. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 623,318 2 Claims. (Cl. 119) ABSTRACT OF THE DZSQLGSURE A sponge mop of elongated shape having an axial bore and end faces with an abutment plate fixedly secured to each end face of the sponge mop and a central opening in each abutment plate coaxial with the axial bore. The sponge mop is mounted on a rod support that extends through the registering openings and axial bore of the abutment plates and sponge mop, respectively. The rod has an integral shank attached to a handle member there being on the shank, a manually operated pusher knob and a flexible pusher sleeve engaging the pusher knob at one end and at its other end the abutment plate at the inner end of the sponge pad. A retainer element on the outer free terminal end of the rod serves to lock the parts in assembled relation on the rod and shank as well as to receive the thrust when the pusher knob and flexible sleeve are pushed up along the shank and rod to axially compress the sponge mop.

The present invention relates to a mop that may b utilized for cleaning or waxing.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a replaceable sponge mop mounted on a rod which extends axially through the sponge mop with the outer end surface of the spon e mop held in fixed relation to the outer terminal end of the rod and with the inner end surface of the sponge mop engageable by a manual force applying means to axially compress the sponge mop on the rod whereby to squeeze the sponge mop dry.

Another object of this invention relates to providing the rod with an integral inclined shank securely attached to an end of a handle member.

A further object of this invention relates to providing a movable finger held pusher slidable on the shank and a flexible helically coiled member surrounding the shank and of a length such that one end abuts the pusher with the other end engaging an abutment element fixed to the inner end surface of the sponge mop, the length of the coiled member being such that when the sponge mop is in its normal uncompressed state the coiled member will position the pusher against the end of the handle to which the shank is affixed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the outer end surface of the sponge mop with an abutment element secured thereto with both the inner and outer abutment elements having openings therein through which the rod passes and with the outer terminal end of the rod having a removable retainer element thereon preventing the outer abutment member from becoming disengaged from the rod.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described Within the scope of the appended claims.

FEGURE 1 is a perspective view of the sponge and associated supporting and compressing parts.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mop sponge mop taken on line 22, FIGURE 1 and showing the sponge mop compressed.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded detail view of supporting and retaining parts of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the sponge mop.

Referring more specifically to the drawings a handle 10 has rigidly secured Within the end portion 12 thereof the lower end 14 (shown in dotted lines, FIGURE 1) of a shank 16. The handle 10 may be of any desired length and preferably is formed similar to a broom handle. It is seen that the shank 16, see FIGURE 2, is bent to provide an intermediate portion 18 that is inclined to the axis of the handle It). The outer or upper end of the shank l6 opposite the lower or inner end 14 being curved as at 29 and extending to form a support rod 22 having its longitudinal axis disposed substantially normal to the axis of the handle 10. Preferably the full extent of the support rod 22 is square in cross-section, though it may be of any other non-circular cross-section, this for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Positioned on the support rod 22 is a pad 24 of sponge material of rubber or plastic of the type well known. The pad 24 will hereinafter be referred to as a sponge mop. The sponge mop 24, see FIGURE 4, is seen to be of elongated rectangular shape having parallel opposed sides and parallel inner and outer end surfaces, 25 and 26, respectively. Extending longitudinally through the sponge mop 24 is an axial bore 28. An'outer abutment plate 30 having a central square opening 31 and struck out prongs 32 is placed on the outer end 26 of the sponge pad 24 with the prongs 32 penetrating into the body thereof so as to hold the abutment plate 30 fixedly on the outer end surface 2:), and 'with the opening 31 in registry with the axial bore 28. A like inner abutment plate 34 similar in all respects to the outer abutment plate 30 is fixedly secured to the inner end surface 25 of the sponge pad 24. The inner abutment plate 34 has a central square opening 31a and struck-out prongs 32a. The opening 31a, axial bore 28 and opening 31 are all in axial registry and are so dimensioned as to receive therethrough the support rod 22 for relative movement thereon. At its outer terminal end, the rod 22 is provided with an opening 36 for the reception of a cotter pin 38, see FIGURE 3. The sponge pad 24 is prevented from turning on the rod by virtue of its square cross-section and the square openings 31 31a in the

abutment plates

30, 34.

Slidably mounted on the shank 16 is a pusher member 49 in the form of a knob. It is seen in FIGURE 2 that the knob 49 has an axial bore 41 through which the shank 16 extends. Surrounding the shank 16 is a helical coiled wire member 44 With the convolutions thereof in contacting engagement providing a flexible pusher sleeve. The helical member or pusher sleeve 44 is of such a length that with the sponge mop 24 in its fully uncompressed normal state the inner end of the pusher sleeve will engage the knob 40 to hold the same against the end of the handle 19, as seen in FIGURE 1, While the outer end of the pusher sleeve will engage the inner abutment plate 34. Preferably the length of the sponge pad 24 is such that its inner end portion will extend over the curved portion 20 of the shank 16. The outer abutment plate 38 is held in place by the cotter pin 38 which serves to hold the parts in assembled relation on the rod and shank as well as to provide a thrust receiving member to limit outward movement of the outer abutment plate 36.

The sponge mop 24 in use may soak up Water or cleaning solution and is then applied to the surface to be cleaned. To expel the dirty water or solution, the knob 46 is pushed by the fingers up along the shank '16 to push the flexible helical member or pusher sleeve 44 against 3 the inner abutment plate 34 so as to axially compress or squeeze the sponge mop 24, see FIGURE 2, whereby to expel the water or solution therefrom. The parts will return to their normal position on release of the knob 40 by the axial expansion of the sponge mop 24 which as is well known has a resilient spring-like characteristic.

For waxing purposes the sponge mop is first dipped in water which is then partially squeezed out and the sponge mop in squeezed position is then dipped into a solution of liquid wax, the sponge mop being then released to suck in the liquid wax thus making the sponge mop ready for waxing. any desired surface.

The sponge mop 24 is easily replaced whenever desired by simply removing the cotter pin 38, sliding off the'mop and placing on the rod 22 a new and/or clean mop 24, and lastly replacing the cotter pin 38.

While certain novel features of my invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cleaning and waxing mop comprising:

(a) a handle,

(b). a support rod non-circular in cross-section including an integral angularly related shank,

(c) said shank at its free end secured to an end portion of said handle,

(d) said shank being inclined to the axis of said handle and positioning said support rod substantially normal to said handle axis,

(e) an elongated sponge mop having a longitudinal bore therethrough,

(-f) said support rod extending through said sponge mop bore,

(g) a first abutment plate and retainer means at the free terminal end of said support rod, said plate engaging the outer end surface of said sponge mop,

(h) manually operable pusher means movably carried by said shank,

(i) a second abutment plate slidable on said support rod between said pusher means and the inner end surface of said sponge mop,

(j) each said abutment plate having a central opening corresponding in shape to the cross-section of the non-circular support rod and ings the support rod extends, (-k) prongs on each abutment plate extending into said sponge mop for fixedly securing said abutment plate members thereto, (1) said retainer means being a cotter pin positioned in through which openan opening adjacent the free terminal end of said support rod and engages the first abutment plate whereby to hold the said mop components in assembled relation and on removal thereof permitting replacement of one or all of said mop components, said pusher means comprising:

(111) a pusher knob slidably mounted on said shank,

and

(n) a flexible thrust transmitting pusher sleeve surrounding said shank having one end engaged by said pusher knob and its other end engaging the second abutment plate whereby with said sponge mop containing a supply of a liquid soaked up therein said liquid supply is expelled by manual operation of said pusher means to longitudinally compress the sponge mop. i

2. The mop of claim 1, wherein said pusher sleeve comprises:

(a) a helical wound member of wire having its convolutions in contacting engagement with each other, and

(b) said helical wound member being of a length such that in the normal expanded condition of the sponge mop the end of the helical wound member engaging the pusher knob will position the same adjacent the end of the handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,502,148 7/ 1924 Magaton. 2,810,924 10/1957 Slinglutf 15-23011 X 2,873,462 2/ 1959 Green 15-1 19.1 2,904,813 9/ 1959 Schlflicher 15-23011 3,001,220 9/1961 Canning et al. 15-23011 X 3,171,152 3/1965 Corcoran 15-1191 FOREIGN PATENTS 990,530 6/1951 France. 1,107,233 8/ 1955 France.

704,348 2/ 1954 Great Britain.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner.