US3451092A - Swivelling shoe brush combination - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1969 A. szoPo 3,451,092

SWIVEJLLTNG SHOE BRUSH COMBINATION Filed Feb. 1, was Sheet of 2 INVENTOR.

ALEXANDER SZOPO ATTORNEY June 24, 1969 I A. SZOPO 3,451,092

SWIVELLING SHOE BRUSH COMBINATION Filed Feb. 1, 1968 7 Sheet i or 2 l4 IO IN VENTDR.

)fILEXANDEf? SZOPO zykw A T TORNEY United States Patent 3,451,092 SWIVELLING SHOE BRUSH COMBINATION Alexander Szopo, 346 Sudan St., New Brunswick, NJ. Filed Feb. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 702,287 Int. Cl. A471 23/04 US. Cl. 15106 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A brush combination suitable for cleaning shoes comprises a long handle from the lower portion of which projects laterally a pin on to which is hingeably attached a brush mounting plate. A stop plate attached to the top of the pin serves to stop the plate from making a complete revolution around the pin. An elongated brush body has an end opening into which the mounting plate is inserted with the pin and stop. The plate is anchored into the hole end and is positioned so that the pin is disposed ofi-center with respect to the central axis of the brush body, so that when the brush body is pulled back on the floor, it rolls around the pin until the bristles are disposed upwardly for cleaning the soles of shoes, in which case the stop prevents the brush body from rotating farther. When the handle is lifted, the brush body rotates back to the bristle-downward position-- enabling its use as a broom, since it is prevented from rotating farther again by the stop. Another shorter brush may be mounted in laterally-extending position on the handle oppositely disposed from the longer brush to clean the sides of the soles.

Background of the invention The cleaning of shoes before entry into a house has been achieved by nailing onto the porch a brush or scraper. Such a device not only mars the surface of the porch, but it also requires cleaning of the area by means of a broom, or other sweeping means.

In British Patent 523,744, a brush is disclosed for cleaning the bottom of soles, and a smaller brush is provided for cleaning the sides of the shoes. However, such a brush must be jabbed into the ground alongside of the porch, and a separate broom must be employed for sweeping the area.

There is need for a shoe cleaning brush which also may be used to sweep away the accumulated dirt.

Summary 0]" the invention According to the present invention, a brush is provided which is mounted on the end of a handle. A swivel pin is mounted on the handle and at right angles thereto. A brush mounting plate is hingeably' attached to the pin and a stop plate is attached to the top of the pin. This mounting is inserted into a hole in the end of the brush, in anchoring relation thereto, and in a manner such that the pin is off center with respect to the horizontal axis of the brush.

With such an arrangement, when the brush is pulled back on the floor, it rolls onto its back (particularly when the upper brush body edges are rounded), and it is stopped in this position by impingement of the mounting plate against the stop plate. As the handle is pressed down by the user, it is possible to clean the soles of the shoes by rubbing the soles over the upright bristles of the brush. A small laterally-directed brush disposed on the handle enables the cleaning of the sides of the shoes, as well.

Thereafter, the brush handle is lifted, whereupon the brush body swivels back into the bristle-downward position, in which position it is stopped by the fact that the stop plate impinges against the side of the hole in the brush body in which the mounting is anchored. Accordlngly, it is thus possible to use the brush as -a broom to sweep the dirt away from the floor.

Brief description of the drawing The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment is described, and in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a front elevational view, with handle partly cut away, of a brush of the present invention in position for use in cleaning shoes.

FIGURE 2 depicts a similar view of the same brush in position for use as a broom.

FIGURE 3 presents an enlarged front view of the larger brush mounting with handle and smaller brush bristles partly cut away.

FIGURE 4 shows a side elevational view of the portion illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the plane of line 5-5 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of the long brush taken along the plane of line 66 in FIGURE 5 but with said brush rotated The same numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Description 09 the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawing, numeral 10 designates a handle of wood, or similar material, attached to an angle pipe section 11. Inserted in the other opening of pipe section 11 is a circular brush 12 which may be used for cleaning the sole edges of shoes, for example.

Attached to the back side of pipe section 11, at 13, and in a direction opposite to that of brush 12, is mounting 14 for larger brush 15. Mounting 14 comprises horizontally directed pin 16 on which is attached hinge 17 attached to anchoring plate 18. Attached to the top of pin 16 is stop plate 19. Anchoring plate 18 has its inner end bent at right angles to provide an angle plate 20 having hole 21. At its other end, anchoring plate 18 has a series of pointed projections 22 which serve to become imbedded into hole 23 of larger brush 15.

Brush 15 comprises :1 preferably wooden body 24 and bristles 25. Its upper portion is desirably provided with longitudinally rounded corners 26.

Hole 23 is made in the end 27 of larger brush 15, and it is made large enough to allow entry therein of mounting 14. However, the hole is not deep enough to accommodate the mounting, so that the end 20 of the housing is hammered while it is in hole 23 so as to imbed sharp prongs 22 of plate 18 into the end of hole 23 (see FIG. 6). Then, angle plate is screwed onto Wooden end 27 by means of screw 28. It will be noted that hole 23 is off center with respect to center line 29 of brush body 24, so that pin 16 on which the brush body 24 swivels, is off-center with respect to center line 29 to enable the brush to return to sweeping position (FIG. 2) when the entire brush is raised.

When the entire brush is moved forward when it is against floor 30 (from the position in FIG. 2), the larger brush swivels to the rear, and by pressing down on it thereafter, the body 24 rolls over rounded edges 26 and brush 15 is enabled to rest stably on its flat back 31, and it may then be used to clean the soles of shoes by rubbing the soles over bristles 25. Brush 15 will remain in the position of FIG. 1 as long as downward pressure is applied on handle 10 during the sole cleaning. Smaller brush 12 may be used for cleaning the edges of the soles.

After the shoes have been cleaned, the dirt may be swept away by using the brush as a broom. This is done by lifting handle 10 which causes brush body 24 to swivel back into the position of FIG. 1 due to the off-center positioning of swivel pin 16.

Body 24 will remain in sweeping position (FIG. 2) during the sweeping operation due to the fact that stop plate 19 impinges upon the wall of hole 23 when the brush is in this position. Also, brush 15 will remain upright, as in FIG. 1, and will not rotate completely around due to the fact that, in that position, plate 18 impinges against stop plate 19, and is retained against it.

I claim:

1. A swivelling shoe brush combination, of the type described, comprising:

a long handle,

a pin projecting laterally from the end of said handle,

a mounting plate hingeably attached to said pin in swivelling relation thereto,

a stop plate attached to the top of said pin and serving to stop said mounting plate from making a complete revolution around said pin, and

an elongated brush body having an opening in its end into which said mounting plate is inserted in anchored relation, and in a manner such that said pin is disposed 01f center with respect to the longitudinal central axis of said brush body and said stop plate is also positioned within the opening, and such that when said brush is pulled back on a floor, the brush body rolls around the pin until the bristles thereof are disposed upwardly for cleaning the soles of shoes, and said stop serves to prevent further rotation of said body, and when said handle is lifted, said brush body rotates back to a bristle-downward position enabling the use of said brush as a broom since said brush is unable to rotate further due to impingement of said stop plate against the wall of said opening.

2. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 1, in which said brush body has a flat upper surface and round bordering edges.

3. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 1, in which a shorter brush is mounted on said handle oppositelydisposed to said elongated brush body and wherein the bristles thereof are directed horizontally.

4. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 3, in which the bottom of said handle is mounted in one opening of a pipe L, and said pin is attached to the rear of the L, and said shorter brush comprises bristles projecting from the other opening of said L.

5. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 1, in which said opening in said brush body is shorter than the mounting. plate, and said mounting plate is provided at its outer edge with a sharp projection to be hammered into the end of said opening.

6. A rug-saving brush, according to claim 5, in which the mounting plate is provided With an angle plate at its inner edge, and fastening means for fastening said angle plate to the end of said brush body adjacent said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,859,129 5/1932 Costenbader 15-172 FOREIGN PATENTS 755,762 9/1933 France. 523,744 7/ 1940 Great Britain. 329,363 9/1935 Italy.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 1516l, 172

Images