US3495289A

US3495289A - Self-wringing floor cleaner having interchangeable cleaning elements

Info

Publication number: US3495289A
Application number: US686013A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emmerich Heid
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-11-28
Filing date: 1967-11-28
Publication date: 1970-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-17

Description

E. HEID SELF-WRINGING FLOOR CLEANER HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE CLEANING ELEMENTS Feb. 17, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 28, 196'? Fig" I Feb. 17, 1970 E. HEID GING FLOOR CLEA NGEABLE CLEANIN NER HAVING G ELEMENTS S L -WR ER Filed Nov. 28, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Emmenrl; lie/d,

United States PatentO 3 495,289 SELF-WRINGING FIZOOR CLEANER HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE CLEANING ELEMENTS Emmerich Heid, 22 Lutrinastrasse, Kaiserslautem, Germany Filed Nov. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 686,013 Int. Cl. A471 13/14 US. Cl. 15-119 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cleaning implement with detachable tools, in which a sponge squeezing plate is normally located on top of the base plate of the implement to the bottom of which the tools are fastened, the squeeze plate having a lazy tong linkage whereby it may be moved away from the top of the' base plate and located so as to squeeze a cleaning sponge tool with uniform pressure all over the surface of the sponge.

The invention concerns a floor cleaning implement with interchangeable cleaning tools orim-plements such as scru-bbers,.p'olishing cloths, brooms and the like with a device for squeezing out a sponge scrubber mounted thereon as a washing implement.

Manual implements for floor cleaning are already known having removable and interchangeable cleaning tools which have sponge scrubbers secured thereto, and having a device for squeezing the sponge dry.

Such known tools comprise a squeezing plate connected to the retaining plate of the sponge and which for applying pressure is pivoted relative to the sponge surface by means of a handle mounted thereon, pressing both the retaining plate and pressure application plate against one another thus squeezing the sponge located therebetween. A disadvantageous feature of this arrangement is that the sponge is always squeezed more strongly on the hinge side than on the opposite side and thus wears relatively more quickly on this side.

To remedy the above disadvantage it has already been proposed to squeeze out the sponge with the squeezing plate substantially parallel to the sponge retaining plate by means of a vertical movement. For this purpose in a known embodiment a guide rod or rigid angle lever is provided on which a squeezing lever with squeezing plate is mounted. The guide rod or squeezing lever is articulated to the appliance handle on which in the resting position the squeezing lever with the squeezing plate is retained. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that the, squeezing plate projects on both sides beyond the appliance handle and together with the retaining plate forms a relatively widely spaced obstacle, which renders cleaning in corners or beneath articles of furniture more or less difficult.

It is an object of the invention to provide a manually operated implement for cleaning floors with removable and mutually interchangeable cleaning tools, with a device for squeezing out a sponge, in which the advantage of the arrangement mentioned last is utilised without adopting its disadvantages.

In accordance with the invention this is effected in a manually operated implement for floor cleaning having removable and interchangeable cleaning tools by means of lazy tong linkage hingedly connected to the base plate of the given cleaning tool, the squeezing plate being contiguous the surface of the holding plate. The lazy tong linkage comprises a plurality of individual linkage members hingedly interconnected which, when the squeezing plate is swung inwards into its operating or squeezing position, forms a toggle lever which shifts the pivotal ice point for the squeezing plate, the base plate of the sponge or the cleaning tool to be squeezed. In this way the base plate together with the squeezing plate normally form a uniform integral area, so that the cleaning implement does not differ substantially from conventional types either in external appearance nor function.

The individual interconnected linkage members are preferably U-shaped, the dimensions of which are such that in the resting position of the squeezing plate they are laid folded together longitudinally from above so as to nest one in the other. In this manner the squeezing plate is brought as closely as possible on top of the base plate. The individual interconnected linkage members are preferably held together by a spring.

Further features and advantages of the invention are illustrated in detail by way of the accompanying drawings, showing an embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the floor cleaning implement,

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the implement showing the squeezing plate in a resting position,

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the apparatus showing the squeezing plate in a squeezing position,

FIG. 4 is a structural design of a base plate and its associated supporting plate for a cleaning tool, and

FIG. 5 is an eccentric fastener used in conjunction with a retaining pin for securing the cleaning tool to the base plate.

In FIG. 1 numeral 1 is a base plate and a squeezing plate 3 is hingedly secured thereto by means of a lazy tong linkage 2 and with its underside detachably connected by means of dowel pins 4 in conjunction with an eccentric fastener 5, to a supporting plate 6 with a cleaning tool 7. The surface of the base plate also has a socket 8 with a handle 9 secured therein, whilst on the underside of the squeezing plate 3 a handle 9a is mounted. The latter is inclined relative to the surface of the squeezing plate so that in the resting position the latter is at an equal angle with the handle 9, FIG. 2.

The lazy tong linkage 2 comprises two juxtaposed hingedly interconected U-shaped linkage members 10 and 11, one free end of which is pivotably mounted on a U-shaped hold-ing bar 12 and the free end of the other linkage member 11 by means of a U-shaped bar 13. The holding bar 12 is rigidly mounted on the surface of the base plate 1 and the U-shaped bar 13 on the underside of the squeezing plate 3. Member 11 is longer than member 10 and overlaps at the hinge points 14. For this purpose the central U-ri-b is perforated so that when the U-shaped linkage members 10, 11 are swung out, the member 11 abuts against the U-shaped rib remaining at the side of the perforation and is unable to swing beyond an angle of about The linkage member 10 is detachably secured by means of a bearing pin to the member 11 at a pivot point 14 and has several bearing openings 1511, so that the member 10 can be shortened if required. The linkage members 10, 11 are pretensioned relative one another in the region of the hinge pivot 14 by means of a spring (not shown). The linkage members 10, 11 and the retaining bar 12 are so dimensioned that in the resting position of the squeezing plate 3, they are collapsed from above longitudinally and nested in one another. In the length of the handle 9a there is a channel in the shape of the handle 9. The configuration of the linkage members 10, 11, the holding bar 12 and the I handle M, are such as to provide a unitary structure of pleasing appearance.

The various cleaning tools such as a sponge, broom, scrubber or the like are each mountable on the underside of the supporting plate 6. The upper surface facing the base plate 1 is ridged at 15 and has two

flat side surfaces

16, 17 which are flush with the crests of the ridges. A

.17. The underside of the base plate 1 has corresponding ridges 18 which mate with the ridges 15. In the flat surfaces 19, 20 there are holes 21 coinciding with the positions of the dowel pins 4 (FIG. 4).

The pins 4 have elongated holes 22 formed therein, which co-operate with the end of an eccentric lever 23 of an eccentric closure (FIG. 5). This FIG. 5 shows the eccentric closure with all the parts co-operating therewith. This shows that the dowel pin 4 is riveted to the underside of the supporting plate and projects therethrough and through the holes 21 in the base plate. In the present example the U-shaped rib of the holding bar 12 is located over the pin 4, so that the U-shaped rib is correspondingly perforated. The pin 4 is located in the holding bar 12 which carries the eccentric lever 23. For this purpose a gnide pin 24 transversely connecting the two upstanding walls is mounted in the bar 12, on which pin the eccentric lever with an arcuate slot 25 is adapted to be moved to and fro, with its leading nose portion 26 moving up and down. The collaborating parts of the eccentric lever and the holding pin are so radiused relative to one another that when the holding pin is braced or released, an easy action is ensured.

The mode of operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When a scrubbing sponge 7 is to be connected to the device, it is inserted With its dowel pins 4 through bores 21, with the

ridges

15, 18 interengaging. The pins 4 projecting with their slots 22 into the holding bars 12 are now connected to the base plate 1 by moving the end 27 of the eccentric lever 23 downwardly. This causes it to slide in its arcuate slot 25 on the guide pin 24 forward with its nose portion 26 moving upwardly. The nose portion 26 enters the slot 22 and lifts the pin 4 progressively until finally the two co-operating curved parts, i.e. the curved part 28 of the upper slot closure and curved part 29 of the nose portion closure are in pressure contact. By means of the two pins 4 the whole supporting plate is now lifted and firmly pressed against the base plate. The configuration of the superposed ridged and side surfaces makes relative displacement of the plates 1 and 6 impossible, which is important in view of the stressesencountcred during floor washing. For detaching the cleaning implement, or interchanging for another it is only necessary for the lever end 27 of the eccentric lever to be lifted. The operation described above now takes place in reverse sequence and as soon as the nose portion 26 has slid out of the slot 22, the supporting plate 6 may be lifted off the underside of the base plate.

For squeezing out the wet sponge 7 the squeezing plate 3 is swung out of its inoperative position, FIG. 2 by means of the handle 9a through substantially 360 into its operating position, FIG. 3. The pivot 31 for the squeezing plate 3 is shifted to below the base plate 1, the squeeze plate being held by means of the lazy tong linkage 10, 11. In this way it is possible for the sponge to be squeezed out over its whole surfaces with even pressure, which is not possible with known apparatus. During squeezing, the apparatus is held by the handle 9a with one hand and parts 5-, 9a are pressed towards one another. The sponge may also be eifectively squeezed out by moving the squeezing plate 3 into the operating position whereupon after removal of the handle 9a the assembly is placed on the floor and the person operating the apparatus steps on the base plate. For this purpose, however, it would be necessary for the handle 9a to be mounted removably or deflectedly on the squeezing plate.

Since the location of the pivot shift below the base plate is dependent upon the dimensioning of the toggle lever 30, this may be adapted by suitably extending or shortening one of the U-shaped linkage members 10 or 11 to accommodate varying thicknesses of sponge. It is therefore expedient for one linkage member to be detachably mounted on the pivot 14 and to be provided over its length with pivot holes 15a.

1 claim:

1. A manually operated implement for floor cleaning having removable or interchangeable cleaning tools, comprising a base plate, a squeezing plate, a lazy tong linkage interconnecting said plates, the normal position of said squeezing plate being contiguous to the upper surface of said base plate, said lazy tong linkage comprising at least two hingedly connected linkage members which, when the squeezing plate is swung into its working position, forms a toggle lever which shifts the pivot point of said squeezing plate to a position below said plate, the individual linkage members being U-shaped and so dimensioned that in the normal position of said squeezing plate, they are adapted to nest collapsed longitudinally from above into one another.

2. An implement as recited in claim .1, wherein one member of said U-shaped linkage members is longer than the other member and projects beyond the pivot point between said linkage members.

3. An implement as. recited in claim 2, wherein said linkage members are detachable at said pivot point and one linkage member defines a plurality of pivot holes.

4. A manually operated implement for floor cleaning having removable or interchangeable cleaning tools, comprising a base plate, a squeezing plate, a lazy tong linkage interconnecting said plates, the normal position of said squeezing plate being contiguous to the upper surface of said base plate, a said tool having a supporting plate, dowel pins on said supporting plate, and eccentric means on said base plate engageable with said dowel pins to hold said tool on said base plate, the upper side of said supporting plate having ridges and the underside of said base plate havin corresponding otfset ridges engageable with said supporting plate ridges.

5. An implement as recited in claim 4 wherein said dowel pins are provided on the ridged side of said supporting plate and define elongated holes in which said eccentric holding means engage.

6. An implement as recited in claim 5 wherein said eccentric holding means comprises a lever, a pivot part for said lever mounted on said base plate, a substantially fiat hooked nose on said lever and a. curved slot defined by said lever for receiving the pivot part.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,466,052 8/1923 Kroll 15-119 2,438,338 3/1948 Horn.

2,715,744 8/1955 Ljungdahl.

2,943,340 7/ 1960 Channel.

3,030,638 4/1962 Greenleaf.

3,034,165 5/1962 Christian 15231 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 83,670 8/1964 France.

(Addition to 1,346,263) 411,314 6/1934 Great Britain.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 15-244