US3599267A

US3599267A - Windshield scrubber

Info

Publication number: US3599267A
Application number: US831458A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert N Faires
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-06-09
Filing date: 1969-06-09
Publication date: 1971-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-17

Abstract

A device including a casing housing an air-driven rotary brush that partially projects through an opening in the casing and a resilient skirt surrounding the opening and capable of serving as a squeegee. The casing is provided with a trap chamber adjacent the brush and with a pivoted closure shoe normally closing an opening to the trap chamber but adapted to pivot to open position to deflect liquid and other residue resulting from a cleaning operation from the brush into the chamber.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Robert N. Fab-es 565 North Elqreth Way, Covina, Calif. 91722 Appl No. 831,458 Filed June 9, 1969 Patented Aug. 17, 1971 WINDSHIELD SCRUBBER 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

11.8. C1 15/24, 15/103 Int. Cl A461) 13/04 Field 01 Search 15/23, 24, 28, 29, 49, 49 C. 50, 50 C, 98, 344

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,059,136 4/1913 Gafney 15/24 U 1,927,186 9/1933 Raaen l5/5OC 2,719,994 10/1955 Dorsey 15/24 3,293,678 12/1966 South 15/29 Primary Examiner- Edward L. Roberts AnorneyWhann & McManigal WINDSHIELD SCRUBBER The invention relates generally to devices that employ a power-driven brush for cleaning surfaces and more particularly to such devices as are designed for use in cleaning glass, particularly windows and automobile Windshields.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel device embodying a power-driven rotary brush with means for controlling the power source together with means for feeding a cleaning solution to the brush at the will of the operator.

Another object is to provide a device of the type indicated in which the bush-is substantially surrounded by the casing of the device except for an opening therein through which the brush is exposed and in which a resilient skirt is mounted on the casing surrounding such opening and can be used as a squeegee.

A further object is to provide a device of the type indicated having a rotary brush mounted in a casing in which novel means is provided for removing dirt and residue cleaning solution from the brush and entrapping such material. In this connection it is an object to provide a device having a casing with a brush chamber and adjacent thereto a trap chamber with an opening between the two, together with novel means for closing the opening which serves, when opened, as a means for deflecting the material to be trapped from the brush into the trap chamber.

Another object is to provide a relatively simple device which is easy to use.

By way of summary, the invention includes. a casing provided with a rotary brush adapted to be driven by a supply of air under pressure from a remote source and valve means for controlling this with the brush being exposed through an opening in the casing and that opening being surrounded by a stiffly resilient skirt which may serve as a squeegee member, together with means for feeding a cleaning solution to the brush under the control of an operator, and a trap chamber and means for removing the excess cleaning solution and residue from the brush and entrapping it in the chamber.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view showing the use of the invention in connection with the cleaning of an automobile windshield;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is an inverted plan view, partly broken away, but on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the closure shoe in a different position; and

FIG. 6 is a cross section on line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

More particularly describing the invention, reference numeral ll designates a device embodying the invention shown in FIG. I in position against the windshield I2 of an automobile 13. It is contemplated that the device be supplied with air under pressure and with a cleaning solution from a remote source through hoses l4 and 15, respectively, extending from an overhead support. By way of example, a mast I6 is shown supporting a container 17 of solution and housing an air supply conduit (not shown). The hoses are preferably of the self-coiling type.

The device includes a casing 18 which has a tubular handle portion 19, a flattened diverging intermediate portion 20, and a brush compartment-defining section 21 in which a brush 22 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 23. The latter is in turn mounted in the

end walls

24 and 25 of the section 21. The brush is provided with an impeller 27 at one so that it can be rotated by an airstream issuing from the nozzle 28 of an air supply tube 30 extending through wall 31 and controlled by a valve 32. The latter has a valve-operating stem 33 extending exteriorly of the casing and provided with a head 33' so that it can be readily operated with the thumb or finger. The hose 14 is attached to a fitting 34 at the end of the handle of the device. Valve 30 is of the type which is normally closed and can be opened by depressing the stern.

V A cleaning solution supply tube 35 extends through wall 31 into the region of the brush and this is provided with a valve 36 similar to valve 32, with a valve stem 37 and head 37'. At its outer end the tube is connected with hose 15 through a fitting 37. I

A feature of the invention is the provision around the opening 40 of the casing through which the brush projects of a stifily resilient skirt 41 that may be made of rubber, plastic or other suitable rubberlike material. This skirt serves to retain dirt and liquid solution within the confines of the skirt when the brush is rotating during the initial cleaning of the glass. As will later appear, this skirt is designed to be used as a squeegee to remove liquid and loosened dirt from a glass surface.

The casing is formed to provide a trap or trap chamber 44 and this has an opening 45 to the exterior and a lid 46 therefor which is pivotally mounted at 47. This closure is maintained closed normally by means of a resilient sponge 48 within the chamber which, as will later appear, serves to soak up liquid entering the trap chamber. Preferably the lid is provided with a plurality of small openings 49.

The trap chamber is also provided with an opening 50 adjacent or opposite the periphery of the brush and this is normally closed by a pivotally mounted closure shoe 51 that is shown fixed to a shaft 52 joumaled in the casing. The shoe is yieldably'held in closed position by a compression spring 53 on a control rod 54, the latter being supportedfor axial movement in a guide 55 on the housing and pivotally connected at its forward end to a rigid arm 56 on the outer end of shaft 52. The spring is mounted on the rod between the guide and a bent end section 54' of the rod. By pushing the rod forward the shoe is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 5 and thus when the brush is rotating this serves to remove the dirt and liquid from the brush and deflect it into the trap chamber.

It will be apparent that the device is designed to be held and operated with one hand. The handle 19 is held so that the thumb and index finger are free to operate the

valves

32 and 36, respectively. In a cleaning operation, a cleaning solution is metered to the brush through tube 35 and the brush rotated by supplying air under pressure through tube 30 and nozzle 28. The device is held as shown in FIG. 5 so that the skirt 41 contacts the surface'of the glass or windshield to be cleaned and the device moved over the surface repeatedly as required to loosen the dirt therefrom. The cleaning fluid having been shut off, the device is then pulled with the device tilted so as to raise the leading portion of the skirt above the glass whereby the trailing portion acts as a squeegee. At the same time, rod 54 is pushed depressing the closure shoe to the position of FIG. 5 so that cleaning fluid, residue, and dirt is deflected from the brush (which rotates clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5) into the trap chamber 44 to be caught in the sponge 48. When the sponge becomes unduly soaked, the liquid can be expelled therefrom by inverting the device and pushing the lid 46 in to compress the sponge, the holes 49 in the lid permitting escape of the liquid and residue from the sponge. The holes also ,serve to allow escape of air from the chamber when residue is entering the chamber.

Iclaim: I

1. A windshield scrubber, comprising a casing providing a handle portion, a brush compartment open at the side to the exterior, and a trap chamber adjacent the brush compartment, said casing having an opening between the brush compartment and the trap chamber adjacent the inner portion of the compartment, openable means normally closing said opening, a rotary brush having an impeller rotatably mounted in said compartment and with a peripheral portion projecting through said open side, and valved tube means extending through said handle portion into said compartment for conducting air under pressure to said impeller.

2. The scrubber set forth in claim 1 in which said casing in provided with a stifi'ly resilient skirt surrounding the open side of the brush compartment.

3. The scrubber set forth in claim 1 in which a second valved tube means extends through said handle portion of the casing and into said brush compartment for delivering cleaning liquid to the brush.

4. The scrubber set forth in claim 2 in which the means normally closing the opening to said trap chamber comprises a pivotally mounted closure member swingable to an open position wherein its free edge is against the periphery of the brush, an operating member connected to the closure member and spring means urging the operating member in a direction to close said closure member.

5. A windshield scrubber, comprising a casing providing a handle portion, a brush compartment at one end thereof open at the side to the exterior, and a trap chamber adjacent the brush compartment with an opening therebetween, a pivotally mounted closure shoe adapted to close said opening, a rotary brush having an impeller rotatably mounted in said compartment with a peripheral portion projecting through the open side, a stiffly resilient skirt mounted on the casing around the open side and encircling the projecting portion of the brush, a valved tube mounted in said casing for delivering air under pressure supplied to it to the brush impeller to thereby rotate the brush, and operating rod means carried by said casing normally holding said closure shoe in position to close said opening to said trap chamber and movable to pivot said closure shoe to open position.

casing providing an opening between said compartment and said chamber, means for closing said opening, said casing having an outer opening between the trap chamber and the exterior, an inwardly pivotable closure member for said outer opening, and a spongelike member in said trap chamber yieldably holding the closure member closed.

7. A windshield scrubber comprising:

a. a casing having a brush compartment open at the side;

b. a rotary brush mounted for rotation in said brush compartment and having a portion of its periphery extending through the open side; I

0. means to effect rotation of the brush;

d. a stiifly resilient skirt on said casing surrounding said open side of said brush compartment, the edge of the skirt terminating in a plane;

. a valved tube means in said casing for delivering liquid to said brush;

. a trap chamber housed within said casing adjacent said brush compartment with an opening thereto adjacent the periphery of said brush;

g. a closure for said opening; and

h. means for opening said closure.

8. The scrubber set forth in claim 7 in which said closure is pivotally mounted and so constructed and arranged that when swung open it acts as a show against said brush to deflect dirt and liquid therefrom into said trap chamber.

Claims

2. The scrubber set forth in claim 1 in which said casing in provided with a stiffly resilient skirt surrounding the open side of the brush compartment.

6. A windshield scrubber, comprising a casing providing a handle, a brush compartment and a trap chamber adjacent said compartment, a rotary brush in said compartment, said casing providing an opening between said compartment and said chamber, means for closing said opening, said casing having an outer opening between the trap chamber and the exterior, an inwardly pivotable closure member for said outer opening, and a spongelike member in said trap chamber yieldably holding the closure member closed.

7. A windshield scrubber comprising: a. a casing having a brush compartment open at the side; b. a rotary brush mounted for rotation in said brush compartment and having a portion of its periphery extending through the open side; c. means to effect rotation of the brush; d. a stiffly resilient skirt on said casing surrounding said open side of said brush compartment, the edge of the skirt terminating in a plane; e. a valved tube means in said casing for delivering liquid to said brush; f. a trap chamber housed within said casing adjacent said brush compartment with an opening thereto adjacent the periphery of said brush; g. a closure for said opening; and h. means for opening said closure.