US3651529A

US3651529A - Cleaning brush

Info

Publication number: US3651529A
Application number: US879278A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel J Popeil; Raymond Popeil
Original assignee: Popeil Brothers Inc
Current assignee: Popeil Brothers Inc
Priority date: 1969-11-24
Filing date: 1969-11-24
Publication date: 1972-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-28
Also published as: GB1288842A; AU1513370A; JPS5013586B1

Abstract

A cleaning brush for fabric and upholstery is provided in which two opposed operating surfaces are presented: the first has a rotating brush which will sweep crumbs and dirt from upholstery or carpeting and entrap the same within the housing; and the second, a reverse side, containing an oriented cloth which will remove from upholstery, carpeting, and other fabrics, lint, cotton and tangle fibers which cannot be readily engaged by the sweeper. An interlocking construction is provided which effectively isolates the entrapped dirt picked up by the rotating brush from the oriented cloth, and at the same time serves to physically interlock the fabric into the back of the dirt retaining member in a dust and leakproof engagement. A curvilinear shield is provided adjacent the rotating brush to improve the sweeping action and retention of dirt. A blade edge adjacent the brush aperture loosens the dirt in carpeting and fabric for a ready pickup by the brush. A case body snap-actingly engages the brush and dirt holder portion to prevent inadvertent discharge of retained sweepings while the oriented cloth portion is being used. The case body is squeezed for the removal of the brush and dirt holder for cleaning. The cloth holder is snapfitted into the case and thus the cleaning brush, when assembled, has only two parts.

Description

United States Patent [451 Mar. 28, 1972 Popeil et a1.

[54] CLEANING BRUSH [72] Inventors: Samuel J. Popeil; Raymond Popeil, both of Chicago, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Popeil Brothers, Inc., Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Nov. 24, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 879,278

[52] US. Cl. ..l5/4, 15/41 R [51] Int. Cl ....A47l 11/00, A46b 13/08 [58] Field of Search ..l5/4, 27, 41 R, 42-44, 15/48,105, 114, 104, 160

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,115,023 10/1914 Rees ..15/41 R 1,236,122 8/1917 Suttle ..15/41 R 1,371,615 3/1921 Frankel et a1. .....15/41 R 2,962,740 12/1960 Plantholt ..15/45 X 3,003,170 10/1961 Lathrop ..15/41 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 570,615 1/1924 France ..15/41 R 1,013,085 12/1965 Great Britain ..l5/41 R Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Dominik, Knechtel, Godula & Demeur [57] ABSTRACT A cleaning brush for fabric and upholstery is provided in which two opposed operating surfaces are presented: the first has a rotating brush which will sweep crumbs and dirt from upholstery or carpeting and entrap the same within the housing; and the second, a reverse side, containing an oriented cloth which will remove from upholstery, carpeting, and other fabrics, lint, cotton and tangle fibers which cannot be readily engaged by the sweeper. An interlocking construction is provided which effectively isolates the entrapped dirt picked up by the rotating brush from the oriented cloth, and at the same time serves to physically interlock the fabric into the back of the dirt retaining member in a dust and leakproof engagement. A curvilinear shield is provided adjacent the rotating brush to improve the sweeping action and retention of dirt. A blade edge adjacent the brush aperture loosens the dirt in carpeting and fabric for a ready pickup by the brush. A case body snapactingly engages the brush and dirt holder portion to prevent inadvertent discharge of retained sweepings while the oriented cloth portion is being used. The case body is squeezed for the removal of the brush and dirt holder for cleaning. The cloth holder is snap-fitted into the case and thus the cleaning brush, when assembled, has only two parts.

18 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures Patented March 28, 1972 4 Sheets-Shoot 1 m m M W SAMUEL J. POPE /L RAYMOND POPE/L OW KW MQ yam,

ATTYS.

Patented March 28, 1972 4 sheets'shoet 2 L Wm Mm WP NJ L w M S FIG. 7

r-1 5/ 36 FIG. 8 3/ SAMUEL J. POPE/L RAYMOND POPE/L M max! 8 %M ATTYS.

Patented March 28, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 12

FIG. 13

4&

I INVENTORS SAMUEL J. POPE /L MM M 0! PM N 6 0 Mfl WW) ATTYS.

CLEANING BRUSH The present invention relates to a cleaning brush for upholstery, carpeting, and clothing in which all parts are susceptible of physical interlock and assembly or disassembly for cleaning, replacement, and original manufacturing assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART The art abounds with various mechanical devices, chemicals, and electrical apparatus for the chores of cleaning upholstery, fabrics, carpeting, and the like. Mechanical floor sweepers are legion in design and construction. Tablecloth cleaners employing a rotating brush are known as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,672. Additionally the use of an oriented cloth is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,421,171, in which the oriented cloth is employed to remove lint from primarily clothing. Feather clusters and their action are well understood by the average homemaker.

With few exceptions, however, the lightweight hand-held manually activated devices for touch-up cleaning, or small area cleaning which results from spilled crumbs, ashes, cotton balls and the like oftentimes merely spread the dirt. The preferred action is that of the vacuum cleaner which removes the dirt and retains it in a chamber for eventual cleaning. Thus when the householder is faced with crumbs from the babys crackers r teething biscuits on the floor, she is often faced with the chore of getting out the vacuum cleaner just to clean up a few square feet of crumbs in an otherwise clean area. The same, of course, applies to spilled ashes. Even when a carpet sweeper, or whisk broom is employed to clean up certain areas, they are generally found ineffective against picking up the lint such as becomes dislodged from a fluffy portion of absorbent cotton. Then the only effective cleaning technique requires pulling out the vacuum cleaner. The temptation is to wait until there is more dirt, but by this time many of the crumbs are walked on and ground into the carpeting or rug making thorough cleaning even more difficult.

THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the advent of the recreational vehicles which are carpeted, such as campers, motor homes, house trailers, and boats of all kinds and descriptions, the vacuum cleaner often cannot be used as the power supply is not present. Other sweepers take up too much space. It therefore becomes highly desirable to provide for the homemaker and the traveler a small hand-held and hand operated cleaning brush for fabric, upholstery, and carpet cleaning which will attack limited areas of soiled or dirty fabric, upholstery or carpeting with the effectiveness and facility of the most modern and highly powered vacuum cleaner available. To fulfill this need is one of the principal objects of the present invention. A related and significant object of the invention, of course, is to achieve the aforesaid goal with a unit weighing less than 1 pound, which can be used in either hand, and which requires a minimum of physical effort and dexterity. The simplicity and ease of operation of the cleaning brush permits all members of the family to readily use the brush, clean up their own mess, and assist in making a recreational vehicle truly a place for recreation, and not a burden to maintain. Furthermore, in the home even small children can be trained to clean up carpet and rug spots which they may make. I

A further and detailed object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning brush and sweeper in which the dirt is securely trapped within the housing so that if the unit is dropped, the cleaning efforts are not largely dissipated by inadvertent discharge of the retained dirt and sweepings. A related advantage of the invention is to provide an effective cleaning brush which is easy to disassemble for discharging the entrapped dirt in a disposal bag, rinse off the active elements of the unit, and re-assemble for further use.

Another detailed object of the invention is to provide a case for the sweeping portion of the hand-held fabric and upholstery cleaner and sweeper which further insures against accidental dislodgement of entrapped dirt, and actually facilitates the use of the reverse side of the unit to pick up lint and dust which the sweeper portion cannot effectively disengage from the fabric being cleaned.

A further and more detailed object of the present invention looks to the provision of a minimized number of plastic moldable parts from which to form the mechanical brush by snapacting interlocking construction without the use of glue, welding, rivets, and other conventional fastening techniques. This construction offers the twofold advantage of ease and economy of assembly, and easy disassembly for cleaning. In keeping with this object of the invention, a cloth physical interlock is provided to retain the oriented cloth on the case by a snapactingly fitted cloth holder.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The cleaning brush disclosed has two cleaning elements, a rotary brush at the bottom, and an oriented fabric for picking up lint at the top. The two cleaning elements just described are separated by an elongated case in which a top frame coacts with a separate cloth holder to snap-fitting lock the oriented fabric in the top of the case so that the case, in effect, becomes a one-piece removable unit with the oriented fabric at the top. A brush and dirt holder is provided to snap-fittingly engage the open portion of the bottom of the case and mounts the rotary brush for rotation within the dirt trap defined by the case and the brush and dirt holder. Opposed curved dirt trap shields extending upwardly from the bottom portion or shoe of the brush and dirt holder each for approximately of arc of the brush define a dirt trap within the case. When a wire shaft cylindrical bristle brush is employed, the wire shafts at both ends become an axle and are fitted within the brush and dirt holder ends and joumaled for rotation by being locked in place with a clip having barbed ends. A rotary wheel may be provided at each end of the brush of a diameter slightly less than that of the brush with knurled or roughened rims. When the brush is reciprocated backwardly and forwardly over a thick pile carpet, oftentimes the bristles of the brush will stall" and not rotate whereas when depressed the bristles will deflect and the rotary wheels take over and rotate the brush. A blade is provided immediately adjacent the brush on both sides of the brush aperture which, when pressed down, will dig in almost like a snowplow and pick up entrapped dirt in carpets and other fabrics. All of the elements are snap-fittingly engaged for permanent assembly with the exception of the case which, when molded of a flexible material, can be lightly squeezed at its opposed sides and disconnected from the brush and dirt holder for cleaning.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further objects, advantages, and a more full and complete understanding of the invention will be appreciated as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cleaning brush illustrative of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse enlarged sectional view of the cleaning brush shown in FIG. 1 taken along the two offset sectional lines 2-2 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the brush and dirt holder element of the cleaning brush.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the brush and dirt holder.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the brush and dirt holder showing the brush and its rotary wheel schematically in assembled condition and taken along section line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the brush and dirt holder taken along section line 66 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the cloth holder.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cloth holder taken along section line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the cloth holder.

FIG. is a transverse sectional view of the cloth holder taken through section line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional view of the cloth holder taken along section line 11-11 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a top view of the case.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of the case taken along section line 1313 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a transverse sectional view of the case taken along section line 14- 14 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the clip employed to secure the axle and rotary brush in place.

FIG. 16 is a front elevation of the rotary wheel.

FIG. 17 is a transverse sectional view of the rotary wheel taken along section line 17 17 of FIG. 16.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT The general configuration of the cleaning brush 10 is shown in FIG. 1 where it will be seen that the top portion is primarily covered with an oriented cloth 11. Such cloth resembles mohair with a plurality of bristles sticking upwardly from the main body of the cloth. The bristles are oriented in one direction so that they will readily pick up lint, absorbent cotton, and tangled fines when moved against the grain. When brushed in the opposite direction, the lint and other foreign material picked up can be removed. It will be appreciated that materials other than oriented cloth which are functionally the same can be mounted with equal facility in the cleaning brush 10. The center of the unit (as see in FIG. 3) houses a rotary brush 12. A removable case 14 with a cloth holder 15 secured therein is removably secured to the brush and dirt holder 16.

In operation, the user grasps the main body of the cleaning brush 10 and reciprocates it briskly back and forth with the brush l2 engaging the carpeting, upholstery or other material to be cleaned. When a velvet jacket or dark suit is to be cleaned, the cleaning brush 10 is inverted, and the oriented cloth 11 passed over the fabric.

In greater detail the elements will be seen in FIG. 2 where it will be noted that the brush and dirt holder 16, at the bottom of the cleaning brush 10, has outwardly and upwardly extending dirt trap side walls 17. A dirt trap shield 18 extends upwardly from the shoe 27 of the brush and dirt holder 16 presenting a curved interior dirt trap brush face 29. The dirt trap 30 is defined on both sides of the dirt trap shields 18 in the area opposed to the case skirt 44 of the case 14.

As will be noted further, the rotary brush 12 as shown has a twisted wire brush axle 19. An axle mounting block 21 having an axle nest 22 is provided at each end of the brush and dirt holder 16. A clip having reversely bent clip locks 25 is press-fitted into the clip pockets 24 of the axle mounting block 21 and secures the axle 19 of the rotary brush 12 in place for rotation.

It will be observed that the edge of the shoe 27 of the brush and dirt holder 16 defines a dirt blade 26 immediately adjacent the brush 12. Behind the dirt blade is a dirt blade recess 28. When pressing down on fabrics such as household carpeting, the combined action of the dirt blade 26 and its dirt blade recess 28 physically dislodges dirt from the carpeting in the same manner as a snowplow blade lifts the snow. Thereafter as the brush 12 rotates by the dirt trap brush face 29, the dirt is thrown upwardly into the interior of the cleaning brush 10 and falls down into the dirt trap 30.

The oriented cloth 11 is locked in place atop the cloth holder pad 31 which interlocks with the case cloth locking frame 32 of the case 14. Pad side walls 34 extend downwardly from the cloth holder pad 31 and define a plurality of cloth locks 35. Flanking curved case wedges 36 form the bottom of the cloth holder 15, and wedgingly engage the interior of the upper portion of the case 14 beneath the case cloth locking frame 32. A simple manufacturing fixture is employed to lay the oriented cloth 11 over the cloth holder 15 and more particularly the cloth holder pad 31. Thereafter the case 14 is passed over the same and shapes the oriented cloth 11 snugly atop the cloth holder pad 31 framed by the case cloth locking frame 32 in the configuration as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Once assembled, the case 14 the the cloth holder 15 form a unitary handle, body, and dust chamber for the cleaning brush 10. The cloth locks 35 permanently lock the oriented cloth in place.

For purposes of cleaning and assembly, a case lock 40 is provided at the lower edge of the case skirt 44. To this end a pair of opposed case lock slots 41 are provided in the dirt trap side walls 17 of the brush and dirt holder 16. Opposed case locks 42 in the form of projections are molded at the bottom of the case skirt 44. In addition, a case skirt peripheral dovetail one-half groove 45 is provided at the lower portion of the case skirt 44. The same fits in close-fitted dirt-impenetrable relationship with the brush and dirt holder peripheral tongue 46. As stated earlier, by squeezing the flexible skirts 44 of the case 14, one or the other of the case locks 42 will be released from the case lock slot 41 of the brush and dirt holder dirt trap side walls 17, and the case removed. Thereafter the brush and dirt holder 16 is inverted, tapped lightly on a waste basket or other disposal container, and the case 14 similarly tapped and the unit reassembled for further operation as a cleaning brush.

To provide a sturdy base for the case lock 42, it will be observed that a case lock base 52 is formed in the interior portion of the case skirt 44. The base 52 insures additional strength to the angled portion of the case lock 42 where it intersects the case skirt 44. (See FIG. 14) To provide the necessary relief for mounting the cloth holder 15 within the case cloth locking frame 32, case lock base relief notches 51 (see FIGS. 7 and 9) are provided in the cloth holder 15 to accommodate the upper portion of the case lock base 52, particularly as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The details of the cloth lock 35 and their facilitation of manufacture will be better understood by first referring to edge of the case cloth locking frame 32 as seen particularly in FIG. 12. The cloth lock fingers 48 are proportioned to nestingly engage the cloth lock pockets 49 on the cloth holder 15. The orienting blocks 52 on the case 14 engage the orienting notches 51 on the cloth holder 15 and thus securely retain the cloth holder 15 within the case 14.

The specific construction of the clip 20 is shown in FIG. 15 where it will be seen that it is a U-shaped member having a fiat clip base 54 and clip sides 55 to define the U-shaped body portion. At the end of the clip sides 55 are reversely bent ends 56. The ends of the reversely bent ends 56 are provided with a plurality of barbs, specifically shown as three in number on each side. Referring now particularly to FIG. 2, it will be seen that when the clip 20 is pressed in place above the axle nest 22 it securely locks for rotation the brush axle 19 and rotary brush 12. Any effort to dislodge the clip 20 will further engage the clip lock 25 and its associated barbs 58 against the sidewalls of the clip pockets 24. Once thus secured by the clip 20, the rotary brush cannot be inadvertently dislodged from the brush and dirt holder 16, and accordingly the risk of losing parts is held to a minimum. Further to be observed in FIG. 2 is the radial relationship between the dirt trap shields 18 which are curvilinear, and comprise approximately of are each as related to the rotary brush 12. The top of the dirt trap shields 18 are tapered to present a brush blade 59 which serves to disengage lint and dirt from the upper portion of the rotary brush 12 and drop the same into the dirt trap 30.

It has been found that with some carpeting, particularly soft deep pile, the brush 12 can actually stall." To reduce this tendency, a rotary wheel 60 (see FIG. 5) is press-fitted onto the end of the brush axle 19 adjacent the ends of the bristle portion of the rotary brush 12. In practice, the rotary wheel 60 has a diameter approximately one-eighth inch to one-fourth inch less than that of the rotary brush 12 so that in certain carpeting and upholstery cleaning applications the rotary wheel 60 will not engage the carpet, the action of the bristles on the brush 12 being sufiicient to dislodge the dirt.

The specific construction of the rotary wheel 60 is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 where it will be seen that the outer portion of the wheel includes a rim 64 with an outer surface which is formed with teeth 65 to provide traction against the fabric being cleaned. While a rubber sleeve or other friction element may be placed around the rim 64, the teeth 65 have been found economical to mold and durable in operation. At the center a hub 62 is designed providing an axle hole 62 which is slightly undersized to accommodate a press-fit of the axle 19 of the rotary brush 12.

In review it will be seen that manufacturing economies have been effected by combining all of the functions and structures in three moldable body elements; the removable case 14, the cloth holder 15, and the brush and'dirt holder 16. Two identical moldable rotary wheels 60 are also provided. All molded parts are preferably formed of polypropylene which flexes sufficiently to make the case skirt 44 finger squeezable to disengage the case lock 42. Also the curves of the dirt trap shields 18 can be readily stripped from the mold when formed of polypropylene. Thereafter, in addition to the oriented cloth 11, only the rotary brush l2 and the pair of clips 20 need to be provided for the complete assembly. Complex jigging and fixturing is not required to interlock the removable case 14 with the cloth holder to position the oriented cloth 11 in place. The wheels 60 are simply press-fitted to the axle 19 of the rotary wheels, and thereafter the axles 19 positioned in the nests 22 and the clips press-fitted in place. The entire assembly is thus concluded economically, and the moldable parts are economically moldable from a wide variety of plastics. A successful commercial embodiment weighs less than 1 pound, and carries a brush having a diameter of 1% inch and length of 5 7/16 inch with rotary wheels having a diameter of 1% inch. The length of the commercial embodiment is 7 H16 inch, the width 2.42 inch and the height 1% inch, thus making it easy to hold even in the hand of a child and to manipulate the cleaning brush 10 for all of its intended uses.

Although a commercial embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details. of such embodiment. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative embodiments, usages and equivalents of the cleaning brush for fabric and upholstery as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification, and appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A cleaning brush for upholstery, carpeting and fabric, comprising,

an elongated case having a top frame,

a case skirt depending parameterally from the case top frame and having a lower edge,

a lint engaging material secured to the case top frame,

a brush and di00054proportioned to fit the case lower edge,

opposed curved dirt trap shields within the brush and dirt holder defining a brush aperture therebetween,

a brush having a central axle,

means in the end of the brush and dirt holder for journalingly receiving and retaining the brush axle and brush nested within the brush aperture, and

connecting means for securing the case to the brush and dirt holder, whereby a dirt trap is defined within the cleaning brush which can be emptied and'cle'aned removing the case from the brush and dirt holder.

2. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, a brushblade having a relieved portion adjacent the edges of the brush aperture.

3. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, the curvilinear face of the dirt trap shields each covering about 90 arc of the brush.

4. In the cleaning brush of claim 3, the brush axle being oriented midway between and centrally of the curvilinear faces of the dirt trap shields.

5. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, a pair of rotary wheels, and means for immovably mounting the wheels to the brush axle adjacent the ends of the brush with a portion of axle extending therebeyond for mounting in the brush a dirt holder.

6. In the cleaning brush of claim 5, said brush having cylindrically oriented bristles; said rotary wheel having a roughened rim and a diameter at least l0 percent less than the diameter of the brush.

7. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, an axle mount comprising a nest to receive the axle for rotation, and a clip propor- 'tioned to engage the brush and dirt holder and overlie the nest thereby securing the axle for rotation.

8. In the cleaning brush of claim 7,'said brush having cylindrically oriented bristles; said rotary wheel having a roughened rim and a diameter at least 10 percent less than the diameter of the brush.

9. In the cleaning brush of claim 7,

a pair of pocketsflanking the axle nest,

said clip being U-shaped with a base and two legs,

reversely bent barbs at the end of each leg, the whole proportioned so that the legs are inserted in the pocket and the barbed ends lockingly engage the same with the base of the U-shaped clip overlying the axle end as it fits within the'axle nest.

10. In the cleaning brush of claim 1,

said case top frame defining an aperture,

a lint engaging material holder having a pad member centrally thereof proportioned to nest within said aperture,

pocket and finger interlocking means respectively on the holder and case frame for interlockingly securing the same,

said lint engaging material extending over said pad and jammingly engaged by the pad and the edge of the frame of the case, whereby the material is secured to the case in taut stretched engagement in a dirt-tight relationship.

11. A cleaning brush for upholstery, carpeting and fabric comprising,

an elongated case having a top,

a case skirt depending parameterally from the case top and having a lower edge,

a brush and dirt holder having a shoe and upwardly extending dirt trap side walls and proportioned to fit the case lower edge,

opposed curved dirt trap shields extending upwardly from the brush and dirt holder shoe and defining a brush aperture therebetween,

a brush having a central axle,

means in the end of the brush and dirt holder for journalingly receiving and retaining the brush axle and brush nested within the brush aperture,

connecting means snap-fittingly securing the case to the brush and dirt holder defining a dirt trap within the cleaning brush,

and' a brush blade having a relieved portion in the shoe parallel therewith,

whereby depressing the shoe against the carpeting while reciprocating the brush causes the blade to dislodge entrapped dirt which is more readily picked up by the brush.

12. In the cleaning brush of claim 11, the curvilinear face of the dirt trap shields each covering about of arc of the brush.

13. Inthe cleaning brush of claim 11, the brush axle being oriented midway between and centrally of the curvilinear faces of the dirt trap shields.

14. In the cleaning brush of claim 1 l, a pair of rotary wheels and means for immovably mounting the wheels to the brush axle adjacent the ends of the brush with a portion of axle extending therebeyond for mounting in the brush dirt holder.

15. In the cleaning brush of claim 11, an axle mount comprising a nest to receive the axle for rotation, and a clip proportioned to engage the brush and dirt holder and overlie the nest thereby securing the axle for rotation.

16. In the cleaning brush of claim 15,

a pair ofpockets flanking the axle nest,

said clip being U-shaped with a base and two legs,

reversely bent barbs at the end of each leg, the whole proportioned so that the legs are inserted in the pocket and a cloth holder having a pad member centrally thereof proportioned to nest within said aperture, pocket and finger interlocking means respectively on the cloth holder and case frame for interlockingly securing the same, and an oriented cloth extending over the pad and jammingly engaged by the pad and the edge of the frame of the case, whereby the oriented cloth is secured to the case in taut stretched engagement in a dirt-tight relationship.

k I I! I

Claims

1. A cleaning brush for upholstery, carpeting and fabric, comprising, an elongated case having a top frame, a case skirt depending parameterally from the case top frame and having a lower edge, a lint engaging material secured to the case top frame, a brush and dirt holder proportioned to fit the case lower edge, opposed curved dirt trap shields within the brush and dirt holder defining a brush aperture therebetween, a brush having a central axle, means in the end of the brush and dirt holder for journalingly receiving and retaining the brush axle and brush nested within the brush aperture, and connecting means for securing the case to the brush and dirt holder, whereby a dirt trap is defined within the cleaning brush which can be emptied and cleaned removing the case from the brush and dirt holder.

2. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, a brush blade having a relieved portion adjacent the edges of the brush aperture.

3. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, the curvilinear face of the dirt trap shields each covering about 90* arc of the brush.

6. In the cleaning brush of claim 5, said brush having cylindrically oriented bristles; said rotary wheel having a roughened rim and a diameter at least 10 percent less than the diameter of the brush.

7. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, an axle mount comprising a nest to receive the axle for rotation, and a clip proportioned to engage the brush and dirt holder and overlie the nest thereby securing the axle for rotation.

8. In the cleaning brush of claim 7, said brush having cylindrically oriented bristles; said rotary wheel having a roughened rim and a diameter at least 10 percent less than the diameter of the brush.

9. In the cleaning brush of claim 7, a pair of pockets flanking the axle nest, said clip being U-shaped with a base and two legs, reversely bent barbs at the end of each leg, the whole proportioned so that the legs are inserted in the pocket and the barbed ends lockingly engage the same with the base of the U-shaped clip overlying the axle end as it fits within the axle nest.

10. In the cleaning brush of claim 1, said case top frame defining an aperture, a lint engaging material holder having a pad member centrally thereof proportioned to nest within said aperture, pocket and finger interlocking means respectively on the holder and case frame for interlockingly securing the same, said lint engaging maTerial extending over said pad and jammingly engaged by the pad and the edge of the frame of the case, whereby the material is secured to the case in taut stretched engagement in a dirt-tight relationship.

11. A cleaning brush for upholstery, carpeting and fabric, comprising, an elongated case having a top, a case skirt depending parameterally from the case top and having a lower edge, a brush and dirt holder having a shoe and upwardly extending dirt trap side walls and proportioned to fit the case lower edge, opposed curved dirt trap shields extending upwardly from the brush and dirt holder shoe and defining a brush aperture therebetween, a brush having a central axle, means in the end of the brush and dirt holder for journalingly receiving and retaining the brush axle and brush nested within the brush aperture, connecting means snap-fittingly securing the case to the brush and dirt holder defining a dirt trap within the cleaning brush, and a brush blade having a relieved portion in the shoe parallel therewith, whereby depressing the shoe against the carpeting while reciprocating the brush causes the blade to dislodge entrapped dirt which is more readily picked up by the brush.

12. In the cleaning brush of claim 11, the curvilinear face of the dirt trap shields each covering about 90* of arc of the brush.

13. In the cleaning brush of claim 11, the brush axle being oriented midway between and centrally of the curvilinear faces of the dirt trap shields.

14. In the cleaning brush of claim 11, a pair of rotary wheels and means for immovably mounting the wheels to the brush axle adjacent the ends of the brush with a portion of axle extending therebeyond for mounting in the brush dirt holder.

16. In the cleaning brush of claim 15, a pair of pockets flanking the axle nest, said clip being U-shaped with a base and two legs, reversely bent barbs at the end of each leg, the whole proportioned so that the legs are inserted in the pocket and the barbed ends lockingly engage the same with the base of the U-shaped clip overlying the axle end as it fits within the axle nest.

17. In the cleaning brush of claim 11, said brush having cylindrically oriented bristles; said rotary wheel having a roughened rim and a diameter at least 10 percent less than the diameter of the brush.

18. In the cleaning brush of claim 11, said case having a depending skirt and a frame there atop defining a fabric aperture, a cloth holder having a pad member centrally thereof proportioned to nest within said aperture, pocket and finger interlocking means respectively on the cloth holder and case frame for interlockingly securing the same, and an oriented cloth extending over the pad and jammingly engaged by the pad and the edge of the frame of the case, whereby the oriented cloth is secured to the case in taut stretched engagement in a dirt-tight relationship.