US2318087A - Mop connector - Google Patents

Description

May 4, 1943. A. L. LOWE MOP CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 15, 1940 lNVENTOR ARTHUR L. LOWE ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1943 UNITE STATES Mor CONNECTOR Arthur L. Lowe, Southport, Conn.

Application October 15, 1940, Serial No. 361,291

2 Claims. (Cl. 147) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in applicators and has particular relation to an improved connector for securing a mop to a handle.

An object of the invention is to provide a mop connector of simple and inexpensive construction which is preferably permanently secured to the frame of the mop whereby to form a unit therewith and which unit is adapted for ready application to and removal from a handle having a bolt passing through an end portion thereof for securing the unit thereto.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with'the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View showing a wax applicator having its head or 'mop secured to its.

handle in accordance with the teaching of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View on a larger scale showing the lower portion of the applicator handle and showing a portion of the mop head including the present connector;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional view through the lower end of the handle and through the connector;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through a wing portion of the connector;

Fig. 5 is an elevational View showing the end portions of the wire frame of the mop disposed in one of the elements of the connector;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view somewhat similar,

to Fig. 5 but showing the other element of the connector; and

7 is a top plan view of one of the elements of the connector.

Referring in detail to the drawing at H! is.

shown) .the stem 16 of which projects at the i tries lower end of the container and has connected thereto one end portion I! of a rod oroperating means i8 extending along the handle and having at its upper end a trigger means l9 by which the rod may be moved longitudinally of the handle. The arrangement is such that on the trigger I9 being drawn upwardly the rod I8 is shifted in a similar manner and operates the above mentioned valve means to open position to permit some of the contents of container l3 to pass from the same to the floor, there to be spread by mop ll.

Mop Ii comprises a twisted Wire frame on or by an intermediate portion of which is held-the mop material 26 of yarn or the like. The end portions 2! of the frame are bent and carried back in substantially parallel relation with-the material 20 and then the free end portions of the frame are bent as at 22 to provide outwardly extending substantially parallel free end portions 23. Such end portions and the portions of arms .lower endof which slightly projects a lip 24.

At each side of their intermediate depressions 23a the elements are provided with substantially L-shaped depressions comprising substantially aligned arms 25 and parallel arms 26. p v allel arms 26 stop short of the upper ends of the The par.-

elements but enter into the-aligned arms and the latter open throughthe outer edges of the elements and into the depressions 23a thereof.

It is noted that the'substantially L-shaped depressions are in wing-like portions of the elements and sincethese depressions-are formed by pressing outwardly portions of theelements in a manner to form ribs on their outer sides the forming of the depressions serves to strengthon the elements against any flexing or bending.

In this connection attention is particularly directed to the fact that the aligned arms 25 of the L-shaped depressions opening into'theintermediate depressions 23a result in the formation of outer beads merging with the outer sides of the said depressions 23a whereby the Wing-like portions of the elements are strengthenedagainst bending about their lines of connection with the said intermediate depressedportions.

In its wing-like portions at the -outer sides of the parallel portions 26 of the L-shaped depressions each element is provided with openings 21 and 28 of which the former is clean out while the latter is formed by pressing out the metal to provide a hollow rivet-like structure 29. Slots 3!] open through the upper ends of the intermediate portions of the elements and each such element at the sides of the slots and toward the upper or open ends of the latter is provided with outwardly pressed projections 3| the purpose of which will appear.

Elements A and B are assembled on the free end portions of the wire frame of the mop H in a permanent manner to form a unit with such mop and to accomplish this the end portions of the mop frame are disposed in the L-shaped depressions 25-26 of one element, as element A in the drawing (see Fig. 5). Thereafter element B is disposed over the parts arranged with the various depressions of one element aligning with those of the other element and with the eyeletlike portions 23 of each element extending through the opening 2! in the wing-like portion of the other element. Through the use of suitable clamping jaws the elements are forced tight against one another (a pilot plug being disposed in depressions 23a to prevent collapse thereof) and the free ends of the eyelets 29 are clinched tightly and permanently securing the elements together on the ends of the mop frame. The elements may be secured. together by means other than the eyelets 29. For example, separate rivets or bolts may be used or the elements may be spot welded together or the like.

It is noted that the depressions receiving the end portions of the mop frame constitute transversely circular sockets snugly receiving I such frame portions. It will be clear that the intermediate depressions 23a result in a material stiffening of the elements A and B. The outer beads resulting from the formation of such depressions stiffen the elements at the inner sides of the parallel arm portion 25 and the rivetting operation at 32 stiflens the wing-like portions of the connector at the outer sides of said portions 26 whereby the end portions of the mop frame are securely and rigidly held in the connector.

Obviously in the assembled connector the intermediate depressions 23a together define a socket. Such socket is for the reception of the lower reduced diameter end portion of the handle l0. Through such end portion of the handle passes a bolt 33 having a head 34 and a square shank portion 35 immediately inwardly of said head. At its other end the bolt is threaded and carries a wing nut 36 which may be threaded along the bolt but may not be removed therefrom as the outer threaded end of the bolt is spun over at 31 to destroy some of the threads and prevent removal of the nut from the bolt.

While the nut is loose on the bolt the handle end is slipped into its socket in the connector [2- with the bolt extending through the lots 3!]. Thereafter as the nut 35 is tightened the square port-ion of the bolt shank is drawn into the wooden handle and prevents turning of the bolt in the handle. As the nut is further tightened the nut and the bolt head clamp against the connector rigidly securing the mop head to the handle, aligning the mop with the container I3 and thereafter preventing turning of the mop from such aligned relation yet permitting of easy removal of the mop from the handle Without removing the bolt from the latter. Should the nut 36 not be fully tightened or should it casually become somewhat loose the mop head will not casually separate from the handle. This is true since the projections 3| are so arranged as under the mentioned circumstances to engage the bolt head 34 and the nut 36 and stop movement of the mop from the handle.

When the mop material is worn and the mop is to be replaced or when such material is worn on but one side and the mop is to be reversed on the handle the nut 36 is materially loosened and the mop head may be easily removed. Since the bolt 33 extends in a plane passing through the container and the connector is provided with the slots 30 the mop will always be applied to the handle in the proper relation to the container. After the mop in a reversed position or a new mop is applied to the handle the nut 36 is tightened and the applicator is ready for use.

Attention is directed to the fact that my connector comprises but two identical parts. As the bolt remains in the handle at all times the mop head may be easily and quickly applied to and removed from the handle. The connector while of sheet metal is so strengthened by the beads resulting from the formation of the various depressions that a rigid structure is provided and there is no wobbling of the mop with respect to the handle in any such manner as to give the feeling that the device is about to fall apart. The lips 24 in the assembled connector form stops to limit the extent to which the handle may be inserted into its socket and in addition have the important function of materially stiffening the elements A and B.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

l. A connector for supporting a mop or the like on the end of a handle, said connector comprising a pair of identical sheet metal elements each having a central substantially semi-tubular depression, said elements arranged one against the other with said depressions registering and together defining a socket for the reception of the handle end, wing-like portions extending laterally from each side of said central portions and each having depressions and of which the open sides of the depressions of one element register with those of the other providing sockets at the sides of the first named socket for the reception of the bent ends of a mop frame, said sockets thus formed in said wing-like portions being substantially L-shaped and extending inwardly from the outer edges of said portions adjacent their lower ends and then extending at the outer sides of but substantially parallel with the handle receiving socket, a rivet integral with one wing portion of each element and passing through the other wing portion of the other element and securing said portions of the elements together rigidly and permanently in the angle between the outer sides of said L-shaped sockets, and said depressions forming the portions of said L- shaped sockets which extend inwardly from the outer side edges of said wing-like portions continued inwardly to the first mentioned central depressions whereby to stiffen such wing-like portions of the clip in their connections with the depressed central portions.

2. A connector for supporting a mop or the like on the end of a handle, said connector comprising a pair of identical sheet metal elements each having a central substantially semi-tubular depression, said elements arranged one against the other with said depressions registering and together defining a socket for the reception of the handle end, wing-like portions extending laterally from each side of each of said central portions and each having depressions and of which the open sides of the depressions of one element register with those of the other providing sockets at the sides of the first named socket for the reception of the bent ends of a mop frame, said sockets thus formed. in said wing-like portions being substantially L-shaped and extending inwardly from the outer edges of said portions adjacent their lower ends and then extending at the outer sides of but substantially parallel with the handle receiving socket, a rivet integral with one wing portion of each element and passing through the other wing portion of the other element and securing said portions of the elements together rigidly and permanently in the angle between the outer sides of said L-shaped sockets, said depressions forming the portions of said L- shaped sockets which extending inwardly from the outer side edges of said wing-like portions continued inwardly to the first mentioned central depressions whereby to stifien such wing-like portions of the clip in their connections with the depressed central portions, and said portions of the wing depressions extending substantially parallel with the handle socket stopping short of the upper edges of said wing-like portions whereby said L-shaped sockets are closed at their upper ends to enclose and conceal the free ends of any mop frame.

ARTHUR L. LOWE.

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