US2572178A - Cleaning device of the releasable swab type - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 23, 1951 R. c. MONROE ET AL CLEANING DEVICE OF THE RELEASABLE SWAB TYPE Filed Nov. 27, 1946 mmvroas Zamlse Y 1% ('lemrn/ ifaerl (3 Monroe Patented Oct. 23, 1951 OFFICE CLEANING DEVICE OF THE RELEASABLE SWAB TYPE Robert 0. Monroe and Louise Y. McClement, New York, N. Y.

Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,470

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to cleaning devices and more particularly a cleaning device of the swab or mop type.

Numerous articles or devices are being manufactured and sold for the purpose of lightening the many tasks of a housewife, such as new or novel window cleaners, polishing cloths, dusting papers, et cetera. One task which is still objectionable however, is that of cleaning a toilet bowl, which is still performed by using an ordinary type of brush. After being used the brush must be washed and dried and put aside for future use; such does not approach a criterion in so far as optimum sanitary procedures are concerned. The average housewife would prefer to use a brush once and then discard it, using a new brush on each occasion, but such is impracticable due to the expense involved.

The present invention aims to overcome the above and other difficulties or objections by providing a new and improved device adapted to be used for cleaning toilet bowls having a single-use swab or brush portion which may be readily discarded after being used. The invention further contemplates the provision of a new and improved holder for a cleaning member such as a swab or mop.

An object of the present invention is to pro vide a new and improved cleaning device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved cleaning device having a readily detachable swab part.

Another object is to provide a new and improved cleaning device having a swab portion which may be released from a relatively remote location.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the present cleaning device in use;

Fig. 2 is a view showing more particularly the swab holder or handle portion of the device illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the cleaning device with a swab in position;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the swab retaining device in a different position;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a modified form of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 a preferred embodiment of the present cleaning device is shown in use. The cleaning device comprises a swab, mop, or other suitable scrubbing portion I retained adjacent one end of an elongated holder or handle portion 2; in Fig. 3 there is shown a cross section through the cleaning device with the swab I held in position at one end of the handle portion 2. The elongated handle 2 is adapted to securely retain the swab at all times and is also of such-nature that the swab may be readily released or removed from the handle portion with out the necessity of touching it with the hands.

As shown in Fig. 3 the swab l is retained or clamped in position between oppositely disposed jaws or flexible clamping portions 4 and 5 of an outer substantially tubular member 1. The jaws 4 and 5 are of such construction that their normal tendency is to separate or spread apart from each other. In Figs. 2 and 3 the jaws are shown held inwardly against'the end or neck portion 8 of a swab I by a sleeve, ring, or band member Ill which extends about the elongated tubular member I. When the sleeve I0 is moved away from the jaws 4 and 5, to some such position as shown in Fig. 2, the jaws 4 and 5 may spread apart, due to the inherent flexibility of the material from which the tubular member 1 is formed.

When the jaws 4 and 5 are spread apart or separated from each other the end portion 3 of a mop may be readily inserted into the space or opening intermediate the jaw. When the swab has thus been inserted between the jaws the band or sleeve member It may be pressed downwardly over the exterior surfaces of the jaws and 5 to press or urge them inwardly into firm engagement with a neck portion 8 of the swab. The normal frictional engagement between the interior surface of the sleeve I0 and the exterior surfaces of the jaws v l and 5 is generally sufficient to retain the sleeve in the forward swab-holding relationship such as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. If desired, the exterior surfaces of the jaws and the interior surface of the sleeve l0 could be suitably roughened or knurled to increase the holding engagement between these parts.

While the tubular member I has been shown with the jaws 4 and 5 formed integrally therewith it will be clear that the jaws could be formed from a separate member or members and attached to the tubular member 1 by any suitable securing means.

It has been found that utilizing a tubular member made from some commercially available plastic material gives satisfactory results in actual practice. Such materials are easily formed, and the jaws 4 and 5 may be provided by slitting the end of the tubular member 1 and spreading the resulting jaws 4 and 5 apart, preferably while being heated. When the heat is removed and the jaws of the tubular member cool to room temperature the normal tendency for the jaws is to remain spread apart in some position such as is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The forked or bifurcated portion formed by the jaws 4 and 5 facilitates insertion of a mop I and secure clamping thereof upon movement of the sleeve l8 over the jaws to force them inwardly against the mop. It will be understood that any suitable metal, such as aluminum, may be used in the manufacture of the present cleaning device.

Adjacent each end of the tubular member 1 there are preferably provided outwardly extending projections H and i 2 which are adapted to prevent separation of the sleeve ill from the tubular member I. The sleeve I may be first fitted over the tubular member and the projections H and I2 formed subsequently, or the projections l i and 12 may be first formed and then an enlarged but shrinkable sleeve placed over the tubular member so that upon shrinking of the sleeve it will be of such size as to freely slide to and fro over the tubular member and yet be retained thereon by the end projections I l and 12.. It is also feasible to construct the sleeve of complementary halves and to secure them together by using a suitable cement or solvent material.

With the swab portion l thus retained in position by the tubular member 1 the device may be used for cleaning purposes in the usual manner. Upon completion of a particular cleaning task the swab may be removed from the tubular holder 1 by means of an elongated member I4 preferably disposed interiorly of the tubular member I. This inner rod I4 is of such diameter or outer dimension that it is adapted to be freely movable to and fro in a longitudinal direction with respect to the outer tubular member T; it may be retained in assembled relationship within the tubular member I by enlargements, projections or stop portions IE and I7 formed adjacent opposite ends of the inner rod IA.

The enlarged portion IS on the inner rod l4 adjacent the jaws 4 and of the tubular member 1 is adapted to contact a shoulder portion i9 within the tubular member I to prevent withdrawal of the inner rod I 4 from the upper or right end of the tube. The shoulder ll located adjacent the upper end of the inner rod 14 is adapted to contact a shoulder or end portion 20 on the tubular member 1 upon movement of the inner rod toward the lower or left end of the tubular member.

During cleaning operations the inner rod member M will normally be located adjacent the upper end of the tubular member I, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Upon completion of the particular cleaning task the handle portion 22 of the rod [4 may be pressed toward the tubular member I so that the end 23 of the inner rod comes into contact with the end portion 25 of the mop I. When the user grips the tubular member 1 with one hand and presses the inner rod firmly forwardly against the mop, the mop will be re leased or ejected from between the clamping means or jaws 4 and 5 of the tubular member 1. In Fig. 4 the inner rod or ejecting member I4 is shown in its fully forward ejecting position, with the enlarged portion ll adjacent the other end resting against the shoulder 28 of the tubular member, the swab or mop having been ejected from between the jaws 4 and 5 and the sleeve l0 moved away from the jaws.

Preferably the swab portion I is manufactured from specially prepared paper filler material which is soluble or which disintegrates after being soaked in water for a relatively short period of time. The swab, of course, does not disintegrate immediately upon coming into contact with water but retains its cleaning characteristics for an ample period of time to complete the usual cleaning task. With this type of swab or mop, the swab may be ejected by the ejecting rod I 4 from a remote location, upon completion of the cleaning task, and flushed away without dan er of clogging any plumbing fixtures or conduits. A new sanitary filler may be inserted between the retaining jaws 4 and 5 for each different cleaning task. The complete e ecting or releasing action may be accomplished without touching the swab or without soiling the hands in any way and it is not necessary to wash the swab, dry it, and retain it for future use.

While the present device has been shown with only two jaws adjacent the end of the tubular member 1 it will be clear that any suitable num-- ber of jaws may be used, for example three, four or five .iaws.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention wherein an inner rod member I 45; is retained within the outer substantially tubular member Ia by means of a co-operating' pin and slot construction. The slot 28 of the outer member 7a has projecting therethrough a pin or protuberance 29, which is carried by the inner member I la. The ends 30 and 3! of the slot 28 act as stops for limiting the extent of the to and fro longitudinal movement of the inner rod with respect to the outer tubular member, and thus prevent separation of the two parts. The pin or protuberance 29 of the inner rod Ma may be provided by placing a pin into an aperture or hole within the inner rod and securing it I thereto by means of a suitable solvent or cement.

ber extending around said tubular member and.

It will be seen that the present invention err vides a new and improved cleaning device from which a soiled swab or mop may be readily ejected without soiling the hands of a user. The swab or mop portion readily disintegrates after being soaked in water for a suificient and relatively short time and hence may be flushed away after use. While the present cleaning device has been shown and described chiefly for use in connection with the cleansing of toilet bowls it will be clear that its use is not limited to this field but that it may be utilized for cleaning purposes generally.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not. in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim l. A swab holding device of the class described comprising a tubular member having a plural-' ity of integral and outwardly flaring resilient jaws adjacent one end thereof, an annular memslidable over said jaws for moving them toward each other to grip a portion of a swab, means projecting outwardly from the tubular member at spaced locations for retaining said annular member thereon at all times, a longitudinally movable rod member within said tubular member adapted to be moved toward said jaws'to forcibly eject a swab while the swab is gripped by said jaws, cooperating transversely extending shoulders on the tubular and rod members for preventingremoval of the rod member from the tubular member upon movement of the former in a direction away from said jaws, additional cooperating transversely extending shoulders on the tubular and rod members for limiting the extent of movement of said rod member toward said jaws, and an elongated rod portion projecting a substantial distance outwardly from said additional transversely extending shoulder of the rod member and disposed exteriorly of said tubular member at all times.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said shouldersof the tubular member comprise oppositely disposed end walls of a longitudinally extending slot in the tubular member, and in 25 which said shoulders or the rod member comprise oppositely disposed surface portions of a projection carried by the rod and extending into said slot.

ROBERT C. MONROE. LOUISE Y. McCLEMENT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 29,566 Bruel Aug. 14, 1860 409,674 Fairfield et a1. Aug. 27, 1889 696,125 Whitaker Mar. 25, 1902 929,860 Keith Aug. 3, 1909 940,519 Eastman Nov. 16, 1909 1,047,703 Rapson Dec. 17, 1912 20 1,419,140 j Hutchinson June 13, 1922 1,794,221 Washburn et a1. Feb. 24, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 395,472 France Dec. 29, 1908 531,617 France Oct. 27, 1921

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