US2876476A - Floor cleaning and waxing device - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1959 J. A. WOODS FLOOR CLEANING AND WAXING DEVICE Filed Jan. 28, 1957 ;:I 3 7 I 0 h I in u annnuunnnuu nli J I INVENTOR: JAM-Es Awe ans,

ATTORNEX United States Patent F 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-139) This invention relates to a device for cleaningand waxing floor surfaces and to otherparts of a building re- 7 quiring such service.

It is the object of the invention to provide a device of simpleconstruction and convenientto operate. A further object is to provide improved means for supporting a synthetic sponge pad thereon. Another object is to provide means for storing a suitable fluid within the device. A still further object is to provide means for controlling the flow of fluid to the pad during the operation of the device.

These and further objects of the invention as well as the advantageous features thereof will appear upon perusal of the'following detailed description and by referring to the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing the main portions of the device partly assembled;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the upper portion of the device;

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the lower portion of the device completely assembled;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the bottom members as they appear before the device is fully assembled;

Fig. 5 shows the valve at the upper end of the handle of the device; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the valve at the lower end of the handle.

The device of the invention, as illustrated in the drawings, consists of a tubular head including an upwardly curved support frame 1 on the outer surface of which a pad 2 is mounted. The support is for this purpose near the ends thereof provided with inwardly directed posts 3 which are caused to extend through openings 4 of the pad when the latter is placed in position over the inwardly directed flanges 5, 6 of the support, substantially as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The upper portion of the tubular head includes a locking member 10, the central portion of which is shown upwardly extended to form a bushing 11 within which a handle 12 is tightly mounted. The locking member is of a width somewhat greater than the distance between the edges of the flanges 5, 6. When so proportioned, it is a simple matter to push one of the edges of the member into the soft pad below the flange 5 and to swing the handle and member to cause the member to compress the pad to permit the other edge of the member to pass over the flange 6 of the support. When pressure is released, it is found that the locking member by the resistance oifered by the pad will become centrally positioned within the support and will maintain the parts of the device assembled during operations of the device.

The handle is tubular and it is at the bottom thereof fitted with a valve 15 which is seated in a bushing 16 and the latter is rigidly mounted in position in the lower end of the handle. A valve seat 17 is placed within the bushing and the stem 18 of the valve extends downwardly through the bushing terminating at its lower end in a head 19. A spring 20 is placed on the stem be- 2,8 76,476 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 tween this head and a washer 21 normally to maintain the valve closed. It is important to note that the head 19 of the valve almost touches the inner surface of the support member when the device is assembled as above described.

The solution required for the cleaning or waxing operations may now be poured into the handle whereupon the upper end thereof is tightly closed by a cap 25. A valve 26 is seated in this cap and a spring 27 normally maintains the lower opening of the cap tightly closed for the purpose which will now be described.

Solution is admitted to the support member 1 while the handle is held in vertically directed position by applying downward pressure to the handle to cause the central portion of the locking member, which is made of resilient material, to flex downwardly, substantially as indicated at 10 in Fig- 1, thereby to press the edges of the locking member against the posts 3, thereby to cause the. head 19 of the valve stem to contact the inner surface. of the support member and as the pressure on the handle is increased further to depress the central portion of the locking member to cause the valve stem to move upwardly thereby to raise the valve clear of its seat. Fluid from the handle is now free to flow through the bushing and to pass through openings 30 at the lower end thereof to the space between the locking member and the support member. This flow will be discontinued the moment the pressure'on the handle is released. The flow of fluid is by the openings 30 lengthwise directed over the middle portion of the support member surface.

It is important to note that the ends of the clamping member 10 are recessed to form deep outwardly flaring openings 21, 22. The operator is able through these openings to watch the flow of the fluid along the middle portion of the pad support surface and to determine when it is time to release the pressure on the handle. The spring will then again close the valve to arrest further flow of the fluid. The ends of the support member are shown upwardly curved to provide flanges 35, 36 which will prevent overflow of the fluid flowing along the middle portion of the surface.

The device is now ready for the cleaning or waxing operation and it is found most convenient during this operation to hold the handle tilted to the position normally taken by such devices, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It is important to note that the pad support member is at each side thereof, directly below the posts 3, provided with a row of narrow, upwardly directed slots 31, 32. And it is seen that the fluid will, while the handle is held so inclined, flow through the slots 32 into and through the pad for deposit on the surface operated upon. The device may now be operated, maintaining the handle tilted substantially as shown until it is noticed that an insuflicient amount of fluid is deposited on the surface operated upon. The handle may then be returned to the upright position and depressed again to move the valve stem to open the valve for additional deposit of fluid on the inner surface of the member. The operation may then be resumed. It is to be understood that the handle may be tilted in either direction to supply fluid to the portion of the pad contacting the surface operated upon.

The level of the fluid within the handle will during these operations settle and it is found that, while the upper valve 26 remains closed, a partial vacuum will gradually be formed above the fluid level to retard or even to prevent fluid dispension through the lower valve 15. When the operator watching the fluid dispension through the openings 21, 22 notices this slowing down, it is merely required momentarily to depress the button 28 to open the upper valve 26 to admit air to the interior of the handle and so to relieve this condition,

It should be clear from this description that the upper valve performs the important function of preventing an oversupply of fluid entering into the pad support member should the operator inadvertently maintain the valve 19 open for too long a period of time.

The pad may be of any suitable material of suflicient strength to withstand the pressure it is subjected to during the operation of the device. I have found polyurethane composition well suited for this purpose. The side edges of the pad should be reinforced by placing thereon metal flanges 7, 8 which will engage the lower surface of the posts 3 when the parts are completely assembled securely to maintain the pad in position therein.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising an upwardly curved pad support having inwardly directed side. edges, the support having near its ends below the side edges thereof inwardly directed posts and series of vertically directed slots directly below said posts, a porous pad mountable on the support, the pad having perforations therein engaging the posts of the support, a somewhat curved resilient locking member seatable in the pad against the posts-of the support, a tubular handle rising from the middle of the locking member, a valve 2 seated in the lower end of the handle, the stem of the valve reaching nearly to the inner surface of the support, a spring normally maintaining the valve in closed position, and an operating fluid in the handle, the handle being downwardly movable to depress the middle portion of thelocking member thereby to advance the valve 4 stem against the inner surface of the support to open the valve for fluid to flow from the handle along the inner surface of the support and upon tilting the handle through the slots of the support into the pad.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which a cap is seatable in the upper end of the handle.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which metal flanges are mounted on the side edges of the pad for contact with the underside of the posts when the pad is mounted in position on the support.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which a valve is seated in the cap of the handle, and manually operable means for opening said handle cap valve to admit air to the space within the handle.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the edges at the ends of the support member are upwardly curved to form fluid arresting flanges.

6, A device as set forth in claim 1 in which deep outwardly flaring recesses are sunk into the ends of the locking member to enable the operator to observe the flow of the fluid along the inner surface of the support.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,003 Baldwin M31. 3, 1887 1,445,976 Sealund Feb. 20, 1923 2,566,008 Steward July 10, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS- 12S,5 59 Sweden July 19', 1949 508,708 Germany Oct. 1, 1930

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