US2103198A - Cleaning tool - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2l, 1937. v H SIEMUND v 2,103,198

CLEANING TOOL Filed March 12, 1936 A ORNEY Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES CLEANING TOOL Herman Siemund, Chicago,Y Ill., assignor. to Greenview Manufacturing Company, Chicago,

Ell., a corporation of Application March 12,

7 Claims.

The present invention relates'toimprovements in cleaning tools, and it has particular relation to cleaning tools or devices of the squeegee type such as are used generally in the cleaning of windows, floors and the like.

In the conventional cleaning device of the character described, which is in general use today, the flexible material or wiping edge, such as composition, rubber, rubber and fabric, felt, etc., is secured therein by means of bolts or screws extending through the holder and through the material itself. In such devices, only one edge of the flexible material may be used and when that has become worn the material must be replaced. Furthermore, the material must be properly and accurately measured and punched to receive the fastening bolts or screws, which after a short time tear through by the strain put on the material during actual use. When this happens the eiiiciency of the device is impaired, and it is necessary to replace the wiping edge. It is not unusual in devices ofthis type to have vto replace the exible portion long before the usefulness of the material itself is destroyed because of one or more of the failures described above.

It is an object of this invention to obviate the disadvantages of the conventional type of cleaning device described above, and to provide a device of the character described, which is of simple and inexpensive construction, that will securely hold a flexible wiping edge in place without requiring the necessity of destroying one edge thereof by perforating it with holes necessary to secure it in the holder;

Another object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning device in which the flexible wiping edge may be sold and distributed in rolls from which individual strips may be cut to length and securely inserted in the holder without requiring any precision measuring and punching for the purpose of fastening in the holder.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning tool in which the flexible portion or wiping edge may be reverse-:l when one side has become worn through use, without impairing the usefulness of the holder or the means of securing the material therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning holder which will permit the use of one or more strips of flexible material without impairing or injuring the usefulness of the tool or its efficiency.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described which will permit the use of strips of material of various Illinois 1936, serial No. 68,488

thicknesses without requiring any adjustment or provision whatsoever.

Other and further objectsand advantages of the invention reside in the detailed construction of the holder, which result in simplicity, economy and eiciency, and which willv be apparent from the following description, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is shown, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming apart hereof, in which:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, fof acleaning holder embodying the im provements of my invention;

Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional view, partially in elevation, of the device shown. in Fig. 1, the same Y being takenf -substantially along the line 2-.2 thereof; Y Y, n

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective View of .the L-shaped clamping'bar shownin the drawing of Figs. 1 and 2.; and

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, of'thecleaning tool shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now in detailto the drawing', there is shown a metallic- U-shaped supporting structure or member I0, having a handle or handlereceiving means IVI mounted intermediate the top side thereof by means of spot welds I2, or other suitable fastening means. The U-shaped member I9 is formed integrally, having a short lower arm I3, an upstanding back portion I4 Yand a long top arm I6. The extreme outer edge il of the top arm I6 is provided with. an upstanding ange I8, and forwardly extending projections I9 formed integrally therewith, which projections I9 extend from'opposite. ends of the arm I6 beyond the front edge thereof in the same horizontal plane as the ilange I8. Thetop arm I6 of the U-shaped memberA I0 is provided with a series of spaced apertures 2|, which are internally threaded to receive b0ltS22 'l A clamping or locking bar angular construction, having a long nat horif 23, of L-shape orV Zontal arm 24 and a short vertical arm 26 having Y whenthe clamping barY 23 is suspended over the A flange YI8 by means of its curved edge 21, the projections I9 provide for proper centering and also prevent any cross-Wise or longitudinal movement or sliding of the two members I0 and 23 with respect to one another.

The flexible wiping edge, which consists of one or more strips of suitab-le material 3 I, is manually inserted or positioned. between the clamping bar arm 2.4 and the lower arm I3 of the support-` ing member I6. While I have shown two separate strips of flexible material 3| of different widths, it is, ofcourse, obvious and optional what number of strips are employed, or whether their thicknesses are the same. Manifestly, the widths of material and the thickness thereof may be varied at the discretion of the operator or user without imparting from the utility of the tool or from the limits of the invention.

In assembling the apparatus, the bolts 22 are unscrewed or withdrawn until the threaded shank 33 no longer projects entirely through the arm I6 of the member III. Then the clamping bar 23 is positioned over the upstanding iiange I8 b-y means of its curved edge 21 between the forwardly extending projections I9. In this position the horizontal arm 24 of the clamping bar 23 extends in substantially parallel relation between the arms I3 and I6 of the supporting member III, and by reason of its being pivotally suspended over the flange IS the arm 24 is free to move within the limits of the space between the two arms I3 and I6 of the member I0. The strips of flexible wiping material 3| are then positioned in the assembly between the under side of the arm 24 and the upper side of the arm. I3, with the inside edge 32 of the material 3| in contact with the back I4 of the supporting member I0. In this position the bolts 22 are threaded through the apertures 2| of the arm I6 until they come in contact with the top of the arm 24 and force it tightly against the flexible strips 3| and arm I3, thereby tightly and fixedly securing the strips 3| between the arms I3 and 24 by a wedging or clamping action thus obviating the necessity of puncturing the material 3| with holes for the purpose of securing it in the holder.

Thus it will be seen that with my improved holder or tool, it is possible to vary the thickness or number of strips of iiexible material to be used in the device without difliculty or loss of eihiency, and that in changing or replacing the wiping material it is only necessary to cut it to length, either from rolls or long strips, thereby obviating the necessity of making precision measurements and punching properly centered holes to correspond with the spacing of the clamping bolts or screws. It will also be apparent that, in my improved device, when one side of the wiping material has become worn and ineflicient, the material may be reversed and the opposite edge utilized, which is a feature that is impossible when apertures or notches are cut into the one side for fastening purposes. Consequently, the useful life of the wiping material is increased two-fold bymy novel fastening arrangement, thereby greatly reducing the cost of operating the holder. Furthermore, dealers in such tools need no longer carry large and expensive assortments of wiping blades or material, out and punched to t different types and makes of tools. Since with my tool any size or thickness of material may be used.

Attention is directed to the features of the handie II, which is of hollow construction and formed from a single piece of material, thereby being of a split construction, which provides for expansion when a wooden pole or handle member 34 is inserted therein when the tool is to be used in cleaning in places, such as floors or windows,

out of reach of the ordinary operator. The hollow handle I I, as best shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a one piece non-expansible locking ring 36 mounted around the outer edge 31 of the handle I I. This ring 36 has a circumferentially extending slot or groove 33 along one side thereof into which is inserted the end 3'! of the handle I I, and the two members are then tightly pressed together forming a tight and permanent fastening. While the handle II by reason of being formed from one piece of split construction, will expand upon the reception of a wooden pole 34 of slightly large diameter, the locking ring 36 being integral prevents expansion or splitting of the extreme outer edge 3l thereof, thereby providing positive means for frictionally maintaining the hollow handle II and the wooden handle 34 in locking engagement under ordinary operating conditions, but not preventing their ready separation when desired.

Although I have only described one modicaa tion which my invention may assume, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but that various modications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from Y the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: l. In a cleaning device of the character described, a U-shaped structure having means on one arm thereof for engaging a clamping bar in said structure, an angular clamping bar in said structure having means along one side for engaging said means of said U-shaped structure, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positioned between the clamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shaped structure, and means for rigidly securing said cleaning member within said U-shaped structure.

2. In a cleaning device of the character described, a U-shaped structure having means on one arm thereof for Vengaging a clamping bar in said structure, an angular clamping bar in said structure having means along one side thereof for engaging said means of said U-shaped structure, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said clamping bar, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positioned between the clamping bar and the other arm of said U-shaped structure, and means for securing said cleaning member lwithin said U-shaped structure.

3. In a cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shaped supporting structure having means extending outwardly from one arm thereof for engaging a clamping bar in said structure, a removable clamping bar of L- shape construction in said structure having means along one side thereof for engaging said first mentioned means of said U-shaped structure, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positioned between the clamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shaped structure, and means for securing said cleaning member within said U-shaped structure.

4. In a cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shaped supporting structure having a ange projecting outwardly from one arm thereof for engaging a clamping bar in said structure, -a removable clamping bar of L- shape construction in said structure having means along one side thereof for pivot-ally engaging said flange of said U-shaped structure, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positioned between the clamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shaped structure, and means for securing 75` said cleaning member and clamping bar within said U-shaped structure.

5. In a cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shaped supporting structure having handle receiving means mounted intermediate its ends, means extending outwardly from one arm of s-aid U-shaped structure for engaging a clamping bar in said structure, a removable angular clamping bar in said structure having means along one side thereof for engaging said rst mentioned means of said U-shaped structure, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said clamping bar, a cleaning member having one edge thereof positioned between the clamping bar and the opposite arm of said U-shaped structure, and means for wedgingly securing said cleaning member and clamping bar within said U-shaped structure.

6. A cleaning device of the character described comprising a U-shaped supporting structure having a handle mounted intermediate its ends, said U-shaped structure having a relative long upper arm and a relatively short lower arm, means eX- tending along the edge of said upper arm for receiving a clamping bar, a removable clamping bar of angular shape having an inturned edge along one side thereof for pivotally engaging said means when the other side extends inwardly between Y the arms of said U-shaped structure, means eX- tending `outwardly -fromA each sdeof said upper arm of said U-shaped structure Vfor preventing longitudinal movement of said clamping bar, a

member of U-shaped construction, means positioned adjacent one edge for engaging a clamping bar in the supporting member,` an L-srhaped Y clamping bar in the supporting member having a rolled edge along its shorter side adapted to engage said clamping bar engaging means, a second means adjacent the rst mentioned means for'Y preventing longitudinal movement of said clamping bar, a cleaning member having one edge thereof wedgingly fastened between the long side of the clamping bar and the other'side of said U-shaped member, and means mounted on said one side of theVU-shaped member for causing said clamping bar to engage and secure said cleaning member tightly against the other side of thesupporting member.

' HERMAN SIEMUND.

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