US3239866A - Holder for a cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

March 966 J. CZERNIAWSKI 3,239,356

HOLDER FOR A CLEANING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1964 United States Patent 3,239,866 HOLDER FOR A CLEANING DEVICE Emil .lerzy Czerniawski, 60 Davisville Road, London W. 12, England Filed Jan. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 335,808 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 7, 1963, 772/ 63 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-176) The present invention relates to a holder for a clean ing device, and more particularly relates to a holder capable of receiving different kinds of cleaning devices, for example a broom head.

According to the invention there is provided a holder for a cleaning device, comprising a first elongate member having first and second opposite side regions; a second elongate member which has first and second opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the first side region of the first elongate member and connected in spaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respective side portions of the first and second elongate members defining a first elongate space therebetween for receiving a first support part of a cleaning device; a third elongate member which has third and fourth opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the second side region of the first elongate member and connected in spaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respective side portions of the first and third elongate members defining an elongate space therebetween for receiving a second support part of a cleaning device; first and second elongate side pieces which are spaced from the second elongate member and which have respectively fifth and sixth end regions which are connected to the said first and second opposite end regions respectively, the first and second elongate side pieces extending towards one another from their respective fifth and sixth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; third and fourth elongate side pieces which are spaced from the third elongate member and which have respectively seventh and eighth end regions which are connected to the said third and fourth end regions respectively, the third and fourth elongate side pieces extending towards one another from their respective seventh and eighth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; opposed respective side portions of each of the elongate side pieces and the elongate member to which it is connected defining a narrow gap therebetween for receiving and retaining a fabric support part of a cleaning device; and means forconnecting a handle to the holder.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show by example how the same may be carried into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a holder for a cleaning device,

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the holder as seen in the direction indicated by thearrow 2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the holder, the section being taken at the line 33 of FIGURE 1 and seen in the direction indicated by thearrow 2, there being a mopping device held by the holder,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG-URE 3, the mopping device having been replaced by a scrubbing-brush device, and

FIGURE 5 is a view of part of a modified form of the holder, and illustrates an alternative way of connecting a handle to the holder.

In FIGURE 1 a plastic frame orholder 1 is shown with threeribs 2, 3 and 4 which define twospaces 5 and 6 between them. Ahandle 8 is attached to therib 3.

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With reference to FIGURE 2, each pair of elongated adjacent ribs (2, 3 and 3, 4) is so formed and connected together that an elongated cross-shaped channel of uniform cross-section, open at one end of the holder and closed at the other end thereof, is defined between and parallel to each pair of ribs. The horizontal portions of the cross-shaped channels within the holder have a width greater than that of the openings of the channels along the underside of the holder, the purposes of which are to be described in detail later.

The holder is in addition formed integrally with fourside pieces 21. These side pieces are attached one at each of the four corners of the holder (as seen in FIG. 1) and extend parallel to the longitudinal extent of the holder, so that a narrow gap, about inch wide, is defined between each side piece and the adjacentouter rib 2 or 4. The purpose of the side pieces is to provide simple gripping means for a mopping device, as illustrated in FIG-URE 3. The mopping device consists of a number of comparativelyshort strands 23 of mopping material sewn across the middle of a rectangular piece ofbacking fabric 22 of such thickness that parts of its border portions, on either side of the middle portion, may be slid into the gaps (via the open ends of those gaps) provided by theside pieces 21, and gripped thereby virtue of friction and the natural resilience of the side pieces, as indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an alternate form of scrubbing device suitable for use with the holder.Scrubbing bristles 24 are carried in asolid backing part 25 from the top of which project tworibs 26. Theseribs 26 extend the length of thebacking part 25 and have a cross-shaped cross-section so as to enable them to he slid intochannels 27 and 28 from their open ends which are indicated in FIGURE 2, and supported on theledges 9, 10, 11. Thus the horizontal portions of thecross-shaped ribs 26 will prevent upward and downward movement of theback part 25 relative to theholder 1.

In this case thehandle 8 is shown as being formed integrally with the holder, but it may alternatively be attached to the holder by being screwed into a tubular receiving part attached to the upper surface of the holder.

Alternatively again the handle could be hinged to the holder so that the angle between the handle and the upper surface of the holder can vary. This latter kind of handle can be separate from the holder, the end nearer to the holder being formed with a hole and there being two supports on the centre rib having holes which correspond with the hole in the end of thehandle 8, and a peg or pin can be inserted through the three aligned holes. Such an arrangement is shown in FIGURE 5, which shows a tubular handle-receivingpart 7 having the end thereof formed with ahollow cylinder 16. The cylinder is placed in agap 17 which is in atubular part 18. Apeg 19 is then passed through theparts 16 and 18 and the handle is thus hinged to the holder.

The holder is clearly capable of receiving various kinds of cleaning devices apart from sets of bristles. For example a piece of rubber having a suitable solid backing part could be inserted in the holder and used to remove water from a floor. As an alternative to the mopping device of FIGURE 3, cloths can be pushed through the twospaces 5 and 6 and be gripped there by friction to enable the holder to be used for mopping, polishing or dusting. Different sets of bristles may be used, the hardness of which bristles diifers from set to set; thus one set of bristles can be suitable for sweeping the floor whilst another set of bristles can be more suitable for scrubbing the floor.

Iclaim:

1. A holder for a cleaning device, comprising a first elongate member having first and second opposite side regions; a second elongate member which has first and second opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the first side region of the first elongate member and connected in spaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respective side portions of the first and second elongate members defining a first elongate space therebetween for receiving a first support part of a cleaning device; a third elongate member which has third and fourth opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the second side region of the first elongate member and connected in spaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respective side portions of the first and third elongate members defining an elongate space therebetween for receiving a second support part of a cleaning device; first and second elongate side pieces which are spaced from the second elongate member and which have respectively fifth and sixth end regions which are connected to the said first and second opposite end regions respectively, the first and second elongate side pieces extending towards one another from their respective fifth and sixth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; third and fourth elongate side pieces which are spaced from the third elongate member and which have respectively seventh and eighth end regions which are connected to the said third and fourth end regions respectively, the third and fourth elongate side pieces extending towards one another from their respective seventh and eighth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; opposed respective side portions of each of the elongate side pieces and the elongate member to which it is connected defining a narrow gap therebetween for receiving and retaining a fabric support part of a cleaning device; and means for connecting a handle to the holder.

2. A holder as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the elongate members and the side pieces are together constructed as an integral member.

3. In combination a cleaning device having fabric support parts, a holder for the cleaning device, and a handle attached to the holder, the holder comprising a first elongate member having first and second opposite side regions; a second elongate member which has first and second opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the first side region of the first elongate member and connected in spaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respective side portions of the first and second elongate members defining a first elongate space therebetween for receiving a first support part of an alternative cleaning device; a third elongate member which has third and fourth opposite end regions and which is disposed adjacent the second side region of the first elongate member and connected in spaced parallel relationship to the first elongate member; opposed respective side portions of the-first and third elongate members defining an elongate space therebetween for receiving a second support part of an alternative cleaning device; first and second elongate side pieces which are spaced from the second elongate member and which have respectively fifth and sixth end regions which are connected to the said first and second opposite end regions respectively, the first and second elongate side pieces extending towards one another from their respective fifth and sixth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; third and fourth elongate side pieces which are spaced from the third elongate member and which have respectively seventh and eighth end regions which are connected to the said third and fourth elongate end regions respectively, the third and fourth elongate side pieces extending towards one another from their respective seventh and eighth end regions but remaining spaced from one another; opposed respective side portions of each of the elongate side pieces and the elongate member to which it is connected defining a narrow gap therebetween; the fabric support parts of the first-mentioned cleaning device being received and retained within the narrow gaps between the side pieces and the respective elongate members.

4. In combination a holder according toclaim 1, and an elongate handle attached to the holder and extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes of the elongate members.

5. A holder according toclaim 1, the holder having an upper side and a lower side, wherein opposed respective side portions of each adjacent pair of said elongate members define an elongate channel which is of substantially uniform cross-section, which has one open end and which is open along the lower side of the holder, the width of the channel opening along the lower side of the holder being less than a parallel width of the channel within the holder.

6. In combination a holder according toclaim 5 and a cleaning device having a support part which is located within one of the channels and which has a width greater than that of the channel opening along the lower side of the holder, the cleaning device having a further part which projects below the lower side of the holder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 492,339 2/1893 Satterwhite 15226 X 1,377,464 5/1921 Clark 15177 FOREIGN PATENTS 584,222 10/1958 Italy.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A HOLDER FOR A CLEANING DEVICE, COMPRISING A FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE SIDE REGIONS; A SECOND ELONGATE MEMBER WHICH HAS FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE END REGIONS AND WHICH IS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE FIRST SIDE REGION OF THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER AND CONNECTED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER; OPPOSED RESPECTIVE SIDE PORTIONS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATE MEMBERS DEFINING A FIRST ELONGATE SPACE THEREBETWEEN FOR RECEIVING A FIRST SUPPORT PART OF A CLEANING DEVICE; A THIRD ELONGATE MEMBER WHICH HAS THIRD AND FOURTH OPPOSITE END REGIONS AND WHICH IS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE SECOND SIDE REGION OF THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER AND CONNECTED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRST ELONGATE MEMBER; OPPOSED RESPECTIVE SIDE PORTIONS OF THE FIRST AND THIRD ELONGATE MEMBERS DEFINING AN ELONGATE SPACE THEREBETWEEN FOR RECEIVING A SECOND SUPPORT PART OF A CLEANING DEVICE; FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATE SIDE PIECES WHICH ARE SPACED FROM THE SECOND ELONGATE MEMBER AND WHICH HAVE RESPECTIVELY FIFTH AND SIXTH END REGIONS WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE END REGIONS RESPECTIVELY, THE FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATE SIDE PIECES EXTENDING TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE FIFTH AND SIXTH END REGIONS BUT REMAINING SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER; THIRD AND FOURTH ELONGATE SIDE PIECES WHICH ARE SPACED FROM THE THIRD ELONGATE MEMBER AND WHICH HAVE RESPECTIVELY SEVENTH AND EIGHTH END REGIONS WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO THE SAID THIRD AND FOURTH END REGIONS RESPECTIVELY, THE THIRD AND FOURTH ELONGATE SIDE PIECES EXTENDING TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH END REGIONS BUT REMAINING SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER; OPPOSED RESPECTIVE SIDE PORTIONS OF EACH OF THE ELONGATE SIDE PIECES AND THE ELONGATE MEMBER TO WHICH IT IS CONNECTED DEFINING A NARROW GAP THEREBETWEEN FOR RECEIVING AND RETAINING A FABRIC SUPPORT PART OF A CLEANING DEVICE; AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING A HANDLE TO THE HOLDER.

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