US2023021A - Self wringing mop - Google Patents

Description

1935- 1:. M. JENKINS 2,023,021

SELF WRINGING MOP Filed Jan. 20, 1934 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 SELF WRINGING MOP Thomas M. Jenkins, Lennox, Galifl, assignor to Jerome H. Bishop Application January 20, 1934, Serial No. 707,464

9 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) This invention relates to self wringing mops and has as a broad object the provision of a mop that is eficient for cleaning purposes and that can be easily, quickly and thoroughly wrung.

Most self wring mops can be segregated into two general types: (1) Those in which the mop is twisted and (2) those in which the mop is drawn between rolls.

Probably most of the self wringing mops that have appeared on the market have been of the first type. They are open to the criticism that the twisting causes heavy strains on the mop cloth and does not remove imbedded dirt from the cloth, thereby permitting it to become stiii and ineffective for cleaning.

' My improved mop is of the second type in which the mop cloth is wrung by drawing it between rolls. It is well known that this method is more eliective in removing dirt as well as water than the twisting method and also that it imposes'less strain on the mop cloth. My mop differs from prior known mops of the second type in the construction of the roll mechanism and the construction and operation of the mechanism for supporting the mop cloth and drawing it through the rolls.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my mop in cleaning position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view partly in section of the mop in the same position shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View showing the mounting of the rolls;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View through one end of the mop cloth, showing the supporting plate therein;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed View of the mech: anism for attaching one end of the mop cloth to the lower end of the mop handle; and I Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view showing the manner of attaching the upper end of-the mop cloth to the handle.

Referring to the drawing, my mop comprises a handle 8 having a U-shaped supporting memher 2 rigidly secured to its lower end as by a a rod =3, which in turn is secured at its outer ends to a mop supporting plate 5 which is folded back at its forward end to define a groove which receives one end of the mop cloth 6. Referring for the moment to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the ends of the mop cloth 6 are hemmed to receive a flat metal strip 1, the latter having a central aperture 8 therein which registers with a central aperture through the hem of the mop cloth. The hemmed end of the mop is secured in the groove in the plate 5 by means of a curved pin 5 9 which, as shown to best advantage in Figs. 2 and 5, is loosely fitted at its upper end in an aperture 21 in the plate 5 immediately below the end of the mop handle I, and is provided with a head 23 on the under side of the plate 5 to pre- 10 Vent it escaping from the aperture. The free end of the pin 9 passes through apertures 29 in the folded edges of the plate 5 which are adapted to register with the aperture 8 in the metal strip 'I in the mop cloth hem when the latter is positioned in the groove. The pin 9 normally retains the end of the mop cloth positively attached to the plate 5 since, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the lower end of the handle I bears against the pin 9 in the cleaning position of the mop. However, by swinging the handle downwardly its lower end may be disengaged from the pin 9 and the latter thereafter swung out of the apertures 29 in the folded edges of the plate 5 to permit removal of an old mop cloth and insertion of a new one.

The opposite end of the mop cloth is secured by a hook ID to the lower edge of a ferrule II, which fits loosely on the handle I. It is to be understood that both ends of the mop cloth are 30 hemmed exactly as shown in Fig. 4 and the hook It engages the aperture 8 in the metal strip 1 in the rear end of the mop cloth.

The mop wringing elements consist of a pair of rolls l2 and I3, respectively, supported in a. frame which is attached to a second ferrule I4, also loosely fitted on the mop handle I and positioned below the ferrule II. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the frame for supporting the rolls comprises a metal strip member !5 riveted or otherwise attached to the second ferrule It and having downwardly bent ends I6 which are provided with apertures for receiving the axles of the rolls I2 and I3, respectively. The apertures for receiving the axle of the lower roll l2 are circular and of 5 size to loosely receive the axle. However, the apertures IT for receiving the ends of the axle of roll I3 are of substantially larger dimensions than the axle and shaped as shown in Fig. 3 to permit relative movement longitudinally and vertically of the axle with respect to the supporting frame. To normally force the roll I3 toward the roll I2, a pair of plates l8 are journalled on the. axle of the roll I3 just within the arms I6, these plates I8 being provided with pins or stub shafts I9 which extend through apertures 20 provided therefor in the plate 55. A spiral spring 21 is positioned about each pin is between the plate i8 and the plate It) to urge the roll it toward the roll l2.

In the wringing operation to be described later, the ferrule ii is sometimes anchored to the lower end of the handle l and sometimes is slid upwardly along the handle. To anchor the ferrule i l in lower position, the ferrule is provided with a slot 36 at its lower end adapted to engage a hook 22 on the clamping member 2. To facilitate upward movement of the ferrule I l along the handle, the ferrule is provided at its upper end with a hook 23 adapted to engage with a slot 3i in the lower edge of the ferrule l 5.

My mop is operated as follows: As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the mop is in cleaning position, in which both ferrules l l and M are at the lower end of the handle 9 and a portion of the mop cloth intermediate its ends is compressed between the floor to be cleaned and the lower edge 32 (Fig. 5) of the plate 5. This permits the application of substantial pressure on a narrow transverse strip of the mop cloth, thereby giving a substantial scrubbing effect. If this pressure were always applied to the same portion of the mop cloth, the latter would soon be worn out. However, it is possible to distribute the wear over a considerable portion of the mop cloth by bringing the edge 32 of plate 5 to rest on different longitudinal portions of the cloth.

To wring the cloth, the ferrule H is grasped by the operator, deflected to disengage the slot 3i therein from the hook 23 on the lower ferrule Hi, and then slid up along the handle 5. This pulls the mop cloth upwardly between the rolls l2 and I3. Substantial pressure is exerted on the mop by the rolls during this operation for the reason that the movement of the mop cloth tends to swing the upper roll 53 into the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the springs 2i exert their full force directly towards the stationary roll l2. As a result, practically all of the water. that can be removed from the mop cloth is removed during this first upward movement of the ferrule M. This is advantageous because during this operation the water is discharged from the lower edges of the rolls, away from the operator.

After the ferrule H has been pulled upwards along the handle sufilciently to draw the entire length of the mopcloth 5 through the rolls (it should be noted that the frame 5 swings rearwardly and upwardly on the rod l during this operation to permit the lower end of the mop cloth to closely approach the rolls !2 and IS), the mop cloth is then retracted through the rolls in the opposite direction to restore it to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by moving the ferrule l i into low- 1 up along the mop cloth 6.

ermost position and deflecting it to engage the slot 3! with hook 23 on the lower ferrule Hi. This movement not only engages the hook 23 in the slot 3| in ferrule l i but deflects the lower ferrule l to disengage the slot 36 in the lower end thereroll pressure is desirable, as heretofore mentioned, because if substantial water is wrung out of the mop cloth during this latter movement it tends to be discharged or squirted forcibly toward the operator. withdrawn along the handle I as far as they will go the mop cloth is restored to its normal position below or in front of the rolls I 2 and I3 and by thereafter lowering the ferrules l l and M the entire mop mechanism is restored into the position 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The most important advantage of my mop resides in the fact that it may be operated very rapidly. Thus, although considerable time is required to describe the successive movements of the ferrules l! and M to wring the mop cloth, these movements are really performed very rapidly and in fact require only a second or two for the com plete operation.

It is to be understood that although I prefer to construct my mop as shown in the drawing, with the hook 22 for releasably anchoring the ferrule It in lower position and the hook 23 for interconnecting the ferrules l! and I4, it is not essential that these features be employed. Thus 25' the mop could still be manipulated if the hooks 22 and 2-3 were elimLnated. Under these conditions, the operator, to wring the mop cloth, would grasp the ferrule M in one hand and the ferrule H in the other hand and separate them sliding the upper ferrule I! along the handle I in so doing; thereafter the operator would restore the mop to normal position by releasing the ferrule ll, grasping the handle I, and retracting the ferrule I i upwardly along the handle. 'I'hereafter, upon the release of ferrule I 4, both ferrules would slide to their lowermost position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The construction, including the hooks 22 and 23, simplifies the operation since the operator 40 need grasp only the handle I and ferrule II to perform the entire operation. It should be noted that the engagement of the hook 22 by the slot in ferrule M is made positive duringthe wringing operation by virtue of the fact that the pull of the mop cloth on the rolls I2 and l3'tends to rock the ferrule [4 into the position to firmly engage the hook 22. On the other hand, when the mop cloth is retracted through the rolls l2 and it in the opposite direction, the pull of the cloth on the rolls is in such a direction as to tend to disengage the ferrule 14 from the hook 22.

It is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the particular mop structure disclosed in the drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention and that the latter is to be limited only'as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth, comprising in combination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mop cloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable along said handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth to said first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted to be drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below said first member for supporting said wringer, whereby upward movement of said first member along said handle while said second member is in lowermost position on said handle pulls the mop cloth through the wringer in one direction and subsequent upward movement of said second member along said handle pulls the When the ferrules H and I4 have been 5 t wringer back up along the mop cloth, said wringer being attached to said second member in close proximity thereto, and stop means on said handle for limiting downward movement of said second member to a point on the handle such that the wringer is at all times positioned above the lower end of said handle and well clear of a surface being moppecl.

2. A mop mechanism as described in claim 1, in which said means for anchoring one end of the mop cloth to the lower end of the handle comprises a rigid member extending transversely of the handle substantially the full width of the mop cloth and adapted to be positioned below the end of the handle to constitute a bearing member for compressingan intermediate portion of the mop cloth against a surface to be cleaned.

3. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth comprising in combination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mop cloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable along said handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth to said first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted to be drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below said first member for supporting said wringer, whereby upward movement of said first member along said handle while said second member is in lowermost position on said handle pulls the mop cloth through the wringer in one direction and subsequent upward movement of said second member along said handle pulls the wringer back up along the mop cloth, said wringer being attached to said second member in close proximity thereto, stop means on said handle for limiting downward movement of said second member to a point on the handle such that the wringer is at all times positioned above the lower end of said handle and well clear of a surface being mopped, and said means for securing one end of the mop cloth to the lower end of the handle comprising a bearing member for compressing an intermediate portion of the mop cloth against a surface to be cleaned, with means for pivotally supporting said bearing member for rotation between a position below and against the lower end of said handle and a position alongside said handle and adjacent said wringer when the latter is in lowermost position whereby substantially the full length of the mop cloth may be pulled through the wringer.

4. A mop mechanism as described in claim 1, including means for releasably anchoring said second member in lowermost position on said handle, whereby said mop cloth may be drawn upwardly through said wringer by merely moving said first member upwardly with respect to said handle.

5. A mop mechanism as described in claim 1 including means for releasably interengaging said first and second members for simultaneous sliding movement along said handle, whereby said wringer may be moved upwardly alongside said handle in response to upward movement of said first member.

6. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth comprising in combination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mop cloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable along said handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth to said first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted to be drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below said first member for supporting said wringer, whereby relative upward movement of said first member along said handle while said second member is in lowermost position on said handle pulls the mop cloth through the wringer in one 5 direction and subsequent upward movement of said second member along said handle pulls the wringer back up along the mop cloth, in which said first and second members loosely enclose the mop handle to permit limited oscillatory motion L0 of the members on the handle as well as sliding motion, said wringer being mounted on one side of said second member and the latter having a slot on its opposite side at the lower end and a projection on said opposite side at the top end, said handle having a projection on the lower end thereof for engaging with the slot on said second member, and said first member having a slot adjacent its lower end for engaging the projection on said second member, said projections being engaged or disengaged from their associated slots by suitably oscillating said members on said handle.

'7. A mop mechanism including an elongated handle, a wringer slidably mounted on the handle intermediate its ends, and means for passing a mop cloth upwardly and downwardly with respect to the wringer in a path approximately parallel to the handle, said wringer comprising a pair of rolls between which the cloth is adapted to be drawn, in combination with means for rotatably supporting said rolls for relative movement toward and away from each other, and means for pressing said rolls against the cloth,

which means is responsive to the direction of pull I exerted on said wringer by said cloth as the cloth is drawn through the wringer to increase the tension of said rolls when the cloth is drawn upwardly through the wringer and decrease the tension of the rolls when the cloth is drawn downwardly through the wringer.

8. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth comprising in combination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mop cloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable along said handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth to said first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted to be drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below said first member for supporting said wringer and means for securing said wringer to said second member, whereby upward movement of said first member along said handle while said second member is in lowermost position on said handle pulls the mop cloth through the wringer in one direction, and subsequent upward movement of said second member along said handle pulls the wringer back along the mop cloth; in which said wringer comprises a pair of rolls for receiving the mop cloth therebetween with means for rotatably supporting one of said rolls for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said second member, a frame for supporting the other roll for rotation, means for supporting said frame for swinging movement of said other roll through an arc concentric with an are which is tangent to the surface of the one roll and for radial movement with respect to the axis of said arcs, spring means for urging said frame radially outward with respect to said axis of said arcs, said axis of said arcs and the axis of said one roll being positioned in a plane approximately perpe dicular to said handle, and means for limiting the arcuate movement of said other roll between a position substantially in said piane and a position therebelow, whereby friction between the mop cloth and the said other r011 during upward movement of said mop cloth through said wringer urges said other roll into juxtaposed position with respect to said one roll, and whereby friction-between the mop cloth and the said other r011 during downward movement of the cloth with respect to the Wringer urges the said other roll out of juxtaposed position with respect to said one roll, thereby increasing the distance between with means comprising a cam surface for deflecting said other r011 radially toward said axis of said arcs in response to arcuate movement of the roll from said first mentioned position towards said second mentioned position.

THOMAS M. JENKINS.

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