US2757787A - Receptacle for dish-mop, cleaning brush and any handle-carrying articles - Google Patents

Description

E. SERGENT RECEPTACLE FOR DISH-MOP, CLEANING BRUSH AND ANY HANDLE-CARRYING ARTICLES Filed Jan. 14, 1954 Aug. 7, 1956 mvEriToR EUGENE SERssr/r BY RECEPTA'CLE FOR DISH-MOP, CLEANING BRUSH AND ANY HANDLE-CARRYING ARTICLES Eugene-Sergeant, Paris, France Application January 14, 1954, Serial-N0. 403,980 Claims priority, application France January 26, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-1) This invention relates to a receptacle intended to receive a dish-mop, cleaning brush, small broom or any other article provided with a handle or stick, and to hold this article enclosed in a case adapted to close automatically when the article is stowed therein and to open automatically when the handle of the article is lifted for removing it from the case.

This receptacle is characterized in that it comprises a base member and at least two shell-like members pivotally mounted on said base member about horizontal axes and adapted to be either spread apart to permit the introduction of an object therebetween in the downward direction, or moved toward each other so as to form a single and same closed case leaving only a narrow aperture at its top, through which the handle or stick of the object may project to the outside from the case thus constituted, the passage of the shell-like members from the spread position to the closed position occurring through the pivotal movements of these members which are caused by the weight of the object acting upon the lower portions of the shells, whilst the passage from the closed position to the spread position takes place when the shells are pivoted outwards under the influence of the weight of the shells themselves, as the handle or stick of the enclosed object is pulled upwards thereby removing the weight of the object from the lower portions of said shells.

Adequate stops may be provided on the base member restricting the aforesaid shell-opening movements.

Besides, the base member may have its lower face formed as a resilient suction-grip element adapted to adhere to the floor.

The attached drawing forming part of this specification illustrates diagrammatically by way of example two forms of embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

The figure is a vertical axial section showing a first form of embodiment of a receptacle according to this invention in its closed position, the open position being shown in chain-dotted lines, and

The receptacle shown in the figure comprises essentially a base member 1 having its central under face formed as a suction-grip element 2 adapted to adhere to the floor under the influence of the atmospheric pressure. The upper portion 1a of the base member is cup shaped.

On this base member 1 are mounted two symmetrical horizontal pivot pins 3 having hingedly mounted thereon a pair of shell-like members 4 of any suitable material. Each shell 4 is formed at its upper end with a semi-circular notch 5. When the shells 4 are spread away from their vertical or closed positions their lateral pivotal movements are limited by the engagement of the outer lower faces of the shells 4 with the stop-forming circular upper edge 6 of the base member, as shown. When the shells 4 are in their closed position as shown in thick lines in the drawing, their longitudinal edges 7 engage substantially each other so that the shells will constitute a substantially closed case, the only aperture consisting of the registering s States Patent ICC semi-circular notches 5 formed in the upper edgesof the shells. This aperture is intended to allow therethrough the handle or stick 10 of the object enclosed in the case, this object consisting in the example shown of a dish-mop or small-broom 9.

The bulged shape of the shells 4' and the position of their horizontal pivot pins 3 are such that these shells 4 are constantly urged by their weight towardtheir spread positions, in the direction of the arrows F. However, when the receptacle contains any object of the kind described the lower portion of this object bears upon the portions 8 of shells 4 and the weight of the object will thus maintain the shells 4 in their closed positions.

When the handle or stick 10 of the object is pulled upwards, the portions 8 of shells 4are discharged from the weight of the object and therefore the shells will rock outwards under the influence of their own weight, thereby moving to their spread or open positions. In case the handle 10.were pulled too suddenly so that the object will strike the inner upper face of the shells 4 before the latter are spread apart to a sufiicient extent, the suction-grip portion 2 will keep the complete device firmly attached to the floor, thereby preventing the receptacle from being lifted. Consequently, any too quick lifting of the object would merely lead to a quicker opening of the shells.

When no object is stowed in the receptacle, the shells 4 are spread apart, as shown in chain-dotted lines in the figure. The object is replaced into the receptacle by lowering it between the shells. Asthe object engages the lower portions S-of these shells, its weight bears thereupon and causes the shells to pivot about their hinge pins 3. Thus, the shells are moved toward each other and close the case about the object, the handle projecting upwards from the receptacle through the aperture formed by the pair of registering notches 5.

The base member 1, shells 4 and pivot pins 3 may be manufactured from plastics so that the complete assembly can be readily cleaned by simply dipping it into an antiseptic solution, without any risk of deteriorating the device.

Of course, many modifications may be brought to the examples described hereinabove with reference to the attached drawing, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the pivot pins may be mounted on the base member on other places than those indicated in the drawing. The positions of the stops limiting the outward movements of the shell-like members may also differ from those illustrated. Besides, the base member may be designed in view of securing it to a wall surface instead of on the floor.

It is obvious that a receptacle according to this invention is also adapted for use both as a means for isolating from the surrounding atmosphere a soiled object such as a small broom or a dish-mop, and as a means for protecting from the surrounding atmosphere a very clean and aseptized object, for example a surgical instrument or the like.

Again, a higher number of shells, for instance three, four or more, may be pivotally mounted on pivot axes adequately distributed around the centre of the base member so as to constitute in their closed positions a single case when the object to be enclosed bears on the lower portions of the shells.

What I claim as new is:

1. A receptacle device, comprising, in combination, a base member; and two wall members each mounted on said base member for pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a closed position wherein each respective wall member forms one-half of an upstanding substantially ellipsoidal receiving chamber and an open position spaced from said closed position, said wall members in their respective closed positions forming said upstanding substantially ellipsoidal receiving chamber, said wall members being formed in the region of their respective upper edge portions with aligned notches so that when said wall members are in their respective closed positions said notches together form an opening at the upper part of said upstanding substantially ellipsoidal receiving chamber for placing the interior thereof in communication with the exterior thereof, each of said wall members being shaped and mounted on said base member so that the center of gravity of each respective wall member is in a position relative to each respective pivot axis in which each respective wall member is gravity-biased toward its open position, each of said wall members having a supporting portion adapted to support approximately one-half of the weight of an object located within said receiving chamber in such a manner that both of said wall members are moved from their respective open positions to their respective closed positions by that part of the weight of the object which each respective supporting portion supports when the object is located within said receiving chamber and is supported by both of said supporting portions of said wall member.

2. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a base; a pair of parallel, spaced pivot pins carried by said base and extending in a substantially horizontal direction when the base is placed on a horizontal supporting surface; and a pair of hollow housing parts respectively carried by said pivot pins for turning movement between a closed position where said hollow housing parts are located next to each other with their hollow interiors directed toward each other to form a substantially closed receptacle and an open position where said housing parts are turned away from each other and are located at a greater distance from each other than when said housing parts are in said closed position thereof, said housing parts in their closed position having upper edge portions formed with aligned cutouts which together form an opening at the top of the receptacle through which part of an article located within the receptacle may extend, and said housing parts having in said closed position thereof centers of gravity, respectively, which are located laterally beyond the space located between said pivot pins and at a higher elevation than said pivot pins, so that said housing parts are biased by their own weight to turn from their closed to their open position, said housing parts respectively having bottom wall portions extending from said pivot pins toward each other, whereby when said housing parts are in their open position an article to be partly located within the receptacle may be placed on said wall portions to exert its weight thereof for automatically turning said housing parts against the influence of their own weight from their open to their closed position where a part of the article may extend through said upper opening formed by said aligned cutouts, and whereby when the article is removed from the receptacle said housing parts will automatically turn by their own weight to their open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,275,549 Oshman Mar. 10, 1942 2,507,342 Licari May 9, 1950 2,600,345 Venditti June 10, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,900 Great Britain Aug. 10, 1939

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