US3094735A - Cleaning device and method of making same - Google Patents

Description

June 25, 1963 P. a. HANLON CLEANING DEVICE AND METHQD QF MAKINGSAME Filed Aug. 9, 1961 A 7' TOP/VEYS 3,094,735 CLEANING'DEVICE AND METHOD ()1? MAKING SAME PatrickG. Haitian, 1016 S. Coy, Kansas City 3, Kans. Filed Aug. 9, 1961; Sen No. 130,372- 7 Claims. (Cl. 15506) This invention relates to cleaning devices and the method of-making same, and more particularly to cleaning devices inthe nature ofa multi-cellular pliable spongeous material-with adetergentand/ or detergent and wax composition for clean-ingand/or cleaning'and coating sur faces of articles such as-automobiles, household itemsand the like.

This application is a-continuation in part of my co-pend ingapplication onCleaning Device and Method of'Mak ing Same, Serial No. 821,818, now abandoned, filed June 22, 1959.

Heretofore, there have been sponges or the like impregnated with a detergent wherein the detergent is impregnated throughout the sponge to form acleaning article. There have also been attempted to produce sponge rub ber containing soap wherein the soap is added to-the rubber compound when'it is being softened, then dispersing such compound in water, and then adding to the dispersed compound a liquid soap. There have been certain abrasive devices impregnated with detergent but all of such devices-have had 'disadvantages'in' the cleaning of various surfaces:

The present invention contemplates" a cleaning device and the manufacture thereof wherein a multi-cellular pliable spongeousmaterialhaving communicating cells therein is of the desired body shape with an outer'surface of exposed cells and has impregnated or deposited in the cells of its center portion a charge of detergentand/or detergent'and wax composition which is non-flowable at ordinary temperatures with the body cells between the portion having the'charge and the outer surface'substantially free of such composition whereby said cells are available to receive water in use. Theinvention further contemplates the charging of such a spongeous body with a composition including surface active detergent and wetting agents combined with' plasticizin'g, chelatingand waxing agents to effect asu'bstanti'ally water-soluble solid filling of -thecells at-the-center portion of the body to produce a unitthat when used with water will wash and wax surfaces in -oneoperation; I-t'is'further contemplated that the detergent and/ or detergent and Wax composition and its manufacture with the application of heat be flowable and be rendered substantially non-flowablewhen cooled, and that said composition'be introduced into the-cell structure in the center of a spongeous body WlthOlllidfiHI- aging the cellular structure and retain the body shape until the charge of detergent and/or detergent and wa-x composition has substantially solidified to become nonflowable, th'echarge filling the communicating cells :in the center ofsaid body providing a minimum of surfacearea at the peripheral cells of the charged area for contact with water and which upon such contact forms an emulsion that is carried to the outer edges of the spongeous body and deposited on the surface to be cleaned and in the cleaning operation deposits a thin layer of wax coating on the surface and upon rinsing with clear'water and drying'the surface will have acquired a polished glossy, appearance without need of buffing action.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide acleaning device in the form of a multi-cellular pliablespongeous body having communicating cells therein with said body of a 'size' whichm'ay be easily. handled by the hand of the user andwith'said body having impregnatedinthe center portion a detergent and/or detergent Patent 'ice and wax composition that is non-flowable at ordinary temperature's withthe outerportions of the spongeous body being capable ofretaining water when immersed whereby the water will come in contactwith the detergent and/ or detergent and wax composition and'form an emulsion therewithwhich 'fl ows through the cellsto the outer surface of the body to clean a surface upon which the spongeous body is rubbed; to provide such a cleaningdevice with-a charg'e'of such composi-tion that is-solid or semisolid in the cells at the center portion at'normal temperatureswith-the cells between said center portion-and the outer surface empty leaving-that portion of the body soft andunabrasive and free to-receive water for entry and contact with the chargeofdetergent and/ or detergent and wax composition in said center portion; to'provide such a structure Wh'ereinthe charge of detergent and/or detergent'and waxcomposition fills the cells in the center portion presenting a minimum area for contact-with water at the cells in the peripheral portion of 'said center portion whereby dissolving'the charge isat a'retarded rate, assuring continued -use 'of th'e cleaning device over a considerable'period of time; to provide such a cleaning device whereinthe. detergent and wax composition includes a nonionic emulsifying'wa-ter-soluble detergent which inhibits'the deposition of wax coating material onto the surfa'eeuntil-the surface is free of dirtand upon exhaustion of the inhibitor inthe material applied to the surface to be 'clean'ed the wax material is deposited in athin layer upon the surface; to provide the method-of manufacture of a cleaning 'device wherein a multi-cellular pliable spongeous body of desired shape -=is' confined and held against expansion andhollow needles inserted into the confined spongeous body and a detergent and/ or detergent and wax composition forced through the hollow needles into the spongeous body to fill'the cells surrounding the discharge ends of. said needles with the'discharge of the composition'continuin'g as the needles'are withdrawn to enlarge the area of deposition or impregnation and the application of the composition being terminated while the dis charge ends oftheneedl'es are spaced from the surface of the sponge-through which the needlesare inserted and upon cooling the composition becomes non-flowable and uponrem'oval of thespon'geous body from the confined area saidbodyyretains its shape; and to provide a cleaning device and method 'ofm'anufacture thereof which is economical, efficient in operation and'that may be used for washing and waxing surfaces in one operation.

Othenobjects and advantages of this invention will become apparentfrom the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are setforthby'way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this-invention.

FIG. 1 is et-perspective view of a spongeous cleaning device embodyingthe feature of the'present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the cleaning device taken on the line 22; FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the cleaning .device taken on the line -33,' FIG. 1.

FIG. 4is a-fragmentary partly cross sectional view of apparatus for injecting the detergent and/ or detergent and wax composition into the central portion of the spongeous material;

FIG.- S'is'a greatly enlarged fragmentary view illustratingtheconnected cellsof-the spongeous body havingthe cleaning composition therein.

Referringtmore in detail to the drawings:

The numeral 1 generally designates a cleaning device embodyingthe-features of the present'invention which includes a-body 2 of 1 m'ulti-cellular plia ble spongeous material havingocomrnunicating cells=3 throughout said body. The spongeous material may be suitable foamed, yieldable synthetic-resins, as for example, polyurethane,

polyethylene or polyvinylchloride, or may be of other suitable sponge material such as cellulose sponge, with relatively small communicating cells and that is capable of containing a substantial amount of water in said cells. Polyurethane spongy material is particularly desirable as it is tough, resists wear and is extremely durable to most physical and chemical agents, and it is preferred that with polyurethane sponge it have a weight of approximately two pounds per cubic foot or a porosity of 0.8 mm. maximum.

In the illustrated structure, the body 2 is rectangular in shape and is preferably of a size that may be easily handled in the hand of a user as, for example, the body may be in the nature of 2 inches thick, 4 inches wide and 6 inches long. However, it is to be understood that the body may be of other size and shape without departing from the spirit of my invention. The body 2 has opposed top and bottom surfaces 4 and 5, end surfaces 6 and 7 and side surfaces 8 and 9, with each of said surfaces having exposed cells 10 therein. The cleaning device 1 has a cleaning composition 11 impregnated or deposited in the cells of a central portion 12 the periphery 16 of the central portion having the filled cells being spaced from the outer surfaces of the body as at 14 with the body cells between said periphery 13- of the central por tion and the outer surfaces being substantially free of the cleaning composition and available to receive water in use.

The cleaning composition 11 is a detergent and/or deitergent and wax composition which is preferably characterized by being flowable when heated and non-flowable at ordinary temperatures and which, when contacted with water, forms an emulsion that will move from the sponge and be effective in cleaning dirt and oily matter from surfaces to be cleaned. The cleaning composition preferably includes a nonionic emulsifying water-soluble detergent and a wax coating material which is inhibited by the detergent in the deposit of the wax material until the surface is free of dirt and oily matter and with the exhaustion of the inhibitor the wax coating material is deposited in a continuous uniform thin layer upon the surface which may be metal, glass, plastic or the like, and then by rinsing clear water and drying of the surface the surface has a polished, glossy appearance, free from water spots, all effected in one process without need of buffing action.

It is preferred that the cleaning composition include an anionic surface active detergent, a chelating or sequestering agent, a nonionic surface active agent, and a wax coating material. Suitable anionic surface active detergents are sodium lauryl sulfate, which is effective in hard or salt water and in slightly acid solutions, or a sodium salt of N-methyloleyltaurine, wherein the material acts as a detergent ,a wetting agent and emulsifier. Examples of suitable chelating or sequestering agents are citric acid and acetyl acetone, it being preferred that such agents serve as solvents, as plasticizers for wax materials and as anti-foaming agents for the dispersions in water. The nonionic surface active agent is preferably of a type completely soluble in water, compatible with anionic agents and capable of acting as a surface active detergent, emulsifier, disperser and wax inhibitor. It should be substantially solid at normal temperatures and facilitate grease removal and Wetting of the surface to be cleaned. Polyalkylene glycol ether is a suitable nonionic surface active agent. However, other nonionic surface active agents having these characteristics may be used. The wax coating material is preferably of a nature to be dispersed in a composition and be deposited in a thin layer over the surface to be cleaned and waxed after the foreign matter is cleansed therefrom and after exhaustion of the nonionic inhibitor. Examples of such coating waxes are polyethylene glycol of molecular weight of 6000 to 7500, oarn-auba wax or silicone wax.

It is preferred that as a detergent and wax composition,

said composition include materials in approximately the following proportions wherein the parts are by weight:

Parts Anionic surface active detergent 121:0 16 Chelating or sequestering agent 1to3 Nonionic surface active agent 15 to 25 Wax coating materials 45 to As a typical formulation of the composition, it may be approximately as follows wherein the parts are by weight:

Parts Sodium lauryl sulfate 15 Citric acid 1.5 Polyalkylene glycol ether 19- Polyethylene glycol 59 Oarnauba wax 1 As further examples of satisfactory detergents, the composition may consist of polyethylene glycol, nonionic surface active agents, sodium lauryl sulfate and hydroxyethyl cellulose and water. In some instances, the water may not be necessary, and in other instances substitutes may be made for the nonionic surface active agent, such as an added amount of sodium lauryl sulfate, and cellulose acetate may be substituted for hydroxyethyl cellulose. A formulation that has been found satisfactory for the detergent is approximately as follows:

Parts Polyethylene glycol (plasticizer) N-onionic surface active agent (wetting agent) 15 Sodium lauryl sulfate 15 Hydroxyethyl cellulose 2 Water 0 to 4 Parts Polyethylene glycol 65 Paraffin wax or beeswaxn 10 Nonionic surface active agent 15 Sodium lauryl sulfate 15 Hydroxyethylene cellulose 2 Water 0 to 4 It has been found that 10 parts of carnauba 'wax may be substituted for the 10 parts of paraffin wax or beeswax. Another example of a formulation found suitable consists of approximately the following:

In this formulation, to provide a detergent-wax composition, 10 parts of cellulose and/ or carnauba wax is added.

Another formulation found satisfactory is approximately the following:

Parts Cocoanut acid ester of sodium isethionate 47 Sodium tallow-cocoate soap 15 Stearic acid 30 Titanium dioxide 1 /2 Resins (polymers of ethylene oxide) 2 75 Water 4 Cellulose'or cellulose gum and/orcarnauba wax may be added. Lacquer or'cellulose acetate may be added in variousamounts to such formulations as a -binderor retardant; Flash foamers and'suds-foam stabilizers may be used for faster suds and more stablesnds:

Inthe'preparation of the cleaning'composition, it is preferredth'at it be made in batches', as for example, 60 pound batches for'ease of handling. All containers used are preferably of stainless steel'or other suitable material to avoid any 'pigmentation'of "the product. The parts of the anionic surface'act-ive detergent and the chelating or sequestering'agentofthe formulation for the batch are moistened with a small amount ofwateras, for example, approximately onequart, and "placed'in a suitable mixer andstirred mechanically as, for example, at 750 rpm. for'atleastttwo hours, with-the agitation and stirring increasing the temperature of the mixture to approximately 120 degrees; 'I hemixture is then allowed to stand fora suitable period as, for example, ;12 hours, and-then 'thestirring'is continued for another two hours tdproduce a homogeneouspaste-likeemulsion; Melted wax material as, for example, polyethylene glycol of molecular weight of 6000 to 75(l0'and at'at temperatureof approximately 230 degrees F. is slowly strained into the agitated emulsion and-,u'afterthoroughrnixing, a mixture of. polyalkylene. glycol. ether and. wax coating 1 material such as .carnauba or.silicone.wax.heated to a temperature of approximately 180 degrees :F. is added with continuous stirring of the mixture. All the ingredients of the composition are heatedvto approximately 200 to 2110 degrees F. to form astable emulsion with allof the ingredients being in a liquidst-ate. As-the emulsion iscooled to approximately the temperature for impregnation or insertion into the spongeous body, the wax coating material of carnauba wax or silicone wax solidifies to form glo ules of colloidalsize within theemulsion, and this suspension'is maintained in the form-'of asolid dispersed in-a liquiddispersionmediurn of between l50'and 160 degreesP. during the insertion and impregnationof the spongeous body and, aftercooling, the composition substantially solidifi'es and is non-flowing.

In"th'e-process of impregnating thedetergent and/or detergent and wax-composition in the sponge body,.it'is preferred that the body be substantially confined to hold the outer surfaces immobile during impregnation and cooling'ofthe composition'to a substantially non-flowable state. As an example of suitableappanatus 15 as illustrated in FIG; 4; the sponge body is moved on a belt or platform 1'6 toaninjectionchamben 17 whereinplates 18engagethe surfaces 4and '5*and"8*and' 9 with thebelt orplatform engaging the surface 6 to cooperate in holdingsaid outer surfaces substantially immobile. A'head 19 has 'a-pluralityofhollow-needles or the like 20 "with a==hose-or line-21' leading to a'source of supply of the detergent and/or detergent and-wax composition in flOW- able form'and said=head19"is suitably moved in a frame 22 of the injectionchamber in which the body Z'of the sponge material is held to "insert the needles 20 into "the end'7 of the sponge body to a point 2-3 toward but spaced from the surfaced. Therneedles are preferablysmall, as

for example, v4 millimeters in diameter, and are :hollow, having discharge ends 24- and, asr said. needles v20 are inserted into the sponge body 2,-they-stretch the elastic fibers of the spongeous material-with substantially no te'aning thereof so that upon extraction of the needles the fibers or portions of the sponge immediately assume their initial positions and relat-ion so-asto-leave no evidence of having been displaced. When the needles are inserted intoth'e' spongebody'with-the'discharge ends 24 adjacent*to the periphery of the central portion 12 nearest the su rfaceld; a valve 25 is opened to allowthe charge under pressure to' be forced into the said center portion 12 of thesponge-body 2', as for example, the composition-maybe forcedthrouglf the needles by-aturbine type'purnp 26producing 400 pounds per square inch pres-' 6 sure of the heated detergent and-wax composition and, asthev alve25-is opened andthe flowbegins-from the discharge ends 24 of the needles 20, the needles are withdrawn at a rate substantially corresponding tothe discharge of the composition into the cells of the sponge to producea uniform deposition of the composition. Thedetergent'andwaxcomposition moves into the cells in the center portion of the sponge body, andthen into surrounding cells" communicatingtherewith soas :tofill said cells in the center portion of the sponge body. As the-composition flows outwardly to -fill the communicating'cells; the sponge *being initially at room temperature causes th'e composition to cool as it moves to the outer cells of -said central portion :12 and becomenondlowable. As the needles are being withdrawn and, as for-example, when the discharge ends are approximately 1 inch from the surface 7, the valve '25'is closed, stopping the injectionand then the needles completely withdrawn. Due to the porosity of the sponge-body, approximately 1 20 grams of the'detergent and wax composition may be impregnated or deposited in the cells-inthe central portion of the sponge with the periphery of said central portion substantially spaced from the 'outer surfaces of the sponge body.- Also; the pressure and related rate of injection Withth removal of the needles deposits the detergent and wax composition within the intracellular spaces of the-sponge body without material alteration o f'their arrangement and without materially changing the outer shape of said body. After the detergent and wax composition isinjected into the sponge bodies, the sponge body is removed'from the confined space, but the composition being -non-flowable at that time does not alter its position'inthe cells in the center portion or change the shape ofthe body. However, furthercooling will cause the detergent and waxcomposition to become substantially-solidified.

In using the cleaning-device to clean and wax a surface, as-forexample the surface of an automobile, it is preferable'that said surface be wet with water and the cleaning device 1' placed in water and. manually compressed and then released in the water whereby the water will-fillthe cells in the body between the central portion 12 having the detergent and wax composition therein and the outer surface :of the body. The water entering the entering the cells'comes in contact with the outermost cells' at the' periphery ofthe center portion 12- or the cells having the detergent and wax composition therein and tends to dissolve the'composition in the peripheral cells of said center portion'of core ofthe sponge. Since all ingredients of the detergent-and wax composition 'are water soluble with the exception of the carnauba, silicone or paraffin wax, the'subsequent compression of the sponge discharges a foamy cleaning mixture which contains colloidal particles-of the wax in suspension and, as the cleaning device 1 is rubbed over the surface to which is applied, the detergent solutionremoves alLthe dirt and other soluble or insoluble foreign'matter. The deposit of the wax is delayed or inhibited by the nonionic surface active agent and, upon exhaustion of the nonionic surface active agent and removing the foreign matter from the surface being cleaned by the chelatiug and detergent action, -a-thin film of the wax is then deposited on the now -clean surface. The surface isthen preferably rinsed with-clear waterto remove all traces of residual foreign materialand detergent to produce aclean surface, free of water spots and covered with a thin'film of water-insoluble protective-glossy wax. The cells in the center portion of the sponge body being-filled with substantially solid detergent and wax composition, retard entryof water into said filledcells and-limit thesurface area of said "composition which the water may contact, thereby retarding the rate of dissipation of the composition bythe water-whereby, afteruse, the water may be squeezed from the sponge body and the sponge allowed -to' dry, and 'then it may beused again as desired,

the cleaning device constructed and prepared as described being capable of use to clean and wax a number of automobiles or the like.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described certain forms of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A cleaning device comprising, a multi-cellular spongeous body of porous elastic material having communicating cells arranged therein and an outer surface of exposed cells, said body being of a size to be handled in a persons hand, a detergent and wax composition filling the cells in a distinct central portion of said spongeous body spaced from the outer surface thereof and the body cells between said distinct portion and the outer surface being substantially free of the detergent and wax composition and available to receive water in use, said detergent and wax composition being characterized by being in a liquid state at temperatures of more than 200 F. and substantially non-flowing at temperatures below 140 F. whereby when used at temperatures wherein said composition is non-flowing water entering said spongeous body will contact the detergent and wax composition only in the cells at the periphery of said distinct portion presenting a limited area of the composition and thereby a limited rate of dissolving and use of said composition, said detergent and wax composition being a homogeneous mixture having water-insoluble materials and water-soluble materials which as dissolved with water forms a flowable emulsion moving to the outer surface of said body in response to deformation thereof for application by the spongeous body to the surface to be cleaned and waxed, said detergent and wax composition including an anionic surface active detergent of one of the group of sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium salt of N- methyloleyltaurine, a c-helating and sequestering agent of one of the group of citric acid and acetyl acetone, a nonionic surface active agent consisting of polyalkylene glycol ether, and a surface coating wax of one of the group of silicone wax, carnauba wax and a polyethylene glycol of molecular weight of 6000 to 7500.

2. A cleaning device comprising, a. multi-cellulor spongeous body of porous elastic polyurethane material having communicating cells arranged therein and an outer surface of exposed cells, a detergent and wax composition filling the cells substantially in the normal arrangement thereof in a distinct portion of said spongeous body spaced from the outer surface thereof and the body cells between said distinct portion and the outer surface being substantially free of the detergent and wax composition and available to receive water in use, said detergent and wax composition being characterized by being in a liquid state at temperatures of more than 200 F. and substantially non-flowing at temperatures below 140 F. whereby when used at temperatures wherein said composition is non-flowing Water entering said spongeous body will contact the detergent and wax composition only in the cells at the periphery of said distinct portion presenting a limited area of the composition and thereby a limited rate of dissolving and use of said composition, said detergent and wax composition being a homogeneous mixture having water-insoluble materials and water-soluble materials which as dissolved vvith water forms a fiowable emulsion moving to the outer surface of said body in response to deformation thereof for application by the spongeous body to the surface to be cleaned and waxed, said detergent and wax composition including sodium lauryl sulfate, citric acid, polyalkylene glycol ether, and a surface coating wax of the group of silicone wax, carnauha wax and a polyethylene glycol of molecular weight of 6000 to 7500.

3. A cleaning device comprising, a multi-cellular sponeous body of porous elastic polyurethane material having communicating cells arranged therein and an outer surface of exposed cells, and a detergent and wax composition filling the cells substantially in the normal arrangement thereof in a distinct portion of said spongeous body spaced from the outer surface thereof and the body cells between said distinct portion and the outer surface being substantially free of the detergent and wax composition and available to receive water in use, said detergent and wax composition being substantially non-flowing whereby water entering said spongeous body will contact the detergent and wax composition only in the cells at the pe riphery of said distinct portion presenting a limited area of the composition and thereby a limited rate of dissolving and use of said composition, said detergent and wax composition being a homogeneous mixture having waterinsoluble materials and water-soluble materials which as dissolved with water forms a flowable emulsion moving to the outer surface of said body in response to deformation thereof for application by the spongeous body to the surface to be cleaned and waxed, said detergent and wax composition being of approximately the following ingredients and proportions by weight:

Parts Anionic surface active detergent sodium lauryl sulfate 14.26 Citric acid 1.58 Non-ionic surface active polyalkylene glycol ether 19.00 Polyethylene glycol of molecular weight of 6000 to 7500 59.4 Surface coating wax of one of the group silicone wax and carnauba wax 1.02

4. A cleaning device comprising a multi-cellular spongeous body of porous elastic polyurethane material having communicating cells arranged therein and an outer surface of exposed cells, and a detergent and wax composition filling the cells substantially in the normal arrangement thereof in a distinct portion of said spongeous body spaced from the outer surface there and the body cells between said distinct portion and the outer surface being substantially free of the detergent and wax composition and available to receive water in use, said detergent and wax composition being substantially non-flowing whereby water entering said spongeous body will contact the detergent and wax composition only in the cells at the periphery of said distinct portion presenting a limited area of the composition and thereby a limited rate of dissolving and use of said composition, said detergent and wax composition being a homogeneous mixture having water-insoluble materials and water-soluble materials which as dissolved with water forms a fiowable emulsion moving to the outer surface of said body in response to deformation thereof for application by the spongeous body to the surface to the cleaned and waxed, said detergent and wax composition being of approximately the following ingredients and proportions by weight:

Parts Polyethylene glycol of molecular weight of 6000 to 7500 Nonionic surface active agent 15 Sodium lauryl sulfate 15 Hydroxyethyl cellulose 2 Water 0 to 4 surface active agent, a chelating and sequestering agent, and a surface coating wax in the form of an emulsion characterized by all of the ingredients being in a liquid state at temperatures of more than 200 degrees F. and when cooled to 160 degrees F. the emulsion is fiowable with the coating wax solidified in particles of colloidal size in suspension in said emulsion and in which the composition is substantially non-fiowable at temperatures below 140 degrees F., inserting hollow needles into said confined spongeous body with said needles terminating at their discharge ends in spaced relation to the outer surfaces of the body, applying said detergent and wax composition in heated fiowable condition through said needles into said body, .said application of detergent and Wax composition being under pressure to cause the deposited detergent and Wax composition to move from one cell to other surround ing cells in communication therewith and progressively fill said other surrounding cells, withdrawing said needles from said spongeous body, cooling the spongeous body and detergent and wax composition therein to render the detergent and wax composition substantially non-fiowable, and removing the spongeous body from the confined space after the detergent and wax composition is rendered substantially non-fiowable whereby said spongeous body retains its shape.

6. The method of making a cleaning device having a spongeous body with communicating cells and a detergentwax composition therein in spaced relation to the exterior which comprises, cutting such a spongeous material to a body shape having an outer surface of exposed cells, confining said body in a space having a shape corresponding to the body shape to retain the outer surfaces of said body immobile, providing a detergent-wax composition having an anionic surface active detergent, a nonionic surface active agent, a chelating and sequestering agent, and a surface coating wax in the form of an emulsion characterized by all of the ingredients being in a liquid state at temperatures of more than 200 degrees F. and when cooled to 160 degrees F. the emulsion is fiowable with the coating Wax solidified in particles of colloidal size in suspension in said emulsion and in which the composition is substantially non-fiowable at temperatures below 140 degrees F., inserting hollow needles through one outer surface of said confined spongeous body with said needles terminating at their discharge ends in spaced relation to the outer surfaces of the body, applying said detergent and wax composition in heated fiowable condition through said needles into said body and progressively removing said needles toward said one outer surface to move the area of deposition of the detergent and wax composition and terminating the application of the detergent and wax composition while the discharge ends of the needles are in the spongeous body in spaced relation to said one outer surface, said application of detergent and wax composition being under pressure to cause the deposited detergent and wax composition to move from one cell to other surrounding cells in communication therewith and progressively fill said other surrounding cells, withdrawing said needles from said spongeous body, cooling the spongeous body and detergent and Wax composition therein to render the detergent and wax composition substantially nonfiowable, and removing the spongeous body from the confined space after the detergent .and wax composition is rendered substantially non-fiowable whereby said spongeous body retains its shape.

7. The method of making a cleaning device having a spongeous body with communicating cells and a detergent Wax composition therein in spaced relation to the exterior which comprises, cutting such a spongeous body to a body shape having an outer surface of exposed cells, confining said body in a space having a shape corresponding to the body shape to retain the outer surfaces of said body immobile, providing a detergent-Wax composition having an anionic surface active agent, a nonionic surface active agent, a chelating and sequestering agent, and a surface coating wax in the form of an emulsion, said detergent- Wax composition being characterized by being in a liquid state at temperatures of more than 2.00 degrees F. and substantially non-fiowable at temperatures below degrees F., inserting hollow needles into said confined spongeous body with said needles terminating at their discharge ends in spaced relation to the outer surfaces of the body, applying said detergent-wax composition in heated fiowable condition through said needles into said body, said application of detergent-wax composition being under pressure to cause the deposited detergent-wax composition to move from one cell to other surrounding cells in communication therewith and progressively fill said other surrounding cells, the spongeous body cooling the detergent-wax composition as it moves in said cells to a non-fiowable condition, withdrawing said needles fromsaid spongeous body, and removing the spongeous body from the confined space after the detergent-wax composition is rendered substantially non-fiowable whereby said spongeous body retains its shape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,780,554 Lerner Feb. 5, 1957 3,006,023 Worthington Oct. 31, 196 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 848,413 Great Britain Sept. 14, 1960 1,161,888 France Mar. 31, 1958

Claims (1)

1. A CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING, A MULTI-CELLULAR SPONGEOUS BODY OF POROUS ELASTIC MATERIAL HAVING COMMUNICATING CELLS ARRANGED THEREIN AND AN OUTER SURFACE OF EXPOSED CELLS, SAID BODY BEING OF A SIZE TO BE HANDLED IN A PERSON''S HAND, A DETERGENT AND WAX COMPOSITION FILING THE CELLS IN A DISTINCT CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID S GEOUS BODY SPACED FROM THE OUTER SURFACE THEREOF AND THE BODY CELLS BETWEEN SAID DISTINCT PORTION AND THE OUTER SURFACE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF THE DETERGENT AND WAX COMPOSITION AND AVAILABLE TO RECEIVE WATER IN USE, SAID DETERGENT AND WAX COMPOSITION BEING CHARACTERIZED BY BEING IN A LIQUID STATE AT TEMPERATURES OF MORE THAN 200* F. AND SUBSTANTIALLY NON-FLOWING AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 140*F. WHEREBY WHEN USED AT TEMPERATURES WHEREIN SAID COMPOSITION IS NON-FLOWING WATER ENTERING SAID SPONGEOUS BODY WILL CONTACT THE DETERGENT AND WAX COMPOSITION ONLY IN THE CELLS AT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DISTINCT PORTION PRESENTING A LIMITED AREA OF THE COMPOSITION AND THEREBY A LIMITED RATE OF DISSOLVING AND USE OF SAID COMPOSITION, SAID DETERGENT AND WAX COMPOSITION BEING A HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURE HAVING WATER-INSOLUBLE MATERIALS AND WATER-SOLUBLE MATERIALS WHICH AS DISSOLVED WITH WATER FORMS A FLOWABLE EMULSION MOVING TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID BODY IN RESPONSE TO DEFORMATION THEREOF FOR APPLICATION BY THE SPONGEOUS BODY TO THE SURFACE TO BE CLEANED AND WAXED, SAID DETERGENT AND WAX COMPOSITION INCLUDING AN ANIONIC SURFACE ACTIVE DETERGENT OF ONE OF THE GROUP OF SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE OR SODIUM SALT OF NMETHYLOLEYTAURINE, A CHELATING AND SEQUESTERING AGENT OF ONE OF THE GROUP OF CITRIC ACID AND ACETYL ACETONE, A NONIONIC SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT CONSISTING OF POLYALKYLENE GLYCOL ETHER, AND A SURFACE COATING WAX OF ONE OF THE GROUP OF SILICONE WAX, CARNAUBA WAX AND A POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL OF MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF 6000 TO 7500.

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