US3377123A - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

G. J. W. LEESON CLEANING DEVICE April 9, 196s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 3, 1966 IIA 116114 no 16 u2 April 9,'1968 Filed Feb. 5, 1966 CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet :3,

5e so 52 54 i /72 7 fi?" 7 I/50 L 60 JA 1/46 IZ 7. n l T i l 92 92 48 i l El 5 H4112 United States Patent() 3,377,123 CLEANING DEVICE George Joseph William Leeson, 86 Caroline St., South Yarra, Victoria, Australia Filed Feb. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 524,722 Claims priority, application Australia, Mar. 12, 1965, 56,269/ 65 3 Claims. (Cl. 401-139) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLGSURE A cleaning device suitable for cleaning motor vehicles, windows and similar surfaces comprises a telescoping hollow handle through which water is fed from a valve controlled hose connection at one end of the handle to a discharge nozzle located at the other end. The nozzle is mounted on a retaining plate for a cleaning pad and water is discharged from the nozzle generally parallel with the cleaning pad and laterally thereof so that a detergent may be applied to the pad without being rinsed off by the water discharged from the nozzle. The retaining plate is pivotally mounted so that the pad and nozzle can be adjusted to lie generally parallel with the axis of the handle or at an angle thereto. A squeegee blade is also pivotally mounted on the retaining plate.

This invention relates to a cleaning device, and more particularly to a device suitable for cleaning motor vehicles, windows of dwellings, and similar surfaces.

There are many cleaning devices presently available for the above purposes, but these suffer from various disadvantages.

For example, they are not equipped with sufficiently long handles so that in cleaning a motor vehicle it is necessary to ldrag a hose across the surface of the vehicle or to take great pains to ensure that the hose will not scratch the vehicle. When such devices are used for washing the windows of dwellings it is necessary to employ a ladder or similar means to enable the whole of the window surface to be reached.

Again such devices in general supply water to the surface to be cleaned by causing it to percolate through a brush, `cleaning pad, or similar means. This is unsatisfactory, firstly because it does not permit a broad section of the surface to be sprayed, and secondly because it continuously washes away any detergent being used with the cleaning device.

These prior art devices are also unsatisfactory in that a film of water remains on the windows which eventually evaporates and leaves behind stains giving the windows an appearance of still being dirty.

Again prior art cleaning devices usually have a cleaning pad which has a fixed angular relationship to a handle making them awkward to use and lacking in adaptability to the surfaces t0 be cleaned.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of prior art cleaning devices, and to this end there is provided a cleaning device comprising a tubular handle adapted for connection at one end to a water supply and having a cleaning pad pivotally attached to its other end in such manner that it may be located in a plane generally parallel to the axis of the handle, or in a plane at an angle to said axis. Preferably there is provided a squeegee blade adapted to move in unison with said cleaning pad between its operative positions.

Further according to the invention there is provided a cleaning device comprising a tubular handle adapted for connection at one end to a water supply and having a water discharge orice at its other end, the orice being pivotally mounted in such manner that it may direct a lCC stream of water generally parallel to the axis of said handle or at an angle to said axis. Preferably the orifice is of the type having an outlet in the form of a slot and it is preferably connected to the tubular handle by means of a short length of plastic or other flexible tubing to accommodate the relative pivotal movement.

Again the invention provides a cleaning device comprising a tubular handle adapted for connection to a water supply at one end, and having a water discharge orifice and a cleaning pad attached to its other end, the arrangement being such that water discharged through said orifice does not pass through the cleaning pad in order to reach a surface to be cleaned.

In each of the forms of the invention above described the handle is preferably telescopic and may be provided at its first-mentioned end with a valve to control the flow of water. A length of small diameter flexible plastic tubing may be attached to said end to provide a light weight connection between the cleaning device and a water hose.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood it will now be described by way of example with reference to a particular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a general view of the cleaning device with one of its cleaning heads attached;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-Sectional view of one end of the device showing the details of the valve;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of an intermediate portion of the device showing the telescopic connection of the two parts of. the handle;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the other end of the device;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on line 6*6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a detail view taken on line 7-7 of FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a detail view taken on line 8 8 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of one form of cleaning pad suitable for use with the device, and

FIGURE l0 is a perspective view of a second form yof cleaning pad suitable for use with the device.

The cleaning device of this embodiment comprises a tubular handle 10 made from two lengths 12 and 14 of aluminium tubing one of which the distal (in relation to the used of the device) length 12 is a sliding t within the proximal length 14. A nut 16 screwed to the end `of length 14 has a projecting externally screw threaded boss 18, the internal diameter of which is a neat sliding fit on length 12.

A gland nut 20 engages boss 18 to compress a resilient annular ring 22 for the purposes of holding the length 12 in a selected position in relation to length 14 and to seal the joint against leakage of water. The inner end of the smaller-diameter tube 12 is expanded to prevent its withdrawal through the gland nut 20.

To the other end of the larger-diameter tube section 14 there is screw-threadedly attached a valve, generally indicated at 24, to controlthe flow of water. Valve member 26 within valve 24 is biased towards its closed position by means of a spring 28 and has a stem 30 projecting from the valve body for engagement with an operating handle 32.

The handle 32 is pivoted tothe valve body by means of a pair of links 34 and is of L-shape, having a valve-stem engaging portion 36 and a portion 38 which extends forwardly in generally parallel relationship to the body of valve 24 for engagement by the fingers of a person using the device.

The valve body has an integrally cast inlet passage 40 to which'is connected a length (approximately 6 ft.) of small bore plastic tubing 42, which, at its free end, has a fitting 44 for attachment to the normal end fitting on a garden hose. Fitting 44 preferably provides a swivel connection to facilitate screwing it onto the end fitting of the hose.

The free end of the smaller diameter handle section 12 is expanded into a bell-mouth to retain an externally screw-threaded bush 46 having a central annular shoulder 48. A lock-nut 50 on the proximal end of bush 46 clamps the spring detent 52 and a U-shaped bracket 54 against shoulder 48 (see FIGURE 4).

Bracket 54 is made of flat sheet metal and has two arms 56 projecting forwardly. Towards the outer end of each arm 56 there is provided a drilled hole for co-operation with a similar hole in a respective arm 58 of a U-shaped bracket 60 fixed to a cleaning pad retaining plate 62, screws or bolts 64 being passed through the respective pairs of holes to form a pivotal connection.

One arm 58 is provided with two or more slots 66 adapted to co-operate with a detent finger 68 projecting from L-shaped detent spring 52, to locate the cleaning pad retaining plate 62, either in a position parallel to the axis ofthe handle as shown in full lines in FIGURE 7, or in a position at an angle to said axis as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 7.

The side edges 70 and the rear edges 72 of the cleaning pad retaining plate 62 are rolled under as can be seen in FIGURES 4 and 6 to form a pocket into which a cleaning pad backing plate 74 is adapted to slide. The forward end of the cleaning pad retaining plate 62 is bent upwardly at right angles as shown in FIGURE 4 to provide a bracket 76 which is formed with a central circular hole in which an externally screw threaded bush 78, similar to bush 46, is mounted by means of a lock-nut 80 which clamps bracket 76 against shoulder 82.

A nozzle 84 is mounted in the distal end of bush 78. The proximal end of bush 78 is connected to the distal end of bush 46 by means of a short length of small bore plastic tubing 86, the connection at each end of the tubing having an internal rigid bush 88, a rubber ring 90 surrounding tube 86 and bush 88, and a gland nut 92 to compress ring 90 and cause it to clamp tubing 86 against the bush 88.

The cleaning pad may take either of the forms shown in FIGURES 9 and 10. That shown in FIGURE 10 is particularly adapted for cleaning motor vehicles. This cleaning pad 94 is approximately 4 square and 2 thick and is made of foamed plastic. To the rear surface of the pad there is attached, as by gluing, a stitfenin g plate 96 of very thin Celluloid of similar non-scratching material. The stiffening plate 96 has dimensions slightly smaller than those of the cleaning pad 94 and its purpose is to prevent excessive deflection of the pad in the plane parallel to the surface to be cleaned.

The backing plate 74, of a size adapted to slide neatly into the pocket in retaining plate 62, is either glued to the stifening plate or is made integral therewith.

A lat-ch 98 pivotally mounted on lock-nut 80 is adapted to be rotated to a position in which it prevents withdrawal of the cleaning pad backing plate from the pocket, and for this purpose it is provided with a turned-over `portion 100 adapted to be manually grasped and a retaining finger 102. These integers are best seen in FIGURE 6 wherein the latch is shown in the position in which it prevents withdrawal of the cleaning pad backing plate.

The form of cleaning pad shown in FIGURE 9 is particularly adapted to the Washing of windows of dwellings. It is also made from foamed plastic and has dimensions of approximately 8" by 3 and a thickness of 1. The back of this pad 104 is provided with a stiffening plate 106 and a backing plate 108.

The stiifening plate 106 is preferably curved as shown in FIGURE 9 since this improves the scrubbing action of the pad and also assists in preventing deflection of its lateral edges when pressure is applied during use.

A U-shaped bracket 110 having a pair of rearwardly and upwardly extending arms 112 is clamped between lock-nut and bracket 76. The arms 112 pivotally support a U-shaped bracket having a pair of arms 114 and at the outer end of the bracket there is formed a holder 116 adapted to receive and grip a squeegee 118 which may be a standard windscreen wiper blade.

The squeegee is shown in its operative position in FIG- URE 4 but may be rotated about its pivotal connection to bracket when not required for use to a position in which it lies against handle 10.

The nozzle 84 is arranged with its orifice slot 120 (sec FIGURE 6) in a plane at right angles to the surface of the cleaning pad so that the stream of water which it emits is in a plane generally parallel to the surface of the pad. As will be obvious from the construction described the nozzle and the pad move in unison about the pivotal connection to the U-shaped bracket.

In the use of the device for washing a motor vehicle the handle will generally be in its retracted condition as shown by the dotted line position of the pad in FIGURE l. The cleaing pad will be in its position parallel to the axis of the handle when the roof and other upper surfaces of the vehicle are being cleaned, and will be rotated through an angle of approximately 30 when the vertical surfaces of the vehicle are being cleaned. The surface is first made wet by spraying water onto it through the nozzle. A few drops of detergent are then placed on the cleaning pad and the latter is used to wash the vehicle thoroughly all over. A further high velocity jet of water is then sprayed onto the vehicle through the nozzle to clean off the detergent. If so desired the vehicle may then be dried by means of a chamois or soft cloth.

It should be noted that with the present invention water is used only when it is required, and that during the shampooing operation the ow of water is discontinued in order to avoid washing away the detergent.

Further advantages of the invention reside in the fact that the pad adapts itself readily to the contour of the surfaces on which it is being used, and the provision of the length of small bore plastic tubing to connect the device to a hose makes it unnecessary to support a heavy and relatively stiff hose during the washing operation.

The use of the device for washing the windows of a dwelling is generally similar to the above in that the surface is first made wet, then detergent is applied to the cleaning pad for the washing operation, followed by removal of the detergent by means of further application of water. During these operations the cleaning pad will generally be in the position wherein it is rotated through an angle of approximately 30 from the position wherein its surface is parallel to the axis of the handle.

At the conclusion of the above operations the cleaning pad is returned to the position wherein it is parallel to the axis of the handle and the squeegee is used to remove excess water from the surface. Thus no film is left on the windows when they dry.

I claim:

1. A cleaning device comprising a tubular handle adapted for connection at one end thereof to a water supply hose through a control valve mounted on the handle, a retaining plate, said retaining plate including a pocket in the under surface thereof to receive the backing plate of a cleaning pad, a first U-shaped bracket secured to and upstanding upon the upper surface of said retaining plate, a second U-shaped bracket having the legs thereof pivotally connected with the legs of said first U-shaped bracket, a first bush extending through and secured to said second U-shaped bracket in the part joining the legs thereof, means securing the opposite end of said tubular handle to one end of said first bush, a length of flexible tubing having one end thereof coupled to the other end of said first bush, means providing an upstanding bracket on said retaining plate forwardly of said U-shaped brackets and which is provided with an opening receiving a second bush, a nozzle connected to the forward end of said second bush, said nozzle delivering a spray in a direction generally parallel with but laterally of said cleaning pad, means coupling the other end of said flexible tubing to the rearward end of said second bush, and means for adjusting the angular position of said retaining plate and hence said cleaning pad and nozzle relative to said opposite end of said tubular handle at the pivotal connection between said rst and second U-shaped brackets.

2. A cleaning device as defined in claim 1 and which further includes a squeegee blade and means pivotally mounting said blade on said retaining plate so as to enable the blade to be moved into and out of its operable position.

3. A cleaning device as defined in claim 1 wherein a length of small diameter flexible hose is interposed between said control valve and water supply hose for imparting added flexibility to the control valve end of said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1914 Corbett 15-531 X 6/1924 Spencer 15-531 X 9/1926 Parker 15-567 9/1952 Reed 15-544 X 1/1956 Payne 15-588 12/1957 Davis 15-544 X 3/1962 Milhous 15-544 X FOREIGN PATENTS 4/ 1960 France. 11/1943 Italy.

15 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Examiner.

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