US1982654A - Steel wool cleaner - Google Patents

Description

1 934. FRIEDMAN STEEL WOOL CLEANER Filed Dec. 8, 1932 NVENTOR Patented Dec. 4, 1934 swear. WOOL enema Louis Friedman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application December a, 1932,- Serial No. 040,221

9 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaners and has among its objects the provision of a device of this character having an improved steel wool pad so constructed as to be adapted for increased efliciency in use and for a relatively long period of life, and for cleaning in comers or the like.

Another object is to furnish a device of the nature set forth having improved means for supplying a soluble cleaning material to a steel wool 10 Dad.

Another object of this invention is the provision-of a cleaning device having a steel wool pad and improved means for holding the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a steel wool pad having elements therein for their preferred embodiments, pointedout in the subjoined claims, and illustrated on the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing: 'Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of a device embodying the invention.

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of a steel wool pad embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section of a modification of the invention, on line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a viewin side elevation thereof. Fig. 5 is a top view of the pad thereof. The advantages of the invention as here cute lined'are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be 5 cludes a steel wool pad 11 and a suitable means such as 12a for conveniently gripping and holding the same. The pad ll may be formed of steel wool sheeting which is stitched along one or more lines so as to hold together the strands of the steel wool. Preferably a plurality of spaced lines of stitching 12 are provided extending in one direction and a plurality of spaced lines of stitching '13 extending in a different direction so that the different lines of stitching intersect each other at points 14. In this manner the strands of the steel wool are held together reliably substantially throughout the pad and with increased strength at the points 14. These lines of stitching may bev formed of thread of any suitable material such as metal, fiber, or the like. Preferably ordinary cotton thread that is relatively heavy can be used with a sewing machine properly adjusted and designed so as to prevent cutting of the thread and accumulation of steel wool particles in the shuttle mechanism. In general;

stitching will have a requisite degree of flexibility g5,

and resilience so'that the pad can be readily formed into any desired shape as shown. inFig.

1 and sothat the pad is yielding and compressible whereby it willreadily follow any irregularities in the surface that is to be cleaned. If increased I resilience or-flexibility is desired, a quantity of a suitable vegetable fiber may be added=to the steel wool, which fiber may be cotton or the like,

the steel wool andwill'also aid in the retention of soap or other soluble cleaning material by the pad 11.

It will be understood that while the steel wool pad is preferably held together by lines of stitching as shown, it is also possible to use other securing or fastening means at different points spaced along the pad.

The holding means 12 may according to one possible embodiment thereof, include an outer cup member 16 having a bottom wall 1'7 of any no suitable and preferably outwardly convexed shape, and a cylindrical side wall 18.. The inner cup member 19 may have a top wall 20 and a cylindrical side wall 21 of smaller diameter or size than the wall 18. The inner cup member may also be provided with a holding means such as a handle 22 that may be centrally connected to the wall 20 as by a screw 23.

The pad 11 lies closely along the wall 1'1 and extends around the side wall 18, being thence folded inward at 24 so as to'lie on the inside of the wall 18 as shown at 25. This infolded portion 25 of the pad is snugly compressed between the smooth and uniform throughout.

walls 18 and 21 of the cup members so as to cause a frictional engagement therebetween. this engagement being supplemented bythe cutting action of the steel wool so as to strongly grip the adjacent surfaces of the cylindrical relatively soft metal walls and assure adequate retention of the cup member 19 in the cup' member 16. It is thus unnecessary to have any beads or offsets in these surfaces, but the-same may be entirely This together with the fact that the infolded portion 25 is also stitched produces a perfectly reliable gripping action and facilitates the assembling of the parts and replacement of the pad 11 when the same is worn out. For replacement of the pad 11, the latter may be prepared as a unit with the outer cup member 16 and sold as such so that it is merely necessary to insert the inner cup member into position as shown in Fig. 1. The stitched steel wool cup has sufficient strengtlrand coherence to be self retained on the outer cup member for ordinary handling and even use.

The inner and outer cup members 19 and 16 may face each other so as to form an enclosure for.receiving a body of soluble cleaning material such as a cake of soap 26. In order to render the same accessible to the steel wool, the wall 17 may be perforated as at 27. These perforations may be sufiicient in number and in size, and the wall 1'7 may be sufficiently thin so as to render the same flexible if desired, whereby accommodation is readily obtained for any irregularities in a surface that is to be cleaned.

In practice, water will soak through the steel wool pad and pass-through theperforations 'so as to reach the cake of soap 26 for gradually dissolving the same. After having been used for a little while, the steel wool pad becomes fairly saturated with soap so that the latter is quickly available in any subsequent cleaning operations. The operator may grasp the handle 22 and strongly rub the steel wool pad 11 along a surface that is to be cleaned, the stitching holding together the strands of steel wool which would otherwise become quickly dissipated and the stitching also increases the strength of the steel wool pad along the plane thereof whereby distortion and undue expansion of the same is prevented.

In Figs. 3 to 5 is shown a modification of the invention including a cleaning device 28, the

same having a steel wool pad 29 embodying the principles of the steel wool pad 11,-but constructed somewhat differently therefrom. The pad 29 may include a layer or sheet of steel wool stitched edge of the cleaning element downward as shown tangular shape as shown. .The upper ms edge portions thereof may be infolded at 34 and stitched as shown at 35, and other free edges may also be infolded and stitched in a similar manner so as to'produce a requisite degree of smoothness in the device. The latter may be provided with an upward projecting portion between the folds thereof whereby the cleaning element may be gripped and held and without exposure of any part of the gripping means. More specifically, the member 31 provides a pocket 36 between the fold portions 32. A filler element 37 which may also consist of steel wool may be disposed along this pocket. The filler element may consist of a sheet of steel wool stitched at .38 and folded at 39 to provide a pair of fold portions -40. A line of stitching 41 may extend through the fold portions 32 and 40 or other connecting means may be used-for interengaging. the parts as a permanent unit. The filler member 37 serves to add substantial body and stiffness to the cleaning element without detracting materially from the re ilience or flexibility thereof. The end portionspf the cleaning element may be stitched throughas shown at 42 to further interengage the member 31 and the filler. In order to provide an opening of comparatively limited size for the pocket 36, lines of stitching may be made at 43 from the upper at 44. It will be noted that since various parts of the cleaning element have individual .lines of stitching, a breakage in any one line of stitching will not materially effect the strength of the cleaning element as a whole.

One form of holding implement for the cleaning element 29 may include a suitable means for entering the pocket 36 and gripping a portion of the filler that projects toward the opening of said pocket. Preferably this implement may have a handle 45 having a chamber 46 to constitute a liquid reservoir for cleaning material such as liquid soap. Extending centrally from the lower end of the handle and in communication with the'reservoir is a tube 47 whose lower end may be constricted or tapered as shown at 48 to provide a nozzle which is adapted to enter the opening of the pocket 36. A pair of arms 49 disposed on opposite sides of the tube 47 are secured to the lower end of the handle and extends substantially divergently downward to enter into said pocket on opposite sides of the upperportion of the annular strip. The lower ends of the arms 49 may be flanged toward each other at 50, these flanges being roughened or serrated as may be desired. A collar 51 is slidable along the arms 49 so as to press the same'toward each other and into gripping position.

The upper end of the handle may have a closure plate 52 formed with a central opening 135, 53 through which slldably extends a rod 54 that constitutes a plunger for entering the tube 47.

A valve portion 55 may be provided on the rod for seating on the end of the tube 47 in order to close the same. The rod 54 may also extend 140 through a guide 56 for centering the same with the tube 47. A stop element 57 limits the upward movement of the rod 54. The latter may be manipulated by a head 58 positioned at the end of the handle. For filling the reservoir 46, 1.45 openings 59 and 60 may be provided respectively in members 58 and 52, these openings being adapted to be aligned and'to be movable out of registry with each other by rotation of the head In practice, the resilient arms 49 may be slightly pressed together to enter into the pocket 36 of the cleaning element on opposite si' es of the filler member 37, this being facilita, ed by the comparatively smooth narrow upper/fold portion 39 of the filler. Then the collar 51 isslid downward, thereby moving the arms further toward each other to reliably grip the filler. The reservoir 46 may now be filled with the liquid soap through openings 59 and 60 and the head 58 turned so as to close the reservoir. If a discharge of liquid soap is desired in the cleaning element 29, the head 58 is grasped and moved upward so as tocause the plunger and valve 55 to open the tube 47 and permit a downward flow of the cleaning fluid into the pocket 36 where it is properly distributed to different parts of the cleaning element. If the end portions 61 of the arms 49 are elongated as shown, they may constitute a reenforcement for the steel wool cleaning element, while the end portions of the latter may possess their required degree of flexibility.

The portions 61 may be somewhat smaller than the opening of pocket 36.

Handle 45 may have a reenforcing ferrule 62.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown in the drawing, and that the same is submitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device including a pad consisting of a sheet of steel wool stitched through along a plurality of spaced lines to hold together the strands of the steel wool, said pad having portions folded upon each other and secured together to form a pocket and an opening therefor between the fold 9 portions, and a steel wool flller strip in the-pocket remote from said opening and interconnected with the fold portions.

2. A device including a pad consisting of a sheet of steel wool stitched through along a plurality of spaced lines to hold together the strands of the steel wool, said pad having portions folded upon each other and a steel wool flller strip positioned between the fold portions, the latter and the filler strip being secured together at spaced points. v r

3. A device including a pad consisting of a sheet of steel wool stitched through along a plurality of spaced lines to hold together the strands of the steel wool, said padhaving portions folded upon each other, and secured together to form a pocket and an opening therefor between the fold portions, a steel wool flller strip in the pocket remote from said opening and interconnected with the fold portions, and a holding means having a holder therefor, the holder having an angular portion, and the pad having a section adapted to be engaged by the holder for maintaining the pad thereon, and a second section extending around the angular portion of the holder so as to provide an angular pad portion adapted for cleaning in corners, the pad consisting of a homogeneous mass of steel wool and having stitching therethrough for holding together the strands of the steel wool, the stitching extending along said sections for reenforcing the holding engagement and for preventing disruption of the pad at the angular portion thereof.

5. A device including a holder having an angu-' lar portion, apad having a section secured to the holder and a second section extending over the angular holder portion with the latter acting as a backing to provide an' angular pad portion for therethrough at the second section.

6. A device including a pad consisting of a sheet of steel wool stitched through along a pinrality of spaced lines to hold together the strands of the steel wool, said pad having portions overlying each other and secured together to form a pocket and an opening therefor between the portions, and a filler strip in the pocket remote from said opening and interconnected with the portions.

'7. A device including a pad consisting of a sheet of steel wool stitched through along a plurality of spaced lines to hold together the strands of the steel wool, said pad having portions overlyingeach other and a flller strip positioned between the fold portions, the latter and the filler strip being secured together at spaced points.

8. A device including a pad consisting of a 7 sheet of steel wool stitched through along a plurality of spaced lines to hold together the strands of the steel wool, said pad having portions overlying each other, and secured together to form a pocket and an opening therefor between the portions, a filler strip in the pocket remote from said opening and interconnected with the portions, and

, a holding meanshaving a plurality of jaws exits.

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