US2994097A - Foldable mop with compressible scrubbing elements - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1, 1961 A. F. FUNGAROLI FOLDABLE MOP WITH COMPRESSIBLE SCRUBBING ELEMENTS Filed Nov. 24, 1959 ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,994,097 FOLDABLE MOP WITH 'COMPRESSIBLE SCRUBBING ELEMENTS Anthony F. Fungaroli, Northampton, Mass. Filed Nov. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 855,189 4 Claims. (Cl. 15119) The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a mop device, and is directed more'particularly to improvements in means for wringing the sponge mop element of a mop device.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of a mop device wherein a sponge mop element is carried by relatively swingable main plates arranged to apply a wringing action to the mop element.

As one feature of the invention, extension plates are slidable outwardly on plates which carry the mop element so as to substantially enclose the mop element in a wringing operation, thereby readily and easily obtaining a thorough wringing of the element.

As another feature of the invention, the mop element is formed with a groove on the lower side thereof which facilitates the doubling up of the side portions of the mop element during the wringing so as to enhance the wringing operation, said groove having longitudinal edges which together with the longitudinal outer side edges of the mop element provide a greater number of edges for mopping operations than has heretofore been possible.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for wringing the mop element while same is submerged in water, all without the necessity of the hands of the user being placed in the water.

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will be observed from the following description of the presently preferred form thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of a mop embodying the novel features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the components of the mop in the mop element wringing relation;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an end portion of one of the extension plates of the mop structure; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the novel features of the invention will be described.

A pair of similar elongated side plates have upper portion 2 which are hinged at 4 for relative swinging, and

longitudinally extending side portions 6 which extend angularly outwardly away from the respective upper portions 2.

Extension plates 8 on outer sides of the side portions 6 have opposite ends 10 turned inwardly, see FIG. 3, which receive opposite ends of said side portions 6 so that the plates 8 may slide on the plate portions 6 outwardly from the positions shown in FIG. 1 to the extended positions of FIG. 2. Outer longitudinal edges of the plates 8 are curved outwardly at 9, as shown.

Ears 12 are provided on opposite ends of the plate portions 6 and other ears 14 are provided on opposite ends of the extension plates 8. Elongated links 16 at opposite ends of the plates each have one end pivoted to an ear 12 of one plate portion 2, and an opposite end pivoted to an ear 14, and cross one another, as shown.

An elongated mop element 18 has upper portions secured to inner sides of the side portions 6. Said mop may be formed from cellulose sponge material, and may be secured to said side plates by suitable adhesive material, or it may be secured to the plates which in turn are screw connected to inner faces of the side plates, should same be desired.

The mop element may be of six, eight, ten inches or ice whatever may be desired in length, and the side plates will be such as to accommodate the mop element desired.

Opposite longitudinal side portions 22 of the mop element 18 project downwardly relative to the plate portions 6, in open position thereof, for the mopping operation, as shown in FIG. 1.

The mop element 18 is provided with a longitudinal groove 20, in the form of an inverted V, between opposite side portions 22 thereof, as in FIG. 1.

The V groove not only permits the side portions 22 to be brought together during a wringing operation, but also provides additional longitudinal edges 24, which are in addition to the outer edges 26, for a more eflicient mopable handle 36 is provided on the outer end of said rod' A spring clip 38 is secured to the fitting 28 in any suitable manner, as shown in FIG. 4, and the rod 34 is releasably receivable therein to hold the side plates in the open position thereof, as shown in FIG. 1.

As before stated, in the open position of the side plates of FIG. 1, and with the mop element wet to the desired extent, the lower face of the element may be moved back and forth over the surface to be mopped. The longitudinal edges 24 and 26 of the mop element function for an elficient mopping operation.

When it is desired to wring the mop element, the handles 30 and 36 are gripped by the hands, and the rod 34 is swung away from the handle 30 to swing the side plate to which the rod is secured, toward the other side plate.

As the side plates are swung toward one another, the link connections between the extension plates 8 and side plate portions 6 are such that said extension plates 8 are propelled outwardly relative to the plate portions 6 so as to overlie the outer sides of the portions 22 of the mop element whereby the mop element is squeezed between the plates for the wringing of said element.

The V groove permits the mop element to be doubled upon itself so that the mop element is substantially enclosed by the side and extension plates for the efiicient wringing of the rnop element.

The mop element may be readily and easily rinsed in a pail of water by submerging it in the water, and by swinging the rod 34 relative to the handle 30. Such may be accomplished all without the user immersing either hand in the water.

The ability of the mop element to be doubled upon itself by the side plates makes thorough wringing of the element possible with a minimum of effort on the part of the user.

The extension plates are automatically and positively extended as the side plates are swung together for a wringing operation, and are retracted as said plates are moved apart for a mopping operation.

Without further analysis, the foregoing is intended to so fully reveal the gist of my invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning range of equivalence of the claims below.

Accordingly, limitation of this invention should be made only as determined by a proper interpretation of the terms used in the subjoined claims. a

. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

a l. A mop construction comprising in combination, a pair of elongated side plates having upper portions and side portions extending angularly outwardly therefrom, said upper portions being relatively hinged longitudinally thereof for swinging of the side portions from outer open position and inner wringing position and relatively diverging downwardly in said outer open position, an elongated manually engageable handle secured to and extending from the upper portion of one side plate and an operating rod secured to and extending from the side portion of the other side plate, means for releasably holding said handle and rod in open position of the side portions of the side plates, a mop element having upper side portions secured to inner portions of the side plates and opposite longitudinal side portions extending downwardly from lower edges of the side portions of said side plates, extension plates guided by said side portions of the side plates for sliding between inner retracted positions and extended positions outwardly of outer edges of the side portions of the side plates, and means propelling the extension plates to extended position to overlie side portions of the mop element as the side portions of the side plates are swung in element wringing direction.

2. A mop construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said propelling means includes links at opposite ends of said side plates pivotally connected to the side portions thereof and said extension plates.

3. A mop construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mop element is provided on the underside thereof with a longitudinal inverted V groove provided with transversely spaced longitudinal lower edges.

4. A mop construction comprising in combination, a pair of elongated side plates, said plates having upper portions hingedly connected for swinging from relatively open position towards one another in wringing direction, said side plates diverging relatively outwardly from said hinged connection, a mop element having upper portions secured to inner sides of said side plates and side portions thereof extending outwardly beyond outer longitudinal edges of said side plates, extension'plates slidable on said side plates from inner positions thereover and outer extended positions, a pair of links at opposite ends of said side plates, the links of the pairs thereof each having one end pivotally connected to the extension of the other side plate, an elongated handle secured to one side plate and a rod secured to the other side plate, means releasably holding said rod and handle in adjacency in open position of the side plates and being separable to efiect relative swinging of the side plates from open position in mop element wringing direction whereby said extension plates are propelled by said links outwardly beyond said side plates to overlie and act on side portions of said mop element.

No references cited.

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