US3720976A

US3720976A - Bayonet mounted flexible cleaning pad

Info

Publication number: US3720976A
Application number: US00113181A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Bailey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-02-08
Filing date: 1971-02-08
Publication date: 1973-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-20

Abstract

A toilet brush is disclosed which can be mounted to and from an elongate handle. The brush itself includes a hand sized parabolic shaped plate having a hand encircling strap over the top of the plate and a cloth mounted flexible sponge pad attached to the bottom of the plate. A handle with an attached bayonet plate can be moved to and from a position of engagement with a female bayonet fitting on the top portion of the brush plate. The cloth mounted flexible sponge pad extends beyond the parabolic shaped plate to provide an extended and flexible cleaning surface. This extended and flexible cleaning surface can both conform to and be backed by the human wrist when the brush is handle held as well as conformed to the irregular interior surfaces of a toilet bowl when the brush is handle held.

Description

United States Patent [191 Bailey BAYONET MOUNTED FLEXIBLE CLEANING PAD [76] Inventor: Guy Bailey, Route 1, Box 3, Atlus,

Okla.

22 Filed: Feb.8, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 113,181

[52] US. Cl. ..15/244 A, 15/144 A, 15/145, 15/227, 306/7 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47l 13/18, A471 17/02 [58] Field of Search ..15/145, 227, 244 R; 306/7; 260/669 R; 15/145, 227, 244 R, 244 A, 244

]March 20, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney-Townsend & Townsend [5 7 ABSTRACT A toilet brush is disclosed which can be mounted to and from an elongate handle. The brush itself includes a hand sized parabolic shaped plate having a hand encircling strap over the top of the plate and a cloth mounted flexible sponge pad attached to the bottom of the plate. A handle with an attached bayonet plate can be moved to and from a position of engagement with a female bayonet fitting on the top portion of the brush plate. The cloth mounted flexible sponge pad extends beyond the parabolic shaped plate to provide an extended and flexible cleaning surface. This extended and flexible cleaning surface can both conform to and be backed by the human wrist when the brush is handle held as well as conformed to the irregular interior surfaces of a toilet bowl when the brush is handle held.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED MARZO I975 3.720.976 SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR. GUY BAILEY WMW ATTORNEYS PATENTEUMARZO I975 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG INVENTOR. GUY

BAYUNET MUUNTED FLEXIBLE CLEANING PAD This invention relates to brushes and more particularly to a toilet brush of improved design which can be mounted to and from a long handle to provide a single implement for the efficient cleaning of toilet bowls.

Heretofore, conventional toilet brushes have had two serious disadvantages. First, they have all been rigidly attached to an elongate handle. While an elongate handle is efficient for cleaning a toilet bowl in the vicinity of the toilet trap. it is not efficient for cleaning a toilet bowl around the rim or top.

Secondly, toilet brushes have heretofore not been provided with a cleaning surface which can conform to and efficiently clean the irregularly shaped surfaces of the toilet bowl, such as the underside of the toilet rim.

An object of this invention is to disclose a palm shaped toilet brush which can be either mounted to an elongate handle or alternately removed from the elongate handle and hand held.

An advantage of this toilet brush is that it can be used with its handle for the conventional cleaning of a toilet bowl in the vicinity of the trap.

An additional advantage of this toilet brush is that it can be swiftly removed from the handle and hand held for the cleaning of the toilet bowl in the vicinity of the rim.

Yet another object of this invention is to disclose a parabolic shaped and hand sized brush.

An advantage of the parabolic shaped brush is that its vertex portion when handle held can be used for cleaning a toilet bowl in the vicinity of the trap.

An additional advantage of the parabolic shaped brush is that it conforms to the human hand.

Yet another object of this invention is to disclose a bayonet mounting on the top of the brush which is of low profile.

An advantage of this bayonet mounting is that when the brush is hand held, the mounting does not interfere with the hand.

Yet another advantage of the bayonet fitting is that a hand strap can be mounted across the top of the brush in a position where it will not interfere with the bayonet fitting.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a flexible cloth backed sponge surface which extends beyond the squared end of the rigid parabolic brush surface.

An advantage of this flexible brush portion is that when the brush is handle held the flexible portion can conform to the irregular surfaces of the toilet bowl such as the underside of the toilet bowl rim.

Yet another advantage of this flexible brush portion is that when the brush is hand held, the flexible portion can be backed by the human wrist for more efficient cleaning.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet bowl showing the brush of this invention mounted to a handle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the brush of this invention being removed from its handle;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the brush of this invention being hand held;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the toilet bowl brush shown mounted to its handle;

FIG. 5 is a section ofthc brush taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an alternate configuration of the brush illustrating a bayonet fitting of reduced size.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the improved toilet brush of this invention can be easily understood. With specific reference to FIG. 2 a brush A is shown adjacent an elongate handle B. Connection of the brush A to handle B is'provided by cooperative engagement between a female bayonet fitting C on the upper surface of brush A and a male fitting D at the end of handle B. A strap E extends over the top of brush A on the outside of female bayonet fitting C.

When themale bayonet fitting ID is mounted interior of the female bayonet fitting C on the brush, the brush can be used in a handle held manner as illustrated in FIG. 1. Altemately when male bayonet fitting D and its attached handle B are removed from brush A and its female bayonet fitting C, brush A can be hand held as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 and with specific reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 the construction of brush A can be easily understood. Brush A comprises a rigid plate 14 fabricated typically from aluminum, plastic or the like. Plate 14 is flat and has a parabolic contoured forward edge 16 with a vertex 17. At its end remote from vertex 17 plate 14 is squared or provided with a straight line boundary 19.

Plate 14 is bent upwardly at its parabolic edge 16 to form a female bayonet fitting. This can be seen specifically with reference to the section of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5 it will be seen that the edges 20 of plate 14 are bent upwardly and to overlie at rims 21 the top side of plate 14. As can be seen in FIG. 4, rim 21 extends around the entire parabolic periphery of plate 14.

As will hereinafter become more fully apparent, plate 14 at edges 21 defines the female bayonet fitting into which the male bayonet fitting D can be placed.

Referring to FIG. 4, plate 14 is encircled by a hand strap E. Typically, hand strap E is of a cloth material such as canvasor the like and encircles the parabolic shaped plate 14 in the vicinity of the latus rectum of the parabolic contour. Typically, strap E is spaced with respect to plate 14 a distance so that the brush A can be conveniently held by hand as illustrated in FIG. 3.

A sponge pad 25 is attached to the undersurface of plate 14. Typically, sponge pad 25 includes a cloth backing 27 glued onto the upper surface of a synthetic sponge material 26. Cloth surface: 27 is in turn attached to the undersurface of plate 14. This attachment is made by gluing or the like.

Sponge pad 25 has a shape when viewed in plan which is complementary to the shape of plate 14. As is seen in FIG. 4 the pad extends outwardly and beyond squared boundary 19 of plate 14. Typically, the length of this extended portion 29 can be made to any convenient length desired. As here illustrated the flexible portion extends outwardly from plate 14 a distance half again the length of plate 14 from the vertex 17 to the boundary 19. As is apparent from the view of FIG. 4 the portion of sponge pad 25 extending from plate 14 has a width which is equal to the width of parabolic shaped plate 14 at its boundary 19.

As has been previously mentioned, the flexible portion of sponge pad 25 extending beyond boundary 19 has two functions. First, when the brush is handle held as illustrated in FIG. 1, the flexible portion of the brush pad 25 extends beyond boundary 19 in a disposition where it can conveniently conform to and clean the under surface ofa rim 35 of a toilet bowl 40. Alternately, when hand held, the pad 25 as extending beyond the boundary 19 can extend in a position where it is backed by the wrist ofa human hand.

Handle portion B and its bayonet fitting E can be readily understood. First, handle portion B consists of two

separate portions

41 and 42 which typically are connected at 43. Thus, the handle B can be conveniently stowed as well as used at two separate lengths. While provision can be made for the telescoping of section 41 interior of section 42 of handle B, a simple forced fit of portion 41 interior of portion 42 provide the simplest construction of handle B.

Referring to FIG. 5, handle B at its end adjacent brush A includes a ball 50 attached by a shaft 51 to the end 52 of handle section 42. Ball 50 is received interiorly of a female ball joint 53 defined on the upper sur face of male bayonet fitting D.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the construction of the female ball joint 53 can be readily illustrated. Typically, plate 55 is arcuately mounted over the surface of male bayonet fitting D. Attachment of the rectangular plate is provided at either end typically by rivets 57.

Centrally of plate 55, circular aperture 60 having an annular interior rim 63 is configured to conform to and capture the ball 50. Annular aperture 63 has a section which captures the ball 50 between the undersurface of the plate 55 and the upper surface of male bayonet fitting D.

It is desirable to adjust the bias between plate 55 and the upper surface of male bayonet fitting D. This can be provided by attaching a threaded shaft 70 at one end to the upper surface of male bayonet fitting D and allowing threaded shaft 70 to protrude through an aperture in plate 55 beyond the upper surface of the plate 55 adjacent aperture 63. By the expedient of providing wing nut 72 threadedly engaged to threaded shaft 70, biasing of plate 55 towards and away from the male bayonet fitting D can be provided by moving the wing nut towards and away from bayonet fitting D.

This arrangement has an advantage not immediately apparent. Typically, the angle of male bayonet fitting D with respect to handle B can be adjusted in two degrees of movement. Moreover, by adjusting wing nut 72 a frictional adjustment can be provided. Thus, brush A and handle B can be pressed in a first orientation against the side of the toilet bowl 40. Handle B and attached male bayonet fitting D will conform to a desired angular relation. The brush can be used for a period of time in this angular relation. Thereafter, brush A and handle B can be pressed and manipulated against the interior sidewall of bowl 40 to move to a second angular relation. The brush can be then used on the handle in the second angular relation. Thus, the angular relation of brush A with respect to handle B can be remotely positioned to virtually any desired position.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the male bayonet fitting D has a shape complementary to but slightly smaller than the shape of the plate 14 onto which brush 25 is attached. As viewed in FIG. 4, the periphery of male bayonet fitting D with respect to plate 14 of brush A is shown in broken lines underlying the edge 21 of plate 14.

With the parabolic shape of both the male bayonet fitting D and the plate 14 of brush A the cooperative bayoneting engagement of male bayonet fitting D to plate 14 can be easily understood. Typically, the under surface of male bayonet fitting D is positioned parallel to the upper surface of plate 14. Thereafter, the two complementary shaped plates are moved forwardly so that the respective vertices of each plate move together. As is apparent, edges 21 of plate 14 will serve to capture the outside parabolic shaped boundary of male bayonet fitting D. Thus, brush A can be easily attached to or removed from its handle B.

It should be appreciated that the female bayonet fitting C and the male bayonet fitting D are normally held together by the friction force of plate 14 and edge 21 capturing male bayonet fitting D therebetween. If desired, provision can be made for fastening brush A to the male bayonet plate D.

According to this aspect of the invention, a strap of flexible material such as canvas or the like is attached at one end to vertex 17 of the brush A. At the opposite end the strap includes a female snap fitting 72. The upper surface of male bayonet plate D includes a male snap fitting 73. This snap fitting is typically spaced a distance from the vertex 17 of brush A so that the plate will be securely held within the female bayonet fitting defined by the brush. With the straps 70 connected to the male snap fitting 73 inadvertent separation of the units is not possible.

It should be understood that the bayonet fitting disclosed can be of any number of specific shapes. It is not necessary that the bayonet fitting enclose the edges of the brush A. For example a rectangular shaped bayonet fitting together with a rectangular male bayonet fitting 82 as illustrated in FIG. 6 could be-provided.

Moreover, parabolic shape of the brush will emit of a number of variations. For example, the parabolic could be narrowed in its width as illustrated in FIG. 6. Moreover, the protruding portion of the sponge pad could be omitted.

Likewise, other modifications can be made of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet cleaning device comprising: a plate having a pair of opposed ends; an elongated, flexible cleaning member attached to one face of the plate and projecting outwardly a sufficient distance from one end thereof to permit the projecting portion of the member to flex and to conform to the wrist when the plate is hand-held, the opposite end of the plate being adjacent to an extremity of said member; and a strap secured at its ends to the opposed sides of said plate and defining therewith a hand-receiving space, whereby the cleaning member and the plate can be hand-held as a unit, said plate having means defining a groove on a portion of its outer periphery receiving the outer peripheral margin of a second plate complemental to at least a part of the first-mentioned plate; said second plate movable into said groove to couple the plates together, and an elongated, rigid handle, said second plate having means thereon for mounting one end of said handle thereto.

6 2. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein movement of said handle. said handle mounting means includes a universal joint A cleaning dfivice as Set form in Claim wherein providing for pivotal movement ofthe handle. said first-mentioned plate has an arcuate fowardmost 3. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 2, wherein end and a longltudmally Stralgm rearmost said universal joint has means for limiting the pivotal 5

Claims

1. A toilet cleaning device comprising: a plate having a pair of opposed ends; an elongated, flexible cleaning member attached to one face of the plate and projecting outwardly a sufficient distance from one end thereof to permit the projecting portion of the member to flex and to conform to the wrist when the plate is hand-held, the opposite end of the plate being adjacent to an extremity of said member; and a strap secured at its ends to the opposed sides of said plate and defining therewith a handreceiving space, whereby the cleaning member and the plate can be hand-held as a unit, said plate having means defining a groove on a portion of its outer periphery receiving the outer peripheral margin of a second plate complemental to at least a part of the first-mentioned plate; said second plate movable into said groove to couple the plates together, and an elongated, rigid handle, said second plate having means thereon for mounting one end of said handle thereto.

2. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said handle mounting means includes a universal joint providing for pivotal movement of the handle.

3. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said universal joint has means for limiting the pivotal movement of said handle.

4. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first-mentioned plate has an arcuate fowardmost end and a longitudinally straight rearmost end.