GB1593666A

GB1593666A - Cleaning appliance

Info

Publication number: GB1593666A
Application number: GB49203/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Coronet Werke GmbH
Current assignee: Coronet Werke GmbH
Priority date: 1976-12-07
Filing date: 1977-11-25
Publication date: 1981-07-22
Also published as: DE2655304A1; FR2373365A1; BE861474A; JPS5372372A; NL7712162A; CH625153A5; IT1090599B; CA1091404A; SE7713355L

Abstract

At its end, the handle has two fork-shaped arms (5, 6), the free ends of which are bent and inserted into holes (15, 16) in the back part (2) of the cleaning appliance. The holes have undercuts (21, 22) adapted to the bent ends. A clamping device (25) for fastening the bent ends (13, 14) of the fork arms behind the undercuts is arranged on the handle or on the fork arms (5, 6). Especially simple mounting of the cleaning appliance on the handle is thus possible. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) CLEANING APPLIANCE (71) We, CORONET-WERKE HEIN RICH SCHLERF GmbH, a German body corporate, of D-6948 Wald Michelbach/Odenwald, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a cleaning appliance such as a broom or scrubber, comprising a handle, a cleaning head and a connecting device releasably connecting said cleaning head to said handle.

There are known appliances constructed in this way which comprise arms extending in the first instance parallel to the handle, the said arms being bent outwards directly above the back portion, taken outwards horizontally above the back portion and then bent again into the vertical position and inserted in the holes in the back portion. In order to clamp these arms to the back portion, spring means are provided, for example in the form of a helically coiled spring, the two ends of which are of different lengths extending tangentially from the coiled portion which is put on the horizontal portion of one of the arms, the shorter end being inserted into an additional hole in the back portion, and the longer end being engaged behind one of the parallel-extending sections of the arms. Usually two such springs are provided, each of the two arms being associated with a respective spring.Because of the spring force the ends of the arms which engage in the holes in the back portion are pressed against the internal cavity of the hole and thereby secured.

Fastening the cleaning head to the handle in this way presents some difficulties, since on the one hand operating instructions have to be supplied to the user and on the other hand a considerable amount of force is required for assembly or disassembly. The spring force has to be made relatively strong in order to hold the cleaning appliance securely, with the result that this spring force has to be overcome by hand when assembling and disassembling. For this reason it is very difficult for the housewife, for example, to replace a worn-out cleaning head or to interchange different heads. Furthermore this way of fastening the handle is not very satisfactory from the external appearance point of view.

An object of the present invention is to provide a constructionally simple arrangement which is easy to assemble and can be so designed as to have a good external appearance.

According to the present invention there is provided a cleaning appliance comprising a handle, a cleaning head and a connecting device for releasably connecting said handle to said cleaning head, wherein said connecting device comprises two arms provided at an end of said handle, each of said arms having an end which extends laterally of an adjacent portion of said arm, and a securing device which engages with said arms to secure said ends to said cleaning head, said cleaning head comprises a cleaning means attached to a back portion, an upper side of said back portion having apertures for receiving said arm ends, which apertures have an opening shaped to receive a said arm end and an undercut adjacent said opening, such that a said arm end is inserted into a said aperture and secured in engagement with a said undercut by said securing device.

Thus in contrast to the known arrangements mentioned above, the cleaning head is connected to the handle no longer in a forcelocking or frictionally locking manner but primarily positively, or in shape-locking manner, and where appropriate it is possible to provide additionally a force-locking or frictionally locking effect utilizing resilience of the arms. Owing to the predominantly shape-locking connection, it is no longer necessary to overcome a considerable spring force when assembling and disassembling.

The securing device can operate between the arms and the handle, between the back portion and the arms, or between the back portion and the handle. The securing device can easily be so constructed that the force which has to be applied for securing and releasing the cleaning appliance is kept within modest limits.

Features of constructional examples of the invention are mentioned in the claims and are described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a groom before the handle is assembled with it; FIG. 2 shows a section on II-II in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 shows a section, similar to FIG. 2, of another constructional form of the invention; FIG. 4 shows a section on IV-IV of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 shows a section, offset by 90" relatively to FIGS. 2 and 3, through a further constructional form of the invention; FIG. 6 shows a section, corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3, through a fourth constructional form; FIG. 7 shows a section, similar to the section in FIG. 6, through a fifth constructional form; FIG. 8 shows a section, corresponding to FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7, through a further constructional form in the assembled position; and FIG. 9 shows a section corresponding to FIG. 8 during assembly.

Referring first to FIG. 1, this illustrates a broom comprising a handle 1 and a back portion 2 with bristles 3. The handle 1 consists of a tube 4, and two arms 5, 6 are fixed on the free end 7 of the handle 1. For example the arms 5, 6 are of steel wire bent in U-shaped manner, the bridge portion 8 being situated within the free end 7 of the tube 4.

The tube may be pressed on to the U-shaped portion of the fork arms 5, 6.

The arms 5, 6 are first bent outwards to form approximately horizontal sections 9, 10, then perpendicularly downwards to form sections 11, 12 and finally bent over laterally at their free end to form further horizontal sections or ends 13, 14. The back portion 2 which can be made of wood, metal, plastics material or the like, has apertures 15, 16 starting from its upper surface, these apertures being shown in FIG. 1 have an opening 17, 18 with a substantially square or circular branch 19,20. The length of the opening 17, 18 corresponds approximately to the length of the bent-over ends 13, 14, whilst its width corresponds approximately to the diameter of the steel wire forming the arms 5, 6.

Likewise the free cross-section of the sections 19, 20 of the apertures 15, 16 corresponds approximately to the diameter of the steel wire of the arms 5, 6. The apertures 15, 16 also comprise undercuts 21,22, as FIG. 2 shows.

The downwardly bent sections 11, 12 of the arms 5, 6 are provided, as FIG. 2 shows, with external screw-threads 23, 24 for respective securing devices 25. Each device 25 comprises two screw-threaded sleeves 26, 27 with a knurled head 28, 29 for turning by hand. The sleeves are preferably split sleeves which have a frictional self-locking effect.

Before assembly, the screw-threaded sleeves 26, 27 are placed approximately in their upper position. The handle 1 is introduced with the bent-over ends 13, 14 of the arms 5, 6 into the openings 17, 18 of the apertures 15, 16 and then moved forwardsrelatively to the view illustrated - so that the arms are located in the branches and the bent-over ends 13, 14 engage behind the undercuts 21,22 on the back portion 2. Then the screw-threaded sleeves 26, 27 are screwed downwards until they abut against the upper side of the back portion 2 and finally secure or clamp the bent-over ends 13, 14 behind the undercuts 21, 22. This clamping may be assisted by resilient yielding of the bent-over ends 13, 14. The back portion 2 is thus fastened securely to the handle 1.It can neither escape downwards nor upwards, and the bent-over ends 13, 14 also cannot slip rearwards (in the drawings) into the slot portions 17, 18. Additionally the apertures may comprise counter-sunk portions (not shown) for centering the sleeves in the appropriate position.

In the constructional form shown in FIG.

3, the back portion 2 and the arms 5, 6 are shown in the drawing; the handle itself is not shown but may be similar to the handle 1 shown in FIG. 1. The arms, in contrast to those of FIG. 1, have ends which are bent laterally to form hook-like sections 30, 31 comprising substantially two vertical sections 32, 33 and a horizontal section 34, 35 which is bent inwardly. The back portion 2 is provided with suitably shaped undercuts 21, 22 which in this case extend inwardly.

The arms 5, 6 are connected by a bridge 36 above the back portion 2. A projection 37 is formed on the upper side of the back portion 2, in the central region. Between the projection 37 and the connecting bridge 36 an eccentric element 38 is provided for securing the ends in position on the back portion.

The eccentric 38 is disc-shaped and provided at its periphery with an annular groove 39 (FIG. 4) by means of which it is guided on the one hand on the connecting bridge 36 and on the other hand on a substantially annular ridge 40 on the projection 37 of the back portion 2. The disc-shaped eccentric 38 also has a manipulating handle 41, for example in the form of a toggle handle, by means of which it can be turned about its axis between the connecting bridge 36 and the extension 37 of the back portion 2. The back portion 2 has apertures 15, 16 similar to those of FIG. 1.

When the sections 30, 31 are inserted in the apertures 15, 16 the eccentric 38 is in the position shown in FIG. 3. After the bentover ends 34, 35 have been brought in behind the undercuts 21, 22 on the back portion 2, the eccentric 38 is turned until its protuberances 42, 43 come to be situated between the connecting bridge 36 and the projection 37, so that the connecting bridge is pressed upwards and at the same time the bent-over ends 34, 35 are clamped behind the undercuts 21, 22 on the back portions 2.

FIG. 5 shows a constructional example wherein the back portion 2 is provided with apertures 51 which comprise undercuts 52 arranged offset by 90" relatively to those of FIGS. 1 and 3. The handle 1 again consists of a tube 4 having two parallel arms 5, 6 which are bent outwards at 53 substantially in the form of part of a circle. To act as the clamping device 25 there is provided a peg 54 which can be turned about its longitudinal axis, guided by means of a peripheral annular groove 55 between the bent-over portions 53 of the arms 5, 6. The peg 54 has an end face with a steeply sloping surface 56. The back portion is again provided with a projection, but in this case the projection S is of such form as to provide a supporting surface 58 extending approximately at right angles to the axis of the peg 54.The peg 54 is provided with a knurled head 59. The arms 5, 6 are again bent over laterally, at their ends which engage in the holes 51, to form hook-shaped sections, but these sections 60 extend from the front towards the rear.

The arms 5, 6 are introduced with their hook-shaped sections 60 into the holes 51 in an inclined position of the handle 1, inclined more considerably relatively to the horizontal as compared with the view shown in FIG.

5, and then the handle is tilted forwards into the position shown in FIG. 5 and finally the peg 54 is turned by means of the knurled head 59 until the inclined surface 56 of the end face of the peg 54 takes up approximately the position shown in FIG. 5. Because of the different inclination of the inclined surface 56 relatively to the supporting surface 58 of the projection 57 provided on the back portion 2, the hook-shaped end sections 60 are clamped on the one hand behind the undercuts 52 and on the other hand against the front wall 61 of the holes 51.

The constructional forms shown in FIGS.

6 to 9, which are suitable more particularly for back portions 2 made of plastics material, differ from those described hereinbefore in that the handle 1, which may be constructed as a tubular handle or a sohd handle, is not provided directly with the arms 5, 6 but is secured to a suitably shaped intermediate part.

In the form shown in FIG. 6 the handle 1 is screwed into the intermediate part 62, which comprises a corresponding cylindrical extension 63. The back portion 2 again has apertures 15, 16 which are provided with inwardly extending undercuts 21, 22. The arms 5, 6 are mounted on the intermediate part 62, one arm 6 being composed of a vertical section 64 and a bent-over end 65 secured to the intermediate part 62, e.g. by being injection moulded into it if the said part is made of plastics material. The other arm 5 also comprises a vertical section 66 and a bent-over end 67, but additionally a section 68 which is situated outside the back portion 2 and which is taken at a slight upward inclination into an inclined duct 69 in the intermediate part 62 towards the other arm 6, and projects with its free end 70 outwards beyond the boundary of the intermediate part.This free end 70 has an external screw thread for a knurled nut 71.

The bent-over ends 65, 67 are introduced into the holes 15, 16 of the back portion 2 in the position shown in FIG. 6. Then the arm 5 is moved towards the right by turning the knurled nut 71 until both the bent-over ends 65, 67 engage behind the undercuts. By further tightening, the intermediate part 62 is securely clamped to the back portion 2.

In FIG. 7 the intermediate part 62 comprises a cylindrical extension 63 for receiving the free end of the handle 1. In this case the intermediate part 62 is provided with approximately symmetrically arranged channels 72, 73 which are taken inwards from the outside in a slightly upwardly inclined manner and widen out in the central region to form a chamber 73.

The arms 5, 6 comprise inclined sections 74, 75 within the channels 72, 73, also vertical sections 11, 12 and inwardly laterally bent-over ends 13, 14. The sections 74, 75 are crossed over in the chamber 73 so that they overlap one another. The ends are again bent upwards to form approximately vertical upper end sections 76, , which are situated in the chamber 73. Between the upper end sections 76, 77 there is arranged as a clamping device an eccentric 78 which is mounted in the side walls (not shown) of the intermediate part 62 and is provided with a manipulating handle which is also not shown and which is for example in the form of a toggle handle or the like.

The arms 5, 6 are introduced into the apertures 15, 16 in the back portion 2 in the position shown in FIG. 7, the intermediate part 62 bearing against the upper side of the back portion 2. By turning the eccentric 78, the protuberances 79 of the said eccentric come into engagement with the upper end sections 76, 77 of the arms 5, 6.so that these are moved outwards and at the same time the vertical sections 11, 12 are moved towards one another and the bent-over ends 13, 14 engage behind the undercuts 21, 22 of the holes 15,16. Since the bent-over ends 13,14 are lifted up at the same time because of the inclined ducts 72, 73, the bent-over ends 13, 14 are clamped behind the undercuts 21, 22.

The constructional form shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 comprises an intermediate part 80 which is mounted by means of a partcircular end face 81 in a correspondingly part-circular recess 82 situated in the back portion 2. The intermediate part 80 comprises pins 83, 84 which are situated at approximately the same height (i.e. distance from the end face 81) but with a spacing in the horizontal direction from one another.

The upper ends of the arms 5, 6 have eyes 85, 86 by which they are mounted on the pins 83, 84 so as to be freely rotatable. The arms 5, 6 overlap one another, that is to say the pin 83 of the right-hand arm 6 is situated at the left of the pin 84 of the left-hand arm 5. These arms 5, 6 have vertical sections 11, 12 and inwardly laterally bent-over ends 13, 14. The back portion 2 comprises holes 87, 88 which consist of a slot portion and a circular or square hole (see preceding constructional forms). The holes 87, 88 also comprise inward undercuts 21, 22.

Before assembly, the handle 1 with the intermediate part 80 is brought into an inclined position such as is shown for example in FIG. 9. As a result the horizontal spacing of the pivot pins 83, 84 is shortened so that the arms 5, 6 move outwards and can be introduced with their bent-over ends into the holes 87, 88 from above. When the handle 1 is brought into its normal position shown in FIG. 8, the spacing of the bent-over ends 13, 14 from one another is shortened so that these engage behind the undercuts 21,22. In order to fix the handle 1 in the position shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to provide on the intermediate part 80 an arresting element 89 which for example engages over the upper arm 5. This arresting element 89 can consist of for example, a dog, a spring cam, or a grub-screw.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A cleaning appliance comprising a handle, a cleaning head and a connecting device for releasably connecting said handle to said cleaning head, wherein said connecting device comprises two arms provided at an end of said handle, each of said arms having an end which extends laterally of an adjacent portion of said arm, and a securing device which engages with said arms to secure said ends to said cleaning head, said cleaning head comprises a cleaning means attached to a back portion, an upper side of said back portion having apertures for receiving said arm ends, which apertures have an opening shaped to receive a said arm end and an undercut adjacent said opening, such that a said arm end is inserted into a said aperture and secured in engagement with a said undercut by said securing device.

2. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said opening has a branch.

3. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the securing device comprises screw-threaded sleeves which are provided on externally screw-threaded sections of arms and bear against the upper side of the back portion adjacent the apertures.

4. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 3, in which the screw-threaded sleeves are split sleeves.

5. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the arms are connected to one another above the back portion by a connecting portion, and the securing device comprises an eccentric which acts between the said connecting portion and the upper side of the back portion.

6. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 5, in which the back portion comprises at its upper side a guide for the eccentric.

7. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the eccentric has a guide co-operating with the connecting portion of the arms.

8. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the securing device comprises a rotatable peg which is mounted between the arms and has an end face with an inclined surface, and there is formed on said back portion a projection with a supporting surface extending approximately at right angles to the axis of the said peg, the peg abutting with its end face against the said projection.

9. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 8, in which the said peg has an annular groove by means of which it is guided between the arms.

10. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the arms extend outside the back portion upwardly inclined relative to the upper side of the said back portion towards a central region to extend approximately vertically upwards, and are arranged in an intermediate part placed on the handle, the said part including guide channels which are inclined upwardly to suit the inclined sections of the arms, and also including a chamber for the upwardly extending sections, the said securing device comprising an eccentric which is mounted for rotation in the chamber between the upwardly extending section of the arms.

11. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which at the handle end there is provided an intermediate part on which there is fixed one of the arms which extends approximately vertically, whilst the other arm has a section which extends outside the said portion towards the first arm with an upward inclination within a channel in the intermediate part, the said other arm being displaceable by means of the clamping arrangement to reduce the spacing between the two said ends of the arms.

12. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 11, in which a free end of the said

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The constructional form shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 comprises an intermediate part 80 which is mounted by means of a partcircular end face 81 in a correspondingly part-circular recess 82 situated in the back portion 2. The intermediate part 80 comprises pins 83, 84 which are situated at approximately the same height (i.e. distance from the end face 81) but with a spacing in the horizontal direction from one another. The upper ends of the arms 5, 6 have eyes 85, 86 by which they are mounted on the pins 83, 84 so as to be freely rotatable. The arms 5, 6 overlap one another, that is to say the pin 83 of the right-hand arm 6 is situated at the left of the pin 84 of the left-hand arm 5. These arms 5, 6 have vertical sections 11, 12 and inwardly laterally bent-over ends 13, 14. The back portion 2 comprises holes 87, 88 which consist of a slot portion and a circular or square hole (see preceding constructional forms). The holes 87, 88 also comprise inward undercuts 21, 22. Before assembly, the handle 1 with the intermediate part 80 is brought into an inclined position such as is shown for example in FIG. 9. As a result the horizontal spacing of the pivot pins 83, 84 is shortened so that the arms 5, 6 move outwards and can be introduced with their bent-over ends into the holes 87, 88 from above. When the handle 1 is brought into its normal position shown in FIG. 8, the spacing of the bent-over ends 13, 14 from one another is shortened so that these engage behind the undercuts 21,22. In order to fix the handle 1 in the position shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to provide on the intermediate part 80 an arresting element 89 which for example engages over the upper arm 5. This arresting element 89 can consist of for example, a dog, a spring cam, or a grub-screw. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A cleaning appliance comprising a handle, a cleaning head and a connecting device for releasably connecting said handle to said cleaning head, wherein said connecting device comprises two arms provided at an end of said handle, each of said arms having an end which extends laterally of an adjacent portion of said arm, and a securing device which engages with said arms to secure said ends to said cleaning head, said cleaning head comprises a cleaning means attached to a back portion, an upper side of said back portion having apertures for receiving said arm ends, which apertures have an opening shaped to receive a said arm end and an undercut adjacent said opening, such that a said arm end is inserted into a said aperture and secured in engagement with a said undercut by said securing device.

inclined section extends out of the intermediate part and has an external screw thread on which there is provided a knurled nut which serves as a securing device bearing against the outside of the intermediate part.

13. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the two arms comprises sections which extend towards the middle of the back portion end approximately parallel thereto and which overlap there, the said sections being mounted at their ends on pivot bearing elements to be freely pivotable on the handle, a pivot bearing element of the right-hand arm being situated at the left of the pivot bearing element of the left-hand arm and both bearings being situated at approximately the same height, the securing device comprising an arresting element which fixes the mutually overlapping sections in the substantially parallel position relatively to the back portion.

14. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said ends are substantially hook shaped.

15. A cleaning appliance as hereinbefore described with reference to any of or any combination of the figures of the accompanying drawings.