BUCKETS WITH MOP WRINGING ROLLERS

Abstract: A wringing mechanism for buckets and the like containers, comprising a guide structure to be located at the upper portion of said bucket, said guide structure having associated therewith respective fixed and movable elements (6, 8), the movable element (8) being movable along a pathway defined by slots (3) provided in said guide structure, and a pedal (10), to be worked by the foot of an operator, in the form of a toggle linkage (11, 12) allowing for selective and continuous movement of the movable element (8) relative to fixed element (6) to cause ejection of excess water from a mop head drawn between the elements (6, 8).

Description: BUCKETS WITH MOP WRINGING ROLLERS The present invention relates, in general, to buckets and the like containers and relates particu¬ larly, but not exclusively, to an improved form of bucket or the like container having attached thereto or incorporated therewith a mechanism adapted to wring liquid from an appropriate appliance, such as for example a mop head or the like. Prior art so-called mop-wringing buckets have suffered from a number of practical disadvantages, in terms principally of their ease of operation and construction. Such prior art arrangements have also suffered in that they sometimes exhibited a tendency to over-balance in use, an extremely undesirable effect resulting in the deposition onto a floor or the like of the contents of the bucket itself. Such unwanted deposition of water and the like could be extremely galling, to say the least, when the relevant surface has just been cleaned (as by mopping, for example). The present applicant's arrangement seeks to provide an improvement in the known art by providing a so-called mop-wringing bucket which is easy to manufacture, extremely simple in its principle of operation and yet extremely effective in operation, and which furthermore does not exhibit a tendency to tip over or over-balance. The present invention furthermore provides an arrangement which has improved aesthetic appeal. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a bucket or the like container having associated therewith a mechanism for wringing excess moisture from a cleaning utensil such as a mop, said mechanism including a guide structure for incorporation into the upper portion of said bucket, said guide structure having associated therewith respective fixed and movable elements, said movable element being operatively connected, via a linkage, to means allowing for selective and continuous movement of said movable element relative to said fixed element, between respective inoperative and operative positions, pursuant to the application of a suitable force to said linkage. In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to preferred embodiments of a mop-wringing bucket in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view (from above) of a first embodiment of a mop-wringing bucket in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view, from below, of the bucket of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the bucket of Figure 1, with the wringing mechanism in its inoperative or relaxed position; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the bucket of Figure 1, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1, again showing the wringing mechanism in its inoperative or relaxed position; and Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views, from above and below respectively, of a further embodiment of a mop-wringing bucket in accordance with the present invention. As illustrated a mop-wringing bucket or container in accordance with the present invention includes a base container or liquid-holding component 1, preferably of a substantially parallelepipedal shape and having a peripheral rim portion or lip 2. -In an especially preferred embodiment the base container 1 may be constructed as a one-piece moulding of a suitable plastics material. It should be understood, however, that base containers 1 in accordance with the present invention are not to be considered to be restricted to being constructed solely of plastics material. Indeed any other suitable material, even a metal, may equally be employed. In accordance with the present invention the arrangement as illustrated further includes a mechanism or attachment, generally designated A, adapted in use to wring out excess water from a mop head or the like piece of cleaning equipment. The mechanism A is preferably adapted to be removably located in or within the rim portion 2 of the base container 1, and to this end includes two so-called guide frames 3 of any suitable material, as for example and preferably plastics material, said frames 3 being adapted to be disposed within complementary slots provided in adjacent longitudinal sides of the container 1, and to be affixed relative thereto, either removably or permanently if desired, in any known manner (for example rivetting, pinning, glueing, etc). Each frame 3 includes therein a slot 4 extending therealong and having an upwardly directed portion 5 at or towards one end thereof, the purpose of this upwardly directed portion 5 to be explained hereinafter. The wringer mechanism A as illustrated includes a first wringing roller 6 disposed on an axle 7, preferably adapted to be located in any known manner, as for example by pinning, at one side of the container 1 and on the respective guide frames 3. The roller 6 is disposed on the guide frames 3 so as to be free to rotate but not to slide or travel along the slots 4. To achieve this result the end portions of the axle 7 are adapted to be located within complemen¬ tary shaped apertures appropriately disposed on each guide frame 3. The mechanism A furthermore includes a second or movable roller 8, again disposed on an axle 9 and adapted, in use, to be selectively and continuously movable into and out of juxtaposition with roller 6 between wringing or operative and inoperative or non wringing positions respectively. To this end the slots 4 in the guide frames 3 provide a guideway for substantial reciprocal movement of the roller 8 and associated axle 9, with the roller 8 being free to rotate and to move along the slot 4. Movement of the second roller 8 relative to first roller 6 may be effected in any known manner and, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, by means of a so-called pedal mechanism, generally designated as 10. The preferred embodiment illustrated includes a pedal mechanism 10 in the form of what might be termed a toggle joint, including two lever arms 11 and 12 appropriately interconnected as shown, as for example by pinning or hinging at 13, with the free or opposite end of a first of said lever arms 11 being fixed in a pivotable manner, again as for example by pinning (as at 14), to the base container or bucket portion 1. The opposition end of the second lever arm 12 is then connected in any known manner to the movable roller 8. In an especially preferred embodiment the first lever arm 11 may take the form of a pedal as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, with the second lever arm 12 including means for incorporation thereinto of the movable roller 8. When not in use the respective -.lever arms 11 and 12 adopt the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 to 4, suitable biassing or spring means (not shown) being incorporated to assist in maintenance of such a configuration. Upon application to the first lever arm 11 of a force in the direction as illustrated by the arrow in Fig. 4, such a force acting at the common hinge point 13 of the lever arms 11 and 12 and serving to increase the included angle between those lever arms, a consideration of mechanics will reveal that a considerably force will be produced at the lowermost end of the second lever arm 12, that is the end bearing the movable roller 8. The arrangement in accordance with the present invention therefore includes means allowing for movement of that movable roller 8 along the top edge of the bucket or base container 1 in a direction towards the fixed roller 6 upon application of an appropriate force to the first lever arm 11. In the preferred embodiments illustrated the slots 4 providing a guideway for axle 9 of the movable roller 8. In such a manner if a mop or the like is appropriately located between the two rollers 6 and 8 and the toggle or pedal mechanism 10 actuated, the result will be a wringing from the mop head of any excess moisture contained therein. It should be understood that the particular configurations of first and second lever arms 11 and 12 as illustrated constitute merely preferred embodiments of the invention. Indeed, and in a practical sense, the respective lengths of the lever arms 11 and 12, and the point of interconnection thereof, may be varied in order to vary the force applied at a mop head located between the respective wringing rollers 6 and 8. In an especially preferred embodiment (not illustrated) a mop-wringing bucket or container in accordance with the present invention may have suitable ground-engaging means located on the under-surface thereof. Such ground-engaging means may take the form of casters or rollers whereby to assist in movement of the container over a surface being treated (as by cleaning). In yet a further preferred embodiment, this time as illustrated, a mop-wringing bucket or container in accordance with the present invention may be provided with suitable handle means 15, whereby to assist in the portability thereof. As illustrated the handle means 15 is adapted to be selectively movable relative to the rim portion 2 of the container 1. In the preferred embodiments illustrated, the rollers 6 and 8 are fluted or provided with a plurality of corregutions on the external surface thereof. Such fluting or corregutions will assist in wringing of water from a mop head or the like. The embodiments as illustrated further include, at one side of the bottom of the container 1, a hand grip or finger grip means or the like, in the form of a shaped deformation 16 in the base container 1, serving to assist in manual emptying of the contents of that container 1. It is believed that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

Claims: -\ * -7- The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. A bucket or the like container having associated therewith a mechanism for wringing excess moisture from a cleaning utensil such as a mop, said mechanism including a guide structure for incorporation into the upper portion of said bucket, said guide structure having associated therewith respective fixed and movable elements, said movable element being operatively connected, via a linkage, to means allowing for selective and continuous movement of said movable element relative to said fixed element, between respective inoperative and operative positions, pursuant to the application of a suitable force to said linkage. 2. The bucket as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixed and movable elements are in the form of roller elements provided with a plurality of corrugations or flutings on the outer surface thereof. 3. The bucket as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said linkage is in the form of a toggle joint, including first and second lever arms hinged to each other whereby to allow for relative pivotal movement therebetween, the free or opposite end of said first lever arm being pivotably connected to said bucket and the free or opposite end of said second lever arm being pivotably connected to said movable element. 4. The bucket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said guide structure includes, at each side thereof, a longitudinally extending slot having an upwardly turned portion at or towards one end thereof, said slot providing or constituting a guide path for travel of said movable " element. 5. The bucket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said guide structure is adapted to be separately removable from said bucket. 6. The bucket as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said first lever arm has a pedal mechanism associated therewith whereby to allow for application of an operating force to said linkage. 7. The bucket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, constructed wholly or substantially of a plastics material. 8. A bucket or the like container having associated therewith a mechanism for wringing excess moisture from, a cleaning utensil, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. 9. A mechanism for wringing excess moisture from a cleaning utensil, adapted to be incorporated in a bucket or the like container, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: MUSSETT GERARD, OATES GEOFFREY ANDREW, OATES JAMES EDGAR, SLATTERY PHILLIP HENRY, VAN MAANEN ALFONS, MUSSETT, GERARD, OATES, GEOFFREY, ANDREW, OATES, JAMES, EDGAR, SLATTERY, PHILLIP, HENRY, VAN MAANEN, ALFONS
Applicants: OATES PTY LTD E D, E. D. OATES PTY. LTD.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A47L13
IPC codes: A47L13