Abstract:
A mop wringer includes a ratchet type mechanism so that a user may press a spring-biased foot step to wring strands of a mop swab disposed in a mop receptacle in a pail via gear connection, release the foot step to return to its initial condition, and repeatedly perform the above two steps until the mop swab is dried.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/241,042 filed Sep. 30, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to floor cleaning equipment and more particularly to a mop wringer with improved characteristics. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents for mop wringer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,720 discloses a mop wringer. Thus, continuing improvements in the mop wringer are constantly being sought. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a mop wringer. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mop wringer according to the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled actuation mechanism of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the actuation mechanism of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a mop wringer in accordance with the invention is shown. The mop wringer comprises a pail  6  comprising a handle  63  hingedly provided on the top edge, an internal space  61 , and a recess  62  on the peripheral wall. 
         [0012]    The wringer further comprises a rotatable mop receptacle  8  disposed in the space  61 . The mop receptacle  8  comprises a shell  81  having a flared open top, a tapered bottom, and a plurality of longitudinal holes  80 , and a shaft  82  extending downward a predetermined length from the bottom center of the shell  81 . 
         [0013]    The wringer further comprises an actuation mechanism  7  comprising a substantially rectangular support  71  including a bossed hole  714  on the bottom and two substantially triangular upright mounts  710  on two sides respectively, each mount  710  having an upper hole  712  and one of the mounts  710  additionally having an intermediate hole  713  right below the hole  712 . 
         [0014]    The actuation mechanism  7  further comprises a pivot member  73  including an arcuate foot step  731  disposed in the recess  62  and extending out of the recess  62  a predetermined distance, an arcuate toothed member  732  provided opposing the foot step  731 , a pivot shaft  730  provided above the toothed member  732 , and a hole  733  provided opposing the pivot shaft  730 ; and a spring (e.g., torsion spring)  75  put on the pivot shaft  730 . The spring  75  has one end urged against one mount  710  and the other end urged against the foot step  731 . Further, two pins  711  are provided in which one pin  711  is inserted through one upper hole  712  into the hole  733 , and the other pin  711  is inserted through the other upper hole  712  into the pivot shaft  730 . As a result, the pivot member  73  and the support  71  are pivotably secured together. 
         [0015]    The actuation mechanism  7  further comprises a gear assembly  74  including a small gearwheel  740  in mesh with the toothed member  732 , a large first bevel gear  741  being coaxial and integral with the gearwheel  740 , and a threaded fastener (e.g., bolt)  742  driven through both the gearwheel  740  and the first bevel gear  741  into the intermediate hole  713  to secure to a nut (not numbered); a small second bevel gear  72  meshed with the first bevel gear  741 , the second bevel gear  72  having a longitudinal hole (not numbered) with pawls (not numbered) provided on the inner surface thereof; and a hollow, cylindrical ratchet member  70  provided in the longitudinal hole of the second bevel gear  72  and being in ratchet engagement therewith. 
         [0016]    The shaft  82  is inserted through an upper gap between the pivot shaft  730  and the hole  733  and the ratchet member  70  to rotatably anchor in the bossed hole  714  in which the shaft  82  is secured to the ratchet member  70  (i.e., they can co-rotate). 
         [0017]    In a wringing operation, an operator may first dispose the wet strands  54  in the shell  81 . Next, the operator may set one foot on the foot step  731  to press same by pivoting. Hence, the toothed member  732  rotates counterclockwise. And in turn, the gearwheel  740 , the first bevel gear  741 , the second bevel gear  72 , the ratchet member  70 , and the shaft  82  rotate with elastic force being stored in the spring  75 . Hence, both the shell  81  and the strands  54  rotate counterclockwise in high speed. As a result, water in the strands  54  leaves the shell  81  via the holes  80  due to strong centrifugal force. 
         [0018]    The spring  75  immediately releases its stored elastic energy after leaving the foot out of the foot step  731 . Hence, the toothed member  732  rotates clockwise. And in turn, the gearwheel  740 , the first bevel gear  741 , and the second bevel gear  72  rotate in an opposite direction. But the ratchet member  70  does not rotate because it is not driven by the second bevel gear  72  due to the ratchet disengagement therewith. That is, the shaft  82  remains motionless. This can prevent both the shell  81  and the strands  54  from rotating clockwise. Finally, the foot step  731  returns to its initial condition. The operator may repeat the above steps until the strands  54  are sufficiently wrung. 
         [0019]    While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.