Angled roller mop
First Claim
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1. A mop, comprising:
- an elongate handle having a longitudinal axis;
a wringer assembly connected to said handle, said assembly including;
a pair of spaced-apart ends, each of said ends having openings that cooperatively define a retraction channel that is oriented about a retraction axis, said channel being open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, said retraction axis being oriented transverse to the longitiudinal axis of said handle;
a pair of rollers mounted between said ends in substantially parallel relation to one another on opposite sides of the open lower end of said channel; and
a bearing surface disposed adjacent the closed end of said retraction channel;
a cleaning assembly having a compressible cleaning element connected to a retainer, said cleaning assembly being mounted in the retraction channel so that said cleaning element extends downwardly between said rollers, said cleaning assembly being adapted to move along the retraction axis in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said handle between an open position, in which the retainer of said cleaning assembly engages said rollers, and a closed position, in which said retainer engages the closed end of said channel; and
a retraction rod connected to the retainer of said cleaning assembly, said rod being operable to move the cleaning assembly in said retraction channel in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said handle, said rod having an angled portion that is adapted to slidingly engage said bearing surface during a portion of the movement of the cleaning assembly between the open and closed positions.
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Abstract
A roller mop having a wringer assembly connected to a handle and a cleaning element mounted in the wringer assembly for reciprocation through a pair of rollers in a direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. The cleaning element is reciprocated by a retraction rod that has upper and lower arms that are angled relative to one another. The lower arm is oriented to exert a pulling force upon the cleaning element that is directed at an angle relative to the axis of reciprocation. To counteract a nonproductive component of the exerted force that tends to bind the cleaning element, the lower arm is arranged to engage a bearing surface that in included on the wringer assembly.
27 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A mop, comprising:
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an elongate handle having a longitudinal axis; a wringer assembly connected to said handle, said assembly including; a pair of spaced-apart ends, each of said ends having openings that cooperatively define a retraction channel that is oriented about a retraction axis, said channel being open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, said retraction axis being oriented transverse to the longitiudinal axis of said handle; a pair of rollers mounted between said ends in substantially parallel relation to one another on opposite sides of the open lower end of said channel; and a bearing surface disposed adjacent the closed end of said retraction channel; a cleaning assembly having a compressible cleaning element connected to a retainer, said cleaning assembly being mounted in the retraction channel so that said cleaning element extends downwardly between said rollers, said cleaning assembly being adapted to move along the retraction axis in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said handle between an open position, in which the retainer of said cleaning assembly engages said rollers, and a closed position, in which said retainer engages the closed end of said channel; and a retraction rod connected to the retainer of said cleaning assembly, said rod being operable to move the cleaning assembly in said retraction channel in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said handle, said rod having an angled portion that is adapted to slidingly engage said bearing surface during a portion of the movement of the cleaning assembly between the open and closed positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification