Portable wringer

• US 6,571,586 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maurice Willis, Michael Ritson
• Original Assignee: Maurice Willis, Michael Ritson
• Inventors: Willis, Maurice, Hickman, Ronald, Ritson, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US09/550,485
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 681/25, 681/26, 682/38, 682/39, 682/57, 682/64, 682/70, 682/71, 682/72, 682/73, 682/74, 152/62, 100/155.R, 100/171, 100/176, 74/17
• US Class Current: 68/239
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 45/14 with means for removable attachment to washing machines, tables or other supports

Abstract

A portable wringer 11 for a chamois leather comprises a support structure 12, and a pair of rollers 13,14 driven by a crank handle 15. The support structure 12 carries a suction device 18.

Claims

1. A portable wringer for removing liquid from a wet leather, cloth or piece of fabric, comprising a support structure;

a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on the support structure;

means for urging the rollers together towards a position in which the surfaces of the rollers would make mutual contact along their respective lengths;

means for rotating at least one of the rollers; and

a suction means operably coupled to the support structure, the suction means being arranged to adhere to a smooth surface and comprising a flexible disc having a central portion which is movable rearwardly from the plane of the disc in a direction towards the rollers by means of a cam arrangement.

2. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the camming action of the cam arrangement is activated by a lever movable in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the disc.

3. A wringer as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a liquid catchment means arranged to receive liquid expelled from the leather cloth or piece of fabric by the rollers, in which the lever swings in an arc above the level of the cam arrangement and liquid catchment means, in use.

4. A wringer as claimed in claim 2, in which the cam arrangement has a cover extending into the enclosure, the cover being arranged to deflect the leather upwards as it leaves the rollers in use.

5. A wringer as claimed claim 1, including a manual engagement area at a position opposite to the suction means.

6. A wringer as claimed in claim 5, in which the manual engagement area is positioned opposite the centre of the suction device.

7. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the support structure includes a pair of side walls, a base and an end wall, and in which the end wall carries the suction means, the sidewalls and base extend rearwards from the end wall in a direction towards the rollers, and the rollers extend between the side walls at a position spaced from the end wall.

8. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the pair of rollers are arranged to lie one above the other in use, and further comprising a crank handle operatively connected to the lower roller whereby the lower roller can be manually rotated, and a cover partly surrounding the upper roller.

9. A wringer as claimed in claim 8, in which the cover constitutes optionally together with the upper roller itself, a carrying handle for the wringer.

10. A wringer as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a manual engagement area positioned opposite the suction means, in which the manual engagement area is constituted by a transverse wall portion located below the level of the cover.

11. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the rollers are cylindrical and are arranged with their axes in parallel.

12. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the rollers are urged into mutual contact.

13. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the rollers each comprise a rigid core coated with a layer of resilient material.

14. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the rollers have spindles at each end, each spindle being supported in a bearing, the bearings being urged together by resilient means.

17. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, including liquid catchment means arranged to receive liquid expelled from the leather cloth or piece of fabric by the rollers and an enclosure arranged to receive the leather cloth or piece of fabric as it leaves the rollers, in use.

18. A wringer as claimed in claim 17, in which the liquid catchment means comprises a tray, the tray having one or more liquid discharge ports.

19. A wringer as claimed in claim 18, in which any discharge port is arranged to discharge the liquid in use in a direction away from the user.

20. A wringer as claimed in claim 17, in which the enclosure is located above the liquid catchment means.

21. A wringer as claimed in claim 20, in which the enclosure includes a deflector arranged to direct the leather cloth or piece of fabric upwards in use.

22. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, including a scraper located adjacent the upper and/or lower roller and arranged to lift a leather cloth or piece of fabric adhering to the surface of the respective roller.

23. A wringer as claimed in claim 22, in which the scraper is a brush.

24. A wringer as claimed in claim 1, in which the suction means comprises a single suction device.

15. A wringer as claimed in claim 15, in which one of the rollers is operatively connected to a crank handle, whereby the roller can be manually rotated.

16. A wringer as claimed in claim 15, in which the pair of rollers are arranged to lie one above the other in use and the crank handle is operatively connected to the lower roller.

25. A portable wringer for removing liquid from a wet leather, cloth or piece of fabric, comprising:

a support structure;

a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on the support structure;

resilient members operably coupled to the rollers for urging the rollers together towards a position in which the surfaces of the rollers would make mutual contact along their respective lengths;

a rotating assembly operably coupled to at least one of the rollers for rotating the roller; and

a suction device operably coupled to the support structure and arranged to adhere to a smooth surface, the suction device comprising a flexible disc having a central portion which is movable rearwardly from the plane of the disc in a direction towards the rollers by means of a cam arrangement.

26. A wringer as claimed in claim 25, in which the support structure comprises a pair of side walls, a base and an end wall, and in which the end wall carries the suction device, the sidewalls and base extend rearwards from the end wall in a direction towards the rollers, and the rollers extend between the side walls at a position spaced from the end wall.

27. A wringer as claimed in claim 25, in which the pair of rollers are arranged to lie one above the other in use, the rollers having spindles at each end, each spindle being supported in a bearing, the bearings being urged together by the resilient members, and in which the rotating assembly comprises a crank handle operatively connected to the lower roller whereby the lower roller can be manually rotated, and a cover partly surrounding the upper roller.

28. A wringer as claimed in claim 25, including a liquid catchment device arranged to receive liquid expelled from the leather, cloth or piece of fabric by the rollers and an enclosure arranged to receive the leather, cloth or piece of fabric as it leaves the rollers, in use.