US3372418A - Pivoting brush - Google Patents

Description

March 12, 1968 R.. F. DI n lo PIVOTING BRUSH Filed July 18, 196'? -l I.. l- I I Wu Il k., r 0 f .w a V6 u 5 2 0541 I 3l f, m 2 5 f/w 5 5 4 4 44 -lllllii s I-| I I n n I-l -1 a 5 .g w J l F 2 1| ,/H 6 /O 0 w. 1 m Il x )a 1 H 6 ATTORNEYS United States atent iitice 3,372,418 Patented Mar. 12, 1968 3,372,418 PIVOTING BRUSH Rocco F. Di Ilio, 708 Worthington Drive, Warminster, Pa. 18974 Filed July 18, 1967, Ser. No. 654,271 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-165) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A brush having a pivoted spring-loaded arm and a water supply. The brush is provided with specific mounting and Water supply connecting means. The pivoted structure permits the brush to accommodate the inside of containers of different tapers and it is intended to be a part of a can cleaning apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to the brush art, and in particular, it relates to the application of cleaning the interiors of containers. More particularly, it relates to a brush having a Water or other cleansing -liquid supply source and adapted to be removably mounted on a can cleaning apparatus, where it automatically conforms to the inside contour of containers, usually refuse cans.

Description of the prior art The Di Ilio Patent 3,264,675, discloses a can cleaning apparatus in which a removable brush having a water supply is provided, but the brush in that patent is not automatically adjustable to conform to the interior of cans. The present invention contemplates a brush which would replace the brush as shown in FIGURE 4 of Patent 3,264,675. Other known brushes include those shown in the following patents: Aho, 2,602,177; Myszkowski, 2,420,260; and Mathews, 2,922,174. These patents are typical of the state of art of adjustable brushes. None of them include the concepts of quick mounting and automatic orientation, quick water supply coupling and decoupling, automatic adjustability to lit diiierent tapers, and means to provide selective brush lengths, all of which'are on the' other hand found in the present invention.

Summary of the invention It is an object of this invention to provide a pivoted brush.

Itis another object of this invention to provide a brush having two sections pivoted together at an angle, at least one of the sections being provided with a selectively attahable brush extension and means to attach said extension, at least one of said arms being resiliently biased outwardly, and water supply means and attaching and orienting means being provided on said brush.

Other aims and objects of the invention are made apparent in the following speciiication and claims in which like reference numerals refer to like parts.

Brie]c description oy the drawing FIGURE 1 is an elevation view, partly fragmented showing one form of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmented plan view showing another form of brush extension attaching means; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 4--4 of FIGURE 3.

Description of the preferred embodiments The pivoting brush of the invention is generally designated by numeral 100. A iirst brush arm 10 is provided. 'I'his brush arm includes a iirst brush back 11 and a first brush bristle `12. A second brush arm generally designated 20 is provided, and this includes a second brush back 21 and a second brush bristle 22.

The rst and second brush armsare pivoted together at pivot 15.

A mounting means for the brush arms generally cornprises a pipe 52 and a lock extension 53 together with associated parts. The pipe 52, as best shown in FIGURE 1, is aiixed to the iirst brush arm 10 and passes through the first brush back 11 into the interior of the bristle. The pipe 52 terminates in a nozzle 54. As shown, this nozzle preferably terminates as near as may be to the pivot 15. That is, the nozzle is located at or close to the point of junction of the irst and second brush arms. The exact shape of pipe 52 as it passes into the iirst brush arm 10 is not in itself critical, but it is seen that the shape as shown permits the brush arm to be securely fastened to the pipe so that the entire set of brush assemblies is securely mounted. The mounting means'is generally designated 50.

The lock extension 53 is a rod or pipe that runs substantially parallel to the pipe 52 and is aiiixed to it. This lock extension has a keying or orientation function as it is explained below. The pipe 52 terminates in a quick disconnect fitting 52a. This fitting is of a standard and well-known nature in the pipe and hose art. Many types of such fittings are known and the exact nature of the fitting is not essential to this invention. Preferably it is of the type of fitting that makes a coupling when pressed against a matching or adaptive fitting, which can be released by pulling on the collar and then separating the pipe 52 from the pipe to which it is to be attached.

The purpose of the lock extension 53 can now be understood in connection with the quick disconnect for pipe 52. A can cleaning apparatus or some other base which has a water supply pipe which connects to pipe S2 also has provided in its structure a hole into which lock extension 53 drops. It is apparent that when the quick disconnect iitting 52a'is connected and lock extension S3 drops into its matching hole, the brush is properly oriented. A mount of this type, insofar as the lock extension and quick disconnect pipe are concerned, is shown in the Di Ilio Patent 3,264,675, in its mounted environment.

The length of pipe 52 may be selectively altered as required and for this purpose, preferably the pipe S2 is broken with a quick disconnect union. This fitting is shown just above the fragmented portion of pipe 52 in FIGURE 1. Thus, when there is an extension brush added to the second brush arm 20, as described below, the pipe 52 is extended to its full length, and when the extension brush is not used, the pipe S2 may be shortened by removing the terminal section.

A spring 56 is provided to bias the second brush arm 20 outwardly away from the mount 50. The biasing eiiect of spring 56 is to make the angle form between the brush backs 11 and 21 more obtuse.

Spring 56 is mounted in a spring mount 55a which in turn is fastened to pipe 52 by clamp 55. At the other end of the spring, it is provided with an arm bumper 57 against which the brush back 21 bears. In FIGURE l,

the brushes are shown with a spring in what is normally its most compressed position in use. The relationship between the first and second brush arms is shown as approximately a right-angled one. This contour would be the one automatically obtained in cleaning the interior of a can whose bottom and walls were at right angles. The spring 56 tends to bias the second brush arm 20 outwardly to the position shown in the fragmented phantom outline designated with numeral 36 and a phantom line pointer.

For cans having varying sizes, the effective length of either or both of the brush .arms may be changed. This is accomplished by the selective addition of brush arm extensions. In FIGURE 1, the second brush arm is shown provided with a brush arm extension 30. This extension has a back 31 that is provided with bristles like those of the basic brushes. The means by which the brush arm extension 30 is provided is best seen in joint consideration of FIGURES 1 and 2. The second brush back is provided with a recess 21a. Into this recess iits a matching tongue or extension on brush extension back 31. A pair of holes are provided transversely across both back 21 and back 31, passing on each side of the dividing line between the two backs, one of the holes passing through the tongue on back 31. A U-pin 41 is inserted through these holes. The base portion of the U remains of course on one side, and as best shown in FIGURE 2, a hollowed section is provided on the side of the backs so that the base portion of the U-pin may be set into this hollow and not protrude beyond the borders of the backs.

A rst pin arm 31a of the U-pin 41 extends through the tongue and recess, and a second pin arm 31b extends through the back 31. These arms 31a and 31b form the legs of the U-pin 41. Each of these arms is threaded at its extreme end and U-pin nuts 42 are provided to hold the U-pin in position.

A keeper plate 44 is provided over the junction between the second brush arm and the extension arm and is held in place with keeper plate bolts 45.

The brush arm extension connecting means is generally designated 40.

At the upper lefthand corner of FIGURE l is shown a U-pin hole 11a at the outer end of the first brush arm 10. This is of course part of the connecting means that would be used to fasten a brush extension on the first brush arm. For the purposes of illustration, only brush arm extension 30 is shown, it being apparent that either the first brush arm, the second brush arm, or both could have extensions.

An alternate form of the brush arm extension connecting means is illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. A brush arm 60 is provided, which includes a brush arm back 61 and a brush arm bristle 62. To this is attached a brush arm extension 70, including a brush arm extension back 71 and brush arm extension bristle 72. The brush extension arm 70 is to be attached to brush arm 60 for the same purposes and in the same environment as was described in connection with the extensions in FIGURES l and 2.

The brush arm back 61 is provided at the sides thereof near the extreme end with a pair of spring loaded lugs 82. Each lug 82 is backed with a spring 83. As best shown in FIGURE 4, each spring 83 is provided in an aperture or recess in a side of the back 61, and the spring biases the lug 82 outwardly So that the lug 82 extends beyond the limit of the back 61. Any convenient retaining or ange means prevents the spring 83 from expelling the lug 82 completely. It is apparent that the lug 82 may be depressed into the recess. As shown in FIGURE 4, one of these spring loaded lugs is provided on each side of the back 61 near its end.

The same structure is provided on the end of the brush arm extension 70, at the end thereof where it is to be coupled to the brush arm 60. A brush arm connecter keeper 80 is provided. The keeper 80 is a substantially U-shaped metal member which ts around the brush arm backs 61 and 71 across their'point of juncture. The side portions of this keeper are provided with two pairs of holes 81a, Which register with the spring loaded lugs 82.

It is apparent that the brush arm 60 and the brush arm extension 70 may be joined by sliding the keeper 80 along one of the backs until all four holes 81a are registered with their registered matching spring loaded lugs 82. Alternatively, the keeper may be made with enough resilience so that instead of having to be slid along the back, the legs of the keeper in which the holes 81a are located may be spread wide enough apart so that keeper may be simply clipped or slipped over the junction line of the brush arrn and brush arm extension directly into position.

It is apparent that the length of one or both of the brush arms may be thus set or chosen to fit the general dimensions of the can to be cleaned. It is also apparent that the spring 56 will press the brush bristles 22 firmly against the side of the can to be cleaned and also that it will permit the second brush arm and its extensions to pivot to maintain rm contact with the side of the can regardless of its degree of taper or lack of taper. Referring to FIGURE 1, the normal useage is to place an inverted can over the assembly as shown. Gravity thus brings the bottom of the can into contact with bristles 12, and the spring tension as described brings the bristles 22 into contact with the side of the can. Water, preferably mixed with a detergent, or other cleaning liquid is sprayed or propelled through the nozzle 54, and the can is preferably rotated so that the brushes clean the inside thereof throughly.

The scope of this invention is to be determined by the appended claims and is not to be limited to the foregoing description and drawings which are illustrative.

I claim:

1. A pivoted brush for cleaning the inside of containers comprising,

(a) a first brush arm,

(b) a second brush arm, pivoted at one end thereof to one end of said first brush arm,

(c) a mounting means for Isaid first and second brush arms, said mounting means including a pipe, said pipe being affixed to said first lbrush arm, and terminating in a nozzle adjacent to said brush arms,

(d) spring means mounted between said mounting means and said second brush arm, said spring means being biased to force said second brush arm away from said mounting means,

(e) at least one of said brush arms having at the end thereof most remote from said pivot, part of a brush arm extension connecting means.

2. A pivoted brush as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pipe in said mounting means is provided with a quick disconnect coupling at the end thereof most remote from said nozzle and a lock extension is provided on said mounting means, said lock extension being athxed to said pipe and extending parallel thereto.

3. A pivoted brush as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said brush arms is provided with a brush arm extension, said brush arm extension being held to an end of said brush arm by brush arm extension connecting means.

4. A pivoted brush as set forth ,in claim 3 wherein said brush arm extension connecting means includes a U-pin comprising legs being threaded at one end and being connected with a base portion at the other end, a hole through the brush arm extension and a hole through the brush arm, each of the holes being positioned near the respective joined ends of the brushes, and registering with the legs of said U-pin, said legs passing through said holes, and being secured therein by U-pin nuts on said threaded ends, and a keeper plate over said joined ends, said keeper plate being secured to said brush arm and brush arm extension by keeper plate bolts.

S. A pivoted brush as set forth in claim 4 wherein one 5, of said brush arm and said brush arm extension has a tongue, and the other of said `brush arm and brush arm extension has a recess receiving said tongue, and one of said holes through which one of said U-pin legs is provided, passes through said tongue.

6. A pivoted -brush as set forth in claim 3 wherein said connecting means comprises a pair of spring loaded lugs on each of said brush arm and brush arm extension means, each said pair being provided near the joined end of said brush arm and said brush arm extension respectively, each said lug lbeing biased outwardly by a spring to an extent that each of said lugs protrudes beyond the side of said brush arm and ,brush arm extension, and a generally U-shaped keeper plate, said keeper plate tting over part of both said brush arm and brush arm extension across the joined ends thereof, said keeper plate being provided with two pairs of holes, registering with said spring loaded lugs and receiving said lugs.

References Cited 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 614,305 11/1898 Jones 15-165 925,909 6/ 1909 Heywang et a1. 15-165 XR 982,566 1/1911 Berg 15-165 XR 2,420,260 5/ 1947 Myszkowski 15-22 10 2,673,363 3/1954 Repper et al. 15-164 3,264,675 8/1966 Di Ilio 401-1 CHARLES A. WILMUTH, Primary Examiner.

15 PETER FELDMAN, Examiner.

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