GB2150015A

GB2150015A - Cleaning tool

Info

Publication number: GB2150015A
Application number: GB08330514A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Moreton Dymott; John Richard Stevens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-11-16
Filing date: 1983-11-16
Publication date: 1985-06-26
Also published as: GB8330514D0

Abstract

A combined brushing and scraping tool comprises a broom having a head (12) and a handle (14). A scraper blade (27) is attached to the broom by a brace (16) to lie at an angle to the handle (14) in the range 10 DEG to 20 DEG . The tool can be used as a conventional broom with no interference from the scraper or blade turned through 180 DEG about the handle axis and used as a scraper. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cleaning tool This invention relates to a cleaning tool and particularly to a tool suitable for both sweeping and scraping the ground, for example the floors of shops or public buildings, garden patios or roads or pavements.

Where the griound has material such as litter, grass or snow sticking to it which cannot be freed by sweeping only it is necessary to first scrape the material free of the ground and then it can be swept away. Conventionally this is done using two separate tools.

An object of the present invention is to provide a single tool capable of performing both the functions or scraping and sweeping.

Accordingly the invention provides a tool comprising a broom having a head and a handle such that in one disposition of the tool the broom can be used to sweep the ground, and the tool including a scraper blade attached to the broom so as to allow scraping of the ground with the tool in another disposition. Preferably, the handle is of sufficient length to allow both uses of the tool with the operator substantially in a standing position.

Such a tool allows the operator to scrape and sweep a piece of ground with a single tool merely by changing its disposition.

Preferably a brace member, which may have angled arms for good strength, connects the broom head and the handle to positively hold them together and provide increased strength. The scraper blade is at least partially carried by the brace member.

Coventionally a broom head is angled to the axis of the handle so that it is used in a disposition with the bristles facing angled downwardly relative to said axis so that there is an upper part of the surface of the broom head facing partly upwardly. The scraper blade will normally be attached to and project axially beyond this upper surface. For scraping the tool will be rotated through a 180 relative to its sweeping disposition.

We have found that it is important for efficiency of use of the blade and comfort of the operator that the blade is set at the correct angle relative to the handle. The preferred angle is 15 to the axis of the handle but an angle in the range 10-20" is acceptable. If the angle is greater than 20 the blade tends to dig into the group while if the angle is less than 20 it will not scrape so efficiently.

The invention extends to a brace and scraper blade for attachment to an existing broom to convert it to the above tool.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a side view of a tool in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a front elevation of the brace and scraper blade of the tool.

The tool comprises a conventional broom head 1 2 of substantially semi-circular section with bristles 1 3 extending from the flat surface and a handle 14 connected adjacent the cnetre of the rounded surface. The head is angled to the handle axis 1 2A slightly so that in use the bristles face downwardly and a part 1 5 of the broom head faces partially upwardly.

A brace 1 6 has a pair of arms 1 7 extending substantially perpendicular to one another and formed at the joining head 1 8 with a hole 20.

The brace is formed from sheet metal and the arms are twisted through 90 so that their free ends 21 lie in a plane perpendicular to that of the head 1 8. These ends are bent outwardly to form connecting tabs 22 lying in a plane normal to the plane of symmetry between the arms. Tabs 22 are formed with connecting holes 23. Intermediate parts of the arms are also formed with connecting holes 24. The brace is secured to the broom by fasteners 25, 26 respectively through the hole 20 and into the handle and through the holes 23 into the broom head. The brace thus serves to firmly connect the handle to the broom head and strengthens the parts in the region of the connection.

A scraper blade 27 formed from sheet metal has an upper portion 28 bent at an angle of 15" to the remainder of the blade and formed with holes 30. Bolts and wing nuts 31, 32 through holes 24 and 30 connect the upper portion of the blade to the brace. The lower portion of the blade is connected to the part 1 5 of the broom head via a screw passing through the hole 33 into the broom head. The end of the blade extends about 2.2cm beyond the broom head, preferably 1 to 3 centimetres. Stop member 35 can be included extending between the end of the blade and the bristles to avoid material which has been scraped up from jamming between the blade and broom head.

When the broom is used for conventional sweeping the scraper is well clear of the ground above the bristles and does not interfere with the sweeping action. When it is required to scrape, the tool is rotated 180 about he axis of the handle and with the operator in approximately the same standing position and the broom handle angled at the conventional sweeping angle the tool can be used to scape the ground. For this purpose we have found the most efficient angle of the scraper blade to the axis of the handle is substantially 156 and preferably is written the range 10 to 20 . The blade may be other shapes, for example triangular. It is fixed to the broom/brace at at least two points, preferably in a triangular relationship.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cleaning tool This invention relates to a cleaning tool and particularly to a tool suitable for both sweeping and scraping the ground, for example the floors of shops or public buildings, garden patios or roads or pavements. Where the griound has material such as litter, grass or snow sticking to it which cannot be freed by sweeping only it is necessary to first scrape the material free of the ground and then it can be swept away. Conventionally this is done using two separate tools. An object of the present invention is to provide a single tool capable of performing both the functions or scraping and sweeping. Accordingly the invention provides a tool comprising a broom having a head and a handle such that in one disposition of the tool the broom can be used to sweep the ground, and the tool including a scraper blade attached to the broom so as to allow scraping of the ground with the tool in another disposition. Preferably, the handle is of sufficient length to allow both uses of the tool with the operator substantially in a standing position. Such a tool allows the operator to scrape and sweep a piece of ground with a single tool merely by changing its disposition. Preferably a brace member, which may have angled arms for good strength, connects the broom head and the handle to positively hold them together and provide increased strength. The scraper blade is at least partially carried by the brace member. Coventionally a broom head is angled to the axis of the handle so that it is used in a disposition with the bristles facing angled downwardly relative to said axis so that there is an upper part of the surface of the broom head facing partly upwardly. The scraper blade will normally be attached to and project axially beyond this upper surface. For scraping the tool will be rotated through a 180 relative to its sweeping disposition. We have found that it is important for efficiency of use of the blade and comfort of the operator that the blade is set at the correct angle relative to the handle. The preferred angle is 15 to the axis of the handle but an angle in the range 10-20" is acceptable. If the angle is greater than 20 the blade tends to dig into the group while if the angle is less than 20 it will not scrape so efficiently. The invention extends to a brace and scraper blade for attachment to an existing broom to convert it to the above tool. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a side view of a tool in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a front elevation of the brace and scraper blade of the tool. The tool comprises a conventional broom head 1 2 of substantially semi-circular section with bristles 1 3 extending from the flat surface and a handle 14 connected adjacent the cnetre of the rounded surface. The head is angled to the handle axis 1 2A slightly so that in use the bristles face downwardly and a part 1 5 of the broom head faces partially upwardly. A brace 1 6 has a pair of arms 1 7 extending substantially perpendicular to one another and formed at the joining head 1 8 with a hole 20. The brace is formed from sheet metal and the arms are twisted through 90 so that their free ends 21 lie in a plane perpendicular to that of the head 1 8. These ends are bent outwardly to form connecting tabs 22 lying in a plane normal to the plane of symmetry between the arms. Tabs 22 are formed with connecting holes 23. Intermediate parts of the arms are also formed with connecting holes 24. The brace is secured to the broom by fasteners 25, 26 respectively through the hole 20 and into the handle and through the holes 23 into the broom head. The brace thus serves to firmly connect the handle to the broom head and strengthens the parts in the region of the connection. A scraper blade 27 formed from sheet metal has an upper portion 28 bent at an angle of 15" to the remainder of the blade and formed with holes 30. Bolts and wing nuts 31, 32 through holes 24 and 30 connect the upper portion of the blade to the brace. The lower portion of the blade is connected to the part 1 5 of the broom head via a screw passing through the hole 33 into the broom head. The end of the blade extends about 2.2cm beyond the broom head, preferably 1 to 3 centimetres. Stop member 35 can be included extending between the end of the blade and the bristles to avoid material which has been scraped up from jamming between the blade and broom head. When the broom is used for conventional sweeping the scraper is well clear of the ground above the bristles and does not interfere with the sweeping action. When it is required to scrape, the tool is rotated 180 about he axis of the handle and with the operator in approximately the same standing position and the broom handle angled at the conventional sweeping angle the tool can be used to scape the ground. For this purpose we have found the most efficient angle of the scraper blade to the axis of the handle is substantially 156 and preferably is written the range 10 to 20 . The blade may be other shapes, for example triangular. It is fixed to the broom/brace at at least two points, preferably in a triangular relationship. CLAIMS

1. A cleaning tool comprising a broom having a head and a handle such that in one disposition of the tool the broom can be used to sweep the ground and the tool including a scraper brace attsched to the broom so as to allow scraping of the ground with the tool in another disposition.

2. A tool according to Claim 1 in which the tool is arranged to be rotated through substantially 180 about the handle axis between its sweeping disposition and its scraping disposition.

3. A tool according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the scraper blade extends at an angle to the handle in the range 10 to 20 .

4. A tool according to Claim 3 in which the scraper blade extends at an angle of substantially 15 to the handle.

5. A tool according to any of Claims 1 to 4 in which the handle is of sufficient length to allow both uses of the tool with the operator substantially in a standing position.

6. A tool according to any of Claims 1 to 5 including a brace member connecting the handle and head, the scraper blade being at least partially carried by the brace member.

7. A tool according to Claim 6 in which the scraper blade is attached to the broom/ brace at at least three points in a triangular relationship.

8. A tool according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 in which the brace has two arms extending at an angle to one another from the handle to the head and the blade is attached, to both arms.

9. A tool according to any of Claims 1 to 9 including a stop member extending between the blade and bristles of the broom to avoid material jamming therebetween.

10. A cleaning tool substantially as described herein with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.