US1454373A - Window-washing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1923- J. C. G. BONNEY WINDOW WASHING APPARATUS Filed April 5. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY A - ATTORNEY.

- May 8, 1923- 1,454,373

J. C. G. BONNEY W I NDOW WASH I N6 APPARATUS Filed April 5. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' I I I min/Ton:

I momma I Patented May 8, 1923.

JOHN C. G. BONNEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

WINDOW-WASHING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 5, 1921. Serial No. 458,822.

T all 20 hom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN C. G. BoNNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and

State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Window-Washing Apparatus, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to devices for washing window panes, and particularly has reference to a manually operated device adapted for simultaneously washing both the inside and outside of the window pane without reaching out of the window or leaning over the window sill.

Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to provide a manually operated device which can be utilized for simultaneously washing both sides of the window pane; to provide a window washing device which can bequickly and easily manipulated and which is safe to the operative, since the latter does not have to lean out of the window or sit on the window sill; to provide a window washing device which is manually operated and which will either wash or dry both the inside and the outside of the window pane at the same time, thus facilitating the washing and drying operations, and,

since both sides of the pane are operated on at one time, the operator is able to see and remove all spots, smears and dirt, regardless of whether they are on the inside or the, out side of the window pane; to provide a window washing device which is effective, simple, and can be handled with great facility so as to wash the window panes on both sides safely and rapidly; to provide a window washing device which is economical to produce, durable and capable of being quickly adjusted to the window sashes for the purposes stated in the foregoing.

With the above objects in View and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, elements and combinations thereof hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provided drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a'portion of a window frame and sash, showing my invention in operative position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the form of my invention shown in Figure 1, a part being broken away;

Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 2, a portion of a window pane being shown in place; 7 t

Figure 4 is a plan view of another form of my invention, a part being broken away;

Figure 5 is a side view of Figure 4, a portion ofa window pane being shown in place;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a third form of my invention;

Figure 7 is a plan VlGW, showing a fourth form of my invention; l

Figure 8 is a side View of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a sectional side view of a fifth form of my invention; and Y Figure 10 is a sectional View substantially on the line 10-10 of Figure 9.

My invention, embodied in a simple form i of'apparatus, is shown, for example, in F igures l, 2 and 3 and, therein, a rectangular block 1 is provided having opposite sides 2 inclined or converging toward each other.

The inner edge of the block is provided with a recess 3 in whichis mounted an anti-frictional roll .4, held in position by a screwbolt 5 passing through the block 1 from top to bottom and spanning the recess'3, which bolt, in addition to supporting the anti-frictional roll 4, and affording a journal therefor, has the function of imposing tension, as presently described. Applied to'the block 1', on the opposite'inclined sides 2 thereof are a pair of resilient bars 6, the inclination of the surfaces 2 of the block causing the said bars to normally tend to converge toward each other so that, attheir free ends, they would be very nearly in contact. The

block and bars may be made of any suitable material, preferably wood, although light metal may be found suitable and serviceable for some of the parts.

Th free 'ends of' the converging bars 6 are each provided with a rectangular pad holder 7 one of which, the outside one, is of slightly greater width than the other one, this being for the purpose of enabling'the outside pad to reach into-all the corners and to the extremes of the window pane, and also for the purpose of compensating'for the drag imposed upon the outside pad which may result in lateral flexure of the outside bar of the device,'the drag being imflexed away from each other,

posed by the friction of the pad upon the window pane, and the fact .that the outside bar is .compelled .ito vfollow the inside bar without positive pressure being applied directly thereto. The pad holders are rigidly secured in the ends of the bars 6"by screws 8 passing through the said bars and into the extension 9 of the holders. The shape of the pad holders 7 is preferably rectangular in order that, when in operation, the angles thereofmay reach into and :clean and polish the angles or co rn ers :of the window panes. The pad holders 7 are preferably made of light :wood; but, they of nietaliand formed of oneior more pieces. In either instance, it may be desirable to cover the pad holders with rubber 10, see Figure 9, in :order *to .preserve the wood and prevent it from warping, in the one instance, and prevent the metal from rusting, in :the1other instance. The pad holders 7 are covered with cloth caps or pads 11 made of :any suitable material and of any desired thickness, and formed in any manner found efficacious and economical. Whatever may bethe material or form (of the pads, when applied to the holders 7, "they will take the form ofthe latter substantially as shown in Figures 1 to 3. The caps or pads may be made :of elastic material which normally will contract upon the holders when applied thereto,-so as to cling thereto during opera tion. lf the material of the caps or pads is not normally elastic, they may be provided with atie-cord or other equivalent means for retaining the same on the holders. Or, as shown in Figures land 5, the outer surfaces of the holders may be provided with spring clamps, the same being adapted to engage and press upon theedges of the caps or pads placed on the holders. The said clamps may consist of a base 12 rigidly secured to the holler, having a aw 13 hinged thereto, controlled by a coiled'spring 14, this being a simple form of clamp readily applied to the outside .of the blocks for the purpose'ofholding the caps or pads in position. Four clamps be provided on each holder.

At itspad end, the apparatus is preferably provi'ded-with a'handle 15, the same being secured in any suitable manner to one of the bars 6 and arched sufficiently, as shown in Figures '1 and 3, to enable the operator to rea'dily grasp the same and manipulate the apparatus.

As previously-stated, the bars 6 are 'norreason of the manner in which they are mounted, converge toward each other almostto contact at their free ends. V /hen the pad holders are mounted therein, however, the bars are giving 'them Figures 3 and 5, the holders and the curved form :shown in wh1ch imposes tenslon upon be stamped out v pads and causes the latter, when operating upon the window panes, to forclblypress against the opposite sides of the w ndow pane so as to produce SllfilOlGIlt frictlon to either clean, or dry and polish, the panes s1- multaneously on both sides. When the caps or pads are applied to the holders, the arms are sprung apart, as will be readily understood, the application of the pads being accomplished quickly and with facility. hen the windows have been washed on both sides by the use of wet pads, the latter can be quickly removed and dry pads substituted therefor. As many wet pads can be used as desired, and likewise as many drying or polishing pads as may be found ,necessary. Instead of removing the pads and substituting others, the pad holders themselves may be removable, so that, after using wet pads, other pad holders with dry pads thereon can be quickly substituted for the holders having the wet pads thereon. In order to avoid scratching the window sash, or wearing the paint or varnish therefrom, and also to .avoid wear upon the bars ,6, soft .pads of felt, for example, can be applied to the inner'surfaces of the bars '6, as indicated at 6, Figure 5. Thus the window sash is preserved and wear upon ,the bars 6, which might tend to weaken them, is prevented. The anti-frictional roll 4:, mounted in the crotch of the device, is adapted to travelon the upper and lower edges of the sash during the process of washing the window, as shown in Figure 1, said roller avoiding friction, binding, etc, and facilitating the travel of the apparatus during operation.

The block 1, at its outer end, has secured thereto a plate 16, to the opposite edges of which a tension bar 17 is hinged, as at 16. thesame extending along ,the outer surface of each of the bars 6. At its inner end, each of the tension bars 17 is provided with a transversely extended, enlarged portion or bar 19, projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the tension bar and adapted to press on the outer surface of the bar 6. The screw-bolt 5 passes through the two tension bars, its head 20 pressing on one tension bar and the knurled nut 21 pressing upon the other, and, by turning the nut, is adapted to cause the tension bars to bear with. moreor less of pressure upon the bars 6, thus increasing as desired the normal tension of said bars and the tension imposed by them and the pads upon the window pane being cleaned.

Inthe form of my inventionshown in Figures land 5, the ,pad holders are removable and may be secured in place in theends of the'bars ,6by ,means of .a pin 22 carried by aspring 23 secured to the outer surface of the bar adjacent the aperture therein, the pin 22 entering an aperture in the side of the angular teat or lug 24 of the pad holders, which teat passes through an aperture.

37, enabling the holders 34 to be removed.

in the arm 6.

Instead of the spring pin shown, the pad holders may be removably held by a cotterpin 25 passing through the angular teat 24 of the pad holders, as shown in Figure 6, a chain or similar device 25 being employed to hold the cotter-pin and prevent it from being dropped and lost, the chain being secured by means of an eye-screw 25 to the bar 6.

Still another way of making the pad holders removable is shown in Figures 9 and 10, wherein the blocks are also shown as stamped out of sheet metal. In this form of my invention, the holders are composed of a flat, flanged member 26, to Which is secured a cymbal shaped member 27, the circumference of which is held in place by overturning the flange of the member 26. The member 27 is provided witha hollow teat Or extension 28, which passes through the aperture in each of the bars 6 and is removably held in place by spring detents consisting of a hollow, rectangular boxing 29 secured within the teat 28 by soldering. The boxing 29 holds a coiled expansion spring 30, the opposite ends of which press against detents 31 having rounded end surfaces 32, and held in place by flanges 33 at the open ends of teats 28 to prevent them from falling out of the boxing 29. Pressure upon the detents 31, when the teats are slipped into place, will cause the detents to recede. They will automatically spring into holding position shoWn in Figure 9. To remove the pad holders, pressure is applied to the rounded ends 32 of the detents 31, either simultaneously or one at a time, and the teats 28 can then be slipped out of position shown in Figure 9, and the pad holders removed by pressure upon the same, the detents yielding until the teats are sufliciently Withdrawn.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures 7 and 8, the pad holders 34 are shown in flat form, rectangular in shape, and of molded, pressed or shaped material and may be made of any composition found suitable for the purpose. Each of the pad holders 34 is provided with a member 35 having its upper surface rounded so as to permit the holder to rock lengthwise of the bars 6, but not transversely. The members 35 are secured to the holders 34 by means of a plurality of screws 36, for example, thus rigidly securing the two parts together. The members 35 are provided on opposite sides with lugs or ears 37 which may be secured in place by screws 38, and which extend through apertures provided for them in the arms 6. A spring holder 39 is provided with oppositely extending arms 40 passing through apertures in the upper ends of the lugs or ears 37, thus loosely and removably securing the pad holders to the arms 6.

Pressure on the branched legs of the holders 39 will remove the arms 40 from the ears Thus the pad holders 34, by reason of the form of the members 35, can rock lengthwise of the bars 6, but cannot rock or tilt laterally of the latter. In order to prevent the lossof the holders 39,they may be loosely, secured to the end of the bar 6 by means of a staple 39 driven into the bar and through the eye of the holder.

In each form of my device a handle 15 is provided, and in each formipads may be app-lied to the holders with. facility, either by stretching them on or by clamping on, as shown-in Figures 4 and 5. In all the forms of my invention, excepting that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the pad holders are removable and may be quickly removed and applied, whenever found desirable, either for substitution of aholder with a dry pad or a holder with a wet pad, or for removing the pads from the holders. The

tension on the pane of glass or surface be ing cleaned, dried or polished can be increased or decreased by manipulating the nut 21; and the entire apparatus is readily and easily manipulated by grasping the handle 15. The anti-frictional roll 4 will prevent the apparatus from dragging on the top or bottom bars of the sash; and the latter may be raised and lowered to any extent desired during operation. Wet pads, dry pads and polishing pads can be quickly substituted the one for the other as occasion demands, or sets of holders with. the pads applied can be supplied with an apparatus so that one or the other can be stituted. 1

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, compact, durable apparatus which is economical toproduce and by means of which window panes and other suspended surfaces can be cleaned, washed, scoured of polished simultaneously on both sides and quickly and with facility. The length of the apparatus will be such as to reach beyond the middle of the surface which is to be operated upon, so that the lower half can be scoured or polished and then the upper half by simply reversing the position of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and the apparatus will be made of different sizes, so as to operate in connection with difierent sizes of windowpanes or other surfaces to be scoured, cleaned or polished. The antifrictional roll runs with great facility along the edge of the window sash. either top or bottom, according to which part of the window pane is being operated upon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a window cleaning device, a supquickly subp rting 121 01,: he appsde o hiQh are inclined so as to converge'toward each her, resi ent arms secure at their n r end to the inclined sides oil said block so that their free ends converge toward each other, padeholders secured to the free ends of the arms, and means applied to the arms for increasing the tension of the arms so as to increase the pressure of the pads upon the Window-panes,

2. In a Window cleaning device, a supporting block, resilient arms secured at one end to the block and at their free end provided with an aperture, pad-h0lders each provided with a lug for passing through the aperture in the free end of the arm, and resilient means for detachably holding the pad to the arm.

3. A device such as set forth in claim 2, wherein the pad-holders are of different dimensions, for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a Window cleaning device, a supporting bloc-k, resilient arms secured at one end to; said block and having their opposite end tree, pad-holders for said free end each having its back rounded so that it may rock relatively to the arm, and means for detachablyf securing the pad-holders to the arms.

5. In a Window cleaning device, a supporting block, resilient arms secured at one end to said bl ck and having their opposite end free, pad-holders secured to the free end of each arm, and means for applying tension to the arms including tension bars hinged at opposite sides of the block and extending along and bearing upon the arms, and a screw-bolt passing through the arms and block and having means for regulating the tension on the bars.

6. In a Window cleaning device, a supporting block, resilient arms secured at one end to the block and at their free end provided with pad holders, pads carried by the holders, means causing the arms tonormally force the pads toward each other, and pads applied to the inner surface of the arms between the supporting block and pad holders.

JOHN G. G. BONNEY.

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