US3086235A - Wire brush chain - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1963 A. J. TAORMINA 3,086,235

WIRE BRUSH CHAIN Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ANTHONY J. TAORMINA April'23, 1963 A. J. TAORMINA WIRE BRUSH CHAIN Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ////l//// I I D ATTO/PA/EV United States Patent Filed July 17, 1961, Ser. No. 124,663 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-201) This invention concerns a wire brush chain.

The invention is directed at a chain formed with a plurality of pivotable links having bristles extending out of one side thereof. The chain can be wrapped around a pipe or other curved or irregular surface for cleaning, removing rust, etc. In the invention, the chain is provided with a flexible handle which enables the links to be disposed and set in a desired configuration.

It is therefore a principal object to provide'a chain brush having a plurality of pivotable links with bristles extending out of one side.

It is a further object to provide a chain brush with pivotable links and including a flexible handle for holding the brush while in use and for setting the links in a desired configuration.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a brush chain embodying the invention shown in use on a cylindrical pipe.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the brush chain.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the brush chain partly bent.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the views of the drawings, there is shown a brush chain including a plurality of brush members 12 joined by link plates 14, 16 on opposite sides of the brush members and pivotally engaged by pins 18 extending transversely through the brush members. The several brush members each has an outer shell-like casing 20 with an open bottom. The casing is filled with a plastic core 22 in which are embedded bristles 24 preferably made of wire. The bristles all extend out of the open bottom of the brush members as clearly shown in the drawings. The brush chain 10 can be wrapped around an article to be cleaned such as cylindrical pipe 25. The chain can be moved circumferentially around the pipe or longitudinally along the outside of the pipe to remove rust, scale, etc. The brush chain can be operated manually alone or can be mounted in a suitable holder.

With particular reference to FIGS. 3-5, secured to the top or upper side of each casing by welding 17 or the like is a flat plate 21. The plate terminates in a cylindrical ridge 23. The ridges 23 of all the brush members are slidably disposed in a cylindrical groove 30 formed in the bottom of an elongated flexible handle bar 32 and extending longitudinally thereof. The handle bar is formed of rubber or plastic. A pliable wire 3,086,235 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 34 extends the full length of the bar and serves to stiffen it. The wire can be bent so that the brush members will be held in any desired straight, curved or irregular configuration. The ridges 23 are frictionally gripped in the groove and are held non-rotatably by the facing edges 33 of slot 35 formed below the groove 30'. The brush chain 10 can be used to clean any irregular, flat or curved surface.

As many brush members as desired may be provided in the brush chain. End members of the chain have holes 31 which can receive further pins 18 to attach further link plates and brush members. i

The bristles may be made of wire, fiber, plastic or other suitable material. The shell casings 20 may be made of plastic or metal.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A brush chain, comprising a plurality of brush members, each of said members including a shell-like casing having an open side, a core filling the casing, bristles embedded at one end in the core and extending out of said open side, a plurality of link plates on opposite sides of the members pivotally connected to said opposite sides of the members, so that the members may be disposed to engage the bristles on an irregularly shaped surface for cleaning the same, a connecting plate extending upwardly from the closed top of each casing, each connecting plate having a cylindrical ridge formed on the upper free edge thereof, and an elongated flexible handle bar having a cylindrical groove extending longitudinally of the bar, the ridge of each connecting plate being slidably disposed in the groove.

2. A brush chain, comprising a plurality of brush members, each of said members including a shell-like casing having an open side, a core filling the casing, bristles embedded at one end in the core and extending out of said open side, a plurality of link plates on opposite sides of the members pivotally connected to said opposite sides of the members, so that the members may be disposed to engage the bristles on an irregularly shaped surface for cleaning the same, a connecting plate extending upwardly from the closed top of each casing, each connecting plate having a cylindrical ridge formed on the upper free edge thereof, an elongated flexible handle bar having a cylindrical groove extending longitudinally of the bar, the ridge of each connecting plate being slidably disposed in the groove, and a pliable wire embedded in the handle bar and extending longitudinally substantially the full length thereof for disposing and holding the brush members in any particular configuration to clean said irregularly shaped surface.

3. A brush chain, comprising a plurality of brush members, each of said members including a shell-like casing having an open side, a core filling the casing, bristles embedded at one end in the core and extending out of said open side, a plurality of link plates on opposite sides of the members pivotally connected to said opposite sides 3 of the members, so that the members may be disposed to engage the bristles on an irregularly shaped surface for cleaning the same, a connecting plate extending upwardly from the closed top of each casing, each connecting plate having a cylindrical ridge formed on the upper free edge thereof, an elongated flexible handle bar having a cylindrical groove extending longitudinally of the bar, the ridge of each connecting plate being slidably disposed in the groove, and a pliable Wire embedded in the handle bar and extending longitudinally substantially the full length thereof for disposing and holding the brush members in any particular configuration to clean said irregularly shaped surface, said bristles being formed of metal wire, said groove having edges gripping the conmeeting plates to prevent turning of the brush members in the handle bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 52,833 Eagle Feb. 27, 1866 1,405,938 Rasmesen Feb. 7, 1922 1,627,516 Larsen May 3, 1927 1,894,509 Booth Jan. 17, 1933 1,946,653 Wein Feb. 13, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 477,288 Germany June 5, 1929

Claims (1)

1. A BRUSH CHAIN, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BRUSH MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS INCLUDING A SHELL-LIKE CASING HAVING AN OPEN SIDE, A CORE FILLING THE CASING, BRISTLES EMBEDDED AT ONE END IN THE CORE AND EXTENDING OUT OF SAID OPEN SIDE, A PLURALITY OF LINK PLATES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE MEMBERS, SO THAT THE MEMBERS MAY BE DISPOSED TO ENGAGE THE BRISTLES ON AN IRREGULARLY SHAPED SURFACE FOR CLEANING THE SAME, A CONNECTING PLATE EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE CLOSED TOP OF EACH CASING, EACH CONNECTING PLATE HAVING A CYLINDRICAL RIDGE FORMED ON THE UPPER FREE EDGE THEREOF, AND AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE HANDLE BAR HAVING A CYLINDRICAL GROOVE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BAR, THE RIDGE OF EACH CONNECTING PLATE BEING SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN THE GROOVE.

Images