US3526917A - Foot floor scrubber - Google Patents

Description

spt s, 1910 f A. E. HAYWOOD, JR

FOOT FLOOR SQRUBBER Filed June 21, 1968 ALLAN a HAYUJOUDJn BY (L .1

' ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,526,917 FOOT FLOOR SCRUBBER Allan E. Haywood, Jr., Battle Creek, Mich., assignor to Cardinal Industries, Inc., Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 21, 1968, Ser. No. 738,909 Int. Cl. A471 13/18 US. Cl. 15-10433 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention provides a detachable floor scrubber which may be mounted on the foot. The scrubber comprises a toe covering portion, a sole portion, a heel portion, and an abrasive pad section mounted on the said sole portion. The scrubber toe, sole, and heel portions are comprised of an elastic material, with the heel portion pulling upwardly on the toe covering portion to insure firm, operative positioning of the abrasive pad section which is mounted on the bottom of the foot sole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem of removing stubborn dirt and marks from floors is constantly being faced by housewives and commercial custodial service. Generally the housewife and workmen must get down on their hands and knees to apply a hand rubbing to the marks to efiect a satisfactory removal. Any device which might eliminate the necessity of getting down on the hands and knees would therefore be of a great help in these matters. The prior art has provided foot mountable devices used to accomplish a mopping operation or polishing operation. These particular operations are directed to the buffing or mopping of floors which are fairly straight-forward operations. However, the problem of removing hard to get at dirt and marks, such as heel marks, on the floor presents unique problems in that they cannot be removed by the conventional mops or polish buffing means presently known in the prior art. It was a recognition of these problems and difficulties which led to the conception and development of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, among the objects of this invention is the provision of a simple means of removing stubborn dirt and marks from a floor without having to get down on the hands and knees.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot floor scrubber which enables the worker to effectively remove black marks and dirt from the floor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a floor scrubbing device which is held on the foot in a firm manner and enables the worker to effectively remove marks from the floor closely adjacent the Wall or baseboard.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a foot floor scrubber which is adaptable to various sizes and types of shoes worn by the worker.

Still further objects and advantages of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.

The floor scrubber of this invention comprises a toe covering portion, a heel portion and an abrasive pad section mounted on the sole portion of the scrubber. The heel portion fits over the back of the heel of the workers foot apparel. The scrubber is made of a relatively tough, resilient, elastic type material, normally of rubber or the equivalent, so that it is adequately held firmly against the foot apparel. The abrasive pad member extends substantially completely to the edge of the sole portion. That is, the pad section is even with the side areas of the toe covering portion so that the scrubber may be used along Patented Sept. 8., 1970 ice BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the cleaning means and features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, such disclosed embodiments illustrating, however, but several of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a foot scrubber made in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the same mounted on a shoe.

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of a modified and more specific embodiment of the same partly in section.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT A detachable foot mountable floor scrubber generally designated 1, FIGS. 1 and '2, comprises a toe covering portion 2, a heel portion 3 and an abrasive pad member 4 which, as shown in the drawing, is substantially flat and parallel faced. The toe covering portion 2 is preferably of open top construction and fits over a shoe as shown. This toe portion 2 is also preferably symmetrically shaped and therefore may be worn over the shoe 7 of either the right or left foot. Because the scrubber 1 is composed of an elastic material, it is very adaptable to the various types of shoes and boot styles available and used by workmen. The characteristic shape of the toe covering portion 2 insures a firm hold once the scrubber 1 has been placed on the workmans foot apparel 7. In addition, the shape of the toe covering portion 2 allows use with various sizes of foot apparel 7.

The heel portion 3 of the floor scrubber 1 is strap shaped and forms a part of a unitary structure which includes the toe covering portion 2. The strap portion 3- fits over the upper portion of the heel of the shoe 7 on the wearers foot. The elastic characteristic of the material in the fioor scrubber 1 causes the heel sling portion 3 to fit firmly around the foot of the wearer. An important aspect of the floor scrubber 1 as described herein involves the continued tension pull against the sole of the shoe 7 on the wearers foot. The heel strap portion 3 pulls upwardly toward the upper portion of the heel of the wearer at an angle suflicient to hold the abrasive pad section 4 firmly against the shoe sole while the floor scrubber 1 is being used. The entire bottom surface of the abrasive pad section 4 is thereby kept in position to contact the floor. The angle a, FIG. 2, in the specific embodiment is preferably at about 15 when the floor scrubber 1 is in relaxed position as shown, to effect the desired tension force under conditions of use. The ribs 8 along the edges of the strap portion 3 and open top provide additional reinforcement as well as resistance to tearing.

The abrasive pad section 4 is mounted on the scrubber sole portion 5 in conventional manner such as by cementing or molding in place. The outside edges of the abrasive pad section 4 preferably closely follow the contour of the outside edge of the scrubber sole portion along either side of the foot. This structural relationship enables the workman to scrub the floor next to a wall or baseboard with either foot. Any suitable adhesive such as rubber cement might be used to attach the abrasive pad section 4 to the scrubber sole portion 5. The thickness of the abrasive pad section 4 can vary widely depending upon the particular manufacturer. The pad as shown in the specific embodiment is about A" in thickness. In addition, the abrasive pad section 4 may be, if desired, impregnated with a suitable cleaning material such as a detergent.

In another embodiment, FIG. 4, a reinforcing member 6 is located between the abrasive pad section 4 and the scrubber sole portion 5. This embodiment is especially useful where the wearers foot apparel 7 is soft soled such as in a canvas sneaker. The reinforcing member 6 provides the necessary stiffness to make the pad section 4 lie flat against the floor during use. This fiat trelationship to the floor facilitates scrubbing up to a wall or baseboard.

It is highly desirable that a size be determined which will enable the floor scrubber 1 of the instant invention to be as universal as possible. The length and width of the particular scrubber 1 is therefore chosen to fit as many as possible of the existing sizes of boots or shoes 7 being presently used in the area of maintenance work.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A floor scrubbing device in the form of an attachment for mounting on a foot covering means such as a shoe comprising, in combination:

(a) a foot covering means receiving member including a toe covering portion, a heel portion, and a sole portion substantially limited to the area adjacent said toe covering portion,

(b) said foot covering means receiving member being composed of an elastic material to firmly hold said scrubbing device in place on the foot covering means,

(c) a substantially flat parallel faced abrasive pad member,

(d) means to attach said substantially flat abrasive pad member to the underface of said sole portion,

(e) said pad member extending substantially completely to the side edges of the underface of said sole portion to provide for effective scrubbing of the floor up to a juncture of a wall.

2. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said heel portion includes a strap member extending from the sole portion on one side of the said toe covering portion to the sole portion on the other side of the said toe covering portion to thus extend around and grip the heel of the foot covering memher.

3. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 2 wherein said toe covering portion is open over the top portion thereof and extends along the peripheral edge of the top portion of the foot covering means worn on the foot. 4. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 2 wherein the said sole portion and said pad member are relatively symmetrical in shape to fit both a right and left foot covering means. 5. A lloor scrubbing device as defined in claim 3 wherein the said sole portion and said pad member are relatively symmetrical in shape to fit both a right and left foot covering means. 6. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 5 wherein said strap member includes reinforcing means to provide additional strength thereto. 7. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 5 wherein when the said elastic foot covering means receiving member is in a relaxed position the said strap member extends in a direction at a sufiicient angle up and away from the plane of said sole portion to provide an etfective upward pull on said sole portion to hold said pad member firmly against the sole of said foot covering means. 8. A fioor scrubbing device as defined in claim 7 wherein the said angle is substantially about 15 from the plane of said sole portion. 9. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 5 wherein said scrubbing device includes a reinforcing member juxtaposed said sole member and the top of said pad member to insure substantially complete availability of contact between the entire bottom surface of said pad member and the floor surface when said device is being used. 10. A floor scrubbing device as defined in claim 5 wherein said pad member includes a detergent material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 891,384 6/1908 Strang 367.4 1,292,993 2/1919 Batterman 367.4 3,112,219 11/1963 Politzer et al. 15-l04.94 X 3,362,775 1/1968 Muecke 15-227 X FOREIGN PATENTS 176,587 7/1935 Switzerland.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 15-227

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