Dusting and polishing device

Oct. 20, 1953

2,655,680

H. S. GEERIN

DUSTING AND POLISHING DEVICE

Filed April 24, 1950

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Patented Oct. 20, 1953

2,655,680

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,655,680 DUSTING AND POLISHING DEVICE Henrietta S. Geerin, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 24, 1950, Serial No. 157,751

Claims.

This invention relates th, dusting and polishing devices and more particularly to a device that may be put to a wide variety oi uses in. the home for dusting and polishing.

An object of this invention is to, provide a dusting and polishing device that comprises a flexible resilient base and a dusting and polishing element that may be. easily attached to or removed from the base, without the. need fox ties or laces, and composed, of a material that is washable, quick-drying, inexpensive to manufacture and effective either as a polishing or dusting element.

Another object of the. invention is to provide $ device such as referred to al?qv.e, that is, adapted to be grasped by the user’s, hand and used, or to be attached to a handle when using the device on floors or dusting elevated areas that would otherwise be beyond the reach of a person, using the device unless a ladder were us.ed.

Another object of the invention is to. provide a removable dusting and polishing elem.ent. made from a sheet of plastic material such, as plastic rayon that is tough and durable, non-scratching, washable and quick-drying.

The. above and other objects, of the. invention will be apparent from the fpiloting description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a dusting and polishing device arranged and constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section taken on line II—II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a dusting and polishing element for the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on line IV—TV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a modified form of dusting and polishing element adapted for hand use.

Throughout the drawings and the specification like reference characters indicate like parts.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a dusting and polishing device i embodying a form of the invention comprises a flexible base member 2, and a boot 3, attached by means of pockets 4 to the base member. To the bottom of boot 3 a plurality of ruffled strips 5 of fibrous material such as cloth or thin sheet material are attached, the strips extending lengthwise of the base member and the boot.

Base member 2, as shown, is rectangular in shape and comprises a pair of sponge-like (Cl. 15—228) cushions 6 and 7 between which may be disposed a resilient backing member 8 of sheet metal or other springy material. The cushions may be made from sponge or foam rubber. The cush⁵ ions and backing member 8. may be encased in a cover 9 of fabric the marginal edges of which are suitably joined together as with, stitchingIt is preferred that the fabric of cover 9 be impregnated or sealed with a. plastic-like water¹⁰ repellant material, to render the same reasonably water-proof.

Boot, 3 comprises a web 10 having at. its, opposite. ends cross pieces I i that form. the. pockets 4, sewed or otherwise secured to the ends and ¹⁵ sides of web IQ and a plurality of dusting and polishing ruffles, or. strips. 5 attached to. web 1:0, as shown. When boot. 3, has been attached to base member 2 the web with its. attached, strips or ruffles. 5 are below and cover the bottom of ²⁰' base 2,, Web 10 is. wider than base. 2,. so. that when cross pieces i I. are, attached to the edges of the web, a border 16 is formed at the sides of the web. that, lie along the side edges of base 2.

In a preferred; form of the invention, boot 3 ²⁵ and ruffles 5 are made from a washable quickdrying sheet, material;, such, as plastic rayon. A material of this type. has. the. appearance of paper but is durable, washable, and quickdrying. Such material when washed, crinkles 30 and has a crepe-like appearance. A boot made from such material is relatively inexpensive, of light weight and can be packed in packages containing any number or units thereof as a supply for the user. For convenience, the plas35 tic material is referred to herein as plastic crepe, including plastic rayon.

The ruffles or strips 5 are preferably made of a relatively wide strip of plastic crepe folded double along the major axis thereof. These 40 folded strips are then sewed or otherwise attached along the fold line to web 10. The material may be gathered at the fold line so that when attached to web 10 the strips have a ruffled appearance.

In order that device I may be attached to a handle 15 if desired, as shown, base 2 is provided with a hinge member 16’ secured as with bolts to the backing member 8. The handle is provided with means for attaching the same to the hinge member as shown in Fig. 1.

If handle 15 is not used, the user may insert the fingers of the hand into one or the other of pockets 4 and thereby use the device as a duster, or polish applicator and polisher on easily 55 accessible surfaces. When areas beyond reach

2,658,680 are to be dusted or polished or if a floor is to be dusted, or polished the handle may be attached at the option of the user.

Tn Fig. 5 a modified form of boot IT is shown. This modified boot is similar to boot 3 in all 5 respects except for the pockets. As shown, boot 17 has a relatively long or deep pocket 18 at one end that will more readily accommodate the hand of the user. The other pocket 19 is substantially the same in size and shape as pockets 10 4 of Figs. 1 and 2.

The web 10 of boots 3 and 17 is relatively nonelastic or non-stretching. Therefore, in order to place the boot on or remove it from base 2, the base is sufficiently bent or arched to allow 15 the ends thereof to enter or be withdrawn from the pockets. When the base is straightened the boot is secured.

As may be seen by inspection of the drawings, the ruffles or strips 5 hang relatively straight when 20 device 1 is not resting on a surface. However, when device I is placed against a surface, the ruffles spread or fan out and present a large polishing or dusting area to the surface to be dusted, cleaned or polished.

Device 1, as can be seen, has many uses: it may be used as a dry mop, as a dry duster, or as a wet mop or duster. The device may be used for dusting Venetian blinds and, by means of the handle, normally inaccessible reached. The ruffles being light, they have the gentle action of a feather duster.

As boot 3 is made of a tough, washable and quick-drying material, it may be used as a wet mop or duster. Waxes and polishes may be ap- 35 plied thereto for spreading the same and polishing the surfaces to which it has been applied. The wax or polish may be washed out of the boot whenever necessary or it may be discarded and a clean one substituted therefor. Other uses and 40 advantages will be readily apparent to those familiar with devices of this type and their function.