Container for toilet bowl cleaning fluid and receptacle for mop

L. M. CORNING ETAL 3,199,739

TOILET BOWL CLEANING FLUID AND RECEPTACLE FOR MOP

Sheets-Sheet 1

Aug. 10, 1965

CONTAINER FOR Filed Oct. 12, 1964

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_BY Robert L. Friedenthal Robert E. Sarafan

Aug. 10, 1965 l. m. corning etal 3,199,739

CONTAINER FOR TOILET BOWL CLEANING FLUID AND RECEPTACLE FOR MOP

Filed Oct. 12, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

Fig. 3.

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INVENTORS

Leon M. Corning Robert L. Friedenthal Robert E . Sarafan

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United States Patent Office _{Palented Aug}.’ ₁₀,₁₉₆₅

3,199,739

CONTAINER FOR TOILET BOWL CLEANING FLUID AND RECEPTACLE FOR MOP

Leon M. Corning, Redwood City, Robert L. Friedenthal, San Mateo, and Robert E. Sarafan, San Francisco, Calif., assignors to Advance Chemical Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California

Filed Oct. 12,1964, Ser. No. 403,207 7 Claims. (Cl. 222—130)

This invention relates to a new and improved container for toilet cleaning fluid and receptacle for mop. This application is an improvement on co-pending application Ser. No. 186,172, filed April 9, 1962, for a Container and Apparatus for Toilet Bowl Cleaning Fluid. More particularly, the invention relates to a plastic container having a shape such that it is conveniently carried and held in the hand while the apparatus used in conjunction therewith sprays fluid from the container into a toilet bowl, urinal or the like. Accordingly, the container has a generally rectangular shape in plan v/ith an elongated neck at the top adjacent the front edge of the container and having a handle portion extending horizontally outwardly from a point near the top of the neck and joined to the body by a depending leg. At the end of the container opposite the neck a cup is provided serving as a receptacle for a swab or mop used to mop the surface to which the liquid has been applied. Said cup is attached by means of a ring to a boss protruding from the end of the container. Where desired, the cup may conveniently be detached by removing the ring from the boss.

A further feature of the invention is provision of a pump fitting into the neck of the container to pump liquid from the interior and force the same through an elongated flexible tube terminating in a tip used to pump and direct the spray of liquid to the precise area to be cleaned.

Accordingly, the invention relates to a device for controlled spraying of a chemical substance into the crevice in the rim of a toilet bowl, urinal or the like, whereby the cavity in the rim is sterilized as is the entire exposed surface of the bowl from top to bottom, thereby achieving a more effective use of the chemicals.

Although various chemicals may be used in conjunction with this container and apparatus, the present invention is particularly useful in spraying a chemical having an iodophor solution with a high acid concentration. The iodophor solution is an effective sterilizer and the acid descales the bowl. Hence, a composition which has approximately 9.50% hydrochloric acid, 0.15% iodophor 20, 1.00% synthetic detergent and the balance water is particularly effective.

Solutions such as that heretofore described are somewhat dangerous to handle in that the skin of the user may be affected, particularly when rubber gloves are not worn, and if the spray comes in contact with the eye considerable harm may occur. Furthermore, it is desirable that tne spray be confined to the bowl being cleaned rather than coming in contact with the floor, which may be deletenously affected thereby. The present invention has for one of its principal objects the control and confinement of the chemical both before and during the spraying operation.

A still further purpose of the invention is the provision of apparatus wherein the danger of breakage or spillage is for practical purposes eliminated.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a container which is strong and compact and readily portable. Such a container may be used for initial sale of the chemical and is also suitable for refilling from a more standard shaped container. The location of the handle and the weight distribution of the container is such that the device may be held in one hand, the opposite hand being used to direct the spray tip at the outer end of the tube. This feature of the invention is extremely important for the convenience of the user.

It is desirable after the chemical has been sprayed onto 5 the surface to be cleaned to swab the surface with a hand mop. When the mop has been saturated with liquid it is undesirable that it be placed on the floor or in such position that it may come in contact with any other object which may be chemically affected by the solution.

The cup heretofore mentioned extends from the rearward end of the container and is in close proximity thereto. It has an integral upward projecting ring which fits around a boss in one end of the container in a detachable manner. The provision of such a receptacle for the mop in15 sures that no drippage of chemical results, nor is the portion of the mop which has been saturated with the chemical solution likely to come in contact with any object that can be harmed thereby.

Other objects of the present invention will become ap20 parent upon reading the following specifications and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view showing the apparatus in use in scaling and sanitizing the rim of a toilet bowl.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the container partly broken away in section.

FIG. 3 is a top plan thereof.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational as viewed from the right in FIG. 2.

The apparatus which is the subject of this invention is an essentially lightweight, conveniently handled container 35 and spray intended for use by commercial janitorial service companies, but which may also be used by householders as well. The apparatus is preferably used in application of a germicidal and a descaling chemical which is relatively dangerous to handle in uncontrolled fashion.

A suggested formula for such chemical has heretofore been set forth. The container hereinafter described preferably has a capacity of about one-half gallon, which is the maximum which can conveniently be held in an elevated position with one hand.

⁴⁵ Turning now to the container 11, it will be seen that it is preferably rectangular in plan, having substantially vertical front 12 and rear 13 ends and sides 14. A recessed bottom 16 is provided and the comer 17 at which the bottom 16 joins the sides and ends is preferably rounded.

⁵⁰ Thus, the container rests on the rounded edges 17, the recessed bottom providing strength and rigidity to the container. Front end 12 is vertical for substantially its entire length, whereas the side 14 slants upwardly-inwardly at about the shoulder line indicated by reference nu⁵⁵ meral IS at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to provide converging flanks 19. Thus, flanks 19 merge into a substantially horizontal approximately rectangular top 21 having a length approximately one-half that of the length of sides 14 and having a width approximately onehalf the width of end 12. At the front of the container an approximately circular neck 22 rises above top 21, the neck 22 preferably being somewhat elongated and terminating in a screw threaded end 23. During transportation and storage, the end 23 is preferably closed off with a screw cap (not shown). For convenience in carrying the container, a hollow handle is provided, such a handle having a horizontally outwardly extending portion 26 which is approximately elliptical in cross section being slightly wider than its height and spaced above top 21 ¹⁰ a sufficient distance so that the fingers of the user may be inserted in the opening 27 between handle 26 and top 21. At the outer end of horizontal portion 26 the handle is

3,199,739 formed with a downwardly-inwardly slanted hollow leg 28 which merges with and is anchored to top 21 at approximately its rearward end.

Rearward end 13 is shorter than front end 12 rising to a shoulder indicated by reference numeral 31 and above said shoulder 31 slanting inwardly-upwardly in a rear flank 32 disposed at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the horizontal. An annular outward projecting rim 33 is formed in flank 32 closed off by a circular disc 34 so that a boss 35 is provided. A slightly outward projecting shoulder 37 is formed around the periphery of rim 33 at its juncture with disc 34. Cup 36 has a flat bottom 38 which is about level with corner 17 having a width approximately three-fourths of the width of container 11 and a length approximately one-fourth the length of container 14. Cup 36 has a forward end 39 which is flat against end 13. Its sides 41 extend out perpendicular to end 13 and merge into a semi-circular upwardly-rearwardly slanting rear end 42. Bottom 38, therefore, is rectangular at its lefthand side and semi-circular at its righthand side, as best shown in FIG. 3. The upper edge 43 of the cup is horizontal and at an elevation slightly below the lowermost elevation of rim 33. The shape and capacity of cup 36 is such as to hold conveniently a swab or mop 106 having an upward protruding handle 107.

A preferred means of attachment of cup 36 to container 11 is the provision of a circular skirt 46 which fits around rim 33 and has an internal shoulder 47 which snaps under shoulder 37 of rim 33 to hold skirt 46 in place. A semi-circular closed portion 48 of skirt 46 fits on top of the upper end of disc 34. A short connecting portion 49 connects skirt 46 to end 39. Protuberances 50 on disc 34 fit under the lower edge of portion 48 to prevent tilting of the cup 36.

The lower edge of semi-circular portion 48 is bent outwardly approximately horizontally in a clip 51 having a cutout 52 slightly over 180° so as to form a clipping engagement with handle 107 of mop 106. Gussets 53 bear against disc 34 to prevent downward bending of clip 51.

A second clip 56 extends laterally to one side of skirt 46 and is formed with a keyhole-shaped opening 57 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A manually operated pump 61 is installed in neck 22. For such purpose there is a cap 62 internally threaded and screwing over neck 23. Pump body 63 is inserted through a circular aperture in top of cap 62 and terminates in an elongated tube 64 which fits down inside container 11 to a point adjacent bottom 16. Details of construction of pump 61 are set forth in said application No. 186,172. It will be understood, however, that there is provided a plunger 64 extending up from pump body 63 exteriorly of cap 62 and spring biased to the extended position shown in the accompanying drawings. A circular depressed thumb button 66 is located at the top of plunger 64. Hence with the fingers of the user curled under handle 26 and into space 27, the thumb is placed in engagement with button 66 and by depressing the thumb pump 61 may be actuated.

Attached to plunger 64 and extending approximately at right angles there is a tip 83. Attached to tip 83 is an elongated flexible tube 84 of a corrosion-resistant material such as neoprene rubber and of a length of approximately 18 inches. The outer end of tube 84 is provided with a fitting 92 consisting of a second tip 93 of extended length which receives the outer end of tube 84 and which has a right angle bend 94 having a small spray hole (not shown) through which liquid is sprayed.

Tip 93 is of extended length and carries adjacent its outer end a collar 101 which performs an important function, as is best shown in FIG. 1. This collar 101 is positioned resting on the rim 102 of bowl 103 and by reason of the distance from collar 101 to the spray hole the spray is directed into the crevice 104 at the bowl rim and thus inside hollow rim 102. This insures that the liquid reaches the most inaccessible portions of the bowl and then runs down by gravity throughout the entire inside surface of bowl 103 and into the sewer trap (not shown).

Clip 56 may be used to hold fitting 92 between uses, 5 as is best shown in FIG. 4 by engaging the upper end of hose 84 with collar 101 resting on top of clip 56.

The apparatus is thus conveniently used in disinfecting and descaling toilet bowls 103 and has other uses where a liquid is transported from place to place and sprayed 10 in a controlled manner. Pump 61 is used to force a controlled and pre-selected quantity of liquid into crevice 104 or any other desired location. Such controlled and convenient means of applying the spray is safe in that the hands of the user do not come in contact with the 15 liquid and is also more efficient than other means. The shape of container 11 and the location of handle 26 relative to pump 61 and relative to the distribution of weight within the container are particularly useful. Swab 106 may be used to clean the bowl, although gravity tends 20 to bring the liquid into contact with the surfaces treated. Between uses of swab 106, cup 36 provides a convenient and safe place of storage.

Cup 36 and clips 51 and 56 integral therewith may be removed from container 11 by prying skirt 46 from around 25 boss 35. Such removal may be desirable during transportation and storage and also when the user does not need swab 106. The cup may readily be installed by snapping skirt 46 over boss 35 until shoulders 37 and 47 inter-engage.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail, by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended 35 claims.