Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 1 62364
This invention relates to utility brushes and, more
particularly, to utility brushes including integral reservoir
means containing a supply of cleaning fluid.
The cleaning of various objects, for example, cars or
other motor vehicles, requires the use of a brush and a cleaning
fluid such as soapy water. Normally the soapy water is retained
in a bucket and the cleaning brush is dipped into the bucket
absorbing the soapy water. The brush is then placed on the
vehicle allowing the soapy water to run on the surface to be
cleaned and the brush is used to scrub that surface in the
usual manner. Thi~ techni~ue is time consuming and provides
only small amounts of the cleaning fluid on the object to be
cleaned unless the brush ls continually dipped into the bucket.
There is known in the art, a combination reservoir-
brush, in which the brush i8 associated with a cleaning fluid
reservoir. To fill the reservoir requires some manipulation of
a check valve and is thus time consuming. To release the fluid,
a capillary action is utilized and this too is relatively time
consuming. See U.S. Patent No. 1,047,338.
Accordingly, it is an ob~ect of this invention to
provide a utilit~ brush with a reservoir means associated there-
with for a cleaning fluid.
It is another object of thi~ invention to provide a
combination utility brush and reservoir which is arranged to
provide for fast filling of the reservoir with the cleaning
fluid and the slow release of the cleaning fluid during the
actual cleaning operation.
It is another object of this invention to provide a
utility brush and reservoir for cleaning fluid which includes a
simple, efficient check valve means.
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Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide
a utility brush with a reservoir means associated therewith that
permits efficient cleaning of various objects and that is rela-
tively simple and economical.
These and other objects of this invention are realized
by providing a utility brush including a brush head and a handle
member. The brush head is formed with cleaning means extending
from one face thereof and being formed with port means communi-
cating between the exterior surface of the brush head adjacent
the cleaning means and reservoir means in which a cleaning fluid
can be contained. Associated with the reservoir means is a
check valve means for allowing the escape of air from the
reservoir when it is being f~lled with a cleanlng fluid and for
maintaining a reduced air pressure in the reservoir when the
cleaning fluid is being released. With this arrangement the
reservoir can be filled rather quickly but the release of the
cleaning fluid is somewhat slower.
For a better understanding of t~e invention, reference
is made to the following description of several preferred em-
2Q bod~ments thereof taken in conjunction with the figures of theaccompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 i8 a side elevation view, in æection, illu-
strating a first émbodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the utility brush
illustrated in Figure l;
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the free end of the
handle illustrated in Figure l;
Figure 4 is a side elevation view, partly in section,
illuætrating another embodiment of the invention; and,
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Figure 5 is a perspective view of the utility brush
illustrated in Figure 4.
Referring to Figures 1 through 3 of the drawing, there
is illustrated a u~ility brush 10 in accordance with this in-
vention. The brush 10 includes a brush head 12 and a handle
member 14. The brush head 12 is a generally rectangular member
which can be made of any generally conventional mat~rial.
Extending from one face of the brush head are generally con-
ventional bristles 18 which can be uged in the usual manner to
scrub and loosen dirt on the object to be cleaned. It should
be under3tood that the bristles 18 could be replaced with other
clean~ng or scrubbing means.
Located centrally on the face of the brush head 12
opposite that from which the brigtles 18 extend, is a generally
hollow cylindrical socket 20 which receives the handle member
14. The handle member 14 is hollow and forms, along with the
socket 20, a reservoir in which A cleaning fluid can be con-
tained. The cleaning fluid is clearly illustrated in Figure 1
of the drawing and can be soapy water or other cleaning fluids.
Communicating with the reservoir for filling and re-
leasing the fluid, there is provided a port mean~ in the form
of a cylindrical opening 22 extending from the face of the head
member 16 from which the bristles 18 extend through the opposite
face thereof in the region of the socket 20. Thus, the cleaning
fluid can flow through the opening 22 into the reservoir when
the brush is dipped into a container of the cleaning fluid and
the cleaning fluid can be released through the opening to the
surface to be cleaned. This flow is usually induced by gravity.
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In order to provide for the rapid filling of the
reservoir and a generally slow release of the cleaning fluid
therefrom, there is provided check valve means generally indi-
cated at 24 and as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawing. The
check valve means 24 includes a closure member 25 fitted over
the free end of the handle 14 which is formed with a plurality
of openings 26 communicating between the interior of the
reservoir and the atmosphere. Associated with the openings 26
i8 a valve member 28 comprised of rubber closure member secured
to the member 25 at its center so that its outer area normally
seats over and closes the openings 26. When the utility brush
is placed into the tank of the cleaning fluid, the cleaning
fluid flows through the opening 22 and into the reservoir com-
pressing the air in the reservoir which forces the outer area
of the valve member 28 away from the openings exhausting the
air to the atmosphere. For facilitating the exhaust of the air,
the valve member 28 should be made of a light, flexible
material. After filling the atmospheric pressure is sufficient
to retain the closure member 28 over the openings 26 so that
leakage of air into the reservoir is inhibited. Thus, during
the cleaning ~peration, the fluid flows at a substantially
reduced rate through the opening 22. This is because there is
a generally greater pressure acting on the outside of the ports
22 than on the reservoir side of the port 22.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5, there i8 illustrated
another embodiment lOa of a utility brush in accordance with
this invention. In de~cribing the embodiment, like reference
numerals will deæignate like parts with the addition of the
suffix~a. In this embodiment there is also provided a brush
head 12a and a handle 14a. The brush head 12a is generally
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rec:tangular and bristles 18a extend from one face in a manner
similar to that in Figures 1 through 3. Carried about the
opposite face of the head member 16a is a suitable housing 19
which is secured to and co-operates with the brush head 16a to
form a reservoir for cleaning fluid. The cover 19 may be
secured into the brush head member 16a in any suitable fashion
it being important that an effective seal preventing leakage be
provided. In this embodiment the edges of the housing are
embedded in the sides of the brush head 16a. The outer surface
of the cover 19 can be formed with a threaded socket for
receiving the handle 14a.
Formed through the head member 16a are a plurality of
openings 22a similar to the opening 22 illustrated in Figures
1 through 3. In this embodiment, however, there can be provided
a plurality of openings 22a so that the release of the cleaning
fluid is more uniformly distributed throughout the working area
of the bristles l~a,
There is also provided a check valve means 24a for
allowing the escape of air during the filling operation and for
thereafter maintaining a reduced air pressure on the fluid in
the reser~Joir. The check valve member 24a includes a cylindri-
cal sleeve 30 formed in the housing 19 and communicates between
the interior of the reservoir and with the atmosphere. The
cylindrical sleeve 30 is closed by a closure member in the
form of a cage 32 so that the closure also communicates with
the atmosphere. Inside the cage 32 ~s located a lightweight
ball valve member 34 that cooperates with the free end of the
sleeve 30 to allow or prevent the flow of air. The ball valve
member 34 can be a hollow table tennis ball or a ball of about
1 i 62364
that height. The ball valve 34 is normally retained in the
closed position by a relatively light spring member 36 so that
only a small pressure differential is required to open the
valve.
In use, the utility brush lOa can be placed in a con-
tainer of cleaning fluid so that the cleaning fluid flows
through the openings 22a into the interior of the housing 19.
As the liquid enters, it forces the air, by compression, to
open the ball valve member 34 allowing the escape of air through
the cage 32. The cleaning fluid can, if the reservoir is filled
to the top fill the inside of the cage member 32. The light-
weight ball valve member 34 will float on the surface of the
cleaning fluid and will clo~e against the sleeve 30 as the level
of the cleaning fluid recedes. Once the filling is complete,
the spring 36 urges the ball valve member 34 back against the
sleeve 30 closing the valve and inhibiting the flow of air back
into the reservoir. This means a reduced air pressure is main-
tained in the reservoir so that there is a slow discharge of
the fluid.
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. While in the foregoing there have been disclosed pre-
ferred embodiments of the invention it should be obvious to those
skilled in the art that various.changes and modifications can be
. made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
S as recited in the appended claims.
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