CA1186109A

CA1186109A - Brush

Info

Publication number: CA1186109A
Application number: CA000411259A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Donald N. Smyth
Original assignee: Sabco Ltd
Current assignee: Sabco Ltd
Priority date: 1981-09-14
Filing date: 1982-09-13
Publication date: 1985-04-30
Also published as: IT8222854V0; HK101985A; JPS5878607A; GB2105579A; NL8203565A; US4471503A; GB2105579B; IT8223250A0; DE3234067A1; NZ201879A; JPS6021722B2; IT1152567B; ZA826742B; SG83285G

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A brush for cleaning and washing surfaces with a scrubbing action, the brush having bristles mounted on a body. The body houses a freely rotatable turbine wheel driven by a jet of water. The turbine wheel is eccentrically weighted so that as it rotates it imparts to the body of the brush and the bristles in a vibrating motion.

Description

This invention relates to brushes, more particularly to brushes in which a movement is imparted to the brush or bristles or the like to assist in its washing or scrubbîng action.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Brushes are known which are adapted to be rotated by a jet of water, the brush being mounted in a body attached to a handle, there being a hose or the like adapted to be connected to a source of water so that the jet of water rotates the brush.
These forms of brushes are used for washing automobiles, walls, windows and the like, but one of the problems with this form of hrush is that in order to achieve sufficient torque on the rotating brush a relatively high flow of relatively high pressure water is required. Also these brushes have a further disadvantage in that when manual pressure is applied to the brush in order to increase the scrubbing or washing action, that there is not sufficient torque to continue rotation of the brush and the brush will slow down and stop.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved brush in which the bristles are moved relative to the surface being cleaned.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE IN~ENTION:

Thus there is provided according to the invention a fluid powered brush, comprising a brush body, a recess in said body, - 2a -an unbalanced freely rotatable impeller rotatably mounted in said recess, a brush board carrying bristles attached to said brush body and closing said recess, said brush board defini.ng a plane and the bristles extend outwardly of the brush board from said plane, said impeller also defining a plane which is parallel to said plane of said brush board and being ~ournalled between said brush body and said brush board, means in said brush body for directing a flow of fluid onto said impeller so that on rotation of the impeller the brush body and brush board vibrate due to rotation oE the unbalanced impeller, and means in said recess forming an exhaust for said fluid.

. , ~

3.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the brush, Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1 and Fig~ 3 is a cross-section on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the clrawings the brush body is a generally square cup shaped body, havlng an outer covering 2 which is formed at 3 to have a recess 4 to receive a brush board 5 carrying bristles 6.

The brush body 1 is ~ormed with a circular recess 7 formed by wall 11 behind the brush board, an impeller.
10 being journalled in a beari.ng 8 in the brush body and bearing 9 in the brush board 5.

The impeller 10 has a number of blacles 2, cups or the like, and is provided with an eccentric weight or mass 13, this preferably being provided between two oE
the impeller blades 2.

The brush body comprises also a portion 14 to which can be pivoted a handle 15, the handle having a handle connector 16 connected to the bocly by a locking knob or pin 17 so that the angular relationship of the hflndle 15 and body 1 c:an be var:ied ancl :Locked in position.

The handle itself is hollow and carries a tube or hose 18 or the like, this being connected at its brush end to a nozzle 19 i.n the brush body, the nozzle being adapted to direct the jet of water into the impeller blades The wall 11 of the recess 7 for the impeller 10 can be provided with exhaust ports or passages 20 or the like for the escape of the water, this water being then allowed , 3k 4.

to escape through the bristles of the brush.

It has been Eound that very little water is required to freely spin the impeller and cause the brush body to vibrate due to the impeller carrying the eccentrlc weight, and this vibration wil] continue irrespective of the degree of pressure which is applied to the brush to force the bristles into contact with the surface being cleaned.

As the impeller is freely spinning and is not connected to the brushes or bristles in any way then a minimum amount of water is required to spin the impeller.

The brush can be utilised for various purposes both for cleaning automobiles, walls, windows, and also can have industrial application in cleaning equipment, tanks, vats, vessels and the like.

Also in the domestic scene the brush could be utilised for personal use in the bathroom where the vibratory effect would not only have a cleaning but also a therapeutic and stimulating effect on the skin.

Although one form of the invention has been described in some detail it is to be realised that the invention is not to be limited thereto but can inclucle various mod ifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A fluid powered brush, comprising a brush body, a recess in said body, an unbalanced freely rotatable impeller rotatably mounted in said recess, a brush board carrying bristles attached to said brush body and closing said recess, said brush board defining a plane and the bristles extend outwardly of the brush board from said plane, said impeller also defining a plane which is parallel to said plane of said brush board and being journalled between said brush body and said brush board, means in said brush body for directing a flow of fluid onto said impeller so that on rotation of the impeller the brush body and brush board vibrate due to rotation of the unbalanced impeller, and means in said recess forming an exhaust for said fluid.

2. A brush as defined in claim 1, further characterised in that said impeller comprises a series of vanes and an eccentric mass positioned between a pair of said vanes.

3. A brush as defined in claim 2 further characterised by bearing means in said body and brush board to carry said freely rotatable impeller.

4. A brush as defined in claim 1 further characterised in that said body further includes a nozzle to direct a flow of water onto said impeller to rotate same, said nozzle being connected to a hose associated with said handle.

5. A brush as defined in claim 1 further characterised in that said fluid exhausts through the bristles of the brush.