U.S. patent number 3,682,516 [Application Number 05/096,331] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-08 for ferrule assembly for a push broom or the like.
Invention is credited to Joseph Savage.
United States Patent |
3,682,516 |
Savage |
August 8, 1972 |
FERRULE ASSEMBLY FOR A PUSH BROOM OR THE LIKE
Abstract
A three-piece ferrule assembly for replacing the conventional
and direct wood-to-wood threaded joint between a wooden push broom
body and its associated wooden handle.
Inventors: |
Savage; Joseph (Evanston,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
22256864 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/096,331 |
Filed: |
December 9, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
403/189; 15/145;
473/306 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25G
3/04 (20130101); B25G 3/30 (20130101); F16B
9/054 (20180801); F16B 2200/10 (20180801) |
Current International
Class: |
B25G
3/30 (20060101); B25G 3/00 (20060101); B25G
3/04 (20060101); B25g 003/30 () |
Field of
Search: |
;306/30 ;287/128,125,116
;279/99,1Q,56,102 ;15/145R,176 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Kundrat; Andrew V.
Claims
Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire
by secure by U.S. Letters Patent is:
1. The combination with a push broom having a wooden body of
generally rectangular outline, said body being formed with a
relatively deep threaded bore opening onto the upper side thereof
and with bristle tufts depending from the underneath side thereof,
and an elongated wooden handle having a reduced lower end section
provided with male contour threads designed for normal reception in
said bore, of a ferrule assembly by means of which the handle is
operatively and removably attached to said body, said ferrule
assembly including a cup-shaped metal body having an upper
cylindrical section provided with a relatively deep axial socket
defining a cylindrical side wall, a circular bottom wall and an
open annular flat upper radially extending rim surface, the
longitudinal extent of said socket being appreciably greater than
the longitudinal extent of said reduced lower end section of the
handle and the diameter of the socket being substantially equal to
the diameter of the handle, the lower end region of the handle
being disposed within said socket with the lower end of the
threaded portion being seated on said bottom wall and with said
side wall encompassing said reduced lower end section and a portion
of the handle above such section, said metal body being formed with
a downwardly extending reduced solid section having male contour
threads formed in the lower region thereof and conformable in pitch
direction and threaded depth to the male contour threads on the
wooden handle, said solid section constituting an attachment stem
which, in combination with said metal body, establishes an annular
downwardly facing radially stepped shoulder at the juncture region
therebetween, said male threads on the solid section being received
in said socket in the wooden broom body with a portion of said
downwardly facing stepped shoulder being seated on the upper side
of said wooden body in the rim region of the bore, thus rigidly
securing the ferrule body to the broom body, the upper portion of
the cylindrical side wall of the ferrule body being provided with
external machine cut screw threads which extend downwardly from
said open annular rim of the socket, a resilient elastomeric O-ring
seated on said annular flat radial rim surface and surrounding the
wooden handle, and a jam nut of cap-like configuration threadedly
received on said external machine cut screw threads and having an
inturned radially extending rim flange which bears downwardly
against said O-ring and clamps the same against said flat annular
rim surface of the socket, thus flattening the O-ring axially and
causing the same to spread radially in both directions and bind
inwardly in centripetal fashion against the broom handle and
outwardly against said jam nut, thus securing the handle in said
socket against axial shifting therein.
Description
The improved ferrule assembly comprising the present invention is
designed for use primarily in connection with a conventional push
broom of the type which is commonly sold in hardware stores or
janitor supply establishments and serves as a medium for the indoor
sweeping of the floors of buildings such as homes, school houses,
armories, assembly halls, garages and the like, or the outdoor
sweeping of sidewalks, patio floors, tennis courts, concrete or
other areaways, and travelled surfaces too numerous to mention. The
invention is, however, capable of other uses and ferrule assemblies
embodying the principles of the present invention are capable of
use, with or without modification as required, in connection with
certain types of mops, dusters, and other devices of a similar
nature. Irrespective of the particular use to which the invention
may be put, the essential features thereof are at all times
preserved.
Considering by way of example a conventional push broom of the type
which has been in use for over half a century without appreciable
modification, such a broom consists essentially of a substantially
flat rectangular wooden body, the underneath portion of which is
drilled to provide a multiplicity of small closely spaced holes
within which there are inserted and secured respective groups or
tufts of bristles. The upper portion of the broom body is usually
provided in the central part of each side with an
internally-threaded handle-receiving socket. The internal screw
threads which are associated with these sockets are formed directly
in the wood of the body, and they are for the most part relatively
coarse "contour" threads. The two sockets are disposed with these
axes slightly upwardly divergent and are designed for selective
threaded reception therein of the lower or distal end of a wooden
handle, such distal end of the handle being provided with an
external "contour" screw thread which is the complement of the
internal screw threads in the two handle-receiving sockets. When
the handle is properly threaded to its home position in either of
the two sockets in the broom body, the push broom is ready for use,
the handle extending at a convenient operating angle when the
wooden body is horizontal so that the bristles extend substantially
normal to the floor or other surface undergoing sweeping. Effective
sweeping of a floor is accomplished largely by pushing the broom
body forwardly over the floor by proper use of the handle, and
thus, after a period of time, the bristles tend to take on a
definite set with a constantly decreasing sweeping angle and an
attendant loss of sweeping efficiency. In order to remedy this
situation and readjust the angle of the bristles, the handle may be
unscrewed from its associated socket and threaded into the other
socket, thereby reversing the angle of inclination of the bristles
with respect to the floor. This affords an increased effective
broom life.
From the above description, it will be appreciated that throughout
the life of any given push broom, several changes of handle
positions will be effected. However, the great majority of push
brooms are provided with wooden broom bodies and handles, both of
which are constructed of low-grade pine and, therefore, they will
not withstand repeated assembly and dismantlement. As a
consequence, the life of the bristles almost invariably exceeds
handle life and many push brooms are discarded while the bristles
thereof are still in good or usable condition. This is particularly
the case in connection with push brooms which are used outdoors,
and especially those which are stored outdoors or in open garages
or the like.
Unlike the high-grade treated hickory handles of hammers and other
impact tools which are possessed of a relatively long life, pine
and other inferior types of wood are extremely porous and are,
thus, capable of moisture absorption. Whereas, new hickory may have
a moisture content of approximately 10 percent, fresh pine may have
a moisture content of as much as 18 percent. Thus, a conventional
wooden push broom handle will ordinarily have an extremely large
shrinkage factor so that a new handle, after a prolonged dry
period, will shrink appreciably. This fact, coupled with the fact
that the wooden broom body also shrinks, will cause the handle to
become quite loose. To compensate for such looseness, the obvious
procedure is to tighten the handle in the associated socket of the
broom body by screwing it further into the socket until it again
becomes tight. After this has been done and a period of high
humidity takes place, or if the push broom is used for sweeping
moist materials such as wet leaves or the like, a rapid swelling of
both the handle and the broom body takes place so that the handle
and body become figuratively speaking "welded" together and no
amount of torque can separate them. Many push brooms thus are used
to completion with the handle positioned in only one of the two
sockets in the upper portion of the broom body, simply because the
user is unable to make the change-over. Usually, the threaded
distal end of the handle breaks off when torque is applied thereto
after it has become swollen in its socket and this is especially
true when a prolonged period of moisture causes rotting of the wood
of the handle. Swelling of the interfitting screw threads on the
handle and within the socket of the broom body also ocasionally
causes splitting of the wooden body.
The ferrule assembly of the present invention is designed to
overcome the above-noted limitations that are attendant upon the
construction and use of conventional push brooms and similar
articles and, accordingly, the invention contemplates the provision
of a ferrule assembly including a metallic ferrule body which has
at one end thereof an external or male contour screw thread for
insertion in one of the internally threaded sockets in the body of
a push broom, and has at its other end a relatively deep socket for
sliding telescopic reception of the threaded distal end of the
broom handle, said socket being adapted to have the threaded distal
end of the handle locked therein by means of an elastomeric O-ring
which is maintained under compression and in handle-gripping
relationship by means of a jam nut. It is contemplated that the
present ferrule assembly will either be supplied as original
equipment on a push broom, in which case the broom handle will not
be provided with an external contour screw thread at its distal
end, or be supplied for use with an existing new or old push broom,
in which case the handle will be unthreaded from the broom body and
effectively installed in the socket in the ferrule body of the
assembly, after which the external or male contour screw thread on
the ferrule body will be threaded into one of the two threaded
sockets in the broom body. Once made, the assembly or connection of
the broom handle and ferrule body is intended to be a permanent one
inasmuch as the handle is likely to last throughout the entire
length of the push broom. The assembly or connection of the ferrule
body to the broom body is one that may readily be uncoupled for the
purpose of changing sockets in the broom body inasmuch as the
ferrule body is formed of metal and is, therefore, not subject to
moisture absorption and consequent swelling or to rotting as is the
case in connection with the distal end of a wooden push broom
handle. The provision of a ferrule assembly such as has briefly
been outlined above constitutes the principal object of the
invention.
The provision of a ferrule assembly which is extremely simple in
its construction and is comprised of a minimum number of parts so
that it may be manufactured at a low cost; one which is rugged and
durable and, therefore, will withstand rough usage; one which, by
its clamping action on the push broom handle, allows for
considerable tolerances in broom handle diameter so that it is
applicable to the push brooms of different manufacturers; one which
is capable of ease of installation on a push broom and requires no
particular degree of skill for its application; one which is easily
dismantled so that it may be used in connection with successive
push brooms; one which is attractive in its appearance and pleasing
in its design; and one which otherwise is well adapted to perform
the services required of it, are further desirable features which
have been borne in mind in the production and development of the
present invention.
The invention consists in the several novel features which are
hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by the
claims at the conclusion hereof.
In the accompanying single sheet of drawings forming a part of this
specification, one illustrative embodiment of the invention is
shown.
In these drawings:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a push broom, showing
the ferrule assembly of the present invention operatively applied
thereto;
FIG. 2 is a reduced, exploded perspective view of the structure of
FIG. 1 with certain portions of the push broom body removed in the
interests of clarity;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded sectional view taken substantially
centrally and longitudinally through the detached ferrule assembly;
and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view, showing the ferrule assembly
operatively applied to the push broom handle.
Referring now to the drawings, the ferrule assembly of the present
invention is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4 and is designed
in its entirety by the reference numeral 10. In FIG. 1, this
assembly 10 is shown as being operatively applied to a conventional
push broom 12 having the usual wooden broom body 14 and an
associated elongated wooden handle 16.
The broom body 14 is formed of wood and is generally rectangular in
outline. The underneath side of the base is provided with a
multiplicity of closely spaced drilled holes (not shown), each hole
serving to receive therein a tuft of bristles 17. The various
tufts, collectively, present a mass of slightly divergent bristle
strands. The upper surface 18 of the broom body is flat while the
longitudinal or side edge of the body is rounded or curved as
indicated at 19. The broom body 14 of the push broom has formed
therein two handle-receiving sockets 20 and 20a, the axis of which
are upwardly divergent and extend at an angle of approximately
20.degree. from the vertical longitudinal mid-plane of the broom
body. These sockets open upwards and lie on the juncture lines
between the flat upper surface 18 and the curved side edges of the
body 14. Each socket is provided with internal coarse screw threads
22 of the type which is commonly referred to as a "contour" thread.
The screws threads 22 are cut or otherwise formed directly in the
wood of the body 14 and commence at regions immediately below short
cylindrical bores 23 which are associated with the sockets 20 and
20a. Ordinarily, in connection with a conventional push broom which
does not employ the ferrule assembly of the present invention, the
two sockets 20 and 20a are adapted selectively to receive therein
the distal end of a wooden push broom handle such as the handle 16,
such end being provided with a limited threaded section of reduced
diameter which presents an external or male contour screw thread 24
(see FIG. 2).
According to the present invention, the handle 16, instead of being
threaded directly into one of the two sockets 20 and 20a in the
broom body 14 is effectively secured in the selected socket by
means of the ferrule assembly 10. This assembly involves in its
general organization an elongated, generally cylindrical, one-piece
ferrule body 30 which is of deep cup-shaped configuration and
consists of a cylindrical side wall 32 and an integral circular
bottom wall 34, these two walls establishing a relatively deep,
open top socket 36. The ferrule body 30 is provided at its lower
end with a downwardly extending reduced section 37 which is of
short extent and from which there extends downwardly a solid
attachment stem 38, the latter being formed with a smooth
cylindrical section 39, below which there is formed external or
male contour screw threads 40 which are conformably in pitch
direction and threads depth to the male contour screw threads 24 on
the lower or distal end of the wooden handle 16 and which,
therefore, match the female threads 22 of the two sockets 20 and
20a in the broom body 14. The upper portion of the cylindrical side
wall 32 of the ferrule body 30 is provided with external or male
machine cut screw threads 42 which extend inwardly from the open
rim of the body 30 an appreciable distance and are designed for
cooperation with a jam nut 44 in a manner and for a purpose that
will be made clear presently.
The jam nut 44 is of cylindrical cap-like design and it is provided
with internal or male screw thread 46 while the outer side surface
thereof is knurled as indicated at 48. The upper open rim of the
jam nut 44 is provided with an inturned, annular rim flange 50.
Said nut 44 is adapted to be threadedly received over the upper end
portion of the ferrule body 30 in order that a resilient
elastomeric O-ring 52 which surrounds the distal end of the handle
16 and rests coextensively on the upper rim 54 of the side wall 32
may be compressed between the said rim flange 50 and such rim 54 of
said side wall during installation of the ferrule assembly 10 on
the push broom 12.
Considering now the application of the present ferrule assembly 10
to a conventional or standard assembled push broom, the broom
handle 16 of the push broom 12 is initially unthreaded or released
from the socket 22 or 22a in the broom body 14 and then externally
threaded attachment stem 38 of the ferrule body 30 is screwed fully
into either of the two sockets 20 and 20a in the broom body 14.
Thereafter, the lower or distal end of the broom handle 16 is
telescopically inserted or projected into the socket 36 in the
ferrule body 30 until the outer extremity of said distal end of the
broom handle engages the bottom wall 34 of the ferrule body 30.
After this operation, the jam nut 44 is slid over the upper end of
the handle and is then slid downwards and threaded onto the open
upper rim portion of the ferrule body 30, the resilient O-ring 52
being previously inserted into the nut so that it underlies the rim
flange 50 thereof. The distal end of the handle thus passes through
both the jam nut and the O-ring, and as the jam nut is tightened on
the ferrule body 30, the O-ring bears against the rim 54 and is
compressed between such rim and the flange 50. Compression of the
O-ring serves to flatten the same in a horizontal direction and
also to cause the same to bind against the broom handle, thereby
securely locking the latter in a fixed axial position with respect
to the ferrule assembly with the distal end of the handle resting
on the bottom wall 34 as shown in FIG. 4.
The installation of the handle 16 and the ferrule assembly 12 as
described above effects a more or less permanent assembly or
combination which is then threaded bodily as a unit into one or the
other of the two sockets 20 and 20a in the broom body 14. When the
time arrives for shifting of the handle to the other socket, it is
not necessary to dismantle the handle from the ferrule assembly, it
being necessary only to unthread the stem 38 from the initially
selected socket 20 or 20a, as the case may be, and then thread it
into the other socket.
Finally, it is to be noted that when the metal attachment stem 38
is fully threadedly received within one or the other of the sockets
20 and 20a, the smooth cylindrical side surface of the reduced
section 37 of the ferrule body 30 fits snugly within the smooth
cylindrical bore 23 of such socket, while the downwardly facing
annular shoulder 56 which is established at the juncture region
between the reduced section 37 and the side wall 32 bears in
face-to-face relationship on the flat upper surface 18 of the broom
body, thereby rigidifying the union between the ferrule assembly
and the broom body.
The herein described ferrule assembly is capable of being
manufactured as original equipment on a push broom, mop, floor
brush, or similar article, or alternatively, it may be applied to
existing articles of this nature, whether such articles be new or
used. When used as original equipment, the wooden handle 16 need
not be externally threaded, nor need the distal end region thereof
be of reduced diameter. When the ferrule assembly is applied to
either a new existing article or to a used one, the threaded
section of the handle 16 may be left intact or it may be sawed off
if desired. Where a broken handle is concerned, if the break is in
the vicinity of the threads 24, any threaded portion remaining in
the socket 20 or 20a of the broom base may be extracted, piecemeal
if necessary, and the remaining threaded portion of the handle
sawed off prior to installation of the handle on the ferrule
assembly 10.
The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of
parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this
specification as various changes in the details of construction may
be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the
invention. Therefore, only insofar as the invention is particularly
pointed out in the accompanying claim is the same to be
limited.
* * * * *