Combination mop wringer and bucket system

Abstract

A combination wringer/bucket system uses a wringer consisting of a wringer basket and pressure plate, specifically configured to be mounted on the rim of the bucket, which itself is specially adapted to receive and support a separable, columar wringer basket support member. This member extends between the floor of the bucket and the basket and provides stability to the bucket mounted wringer. The support member can be removed from the bucket, as can the wringer, so that the bucket can be used alone, if desired. For providing additional stability to the wringer, leg components extend from the pressure plate, through the wringer basket. A cam operated system smoothly controls the movement of the pressure plate within the wringer, to efficiently and effectively wring out saturated mops.

1 . A wringer for a mop bucket comprising: 
 (a) a wringer basket with side surfaces;    (b) means to removeably attach the basket to a rim of the mop bucket;    (c) a pressure plate extending within the basket;    (d) a movable handle extending upwardly from the basket;    (e) bias means for applying a force against the pressure plate;    (f) cam means connected to the handle for controlling a path of movement of the handle, whereby movement of the handle along the path and in opposition to the force of the bias means, moves the pressure plate within the basket in the direction of the movement of the handle.    
     
     
         2 . The wringer as in  claim 1  wherein the handle is attached to the basket by a connecting tube.  
     
     
         3 . The wringer as in  claim 2  wherein the bias means is a spring which substantially surrounds the connecting tube.  
     
     
         4 . The wringer as in  claim 1  wherein the cam means comprises arcuate slots in the side surfaces and a rod member positioned within the slots adjacent to the pressure plate, whereby movement of the handle in opposition to the force of the bias means urges the rod member against the pressure plate, moving the pressure plate in the direction of the movement of the handle.  
     
     
         5 . The wringer as in  claim 4  wherein the cam means further comprises dual slotted cam components into which the rod member extends.  
     
     
         6 . The wringer as in  claim 5  wherein movement of the handle along the path moves the rod member within the side surface slots and the slotted cam components.  
     
     
         7 . A wringer for a mop bucket comprising: 
 (a) a wringer basket with side surfaces, each surface comprising an arcuate cam slot;    (b) means to attach the basket to a rim of the mop bucket;    (c) a pressure plate extending within the basket;    (d) a moveable handle extending substantially upwardly from the basket;    (e) bias means for applying a force against the pressure plate;    (f) a rod member extending across the pressure plate and positioned within the cam slots, such that movement of the handle in opposition to the force of the bias means urges the rod member against the pressure plate, moving it in the direction of the movement of a handle.    
     
     
         8 . The wringer as in  claim 7  wherein the handle is attached to the basket by a connecting tube.  
     
     
         9 . The wringer as in  claim 8  wherein the bias means is a spring which substantially surrounds the connecting tube.  
     
     
         10 . The wringer as in  claim 7  further comprising dual slotted cam components into which the rod member extends.  
     
     
         11 . The wringer as in  claim 10  whereby movement of the handle along the path moves the rod member within the side surface slots and the slotted cam components.  
     
     
         12 . A wringer for a mop bucket with a rim and a floor surface, said wringer comprising: 
 (a) a wringer basket with a bottom surface;    (b) means to removeably attach the basket to the rim of the mop bucket; and    (c) means supporting the basket in spaced relation to the mop bucket, said means located within the bucket and extending between the bottom surface of the basket and the floor surface of the bucket.    
     
     
         13 . The wringer as in  claim 12  wherein said basket supporting means is independently separable and removeable from the basket and the bucket.  
     
     
         14 . The wringer as in  claim 12  wherein the basket supporting means comprises a columar support member.  
     
     
         15 . The wringer as in  claim 14  wherein the columar support member comprises two columns.  
     
     
         16 . The wringer as in  claim 15  wherein the columns are interconnected.  
     
     
         17 . The wringer as in  claim 14  wherein the columar support member comprises basket support elements and mop bucket receptacle members.  
     
     
         18 . A wringer for a mop bucket with a floor surface, said wringer comprising: 
 (a) a wringer basket with a bottom surface; and    (b) a basket support member located within the bucket and extending between the bottom surface of the basket and the floor of the surface of the bucket, said support member comprising columns having basket supporting elements and mop bucket receptacle members.    
     
     
         19 . The wringer as in  claim 18  wherein the bucket supporting member is independently separable and removeable from the basket and the bucket.  
     
     
         20 . A wringer for a mop bucket comprising: 
 (a) a wringer basket with side surfaces and a front surface, said front surface comprising slotted openings;    (b) a moveable handle extending from the basket; and    (c) a pressure plate positioned within the basket, said pressure plate having leg means extending therefrom for insertion into the slotted openings to provide stability to the wringer in relation to the mop bucket upon movement of the handle.    
     
     
         21 . The wringer as in  claim 20  wherein the leg means inserted into the slotted openings prevent rotational movement of the wringer in relation to the mop bucket upon movement of the handle.  
     
     
         22 . The wringer as in  claim 20  in which there are two slotted openings and the leg means comprise dual leg components extending through the openings.  
     
     
         23 . A wringer for a mop bucket comprising: 
 (a) a wringer basket with a front surface, said front surface comprising slotted openings; and    (b) a pressure plate positioned within the basket, said pressure plate having a plurality of elongated leg components extending therefrom, said leg components extending through the slotted openings and substantially into the mop bucket.    
     
     
         24 . The wringer as in  claim 23  in which there are two leg components extending through two slotted openings.  
     
     
         25 . A wringer and mop bucket combination comprising: 
 (a) a wringer having a basket with a bottom surface and side openings;    (b) a mop bucket with a floor surface;    (c) means for supporting the basket in spaced relation to the mop bucket, said means located within the bucket and extending between the bottom surface of the basket and the floor surface of the bucket; and    (d) means on the floor surface of the bucket to maintain the basket supporting means in stable, stationary position within the bucket.    
     
     
         26 . The wringer and mop bucket combination as in  claim 25  wherein the basket supporting means is independently separable and removeable from the basket and the bucket.  
     
     
         27 . The wringer and mop bucket combination as in  claim 25  wherein the basket supporting means comprises column members.  
     
     
         28 . The wringer and mop bucket combination as in  claim 27  wherein the column members comprise basket supporting elements.  
     
     
         29 . The wringer and mop bucket combination as in  claim 27  wherein the column members comprise mop bucket receptacle members.  
     
     
         30 . The wringer and mop bucket combination as in  claim 28  wherein the column members comprise mop bucket receptacle members.  
     
     
         31 . The wringer and mop bucket combination as in  claim 25  wherein the means on the floor surface of the bucket comprises concave base members.  
     
     
         32 . The wringer and mop bucket combination as in  claim 31  wherein the basket supporting means comprises mop bucket receptacle members configured for placement over the concave base members.