Wire cleaning brush with renewable bristles

Abstract

A cleaning implement comprises an elongate hollow tube. Bristle wires are bundled together and inserted fully into the tube, leaving a portion of the bristle wire projecting beyond a first end of the tube. The projecting portion of the bristle wire is trimmed to form a wire bristle brush. The first end of the tube is crimped to secure the bristles in place. When the bristles wear out, the end of the brush is uncrimped and a new length of bristle wire is pulled out of the tube. The tube is recrimped and the new bristle wire sheared off to form new bristles. The second, opposite end of the tube can be cut at an angle to form a scraper tool. Alternatively, screw threads can be formed at the second end of the tube to removably receive other types of cleaning or scraping apparatus.

1 . A cleaning implement with renewable bristles, comprising: 
 an elongate, hollow tube having a first end and a second end;    a bundle of bristles inserted into said tube and having a portion extending beyond said first end of said tube;    a crimp in said first end of said tube, said bristles retained in place within said tube solely by said crimp of said first end of said tube to squeeze said tube against said bundle of bristles, the portion of said bundle of bristles projecting beyond said first end trimmed to form a brush for said cleaning implement;    wherein an uncrimping of said first end of said tube allows said bundle of bristles to be partially withdrawn from said first end of said tube to thereby provide a new portion of said bundle of bristles and thereby renew the bristles for said brush.    
     
     
         2 . The implement of  claim 1  wherein said second end of said tube is cut at an angle to thereby form a scraping implement.  
     
     
         3 . The implement of  claim 1  wherein said second end of said tube comprises a threaded adapter for threadably and removably receiving a tool.  
     
     
         4 . The implement of  claim 1  wherein said bristles projecting beyond said first end of said tube are bent at an angle relative to the long axis of said tube.  
     
     
         5 . The implement of  claim 1 , further comprising a second bundle of bristles inserted into said second end of said tube and having a portion extending beyond said second end of said tube.  
     
     
         6 . The implement of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a crimp in said second end of said tube, said second bundle of bristles retained in place within said tube solely by said crimp of said second end of said tube to squeeze said tube against said second bundle of bristles, the portion of said second bundle of bristles projecting beyond said first end trimmed to form a second brush for said cleaning implement;    wherein an uncrimping of said second end of said tube allows said second bundle of bristles to be partially withdrawn from said second end of said tube to thereby provide a new portion of said second bundle of bristles and thereby renew the second bristles for said brush.    
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a cleaning implement having a brush with renewable bristles, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a hollow tube having a first end;    winding metal wire into a coil;    inserting said coil of wire into said first end of said hollow tube;    further inserting said coil of wire into said tube until a substantial portion of said coil of wire has been inserted into said tube and leaving a portion of said coil protruding beyond said first end of said tube;    severing the metal wire forming said coil at a location distal from said first end of said tube to thereby leave strands of said metal wire projecting beyond said first end of said tube to thereby form bristles for a brush; and    forming a crimp in said hollow tube in the vicinity of said first end of said tube to thereby squeeze said tube against said coil of metal wire inside said tube and thereby substantially prevent said coil of metal wire inside said tube from moving relative to said tube;    wherein an uncrimping of said crimp allows said coil of metal wire to be partially withdrawn from said first end of said tube to thereby renew the bristles of said brush.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said hollow tube comprises a second end opposite from said first end and defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the method further comprises the step of cutting said second end of said tube at an acute angle relative to said longitudinal axis to thereby form a scraper tool for said implement.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said hollow tube comprises a second end opposite from said first end and wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a threaded adapter at said second for threadably and removably receiving an additional cleaning or other tool.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said hollow tube comprises a second end opposite from said first end and wherein the method further comprises the step of: 
 forming a second coil of metal wire;    inserting said second coil of wire into said second end of said hollow tube;    further inserting said second coil of wire into said second end of said tube until a substantial portion of said coil of wire has been inserted into said tube and leaving a portion of said coil protruding beyond said second end of said tube;    severing the metal wire forming said second coil at a location distal from said second end of said tube to thereby leave strands of said metal wire projecting beyond said second end of said tube to thereby form bristles for a second brush for said implement; and    forming a second crimp in said hollow tube in the vicinity of said second end of said tube to thereby squeeze said tube against said coil of metal wire inside said tube and thereby substantially prevent said coil of metal wire inside said tube from moving relative to said tube;    wherein an uncrimping of said second crimp allows said second coil of metal wire to be partially withdrawn from said second end of said tube to thereby renew the bristles of said second brush.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said tube has a length L and wherein said coil of metal wire has a circumference C when placed into a circular configuration, and wherein C is greater than or equal to two times L.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said coil of metal wire is secured to itself at two opposite locations prior to said step of inserting said coil of wire into said first end of said hollow tube