Wringer mop with removable mop head

Abstract

A mop has an angled handle and a working end with a pair of opposed rollers. An actuator on the mop can be moved between a replacement position, a wringing position, and an intermediate use position. When in the replacement position, a mop head can be removably attached to the working end of the handle by sliding the mop head sideways so an arm on a connector passes between a shoulder and a bridge on the mop head. The connector has a loop at its upper end, and is connected to a slotted mounting stem on an actuator. The mop head is also provided with a threaded aperture and slots, allowing it to be used in other mops.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A mop comprising: 
 a handle with a working end;    a pair of opposed rollers extending perpendicularly to the handle;    a mop head comprising a sponge and a sponge holder;    an actuator on the handle, the actuator being movable between a wringing position, an intermediate position, and a replacement position; and    a connector linking the actuator to the sponge holder so that the sponge element is between the rollers when the actuator is in the wringing position, and the sponge head is free of the rollers when the actuator is in the replacement position.    
     
     
         2 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the connector is a rod, and the working end of the handle includes a guide for the rod.  
     
     
         3 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which: 
 the sponge holder comprises a shoulder and a bridge;    the connector comprises an arm parallel to the rollers that fits under the bridge and above the shoulder; and    the mop head is removable from the connector by moving the mop head parallel to the rollers when the mop head is free of the rollers.    
     
     
         4 . The mop as recited in  claim 3 , in which the arm on the connector has an angled tip.  
     
     
         5 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the sponge holder comprises two sides, at least one of the sides comprising an upper projection that engages an upper portion of one of the rollers when the actuator is in the intermediate position.  
     
     
         6 . The mop as recited in  claim 5 , in which the sponge holder comprises upper projections on each side.  
     
     
         7 . The mop as recited in  claim 5 , in which: 
 at least one of the rollers comprises at least two outside rollers with unsupported outer ends;    the side of the sponge connector comprising the upper projection comprises two upper projections, each upper projection contacting only one of the outside rollers.    
     
     
         8 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which at least one of the rollers is at least partially mounted on a resilient arm.  
     
     
         9 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the actuator comprises a hand grip, an anchor, and a pivot between the anchor and the hand grip.  
     
     
         10 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the connector comprises a rod and is connected to the actuator at a mounting stem that has an axis that is perpendicular to the handle.  
     
     
         11 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the connector comprises a rod with a loop that is connected to a slotted mounting stem on the actuator.  
     
     
         12 . The mop as recited in  claim 11 , in which the slotted mounting stem has an axis that is perpendicular to the handle.  
     
     
         13 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the handle has an upper section and an angled lower section.  
     
     
         14 . The mop as recited in  claim 13 , in which the actuator is mounted on a connector between the upper section of the handle and the angled lower section of the handle.  
     
     
         15 . The mop as recited in  claim 13 , in which the working end of the handle has a channel that is angled with respect to the lower section of the handle.  
     
     
         16 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which: 
 the working end of the mop comprises a sleeve with an internal knob; and    the mop further comprises a removable brush with a slotted resilient web that engages the internal knob.    
     
     
         17 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the mop head comprises a shoulder on the sponge holder and a bridge that is disposed at least about {fraction (3/16)} of an inch above the shoulder.  
     
     
         18 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the sponge holder comprises two sides, each of the sides comprising two upper projections spaced at least about an inch and a half from the midpoint of the mop head.  
     
     
         19 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the mop head comprises a shoulder on the sponge holder, a bridge disposed above the shoulder, and a threaded aperture in the bridge.  
     
     
         20 . The mop as recited in  claim 1 , in which the mop head comprises a bridge on the sponge holder, a threaded aperture in the bridge, a pair of spaced-apart slots, each slot having a circular section adjoining a narrower passage, and a pair of removable tabs that fit within the slots.  
     
     
         21 . A mop head comprising a sponge element and a sponge holder, the sponge holder comprising a shoulder, a bridge disposed above the shoulder, and a threaded aperture in the bridge.  
     
     
         22 . A mop head as recited in  claim 21 , in which the sponge holder further comprises a pair of spaced-apart slots, each slot having a circular section adjoining a narrower passage, and a pair of removable tabs that fit within the slots.  
     
     
         23 . A mop head comprising a sponge element and a sponge holder, the sponge holder comprising a bridge, a threaded aperture in the bridge, a pair of spaced-apart slots, each slot having a circular section adjoining a narrower passage, and a pair of removable tabs that fit within the slots.