Construction container cleaning apparatus and method of making and using same

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning containers on a construction site comprises an armature having a cylindrical body with an end wall. The armature is covered with a scrubbing material and is constructed for attachment to a shaft rotated by a power source such as a hand-held power drill. The armature includes keying structure that precludes rotation relative to the shaft. In one embodiment, the legs of a stirring paddle at the distal region of the shaft are inserted into corners of a square cylindrical armature to key them together. In another embodiment, the armature is constructed of a circular cylindrical body with identical end caps attached thereto, and the end caps are keyed to the shaft. A user handle may be mounted on the shaft to provide better control of the apparatus during a cleaning operation.

1 . A cleaning apparatus for cleaning containers at a construction site, said apparatus comprising:
 an armature having a body portion and an end wall at a distal end of said armature, said armature being constructed to be attached to a distal region of a shaft rotated by a power source, wherein said body portion presents a generally cylindrical surface oriented coaxially with the shaft when said armature is attached thereto, said armature including keying structure that precludes relative movement between the shaft and said armature; and   a scrubbing material disposed on said armature and substantially covering an exterior surface of said body portion and said end wall.   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said end wall has at least one drain opening therethrough. 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said body portion is a generally square cylinder dimensioned for providing said keying structure by removably accepting stirring arms on the distal region of the shaft into frictional engagement with the inside corners of said square. 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as in  claim 3 , wherein the sides of said body portion between said corners are bowed outwardly. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , further including a user handle mounted on the shaft for rotation relative thereto. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said armature comprises a generally circular cylindrical body portion and two end caps disposed at opposite ends of said body portion, said end caps including mounting openings having a predetermined shape cooperating with a cross-sectional configuration of the shaft for providing said keying structure. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as in  claim 6 , wherein said cylindrical body portion and said end caps are secured together with an adhesive. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus as in  claim 7 , wherein said shaft extends through said mounting openings in said end caps and is secured thereto with the distal end of said shaft substantially flush with said end cap at said distal end of said armature. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus as in  claim 6 , wherein said end cap at said distal end of apparatus is perforated. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus as in  claim 6 , wherein said end caps are substantially identical. 
   
   
       11 . An apparatus as in  claim 6 , further including a user handle on the shaft for rotation relative thereto. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein said user handle is irremovably secured to said shaft. 
   
   
       13 . A method of cleaning a construction container, the method comprising:
 providing a cleaning apparatus including an armature having a body portion and an end wall at a distal end of said armature, said armature being attached to a distal region of a shaft, wherein said body portion presents a generally cylindrical surface oriented coaxially with the shaft when said armature is attached thereto, said armature including keying structure that precludes relative movement between the shaft and said armature, said cleaning apparatus further including a scrubbing material disposed on said armature and substantially covering an exterior surface of said body portion and said end wall;   securing a proximal end of said shaft to a hand-held power drill; and   actuating the power drill to rotate said cleaning apparatus while engaging internal surfaces of the construction container with said scrubbing material.   
   
   
       14 . A method as in  claim 13 , further comprising introducing a solvent into the container, wherein said end wall has a drain opening therethrough to permit the solvent to drain from the interior of said armature. 
   
   
       15 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said body portion is a generally square cylinder, and said shaft has stirring arms at said distal region thereof, said square being dimensioned for removably accepting said stirring arms into frictional engagement with the inside corners of said square. 
   
   
       16 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said armature includes a generally circular cylindrical body portion and two end caps disposed at opposite ends of said body portion, said end caps including mounting openings having a predetermined shape substantially matching the cross-section of the shaft for providing said keying structure, with said end caps secured to said body portion and said shaft extending through said mounting openings in said end caps and being secured thereto with a distal end of said shaft substantially flush with said end cap at a distal end of said armature. 
   
   
       17 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein said armature is adhered to said shaft with an adhesive. 
   
   
       18 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said securing step and said actuating step are performed at a construction site. 
   
   
       19 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said construction container is a five- to ten-gallon container for a construction material selected from the group comprising paint, spackling compound, premixed grout, and adhesive materials. 
   
   
       20 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said cleaning apparatus further includes a user handle on the shaft for rotation relative thereto, and said method further comprises using said handle to control the position of said armature while engaging the internal surfaces of the construction container with said scrubbing material.