Patent attributes
A spring-biased pivoting squeegee 10 provides a head 12 pivotally attached to a handle 16. The head 12 is movable between a rest position, in which the head 12 is angularly displaced from the handle 16, and a biased position in which the head 12, handle 16, and wiping blade 14 are in linear relation. In the biased position, the wiping blade is maintained at an optimum angle for cleaning a glass surface even with the handle 16 held generally perpendicular to the glass. A spring 60 is fully contained in the head 12 and biases the head toward the rest position. A tension adjustment knob 80 in the head 12 permits adjustment of the spring 60 to a tension level according to the ergonomic requirements of a user. In a second embodiment of the invention an improved locking mechanism comprises a pivoting lock lever 260 held against the top wall 262 of a recess 264 in the head 202 of the squeegee by a retainer 278. The lock 260 is movable between locked and released positions. In the locked position stop surfaces 276 on the lock lever abut with upward facing ledges 256 of side plates 250 on the forward portion of the main handle body 208 to lock the head 202 in the biased position. Two springs 306 have forward projections 308 which rest in downwardly biased engagement on a spring pull nut 304. The spring pull nut 304 is adjustable by turning an adjustment knob 294 to modify the tension on the springs. Slip-resistant surfaces on the handle 208 and head 202 improved handling of the squeegee.
