This invention relates to the field of containers which are supported above a floor surface, such as on stands or trolleys. The invention relates in particular to a container and support arrangement which permits tipping of the container on the support. The combination is particularly useful in the field of flat mops in which a generally planar moping layer is attached to the underside of a mop head. Replacement mopping layers may be stacked in a container and tipping of the container may be required to distribute a cleaning fluid through the mopping layers before they are used. A widely used type of mop for mopping floors comprises an elongate handle connected to a flat mop body via an articulated joint. A mopping layer is preferably detachable from the mop body to permit replacement of the mopping layer after use or due to wear. To facilitate replacement the mop body may be foldable, with the mopping layer suspended between outer foldable wings of the mop body. Such a mops and mopping layers are described in PCT publication WO-A-9840004 (Numatic International Limited)

Replacement mopping layers may be provided stacked one on top of the other in a container, such as that shown in GB-A-2436829 (Numatic International Limited).

Alternatively the mopping layers may be are stacked side by side in a pre-wetting container (e.g. a bucket sealed with a lid) such as that shown in GB -A-2444229 (Numatic

International Limited). In this arrangement mopping layers are stacked in a container which has a releasable lid. An aperture is provided through which wetting liquid may be delivered into the container interior. The liquid is typically a cleaning fluid which includes water, detergent and/or disinfectant.

It is of course desirable that the mopping layers be evenly pre-wetted before use.

Commonly, the pre-wetting process involves leaving the mopping layers to soak in a container containing a limited amount of the wetting liquid for a period of time. The mopping layers are absorbent and therefore absorb liquid residing in the base portion of the container, via capillary action. To ensure even distribution of fluid through the stacked layers, the container should be tipped or inverted so that liquid at the base of the bucket falls to the top region. After allowing the liquid be absorbed, the mopping layers are ready for use. The tipping is typically carried out manually, with the container then being opened to allow extraction of a wetted mopping layer which may then be attached to a flat mop body. Manual tipping can be an awkward process because of the size of the container, the loose contents and because the liquid adds weight. Although mop containers are typically provided with carry handles, these do not help in inverting the container and cannot support the container during inversion.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved system for wetting of mopping layers in a mopping container, and more generally seeks to provide an improved system for tipping containers.

According to one aspect the invention provides a combination of a container and a support for supporting the container above a floor surface, the support being configured to provide a first container location in which the container can be retained in a first orientation and a second container location which is spaced apart from the first location and in which the container is free to be tipped away from the first orientation about a generally horizontal container axis and wherein the support is provided with guide means which guides travel of the container between the first location and the second location.

Thus the container is retained in a first location and orientation (such as upright) and may then travel to the second location at which the container is free to tip (such as to invert). The container may then be returned to the first position at which it may be held in the tipped (inverted) orientation. In the mopping application, the combination permits an upright mopping layer soaking period may be followed by an inverted soaking period to help provide a uniform liquid soaking of the layers. The guide means preferably supports the weight of the container, and preferably supports during tipping as well as travel between the first and second locations.

The guide means is preferably elongate and generally horizontally extending. In a preferred arrangement, the guide means is provided with an inclined portion which tends to cause the container to gravitate towards the first location.

The guide means preferably comprises two spaced apart, generally parallel arms. The arms may comprise rods, or rails or tracks or any other elongate support. Preferably each arm is a cantilever having a base end region which corresponds to the container first location.

Each guide means (or arm) may be provided with a travel stop which corresponds to the container second location. The stop may be provided at a distal end region of the arms.

In a preferred arrangement each arm extends generally horizontally and with an upwards incline extending from an arm base region which corresponds to the container first location to an arm distal region which corresponds to the container second location.

The invention further provides a container and support combination as previously described wherein the container is provided with abutment means which engage with the guide means during travel.

The abutment means may comprise two spaced apart engaging features between which the container is suspended when engaged with the guide means. The engaging features preferably define the container tipping axis so that in the second container location the container is be tipped about the abutment means while supported on the guide means.

The engaging features in a preferred arrangement project from one container sidewall and an opposite sidewall of the container. Each engaging feature preferably comprises a boss or a wheel or a roller which abuts the guide means. The container may have a handle which is pivotally attached to the container at a location which is above the abutment means, so that lateral pulling on the handle tends to exert a tipping moment on the container.

In a further aspect of the invention, at the first location the support means and container can co-operate to restrain the container when in its first orientation and wherein the support means and container can also co-operate to restrain the container in a tipped orientation, the arrangement being such that a container in the first orientation may travel from the first location to the second location and be tipped, and then returned to the first location where it can be retained in the tipped orientation.

As previously described the container first orientation is preferably upright and the container tipped orientation is preferably inverted.

The container is typically provided with a lid which forms a water-tight closure, useful in particular in the wetting of mopping layers stacked in the container. Thus container may accommodate one or more absorbent webs, such as mopping layers for a flat mop. The container may further accommodate a liquid and tipping of the container promotes distribution of the liquid through the webs.

The container may be constrained against tipping when in the first location by abutment of a container sidewall portion against a surface or member of the support means. The said surface or member may be provided by an horizontal frame member, and/or by a generally horizontal plate which forms a container support surface.

The support may comprise a wheeled trolley, such as a janitorial trolley.

The container is typically a bucket which has generally upright front/back and left/right sidewalls and a base wall.

Thus according to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a bucket comprising a base wall, generally upstanding sidewalls and optionally an openable lid, wherein respective outside surfaces of two opposite sidewalls are each provided with a projecting boss, spindle, wheel or roller, so that the container can be supported between the bosses, spindles, wheels or rollers and tipped about an axis defined therebetween.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is front view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective three quarter view of a front end region of janitorial trolley which provides a container the support according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective three quarter view the support and the container wherein the container is in the first container location in an upright orientation.

Figure 4 shows the container of figure 3 wherein the container has travelled to its second container location and is part way through tipping.

Figure 5 shows the container in an inverted orientation.

In Figure 1 a container according to the invention is shown generally as 1. The container is a generally rectangular, elongate open bucket provided with a planar lid 8.The container 1 comprises a base wall 2 from which two side walls 3,3a and front 5 and rear 5a walls extend upwardly. The front/rear walls are longer than the side walls. Each of the walls 3, 5 are coterminous at a top end region thereof, at which is formed a rim 7.

The lid 8 is configured to fit over the rim 7 in sealing contact therewith. The lid is provided with an elongate latch 4. The latch may be folded down to form an engagement with conventional snap-fit rectilinear barb features 4a on the container walls under the rim.

Hence, the lid can be used to seal the opening of the container 1 as shown in Figure 1. The fit around the rim is watertight to the extent that water cannot pass during inversion of the container. The seal should also be airtight to prevent evaporation of the liquid. The container is provided with a generally C-plan handle 9. The handle 9 has two end regions 9a,9b which are each hinged to the container via the side walls 3,3a of the container. Hence, the handle 9 spans length of the container 1. The handle can be moved between a carrying position where it is held above the container and a stowed position where it rests against one of the front/rear walls 5, as shown in figure 3.

The container is provided with two rollers 6, one of which projects outwardly from side wall 3 of the container and the other of which projects outwardly from the opposite side wall 3a. The rollers comprise cylindrical bosses having an axis of rotation A-A' (figure 1) which is orthogonal to the side walls 3, 3a. Each boss is formed with inner and outer flanges which are linked by a circumferential waist region; groove 17.

Each container may be stacked with a plurality mopping layers (not shown). Each is of known construction, having an elongate planar form, with an underside formed with a forest of short liquid absorbent strands which form a working surface. The mopping layers are preferably stacked edge-on and perpendicular to the base, and parallel to the sidewalls, in the manner described in GB -A-2444229.

In figure 2 a janitorial trolley is shown (schematically) as 14. A container support comprises two elongate parallel cantilever arms 10. In the present embodiment these are made from coated rigid steel tubing. The arms each have a base end region 16 which extends vertically and a distal end region which is formed with an upwards riser 13. The base end regions arms are attached by riveting to a vertical portion of a trolley frame (not shown). The arms are directed outwards from the base region at an upwards incline (angle Θ) from the horizontal of roughly 5 degrees. The riser portions 13 of the distal end regions of each arm form travel stops 13 which prevent the container bosses from travelling beyond the length of the arms. The two arms are joined at their base ends by a cross bar 15 of steel tubing which is attached to the arms at the junction of their inclined and lower vertical portions 16 of the arms. A middle region of the cross bar is provided with an L-section plate 12 which has a vertical surface 19 and a horizontal surface 20. The cross bar serves as an abutment for the container rear wall and the horizontal surface 20 serves as a seat for the base 2 of the container when the container is located at the base end region of the arms. The container and support can be used to wet the mopping layers using the following method:

First mop heads are folded, stacked, and placed into the container interior. Then, a cleaning solution is poured into the container from an external vat. The next step is to seal the lid 8 on to the container 1. This forms a watertight and airtight seal.

If the container is not already on the support, the container is then lifted using the handle 9 and deposited, in an upright orientation, on the support 11 , with the grooves 17 of the bosses engaged with the arms 10. Since the arms are at an incline to the horizontal the container is urged into its first location as depicted in figure 3 and in which the container rear wall rests against the cross bar 15 and the container base 2 rests on the horizontal plate surface 20.

The cooperation of the container and the cross bar and plate surface prevent the container rotating about the tipping axis defined by the bosses (see figure 1).

The container is left in this first location for a period of approximately 10 to 15 minutes. The mopping layers absorb liquid by capillary action. The user then grasps the handle 9 and pulls it such that the container is drawn away from the trolley with the rollers travelling along the arms 10.

When the rollers reach the risers 13 further travel is prevented. Since the handle is pivotally attached to the container at an axis H-H' which is above the axis A-A' of the rollers (see figure 1), continued lateral pulling on the handle tends to exert a tipping moment on the container (see arrow T), so that the container automatically tips over as shown in figure 4. Once the container reaches a certain point in its rotation about the tipping axis, the liquid and/or or mops inside the container shift across and hasten the complete the inversion of the container. The user may then allow the inverted container to travel back down the arms until it is stably seated against the trolley as depicted in figure 5. The container is left in this position whilst the mopping layers therein soak for a further 10 to 15 minutes. The container is then returned to its upright orientation by a further rotation cycle started by pulling on the container handle.

The mopping layers inside the container will now be soaked thoroughly in the preparatory fluid. The lid 8 is opened and the mopping layers are then ready for use. The container can either be left on the support during this opening and subsequent use, or removed from the support and deposited on the floor.

It will be appreciated that the times for soaking will vary according to the liquid absorbency of the mop heads used. Also, the choice of liquids will vary depending on the use for which the mop heads are to be used for. The liquid can be water alone or with added cleaning solution or with added disinfectant to achieve the cleaning standards desired by the user.

Although the invention has been described with reference to an application to aid wetting of mopping layers, the general arrangement as set out in the claims has applications in other fields and for the manipulation of containers generally.