Curling broom and cover

Claim 2

A curling broom and cover comprising an elongated handle, a plurality of individual bristles bundled to constitute a broom head secured adjacent its upper end to the handle with its lower end free to flex, and a flexible cover surrounding at least a major portion of the head to hold the bristle together at the lower end of the broom, said cover having its upper end secured to the broom so as not be be dislodged by sweeping and being sufficiently loose-fitting to permit movement of the individual bristles relative to one another and to said cover, the cover comprising an inner layer having an inner surface, with a low coefficient of friction, along which the bristles can slide during sweeping without snagging, an outer ice-contacting layer having a coarse wear-resistant surface for rubbing the ice, and an intermediate layer adapted to limit relative movement between said inner and outer layers, all outer parts of the cover that contact the ice during sweeping being soft so as not to damage a smooth ice surface on striking it.

Claim 3

A curling broom and cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bristles are vegetable fibre bristles slidable along said inner surface which is smoother and harder than said outer surface.

Claim 4

A curling broom and cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover is closed at its lower end to enclose the lower end of said head but provides sufficient room within the cover to permit relative movement of said bristles during sweeping.

Claim 5

A curling broom and cover as claimed in claim 3, including outer bristles shorter than inner bristles, the cover having an additional flexible layer at its lower end adding to the weight thereof.

Claim 6

A curling broom and cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate layer is fixed to the inner layer, the inner and intermediate layers being substantially inextensible, the intermediate layer having an outer fibrous surface that frictionally engages the outer layer to restrain stretching and twisting thereof.

Claim 7

A curling broom and cover comprising an elongated handle, a plurality of individual bristles bundled to constitute a broom head secured adjacent its upper end to the handle with its lower end free to flex, and a flexible cover pervious to air and surrounding at least a major portion of the head to hold the bristles together at the lower end of the broom, said cover being closed at its lower end to enclose the lower end of the broom and having its upper end secured to the broom so as not to be dislodged by sweeping and being sufficiently loose-fitting to permit movement of the individual bristles relative to one another and to said cover, the cover having an inner surface of air pervious plastic material along which the bristles can slide during sweeping without snagging and an outer air pervious coarse wear-resistant surface for rubbing the ice, all parts of the cover that contact the ice during sweeping being soft so as not to damage a smooth ice surface on striking it.

Claim 8

A curling broom and cover comprising an elongated handle, a plurality of individual bristles bundled to constitute a broom head secured adjacent its upper end to the handle with its lower end free to flex, and a flexible cover pervious to air and surrounding at least a major portion of the head to hold the bristles together at the lower end of the broom, said cover being closed at its lower end to enclose the lower end of the broom and having its upper end secured to the broom so as not to be dislodged by sweeping and being sufficiently loose-fitting to permit movement of the individual bristles relative to one another and to said cover, the cover having an inner surface of air pervious plastic material along which the bristles can slide during sweeping without snagging and an outer air pervious coarse wear-resistant surface for rubbing the ice, all parts of the cover that contact the ice during sweeping being soft so as not to damage a smooth ice surface on striking it.

Claim 9

A curling broom and cover as claimed in claim 6, wherein said air pervious plastic material comprises a fabric lining of woven plastic strips.

Claim 10

A curling broom and cover comprising an elongated handle, a plurality of individual bristles bundled to constitute a broom head secured adjacent its upper end to the handle with its lower end free to flex, and a flexible cover surrounding at least a major portion of the head to hold the bristles together at the lower end of the broom, said cover being closed at its lower end to enclose the lower end of the broom and having its upper end fixed to the broom by an elastic connection which prevents the cover from being dislodged by sweeping but permits relative longitudinal movement between the cover and the broom during sweeping, the cover being sufficiently loose-fitting to permit mOvement of the individual bristles relative to one another and to said cover, the cover having an inner surface along which the bristles can slide during sweeping without snagging and an outer coarse wear-resistant surface for rubbing the ice, all parts of the cover that contact the ice during sweeping being soft so as not to damage a smooth ice surface on striking it.

Claim 11

A curling broom and cover comprising an elongated handle, a plurality of individual bristles bundled to constitute a broom head secured adjacent its upper end to the handle with its lower end free to flex, and a flexible cover surrounding at least a major portion of the head to hold the bristles together at the lower end of the broom, said cover being closed at its lower end to enclose the lower end of the broom and having its upper end fixed to the broom by an elastic connection which prevents the cover from being dislodged by sweeping but permits relative longitudinal movement between the cover and the broom during sweeping, the cover being sufficiently loose-fitting to permit mOvement of the individual bristles relative to one another and to said cover, the cover having an inner surface along which the bristles can slide during sweeping without snagging and an outer coarse wear-resistant surface for rubbing the ice, all parts of the cover that contact the ice during sweeping being soft so as not to damage a smooth ice surface on striking it.

Claim 12

A curling broom and cover as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cover comprises an inner layer having a low coefficient of friction, an outer ice-contacting layer having said coarse surface, and an intermediate layer adapted to limit relative movement between said inner and outer layers.

Claim 13

A curling broom and cover comprising an elongated handle, a plurality of individual bristles bundled to constitute a broom head secured adjacent its upper end to the handle with its lower end free to flex, and a flexible cover surrounding at least a major portion of the head to hold the bristles together at the lower end of the broom, said cover having its upper end secured to the broom so as not be be dislodged by sweeping and being sufficiently loosefitting to permit movement of the individual bristles relative to one another and to said cover, the cover surrounding substantially the entire flexible portion of the head but at least the bulk of the individual bristles extending beyond the lower end of the cover, the cover comprising a tubular lining having an inner surface along which the bristles can slide during sweeping without snagging and an outer tube having an outer wear-resistant surface, less smooth than said inner surface, for rubbing the ice, the lining being secured at its ends to the ends of the tube, all parts of the cover that contact the ice during sweeping being soft so as not to damage a smooth ice surface on striking it.

Claim 14

A curling broom and cover comprising an elongated handle, a plurality of individual bristles bundled to constitute a broom head secured adjacent its upper end to the handle with its lower end free to flex, and a flexible cover surrounding at least a major portion of the head to hold the bristles together at the lower end of the broom, said cover having its upper end secured to the broom so as not be be dislodged by sweeping and being sufficiently loosefitting to permit movement of the individual bristles relative to one another and to said cover, the cover surrounding substantially the entire flexible portion of the head but at least the bulk of the individual bristles extending beyond the lower end of the cover, the cover comprising a tubular lining having an inner surface along which the bristles can slide during sweeping without snagging and an outer tube having an outer wear-resistant surface, less smooth than said inner surface, for rubbing the ice, the lining being secured at its ends to the ends of the tube, all parts of the cover that contact the ice during sweeping being soft so as not to damage a smooth ice surface on striking it.

Claim 15

A curling broom and cover as claimed in claim 10, wherein the outer surface is of coarse knitted fibrous material and the inner surface is of harder plastic material and the bristles are vegetable fibre bristles.