Floor mopping appliance

Claim 1

A mopping appliance for mopping floors and the like comprising: elongate handle means; mopping roller means mounted at one end of the handle means; absorbent mop means extending around at least part of the periphery of said mopping roller means to be supported thereby such that a portion of said mop means is adapted to engage a floor or like working surface backed up by said mopping roller means, whereby when said appliance is drawn backward and forward across the floor said portion of said mop means is drawn backwards and forward in contact with the working surface to mop the working surface; spring drive means operatively coupled to advance said mop means; intermittent means operatively positioned for selectively locking said mop means and holding the mopping roller means against rotation during the mopping operation and advancing said mop means, said intermittent means being comprised of a double pawl engaging a ratchet wheel connected with said mopping roller means; and means operatively coupled for, during working strokes of said appliance, releasing said intermittent means to intermittently advance said mop means by said spring drive means during the mopping operation irrespective of the friction between said mop means and the floor and the pressure of the appliance on the floor, to bring a previously unused portion of said mop means into the position occupied by said first-mentioned portion of said mop means for engagement with the working surface.