Retractable tool assembly

A household implement comprising:

• a tool member including:
• (i) an operative element;
• (ii) an elongate rod attached at one end to said operative element;
• and
• (iii) a bar connected to said rod at an end opposite said operative element, said bar extending substantially orthogonally with respect to said rod;
• a hollow housing having an opening at one end and a hand grip at an opposite end, said housing having a longitudinal axis;
• first locking means at said opposite end of said housing for cooperating with said bar, upon a rotation of said tool member from a retracted neutral position, to releasably hold said tool member in a retracted locked position to said housing;
• and
• second locking means at said one end of said housing for cooperating with said bar, upon a rotation of said tool member from an extended neutral position, to releasably hold said tool member in an extended locked position to said housing,
• at least one of said first locking means and said second locking means including a pair of arrests extending inwardly from opposite sides of an inner surface of said housing, said arrests defining a pair of abutment surfaces disposed essentially in a common plane oriented transversely with respect to said housing, said abutment surfaces being spaced from one another in said common plane, said bar having a length greater than a distance between said abutment surfaces, said bar having a width less than said distance.

A method for executing a household chore, comprising the steps of:

• lifting up a housing by a handle provided at an upper end thereof;
• extending, from an opening in a lower end of said housing, a tool member disposed inside said housing prior to said step of lifting;
• rotating said tool member with respect to said housing;
• upon said step of rotating, locking, to formations on opposite sides of said housing, opposite ends of a bar connected to said tool member and extending transversely relative to said housing;
• manipulating said housing and said tool member via said handle to perform a task to which said tool member is adapted;
• upon completion of said task, again rotating said tool member with respect to said housing, thereby unlocking said tool member from said housing;
• retracting said tool member back into said housing;
• and
• placing said housing upon a horizontal surface so that said opening is covered and said tool member is again contained inside said housing.

A household implement comprising:

• a tool member including:
• (i) an operative element;
• (ii) an elongate rod attached at one end to said operative element;
• and
• (iii) a bar connected to said rod at an end opposite said operative element, said bar extending substantially orthogonally with respect to said rod;
• a hollow housing having an opening at one end and a hand grip at an opposite end, said housing having a longitudinal axis;
• first locking means at said opposite end of said housing for cooperating with said bar, upon a rotation of said tool member from a retracted neutral position, to releasably hold said tool member in a retracted locked position to said housing;
• and
• second locking means at said one end of said housing for cooperating with said bar, upon a rotation of said tool member from an extended neutral position, to releasably hold said tool member in an extended locked position to said housing
• said second locking means including arresting means for preventing said bar from moving more than a predetermined distance beyond said second locking means in a direction opposite said first locking means, said arresting means including a ring extending inwardly from said inner surface, said ring having an inner diameter, said bar having a length greater than said inner diameter.