FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE

• US 20090045208A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hako-Werke GmbH (L. Possehl & Co. mit beschränkter Haftung)
• Original Assignee: Hako-Werke GmbH (L. Possehl & Co. mit beschränkter Haftung)
• Inventors: Katenhusen, Heinrich, Peters, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/761
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like

Abstract

A floor-cleaning machine which can be driven over the floor, includes a driven brush for sweeping the floor to be cleaned. The brush picks up dirt and debris from the floor and carries it, assisted by forced air flow, in an overhead motion and through a transfer duct to a pair of dirt containers in the form of buckets located side-by-side at the rear of the machine. A manual linkage at the rear of the machine moves a pivoted carrier frame which holds the dirt containers, between a raised use position in which the upper rims of the dirt containers are sealed to the machine for collection of debris, and a lowered access position for removal of the containers. Each container is independently accessible for emptying, and includes a bail-type handle pivotally attached such that a bucket, the opening of which faces forwardly and upwardly in the use position, extends generally horizontal when removed, to avoid spillage. Each container has a recess adjacent the inlet opening for receiving the handle in the operating position.

Claims

1. A container for use in a mobile floor sweeper machine, comprising:

left and right upright side walls, an upright rear wall, a forward wall, and a bottom, said forward Wall being shorter than said outer rear wall, said forward wall, rear wall and first and second side walls cooperating to define an inlet opening extending along a plane at an angle approximately in the range of 30°

-40°

relative to said bottom, each of said side walls, rear wall, forward wall being of a dual wall construction and cooperating to define a continuous, flat upper sealing edge adapted to seal with the casing of said machine when said container is in a use position relative to said machine, the upper edges of said left and right side walls and said rear wall defining a generally U-shaped outer recess constructed to receive a handle;

and a bail handle having extending legs, the distal portions of said legs of said handle being pivotally mounted to upper intermediate portions of said left and right side walls respectively and arranged to be housed within said recess such that extensions of the outer surfaces of said left and right side wails are outside the lateral portions of said handle when said handle is folded into said recess, and the upper surfaces of said left and right side walls and said rear wall define a sealing plane above said handle when said handle is received in said recess.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the outer bottom wall of said container defines a transverse recess extending adjacent the rear wall thereof for receiving a ridged frame member.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein the pivot connections of said handle are located substantially above the center of gravity of said bucket when said container is filled with dirt such that the inlet opening of said container rotates to a generally horizontal position for carrying when said container is removed from a machine.