SURFACE CONDITIONER

• US 3,657,759 A
• Filed: 04/09/1970
• Issued: 04/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold T. Sawyer
• Original Assignee: Harold T. Sawyer
• Inventors: Sawyer, Harold T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Machlin, Leon G.
• Application Number:
  US05/026,885
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 15/4-98 51/174,175
• US Class Current: 15/98
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/125 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers

Abstract

A machine capable of performing one or another of a variety of conditioning operations on a surface by use of vibration energy. A vertically extending base holding plate has a cantilever beam extending from it, with a captive stationary end fastened by a resilient mount to the plate. A source of vibration energy is mounted on the cantilever beam intermediate to its ends. A main resonant plate substantially parallel to the cantilever beam has a work shoe removably attached to it through a resilient pad. The end of said cantilever beam remote from the base holding plate has a second resonant plate secured to it in a position substantially parallel to the cantilever beam and the main resonant plate through a plurality of spaced resilient mounts, the combined structure of all the parts being such that they can be vibrated at or near their natural frequency by the chosen source of vibration energy.

Claims

1. A surface conditioner comprising a frame and a handle on the frame for manipulating the conditioner over a selected surface, a rotating actuator assembly including means eccentric to an axis of rotational motion adapted to generate a sinusoidal form of vibrating energy, a cantilever beam having a resilient mounting at one end on said frame, a surface contacting tool assembly comprising a work show for engagement with the surface, a back-up plate of shape and transverse dimension substantially corresponding to said work shoe, and sponge material secured between said work shoe and said back-up plate, said work shoe, said sponge material and said back-up plate being adapted to vibrate in a condition at or near their respective natural frequencies, a substantially central mount connected to said back-up plate and a relatively stiff connection between said mount and said actuator assembly, whereby said work shoe is vibrated in a sinusoidal pattern in response to said actuator, said actuator assembly and said back-up plate having an interconnecting means through said cantilever beam.

2. A surface conditioner according to claim 1 wherein there is a resonant plate mounted intermediate said back-up plate and said actuator assembly, said resonant plate extending radially outwardly relative to said central mount, and a plurality of resilient mounts between said resonant plate and said back-up plate located radially outwardly from said central mount.

3. A surface conditioner as in claim 2 wherein said resonant plate is circular in form.

4. A surface conditioner as in claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means includes a reversely bent arm;

said actuator assembly being connected to said cantilever beam intermediate opposite ends thereof, said reversely bent arm having a relatively fixed end connected to said cantilever beam and a relatively free end connected to said resonant plate.

5. A surfaCe conditioner as in claim 4 wherein said actuator assembly comprises an electric motor with the axis of rotation of a motor shaft therefor substantially parallel to said work shoe and a weight rotationally driven by said motor shaft, said weight being eccentric with respect to its axis of rotation.

6. A surface conditioner as in claim 4 wherein said actuator assembly comprises an electric motor having a housing, a rotor, a motor shaft mounting said rotor in the housing, a mounting bracket having an intermediate portion attached to said cantilever intermediate opposite ends thereof, said bracket having two legs, an eccentric connection between said motor shaft and one of said legs and a resilient connection between said motor housing and the other legs substantially in axial alignment with said motor shaft.

7. A surface conditioner as in claim 4 wherein said actuator assembly comprises an electric motor having a housing, a rotor, a motor shaft mounting said rotor in said housing, an eccentric connection at one end of said motor shaft, a bracket interconnecting said eccentric connection and said arm intermediate opposite ends of said cantilever beam, and a resilient connection between said motor housing and said frame at a location substantially in axial alignment with said motor shaft.

8. A surface conditioner as in claim 1 wherein said work shoe comprises a surface engaging plate and a rear plate in spaced parallel position forming a chamber therebetween, a multiplicity of ports through said surface engaging plate in communication between said chamber and the exterior, and means for supplying conditioning fluid to said chamber.

9. A surface conditioner as in claim 1 wherein said work shoe comprises a surface contacting plate, plug means on said surface contacting plate extending through said pad and said back-up plate, and a removable connection between said plug means and said back-up plate.

10. A surface conditioner as in claim 9 wherein said surface contacting plate has a perimetral flange having a heighth sufficient to be located above said back-up plate.

11. A surface conditioner as in claim 2 wherein said resilient mounts between the resonant plate and the back-up plate are resilient only in a transverse direction and relatively stiff in a direction in alignment with respectively said resonant plate and said back-up plate.

12. A surface conditioner as in claim 2 wherein there is a protective housing surrounding said actuator assembly and attached to said frame, said housing being free of engagement with said actuator assembly.

13. A surface conditioner as in claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises a rigid direct connection from said actuator assembly through an end of said cantilever beam remote from the resilient mounting to said resonant plate.