APPARATUS FOR SCRUBBING RUGS, FLOORS AND THE LIKE

• US 3,849,823 A
• Filed: 05/25/1972
• Issued: 11/26/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerald James Adamson, O'Grady, James Kenneth
• Original Assignee: Gerald James Adamson, O'Grady, James Kenneth
• Inventors: Adamson, Gerald James, O'Grady, James Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US05/257,038
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 15/5R,29,49R,98,320,387 64/1
• US Class Current: 15/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for attachment to a domestic vacuum cleaner to clean floor coverings and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a drive coupling for use in the device. The drive coupling consists essentially of an inner element connected to an outer element by straps and a spring positioned between the elements for biasing the elements apart and extending the straps. The drive coupling is positioned between an output from a turbine and a brush for transmitting torque from the turbine output to the brush. When the brush meets an increased resistance in cleaning the floor covering, the straps move from their normal axial position into an inclined position thereby elevating the brush and reducing the resistance to rotation for limiting the effects of the resistance on the turbine.

Claims

1. A device for washing floor coverings such as carpets and the like, the device comprising:

a housing defining a generally cylindrical skirt disposed about an upright axis, and a reservoir above the skirt for storing soap solution and the like;

a valve assembly coupled to the housing and operable to permit soap solution to flow from the reservoir to within the skirt;

a brush mounted within the skirt for rotation about said upright axis and having bristles extending downwardly for engagement with the floor covering;

drive means coupled to the housing and operably coupled to the brush for rotating the brush to create relative movement between the bristles and the floor covering; and

a drive coupling connecting the drive means to the brush, the drive coupling comprising;

an inner element coupled to the drive means;

an outer element coupled to the brush and spaced axially below the inner element;

generally upright straps connected at upper ends thereof to the inner element and at lower ends thereof to the outer element;

spring means biasing the outer element axially downwards so that the bristles project downwardly beyond the skirt such that in use when the brush encounters a relatively high resistance to rotation, the straps move towards horizontal positions, the spring means is further stressed, and the brush moves upwards so that the skirt contacts the floor covering whereby the brush resistance is reduced and brush stalling is substantially obviated.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the brush further comprises sponges at the periphery of the brush, and in which circumferentially extending tapers and steps are provided inside the skirt for alternately compressing the sponges as the sponges pass over the tapers and relaxing the sponges as the sponges pass over tHe steps whereby as soap solution from the reservoir meets the sponges the soap solution is made to froth and foam before reaching the floor covering.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the housing comprises first and second moldings, the first molding defining the skirt and the second molding positioned inside the first molding, the moldings combining to define the reservoir and the second molding defining the tapers and steps.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising a valve assembly mounted in the housing and operable manually to permit soap solution to flow from the reservoir to within the skirt.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive means comprises a turbine and reduction gearing operably connecting the turbine to the drive coupling, the turbine being adapted to be driven by air drawn through the turbine by a sub-atmospheric source such as a domestic vacuum cleaner and the like.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive coupling inner and outer elements include respective inner and outer fingers, the inner fingers extending radially outwards and the outer fingers extending radially inwards and in which each of the straps is integrally connected at respective said upper and lower ends to corresponding inner and outer fingers, and in which the spring means comprises a coil spring in compression and located between the inner and outer fingers.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive means includes a shaft on which the drive coupling is releasably engaged, and the device further comprising a spring coupled to the shaft for retaining the drive coupling on the shaft and for permitting removal of the drive coupling by applying an axial downward forc to the drive coupling.