Scrubbing machine

• US 3,938,212 A
• Filed: 07/19/1974
• Issued: 02/17/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Brown, Neil F., Waldhauser, Steven J. A., Krier, Keith N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moore, C. K.
• Application Number:
  US05/490,206
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 15/49 C, 15/50 R, 15/50 C, 15/83, 15/349, 15/340, 15/82, 15/78
• US Class Current: 15/50.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4025 Means for emptying
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/103 in which the soiled loosening or washing liquid is removed, e.g. by suction removing liquids in general E01H1/108

Abstract

A scrubbing machine that includes an articulated vehicle having a power unit and a trailer unit coupled thereto, said trailer unit having cleaning and dirty solution tanks thereon, a squeegee assembly on the power unit having a central liquid take-up tube and a second take-up tube at one end portion thereof, controls operated by turning the vehicle in the appropriate direction for switching the application of vacuum from the central tube to the second tube, a scrubber head unit and an assembly for mounting and carrying the scrubber unit on the vehicle and raising and lowering the scrubber unit including an articulated joint to permit limited pivotal movement of the scrubber head about a generally vertical axis and an axis perpendicular thereto.

Claims

1. A maintenance machine for surfaces such as a floor or the like comprising a vehicle having ground engaging wheels, a frame having a downwardly opening enclosure, means mounting the frame on the vehicle, a power driven rotary maintenance tool, first means for rotatably mounting the tool on the frame to extend within the enclosure, a receptacle within the enclosure to recieve material raised by said tool, said frame having a deflector in overhanging relationship to said tool and receptacle that slopes downwardly toward the receptacle for directing liquid raised by the tool and collecting on the deflector surface to roll along the surface and drip into said receptacle, means for mounting the receptacle on the frame for movement between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping position to empty liquid in direction away from the vehicle and means on the frame for releasably retaining the receptacle in the liqud collecting position, said receptacle having a center of gravity located to constantly urge the receptacle to move to its dumping posiition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the means for mounting the receptacle on the frame comprises means mounting the receptacle on the frame for pivotal movement between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping position.

3. A maintenance machine for surfaces such as a floor or the like comprising a vehicle having ground engaging wheels and a normal direction of forward movement, a housing providing a downwardly opening enclosure, means for mounting the housing on the vehicle, a power driven brush mounted within the housing to rotate about a transverse axis, means to apply a scrubbing solution on the surface forwardly of the brush, a liquid collecting receptacle, means for mounting the receptacle on the housing within the enclosure in a position to receive liquid raised by the brush and for movement relative the housing between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping position to dump liquid away from the vehicle, and means for releasable retaining the receptacle in a liquid collecting position, the means for mounting the receptacle comprising means mounting the receptacle on the housing for pivotal movement about a transverse axis between the liquid collecting position and the liquid dumping position.

4. A maintenance machine for surfaces such as a floor or the like comprising a vehicle having ground engaging wheels and a normal forward direction of motion, a frame having a downwardly openign enclosure, means mounting the frame on the vehicle, a power driven rotary maintenance tool, first means for rotatably mounting the tool on the frame to extend within the enclosure, a receptacle within the enclosure to receive material raised by said tool, said frame having a deflector in overhanging relationship to said tool and receptacle that slopes downwardly toward the receptacle for directing liquid raised by the tool and collecting on the deflector surface to roll along the surface and drip into said receptacle, means for mounting the recepatacle on the frame for movement between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping position to empty liquid in a direction away from the vehicle and means on the frame for releasably retaining the receptacle in the liquid collecting position, the means for mounting the receptacle on the frame comprising means mounting the receptacle on the frame for pivotal movement between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping position in which the receptacle extends to a lower elevation than the frame, the pivotal mounting means mounting the receptacle forwardly of the tool and for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to said forward direction, and said receptacle having a center of gravity forwardly of the transverse axis.

5. A maintenance machine for surfaces such as a floor or the like comprising a vehicle having ground engaging wheels and a dirty liquid collection tank, a frame having a downwardly opening enclosure, said frame including a housing forming the downwardly opening enclosure, means mounting the frame on the vehicle, a power driven rotary maintenance first tool, first means for rotatably mounting the first tool on the frame to extend within the enclosure, a receptacle within the enclosure to receive material raised by said first tool, said frame having a deflector in overhanging relationship to said first tool and receptacle that slopes downwardly toward the receptacle for directing liquid raised by the first tool and collecting on the deflector surface to roll along the surface and drip into said receptacle, means for mounting the receptacle on the frame for movement between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping position to empty liquid in a direction away from the vehicle, means on the frame for releasably retaining the receptacle in the liquid collecting position, a second tool rotatably mounted by the frame to extend within the enclosure, and between the first tool and the ground engaging wheels, said deflector extending in overhanging relationship to the second tool, a baffle mounted by the housing in at least partial overhanging relationship to the tool and inclined upwardly in a direction toward the receptacle to aid in directing material toward the receptacle, the receptacle having a rear wall and a front wall that extends to a substantially higher elevation than the rear wall when the receptacle is in its first position, means connected to the tank for withdrawing liquid from said receptacle and transferring the liquid to said tank, the last mentioned means including a liquid takeup tube fixedly mounted on the frame, and extending downwardly into the receptacle when the receptacle is in a liquid collecting position.

6. A maintenance machine for surfaces such as a floor or the like comprising a vehicle having ground engaging wheels and a normal direction of forward movement, a housing providing a downwardly opening enclosure, means for mounting the housing on the vehicle to extend forwardly thereof, a power driven brush mounted within the housing to rotate about a transverse axis, means to apply a scrubbing solution on the surface forwardly of the brush, a liquid collecting receptacle, means for mounting the receptacle on the housing within the enclosure in a position to receive liquid raised by the brush and for movemnet relative the housing between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping position to dump liquid forwardly relative the vehicle, and means for releasably retaining the receptacle in a liquid collecting position, the means for mounting the receptacle comprising means mounting the receptacle forwardly of the brush for pivotal movement about a transverse axis, and the receptacle having a center of gravity forwardly of said axis.

7. A maintenance machine for surfaces such as a floor or the like comprising a vehicle having ground engaging wheels and a normal direction of forward movement, a housing providing a downwardly opening enclosure, means for mounting the housing on the vehicle to extend forwardly thereof, a power driven brush mounted within the housing to rotate about the transverse axis, means to apply a scrubbing solution on the surface forwardly of the brush, a liquid collecting receptacle, means for mounting the receptacle on the housing within the enclosure in a position to receive liquid raised by the brush and for movement relative the housing between a liquid collecting position and a liquid dumping positioin to dump liquid forwardly relative the vehicle, and means for releasably retaining the receptacle in a liquid collecting position, the receptacle having a center of gravity located to constantly urge the receptacle to move to its dumping position.