Floor maintenance machine

• US 3,942,215 A
• Filed: 08/29/1974
• Issued: 03/09/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James O. Olds
• Original Assignee: James O. Olds
• Inventors: Olds, James O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moore, C. K.
• Application Number:
  US05/501,647
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 15/320, 15/340, 180/6.2
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/206 for rotary disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4055 for lifting the tools to a non-working position
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4063 Driving means; Transmission means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents

Abstract

A floor maintenance machine comprises a platform mounted on wheels. An electric power system on the platform is coupled to some of the wheels for driving the machine. A steering system on the platform is coupled to selected ones of the wheels for steering the machine. A vacuum system on the platform is connected to and operated by the electric power system for vacuuming a floor on which the machine is driven. A brushing system on the platform is connected to and operated by the electric power system for performing operations on the floor. The brushing system comprises a plurality of brushes selectively manually coupled to the brushing system for selectively washing, waxing and buffing the floor. A washing system on the platform washes the floor. The washing system comprises a storage drum having two independent compartments, one containing a detergent and water solution and the other containing rinse water when washing and liquid wax when waxing. A waxing system on the platform is connected to and operated by the electric power system for waxing the floor. A vehicle control system is coupled to the electric power system for controlling the movement of the machine. A machine control system is coupled to the electric power system for selectively controlling the operation of the vacuum system, the brushing system and the waxing system.

Claims

1. A floor maintenance machine, comprising

a platform mounted on wheels;

an electric power system on the platform coupled to some of the wheels for driving the machine;

steering means on the platform coupled to selected ones of the wheels for steering the machine;

vacuum means on the platform connected to and operated by the electric power system for vacuuming a floor on which the machine is driven;

brushing means on the platform connected to and operated by the electric power system for performing selected operations on the floor, said brushing means comprising a plurality of brushes selectively manually coupled to the brushing means;

washing means on the platform for washing the floor, said washing means comprising a storage drum having two independent compartments, one containing a detergent and water solution and the other containing rinse water when washing and liquid wax when waxing;

waxing means on the platform connected to and operated by the electric power system for waxing the floor, said waxing means including a wax drum movably mounted on the platform, a wax plunger movably mounted on the wax drum, and control means coupled to the wax drum for selectively raising and lowering the wax drum out of and into contact with a surface supporting the machine and coupled to the wax plunger for selectively moving said wax plunger in axial directions in said wax drum; and

machine control means coupled to the electric power system for selectively controlling the operation of the vacuum means, the brushing means and the waxing means.

2. A floor maintenance machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform is mounted on two pivotally mounted front wheels and a pair of rear wheels and the steering means comprises a pair of brake devices each in proximity with a corresponding one of the rear wheels and each controlled individually in a manner whereby when one of the brake devices is actuated it brakes the corresponding wheel and the machine is turned in the corresponding direction and when both brake devices are actuated both wheels are braked and movement of the machine is halted.

3. A floor maintenance machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine control means includes means for selectively raising and lowering the brushes.

4. A floor maintenance machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the washing means includes outlet means for supplying liquid to the floor, said outlet means extending from the bottoms of the compartments of the storage drum toward the floor, blocking means in the outlet means for blocking the flow of liquid therethrough, and control means coupled to the blocking means for selectively controlling the blocking means to selectively permit and block the flow of water through the outlet means, said control means comprising rod means coupled to the blocking means.

5. A floor maintenance machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric power system comprises battery means for supplying electrical energy, four electric motors and electric circuit means connecting the motors to the battery means for energization thereby, a first of the motors being coupled to and driving the vacuum means, a second of the motors being coupled to and driving the wax plunger of the waxing means, a third of the motors being coupled to and driving the brushing means and coupled to and driving the wax drum of the waxing means, and a fourth of the motors being coupled to and driving said some of the wheels.