Scrubbing brush, rinse and sweeping equipment

• US 4,461,052 A
• Filed: 09/27/1982
• Issued: 07/24/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas A. Mostul
• Original Assignee: Thomas A. Mostul
• Inventors: Mostul, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US06/423,675
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 15/24, 15/29, 15/50 R, 15/97 R, 15/98, 239/287, 239/444, 239/445, 239/446, 239/448
• US Class Current: 15/29
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/06 with brush driven by the supplied medium
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86517 With subsequent closing of first port

Abstract

A hand operated combination handle and control valve assembly applicable to each of three related cleaning devices. The valve, when attached to a standard pressurized water hose, controls the pressure flow as desired; such as off, pressure to a first outlet port, pressure to both the first and second outlet ports, and finally, pressure to only the second outlet port. A first scrubbing device consists of the handle/valve attached to a pair of water passage tubes assembled to receive pressurized water to impart rotational motion to a turbine operated, planetary gear reduction driven scrubbing brush and also to rinse the soap residue of the scrubbing operation. A second scrubbing device consists of the handle/valve attached directly to a housing which directs pressurized water to a nozzle to wet or rinse an object and also through an inclined orifice to impart rotational motion to a water turbine attached to a central shaft designed to receive a scrubbing brush, such as a bottle brush. The third device consists of the handle/valve attached to a pair of inclined water passage tubes having at their lower ends a caster and nozzles to sweep a surface, such as a driveway.

Claims

1. A handle/valve mechanism comprised of a handle with an end of a quick connect/disconnect hose fitting formed at the inlet end, which allows for the passage of pressurized water through a central bore in said handle to a lever operated, single spool, four way control valve formed within said handle, said valve directing flow to a pair of outlet passage orifices used individually or collectively at operator'"'"'s will to perform a desired operation, one position of said valve channeling water to a first tube which contains as in-line soap dispenser for the purpose of dispensing a small amount of soap into said tube and which is discharged onto a rotating brush after driving a turbine rotatively connected through a planetary gear means to impart rotational motion to said brush during current wash operation;

a second position of said valve directing the passage of water through a second tube to an orifice located in the brush body to accommodate rinsing.

2. A rotary cleaning brush device comprised of a handle containing a control valve through which pressurized water controllably flows into a pair of transfer tubes which are each assigned a respective duty through position of said control valve, the first tube directing said pressurized water through an in-line soap dispenser to a disc like rotary brush mechanism having an inverted cup like body, open on its bottom and containing a peripheral guard creating an interior cavity which houses a turbine driven planetary gear reduction apparatus which is driven by high speed water discharged through an orifice in said body located in close proximity to said turbine and angularly directed through said orifice to rotate said turbine, a pinion gear centrally attached to said turbine, said pinion gear being in constant mesh with a planetary gear rotatably mounted on an arm anchored to a squared central post, said planetary gear also being in constant mesh with a ring gear in turn rotating an attached scrubbing brush at a reduced speed for increased power, said in-line soap dispenser being mounted at an intermediate point in said first tube to admit soap in the pressurized water to facilitate cleaning action of said brush, and said device also including means by which said control valve allows pressurized water to be directed to a nozzle, located on top of said cup-like body, to rinse soap residue from the object being cleaned.

3. A water powered cleaning brush device including an inverted cup-like body, open on its bottom and having connected at one side between the top and bottom thereof a combination inflow tube for water and a handle, with a discharge port into the top of said body, said inflow tube having an in-line soap dispenser with said handle at its inlet end, said handle having means for connection to a common garden hose, as well as an integral lever operated, single spool, control valve, said valve directing flow to either one or both of a pair of passage orifices at operator'"'"'s will to perform a desired operation, an impeller in the top of said body, opposite said discharge port, whereby water discharged through said port drives said impeller, a downwardly depending central fixed round shaft member in said body, said impeller being rotatably mounted thereon, a sun gear centrally attached to said impeller, said sun gear being in constant mesh with a planetary gear rotatably mounted on an anchored post, said anchor mounted on said shaft under said rotor, said shaft being squared preventing anchor rotation, said planetary gear also being in constant mesh with a ring gear rotatably mounted on said anchor, said ring gear in turn rotating a cleaning brush attached thereto at a reduced speed for increased power, and said device also including means by which said control valve allows pressurized water to be directed through a second inflow tube to the top of said body to discharge through a nozzle in said body for finsing purposes, one of said valve passage orifices directing said flow of water into said first mentioned inflow tube and the other said valve passage orifice directing said flow of water into said second inflow tube.

4. A handle/valve mechanism for a cleaning device comprising a tubular handle having connecting means at one end thereof for a water supply hose, a valve body on the opposite end of said handle, a valve spool bore in said body extending transversely of said handle, a pair of parallel discharge bores in said valve body extending in a direction away from said handle, a first discharge orifice in said valve spool bore communicating with one of said discharge bores, a second discharge orifice in said valve spool bore communicating with the other discharge bore, a bore in said handle communicating with said valve spool bore, a valve spool slidable in said valve spool bore, an actuating lever pivotally mounted an said valve body and extending along said handle at a distance therefrom for engagement with an exposed end of said valve spool at one end of said valve spool bore, and a compression spring in the opposite end of said valve spool bore pushing said exposed end of said valve spool into said engagement with said actuating lever to normally close communication between said handle bore and said valve spool bore and close said discharge orifices, said actuating lever and valve spool having a first range of movement when said lever is squeezed toward said handle to open said first discharge orifice, a second range of movement to open both of said discharge orifices, and a third range of movement to close said first orifice and keep open the second orifice, said valve spool maintaining communication with said handle bore throughout said three ranges of movement, a turbine-driven rotary wash brush, a pair of rigid tubes supporting a housing for said brush from said handle, said rigid tubes communicating with said discharge bores, respectively, in said valve body, one of said tubes supplying water to rotate said turbine and supply wash water to said brush and the other tube supplying water to a rinse nozzle on said brush housing.

5. A mechanism as defined in claim 4, said one tube including an in-line soap dispenser.

6. A mechanism as defined in claim 4 including a second handle mounted on said rigid tubes.

7. A washing device comprising a tubular handle having connecting means at one end thereof for a water supply hose, a valve body on the opposite end of said handle, a valve spool bore in said body extending transversely of said handle, a pair of parallel discharge bores in said valve body extending in a direction away from said handle, a first discharge orifice in said valve spool bore communicating with one of said discharge bores, a second discharge orifice in said valve spool bore communicating with the other discharge bore, a bore in said handle communicating with said valve spool bore, a valve spool slidable in said valve spool bore, an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said valve body and extending along said handle at a distance therefrom for engagement with an exposed end of said valve spool at one end of said valve spool bore, and a compression spring in the opposite end of said valve spool bore pushing said exposed end of said valve spool into said engagement with said actuating lever to normally close communication between said handle bore and said valve spool bore and close said discharge orifices, said actuating lever and valve spool having a first range of movement when said lever is squeezed toward said handle to open said first discharge orifice, a second range of movement to open both of said discharge orifices, and a third range of movement to close said first orifice and keep open the second orifice, said valve spool maintaining communication with said handle bore throughout said three ranges of movement, a washing head supported by a pair of parallel tubes mounted in said discharge bores in said valve body for manipulation by said handle, and a nozzle in said washing head supplied by one of said tubes under the control of said actuating lever, the other tube supplying water to said washing head also under the control of said actuating lever.

8. A washing device as defined in claim 7 including a turbine-driven rotary wash brush in said washing head driven by water from said other tube.

9. A washing device as defined in claim 7, said washing head having a pair of nozzles supplied by said pair of tubes, one of said nozzles discharging a cylindrical stream of water and the other nozzle discharging a fan-shaped spray of water.

10. A washing device as defined in claim 9 including a center wheel mounted on said washing head.