Floor-sweeping machine

• US 4,502,173 A
• Filed: 09/08/1982
• Issued: 03/05/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leifheit AG Leifheitstrasse
• Original Assignee: ITT Industries (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tiwi, Peter, Schreiber, Alfons, P/a/ tzold, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US06/422,979
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 15/41-46, 15/48, 15/79 R, 15/79 A, 248/73, 403/188, 411/182, 411/908
• US Class Current: 15/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4058 for adjusting the height of the tool
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels

Abstract

Floor-sweeping machine consisting of a housing with a revolving brush mounted rotatably therein and having pinions which are provided at its two ends and which are themselves each connected operatively by engagement to a pair of running drive wheels, the two running drive wheels belonging to a particular pinion being mounted rotatably in a wheel case and the wheel cases being mounted in appropriate housing receptacles so as to be vertically displaceable for adjusting the height of the revolving brush mounted fixedly in the housing, wherein, for a permanent adjustment of the height of the revolving brush without impairing the drive of the revolving brush by the running wheels, each wheel case (26) is retained by means of a wheel-case holder (38) to swing on one leg (44) of a U-shaped adjusting shackle (45), and the U-shaped adjusting shackle (45) is mounted pivotably in appropriate bearings (55) of the housing (11) by means of angled portions (54), shaped on the free ends of the legs (44), and an adjustable wedge face (53) pivoting the U-shaped adjusting shackle (45 ) downwards against the effect of a force accumulator (67) engages on the crown part (51).

Claims

1. In a floor-sweeping machine of the type including a housing having a top portion, a cylindrical brush rotatably mounted in the housing and drive wheels engaging the brush for rotation thereof, the combination comprising:

adjusting means pivotally mounted in the housing for varying the height of the housing relative to the wheels, said adjusting means having two legs;

a casing rotatably supporting at least some of the wheels;

means for clamping said casing to one of said legs of said adjusting means, said clamping means having oppositely directed projections for guiding the movement of the casing in the housing;

means for urging said adjusting means in a direction towards the top portion of the housing; and

wedge means engaging said adjusting means for moving said adjusting means oppositely to said direction.

2. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 1 wherein said casing has a U-shaped cross section, oppositely located side walls between which the wheels are mounted, each of said side walls bounding a first and a second opening, and an axle positioned in each of said first and second openings and supporting the wheels for rotation thereabout.

3. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 1, wherein said casing further includes a U-shaped resilient wire shackle having leg portions and being positioned on one of said side walls, said leg portions having angled projections each of which forms at least a portion of said axle.

4. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 3 wherein each one side wall has tongue portions for mounting said resilient wire shackle.

5. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 3 wherein said leg portions extend at an angle towards one another and wherein the width of said first and said second opening exceeds the diameter of said axle.

6. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 2, wherein said casing has a portion which bounds a third opening and wherein said clamping means has two resilient legs, said legs having oppositely directed engagement lugs for insertion into said third opening.

7. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 6 wherein said clamping means further includes an arm which is positioned on said U-shaped resilient wire for holding said wire on said one side wall.

8. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 1 wherein said clamping means has a C-shaped section in which said leg of said adjusting means is positioned, the width of the C-shaped section increasing towards the ends thereof.

9. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 1 wherein the housing has ribs extending from the interior surface thereof for guiding the movement of the casing.

10. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 1 wherein said adjusting means further includes a peg against which said wedge means engages.

11. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 1 wherein said wedge means further includes an actuating handle for movement of said wedge means.

12. The floor-sweeping machine according to claim 1 wherein said urging means includes a substantially V-shaped leaf spring, and wherein the housing further includes interior wall sections, said spring being held in position by said wall sections.

13. A floor-sweeping machine comprising:

a housing;

cylindrical brush means rotatably mounted in said housing at a predetermined location therein;

at least one casing mounted on said housing for movement in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the surface to be cleaned as considered in the position of use;

engaging means rotatably mounted on said casing and operative for contacting the surface to be cleaned to support the housing thereon and for rotating said brush means;

means for adjusting the distance in said direction between said casing and at least a portion of said housing and

means for maintaining said adjusted distance.